'Bristol Greyhound' bus service returns as Pier Buses

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Who exactly is running this Bristol Greyhound service?

I can find no web presence, email or telephone number for them, yet they are beginning a passenger service in two days time. Company name and number anyone? The latest info I can find on Bristol Greyhound Ltd is that is is non-trading.

Traveline merely has the operator name and TravelBristol has diddly about them.

Who do we call in times of service disruption, or for other customer service enquiries? Number one being, what are the fares? Number two, will they accept AvonRider? Number three, what buses are they using?

Like trainer, I'm deeply sceptical that this new service will materialise. Who, in their right mind, begins a new bus service and doesn't even publicise it?

[Scott]

I think I know where I'm going on Monday

Of note is that a search for "Bristol Greyhound Clevedon" on Google brings up the following results:

(1) Traveline for X7
(2) [not related to X7]
(3) THIS THREAD!
(4) [not related to X7]
(5) Wikipedia

Hmm.

[JayMac]

I think I know where I'm going on Monday

If it's Clevedon you are heading to, you might want to have a Plan B - First's 361.

Or Plan C - Train to Yatton and Bakers Dolphin's 66.
 

Am I right in thinking that commercial bus services have to be registered with the relevant local Traffic Commissioner? In many parts of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), such registrations are in the public domain online. Doesn't appear to be the case here in the west.

[grahame]

Bristol Greyhound ... http://www.dawg.org.uk/ ... these folks deliver an excellent service.

[JayMac]

My memory of Bristol Greyhounds comes from a few visits to this place when I was a young 'un.

[Scott]

If it's Clevedon you are heading to, you might want to have a Plan B - First's 361.

Or Plan C - Train to Yatton and Bakers Dolphin's 66.

My Plan B is to use the X2/X3 to Portishead and then the 66 If the X7 does work, I will be returning to Bristol using this route instead.

Am I right in thinking that commercial bus services have to be registered with the relevant local Traffic Commissioner? In many parts of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), such registrations are in the public domain online. Doesn't appear to be the case here in the west.

Go on the VOSA website, and search for Western Area registrations on January 28th 2013. The following appears:

PH1115989/1 - BRISTOL GREYHOUND LIMITED T/A BRISTOL GREYHOUND, 30, WILSHIRE AVENUE, BRISTOL, BS15 3QT
o   Registration Accepted
o   Starting Point: Bristol, Temple Meads Station
o   Finish Point: Clevedon, Elton Road
o   Via: Hotwells, Failand, Tickenham
o   Service Number: X7
o   Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride
o   Effective Date: 25-MAR-2013
o   Other Details: Monday to Friday except public holidays Every 60 minutes

I note that VOSA have corrected the entry to ^60^ instead of ^six^.

[JayMac]

So, whoever they are... they've informed Traveline. They've informed the Traffic Commissioner/VOSA. They've apparently resurrected a dormant company... but they've not bothered to inform potential customers in the areas they intend to serve.

Could have a bus to yourself on Monday, Scott. Although I am free on Monday and could pop along to Temple Meads to see what, if anything, turns up. 

[devon_metro]

Bakers Dolphin's 66.

How long has this service been running, do you know? Saw it waiting at presumably the terminus stop t'other day. Surprisingly new buses considering some of the Bakers Dolphin school contract buses around the area!

[Scott]

So, whoever they are... they've informed Traveline. They've informed the Traffic Commissioner/VOSA. They've apparently resurrected a dormant company... but they've not bothered to inform potential customers in the areas they intend to serve.

Could have a bus to yourself on Monday, Scott. Although I am free on Monday and could pop along to Temple Meads to see what, if anything, turns up.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was true either. I'm also rather worried about the vehicle that turns up, i.e. what it is and how well presented it is...

Assuming your phone number hasn't changed since January last year, I'll send you a text when I know which one I (should ) be on.

[chuffed]

Baker Dolphin started running the 66 ...the coastal hopper...in April 2012 with 4 very comfortable brand new buses in a special livery. They have the contract for 5 years and it is an a real 'join the dots service' that replaced 3 other separate council services. North Somerset in the shape of Elfan Ap Rees claims this service will save ^100,000 a year. Trouble is, they keeping adding bits of diversionary route on, so that it takes best part of 1 hr 25 min to cover the route from Congresbury to Nailsea and vice versa via Yatton ,Clevedon,Portishead and Portbury.
,
 I am surprised they don't finish off the last bit between Congresbury and Nailsea town centre along the A370 and N&B station ..shouldnt take more than 10 mins to make it a truly circular service.

It is a great pity that First started running the 125 between Clevedon and Congresbury, and then on to Weston along the same route as the 66,  after always having had  a fast service down the M5 for the last 30 years.
 In fact I now take the 66 to Yatton station from Redcliffe bay and the train to Weston asit is infinitely preferable to being stuck on that 125 as it loops Clevedon taking in Tesco twice ! Otherwise you are stuck on that bus for the best part of 90 lumbering minutes where the speed rarely exceeds 30mph. Add in the poor sods on holiday in Weston who decide to visit Cribbs Causeway for a spot of retail therapy. I bet they only make that journey once, as it takes the best part of 2 hours each way. Take a fast train from Weston and you could be in Paddington in about the same time, and a lot less hassle ! 

[Scott]

Ever since they introduced the 125 I've though that they should have brought it in as a separate entity to the X25. It could run from Weston to Portishead as it does now and then no further; the X25 could then become a very fast route with a more direct route through Clevedon and possibly even running direct via the A370 into Weston; both could run on an hourly basis using three buses. But then that would increase the PVR (Peak Vehicle Requirement) to six from four which wouldn't be ideal because it would cost more money...

[chuffed]

All for that! Hurry up and become an employee and shake them up a bit !

[swrural]

In this thread Chuffed mirrors my comments in this thread earlier on the Dorset 31.

-  see - The complex world of Buses ... some answers!  in Other ways to travel

From where I live, I could drive to Dorchester from Axminster (31 miles) and back again before the bus has got half way.

This is mainly due to going all around the houses and driver changes in Bridport carried out with the same urgency that Bristol TM^‡(resolve) used to think through trains should be despatched.

Modal shift cannot be achieved by trying to do everything with one service, as it appears Mr Ap Rees does.. 

[trainer]

In the interests of our readers I have just stood in a snow flurry to see if a bus on the X7 actually turns up.  It did, more-or-less on time.  It was an older single decker, but a more detailed description I cannot give as my knowledge is pretty weak after about 1980!  It was not a Bristol built vehicle that's for sure.  The livery is similar to the old Bristol Omnibus of green below the windows and cream above that with Bristol Greyhound scrolled on the front panel in cream.  You would have had a photo but I forgot to check my battery before rushing out.    Passengers: one elderly gentleman and possibly another talking to the driver, or he may have been helping navigate.  Not good for peak bus pass travel!

If Scott is over this way today he may see one of the four in the fleet.

My impression was that, apart from the modern destination display, this looked like something from a heritage bus rally.  I don't think First will be quaking.

[chuffed]

Like trainer I have just come in from a wait in a snow flurry .. from 0940 to 1015 .for 35 mins for a much vaunted X2 or X3 15 minute service. It was cold enough to freeze the proverbials off a alloy challenged member of the ape family.

However there is a plausibe explanation associated with that expression. It refers to the propensity of brass to contract in very cold weather. Now apparently in Napoleonic times, when we were fighting the French, young boys were pressganged into ramming the gunpowder charge down, and inserting the cannon balls in the barrels of the cannons, and became known  as powder monkeys. The cannon balls were stored in and on top of  triangular frames of brass ..in 6's  would imagine, rather like the reds are initially arranged on a snooker table today. These frames  were also known as monkeys.. so the colloquial expression really came about, when the brass contracted, the cannon balls no longer fitted the frames and would roll around the deck....

And you all thought it meant something else.......