My thought is that if WOB take on the 62, would they just run it to Widnes so they can link into the 32 and potentially interwork them?
(23/01/2020 21:47)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]My thought is that if WOB take on the 62, would they just run it to Widnes so they can link into the 32 and potentially interwork them?
It would be nice in theory, though it may require a rethink of the 'Blueline' branding and also the time taken from Warrington to Widnes on the 62 route is quite awkward at 1hr13mins, so would probably mean having to interwork with other routes as well.
From the website:
"From Saturday 25th January 2020 we will provide evening services 20 & 20A in Runcorn.
From Sunday 26th January 2020 we will provide service 3D, 20 & 20A in Runcorn.
From Monday 27th January 2020 we will provide service 62 & 62A between Warrington and Halebank, all services to Riverside & Cronton College and the 20 & 20A evening services."
It looks to me like Warrington are introducing their ideal 62(A), which will be running all the way from Warrington to Halebank hourly during the day, in addition to their current less-than-ideal limited 62 service, no doubt with a view to getting rid of the older one in time.
The headways of the two really are not well co-ordinated, sometimes being just 4 minutes apart, so I think this is the logical conclusion.
However the headways are really not co-ordinated with Arriva's 62 as well - hmmmmm.
But is Warrington proposing for drivers to have breaks at Halebank? - some very long layovers in such a remote place, such as from 12:02 to 12:46, maybe unless vehicles will run OOS all the way to/from there.
See here for the full announcement and links to the timetables:
https://www.warringtonsownbuses.co.uk/ne...ervices-20
(23/01/2020 14:43)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]It may also be an opportunity to renumber this service Cat4 or possibly Cat10, to bring it in with the other Stockton Heath / Cheshire services (to account for this, possibly either renumber the present 4 as 3A or the present 10/10A as 1A/2A).
Cheshire's Own Buses, anyone? haha
I think CAT10 would probably be ideal, And to prevent confusion to some passengers with its current 10, perhaps 11/12 replacing the 10 by going via Farrell st rather than Knutsford Road and (probably the 11 via Edgewater park) while the 10A replace by new 1B during the peakhours, I don't think knutsford rd being only served by 1/2 during off peak would make much difference.
A bit like this, 11 in blue, 12 red, 1B yellow, Green is option 1 and pink is option 2 of the 1B.
heres a link
file:///C:/Users/HP/Downloads/wa.html
The 62 timetable is very odd. I wonder if they aren't allowed to change their existing 62 times so are working it all out to try and provide a decent service.
I can see Arriva extending the 500 Widnes shorts upto Halebank to try and provide the extra capacity so they don't have to run the 62 leaving only Warringtons 62 to then run. the full service.
(25/01/2020 12:35)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]The 62 timetable is very odd. I wonder if they aren't allowed to change their existing 62 times so are working it all out to try and provide a decent service.
Yeah, I think they are trying to keep it as close to the original as possible but without wasting a tremendous amount of resource, given that Warrington won't be operating on the 20-minute frequency between Halebank and Sandymoor like Halton did (and these shorter journeys worked onto and off the longs to and from Warrington).
But there are quite a few differences, including journeys removed, renumbered/rerouted/retimed, the 62C being withdrawn - it's far from an exact duplicate of Halton's service between Warrington and Halebank.
(25/01/2020 13:42)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, I think they are trying to keep it as close to the original as possible but without wasting a tremendous amount of resource, given that Warrington won't be operating on the 20-minute frequency between Halebank and Sandymoor like Halton did (and these shorter journeys worked onto and off the longs to and from Warrington).
But there are quite a few differences, including journeys removed, renumbered/rerouted/retimed, the 62C being withdrawn - it's far from an exact duplicate of Halton's service between Warrington and Halebank.
It does all seem a bit odd but you can half understand what they are trying to do.
All that aside, has anyone noticed that eastbound towards Warrington, the 11:07 from Runcorn Old Town and 11:54 from Shopping City to Warrington 'normal' trips literally duplicate the new Halebank trips.
This 62 timetable has a lot of tweaking needing doing to it in the next few weeks as there is no way duplicating your own trips and the 30 minute layovers in Halebank can be sustained long term.
Based on WOBs normal policies of interworking literally everything, I wouldn't be surprised if, in a few weeks when the sort the timetable out, they start running the services in such a way that the buses go off and do the college runs.
(25/01/2020 15:48)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]It does all seem a bit odd but you can half understand what they are trying to do.
All that aside, has anyone noticed that eastbound towards Warrington, the 11:07 from Runcorn Old Town and 11:54 from Shopping City to Warrington 'normal' trips literally duplicate the new Halebank trips.
This 62 timetable has a lot of tweaking needing doing to it in the next few weeks as there is no way duplicating your own trips and the 30 minute layovers in Halebank can be sustained long term.
Based on WOBs normal policies of interworking literally everything, I wouldn't be surprised if, in a few weeks when the sort the timetable out, they start running the services in such a way that the buses go off and do the college runs.
Plus this and the ARRIVA 62 both run at the same time from Murdishaw my thinking most people will go for the ARRIVA one if they need a weekly or day ticket (with more choice of routes )
Not sure about the legal position, but maybe they can get a short term licence (registration) to replace the Halton journeys, but still need to give the 42 days to vary the existing Warrington journeys ???
(25/01/2020 16:13)Bevan Price Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure about the legal position, but maybe they can get a short term licence (registration) to replace the Halton journeys, but still need to give the 42 days to vary the existing Warrington journeys ???
I think this will be it Bevan. Generally speaking, TC will allow short notice changes to replace an existing timetable, but my understanding is that generally an operator must replace withdrawn journeys with ones running at similar times. This doesn't explicitly allow amending existing journeys - but Warrington's existing 62 journeys will fit around their existing Priestley College work - buses and duties.
Therefore, I'd expect a tidy up for this and the Arriva replacement services as soon as can be arranged (42 days with approval by councils involved?) and once the new operators are more familiar with traffic conditions and passenger loadings gained through real-world experience. A lot of hard-work and second guessing by all those involved in planning this week - hats off to them!