(28/04/2016 20:09)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]Oh I see -- on Arriva's website, it doesn't come up if you search for 79, but it does come up if you search for 79C insofar as it says 79 above the shorts on the timetable for the 79C.
Just my opinion, but I think that's a terrible service number because it's completely disjoint from the other 79 in the area.
You can just imagine someone intending to travel from Liverpool to Widnes thinking, oh I'll hop on that 79 because I know that goes through Widnes, just like the 79C, as I've seen them around there a number of times.
Realistically it shouldn't cause too many problems. There's always been 2x 79C's and 3x 14's Running around the Hough Green Estate where passengers have to read the destination before they board, often from some distance away as many can come around the loop at once. Frequently (as I found out whilst at college) one will have the wrong destination also awkwardly.
Not forgetting at one point the 14 variations that were:
14 Liverpool Dale Street
14 Liverpool Queen Square
14 Hough Green Farm / Liverpool Road
14 West Bank
14 Widnes Town Hall / Vicarage Road
14 Murdishaw
and that's on top of the variations of the 14A/14B/14C/14D/14F (although clearer with the prefix)
Finally the 'C' can stand for 'Connection' as it connects both 79's on either end of the B5178
That is certainly a good way of explaining the C in the 79.
(29/04/2016 21:52)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]That is certainly a good way of explaining the C in the 79.
IMO the 'C' has always been an odd prefix to use anyway as upon its introduction the A/B/C prefixes weren't in use for a number of years (Similar as to how Speke now use 79D again to mean 'Dale Street' four years after the original was withdrawn 2007/8). Especially from the Halton end where it was renumbered from 30.
if I remember correctly there was:
79A Liverpool - Lee Park
79B Liverpool - Bellevale/Caldway Drive (CMT service)
79C Liverpool - Caldway Drive (Due to the installation of the turn-around off Wood Lane)
79D Liverpool - Netherley via London Road (Later Bellevale/Netherley Wood Lane)
79E Queen Square Short Service (Used at times of overcrowding from Netherley)
79E Liverpool - Wavertree Clock Tower (Never officially used but was programmed for short running)
Go back to the 1950/1960s and the 79C and 79D were Liverpool Pier Head to Lee Park when the C was via Church Street and the D was via Dale Street
The 79C was used because when it was introduced in 2002, it was actually the 79C to Liverpool - Caldway Drive that was extended to Runcorn being combined with the 30 from Hough Green.
At the time Arriva was in intense competition from various operators especially the 78/79s, and Merseytravel had a waiting list of services apparently who wanted to use Queen Square Bus Station, so if Arriva had withdrawn their original 79C and introduced a new service or number, they wouldnt have been able to serve Queen Square as they would have dropped to the bottom of the "queue", and so hence why the original 79C was just extended and left as a 79C.
This is also the reason why the 79C had to be run off the Arriva Merseyside ops disc for years, instead of the Arriva North West one that the other Runcorn services were.
Caught the Eco bus for the first time yesterday, seats are ok, windows felt very flimsy, looked like they were going to break at the slightest pressure that put on them.
(29/04/2016 22:22)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]Go back to the 1950/1960s and the 79C and 79D were Liverpool Pier Head to Lee Park when the C was via Church Street and the D was via Dale Street
Indeed, that numbering & route variation was used up until D-Reg, although there was exceptions, plus 79D was reintroduced either late 90s or early 00s for buses using London Road, before Arriva diverted the 78 over that section instead.
One of the gas buses is out on the 79c this afternoon don't think I have ever seen one on there
Not sure which one but one of Runcorns Gas Buses seemed to be having problems yesterday, it dropped off in Warrington Bus Station about 13:00 and then parked up just on the bend onto the layover park and stayed there with engine cover up meaning 13:00 X30 Warrington-Chester didnt operate from Warrington at least