Buses serving Norton Parkway

[Adam V]

I was at Parkway when the first X50 arrived with no passengers.

[Adam V]

I can't see that late night Sunday service lasting very long!

[TimBrown]

I don't know if anyone else was aware of this (I have only just found out myself) that as of Today the X50 runs on Sunday's! And oddly the Sunday TT runs until much later than the Monday-Saturday TT!
It runs hourly between Worcester & Pershore - via Parkway of course!) It does not continue to Evesham so this means only 1 bus is required. BusTimes.org currently shows 66692 in operation.

I only just saw this information on the First Website! And I'm sure it has not been on there for long!
https://www.firstgroup.com/worcestershi ... -monday-24

So it looks like this has been very poorly advertised & It is not even on the main timetable's page! I can only guess that the Sunday Timetable was a last-minute decision with support from the council...

Thanks Will, this is a big surprise, especially the late running. If late running is deemed necessary on a Sunday why is it not operated throughout the week? I wonder where the wake-up call originated, we need to get our act together in this county because transport is just not integrated. I wonder also if First Bus ever talk to First GWR, possibly not!?

Perhaps someone at Worcs. C.C. has woken up to the fact that the expensive toy will become White Elephant Parkway unless the bus links are much improved. I haven't looked, but just how well do the buses actually connect with trains on the high and low levels? I've seen mention of extending the 45, but wonder if an extended 32 every hour via Norton, Littleworth and Stoulton would be a viable addition and give those remote villages a service again?

[Charliedaffin]

not sure what the point is, seeing that these buses will be in leicester soon, but they added parkway to the branding on the x50 centros

[Adam V]

I half expected you to be out on the first train this morning Tim!

[TimBrown]

I half expected you to be out on the first train this morning Tim!

No, believe it not Sunday is a busy morning at home doing the weekly wash and then compiling the weekly GWR performance report for distribution to rail enthusiasts and CLPG members. It is a ginormous tome this week following the efforts of Storm Dennis to bring down catenary and blow obstructions into the four foot!

[willr7]

not sure what the point is, seeing that these buses will be in leicester soon, but they added parkway to the branding on the x50 centros

I'm guessing this is just a temporary thing to advertise the fact that they stop there. I'm hoping that the X50 will receive a re-brand soon (either using the newly transferred in Citaro's or a couple of StreetDecks...) I will also add that the paintwork on the X50/Village Links centro's look rather tired - and they were refurbished back in 2015! I'm surprised they didn't use a StreetLite Max on the service today considering it's a Sunday and it would have made a better impression (being more modern)!

[willr7]

I was at Parkway when the first X50 arrived with no passengers.

It does not surprise me one bit! Considering I wasn't even aware of the new Sunday operation until an hour ago!

[Charliedaffin]

i wasnt aware it was free until the driver told me when i took a photo of the bus

[willr7]

Looking at the TT, it will be a struggle for the driver to keep to time - with only 2 minutes turnaround at each end!