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suzyscottdotcomInfo from the Dundee Area Bus Forum and other sources (as linked to);
In May 2008, Stagecoach Strathtay announced that their depot in Prior Road, Forfar, was to be closed, along with the premises behind the bus station in Dundee. The latter was replaced by a new facility in Wester Gourdie industrial estate, Dundee. Dundee depot would have been required for the Waterfront Redevelopment plans in any case. With regards to Forfar, “The main reason behind the closure of the Forfar depot is that maintenance facilities are inadequate from a Health and Safety perspective for the new vehicles which are being brought into service.”. This meant that Forfar closed for operational purposes in mid-August 2008, with some work being split between Dundee (Smeaton Road) and Arbroath, with one or two extra out of the former Meffan’s depot in Kirriemuir. The “For Sale” signs were then posted over the Forfar depot…
… until earlier this year. Going into Angus Council retendering of Forfar/Kirriemuir area school bus services by Angus Council, the Kirriemuir depot (former Meffans) had an allocation of 13 buses for a peak vehicle requirement of 12, plus a couple of buses outstationed from Arbroath. (It is understood the latter is Stagecoach policy, as if the buses were allocated to Kirrie, further maintenance staff would be required). So, however they swing it, a total of 15 vehicles, for 14 buses worth of work. From this, they managed to keep four buses worth of work. The rumours then started when the drivers were informed that they would not be required when the schools returned in August. The local press reported at that time that the work was to be distributed between other premises in the area. Most of the work had been lost to other operators (including one being driven by Neil Meffan, garaged next door to Kirrie "depot" at the Meffan's family home at Parkend, now seperate from the bus operations). Since then, on the company allocation, no buses have been allocated to Kirriemuir – instead, vehicles being outstationed there instead.
So, from service changes starting in mid-November, Forfar depot is to reopen, but as an outstation of Arbroath and Dundee. The "Dundee" buses will be the 2 Tridents, and 3 low-floor single deckers, which will largely provide the revised 20/20A service. The "Arbroath" buses will be 2 Solos and 2 Varios, which will largely provide the revised 21/21A, 23/24, 23A/B services plus a s/d for the 128/9. A spare is also likely to be supplied. It is presumed that the work needed to bring Forfar up to standard (that required it’s original closure) has been done.
Changes from Monday 16th November 2009 are as a result of the end of the Forfar Town Services bus route development grant (awarded 2005) and that for the 27 extension to/from Kirriemuir (2006). The changes with the second hourly Kirriemuir bus mean that all buses out of Forfar to Kirrie now stop on the same side of the road.
Service 20 (Dundee – Forfar – Whitehills - Kirriemuir) Service revised, with the hourly short Forfar journeys mostly extended to/from Kirriemuir . Buses will operate in alternate directions around the Kirriemuir area, numbered 20 or 20A accordingly. The morning journey via Dundee Colleges is renumbered 20B. Sunday service 20C to/from Glamis is unchanged.
Services 21/21A/21B (Forfar – Brechin – Stracathro Hospital/Edzell) Slightly revised timings.
Service 22/22A/22D (Dundee – Lumley Den – Glamis – Kirriemuir/Forfar) Revised timetable, with all buses following a similar route through Glamis and Charleston. Some additional journeys and revised timings introduced.
Service 23/24 (Forfar Town Centre – Westfield – Whitehills Circular) The existing mostly half-hourly service from 0515 to 1755 is revised. One morning peak bus will run on the 23 at 0718 from East High St (via Orchardbank) then nothing until 0905, when a hourly 24 will start (until 1405) with the 23 running hourly from 0935 to 1435. There is then a gap across the evening peak with no service throughout, until the evening (subsidised as part of the evening/Sunday 27 contract) starts at 1913, 2013, 2113, 2213, and these will remain the “short” version of the route. Saturday early starts at 0905 (24) or 0935 (23) both hourly until 1635 (23) and then 1705 (24 to Tesco only).
Service 23A (Orchardbank – Forfar – Lilybank) Currently mostly hourly service is replaced by a bus every 30 mins 0939-1109 then hourly until 1409 from East High Street to Lilybank only, and return a few minutes later. Services to Orchardbank Industrial Estate and the A90 underpass (for Citylink connections to/from Aberdeen & Glasgow) withdrawn, Graham Crescent replaced by the 23B. No earlier/later journeys to Lilybank, and no journeys at all to/from Toll Crescent Resource Centre.
Service 23B (Orchardbank - Forfar – Whitehills – Lunanhead) Service revised. Lunanhead section withdrawn completely. While the 21A provides additional journeys to Lunahead, and the 20/20A will pass the end of the road at the Whitehills Health & Community Care Centre (formerly Hospital), only the 23/24 daytime buses will run into the site. Again, the mostly hourly service has been reduced to a service from East High Street every 30 mins 0949-1119 then hourly until 1419, operating direct to Orchardbank along Glamis Road, and returning via Graham Crescent. No earlier or later journeys at all. Services to the A90 underpass (for Citylink connections to/from Aberdeen & Glasgow) withdrawn.
Service 26 (Forfar Tesco – Beech Hill) Service retimed by a few minutes.
Services 27-27E (Arbroath – Letham – Forfar – Orchardbank - Kirriemuir) Section of route between Forfar and Kirriemuir withdrawn during the main part of the day, replaced by 20/20A via Whitehills in both directions. Minor timing changes over the rest of the route.
Service 128 (Alyth – Kirriemuir) 0840 Saturday journey from Alyth now operates at 0830.
In May 2008, Stagecoach Strathtay announced that their depot in Prior Road, Forfar, was to be closed, along with the premises behind the bus station in Dundee. The latter was replaced by a new facility in Wester Gourdie industrial estate, Dundee. Dundee depot would have been required for the Waterfront Redevelopment plans in any case. With regards to Forfar, “The main reason behind the closure of the Forfar depot is that maintenance facilities are inadequate from a Health and Safety perspective for the new vehicles which are being brought into service.”. This meant that Forfar closed for operational purposes in mid-August 2008, with some work being split between Dundee (Smeaton Road) and Arbroath, with one or two extra out of the former Meffan’s depot in Kirriemuir. The “For Sale” signs were then posted over the Forfar depot…
… until earlier this year. Going into Angus Council retendering of Forfar/Kirriemuir area school bus services by Angus Council, the Kirriemuir depot (former Meffans) had an allocation of 13 buses for a peak vehicle requirement of 12, plus a couple of buses outstationed from Arbroath. (It is understood the latter is Stagecoach policy, as if the buses were allocated to Kirrie, further maintenance staff would be required). So, however they swing it, a total of 15 vehicles, for 14 buses worth of work. From this, they managed to keep four buses worth of work. The rumours then started when the drivers were informed that they would not be required when the schools returned in August. The local press reported at that time that the work was to be distributed between other premises in the area. Most of the work had been lost to other operators (including one being driven by Neil Meffan, garaged next door to Kirrie "depot" at the Meffan's family home at Parkend, now seperate from the bus operations). Since then, on the company allocation, no buses have been allocated to Kirriemuir – instead, vehicles being outstationed there instead.
So, from service changes starting in mid-November, Forfar depot is to reopen, but as an outstation of Arbroath and Dundee. The "Dundee" buses will be the 2 Tridents, and 3 low-floor single deckers, which will largely provide the revised 20/20A service. The "Arbroath" buses will be 2 Solos and 2 Varios, which will largely provide the revised 21/21A, 23/24, 23A/B services plus a s/d for the 128/9. A spare is also likely to be supplied. It is presumed that the work needed to bring Forfar up to standard (that required it’s original closure) has been done.
Changes from Monday 16th November 2009 are as a result of the end of the Forfar Town Services bus route development grant (awarded 2005) and that for the 27 extension to/from Kirriemuir (2006). The changes with the second hourly Kirriemuir bus mean that all buses out of Forfar to Kirrie now stop on the same side of the road.
Service 20 (Dundee – Forfar – Whitehills - Kirriemuir) Service revised, with the hourly short Forfar journeys mostly extended to/from Kirriemuir . Buses will operate in alternate directions around the Kirriemuir area, numbered 20 or 20A accordingly. The morning journey via Dundee Colleges is renumbered 20B. Sunday service 20C to/from Glamis is unchanged.
Services 21/21A/21B (Forfar – Brechin – Stracathro Hospital/Edzell) Slightly revised timings.
Service 22/22A/22D (Dundee – Lumley Den – Glamis – Kirriemuir/Forfar) Revised timetable, with all buses following a similar route through Glamis and Charleston. Some additional journeys and revised timings introduced.
Service 23/24 (Forfar Town Centre – Westfield – Whitehills Circular) The existing mostly half-hourly service from 0515 to 1755 is revised. One morning peak bus will run on the 23 at 0718 from East High St (via Orchardbank) then nothing until 0905, when a hourly 24 will start (until 1405) with the 23 running hourly from 0935 to 1435. There is then a gap across the evening peak with no service throughout, until the evening (subsidised as part of the evening/Sunday 27 contract) starts at 1913, 2013, 2113, 2213, and these will remain the “short” version of the route. Saturday early starts at 0905 (24) or 0935 (23) both hourly until 1635 (23) and then 1705 (24 to Tesco only).
Service 23A (Orchardbank – Forfar – Lilybank) Currently mostly hourly service is replaced by a bus every 30 mins 0939-1109 then hourly until 1409 from East High Street to Lilybank only, and return a few minutes later. Services to Orchardbank Industrial Estate and the A90 underpass (for Citylink connections to/from Aberdeen & Glasgow) withdrawn, Graham Crescent replaced by the 23B. No earlier/later journeys to Lilybank, and no journeys at all to/from Toll Crescent Resource Centre.
Service 23B (Orchardbank - Forfar – Whitehills – Lunanhead) Service revised. Lunanhead section withdrawn completely. While the 21A provides additional journeys to Lunahead, and the 20/20A will pass the end of the road at the Whitehills Health & Community Care Centre (formerly Hospital), only the 23/24 daytime buses will run into the site. Again, the mostly hourly service has been reduced to a service from East High Street every 30 mins 0949-1119 then hourly until 1419, operating direct to Orchardbank along Glamis Road, and returning via Graham Crescent. No earlier or later journeys at all. Services to the A90 underpass (for Citylink connections to/from Aberdeen & Glasgow) withdrawn.
Service 26 (Forfar Tesco – Beech Hill) Service retimed by a few minutes.
Services 27-27E (Arbroath – Letham – Forfar – Orchardbank - Kirriemuir) Section of route between Forfar and Kirriemuir withdrawn during the main part of the day, replaced by 20/20A via Whitehills in both directions. Minor timing changes over the rest of the route.
Service 128 (Alyth – Kirriemuir) 0840 Saturday journey from Alyth now operates at 0830.
