Talk:Plymouth Citybus

Can anyone find a proper fleetlist? Mine is just a summary of the main vehicle types. --Dennisman (talk) 18:11, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

Bus Strike

Under the 'Plymouth Citybus' section, reference is made to the Plymouth Bus War of the late '80s. The Plymouth Citybus drivers' strike ('86 or '87, I think) needs to be mentioned in that context. Western National took over Citybus routes during the long strike, and I recall Western National staff boarding WN buses and distributing anti-Citybus leaflets to passengers. I am a long way from Plymouth so cannot access back-copies of the Herald and Western Morning News to reference that, but somebody should do so. The personalities were also interesting. Western National was under the combative John Preece. Plymouth Citybus was under the more defensive Brian Fisher, who had acquired his role at Citybus having been Principal Assistant Transport Manager for Plymouth City Transport prior to privatisation. Brian Fisher always came across on local radio as a man not particularly warm to the concept of competition, whereas John Preece told local radio one morning, "I thrive on competition," which at that time sounded like a radical statement for a British local public transport operator to make. John Preece also threatened in one interview that Western National had old buses "in moth balls" which they would take out to fight Citybus. I don't know if Plymouth Sound radio keeps news transcripts going back that far, but anything broadcast on Plymouth Sound news might well have been picked up by the local press, so the Herald and WMN archives at the library need to be looked at. Apologies to both gentlemen should they read this! I'm simply describing things from a transport user and radio listener's point of view at the time. You were both competent professionals of course, and neither one of you is responsible for the fact that deregulation once pitted you against each other!Alrewas (talk) 19:19, 23 March 2014 (UTC)

UPDATE: By sheer accident, whilst searching for another story, I have located the Heralds for the above bus strike. The saga began on Thursday 21st January 1988 in the City Extra edition. "Plymouth Citybus today sacked all 120 morning shift drivers who stopped work to attend a mass meeting. The remaining 140 drivers also face the sack if as seems certain they support their colleagues later today. . ." Thus began a prolonged strike which was quite disastrous for Citybus at the time.Alrewas (talk) 16:27, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

And on 22nd Jan: "Western National is laying on extra buses during the Citybus dispute. They will use the same numbers as Citybus services they are replacing and cover school and Dockyard routes . . . " Not sure yet how long the strike went on for, but I recall it lasted perhaps a couple of weeks.Alrewas (talk) 16:44, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

25th Jan: "Defiant Citybus drivers today claimed they have nationwide support for the strike action which has crippled the company's bus service. Thousands of pounds' worth of donations have been sent from all over the country to boost the 260 drivers' strike fund, say transport union leaders. And TGWU district officer, Alan Swales, warned the management that its attempts to recruit non-union labour and former employees would not break the strike. He said: 'We can carry on indefinitely because we are being given moral and financial support. But I reckon the company will only be able to last another couple of weeks before saying enough is enough.' A Welsh businessman, a friend of Mr Swales, is to travel to Plymouth on Thursday [28th] with a lorry-load of meat which will be handed out free to the sacked drivers." Alrewas (talk) 16:58, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

5th February: "Plymouth's striking busmen will be back at work tomorrow after agreeing a peace package at a mass meeting today. And passengers on all Citybus routes will travel free tomorrow as a way of saying sorry for the inconvenience caused during the two-week dispute. Immediately after the settlement was agreed both management and unions were claiming victory . . . " Alrewas (talk) 17:37, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

Have inserted a paragraph on the above into the History section.Alrewas (talk) 06:19, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

Have added a subheading for Plymouth Citybus Strike, because it is not only a part of Plymouth Citybus history, but also a part of trade union and industrial relations history, and therefore should be clearly visible to researchers. Ideally the strike should have its own article. I may attempt that in the future if nobody else will.Alrewas (talk) 09:11, 7 November 2020 (UTC)

Have removed the subheading from my paragraphs about the 1988 Plymouth Citybus Strike, as the subsequent paragraph ("After a while direct competition . . . ") does not pertain to the strike and it would not make chronological sense to place that paragraph before my paragraphs about the strike. So my paragraphs about the strike are again without a subheading. That is not an ideal situation, because the strike is not just a part of Plymouth Citybus history but also a part of trade union and industrial relations history, so it needs to be easy for researchers of the latter to find. In the future, the 1988 strike should also have its own article.Alrewas (talk) 09:25, 7 November 2020 (UTC)

Timetables

Does anybody still have one of the big timetables which prior to deregulation used to come as a supplement in one of the local papers? Was it in the Herald or the WMN? I seem to recall that they were on pink or yellow paper, though I may be wrong. Would make an interesting photograph. Alrewas (talk) 20:49, 23 March 2014 (UTC)

The Flash

The Flash services are out of date.

The RedFlash looks to be discontinued from 23rd February 2020. BlueFlash is withdrawn. Routes 21/21A are now called SPARK. Nowell87 (talk) 10:45, 7 February 2020 (UTC)

References