Bus Tour 27 March 2010

Started by Snorzac, December 13, 2009, 10:07:02 PM

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Will you be attending?

Yes
11 (68.8%)
No
1 (6.3%)
Unable to Commit
4 (25%)

Total Members Voted: 16

Voting closed: March 28, 2010, 12:28:08 AM

Snorzac

Date: 27/03/10
Start Time: 0930
Finish Time: Anytime between 1700 and 1800
Vehicles Used-Morning: 990 and 490
Vehicles Used-Afternoon: 390 and 464 (all vehicles subject to approval by ACTION and Operational Availability)
Cost: $15-$20, left over money to be donated to ACT Bus for further development
Itinerary:
0930: 990 Departs Cohen st Platform 3, we will not pick up anyone waiting at Lathlain st or Cameron Ave.
0945: 990 Pick up City Platform 10, 490 Depart Tuggeranong Platform 6
1000: Buses meet at the back of platform 9 at Woden
1010: Depart for tour of Stromlo, Weston Creek and Tuggeranong Suburbs
1130: Drive through tour of Tuggeranong Depot (subject to approval by ACTION), swap 490 for 464 here
1155: Depart for Belconnen
1230: BBQ Lunch (included in cost), 990 will be returned to the depot during this time and swapped for 390
1330: Depart for tour of Belconnen suburbs
1500: Make Way to Old Parliament House for a group shot
1530: Drive to Oaks Estate via Parkes Way and Oaks Estate Road returning via Canberra Ave, Causeway and old 83/237
1645: Arrive Woden, 464 returns to Tuggeranong, 390 returns to Belconnen via City
1700: 464 terminates at Tuggeranong, 390 sets down in the City
1715: 390 arrives at Cohen st Bus Station


Please note this may have to change due to restrictions of where 464 can go.






Buzz Killington

Sounds like a plan - I'll sticky this and maybe we can put something on the website to give it a bit more exposure. The more the merrier (and the cheaper)

Snorzac

yeah, an idea has came up on the ATDB that we try to visit the TBX depot, sounds good to me. I will call them in the coming days to see if they can accommodate us.

I think if everyone can put suggestions forward for a bus I will try to draw up a scheduled for the day. I am thinking do some stuff in the outer South, tour tuggy depot, Airport (photos) Mt Anslie  (photos), Lunch, black Mountain  (photos), TBX Depot, Outer North, National Museum (photos), Old Parliament House (photos), Drop offs.

So it would be a longer tour. I am also looking for two drivers to volunteer their skills for the day, two from each depot (looks at Ed, Chris, Martin and smitho)

Buzz Killington

We did Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie last year - any of the drivers know if Red Hill would be bus-friendly?

Irisbus Rider

FYI, I'll be engaged with a function that weekend, otherwise, sounds like a great idea! A few different vehicles would be interesting for the tour (Buses unique to Canberra such as a Dart, or a .3).

Snorzac

damn, oh well. There is no way we will take a dart.

Snorzac

TBX depot may not be possible as the depot is unmanned on weekends but I have someone working on it.

Irisbus Rider

What about a visit to Deanes? They have a wider variety of older vehicles.

Snorzac


Buzz Killington

#9
On charters, yes.

Snorzac

#10
ah ok. Here is a rough plan or a suggested plan:


09:00 Belco Bus Picks up Platform 3 Cohen Street travels as per route 710 to City
0915 Belco Bus Picks up Platform 10 travels as per 300
0930 Belco Bus arrives at Woden meets the Tuggeranong Bus
0935 Both buses proceed to Tuggeranong along the old 333
0950 Pick up at Tuggeranong proceed to depot for driving tour (subject to approval)
1020 Proceed to the Cotter for (photo) 
DBL depot here if it is possible
1040 Proceed to Airport precinct (photo)
1110 Make way to the City for lunch
1130-1230 Lunch
1230 Travel to the National Museum (photo)
1300 TBX depot (subject to approval)
1400 drive around Canberra's Northern Suburbs
1500 Make way to sight of the old Belco Interchange (photo)
1530 Find a sight near Lake Ginninderra for a photo
1600 Travel via the route 705 to Tuggeranong
1630 tour the suburbs of Southern Canberra
1730 Set down Woden
1735 Tuggy Bus departs for Tuggy, Belco bus for the City
1745 Belco Bus arrives in the City
1800 tour ends after Belco bus drops off at Cohen st

The timings are a bit funny maybe a driver could help to get them straight.

Buzz Killington

Quote from: Lemon on December 14, 2009, 10:12:51 PM
1020 Proceed to the Cotter for (photo) 
DBL depot here if it is possible
1040 Proceed to Airport precinct (photo)

You'll need to allocate a lot more time than that to get to the cotter, then to Queanbeyan for a tour, then to the Airport.

Snorzac

yeah, I know. would it be better to do the Cotter at some other stage through out the day?

Snorzac

Martin thinks some newer buses would be better. 390 and 500 maybe?

Irisbus Rider

500? If it's here, sure, yeah!

Yeah, it would be great to get 390 out, and a 100.3, definately. 100.2s don't excite many gunzels.....

Snorzac

500 is due this month tokaji. We could always take two belco buses (390 and 990) and just have some tuggy drivers help out. I currently have one volunteer driver.

Irisbus Rider

Quote from: Lemon on December 14, 2009, 11:45:10 PM
500 is due this month tokaji
I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm sure there will be more volunteer drivers that step up to the plate in the near future.

Snorzac

I have asked three, one said yes, two said they would check their calendar and get back to me, I still have one to ask, so driver wise we are looking good.

Snorzac

I have just spoken to someone at the ACTION charter office, we can travel into NSW as long as we pick no-one up and the bus has it's bike rack removed.

Snorzac

Plans for the tour will be posted at some time early in the new year. The tour will not have any special name. At this stage we do plan on making a visit to Deanes (subject to approval) but TBX will not be doable because their depot is unmanned on weekends.

Bus wise, we are going to try and swap buses at some stage after the Deanes trip for two MAN buses (hopefully 374 and 390). Ideally we would like to take a 14.5m Scania but the chances of ACTION letting us do that are slim.

The tour will start at about 9am and go through to about 5:30-6pm. At this stage we plan to visit:
-Tuggeranong Depot
-Cotter
-Deanes Depot
-Former Belconnen Interchange Site

If anyone else has any ideas please post them here.

lukeo25

Would a bus be able to get up mount stromlo or not, it would make a beautiful photo spot with the mountains in the background

Snorzac

Yeah that's possible. I will try to fit that in

lukeo25

I thought it would be good since we will pass there on the way to the cotter

CNG

I might be able to go however the timings are still a bit funny. I would love to have a look around the depot at tuggers as I missed the open day, could we possibly include the depot at belco, if possible?

Snorzac

We took a tour of belco last time.

Plans should be finalised this time next week.

Sir Pompously

#25
Instead of accessing the situation, you may wish to try assessing the situation ;). And without release of the road closures, it would be impossible to create a plan around Obamas visit. Especially if trying to get any of the major sites in or around the triangle. I think it would be best to move it either the weekend before or after, unless you have factored in Rail Bus work for those coming in from Sydney, you would want to take a look at the CityRail trackwork calender and choose another day.

Snorzac

Yeah, I will be doing that, bloody Obama!!!

Snorzac

The tour will go a head on the specified date, plans are now in the first post at the top of the page, once again a thread clean up might be nice

CNG

It sounds good however I will only be able to attend for the morning part of the tour Tuggers depot and a ride on 464 as I do have many commitments on sundays it is a difficult day for me, the next tour should be planned sometime in the next holidays

Buzz Killington

King Long has provided months of notice that the tour would be held on the 27th so that people could shuffle commitments if needbe.

Snorzac

CNG, you will find that the 27th is a Saturday not a Sunday

Sir Pompously

Quote from: CNG on February 28, 2010, 09:47:44 AM
It sounds good however I will only be able to attend for the morning part of the tour Tuggers depot and a ride on 464 as I do have many commitments on sundays it is a difficult day for me, the next tour should be planned sometime in the next holidays


I should be there, just have to speak to work when my roster comes out to try and get the day off if I don't already have it off! Stupid rotating roster!

lukeo25

The plan is very good, i hope to be starting at belco. Lets hope i'm not working because i might be working soon :( 

Busnerd

I currently have that day rostered OFF

CNG

Quote from: King Long on February 28, 2010, 09:59:51 AM
CNG, you will find that the 27th is a Saturday not a Sunday

Saturday seems good at the moment

Snorzac

The tour has been book and is now awaiting approval

Buzz Killington

#36
Thread title has been fixed. Don't know how we all missed that one.


Lockie

#38
The girlfriend and myself are sure hoping we can make this one. It sounds like a great trip with a lot of good buses ! I'll be sure to confirm this as soon as possible.

Frank

I hope to be attending  :D
I shall probably be starting at Belconnen

Bus 400

I've made my only Saturday commitment to work for 2010, so I'll be able to make this one.

Buzz Killington

Quote from: Lockie on March 02, 2010, 11:23:22 PM
The girlfriend and myself are sure hoping we can make this one. It sounds like a great trip with a lot of good buses ! I'll be sure to confirm this as soon as possible.

Quote from: Frank on March 02, 2010, 11:26:36 PM
I hope to be attending  :D
I shall probably be starting at Belconnen

Good to hear!

Sir Pompously

I am now a confirmed. Work has graciously granted me the day off.

CNG

Will a bus be able to pick me up from city bus inter

The Love Guru

0945: 990 Pick up City Platform 10, 490 Depart Tuggeranong Platform 6

Are your eyes painted on?


Snorzac

LUNCH WILL NO LONGER BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE TOUR, IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING PLEASE POST HERE SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT AN APPROX COST BEFORE THE DATE

Bus 400


Sir Pompously

No need to yell Zac, we can all hear you perfectly fine.

Snorzac

I was trying to yell the lumch thing but ended up yelling it all

bubzie

I DONT KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT! LOUD NOISES!!

*ahem*

i think i can.

Busnerd

can someone please get a final itinirary posted asap and also finish off the handouts as i will get them printed.

lukeo25

as quote from my last post
Quotei hope to be starting at belco. Lets hope i'm not working because i might be working soon :(
i'll be attending

CNG

I will try to attend because Iam sure alot of people would like to meet me in person and see my face. However if can't attend you can join me on my buspedition in the holidays. No need to be shy peers. I know I should not be saying this in this post but details for the buspedition should be posted some time by the end of next week or early the week after, however I do have exams and need to study so it could all change. Drivers interested post your details so we can catch up!
Cheers
CNG

Snorzac

Busn00b the itinerary is pretty much final, when it gets approved by ACTION we will get the programs done

Busnerd

ok thanks for that Zac...can't wait til it gets approval! and i reeeeally hope they allow us to have 464 and 490, even if not with gunzells driving them

Snorzac

Your approved however no 464 or 490 :(. I think we will take 343 and 374 instead.

Lockie

#57
Going to have to withdraw me and the girlfriend. I have a uni paper due that monday so I will need all the time I can get over the weekend. Maybe next time ~

Frank


Busnerd

Yeah zac i was originally suggesting a gas man instead of 990, so the interstaters could compare a gas man to a diesel man

Busnerd

Could anyone speak to someone and see if we can't have 490 or 464 maybe we could have a look in them? or if we see them on the tour we can chase it in the bus, haha

Snorzac

The answer will be no as not everyone will have safety vests on, the only place we will be able to do that is the depot.

CNG

I have a safety vest at home, I could bring it ;)

Busnerd

That was actually the idea zac, that we can do it in the depot, park next to it and either put vests on or be escorted like we were on the tour at tuggeranong depot on the open day where no one wore vests except for staff

Carrie

I want to come, it all depends on my health. My hip has been playing up lately and it gives me a lot of pain. If I can't go I'll let you know on the 26th. I should know how it is by then. Also what number do we board from at Cohen St? Carrie

Snorzac

Platform 3, hope to see you there and hope your hip gets better.

Busnerd

Have we got the final itinirary zac i have people asking for it

Snorzac

#67
Unfortunently ACTION have not allowed us to do a bus swap, so a final itinerary will look like this:
0930: 390 Departs Cohen st Platform 3, we will not pick up anyone waiting at Lathlain st or Cameron Ave.
0945: 390 Pick up City Platform 10, 389 Depart Tuggeranong Platform 6
1000: Buses meet at the back of platform 9 at Woden
1010: Depart for tour of Stromlo, Weston Creek and Tuggeranong Suburbs
1130: Drive through tour of Tuggeranong Depot (subject to approval by ACTION)
1155: Depart for Belconnen
1230: Lunch at Belconnen
1330: Depart for tour of Belconnen suburbs
1500: Make Way to Old Parliament House for a group shot
1530: Drive to Oaks Estate via Parkes Way and Oaks Estate Road returning via Canberra Ave, Causeway and old 83/237
1645: Arrive Woden, 389 returns to Tuggeranong, 390 returns to Belconnen via City
1700: 389 terminates at Tuggeranong, 390 sets down in the City
1715: 390 arrives at Cohen st Bus Station

Carrie

I'm sorry, but I have to pull out as I discovered this morning that my GP is going to have a flu clinic this Saturday, only. So as I don't want to miss out on a flu shot, I can't go on the bus trip. :'(

CNG

It seems like that I can probably go, however can someone just say what the cost is and how to pay?

Snorzac

At the moment we are still unsure of a cost, we should know tomorrow, you pay on the day and it will depend on numbers how much everyone pays, we will probably be looking at $10-15pp.

Busnerd

Feel free to make it $20 and give me proceeds for the bus :P

Snorzac

Wait until you see the program

Busnerd

Well I need it tomorrow at latest please!

It will be wednesday tomorrow, I need it printed thursday at latest as I'm coming down on friday.

Snorzac

Yeah it's all good to go, send it Ryan...lol. Just got informed on the price of the it will be $1.10 per km, plus a booking fee, with the money leftover from last year assuming we do around 400km and we get about 30 people, we are looking at about $17pp which includes $2 towards the restoration of 661

Frank

I'm terribly sorry but I won't be able to make it to the bus tour. Some last minute unavoidable things have come up for me on Saturday. I was really looking forward to it  :'(

The Love Guru

I shall be donating the money left over from last years tour to the restoration of 661. Just got to find the folder that its in LOL. I have feeling its around $100 or so, should help out a little bit.

Busnerd

Yeah thanks chris, we need a new set of belts for it
anyway so that will help

Snorzac

#78
FINAL UPDATE
Unfortunently ACTION have not allowed us to do a bus swap, so a final itinerary will look like this:
0930: 390 Departs Cohen st Platform 3, we will not pick up anyone waiting at Lathlain st or Cameron Ave.
0945: 390 Pick up City Platform 10 (located on Northbourne Ave outside main Interchange, 389 Depart Tuggeranong Platform 6
1000: Buses meet at the back of platform 9 at Woden
1010: Depart for tour of Stromlo, Weston Creek and Tuggeranong Suburbs
1130: Drive through tour of Tuggeranong Depot
1155: Depart for Belconnen
1230: Lunch at Westfield Belconnen
1330: Depart for tour of Belconnen suburbs
1500: Make Way to Old Parliament House for a group shot
1530: Drive to Oaks Estate via Parkes Way and Oaks Estate Road returning via Canberra Ave, Causeway and old 83/237
1645: Arrive Woden, 389 returns to Tuggeranong, 390 returns to Belconnen via City
1700: 389 terminates at Tuggeranong, 390 sets down in the City
1715: 390 arrives at Cohen st Bus Station

Please remember that the tour will more than likely finish after the time on the itinerary, we have the bus booked until 6pm.

How many people plan on attending?

lukeo25

#79
Me :), i'll start at belco

Bus 400


CNG

#81
Probably me, yet I just got a job and I may get rostered on.

CNG

I can come, meet you at Civic on platform 10  :D

Bus 400

Great tour, thanks to all involved.

Snorzac

Thanks for Coming everyone!!

Snorzac

#85
I would especially like to thank, all the drivers, especially Martin (for booking) and Rob for convincing them to let us take 389, Ryan (for all the programs) and Mat for the printing.


Buzz Killington

Sounds like everyone had a great day. Apologies that I could not attend.. hopefully next time!

smitho

#87
Thanks Buzz for the excellent work you did on the tour notes and posters. Very professional and slick.

I hope that the two Regional Managers and ACTION Charter get a copy of the notes a the letter of appreciation. I'm sure they'd go down very well.


Buzz Killington

No worries.

I can probably whip a letter of appreciation up. Thanks for the suggestion!

Snorzac

I think I am going to get together a photo CD and send it to them.

Buzz Killington

I'll send you a copy of the letter to include with it if you'd like.


Barry Drive

I don't think that sending in a collection of photos is such a good idea. I'm still not sure that the North Region Manager / General Manager / South Region Manager (or anyone at ACTION besides the Tuggeranong starters) are aware that 389 was taken when we were told to use 982. I know that it was approved by the Tuggy starters but I don't want to have to explain myself (although at least I can shift the blame onto others).


Buzz Killington

True, although the photos have been posted all over here, so anyone who chooses to have a look would know what buses were used.