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Post by snoggle on Apr 2, 2017 23:07:12 GMT
Looks like the batch of BCI Chinese double deckers, for normal stage carriage use, have been delivered to Ensign Bus. These are normal 2 axle vehicles and are in addition to the tri-axles for private hire / RRS work. Note the amount of opening windows on both decks. Not my photostream but Mr Lidstone has several shots of the new arrivals at Purfleet. www.flickr.com/photos/46986413@N07/
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Post by rmz19 on Apr 2, 2017 23:31:28 GMT
They look great! Reminiscent of the Chinese fleet of tri axles Big Bus Tours have in London. They do have that undeniable 'Chinese look' about them Some for London please!
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Post by vjaska on Apr 3, 2017 8:03:48 GMT
They look great! Reminiscent of the Chinese fleet of tri axles Big Bus Tours have in London. They do have that undeniable 'Chinese look' about them Some for London please! Second that, excellent looking buses - the front upper deck reminds of the East Lancs S type body personally. I also love how many hopper windows there - reminds me of the Omnidekkas which had lots of hopper windows.
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Post by 725DYE on Apr 3, 2017 9:20:45 GMT
Lovely buses. Always nice to see a unique type enter service in the country and I'm sure they'll do well. Loving that interior too
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Post by Connor on Apr 3, 2017 9:27:40 GMT
Lovely buses. Always nice to see a unique type enter service in the country and I'm sure they'll do well. Loving that interior too Are we looking at the same pics? Cheap-looking, drab and dated...
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Post by ThinLizzy on Apr 3, 2017 15:26:06 GMT
I'll be honest...
...I don't like them. Look a bit cheap and "old hat"- the handrails curve up to the cove panels in the ceiling looks awful. After all the recent style advances in staircase design, the staircase looks like walking into a Portaloo at a music festival
Is the one painted in the (normal very nice) green a hybrid version?
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Post by astock5000 on Apr 3, 2017 16:54:54 GMT
I don't particularly like their appearance either. I'm not a fan of the square, 'heavy' look (a lot of that being a result of the design of opening windows) and while the front end has a coach-style design the body is quite basic compared to other recent double deck buses in some areas, such as the staircase. The livery is different to the tri-axles and at least helps to break up the slab sides, though neither version looks that good on the lower front. Personally I would have painted the area below the windscreen black to make it appear deeper and disguise the small window on the nearside, but I think it would still look odd however it was painted.
However as a very rare type these are still quite interesting vehicles. I just don't think I'd be able to get excited about them if they become more common.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 3, 2017 17:12:15 GMT
I'll be honest... ...I don't like them. Look a bit cheap and "old hat"- the handrails curve up to the cove panels in the ceiling looks awful. After all the recent style advances in staircase design, the staircase looks like walking into a Portaloo at a music festival Is the one painted in the (normal very nice) green a hybrid version? I think the green liveried bus is a demonstrator. The red and cream one is for Aintree Coachlines. IIRC Ensign are acting as BCI's dealer for UK sales of these buses.
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Post by VWH1414 on Apr 4, 2017 18:54:08 GMT
Will these replace anything in the Ensign fleet?
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Post by tony4387 on Apr 4, 2017 19:38:06 GMT
In other ensignbus new it appears that they are now operating Thurrock routes 11 and 374 on an emergency contract after Amber coaches ity drawn from the contracts
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Post by snoggle on Apr 4, 2017 21:19:28 GMT
Will these replace anything in the Ensign fleet? I expect they will but I've seen no statements about what routes they may be operated on. I don't get to Thurrock very often so don't know if there are routes currently run with single decks that could warrant double deck conversion. The other possibility is that they replace the Optare bodied Volvos on stage carriage work. Looking on Ensignbus twitter feed seems they will enter service in May. They will apparently feature in the next edition of Buses Magazine due out on 20 April.
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Post by redexpress on Apr 4, 2017 23:48:32 GMT
Will these replace anything in the Ensign fleet? I expect they will but I've seen no statements about what routes they may be operated on. I don't get to Thurrock very often so don't know if there are routes currently run with single decks that could warrant double deck conversion. The other possibility is that they replace the Optare bodied Volvos on stage carriage work. Looking on Ensignbus twitter feed seems they will enter service in May. They will apparently feature in the next edition of Buses Magazine due out on 20 April. When the BCIs had their press launch a couple of months ago, it was stated that they would replace the Volvo Olympuses (or at least some of them) on service work, with the Volvos being demoted to rail replacement and other private hire work. If that's still the plan I'd expect Ensign to dispose of the older Tridents etc that currently do that sort of work.
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Post by bn12cny on Apr 5, 2017 9:09:59 GMT
I need to put my six pence in. As you know I live in Beijing, I see BCI tri-axles all the time, these buses are great, light, airy and have plenty of windows however I feel they are quite slow, in my opinion the electric Futton Tri-axles are faster, better looking and better seats.
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Post by rambo on Apr 5, 2017 19:15:15 GMT
Spare parts should be interesting.....................
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Post by bn12cny on Apr 5, 2017 22:42:37 GMT
Spare parts should be interesting..................... I can pick them up directly 😂
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