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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:03:53 GMT
I think they thought they would have gained extra sales from TfL (if Boris was still there) and then from other operators around the country. I would blame part of the LT for their demise. One downside of the Streetdeck compared to the DB300 was the loss of the front offside seat.
They way they tried to flog the LT around the likes of Reading, Leeds and Edinburgh (all tried, but said nah) before shipping it off to Hong Kong where it was rejected for being a mobile greenhouse was very desperate... I think they put all their eggs in one basket with the LT as it didn't look as bad as their other products. Not sure about the Warranty process, but may be as much use as a Thomas Cook brochure now. For what remains of First, and also for the brave guys at Arriva Yorkshire who bought StreetDecks before they went bust, hopefully the Mercedes units are a lot more reliable than the Brighton & Hove ones It's a shame but when one of your biggest buyers (Arriva) would rather buy second hand ones from a lessor than new HV's or StreetDeck 96v HEVs for the 34 and 102, you know its bad news arriva did not deliberately buy second hand buses to avoid Wrightbus. Arriva, like many operators have been aware of the problems at Wrightbus a few months now, I didn't think it would fold and thought a buyer would have stepped in. But reading of donations which should not have happened imo when they were starting to go down is shocking. The used choice of buses is down to TfL looking to drive costs down time and time again. It is getting tougher and very competitive when it comes to gaining tenders.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:09:44 GMT
Last night's BBC Newsline programme at 6.30pm had a very detailed report on the collapse of Wrightbus and its effect on Ballymena. Possibility that Invest NI might look into how Wrightbus were using some of their funding. The programme seemed to suggest that they were receiving grants from InvestNI, but at the same time Wrightbus was handing out considerable amounts of money to build a large evangelical church on the outskirts of Ballymena. Despite quite a large amount of work on the church being completed, work on it has also halted. It was on the main BBC news at 10pm last night.
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Post by ServerKing on Sept 26, 2019 19:16:28 GMT
They way they tried to flog the LT around the likes of Reading, Leeds and Edinburgh (all tried, but said nah) before shipping it off to Hong Kong where it was rejected for being a mobile greenhouse was very desperate... I think they put all their eggs in one basket with the LT as it didn't look as bad as their other products. Not sure about the Warranty process, but may be as much use as a Thomas Cook brochure now. For what remains of First, and also for the brave guys at Arriva Yorkshire who bought StreetDecks before they went bust, hopefully the Mercedes units are a lot more reliable than the Brighton & Hove ones It's a shame but when one of your biggest buyers (Arriva) would rather buy second hand ones from a lessor than new HV's or StreetDeck 96v HEVs for the 34 and 102, you know its bad news arriva did not deliberately buy second hand buses to avoid Wrightbus. Arriva, like many operators have been aware of the problems at Wrightbus a few months now, I didn't think it would fold and thought a buyer would have stepped in. But reading of donations which should not have happened imo when they were starting to go down is shocking. The used choice of buses is down to TfL looking to drive costs down time and time again. It is getting tougher and very competitive when it comes to gaining tenders.
I don't believe Arriva were dodging them either, considering the amount of Wrightbuses there are across London. It's probably a combination of TfL and Arriva being strapped for cash and the buses that Stagecoach didn't like are not that old, so suitable for a contract. Considering the 318 was retained with 12 year old buses, some 14 plate ones isn't bad going. It just seems coincidental, but the use of the funds by 'Pastor Wright' is a shocking way to bring down the business Have the buses had a refurb and new vinyls yet? Any pix?
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:22:21 GMT
I refuse to sign petitions. They are a futile endeavour, and invariably acheive nothing, consultations are bad enough, but petitions are even more meaningless, and obsolete. I would more rather sign a petition than a consultation. Consultations imo are patronising and pathetic in this day and age and are 99% a done deal without much leeway. Consultations from TfL, London Mayor, local councils (especially Labour run) are a complete waste of time and would refuse to do any as it would only make my blood boil at their sheer arrogance.
Bringing back Leyland in the form it was would be near on impossible. Leyland name should have never been used for the cars during the 1970's and Leyland should have been left for just bus and truck division. The cars were constantly funded by the government bail outs and also by the profiting bus and truck division. Volvo would own the right to any Leyland name in the UK. Ashok Leyland being a division can still used the logo, but they then would be restricted to be called "Ashok Leyland" and not Leyland.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:24:11 GMT
I refuse to sign petitions. They are a futile endeavour, and invariably acheive nothing, consultations are bad enough, but petitions are even more meaningless, and obsolete. You'll also find Ashok Leyland who own Optare will not give up their logo, plus Leyland Trucks is manufacturer for DAF in the UK, part of the US giant Paccar. We can't go back to the good old days, as with all industry it's evolve or die, so it was coming to Wrightbus anyway. You may have to also remember British Leyland also made a heap of mediocre products, such as the Austin Maestro and Princess. Don't forget the last bit of Leyland Buses was bought by Volvo who took naming rights to the Olympian. The last real Leyland buses were the H***GKX Olympians on the 65 for Armchair IIRC. The last Leyland buses were a set of Capital Citybus IIRC.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:31:10 GMT
Having read some Twitter threads it seems there is quite a lot more to the Wrightbus saga with poor build quality and poor products being part of the problem. As with any business that has gone under in recent years, if you don't offer what the market wants the market won't be there. However, if you're also donating more money than you are making profit to a charity run by a family member (and also paying that family member a high amount of money for land) theres only one way that business is going to go I really do not know why there is so much of this build quality which seems to stem from car magazine journalists. I would say Wrightbus build quality was excellent imo, even down to new builds, some ADL products were still missing parts even during the MMC range. They did not all leave the factory well. Wrightbus product failure imo was the electrical problems, the bodywork I cannot fault it at all.
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Post by John tuthill on Sept 26, 2019 19:35:46 GMT
How can it be 'progress' when the LT type bus weighs 12tons+? If carting around a dirty great battery is progress, don't know what all this weight is doing to the bus lanes, maybe the answer WAS to go back to trollybus infrastructure Tbf, the LT is 11.2m long with two staircases, 3 sets of doors and a whole load of glass in its design. For example a 10.4m MMC hybrid between 2014-2017 weighed in at 11665kgs and they are much shorter, have two doors, 1 staircase and less glass in its design, even the city version is heavier at 11725kgs due to the additional glass on the staircase. Also the 18reg Go ahead and Abellio E400 MMCs are over 11, 800kgs. Volvo, Many thanks for that info. Makes the RM seem like a tiddler in comparison
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:36:14 GMT
arriva did not deliberately buy second hand buses to avoid Wrightbus. Arriva, like many operators have been aware of the problems at Wrightbus a few months now, I didn't think it would fold and thought a buyer would have stepped in. But reading of donations which should not have happened imo when they were starting to go down is shocking. The used choice of buses is down to TfL looking to drive costs down time and time again. It is getting tougher and very competitive when it comes to gaining tenders.
I don't believe Arriva were dodging them either, considering the amount of Wrightbuses there are across London. It's probably a combination of TfL and Arriva being strapped for cash and the buses that Stagecoach didn't like are not that old, so suitable for a contract. Considering the 318 was retained with 12 year old buses, some 14 plate ones isn't bad going. It just seems coincidental, but the use of the funds by 'Pastor Wright' is a shocking way to bring down the business Have the buses had a refurb and new vinyls yet? Any pix? The buses haven't been refurbed, no pics...
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 26, 2019 19:40:39 GMT
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Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 26, 2019 20:06:00 GMT
did Sadiq just choose not to buy any more than the 1000 that were ordered by Bozo? That's not cancelling anything. Really cant put this one down to Sadiq
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Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 26, 2019 20:09:14 GMT
Having read some Twitter threads it seems there is quite a lot more to the Wrightbus saga with poor build quality and poor products being part of the problem. As with any business that has gone under in recent years, if you don't offer what the market wants the market won't be there. However, if you're also donating more money than you are making profit to a charity run by a family member (and also paying that family member a high amount of money for land) theres only one way that business is going to go I really do not know why there is so much of this build quality which seems to stem from car magazine journalists. I would say Wrightbus build quality was excellent imo, even down to new builds, some ADL products were still missing parts even during the MMC range. They did not all leave the factory well. Wrightbus product failure imo was the electrical problems, the bodywork I cannot fault it at all.
I've read around a few news sites and Twitter threads, I think the problems at Wrightbus were much greater than a lack of orders Sadly. I'm sure it will all come out in the wash
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Post by londonbusboy on Sept 26, 2019 20:24:56 GMT
Having read some Twitter threads it seems there is quite a lot more to the Wrightbus saga with poor build quality and poor products being part of the problem. As with any business that has gone under in recent years, if you don't offer what the market wants the market won't be there. However, if you're also donating more money than you are making profit to a charity run by a family member (and also paying that family member a high amount of money for land) theres only one way that business is going to go I really do not know why there is so much of this build quality which seems to stem from car magazine journalists. I would say Wrightbus build quality was excellent imo, even down to new builds, some ADL products were still missing parts even during the MMC range. They did not all leave the factory well. Wrightbus product failure imo was the electrical problems, the bodywork I cannot fault it at all.
Wrightbus are far superior than when we had East Lancs. Omnidekka bodies flexing. staircases creaking and the downstairs rear seats swaying when you went over a bump.
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Post by rif153 on Sept 26, 2019 20:37:18 GMT
did Sadiq just choose not to buy any more than the 1000 that were ordered by Bozo? That's not cancelling anything. Really cant put this one down to Sadiq Wasn't it also because he wanted to create a fleet on cleaner buses, and he felt with the issues with the batteries on the NRM the type wouldn't have formed a part of his plans
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Post by ServerKing on Sept 26, 2019 21:36:39 GMT
did Sadiq just choose not to buy any more than the 1000 that were ordered by Bozo? That's not cancelling anything. Really cant put this one down to Sadiq The early high profile bumps and crashes before the brakes were modified didn't help, having to order the new windscreens after said accidents plus panelling for a bespoke bus would have been very expensive. The "hybrid" system was exposed as a fraud as it pollutes more than a conventional bus, it was too hot in summer, fare evasion... so not really destroying what the last Mayor did, which is a London tradition. For instance, Sadiq kept the cycle lanes and the bikes. No one else was interested in a London bus, even the SRM was just an HV in a fancy frock. When they suggested making a Daimler straight diesel version (Streetdeck in fancy frock) I knew the desperation had set in Streetlite was crying out for an update, nothing done... I guess the foray into church design was greater than taking the fight to ADL. Sadiq was right to stop any more being made. I worry for all these batteries that have to be got rid of when the LT's finally die...
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Post by John tuthill on Sept 26, 2019 22:21:21 GMT
did Sadiq just choose not to buy any more than the 1000 that were ordered by Bozo? That's not cancelling anything. Really cant put this one down to Sadiq The early high profile bumps and crashes before the brakes were modified didn't help, having to order the new windscreens after said accidents plus panelling for a bespoke bus would have been very expensive. The "hybrid" system was exposed as a fraud as it pollutes more than a conventional bus, it was too hot in summer, fare evasion... so not really destroying what the last Mayor did, which is a London tradition. For instance, Sadiq kept the cycle lanes and the bikes. No one else was interested in a London bus, even the SRM was just an HV in a fancy frock. When they suggested making a Daimler straight diesel version (Streetdeck in fancy frock) I knew the desperation had set in Streetlite was crying out for an update, nothing done... I guess the foray into church design was greater than taking the fight to ADL. Sadiq was right to stop any more being made. I worry for all these batteries that have to be got rid of when the LT's finally die... Something the 'greens' seem to ignore. Likewise the carbon footprint their manufacture creates. Ask Ed Davey he hasn't got a clue
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