|
Post by rj131 on Apr 15, 2024 13:04:15 GMT
Feels very abrupt knowing the very first batch of Gemini 3 hybrids leaving London. I often bumped into those when using 263 and found those just as rapid as other batches. Think I had a driver floor it one point. Much prefer those to VMHs. Manchester will be getting a nice fleet. At least this way those will be more likely to last around 14-15 years. Luckily I go to Manchester very often so will definitely go on the prowl for these buses can barely believe they’re 10 years old tbh, they certainly don’t look it Does seem a bit far in advance to be preparing the buses, but nothing like a bit of forward planning. I wonder if they’ll keep the same fleet numbers!!!!
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on Apr 15, 2024 13:42:28 GMT
Feels very abrupt knowing the very first batch of Gemini 3 hybrids leaving London. I often bumped into those when using 263 and found those just as rapid as other batches. Think I had a driver floor it one point. Much prefer those to VMHs. Manchester will be getting a nice fleet. At least this way those will be more likely to last around 14-15 years. Luckily I go to Manchester very often so will definitely go on the prowl for these buses can barely believe they’re 10 years old tbh, they certainly don’t look it Does seem a bit far in advance to be preparing the buses, but nothing like a bit of forward planning. I wonder if they’ll keep the same fleet numbers!!!! As your quite knowledgeable about Manchester, is there any indication what routes these are going on and are these routes mainly town work or cross country?
|
|
|
Post by rj131 on Apr 15, 2024 13:59:03 GMT
Luckily I go to Manchester very often so will definitely go on the prowl for these buses can barely believe they’re 10 years old tbh, they certainly don’t look it Does seem a bit far in advance to be preparing the buses, but nothing like a bit of forward planning. I wonder if they’ll keep the same fleet numbers!!!! As your quite knowledgeable about Manchester, is there any indication what routes these are going on and are these routes mainly town work or cross country? No idea, the bee network thus far doesn’t really have buses allocated to specific routes, they’re only allocated to whole garages and work the routes within them. (With the exception of Vantage buses only working the vantage to due to needing adapted buses for the guided busway) So whichever depots they’re headed to they’ll likely work all the double deck routes in the depots. But I’m not sure which specific depots they’re headed to yet as soon as I find out I’ll post them. Might need to make a whole new thread somewhere for Metroline Manchester as I’m sure we’ll hear a lot about it in the coming months
|
|
|
Post by SILENCED on Apr 15, 2024 14:23:12 GMT
Feels very abrupt knowing the very first batch of Gemini 3 hybrids leaving London. I often bumped into those when using 263 and found those just as rapid as other batches. Think I had a driver floor it one point. Much prefer those to VMHs. Manchester will be getting a nice fleet. At least this way those will be more likely to last around 14-15 years. Luckily I go to Manchester very often so will definitely go on the prowl for these buses can barely believe they’re 10 years old tbh, they certainly don’t look it Does seem a bit far in advance to be preparing the buses, but nothing like a bit of forward planning. I wonder if they’ll keep the same fleet numbers!!!! There will be a huge fleet needed, imagine they will need to use everyday to ensure the fleet is ready and prepared for first day of operation. They need to get over a bus a day.
|
|
|
Post by VMH2452 on Apr 15, 2024 14:29:36 GMT
|
|
|
Post by rj131 on Apr 15, 2024 15:28:04 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂
|
|
|
Metroline
Apr 15, 2024 15:52:40 GMT
via mobile
Post by VMH2452 on Apr 15, 2024 15:52:40 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 Hopefully they are the OM936 variant rather than the OM934 which has been the default for a while. I haven’t used one of the now-GNW StreetDecks but I’ve heard they aren’t actually bad vehicles.
|
|
|
Metroline
Apr 15, 2024 15:54:43 GMT
via mobile
Post by southlondonbus on Apr 15, 2024 15:54:43 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 I assumed everything for Manchester was going to be zero emission.
|
|
|
Post by wirewiper on Apr 15, 2024 16:02:52 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 I assumed everything for Manchester was going to be zero emission. The article states that these are a 'legacy order' so presumably operator-ordered before the transition to franchising commenced.
|
|
|
Post by VMH2452 on Apr 15, 2024 16:04:37 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 I assumed everything for Manchester was going to be zero emission. TfGMs policy is low or zero emission hence all the diesel orders for Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 routes by Stagecoach, First, Rotala and Go Ahead.
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on Apr 15, 2024 16:12:02 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 Hopefully they are the OM936 variant rather than the OM934 which has been the default for a while. I haven’t used one of the now-GNW StreetDecks but I’ve heard they aren’t actually bad vehicles. I thought only 1 particular Streetdeck at Go North West had the uprated specs with the rest all being bog standard?
|
|
|
Metroline
Apr 15, 2024 21:30:19 GMT
via mobile
Post by sp17 on Apr 15, 2024 21:30:19 GMT
What has Manchester to deserve 126 new StreetDecks 🤮😂 The updated Streetdecks from 2020 onwards are decent vehicles the GNE models are decent buses. Nothing to blow you away but they’re not bad. Not sure what happened with the WSDs however.
|
|
|
Post by sp17 on Apr 15, 2024 21:30:56 GMT
Hopefully they are the OM936 variant rather than the OM934 which has been the default for a while. I haven’t used one of the now-GNW StreetDecks but I’ve heard they aren’t actually bad vehicles. I thought only 1 particular Streetdeck at Go North West had the uprated specs with the rest all being bog standard? Go North East 6377 which has the 6.7L engine, basically a double deck Citaro.
|
|
|
Post by barrypotter on Apr 15, 2024 22:51:26 GMT
There was previously a sign on 2007, which said "route 107 only". Again, no idea why, but, running empty along the A1, it could do speeds that eg the 263 could only dream of. I will not miss these hybrids- on leaving Elstree Station, it is uncomfortable on the slight incline on to the often busy roundabout, not knowing whether the diesel will kick in and stay in. Not nice to even temporarily lose traction in the middle of a manoeuvre. IMHO. Yes, it's certainly disconcerting when B5LH Hybrids stall on that little hill. The best way to avoid the 'stalling' to floor it very quickly while pulling away from the station bus stop as that triggers the diesel engine and then you have no issues. Otherwise you have to stop before the roundabout, put the handbrake on and wait for the engine to start up in its own time. I would love to see how a TE or OME performs on the 107. Speaking of... View AttachmentAs an erstwhile occasional passenger on the 107 when it was at EW, I can state that that travelling up Brockley Hill on a TE, was an utterly cringeworthy. Those buses on the route were not fit for that particular purpose. You notice the same thing if you get stuck behind a 324 DE.
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on Apr 15, 2024 23:45:17 GMT
Yes, it's certainly disconcerting when B5LH Hybrids stall on that little hill. The best way to avoid the 'stalling' to floor it very quickly while pulling away from the station bus stop as that triggers the diesel engine and then you have no issues. Otherwise you have to stop before the roundabout, put the handbrake on and wait for the engine to start up in its own time. I would love to see how a TE or OME performs on the 107. Speaking of... View AttachmentAs an erstwhile occasional passenger on the 107 when it was at EW, I can state that that travelling up Brockley Hill on a TE, was an utterly cringeworthy. Those buses on the route were not fit for that particular purpose. You notice the same thing if you get stuck behind a 324 DE. As a passenger, I found the Euro IV TE's hit & miss - some were very good and some were very bad and TBH, this is pretty much my experience with many batches of Euro IV Enviro 400's across all operators in London. The only ones that bucked this trend was the 06 reg E's with Go-Ahead which almost all were excellent, the 56 reg E's were pretty decent all in all whilst the 57 reg E's and Stagecoach's LWB batch on the 61 were mostly nothing to shout home about.
|
|