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Post by snoggle on Feb 14, 2013 14:39:45 GMT
First Bus have announced an order for 464 new vehicles. www.firstgroup.com/latest_news/?id=009151There are a mix of types on order including Optare Versas, Enviro 300s, Wright Streetlites and Volvo 7900 hybrid vehicles. It also looks like there will be some B7RLEs as well. There are only 42 double decks in the order. At present there are no matching press releases on the Volvo Bus, Wrightbus or Optare websites.
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Post by ServerKing on Feb 14, 2013 17:11:37 GMT
Hmm... I thought First were scaling back their bus op's... but it's good to see investment I know First Essex could do with some new stuff
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Post by snowman on Feb 14, 2013 17:29:21 GMT
More variety than expected, not surprising that there are so few double deckers as they bought loads before the Olympics. They need to oust the remaining non DDA compliant fleet anyway even if they sell off areas.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 17:45:36 GMT
More variety than expected, not surprising that there are so few double deckers as they bought loads before the Olympics. They need to oust the remaining non DDA compliant fleet anyway even if they sell off areas. Unfortunately I imagine most step-entrance buses will probably end up on the scrap heap now with the DDA deadline growing ever nearer there's probably not going to be much of a market for buses that have to be replaced two or three years later.
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Post by snoggle on Feb 14, 2013 17:57:42 GMT
Hmm... I thought First were scaling back their bus op's... but it's good to see investment I know First Essex could do with some new stuff They're clearly being selective about what to let go of in terms of under performing bits. However there is a considerable volume of old, knackered buses to get out of the fleet. First can't start to claim they're improving things for passengers if they are still asking them to travel round in rust buckets. First Essex are due to get those Volvo 7900 hybrids pretty soon but lots more buses are needed there and elsewhere in the country. First need to be ordering hundreds and hundreds of buses for years to come to get things sorted out. They also need to get the maintenance standards of their worst garages up to those of their bus garages. At least the buses would be clean and presentable.
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Post by romfordbuses on Feb 14, 2013 18:15:50 GMT
Interesting that all are Wi-Fi fitted, Might be the start of it becoming used on regular service buses.
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Post by snoggle on Feb 14, 2013 18:20:05 GMT
Interesting that all are Wi-Fi fitted, Might be the start of it becoming used on regular service buses. They're only catching up with what Stagecoach and Go Ahead have been offering on many services. *All* buses being fitted is a change but I would not be terribly surprised to learn that Stagecoach and Go Ahead have already adopted that as a standard. I wonder what Arriva will do given they are quite savvy when it comes to new technology (e.g. M ticketing)?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 20:01:39 GMT
Why cant First wait till the 3 big routes in London is finished (365, 165 and 252) then they can allocate the buses to there. it will save them lot of money.
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Post by romfordbuses on Feb 14, 2013 21:04:15 GMT
They're only catching up with what Stagecoach and Go Ahead have been offering on many services. *All* buses being fitted is a change but I would not be terribly surprised to learn that Stagecoach and Go Ahead have already adopted that as a standard. I wonder what Arriva will do given they are quite savvy when it comes to new technology (e.g. M ticketing)? That's what I meant (Could of worded it better!) Wi-Fi has usually been reserved for high profile routes. I don't know if I saw it on here but I saw this yesterday; www.flickr.com/photos/25878623@N02/8451462846/So Arriva are up to something.
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Post by twobellstogo on Feb 14, 2013 21:30:56 GMT
More variety than expected, not surprising that there are so few double deckers as they bought loads before the Olympics. They need to oust the remaining non DDA compliant fleet anyway even if they sell off areas. Also the single deck DDA deadline is before the double deck one : 1st January 2016 for single decks, 1st January 2017 for double decks.
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Post by snowman on Feb 15, 2013 12:31:09 GMT
Why cant First wait till the 3 big routes in London is finished (365, 165 and 252) then they can allocate the buses to there. it will save them lot of money. First always do this, one big order at start of year (actually in 2011 they did 2 year order to include all the olympic buses), almost certainly the buses becoming spare in London will be refitted to provincial spec and used elsewhere in UK. remember there are two deadlines, euro 6 from 01/01/14 and DDA compliant single decks a year later. As euro6 are more expensive and complicated might be trying to replace remaining non DDA compliant single decks before the euro6 deadline
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Post by snoggle on Feb 16, 2013 11:54:57 GMT
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Post by vjaska on Feb 16, 2013 14:28:42 GMT
All of First's new Enviro 300's are likely to be boring 6 spd ZF examples Whereas the Streetlite only comes with a Voith box ;D
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Post by smiler52 on Feb 16, 2013 15:50:34 GMT
be good to see what a Optare Versa and Volvo 7900 looks like in first livery
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2013 18:52:55 GMT
All of First's new Enviro 300's are likely to be boring 6 spd ZF examples Whereas the Streetlite only comes with a Voith box ;D Oh shut up. I find the Voith whine really irritating, whereas the ZF sound is much more sublime and musical.
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