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Post by John tuthill on Nov 8, 2018 19:15:46 GMT
COR!!!!! They look fantastic!
Another very valid reason to go up to Scotland again very soon ...
my exact words were "cor blimey gosh that looks amazing" * replace cor blimey gosh with OMFG"Language Timothy"
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Post by ThinLizzy on Nov 8, 2018 19:16:57 GMT
my exact words were "cor blimey gosh that looks amazing" * replace cor blimey gosh with OMFG"Language Timothy" the "F" was for flipping 😁😇 I have, however, removed from the original post in case somebody doesn't believe me 😁
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Post by astock5000 on Nov 8, 2018 19:20:33 GMT
Well that was unexpected! Aside from everything else already mentioned it's also worth noting that this has a glazed staircase, which is slightly different to the City in that it doesn't have a gap in the windows on the upper deck. That matches the styling on the more recent Gemini 3s for Lothian but is interesting to see ADL offering more bodywork options - until now it has either been MMC or City with the only optional feature being glazed roof panels, whereas Wrightbus have a large variety of options on their double deck body. I agree that very few routes in London could use these due to their length and dwell time issues. I'd also say that although tri-axles might potentially be more efficient as you could use less of them than standard buses, considering passenger numbers have been falling on many routes leading to frequency reductions it could put more people off using the services if frequencies were cut further so I just don't think it would be wise to do so. On the other hand, if TfL were to take the decision that a full mid-life refurbishment for the LTs would not be cost-effective ..... (sorry, can't help myself) I don't see the relevance to be honest, even if that were to be the case (and I'm not going to start up that whole debate here). Many routes which use LTs likely can't take buses of this length while this also has an entirely different layout and seat to door ratio, making the designs most suited to different types of route. A conventional bus would in fact be a closer match to an LT.
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Post by M1104 on Nov 8, 2018 19:47:38 GMT
COR!!!!! They look fantastic!
Another very valid reason to go up to Scotland again very soon ...
I tweeted Lothian Buses and said we could do with some of them in London. Their reply - "watch this space". Now that seems their standard reply at the moment but would be nice to see one down here. I wouldn't be surprised if one is sent down as a showbus for TfL, operators and sightseeing companies to evaluate.
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Post by snoggle on Nov 8, 2018 23:15:42 GMT
Well that was unexpected! Aside from everything else already mentioned it's also worth noting that this has a glazed staircase, which is slightly different to the City in that it doesn't have a gap in the windows on the upper deck. That matches the styling on the more recent Gemini 3s for Lothian but is interesting to see ADL offering more bodywork options - until now it has either been MMC or City with the only optional feature being glazed roof panels, whereas Wrightbus have a large variety of options on their double deck body. Clearly this is a very important order for ADL which is why they've perhaps stretched themselves to be more flexible to meet Lothian's demanding spec. That same strategy is paying off with orders for the Enviro 500. Nonetheless this is a pleasing and interesting development which shows innovation is not dead. I note that Vantage Power couldn't help replying to ADL's tweet with photos of the BCI tri-axle on route 12.
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Post by busaholic on Nov 9, 2018 0:02:35 GMT
And it means that ADL have started making E500s to UK spec again after a few years gap 13.4m long and 100 seats, in Lothian spec, ought to be good for about 92-96 seats in TfL dual door, large buggy space spec, guessing around 120 with standees Don’t need to be a genius to do the maths to work out that a route with twenty 87 capacity buses would have greater capacity with 15 buses of 120 capacity But probably only 12-30 routes where a bus of this size would work in London, (12, 18, H91 etc), I’m vague because might fit on routes like 81, 406 etc (apologies for using SW London examples), even if not justified by demand On the other hand, if TfL were to take the decision that a full mid-life refurbishment for the LTs would not be cost-effective ..... (sorry, can't help myself) i was rather hoping that they'd got way beyond mid-life already. (so you're not the only one who can't help yourself)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2018 9:50:30 GMT
The Lothian ADL E400XLBs are to enter service in early February
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Post by snowman on Dec 11, 2018 19:20:07 GMT
A proper bus launch, a line up and famous building
/photo/1
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2018 13:51:36 GMT
It's reminiscent of a similar scene 27 years ago in 1991 when Lothian's Lynxes were launched
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Post by ThinLizzy on Dec 14, 2018 16:04:57 GMT
It's reminiscent of a similar scene 27 years ago in 1991 when Lothian's Lynxes were launched that makes me feel really old. I remember seeing photos of them in Buses magazine (when the magazine was good) thinking wow dual door Lynx. I think that may have been when Buses magazine was A5 sized.
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Post by snoggle on Dec 14, 2018 21:21:22 GMT
It's reminiscent of a similar scene 27 years ago in 1991 when Lothian's Lynxes were launched that makes me feel really old. I remember seeing photos of them in Buses magazine (when the magazine was good) thinking wow dual door Lynx. I think that may have been when Buses magazine was A5 sized. Only one Lynx but here you go. LRT 177 39 Edinburgh by plcd1, on Flickr
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2018 14:24:01 GMT
One Lynx still lives in preservation, number 188 (H188 OSG) but the rest are now long gone, all of them scrapped.
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Post by bmck on Jan 5, 2019 21:35:24 GMT
Confession time.... I used to drive a white Lynx on the 112 for Atlas donkeys ages ago!
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Post by snoggle on Jan 5, 2019 23:25:03 GMT
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Post by ThinLizzy on Jan 6, 2019 14:01:02 GMT
I know some drivers may not agree with me (rattly things from hell one told me) but as a young enthusiast probably the best single deck type I've ever been on
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