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Post by COBO on Oct 3, 2024 15:26:05 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true?
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Post by ! ALEED on Oct 3, 2024 15:46:17 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true? It's most likely not? Stagecoach never ordered electrics for the 678, and none of the routes receiving electrics are freeing any. There also are not enough evosetis to fully convert the D8 and it honestly sounds pointless. The D8 is nearly well into the end of its tender and has no reason to gain hybrids when it's running perfectly with it's Gemini 2s. If Stagecoach really did want to get rid of the Gemini 2s, the D8 would likely see E400s rather than any other bus type. 678 gets the spares at the garage anyway, so no point caring that much about it anyway! |
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Post by atb123 on Oct 3, 2024 15:54:57 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true? It's most likely not? Stagecoach never ordered electrics for the 678, and none of the routes receiving electrics are freeing any. There also are not enough evosetis to fully convert the D8 and it honestly sounds pointless. The D8 is nearly well into the end of its tender and has no reason to gain hybrids when it's running perfectly with it's Gemini 2s. If Stagecoach really did want to get rid of the Gemini 2s, the D8 would likely see E400s rather than any other bus type. 678 gets the spares at the garage anyway, so no point caring that much about it anyway! It isn't necessary to shift buses just to get rid of a particular allocation, ever since its up for tender soon in the Long term it will either be retained with new Electrics or be given B5LH MMCs, which can last 5 yrs, given LI are more comfortable with using that type, depending on what Stagecoach has in mind. |
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Post by WH241 on Oct 3, 2024 16:20:46 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true? Guessing you most likely heard this on a Wiki site somewhere! Andy C explains a few posts back about the electrics and made no mention about allocation changes on the D8! Sounds like fantasy but happy to be corrected. The 678 has a PVR of 4 so not even enough buses to cover the D8 and it’s up for tender soon anyway with the new contract start in September 2025. |
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Post by BK15AZR on Oct 3, 2024 19:15:31 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true? Guessing you most likely heard this on a Wiki site somewhere! Andy C explains a few posts back about the electrics and made no mention about allocation changes on the D8! Sounds like fantasy but happy to be corrected. The 678 has a PVR of 4 so not even enough buses to cover the D8 and it’s up for tender soon anyway with the new contract start in September 2025. Hybrid workings have become more often on the D8 recently, but I'd assume that's down to the original 58 batch of B9TLs being decommissioned and there are a lot fewer spare B9TLs to use. It seems like LI is now just down to the last 10 (16990-16999) which are the D8 allocations, and would be relatively tight for a route with a PVR of 9. |
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Post by BK15AZR on Oct 3, 2024 19:19:39 GMT
I wonder if the Evosetis will also need to be refurbished any time soon? If HK still needs some time for electrification, I wonder if the other BZLs for the 277/D7 will also be temporary used at LI for another route like the 135 or 308, so as to cover the B5LHs for refurbishments (there are also still 5 of the 135 batch of Wright B5LHs to be done - they're now doing it one at a time). Haven’t all the Evosetis been done? Were they not done for the 308 tender? That's something I'm not sure about. It looks like some of the 1315x have definitely been refurbished at some point into the contract - they've been repainted and gained the new style Stagecoach fleet number stickers. (Currently riding on 13154 and the moquette still looks quite new to me, so think it's done) But I do wonder if the batch of 13138-13150 have been done at all? |
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Post by WH241 on Oct 3, 2024 19:21:33 GMT
Guessing you most likely heard this on a Wiki site somewhere! Andy C explains a few posts back about the electrics and made no mention about allocation changes on the D8! Sounds like fantasy but happy to be corrected. The 678 has a PVR of 4 so not even enough buses to cover the D8 and it’s up for tender soon anyway with the new contract start in September 2025. Hybrid workings have become more often on the D8 recently, but I'd assume that's down to the original 58 batch of B9TLs being decommissioned and there are a lot fewer spare B9TLs to use. It seems like LI is now just down to the last 10 (16990-16999) which are the D8 allocations, and would be relatively tight for a route with a PVR of 9. I am not doubting hybrid workings will become more common but imagine the D8 batch of buses will stick around. LI seem happy hanging onto older buses with the E400s that hung on for use on the 308 and the E400s proving back up on the 97.
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Post by ! ALEED on Oct 3, 2024 19:34:50 GMT
Hybrid workings have become more often on the D8 recently, but I'd assume that's down to the original 58 batch of B9TLs being decommissioned and there are a lot fewer spare B9TLs to use. It seems like LI is now just down to the last 10 (16990-16999) which are the D8 allocations, and would be relatively tight for a route with a PVR of 9. I am not doubting hybrid workings will become more common but imagine the D8 batch of buses will stick around. LI seem happy hanging onto older buses with the E400s that hung on for use on the 308 and the E400s proving back up on the 97. I agree, D8 might be put in a similar situation to the 678 and 97 on weekdays where it will get whatever is at the garage due to the short number of buses being available on it. Even today there was an Evoseti on the route, so it shows that despite having support of some of the G2s from the 58, it wouldn't be enough! |
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Post by BK15AZR on Oct 3, 2024 20:23:48 GMT
I am not doubting hybrid workings will become more common but imagine the D8 batch of buses will stick around. LI seem happy hanging onto older buses with the E400s that hung on for use on the 308 and the E400s proving back up on the 97. I agree, D8 might be put in a similar situation to the 678 and 97 on weekdays where it will get whatever is at the garage due to the short number of buses being available on it. Even today there was an Evoseti on the route, so it shows that despite having support of some of the G2s from the 58, it wouldn't be enough! None of the G2s from the 58 have been in use over the last week, so I guess they may have already withdrawn. Only the 10 allocated to the D8 are in use. |
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Post by adl on Oct 3, 2024 21:17:04 GMT
Before anyone says I know it could just be canteen talk but was talking to a driver mentor on the 165 today as I’m looking to become a driver at RM and asked about any requirements or time requirement between passing my driving test and doing the PCV, I also asked about the 165s decker situation,
he said that the 165 was only going to be temporary decked but due to the 165s increasing volume of passengers they’ve decided not to revert it. He also said the conversion in his opinion was a long time coming as even at SD the route was often over capacity.
The driver was super helpful with my initial question regarding steps to become a driver and was really friendly.
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Post by yunus on Oct 3, 2024 21:21:55 GMT
I really hope the D8 does not begin to have regular Hybrid workings! Currently it is one route that I ride without checking LVF for Diesels 😄
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Post by WH241 on Oct 3, 2024 21:24:47 GMT
Before anyone says I know it could just be canteen talk but was talking to a driver mentor on the 165 today as I’m looking to become a driver at RM and asked about any requirements or time requirement between passing my driving test and doing the PCV, I also asked about the 165s decker situation, he said that the 165 was only going to be temporary decked but due to the 165s increasing volume of passengers they’ve decided not to revert it. He also said the conversion in his opinion was a long time coming as even at SD the route was often over capacity. The driver was super helpful with my initial question regarding steps to become a driver and was really friendly. Stagecoach get paid regardless of the amount of passengers as they don’t keep the revenue so can’t see them being that fussed either way. What the driver might have meant was it will retain the existing buses until it’s tendered. I can’t see TfL having had time to review passengers numbers and it’s only been a month or so. I will be surprised if the route is tendered as a double decker route but time will tell. |
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Post by adl on Oct 3, 2024 21:37:29 GMT
Before anyone says I know it could just be canteen talk but was talking to a driver mentor on the 165 today as I’m looking to become a driver at RM and asked about any requirements or time requirement between passing my driving test and doing the PCV, I also asked about the 165s decker situation, he said that the 165 was only going to be temporary decked but due to the 165s increasing volume of passengers they’ve decided not to revert it. He also said the conversion in his opinion was a long time coming as even at SD the route was often over capacity. The driver was super helpful with my initial question regarding steps to become a driver and was really friendly. Stagecoach get paid regardless of the amount of passengers as they don’t keep the revenue so can’t see them being that fussed either way. What the driver might have meant was it will retain the existing buses until it’s tendered. I can’t see TfL having had time to review passengers numbers and it’s only been a month or so. I will be surprised if the route is tendered as a double decker route but time will tell. Whilst that may be true, considering Stagecoach have at least recognised the 165 as a route that needs the extra decker capacity this feedback could go to TFL with TFL specifying DDs. But yes time will tell. |
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Post by ThinLizzy on Oct 3, 2024 22:05:10 GMT
Stagecoach get paid regardless of the amount of passengers as they don’t keep the revenue so can’t see them being that fussed either way. What the driver might have meant was it will retain the existing buses until it’s tendered. I can’t see TfL having had time to review passengers numbers and it’s only been a month or so. I will be surprised if the route is tendered as a double decker route but time will tell. Whilst that may be true, considering Stagecoach have at least recognised the 165 as a route that needs the extra decker capacity this feedback could go to TFL with TFL specifying DDs. But yes time will tell. The conversion to decker is more down to needing the single deckers elsewhere, rather than recognising the route needs deckers. |
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Post by ThinLizzy on Oct 3, 2024 22:06:13 GMT
Apparently Stagecoach wants to get rid of the Gemini 2s and want to move BZLs to the 678 to release the EvoSeti’s to the D8 does anyone know if this is true? Where are these additional BZLs for 678 coming from? |
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