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Post by TB123 on Nov 25, 2023 20:22:14 GMT
That's not a bad hunch to have. All new bus routes introduced during the Mayor's tenure (218, 301, 304, 306, 497 and all Superloop routes) haven't been awarded with LTs thus far. It could be purely coincidental, but the Superloop is very much Sadiq Khan's pet project and I don't think he would allow Boris's pet project (LTs) to be anywhere near it. Of course its coincidental. The difference now is there is a pretty big surplus of LTs available (Ex route 168 and other spares) and three double decker short term contracts starting by the Spring 2024.
I am not sure where al this Khan hates the LTs has come from today. Yes he threaten to withdraw them during the funding argument but apart from that I haven't seen anything to suggest he is against them.
The GLA (TfL being an agency of it) brand protocol mentions that projects from the previous administration should where possible not be used in publicity material.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Nov 25, 2023 20:43:07 GMT
Currently trundling through Botany Bay on an LT on the 313. Don’t think I’ve ever been on a bus that suits a route less than this. Trundling through the glorious countryside on a route that is designed for central London, it feels so out of place out here. It almost feels like James May is driving it when he took the LT out in the countryside 😂😂 A lovely route ruined by god awful buses Luckily for the 313, it does get diesel strays so those definitely would sound better than the LTs Indeed, from what I saw on Easter Monday it had just 1 LT, topped up by DW or T types.
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Nov 25, 2023 20:56:36 GMT
Of course its coincidental. The difference now is there is a pretty big surplus of LTs available (Ex route 168 and other spares) and three double decker short term contracts starting by the Spring 2024.
I am not sure where al this Khan hates the LTs has come from today. Yes he threaten to withdraw them during the funding argument but apart from that I haven't seen anything to suggest he is against them.
The GLA (TfL being an agency of it) brand protocol mentions that projects from the previous administration should where possible not be used in publicity material. There's at least one piece of publicity floating around with an LT in the Superloop livery. I think even if the SL2 manages to escape, the SL3 won't. I can't imagine the old 11reg buses on the 86 will be liveried up for the SL3 when the LTs are Hybrids and are sitting around since the 168 withdrawal.
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Post by vjaska on Nov 26, 2023 3:08:04 GMT
The GLA (TfL being an agency of it) brand protocol mentions that projects from the previous administration should where possible not be used in publicity material. There's at least one piece of publicity floating around with an LT in the Superloop livery. I think even if the SL2 manages to escape, the SL3 won't. I can't imagine the old 11reg buses on the 86 will be liveried up for the SL3 when the LTs are Hybrids and are sitting around since the 168 withdrawal. LT's could convert a route that uses newer hybrids and have them start the SL3 or any other for example.
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Post by ServerKing on Nov 26, 2023 5:24:30 GMT
There's at least one piece of publicity floating around with an LT in the Superloop livery. I think even if the SL2 manages to escape, the SL3 won't. I can't imagine the old 11reg buses on the 86 will be liveried up for the SL3 when the LTs are Hybrids and are sitting around since the 168 withdrawal. LT's could convert a route that uses newer hybrids and have them start the SL3 or any other for example. Would love to see an LT on the 123
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Post by mkay315 on Nov 26, 2023 6:07:01 GMT
LT's could convert a route that uses newer hybrids and have them start the SL3 or any other for example. Would love to see an LT on the 123 Oh the NCR. Oh good Lord.
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Post by mondraker275 on Nov 26, 2023 7:10:50 GMT
Of course its coincidental. The difference now is there is a pretty big surplus of LTs available (Ex route 168 and other spares) and three double decker short term contracts starting by the Spring 2024.
I am not sure where al this Khan hates the LTs has come from today. Yes he threaten to withdraw them during the funding argument but apart from that I haven't seen anything to suggest he is against them.
The GLA (TfL being an agency of it) brand protocol mentions that projects from the previous administration should where possible not be used in publicity material. The picture of the LT has been used in publicity for the Superloop already and suspect they will find their way there. I think that GLA/TfL cannot refer to them as the Boris bus or similar or New Bus For London.
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Post by WH241 on Nov 26, 2023 9:54:40 GMT
There's at least one piece of publicity floating around with an LT in the Superloop livery. I think even if the SL2 manages to escape, the SL3 won't. I can't imagine the old 11reg buses on the 86 will be liveried up for the SL3 when the LTs are Hybrids and are sitting around since the 168 withdrawal. LT's could convert a route that uses newer hybrids and have them start the SL3 or any other for example. Whats the point though? they might as well make use of owned LTs to keep the costs down to see how the routes perform initially. I think people I forgetting these are only 1-2 year tenders so going to the trouble of converting other routes to release buses seems pointless when the SL 1,2 and 3 will most likely be tendered with brand new buses at the next tender.
The only place I could possible see this happening is with the 253 as I suggested in a post a little while back. If the 253 is rerouted to Homerton in the future if could use HVs from the 242 and the SL2 takes the LTs.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Nov 27, 2023 1:02:49 GMT
Would love to see an LT on the 123 Oh the NCR. Oh good Lord. They do well on roads like this, I guess you have never driven them so would not know.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Nov 27, 2023 1:09:13 GMT
Interesting development. HA1-18 would be a perfect fit for route SL2… wasn’t W3 retained with HAs from 78? Yes it was, but as I previously mentioned the SL1 would be HV's unless other plans has changed. It is far easier now to send the HA's from the 78 which finish on Friday night to be done than other existing buses HV's where there would not be enough, even with the 34 pvr reduction without a reshuffle from other garages. A lot of the W3 drivers are now already type trained on HV's, virtually none bar any ex [AE] drivers at [WN] would be trained on them which there is less than double figures. The same goes for [AD] where route learning of the short section to North Finchley for some was being conducted last week.
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Post by adl on Nov 27, 2023 1:16:42 GMT
wasn’t W3 retained with HAs from 78? Yes it was, but as I previously mentioned the SL1 would be HV's unless other plans has changed. It is far easier now to send the HA's from the 78 which finish on Friday night to be done than other existing buses HV's where there would not be enough, even with the 34 pvr reduction without a reshuffle from other garages. A lot of the W3 drivers are now already type trained on HV's, virtually none bar any ex [AE] drivers at [WN] would be trained on them which there is less than double figures. The same goes for [AD] where route learning of the short section to North Finchley for some was being conducted last week. Is the W3 and SL1 both getting HVs? As you say AD & WN are both not type trained on HAs?
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Post by ADH45258 on Nov 27, 2023 1:48:07 GMT
wasn’t W3 retained with HAs from 78? Yes it was, but as I previously mentioned the SL1 would be HV's unless other plans has changed. It is far easier now to send the HA's from the 78 which finish on Friday night to be done than other existing buses HV's where there would not be enough, even with the 34 pvr reduction without a reshuffle from other garages. A lot of the W3 drivers are now already type trained on HV's, virtually none bar any ex [AE] drivers at [WN] would be trained on them which there is less than double figures. The same goes for [AD] where route learning of the short section to North Finchley for some was being conducted last week. It shouldn't be too difficult to fully allocate HVs to the SL1. The 34's cut releases 4x HVs, and AD already have a few spare HVs. The rest could perhaps come from the 158? A few DWs recently transferred to EC, so if about 4 more can be send there, this could release all of the 158's HVs to AD to complete the SL1. Maybe 1 more spare HV from another garage too as the Superloop routes tend to have more spares allocated. While the 78's HAs will become available soon, it probably won't allow enough time for type training to take place, so would make more sense to send them off for refurbishment and type train drivers for the W3 or wherever they may end up.
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Post by ServerKing on Nov 27, 2023 2:13:09 GMT
Yes it was, but as I previously mentioned the SL1 would be HV's unless other plans has changed. It is far easier now to send the HA's from the 78 which finish on Friday night to be done than other existing buses HV's where there would not be enough, even with the 34 pvr reduction without a reshuffle from other garages. A lot of the W3 drivers are now already type trained on HV's, virtually none bar any ex [AE] drivers at [WN] would be trained on them which there is less than double figures. The same goes for [AD] where route learning of the short section to North Finchley for some was being conducted last week. It shouldn't be too difficult to fully allocate HVs to the SL1. The 34's cut releases 4x HVs, and AD already have a few spare HVs. The rest could perhaps come from the 158? A few DWs recently transferred to EC, so if about 4 more can be send there, this could release all of the 158's HVs to AD to complete the SL1. Maybe 1 more spare HV from another garage too as the Superloop routes tend to have more spares allocated. While the 78's HAs will become available soon, it probably won't allow enough time for type training to take place, so would make more sense to send them off for refurbishment and type train drivers for the W3 or wherever they may end up. To an enthusiast, it can seem "disappointing" when a particular change doesn't happen as planned (such as where are the 279's and 377's electrics?), but so long as there's a service and buses that can be used, that's more important. Perhaps HVs with their I Shift box might be more suitable for the steep hills of Ally Pally and Crouch End than the single speed hybrid drive in an HA (especially if never tested on the route before). How would the HAs fare on a higher speed, demanding Express SL2? I guess it's best to wait and see I assume T's from the 157 will be either scrapped or moved on to other parts of Arriva if wanted Have any buses started to lose their "DB Company" strapline yet, apart from the 377's new EMN's?
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Post by vjaska on Nov 27, 2023 3:51:49 GMT
It shouldn't be too difficult to fully allocate HVs to the SL1. The 34's cut releases 4x HVs, and AD already have a few spare HVs. The rest could perhaps come from the 158? A few DWs recently transferred to EC, so if about 4 more can be send there, this could release all of the 158's HVs to AD to complete the SL1. Maybe 1 more spare HV from another garage too as the Superloop routes tend to have more spares allocated. While the 78's HAs will become available soon, it probably won't allow enough time for type training to take place, so would make more sense to send them off for refurbishment and type train drivers for the W3 or wherever they may end up. To an enthusiast, it can seem "disappointing" when a particular change doesn't happen as planned (such as where are the 279's and 377's electrics?), but so long as there's a service and buses that can be used, that's more important. Perhaps HVs with their I Shift box might be more suitable for the steep hills of Ally Pally and Crouch End than the single speed hybrid drive in an HA (especially if never tested on the route before). How would the HAs fare on a higher speed, demanding Express SL2? I guess it's best to wait and see I assume T's from the 157 will be either scrapped or moved on to other parts of Arriva if wanted Have any buses started to lose their "DB Company" strapline yet, apart from the 377's new EMN's? I think the HA's would probably be more suited to the W3 as ADL hybrids are generally fine at climbing hills with the HV's more suited to faster, flat roads with the I-Shift box which does get confused at times when climbing hills.
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Post by mkay315 on Nov 27, 2023 8:19:04 GMT
Oh the NCR. Oh good Lord. They do well on roads like this, I guess you have never driven them so would not know. I've always thought they'd be sluggish on those roads
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