|
|
Post by John tuthill on Jun 24, 2013 10:01:37 GMT
It is intere sting to see the extent of delays that arose on the first day of operation. I was looking at a large number of photos by John Lidstone on Flickr. There are multiple shots of conked out buses, slow running, buses with long delays at stops and chronic overcrowding. Now the first days of any new bus or a new operator can be difficult so I would not expect perfection. However, this does seem to have been a pretty poor performance given Metroline are more than familiar with route 24 having run it for many years. I wonder how things went on the first morning peak? Considering this bus is being fanfared all over the media, I cannot believe (or maybe I can  ) that they were not given a pre delivery check before entering service? If only it was 'once around the block' might have shown up these defects. It's being hailed as a 'British Bus' and considering its route is right thru' the middle of London and all its tourist spots, it's not a good advert abroad to see them breaking down. Please don't say 'teething troubles' |
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on Jun 24, 2013 10:53:45 GMT
It is intere sting to see the extent of delays that arose on the first day of operation. I was looking at a large number of photos by John Lidstone on Flickr. There are multiple shots of conked out buses, slow running, buses with long delays at stops and chronic overcrowding. Now the first days of any new bus or a new operator can be difficult so I would not expect perfection. However, this does seem to have been a pretty poor performance given Metroline are more than familiar with route 24 having run it for many years. I wonder how things went on the first morning peak? Considering this bus is being fanfared all over the media, I cannot believe (or maybe I can ) that they were not given a pre delivery check before entering service? If only it was 'once around the block' might have shown up these defects. It's being hailed as a 'British Bus' and considering its route is right thru' the middle of London and all its tourist spots, it's not a good advert abroad to see them breaking down. Please don't say 'teething troubles' Well I believe quite a few of the buses were only delivered in the last week so time was limited but I agree and would expect that ALL buses get a thorough check being allowed out on the road. Watching and listening to what was going at Hampstead I got the distinct impression that some drivers had not really seen the buses close up and possibly some conductors have not done their full 3 weeks training yet. I think that's a bit poor *if* it is correct - I've only heard a conversation and have no independent evidence. I do wonder if the faff about having "special" registrations and then apparently getting the actual reg plats wrong (incorrect character spacing) also prevented all the stored buses being taken out for a spin or three to "shake down" faults and build up some confidence with the buses. I do think we have to accept that any vehicle is not really put to a full test until passengers get on them and do the things passengers do. Happens with buses, trains and trams. For whatever reason it does not seem possible for manufacturers to replicate normal passenger use in a test environment and whatever was learnt with the prototypes on the 38 has not been fully shared with Metroline (speculation I accept). You have to hope London General are able to do a better job with the 11 in September and I hope TfL are learning some lessons here. I agree with greeny253 that things should speed up once drivers get more used to the size of the buses and can hustle them down roads and round corners. |
|
|
|
Post by M1104 on Jun 24, 2013 11:48:24 GMT
Considering this bus is being fanfared all over the media, I cannot believe (or maybe I can ) that they were not given a pre delivery check before entering service? If only it was 'once around the block' might have shown up these defects. It's being hailed as a 'British Bus' and considering its route is right thru' the middle of London and all its tourist spots, it's not a good advert abroad to see them breaking down. Please don't say 'teething troubles' Well I believe quite a few of the buses were only delivered in the last week so time was limited but I agree and would expect that ALL buses get a thorough check being allowed out on the road. Watching and listening to what was going at Hampstead I got the distinct impression that some drivers had not really seen the buses close up and possibly some conductors have not done their full 3 weeks training yet. I think that's a bit poor *if* it is correct - I've only heard a conversation and have no independent evidence. I do wonder if the faff about having "special" registrations and then apparently getting the actual reg plats wrong (incorrect character spacing) also prevented all the stored buses being taken out for a spin or three to "shake down" faults and build up some confidence with the buses. I do think we have to accept that any vehicle is not really put to a full test until passengers get on them and do the things passengers do. Happens with buses, trains and trams. For whatever reason it does not seem possible for manufacturers to replicate normal passenger use in a test environment and whatever was learnt with the prototypes on the 38 has not been fully shared with Metroline (speculation I accept). You have to hope London General are able to do a better job with the 11 in September and I hope TfL are learning some lessons here. I agree with greeny253 that things should speed up once drivers get more used to the size of the buses and can hustle them down roads and round corners. Hopefully London General's examples will arrive in good time to sort out any problems. |
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on Jun 24, 2013 12:19:16 GMT
I took a ride on LT39 today, the bus was quick, everyone boarding touched in with their Oyster. Perhaps as it passes thru more civilised areas fare evasion wont be such an issue. The air con unit was quieter than my previous bus, HV130 on the 29. Quite impressed with my first ride  only gripe is the 'door supervisor' was not letting anyone hop on or off the rear platform for "health and safety reasons"  Sent from my GT-I8190N using proboards |
|
|
|
Post by twobellstogo on Jun 24, 2013 16:55:11 GMT
LT 12 for me. Air-con not working, so bus was like a sauna. Mechanically sounded very sickly too. Door supervisor however must be one of the few letting the open platform be used for hopping on and off in traffic etc. On my journey from Pimilco to Leicester Square, every NBfL on the 24 was running in at least a pair (and sometimes in threes), suggesting Metroline are having problems with the service. Overall : disappointed. Poor service, and a bus that really needed to go back to HT garage for a looking at. What a shame |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:09:17 GMT
www.boriswatch.co.uk/2013/06/24/hop-on-hop-off-bus-is-a-sham/I heard a barrage of complaints have been sent to TFL regarding the conductors on the 24 refusing anyone to jump on and off between stops. But this issue will become much political now. TFL should have rolled the NBFL's out by bus instead of having the whole thing on the road at once. But the conductors on the Metroline are strict on the 24 for now.
|
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on Jun 24, 2013 17:09:51 GMT
I tried to jump on LT24 from Wilton Rd, Victoria, and the 'Door Supervisor' said she 'didn't advise I take such risks' and tried to stop me boarding the rear platform (the bus was stationary behind an 82 :  then insisted I touch in with my Oyster 'soon as possible' but wouldn't let me use the one at the rear platform... what a shame the other two didn't work downstairs.... I had to tap in by the driver So peed off I just got straight off and got the Tube home. Seriously, if these 'health and safety brigade' don't take a chill pill, people will avoid the 24 althogether. Mixed messages about when you can board or not (I wasn't trying to jump on the back at 15 miles an hour, smh) LT24's air-con and other fans making a racket, I thought I'd boarded a ferry at Harwich  totally cancelled out my bearable journey in the morning... either make these 'supervisors' conductors or tell them to sod off and make the bus OPO... and to think there's still 550-odd more of these to clog our roads...  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Route 24
Jun 24, 2013 17:18:04 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:18:04 GMT
www.boriswatch.co.uk/2013/06/24/hop-on-hop-off-bus-is-a-sham/I heard a barrage of complaints have been sent to TFL regarding the conductors on the 24 refusing anyone to jump on and off between stops. But this issue will become much political now. TFL should have rolled the NBFL's out by bus instead of having the whole thing on the road at once. But the conductors on the Metroline are strict on the 24 for now. It is probably an insurance requirement. Metroline will probably want paying more to cover increased insurance costs. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:23:46 GMT
www.boriswatch.co.uk/2013/06/24/hop-on-hop-off-bus-is-a-sham/I heard a barrage of complaints have been sent to TFL regarding the conductors on the 24 refusing anyone to jump on and off between stops. But this issue will become much political now. TFL should have rolled the NBFL's out by bus instead of having the whole thing on the road at once. But the conductors on the Metroline are strict on the 24 for now. It is probably an insurance requirement. Metroline will probably want paying more to cover increased insurance costs. They are currently recruiting Claims administrators as well. www.metroline.co.uk/jobs/latest-vacancies.html |
|
|
|
Post by M1104 on Jun 24, 2013 18:13:47 GMT
I think the conversion date should have been held back to July so as to allow more breathing time for 'practical' familiarisation of the LTs with the drivers, attendants, engineers, etc.
Theory Query: If by odd chance a regular double decker is subbed onto the route, what would happen with the scheduled attendant?
|
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on Jun 24, 2013 18:28:12 GMT
Theory Query: If by odd chance a regular double decker is subbed onto the route, what would happen with the scheduled attendant?She'll stand by the Wheelchair area and help with Buggy Enforcement or other duties or stand by the front door to make sure we tap in by the driver |
|
|
|
Post by marlon101 on Jun 24, 2013 18:28:30 GMT
Took a ride on LT10 myself.
Bus was actually rather quite in itself (I positioned myself on the upper deck, in all fairness). I fully accept the point about getting a headache though! A plethora of different beeps caused a right old racket. The air conditioning was quieter than on other buses like TEs, however the fact that it was operating in one second bursts every so often made it much more annoying than your on/off TE!
I joined my fellow passengers in boarding via the driver's door, leaving both of the other entrances completely unutilised. This seemed to be the case all over the route. Those TfL staff we've forked out for to stand at bus stops all along the route it seems were very helpful in guiding people to the other entrances... not... this didn't help the dwell times & we were regularly overtaken by other bus services.
As I went to leave the bus I took the rear staircase. I do love the glass surround! Not as much as I will love seeing a fat person stuck on that spiral staircase. It's waiting to happen... I didn't think it was the widest and I'm tiny! The platform attendant was an exceptionally cheerful chap, wishing passengers a good day. Customer service training certainly seems to have taken place for this fellow; I didn't really observe whether he was allowing embarkation/alighting from the rear-platform other than in the relative vicinity of bus stops.
|
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on Jun 24, 2013 19:49:16 GMT
I tried to jump on LT24 from Wilton Rd, Victoria, and the 'Door Supervisor' said she 'didn't advise I take such risks' and tried to stop me boarding the rear platform (the bus was stationary behind an 82 : then insisted I touch in with my Oyster 'soon as possible' but wouldn't let me use the one at the rear platform... what a shame the other two didn't work downstairs.... I had to tap in by the driver So peed off I just got straight off and got the Tube home. Seriously, if these 'health and safety brigade' don't take a chill pill, people will avoid the 24 althogether. Mixed messages about when you can board or not (I wasn't trying to jump on the back at 15 miles an hour, smh) LT24's air-con and other fans making a racket, I thought I'd boarded a ferry at Harwich totally cancelled out my bearable journey in the morning... either make these 'supervisors' conductors or tell them to sod off and make the bus OPO... and to think there's still 550-odd more of these to clog our roads... Last time I boarded a ferry at Harwich I was given a key to a nice comfy cabin with excellent beds and a functional and clean bathroom. Also had a smooth and enjoyable crossing with no headaches. Perhaps we need North Sea Ferries on the 24?  |
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on Jun 24, 2013 20:20:55 GMT
I tried to jump on LT24 from Wilton Rd, Victoria, and the 'Door Supervisor' said she 'didn't advise I take such risks' and tried to stop me boarding the rear platform (the bus was stationary behind an 82 : then insisted I touch in with my Oyster 'soon as possible' but wouldn't let me use the one at the rear platform... what a shame the other two didn't work downstairs.... I had to tap in by the driver So peed off I just got straight off and got the Tube home. Seriously, if these 'health and safety brigade' don't take a chill pill, people will avoid the 24 althogether. Mixed messages about when you can board or not (I wasn't trying to jump on the back at 15 miles an hour, smh) LT24's air-con and other fans making a racket, I thought I'd boarded a ferry at Harwich totally cancelled out my bearable journey in the morning... either make these 'supervisors' conductors or tell them to sod off and make the bus OPO... and to think there's still 550-odd more of these to clog our roads... Last time I boarded a ferry at Harwich I was given a key to a nice comfy cabin with excellent beds and a functional and clean bathroom. Also had a smooth and enjoyable crossing with no headaches. Perhaps we need North Sea Ferries on the 24? If Metroline take over the Harwich - Esbjerg (Denmark) routes you might have a 'Cabin Supervisor' who will tell you when it's safe to enter when the sea is calm enough or the boat is stationary  TBH this is not Metroline's doing, it's the jobsworths at TfL who fear a deluge of claims from people stacking it when they run for a bus... Perhaps I will start getting txt messages from NBFL claim companies instead of PPI ones now?  |
|
|
|
Post by IanF on Jun 24, 2013 20:37:40 GMT
Last time I boarded a ferry at Harwich I was given a key to a nice comfy cabin with excellent beds and a functional and clean bathroom. Also had a smooth and enjoyable crossing with no headaches. Perhaps we need North Sea Ferries on the 24? If Metroline take over the Harwich - Esbjerg (Denmark) routes you might have a 'Cabin Supervisor' who will tell you when it's safe to enter when the sea is calm enough or the boat is stationary TBH this is not Metroline's doing, it's the jobsworths at TfL who fear a deluge of claims from people stacking it when they run for a bus... Perhaps I will start getting txt messages from NBFL claim companies instead of PPI ones now? Nb4l claims r us opened today good news if you stack it running to jump on a moving bus we can help please call 08 run faster or Imaprat@nb4lcru.co.uk |
|
only gripe is the 'door supervisor' was not letting anyone hop on or off the rear platform for "health and safety reasons" 
then insisted I touch in with my Oyster 'soon as possible' but wouldn't let me use the one at the rear platform... what a shame the other two didn't work downstairs.... I had to tap in by the driver 
totally cancelled out my bearable journey in the morning... either make these 'supervisors' conductors or tell them to sod off and make the bus OPO... and to think there's still 550-odd more of these to clog our roads... 
