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Post by Volvo on May 21, 2014 16:30:32 GMT
Personally, I'm shocked at how awful it looks- it's even worse than a Gemini 3 100% agree with this, its looks like a bad attempt at revamping the mylennium 2. Its ugly and I dont like the way the upper deck windows don't align with the lower deck windows and also less than 10 tonnes really? The gemini 3 b5tl is around 10815 kgs and even that doesn't feel so solid in certain places. Maybe CT plus or quality line will order this as they like optare products alot. |
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Post by ServerKing on May 21, 2014 16:35:41 GMT
Personally, I'm shocked at how awful it looks- it's even worse than a Gemini 3 I don't know who trains their PR team, but don't go telling the papers it's a "critical product", it will hardly attract investors... Why is it blue?  Surely it should be in London Red as a demonstrator?  |
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Post by snoggle on May 21, 2014 16:35:45 GMT
Personally, I'm shocked at how awful it looks- it's even worse than a Gemini 3 I rather like it. The hopper window design is very interesting. They need those on a certain other bus design!  |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2014 16:38:26 GMT
Compared to the new E400, I really like it!
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Post by Volvo on May 21, 2014 16:41:38 GMT
Compared to the new E400, I really like it! I respect your opinion, lol |
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Post by romfordbuses on May 21, 2014 16:46:45 GMT
Fair play to Optare for bringing it out AFTER ADL have brought out the E400 MMC but....
What have they been doing for all these years? It just looks like they've taken a MetroCity and stretched it - Although, I suppose that's basically what it is.
No chance against the new E400 I'm sorry to say imo.
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Post by LX09FBJ on May 21, 2014 16:59:31 GMT
Looks hideous but I imagine London United will inevitably buy some Oy vey! MORE YOB buses for AV. I'll be not at all surprised if the last YOB buses in London are operated from AV! |
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Post by snoggle on May 21, 2014 17:02:46 GMT
Fair play to Optare for bringing it out AFTER ADL have brought out the E400 MMC but.... What have they been doing for all these years? It just looks like they've taken a MetroCity and stretched it - Although, I suppose that's basically what it is. No chance against the new E400 I'm sorry to say imo. I'm sorry but how can you say it has no chance? I understand enthusiasts will always judge on looks and Optare have long had a very distinctive approach to styling that divides opinion. However until we know the price and the performance of the vehicle we really can't make a judgement and nor will any rational operator. Optare has had its fair share of woes but the Versa has recently picked up a lot of orders and if operators want something straightforward and affordable then the Metrodecker *might* be what they want. Let's face it how many Volvo B5s are running? Not many. How many have been ordered? Err? How many Streetdecks are running? Any? Alexander Dennis may well have 400+ orders for the E40 MMC but that may well cause problems unless they've really got their production line churning along at max pace. One good thing is that there is now quite a bit of variety and change in the double deck market and about time! The only possible glaring issue is the apparent lack of a hybrid option but if it is very clean, economical and cheap then it may well undercut hybrids for some operators - especially if there is no Green Bus Fund to subsidise hybrid purchases. |
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Post by vjaska on May 21, 2014 17:33:55 GMT
I'm a bit 50/50 on this - the strange style hopper windows are putting me off as is the tiny length front upstairs windows but I can see myself warming to this. Decent attempt Optare - a body builder who just gets abused every time they build a bus.
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Post by marlon101 on May 21, 2014 17:39:42 GMT
Fair play to Optare for bringing it out AFTER ADL have brought out the E400 MMC but.... What have they been doing for all these years? It just looks like they've taken a MetroCity and stretched it - Although, I suppose that's basically what it is. No chance against the new E400 I'm sorry to say imo. I'm sorry but how can you say it has no chance? I understand enthusiasts will always judge on looks and Optare have long had a very distinctive approach to styling that divides opinion. However until we know the price and the performance of the vehicle we really can't make a judgement and nor will any rational operator. Optare has had its fair share of woes but the Versa has recently picked up a lot of orders and if operators want something straightforward and affordable then the Metrodecker *might* be what they want. Let's face it how many Volvo B5s are running? Not many. How many have been ordered? Err? How many Streetdecks are running? Any? Alexander Dennis may well have 400+ orders for the E40 MMC but that may well cause problems unless they've really got their production line churning along at max pace. One good thing is that there is now quite a bit of variety and change in the double deck market and about time! The only possible glaring issue is the apparent lack of a hybrid option but if it is very clean, economical and cheap then it may well undercut hybrids for some operators - especially if there is no Green Bus Fund to subsidise hybrid purchases. Could not agree more with this. Even if the styling divides opinion (I'm on the warm side of indifferent...) then the variety and competition can only be a good thing. Further competition in the London bus market can only drive further product improvements and hopefully this does just that. Wouldn't be beyond the realms of all possibility of DT using these for a cheap 492 bid and winning - you heard it here first!* *disclaimer for the benefit of forum etiquette buffs - this is the completely unfounded variety of speculation. |
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Post by ThinLizzy on May 21, 2014 17:40:44 GMT
Fair play to Optare for bringing it out AFTER ADL have brought out the E400 MMC but.... What have they been doing for all these years? It just looks like they've taken a MetroCity and stretched it - Although, I suppose that's basically what it is. No chance against the new E400 I'm sorry to say imo. I'm sorry but how can you say it has no chance? I understand enthusiasts will always judge on looks and Optare have long had a very distinctive approach to styling that divides opinion. However until we know the price and the performance of the vehicle we really can't make a judgement and nor will any rational operator. Optare has had its fair share of woes but the Versa has recently picked up a lot of orders and if operators want something straightforward and affordable then the Metrodecker *might* be what they want. Let's face it how many Volvo B5s are running? Not many. How many have been ordered? Err? How many Streetdecks are running? Any? Alexander Dennis may well have 400+ orders for the E40 MMC but that may well cause problems unless they've really got their production line churning along at max pace. One good thing is that there is now quite a bit of variety and change in the double deck market and about time! The only possible glaring issue is the apparent lack of a hybrid option but if it is very clean, economical and cheap then it may well undercut hybrids for some operators - especially if there is no Green Bus Fund to subsidise hybrid purchases. Naturally, opinion is very subjective when it comes to new vehicles, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I think the new E400MMC is stunning, and the pictures in Coach & Bus Week a few weeks ago really show it off at its best. Whilst I think the new Optare looks awful on first impressions, it may well be a very well put together vehicle that is very economical to run. Operators standard vehicles always vary on what they prefer- some operators love their Optares and others won't touch them with a barge pole. Optares have always been "marmite" vehicles, I love the space-age looks of the Versa but think the Tempo, Metrocity and Metrodecker are rather bland and don't have that wow factor (I know you don't really need a wow factor in London but certainly do with highly branded operations such as TrentBarton). Speaking of B5 orders- outside of London, Translink has ordered a fair number for its Citybus operations plus Dublin Bus have a diesel and hybrid version on trial. Finally, with regards to a full hybrid version, a recent post in the Stagecoach London thread by gnicholass suggests that perhaps flywheel technology and "micro hybrids" may be the way forward |
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Post by Volvo on May 21, 2014 18:54:40 GMT
I think the rapta was much better looking
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Post by Connor on May 21, 2014 20:12:15 GMT
I think the rapta was much better looking Indeed, it's a shame it never took off!  I'm not impressed with the Metrodecker at all. Other than the odd hopper windows and the Mercedes Benz engine, there is nothing of interest there for me. The short upstairs window towards the front of the bus, the tiny patty-shaped lower deck window and the ugly 'face'...it's horrible. Other than the Optare Rapta and Tempo, I can't recall ever liking an Optare bus. Why can't they just go for a nice conventional design?!  The MCV DD103, with slight modifications to the body is probably the best looking bus of recent times. The E400 MMC is quite nice to look at from the back and sides, not too keen on the 'hips', but the interior looks awesome. Those are probably the only 'recent' bus types I like. ALX400 and President are the best though!  |
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Post by southeastlondonbus on May 21, 2014 20:32:13 GMT
I think the rapta was much better looking Indeed, it's a shame it never took off! I'm not impressed with the Metrodecker at all. Other than the odd hopper windows and the Mercedes Benz engine, there is nothing of interest there for me. The short upstairs window towards the front of the bus, the tiny patty-shaped lower deck window and the ugly 'face'...it's horrible. Other than the Optare Rapta and Tempo, I can't recall ever liking an Optare bus. Why can't they just go for a nice conventional design?! The MCV DD103, with slight modifications to the body is probably the best looking bus of recent times. The E400 MMC is quite nice to look at from the back and sides, not too keen on the 'hips', but the interior looks awesome. Those are probably the only 'recent' bus types I like. ALX400 and President are the best though! Going to get abuse for saying this but I have a problem with Optare build quality the Olympus's from the 54/75 were quite frankly the biggest heaps I have ever travelled on and I thought a OmniDekka was bad until I got on one of those. Wright's have always had good build quality but there designs all look the same. ADL build quality has got better lately and I look forward to seeing the new MMC E400 in the metal so to speak. on another quck note I have found something I like about the Stagecoach B5LH's the air chilling system is bloody good LOL  |
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Post by LX09FBJ on May 21, 2014 21:55:11 GMT
I imagine with a few tweaks (get rid of the NB4L-esque tiny front windows, make sure the windows forward of rear door line up to each other, make the front grab rail straight and get rid of the hideous rear window (make it more like the rear window on the MK2 DWs please!)), this could potentially be a good contender to the Streetdeck/Gemini 3 or E400 MMC (although the MMC to me looks like the front runner in the race for orders, especially as it's apparently the 'holy grail' of a rattle-free bus and the frankly excellent QRG idea).
Now we've got to see if Scania will produce a successor to the OmniCity double deck.
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Surely it should be in London Red as a demonstrator? 
