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Post by rmz19 on Nov 4, 2015 22:21:37 GMT
VLA3 sounds like it has a cold, huffing and puffing continuously even when idle.
VPL596 sounding terribly loud with its cooling fan intermittently turning on, it can only be described as a loud roar with a somewhat robotic groan, quite uncanny.
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Post by rmz19 on Nov 4, 2015 11:52:50 GMT
I have a feeling when fully loaded most LT's are carrying around 90-95 passengers from what I have seen. Trouble is it isn't easy for the driver to count and the door areas become mass standing areas. would not be surprised if 100 or more is counted on some when rammed.
From the time TfL stopped full ads on standard deckers etc. I was not a fan of them with the 3/4 ads. As moaners got their way saying they couldn't tell what bus it was, which is pathetic. Some people just have a big hate towards advertising and it is nothing more than that. I find it a bit discriminating that TfL now then give full 100% adverts on the LT's, they probably realise that the 3/4 ads do not hit you as much as the 100% ads.
Yes I think OPO LT's carry more than standard OPO buses simply because there is no control over boarding. The 3/4 ads just don't look right, the all over ads on the LT's look much better It really depends on the advert itself. I generally dislike them, especially on the LTs as they're good looking buses and cheap looking all-over ads just ruin their appeal, although the white all-over ad is an exception as it looks great on the LT
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 30, 2015 10:19:51 GMT
Wonderful sense of understatement there. I did most of the 295 on a Good Friday "round inner London by bus" jaunt. Was tolerable then as traffic was OK. I only really travel on the northern part from Shepherd's Bush to to Ladbroke Grove, but I've never seen a more bunched route in my area (bar the 228). In the evening you get 4 in one go. This new timetable is meant to be a 9-10 min headway. Of course the route that picks up the slack is the 316, which may as well be renumbered 616 (I know it's taken!) because of the number of school children. Oh the wonders of converting the 316 to DDs *sigh*.....This situation calls for holding up massive posters and standing outside this so-called MP's residency demanding for the 316 to be converted to DDs, with a few cheeky remarks slipped in as optional extras I'm sure the MP would have little to say to the crowd of local residents and regular 316 users then!
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 28, 2015 14:48:29 GMT
I also don't mind the LTs 'to a certain point'. Although I don't get them in my area my main beef with them are: 1) buses rushed in too quick: most likely due to the time factor with political agenda. If more time were given perhaps there would have been less teething problems 2) too many of them: certain routes don't really need them, especially routes that run alongside each other for a few miles, ie 12 and 453 and the rumoured 3 and 59 which runs with the 159. 3) lack of two crew buses Less LTs produced 'could have meant' resources available/diverted so that all buses are properly crewed... and as 'proper conductors' so as to reduce on fare invasion 4) bus operator involvement: As already mentioned operators have more experience with the physical operation of buses. Perhaps operators and manufacturers would have indeed idealised on choice of chassis 5) chain driven doors I always thought the buses would have been more ideal with more robust 'speedy' plug-in doors... like with the Mercedes bendy buses. Come to think of it all buses with such doors I don't really understand point 2, I would have thought the 12 and 453 were ideal routes for them? Point 2 is the one I agree with the most with regards to being too many of them in general. Although the 12 and 453 happen to have them because they were ex-bendies, inspite of the considerable route overlap.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 28, 2015 11:51:32 GMT
It will be interesting to see the shorter B5LH chassis New Routemaster when it comes to life. A lot of routes that were found unsuitable with the original could be suitable with the new one i.e. 14, 19, 22, 74, 168 etc. Hopefully, the buses mag is right and we do see a prototype by the end of the year. I think the 159's LTs will be last versions of the original New Routemasters. I take it you mean the new E400H City? While it does share some design elements with the LT I'd like to think of it as a completely new bus type for London, that way the words 'New Routemaster'/LT/NB4L etc won't have to be consistently brought back to existence and London can focus on looking forward to new buses in the future Arguably this prospect is - dare I say it - already occuring with the introduction of the E400H City despite continuing on with the LT trend, but a new-ish bus nonetheless. There is also the new BYD DD (hoping it's mass produced), the MMCs and Gemini 3s. Now the MetroDecker and EvoSeti pleeasssee
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 26, 2015 16:30:22 GMT
36 extended from Queen's Park to Uxbridge and from New Cross Gate to Orpington What do we actually get out of proposing unrealistic ideas which can't be justified? Although fun, this thread is a bit irrational. Presumably you would convert it back to MD operation!! Route 36 would then link the constituencies of brother MPs Boris and Jo Johnson! I'd rather bring back the AVs and NVs anyday
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 23, 2015 23:36:44 GMT
Route 23's frequency reduced from every 6-7 to every 7-8 on 14th November. Routes 11/23/133/N11/N133 rerouted from Liverpool Street Bus Station on the 21st November, due to Crossrail works. 11/23/N11 will be diverted via Princes Street and Moorgate to end at Finsbury Circus. And start at London Wall. 133/N133 will be diverted to set down and pick up on Wormwood Street. Avoid the 23 for a few years then! Not a good move at all.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 22, 2015 20:38:50 GMT
EH6 has a terribly loud grinding noise when pulling away, I got off and changed buses it was that bad.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 21, 2015 20:30:56 GMT
Breathe guys! At least Forestdale has a bus service. TFL could've easily neglected the area but they had the decency to extend the 353 there, regardless of whether it's the right decision or not. I personally prefer the 353 option, Forestdale isn't particularly busy as evident by lightly used T31s within the area, a bus service x7-8 mins is superfluous for Forestdale whereas x15 mins seems adequate. Also the double-run on the 433 would be lengthy and add unnecessary journey time to the route, so the 353 extension seems like the best option. The double run would add an extra 2 minutes at the very most (that's me being really fair lol) as there is no traffic around the Forestdale area but Forestdale doesn't require a high frequency as you quite rightly say. However, it doesn't require double deckers either. I understand your point about Forestdale not requiring DDs, however as the 353 has a lower frequency than the T31 perhaps it would be a similar scenario in terms of capacity? The T31 practically has double the frequency of the 353. Although the 353 will probably never be witnessed well loaded along Courtwood lane due to the quiet nature of the area, but still used nonetheless.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 21, 2015 16:24:56 GMT
Breathe guys! At least Forestdale has a bus service. TFL could've easily neglected the area but they had the decency to extend the 353 there, regardless of whether it's the right decision or not. I personally prefer the 353 option, Forestdale isn't particularly busy as evident by lightly used T31s within the area, a bus service x7-8 mins is superfluous for Forestdale whereas x15 mins seems adequate. Also the double-run on the 433 would be lengthy and add unnecessary journey time to the route, so the 353 extension seems like the best option.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 20, 2015 0:55:28 GMT
Interesting, hopefully both versions will be interworked between the 6 and 98. It's unlike AC to strictly allocate their routes with exclusive buses, even more so recently.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 19, 2015 22:49:56 GMT
There are a further 30 on order for AC to fully convert the 6 and 98.. Are the further 30 for AC of the original or facelift ones?
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 19, 2015 20:05:23 GMT
Dare I say it....I think the redesigned front looks more appealing than the original one! Starting to really like it now. Why oh why couldn't Metroline wait a little longer and order these for the 6/98 instead?! *hides face in sadness* Well only the occasional VWH from the recent batch appears on the 98; they're mostly on the 6 apart from a few on the 52, so unless there's another slew on order for the 98 you might get your wish (half). The VWHs are destined for the 98 too AFAIK but for some reason it's taking longer than expected, the 6 happens to be fully converted first. Actually you might be right. According to londonbusroutes the 6 was suppose to be partially allocated VWHs yet subsequently it was fully converted using the rest of the ones intended for the 98, therefore unless Metroline ordered more of the pre-facelift VWHs this might mean the 98 will be partially/fully converted with the facelift ones.
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 19, 2015 15:58:28 GMT
Dare I say it....I think the redesigned front looks more appealing than the original one! Starting to really like it now. Why oh why couldn't Metroline wait a little longer and order these for the 6/98 instead?! *hides face in sadness*
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Post by rmz19 on Oct 16, 2015 14:30:56 GMT
Aside from the rear, I really like the look of the electric BYD, just wish a diesel version was on trial though. Exactly my thoughts too, apart from the chopped off back I also really like it. Excited to see it on the road soon
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