London Citaros?

[sharksmith]

The following two posts have been added to one of the photo's in my First West Yorkshire group on Flickr.

'22 London Citaro bendybuses are due for route 1 in Leeds shortly.'

'Just to add to what I said above, the following B10LAs were essentially withdrawn on the 23rd Dec, 10018,10019 both of which had recently been repainted! plus 10025,10026 and one other, they are being sent to Bramley for storage and wont work in Leeds again.

The Citaro`s are due anytime, the last attempt at using bendies ended in disaster with the poor bus grounded at Boddington Hall. The Citaro with its shorter rear section may prove more successful in Leeds.'

I can't comment on the reliability of this original source but the details provided seem to be believable enough so we'll soon know. The other guy who has commented has posted all kinds of things which haven't come true so I would ignore those comments.

www.flickr.com/photos/42560378@N02/4168034099/

[kendall17]

Excellent. I was wondering when these would make an appearance with other networks within First as there are many that need to be displaced from London. More for York too perhaps? I will keep an eye out down HP but i did notice the bendys were all parked up away from their usual spots in HP (side of the road) and were all practically there apart from the odd 1 or 2. Will the B10LAs go for scrap or returned to the leaser?

[Matty]

Yes, the user "First Buses" on Flickr seems to think they know it all, it is two women.

[lct4me]

Well. if this is true it is good news. There have been too many two-axle rigid single deck buses on this service. The 1 has greatly suffered from this type of bus during Christmas/New Year on days when the frequency has been the inadequate 30 minutres. I would hope that they retain the 3 door configuration and hasten the end of the time wasting single door bus on busy urban services like we have in Leeds.

[DaveG]

Posted for a friend..

10021/24/25/27/30/38 all in service today so 10025 hasn't been withdrawn so maybe not true?

[Matty]

"They were essentially withdrawn" So that will mean if they are needed they will get them out.
Plus it's only been a couple of days so could be getting withdrawn when they actually arrive.

[westyorkshirebus]

As far as I am aware, none of First's bendi bus services in London have gone over to rigid buses yet, so this won't be happening, if at all, for a number of months.

[Steve Macz403]

With reports of the Citaros catching fire down in London, they'll be much welcomed up in Leeds. First bus should have a challenge, which one breaks down first Citaro or Fusion LOL

[MetrolineGA1511]

I doubt they will reach Leeds until November at the earliest when the tender for route 18 is due for renewal.

It is unlikely but possible that Citaro bendibuses previously with Selkent on route 453, Go-Ahead on routes 507/521 or Arriva on route 38 appear instead or in the interim.

[lct4me]

I asked a reliable friend within the London bus industry for his comments on this; his response was:
'I have not heard this before but their artics from route 207 finish on 10th April. There will be nearly 30 of them.'

207 runs Southall to White City.
Looks like it will be a waiting game.

[striderlad]

i heard they are getting ex 507 38 route ones but unsire as yes

[T101VWU]

I have been informed by a friend who works for firstbus last night that somebody who works for first leeds has said there hasnt been any information regarding Citaros coming to FWY so therefore might not be true. Got permission to use the following email from somebody who works at first & who knows about transfers.

"Hello All



I haven’t heard about any Artics coming to Leeds from London, however from today ten Artics at Hunslet Park are to be stood down, to enable essential work to be carried out, to iron out continued problems as such;



Vehicle’s loaned to HP to cover this work are :


*From Halifax= Volvo Olympians 30781-30785 (these may be sent to Cherry Row to release, Volvo Olympian’s to come to HP, but I would like them to stop at HP If I can)

Bramley Scania S/D 61051-61055/ 56 (before transfer to Halifax) & 60065

York Volvo B7 S/D 69279

& Bradford 2-3 Volvo Olympian’s

*but its now 69269 and 30755 not 30784 "

[Jack]

The only concrete plans of London Citaros entering service elsewhere yet is with Arriva North West who are taking 20 to be trialled in Liverpool on the Sheil Road Circulars 26/27. There's one that is going around testing various core routes around the city at the moment.

[kendall17]

Be tight for the Citaros on match days. Wont it?

[Burnside]

Anything come of that trial on the Isle Of Man?

[timelesstable]

Anyone else heard the rumour that spare Artics of any type will be mothballed for a couple of years before they all converge on a certain part of London to assist in the mass transportation of competitors and spectators!!.

Second option is that the mothballed ones are put back into service while new/better/more reliable ones are used on the Olympics mass transportation!!!

[westyorkshirebus]

There is no way that the Olympics will have anything to do with old buses. I would be very surprised if the shuttles were not operated by the newest most modern vehicles that are available at that time

[timelesstable]

Mar 17, 2010 18:39:31 GMT 1 westyorkshirebus said:

There is no way that the Olympics will have anything to do with old buses. I would be very surprised if the shuttles were not operated by the newest most modern vehicles that are available at that time

My second option then......

Equally who would want to commit to providing a fleet of brand new vehicles for a one month contract without having a fall-back position of where to use them later in service.

[westyorkshirebus]

It'll be like the Manchester Commonwealth Games, one of the big groups will win the contract, buy lots of new vehicles, have their brand on show and all the positive PR that comes of it, and then cascade them to normal work afterwards.

I doubt they will use bendis, they will probably use double deckers as part of the stereotypical 'British double decker bus' image that foreign tourists would expect.

[timelesstable]

Mar 17, 2010 21:23:19 GMT 1 westyorkshirebus said:

It'll be like the Manchester Commonwealth Games, one of the big groups will win the contract, buy lots of new vehicles, have their brand on show and all the positive PR that comes of it, and then cascade them to normal work afterwards.

I doubt they will use bendis, they will probably use double deckers as part of the stereotypical 'British double decker bus' image that foreign tourists would expect.

Some refurbished First ALX400's or a Transdev President or two, anyone would remember their visit if they were lucky enough to get on one of those.

[danielnew]

Citaros would be the best idea for the olympics mass volumes of free/pre-pay users with 3 doors and low floor access for the highest proportion of floor space and they will stand out easily from other london buses, easily identifiable and perfect for a dedicated route and there is still life left in them yet! Some have been stored for this purpose painted in white I believe being leased by Hackney Community Transport

[westyorkshirebus]

Also factor in that Boris dislikes articulated buses on a personal level, so I doubt they will appear anywhere that is public facing. Internal staff shuttles that the press doesn't see, possibly.

[Burnside]

Boris won't use new modern buses, he'll have the shuttles run using Routemasters.