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Post by Arriva Wakefield on May 4, 2012 6:46:49 GMT 1
I would have thought the Optare Excels would be next out but these have been overhauled so the next out will be the remaining V-HEC Optare Solos. sconehead85 I think that eradication of the Solos may very well be on the cards, especially after this years pay agreement, with all drivers now on one rate, rather than Tram / Mini / Big Bus rates, as there will now be no extra pay cost to running bigger buses. (The new rate is closer to the old Mini rate than the old Big Bus rate I'm led to believe)
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Post by lbaspotter on May 4, 2012 11:48:52 GMT 1
Will the handybus brand ever come back ?
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on May 4, 2012 12:51:42 GMT 1
Will the handybus brand ever come back ? I dont think it will, but then again who would have thought they would go back to Blackpool Transport rather than Metro Coastlines.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 4, 2012 14:51:42 GMT 1
Too many bus companies use the Metro name so it was a wise decision to go back to Blackpool Transport. There was a rash of buses being like bees buzzing (there were two Bee Line Buzz Co etc).
sconehead85
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on May 12, 2012 21:35:51 GMT 1
Some of these ex-IoM double-deckers really need to be re-regd with traditional British regs. Some buses like E17/18 BTS at first glance seem nearly 25 years old!
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 16, 2012 15:59:15 GMT 1
In response to Centrebus Elland,I gather that the pay agreement at Blackpool, is not one rate. There are 3 basic rates based on service, every driver had an increase and gets on the top rate after 5 years. The drivers now work off one big roster I believe, and so drivers who were traditionally big bus OPO drivers can be seen on traditionally mini bus services and vice versa. This has come from a senior union source, who was involved. As for the solo's, I remember when I was there, it was said that the first batch, 261 - 276, were not fully DDa compliant, and with their age, it was felt better to flog them and not incur the cost of making them fully compliant. Interestingly, if that was the case, then it would be interesting to find out what work Centrebus has done, or, more to the point, did it need to be done, to comply. All the Tridents from the IOM are now here, although I have yet to see 353, and it is reported that IOM Daf's 93,-97, are at Blackburn Bus and Coach World. As the IOM have just taken delivery of a large batch of Mercedes Citaro buses, the delivery of the rest of the batch 89 - 98 should be on the mainland soon.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on May 16, 2012 16:56:06 GMT 1
They are fully DDA compliant, they have a wheelchair space with backrest, bell and a ramp and unlike normal Solo's they have a extra wide entrance.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on May 16, 2012 17:04:55 GMT 1
They are fully DDA compliant, they have a wheelchair space with backrest, bell and a ramp and unlike normal Solo's they have a extra wide entrance. We were discussing DDA compliance as part of the CPC today, and a vehicle can fail to be compliant for something as simple as a gangway being 5mm too narrow - perhaps it is something like this with these early Solo's. I know South West Trains had to fight to allow dispensation from the regulations for the Class 458 units due to the in train displays using characters 1 or 2mm too shallow to meet regulations.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 17, 2012 22:14:10 GMT 1
I dont know if Ive suggested this before about artics but here goes.
The V-reg Solos 267-276 are a few years older than the rest so I suggest the following replacements.
Ten ex London "Boris" bendies for Line 1/tram replacement. The artics could be Volvo B7LAs which would be compatible with the 5xx series Volvo B7s.
I think the artics would complement the new trams very well, and Line 1 is a fairly straight route.
sconehead85
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 17, 2012 22:34:22 GMT 1
Unless Blackpool were getting the bendies for free, I can't see why in a million years they would want them.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 18, 2012 1:06:28 GMT 1
There are loads of them supposed to be parked in an airfield so they should be fairly cheap compared to new buses and would help to slightly modernise (they would be five years younger than the V reg Solos) and increase overall seating capacity in the fleet as a whole. ( BTW there would still be 42 Solos)
sconehead85
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Post by lbaspotter on May 18, 2012 9:12:46 GMT 1
London never had B7LA'S. Maybe First could sell on the FTR's to Blackpool ?
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Post by Jamie on May 18, 2012 14:57:52 GMT 1
London never had B7LA'S. Maybe First could sell on the FTR's to Blackpool ? First London did have B7LA's which were later transferred north to Aberdeen.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 18, 2012 15:20:43 GMT 1
London never had B7LA'S. Maybe First could sell on the FTR's to Blackpool ? If they are letting them go thats a good idea as they are fairly distinctive in appearance. Perhaps 11 Mercedes artics could be purchased with one for spares. BTW Im not suggesting all the Solos go -just 267-276. sconehead85
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 18, 2012 21:52:09 GMT 1
Why would Artics on the 1 replace Solos?
You seem to have no concept of why buses run different sizes of buses.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 19, 2012 17:34:30 GMT 1
I was of the opinion, probably shared by others, Blackpool needed some larger buses . Plus the fact the ten V-reg Solos are 13 years old, and that the similarly aged Excels have been refurbished. Larger buses could be displaced from Line 1 to other routes replacing the Solos.
sconehead85
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Post by Burnside on May 19, 2012 19:00:51 GMT 1
And if these routes were suitable/could sustain larger vehicles, wouldn't they be already?
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Post by sconehead85 on May 20, 2012 0:15:57 GMT 1
Theres nothing stopping the later Solos being replaced by small buses, but I thought the era of high frequency midibuses was over. I was simply of the impression that Solos were slightly out of favour in Blackpool, and that artics would complement the trams in Blackpool, providing another "novelty" form of transport.
267-276 are a bit long in the tooth for small buses, being 13 years old. Obviously Blackpool's priority is removing the Leyland Olympian fleet (ironic in an Olympic year!).
Its just an idea.
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 20, 2012 12:22:33 GMT 1
Don't forget many of the Olympians date from 1982-4, and are rapidly approaching 30 years. Indeed 365(UWW 5X), has crawled past that anniversary, and as far as is known still on schools. On the other bit,June 2nd mark the date, sconehead, re ''novelty''.
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 20, 2012 12:24:58 GMT 1
Theres nothing stopping the later Solos being replaced by small buses, but I thought the era of high frequency midibuses was over. I was simply of the impression that Solos were slightly out of favour in Blackpool, You're wrong then. The only reason why a few Solos have been released lately is because a few cuts round the edges have been made to services, reducing frequencies or triming back terminal points, meaning lower PVRs. Solos are still on the same services as they've always been.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 20, 2012 16:36:04 GMT 1
Plus lines 2, 2C, 17 and sometimes the 5 have big buses allocated to certain duties, mostly due to overcrowding at school times. Indeed, on line 2/2C there has been a big bus allocated to 2 duties virtually from the start of the operation of the 2C to Knott End. Westyorkshirebus is correct though, the mini buses have only been withdrawn due to cutting back and reduction of services. The comment I made in an earlier post was one that the MD came out with at a meeting about 2 years ago. The next news was that they were on e-bay (yes I kid you not).
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Post by sconehead85 on May 21, 2012 0:41:06 GMT 1
OK forget the artics. 267-276 will be next out as Excels 210-227 have been overhauled. Itll be interesting to see what replaces them, but these are 13 years old and midibuses tend to be short lived.
sconehead85
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Post by sconehead85 on May 25, 2012 4:41:30 GMT 1
Getting back to the ex IOM buses I cannot understand why they were not given age appropriate registrations MATCHING WITH THE NEW FLEET NUMBERS.
E11-21 BTS should be X343-353 BTS, and 354-363 should be Y354-363 BTS, or something similar.
Another wish is that Blackpool would , for the next open toppers if there be three LF deckers, use the vacant 320/321 along with 322.
BUT SCONEHEAD OLD CHUM THERES ALREADY A 322 I hear you all cry out. This 322 could become 300 is my reply. There is a precedent, Leyland Titan PD3 400 became 500 many years ago.
Nothing is ever logical in the bus universe.
ALSO-
Leyland Olympians are down to 368-373, 403/5/10/3/5/7 and o/t 818/57/73, these final three must be in their last season. Given that of the DAFs 354 is now ready. another nine are due, I wonder if three DAFs will be de-roofed? As 368-373 may last another year, the 400s and 800s remaining also total nine. Possible? The DAFs wont be needed until May 2013 if Blackpool FC succeed in returning to the Premiership! . sconehead85
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Post by lbaspotter on May 25, 2012 10:02:05 GMT 1
Here we go again,,,,,,,,,,,,, enough about the fleet numbering systems etc
The Olympians are decent buses, but maybe Blackpool should look at ex London Tridents as replacements.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on May 25, 2012 11:20:41 GMT 1
Getting back to the ex IOM buses I cannot understand why they were not given age appropriate registrations MATCHING WITH THE NEW FLEET NUMBERS. E11-21 BTS should be X343-353 BTS, and 354-363 should be Y354-363 BTS, or something similar. Maybe they weren't available for the right price?
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