77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on May 30, 2012 9:25:47 GMT 1
I notice in the latest 'Buses' magazine that the ftrs will be transferred from the 4 to the 72 Leeds - Bradford route in September.
I am not at all sure this is a positive step, as I can a slow line of traffic both ways passing through Stanningley Bottom, Leeds Rd & Armley.
Surely this is a route which needs new hybrid double deckers?
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Post by djfrankieb on May 30, 2012 9:34:02 GMT 1
i was chatting to one of the conductors a couple of weeks ago and said that most of the exYork FTRS were stood in a field in Wigan and he said he couldnt see the FTRs being strong enough for the 72 as there engines are under powered and the only way is that they did it as an X72
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on May 30, 2012 11:41:59 GMT 1
Yes, I agree - they are noisy and under-powered - I think First should think again on this plan. I am also told from a reliable source that the frequency is to be improved when the ftrs take over in September
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Post by deerfold on May 30, 2012 17:01:27 GMT 1
Yes, I agree - they are noisy and under-powered - I think First should think again on this plan. I am also told from a reliable source that the frequency is to be improved when the ftrs take over in September Even more frequent than the current every 7/8 minutes? Or is the improvement to be on early/late services? |
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Post by Father Dougal McGuire on May 30, 2012 17:13:08 GMT 1
I wonder if the drivers would prefer being the driver of a B9TL Gemini or the Pilot of a FTR lol.
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Post by jabbott1987 on May 30, 2012 17:34:09 GMT 1
Are Streetcars actually allowed in Leeds Bus Station has I thought all dual door buses were banned from Leeds Bus Station since the incident a few years back.
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Post by lbaspotter on May 30, 2012 17:43:01 GMT 1
Some FTR's are still at James St in York.
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Post by 576 Gemini 2 on May 30, 2012 18:01:46 GMT 1
The FTRs are older than the geminis that currently work the route, to me to replace double deckers with tramlookalikes is a backward step not an improvement
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 30, 2012 18:31:50 GMT 1
I'm still not convinced about this. Note that it appeared in the Fleet News section of Buses magazine rather than the actual magazine, anyone can send something in to be published in fleet news.
There are more questions than answers
- Capacity
- Not being able to use Leeds CBS
- Where will they layover in Leeds
- Where will they layover in Bradford without causing disruption in the Interchange
etc etc
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Post by jake31804 on Jun 6, 2012 23:24:18 GMT 1
The 72 was originally meant to receive hybrids when Leeds got their's & the route to move to Bramley. That didn't happen, but they are keeping hybrids in mind for the 72s. Clearly some bright spark at First thought the ftrs would be better. Let's face it, First aren't exactly the best for good ideas. So, when they do go on "refurbished" (but probably not noticable), let them fail up the hills of Bradford & cause chaos everywhere due to their length, blocking up roads etc. After all, ftr does stand for Failed To Run ;-D
Oh, and it's said that the 72 will terminate at Eastgate Roundabout like the X11/X14 & start at the bus stop there. As for the layovers, well, clog up Eastgate or use the bus station layby & park parralell to Duke Street. As for te interchange, artics were used there before, I'm sure the same will happen again.
If you ask me, they should be repainted to another colour in the ftr livery like two-tone blue or red & used on the 95s/1s. Shorter routes & not so bad with hills (excluding Beeston Hill)
Maybe as part of the refurbishment though, these Streetcars might be upgraded to B10LA or something like that. Either way, they're parked in York still (and looking untouched) & when they go in service, they will no doubt fail at some point or other
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T101VWU
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RIP B10LA's. Never be the same again.
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Post by T101VWU on Jun 7, 2012 0:11:25 GMT 1
Maybe as part of the refurbishment though, these Streetcars might be upgraded to B10LA or something like that. Either way, they're parked in York still (and looking untouched) & when they go in service, they will no doubt fail at some point or other i would seriously love to know how "Upgrade" to B10LA when it is a totally seperate bus chassis & a whole different type of bus that is 8 years older than a B7LA! What precisely is new about that? |
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Post by www.buseireann.ie on Jun 7, 2012 16:04:29 GMT 1
To be a bit fair to lbaspotter, last week one of the 04 reg B7s were seen and heard fully by myself with a knackered exhaust for at least 2 days on Thursday and Friday. Personally if I were the boss I'd feel embarrassed to have a vehicle with a defect out for so long (even though it's not a dangerous one). We've all seen for ourselves how the likes of both First and Arriva allow vehicles out what emmitt dense black smoke from the exhaust (i.e the spectras), dense enough to have people writing to newspapers about how poloutant buses are, major bus companies have access to endless resources, it dosen't take long to fix small problems, so why are they allowing minor problems to go unfixed for longer than a day?
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Post by Craig on Jun 11, 2012 19:23:25 GMT 1
As per documents up on WYITA the Streetcars will definitely be running the 72, from October. The ftrs will be refurbed including a new livery. Buses will terminate at Eastgate in Leeds, no mention of a terminus change at Bradford. Service frequency increases again to every 7 mins and eventually it looks like it will be every 6 mins.
Meanwhile the 4 will fully convert to standard DD operation and will provide new links in Pudsey to Thornbury Barracks and Highfield Green (no indication of what route will be taken or if the 4/16 might revert to their original routes in east Leeds?)
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jun 11, 2012 19:35:02 GMT 1
Complete madness, can you imagine the congestion using articulated vehicles every 6 minutes will cause, from layovers on Eastgate and in the Interchange to adding to the congestion already seen on The Headrow with buses being unable to overtake due to the central reservation.
Not to mention the idea of having to tell people in Leeds who want to go to Bradford to leave the Bus Station and hike half way up Eastgate.
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Post by Burnside on Jun 11, 2012 20:13:37 GMT 1
Or get the 670/671/X6?
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Post by fwybuses on Jun 11, 2012 20:20:34 GMT 1
Knowing first, they'll decrease the X6 service. |
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Post by clifton on Jun 11, 2012 22:03:00 GMT 1
I like how the WYITA document makes it sound a positive thing the the streetcars were withdrawn from York & First will agree to keep them on the Leeds - Bradford corridor ;D & that it will cost £74,000 in bus stop improvements along the route to accomodate them  They could have put the £74,000 towards the Leeds super tram instead  |
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jun 11, 2012 22:17:49 GMT 1
Well obviously not the 670 but I doubt it will help increase patronage if everyone is diverted to the X6! You only need a bit of traffic and some bunching and then 3 ftr's arrive on Eastgate in one go. Their departure stand in Bradford Interchange is ok but I'm wondering where they will alight. |
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Post by fwybuses on Jun 12, 2012 18:13:10 GMT 1
I like how the WYITA document makes it sound a positive thing the the streetcars were withdrawn from York & First will agree to keep them on the Leeds - Bradford corridor ;D & that it will cost £74,000 in bus stop improvements along the route to accomodate them They could have put the £74,000 towards the Leeds super tram instead Or to those cuts that they are making? It is just pure madness that this PTE support such a stupid move by a company that was supposed to be turning its PR image around wasn't it? 2012 the year? Hahaha. |
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Post by 576 Gemini 2 on Jun 12, 2012 18:19:23 GMT 1
Or even better take the train |
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Post by jack97 on Jun 14, 2012 0:26:04 GMT 1
what is with the 671 route i saw the other day?
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Steve Macz403
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Waits at the bus stop for his bus, 2 days later bus turns up :D
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Jun 14, 2012 2:45:24 GMT 1
what is with the 671 route i saw the other day? . it was part of Bradford Network Change to reduce some journeys on the 670 originally. It runs Same route as the 670 To Greengates, then Direct via Harrogate Road A658 into Bradford. it does however serve the Part of Harrogate road missed out by 645 now running both directions in Ravenscliffe/Redcar Road. |
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on Jun 14, 2012 19:53:24 GMT 1
Please refer to the Yorkshire Evening Post for further details on the plans for the 72 in October as hinted at earlier. I am very unsure about this initiative as indicated with the above comments from other members.
Frequency is stated as going up to every 6mins - so it looks as though we have a PVR of 20.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 21:47:41 GMT 1
If you want artics on route 72, I would rather get a few door forward examples in with quite a few more seats than the FTR has but if you want to keep the FTRs, wouldn't they be better off on route 1 which has had artics for about 10 years and the route still has the odd 95 branded Eclipse Fusion?
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SF07
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Post by SF07 on Jun 15, 2012 16:10:36 GMT 1
Metro website reporting on the story. Service increases to every 7 mins in October with the 'Streetcar' buses (ftrs) being used. Decision approved by WYITA. The ftrs from both 4 routes in Leeds and York will be used once refurbished with wi-fi possibly available and stops upgraded, while Leeds's 4 will use standard buses and will be extended to Thornbury Barracks. 72 will terminate at Eastgate at 'superstop' similar to Boar Lane. www.wymetro.com/news/releases/12-06-15-72 |
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