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Post by driver6540 on Sept 21, 2016 22:26:31 GMT 1
Further to the above post, The first new open toppers entered service the second week of september. These carry fleet no's 221-30 and are the red City-sightseeing examples. Their reg's start SL16 (not 66 plated). I believe there is some Edinburgh tour liveried (green/yellow) examples also now in service, but no details yet.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on Sept 22, 2016 10:37:38 GMT 1
Further to the above post, The first new open toppers entered service the second week of september. These carry fleet no's 221-30 and are the red City-sightseeing examples. Their reg's start SL16 (not 66 plated). I believe there is some Edinburgh tour liveried (green/yellow) examples also now in service, but no details yet. Edinburgh Tours examples start today I believe.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on Sept 22, 2016 10:39:58 GMT 1
Lothian are in the process of introducing 30 brand new open topper deckers for their tour operations. These are Volvo B5LH/Gemini 3's and are the first of their type to be manufactured by Wright's. They will be split in groups of 10 for the city-sightseeing tour, Edinburgh tour and Majestic tour, and will be liveried accordingly. The incumbent ALX400 and President open toppers will all be withdrawn when the new buses enter service. Rather surprisingly, for Lothian a decker shortage has led to the return to public service of preserved Leyland Olympian 322 (E322 MSG) and Royale 285 (P285 KSX), It's believed these will be pressed into duty on limited peak time services. I know it's been said that 285 & 322 are covering for a shortage of deckers (even more so since 658 combusted yesterday), but can't help wondering if it's more of an 'advertising' thing, as the heritage buses are running on 16s on Saturday as part of the 'Doors Open' day.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on Sept 22, 2016 13:59:09 GMT 1
Lothian are in the process of introducing 30 brand new open topper deckers for their tour operations. These are Volvo B5LH/Gemini 3's and are the first of their type to be manufactured by Wright's. They will be split in groups of 10 for the city-sightseeing tour, Edinburgh tour and Majestic tour, and will be liveried accordingly. The incumbent ALX400 and President open toppers will all be withdrawn when the new buses enter service. Rather surprisingly, for Lothian a decker shortage has led to the return to public service of preserved Leyland Olympian 322 (E322 MSG) and Royale 285 (P285 KSX), It's believed these will be pressed into duty on limited peak time services. I know it's been said that 285 & 322 are covering for a shortage of deckers (even more so since 658 combusted yesterday), but can't help wondering if it's more of an 'advertising' thing, as the heritage buses are running on 16s on Saturday as part of the 'Doors Open' day. Apparently they're being used for peak hour extra's to Herriott Watt University Campus at Riccarton. May finish tomorrow, or possibly extended to next Friday, but looking like that will be the last day if reports are correct.
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Post by driver6540 on Sept 23, 2016 18:08:04 GMT 1
I know it's been said that 285 & 322 are covering for a shortage of deckers (even more so since 658 combusted yesterday), but can't help wondering if it's more of an 'advertising' thing, as the heritage buses are running on 16s on Saturday as part of the 'Doors Open' day. Apparently they're being used for peak hour extra's to Herriott Watt University Campus at Riccarton. May finish tomorrow, or possibly extended to next Friday, but looking like that will be the last day if reports are correct. Thanks for your responses, I was unaware about 658, so that will be off the road for a while, maybe permanently depending on the damage. Lothian do have a history of taking their time to repair fire damage. The Scania integral decker which burnt in 2012 is just being prepared for a return to service now, some four years later. For those interested in Lothian Buses, I'd recommend Stuart Montgomery's excellent Flickr site as a great source of info. His site contains photos and descriptions of all Lothians current buses plus is updated monthly to include new entries to service and fleet movements/repaints etc.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Sept 24, 2016 18:35:23 GMT 1
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Post by gooderson1 on Sept 24, 2016 19:25:13 GMT 1
Never mind that fact that large areas of Eastern Scotland would have been left without a bus service if Lothian had no stepped in. It would appear that the Competition and Markets Authority by undertaking this revue are safeguarding their own jobs rather than letting folks have a bus service.
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Post by driver6540 on Sept 24, 2016 22:59:01 GMT 1
I don't think it's any big deal, the CMA investigation. It seems to be pretty standard practice following any takeover nowadays, especially when a company already operating in (or near) a "rival" companies operations steps in and takes over. Given the fact First chose to abandon the routes/depots and employees concerned, and TFE stepped in to safeguard these, I would hazard a guess the conclusion is a mere formality. Cannot disagree with your underlying comment though.
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Post by driver6540 on Sept 24, 2016 23:21:07 GMT 1
Lothian Buses service fleet has an average fleet age of 6.5 yrs, making them one of the youngest in the UK. However the heavily used Tour bus fleet consisted in the main of 14/15/16 yr old converted open top deckers which obviously don't have the "greenest" of emissions compared to Lothians normal service fleet. Hence the decision to order the new Volvo B5LH's as replacements, these being Wrights first ever Hybrid open toppers for the uk. Lothian Buses are making big of the fact they are trying to rid the city of it's bygone "auld reekie" stigma, that's why the bulk of new buses delivered in recent years have been hybrids.
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Post by timelesstable on Sept 25, 2016 9:09:30 GMT 1
Lothian Buses service fleet has an average fleet age of 6.5 yrs, Just slightly older than Arriva Yorkshires 6.2 yrs then
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Sept 25, 2016 9:20:20 GMT 1
Edinburgh is just like London, a heavily used sightseeing network which is why they get brand new purpose built buses.
Converting older buses like what happens elsewhere wouldn't cut it.
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Post by driver6540 on Oct 1, 2016 22:41:11 GMT 1
Lothian Buses service fleet has an average fleet age of 6.5 yrs, Just slightly older than Arriva Yorkshires 6.2 yrs then And there the similarity ends. Quality reliable, punctual and frequent services performed by (usually) immaculately turned out buses, offering exceptional value for money fares and a stunning livery to boot. As for Arriva Yorkshire???
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Post by ajw11239 on Oct 1, 2016 22:54:54 GMT 1
Just a note that the new Tour Buses are B5TLs, not B5LHs as mentioned somewhere above - they're not hybrids. On the topic of standard Lothian Services, Coach and Bus week reports that there are 25 new B5TL/Gemini 3s on order for delivery by the end of the year, with more due in 2017. It was also rumoured on another forum (not sure how true) that the older single deck buses for East Coast Buses will be replaced next year.
There has been a bit of a shortage recently - there have been some unusual allocations recently with the vintage buses for a start. Several days now there's been an AirLink B5 on the X44 in the evening which certainly turns heads!
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Aug 16, 2017 21:48:25 GMT 1
It looks to me that Lothian introducing these new Gemini 3 open tops did the entire bus industry a favour, as it meant a good supply of decent low floor open top buses on the market ready to replace step entrance examples just before the DDA deadline.
Shoreline Suncruisers didn't even have to repaint theirs.
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