Russ
Forum Member
Posts: 421
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Post by Russ on Nov 9, 2015 19:12:35 GMT 1
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Post by pub146g on Nov 9, 2015 19:20:15 GMT 1
It's real enough, it's been on loan for 2 or 3 weeks now. Further demonstrators are due after this one.
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hstjohnny
Forum Member
Still Awaiting anything other than a Wright Eclipse!
Posts: 240
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Post by hstjohnny on Nov 9, 2015 19:31:54 GMT 1
It was Real, Coastliner have had it for 3 weeks on trail as "Test Bus A", Its a Wright Streetdeck Demonstrator.
Test Bus B will be a Wright Gemini 3, due in the coming weeks to be trialed for a while. Both buses will be measured on fuel economy, reliability and feedback from Both Drivers and Passengers. The more successful vehicle will have a batch ordered for Coastliner in mid-2016!
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Post by gooderson1 on Nov 9, 2015 23:23:54 GMT 1
I saw test bus A heading west on the M62 on Friday 6th November near Oldham. Possibly off to operate somewhere else
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Post by Burnside on Nov 10, 2015 7:46:21 GMT 1
Interesting they aren't testing an Enviro400.
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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
Posts: 1,678
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Nov 10, 2015 18:00:37 GMT 1
If anything coastliner are going to need something that can A. Handle Hills, and B. Run at least 200 mile journey 5 out of 7 days.
Don't know if any of the new buses out there are as capable, as the ones they replaced. They may be good for city running, but country running is where they'll be tested head to toe on handling and reliability.
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A1YBG
Forum Member
METRO Here to get you there. Arriva Buses Here to get you there. Arriva need to get original slogans
Posts: 1,935
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Post by A1YBG on Nov 10, 2015 20:46:38 GMT 1
Has bus A left the fleet yet?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using proboards
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Post by 576 Gemini 2 on Nov 10, 2015 20:58:57 GMT 1
If anything coastliner are going to need something that can A. Handle Hills, and B. Run at least 200 mile journey 5 out of 7 days. Don't know if any of the new buses out there are as capable, as the ones they replaced. They may be good for city running, but country running is where they'll be tested head to toe on handling and reliability. The section of the 840 route between Pickering & Whitby that is a TEST for any vehicle |
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Post by driver6540 on Nov 10, 2015 22:24:57 GMT 1
This bus has previously seen service as a demo with Arriva NW (In Liverpool) and also with Blackpool Transport.
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Post by stevieinselby on Nov 10, 2015 23:44:04 GMT 1
This bus has previously seen service as a demo with Arriva NW (In Liverpool) and also with Blackpool Transport. Was it this same one that EYMS used on the X46 between York and Hull? Certainly looked the same... |
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Post by stevieinselby on Nov 10, 2015 23:46:26 GMT 1
If anything coastliner are going to need something that can A. Handle Hills, and B. Run at least 200 mile journey 5 out of 7 days. Don't know if any of the new buses out there are as capable, as the ones they replaced. They may be good for city running, but country running is where they'll be tested head to toe on handling and reliability. Quite. And with the new Volvo double deckers anly having a 5-litre engine, how well would they cope with this kind of service? |
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Nov 11, 2015 9:12:57 GMT 1
If anything coastliner are going to need something that can A. Handle Hills, and B. Run at least 200 mile journey 5 out of 7 days. Don't know if any of the new buses out there are as capable, as the ones they replaced. They may be good for city running, but country running is where they'll be tested head to toe on handling and reliability. Quite. And with the new Volvo double deckers anly having a 5-litre engine, how well would they cope with this kind of service? Which is why you would expect them to give the E400MMC a try as it has the biggest engine of the Euro 6 models currently available, the Streetdeck has a similar sized engine as the Volvo & the Metrodecker is using the same Merc engine as Wright. As operators start receiving these new types we are starting to get some indications of how these new vehicles are performing and the Streetdecks at Brighton are reportedly having a bit of an issue (i.e: a slower crawl than the previous Scanias rather than anything more serious) climbing the hills in the South Downs (there are some decent climbs there so a good comparison for Coastliner runs) though the initial reliability isn't looking too bad but as brand new vehicles you would hope so - it is how long they last on the punishing schedules that will be the telling bit. Volvo seem fairly confident that their 5-litre engine can match the previous 9-litre for performance, it was quicker round the Alpine Test route at the MIRA test area (though I'm not sure that quite has the true sustained steep climbing of somewhere like the North York Moors), so it will be interesting to see how the continuing development of getting more power from smaller engines goes. |
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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 Nov 11, 2015 12:09:49 GMT 1
Quite. And with the new Volvo double deckers anly having a 5-litre engine, how well would they cope with this kind of service? Which is why you would expect them to give the E400MMC a try as it has the biggest engine of the Euro 6 models currently available, the Streetdeck has a similar sized engine as the Volvo & the Metrodecker is using the same Merc engine as Wright. As operators start receiving these new types we are starting to get some indications of how these new vehicles are performing and the Streetdecks at Brighton are reportedly having a bit of an issue (i.e: a slower crawl than the previous Scanias rather than anything more serious) climbing the hills in the South Downs (there are some decent climbs there so a good comparison for Coastliner runs) though the initial reliability isn't looking too bad but as brand new vehicles you would hope so - it is how long they last on the punishing schedules that will be the telling bit. Volvo seem fairly confident that their 5-litre engine can match the previous 9-litre for performance, it was quicker round the Alpine Test route at the MIRA test area (though I'm not sure that quite has the true sustained steep climbing of somewhere like the North York Moors), so it will be interesting to see how the continuing development of getting more power from smaller engines goes. Unrelated have Scania come up with a euro 6 Chassis or decker. As well all other competition has reduced there engine size. |
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Post by driver6540 on Nov 12, 2015 0:11:25 GMT 1
From what i've seen and heard at Lothian Buses, there's no real issue's regarding the lower capacity engine of the B5TL in terms of ability to negotiate hills and inclines etc, compared to the B9TL, albeit done so a tad slower on initial acceleration. The real bonus is the fact that the smaller engine is more economical than, and offers similar levels of performance to the larger engine. As Coastliner have been prolific users of Volvo/Wright products for a while, i suppose the obvious choice to have use of a demo from a known, trusted and familiar supplier negates the need to try anything different such as the E400MMC, unless the trial of the B5TL throws up major problems.
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Post by SCH117X on Nov 12, 2015 11:52:03 GMT 1
As Coastliner have been prolific users of Volvo/Wright products for a while, i suppose the obvious choice to have use of a demo from a known, trusted and familiar supplier negates the need to try anything different such as the E400MMC, unless the trial of the B5TL throws up major problems. Agreed, and notice that they have gone to Wright for the new 36s albeit have indicated they had some useful discussions, wonder whether the some good points of the E400 are to be incorporated in what ever Wright come up with, would not the first time given the sensation caused by the 36 Geminis. NB Should this not be in the Transdev Harrogate, York & Coastliner section and is another example of the folly of splitting the forum into two geographical sections which do not reflect actual services or operators. |
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Post by jdodger08 on Nov 13, 2015 18:13:05 GMT 1
Why can't they go with Hybrids? As far as I'm aware electric motors can give better performance for climbing and the fuel economy would obviously be better...
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kendall17
Forum Member
Justice for the 96!
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Post by kendall17 on Nov 13, 2015 22:17:27 GMT 1
As far as I'm aware electric motors can give better performance for climbing Not on the 7 series the dont. Lethergic at best up Scott Hall road. |
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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
Posts: 1,678
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Nov 14, 2015 1:03:36 GMT 1
Why can't they go with Hybrids? As far as I'm aware electric motors can give better performance for climbing and the fuel economy would obviously be better... Hmm, I doubt the hybrids have the same potential. E.g. Sit on the 7/7A/7S up Scott Hall Road from Sheepscar, I admit they crawl up that hill. How they would cope with coastliners long distance running, diesels would perform better, higher speed running and every usage. Hybrids may seem innovative, but wouldn't they cost more to maintain in the long run. Hybrids are really the city running buses. |
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Post by Dom on Nov 14, 2015 2:43:46 GMT 1
As a wise ex once told me. 'It's not how big it is, it' s how you use it'.
Light weight body design, specific turbos on engines, less heavy stuff.
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Post by www.buseireann.ie on Nov 14, 2015 10:30:00 GMT 1
The thing is with the Hybrids on the 7 group is that they perform best on hills by having a good run up from a flat stretch, if a bus does not stop at the bottom of Scott Hall Road and it's first stop isn't until the hill flattens out then they can reach a good speed up the hill. Been lucky enough to come across a few journeys that haven't had any need to stop until the guideway from the Sheepscar interchange at North Street. One other thing I've noticed is that they perform really well in a high gear on flatter ground.
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Post by driver6540 on Nov 14, 2015 22:29:20 GMT 1
Given the fact that most hybrids are bought by companies subsidised with government grants, to encourage (allegedly) cleaner inner-city air etc, YC run mainly "between" and not exclusively "in" major conurbations, therefore highly unlikely they would qualify for this grant. Even if they were to bite the bullet and purchase hybrids at full cost and proclaim themselves as eco-warriors it would be pretty pointless really, on the scale of economies, as the B5TL euro6 engine is probably just as kind to the polar bears en-route and a lot cheaper than a hybrid too.
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Post by jdodger08 on Nov 14, 2015 22:38:07 GMT 1
Well Butt Hill in Kippax is Steep and the 163/6 Hybrids are are very capable of climbing up that hill, So from what I've seen they are quite capable...
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Nov 15, 2015 13:12:29 GMT 1
Given the fact that most hybrids are bought by companies subsidised with government grants, to encourage (allegedly) cleaner inner-city air etc, YC run mainly "between" and not exclusively "in" major conurbations, therefore highly unlikely they would qualify for this grant. Even if they were to bite the bullet and purchase hybrids at full cost and proclaim themselves as eco-warriors it would be pretty pointless really, on the scale of economies, as the B5TL euro6 engine is probably just as kind to the polar bears en-route and a lot cheaper than a hybrid too. The Green Bus Fund that funded the hybrids and similar vehicles was never bothered where the vehicles operated, it was designed to help fund the higher initial unit cost of a new technology in the hope that as large scale production phased in the individual cost of the vehicles would drop to the point where it became a commercial decision to buy them as the fuel cost savings paid for the extra cost in only a couple of years rather than the 7-10 years of the initial offers (unfortunately whilst prices for hybrids have dropped they haven't seen as big a drop as hoped particularly with the current uncertain economic outlook). Hybrids have been used in big cities, smaller towns and on interurban routes all with funding from the government. The big issue for a route like Coastliner is that hybrids work best where there is plenty of stop-start work where the electric drive can be used to save fuel along with regenerative breaking & engine stop/start none of which would be a feature of Coastliner. As you say with so much flat out running the new smaller engines in the Euro 6 model are likely to offer a saving close to that of a hybrid for less money, on Euro 5 with the larger 9-litre engine there would have been a marked saving even with little electric support. |
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Russ
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Post by Russ on Dec 21, 2015 19:13:25 GMT 1
Just seen on Facebook Coastliner have a white gemini 3 on test, any one have any allocations for this bus
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A1YBG
Forum Member
METRO Here to get you there. Arriva Buses Here to get you there. Arriva need to get original slogans
Posts: 1,935
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Post by A1YBG on Dec 21, 2015 19:35:21 GMT 1
Just seen on Facebook Coastliner have a white gemini 3 on test, any one have any allocations for this bus Your best bet is to ask on the morning and someone will know. I did that today and saw it at 11 in Leeds. If it's the transdev page u referring then I posted the pic of this demo bus today. Sent from my D6603 using proboards |
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