'Little and Often' Sprinters to be replaced by Solos in June
http://www.route-one.net/articles/Operat...printers/c
The Sprinters are to be cascaded to other Stagecoach divisions for use on low-usage routes that are to be confirmed.
Notice mention of a 35% increase in usage since the Sprinters started - of the two original routes, the C will remain every 10 minutes while the B is reduced from every 10 to every 12 minutes. The E/G are merged into out-of-town services while the Dart-worked A also joins the brand using Solos.
 
Reading Buses have placed the first recorded order for the Optare Metrodecker. 5 have been ordered for Greenline 702, with service 703 using existing vehicles in the fleet.
 
There are Apps now for Brighton & Hove and the Oxford Bus Company which apart from having a different colour scheme look identical to the GNE App with regard their bus tracker maps. Like GNE the fleet number is shown.
 
Along with Go North East, Brighton and Hove Buses have also been successful in bidding for buses, they've won funding for 20 Hydrogen buses for the Metrobus operations, it look like they'll be put on the Brighton and Hove Buses said its 20 new single deckers would run on Metrobus Fastway routes 10 and 20, the 24-hour service with high frequency links between Gatwick Airport and Manor Royal Business District and Crawley town centre, Horley and residential suburbs.
https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.c...-1-8799206 

Just seen this on 'nobody likes a tory' fb page!
 
Reading Buses have announced the start of plans to rebrand the Courtney operation that they purchased earlier this year. It will be merged with the existing Thames Valley name - complete with a fresh new look with a grey base livery and coloured splashes which will change depending on area of operation, much like the existing Courtney Buses fleet. I personally really like it, though it is a shame that the Courtney name will disappear, it probably makes sense to rebrand it to better represent the wide area of operation.
Existing Thames Valley service 5 which was taken on commercially following withdrawal by First (after a short time as a council contract) will receive three new ADL E200s which are likely to be the first to wear the new livery.
Courtney services 2, 10/11 and 15 will be the first to receive the new brand, with improvements to timetables to better co-ordinate the whole network including service 10 running hourly all day between Heathrow & Dedworth via Slough & Windsor.
 
What are the new E400's replacing at Brighton and Hove buses?
Fleet numbers from the Brighton and Hove Buses official fleet news: 
NEW VEHICLES 2020	 	 	 	 	 							
 	Alexander Dennis Enviro 400ER H39/25D + 1 wheelchair Built 2020	 	 	 	 							
331	YX70 OJA	08/10/2020	 	B&H Above & Beyond	Courtney Brewer-Wren	 	SFD82BER5LGX21538	 							
332	YX70 OJB	15/10/2020	 	B&H Above & Beyond	Christopher Challis	 	SFD82BER5LGX21539	 							
333	YX70 OJC	15/10/2020	 	B&H Above & Beyond	Michael Childs	 	SFD82BER5LGX21545	 							
334	YX70 OJD	16/10/2020	 	B&H Above & Beyond	K S Duleepsinhji	 	SFD82BER5LGX21546	 							
335	YX70 OJE	29/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Cyril Dutton	 	SFD82BER5LGX21547	 							
336	YX70 OJF	 		B&H Above & Beyond	Ann Ewings	 	SFD82BER5LGX21556	 							
337	YX70 OJG	22/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Denis Foreman	 	SFD82BER5LGX21554	 							
338	YX70 OJH	15/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Tehmtan Framroze	 	SFD82BER5LGX21551	 							
339	YX70 OJJ	22/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Graham Greene	 	SFD82BER5LGX21552	 							
340	YX70 OJK	16/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Frank Hazell	 	SFD82BER5LGX21558	 							
341	YX70 OJL	23/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Ernest Henley	 	SFD82BER5LGX21560	 							
342	YX70 OJM	17/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Albert Huberman	 	SFD82BER5LGX21561	 							
343	YX70 OJN	29/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Eric Jupp	 	SFD82BER5LGX21565	 							
344	YX70 OJO	22/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	James Ledward	 	SFD82BER5LGX21562	 							
345	YX70 OJP	28/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Charlie Moore	 	SFD82BER5LGX21569	 							
346	YX70 OJR	17/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Fred Netley	 	SFD82BER5LGX21570	 							
347	YX70 OJS	28/10/2020		B&H Above & Beyond	Maurice Packham	 	SFD82BER5LGX21580	 							
348	YX70 OJT	 		B&H Above & Beyond	Jamie Watton	 	SFD82BER5LGX21579	 							
349	YX70 OJU	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21581	 							
350	YX70 OJV	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21591	 							
351	YX70 OJW	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21584	 							
352	YX70 OJY	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21585	 							
353	YX70 OJZ	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21592	 							
354	YX70 OKA	 		B&H Above & Beyond	TBC	 	SFD82BER5LGX21590
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:18 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]What are the new E400's replacing at Brighton and Hove buses?
It'll displace some of their StreetDecks (which have been de-branded) for use on other routes, serving as replacement buses for some of their oldest Scania OmniDekkas: 629 to 636, 642 to 649, 662, 665, 904 and 916.
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:24 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]It'll displace some of their StreetDecks (which have been de-branded) for use on other routes, serving as replacement buses for some of their oldest Scania OmniDekkas: 629 to 636, 642 to 649, 662, 665, 904 and 916.
Thanks for the information, quite a chuck of Omnidekka's going. 
Are they all going to be scrapped?
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:31 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Thanks for the information, quite a chuck of Omnidekka's going. 
Are they all going to be scrapped?
Be surprised to see them scrapped - they're a mixed batch of 54/55/56 plate.
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:31 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Thanks for the information, quite a chuck of Omnidekka's going. 
Are they all going to be scrapped?
Knowing our luck they'll be heading North
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:35 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Knowing our luck they'll be heading North
Might help with the extra capacity needed.
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:35 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Knowing our luck they'll be heading North
No plans for them to head north - all of the 54-plate Volvo B7s will be surplus to requirements once Go North East stops operating all of the additional scholars duplicates services they are operating currently, and there's little point in replacing an 03-plate OmniDekka with a 54-plate one. The two 56-plate long wheelbase examples would have been the only two of interest.
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:24 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]It'll displace some of their StreetDecks (which have been de-branded) for use on other routes, serving as replacement buses for some of their oldest Scania OmniDekkas: 629 to 636, 642 to 649, 662, 665, 904 and 916.
I thought that the Mercedes Bendies on the 25 were not suitable for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in Brighton City centre so would need replacing. So I would have expected the Streetdecks to move from the 1 & 1A onto the 25.
I maybe wrong though and someone has come up with a Euro 5 conversion for the Mercs so that they can still operate in the ULEZ?
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 8:38 pm)IRHardy wrote [ -> ]I thought that the Mercedes Bendies on the 25 were not suitable for the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in Brighton City centre so would need replacing. So I would have expected the Streetdecks to move from the 1 & 1A onto the 25.
I maybe wrong though and someone has come up with a Euro 5 conversion for the Mercs so that they can still operate in the ULEZ?
Definitely the OmniDekkas being withdrawn.
Not sure what the plans are for the 25 but double-decks would be unsuitable once we’re out of the current situation. It’d take passengers too long to climb the stairs.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
 (31 Oct 2020, 9:27 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Definitely the OmniDekkas being withdrawn.
Not sure what the plans are for the 25 but double-decks would be unsuitable once we’re out of the current situation. It’d take passengers too long to climb the stairs.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Many thanks, as OmniDekkas are old than the Merc artics it is probably correct that they should go first. 
B&H are also transferring 6 Volvo B9TLs (480-485) to Metrobus for the 420 Crawley - Sutton to replace the ex B&H Scanias as they don't comply with the London emission rules, 480 is now Metrobus 6901: 
http://history.buses.co.uk/history/fleet...ar6901.jpg 
 (31 Oct 2020, 6:40 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]No plans for them to head north - all of the 54-plate Volvo B7s will be surplus to requirements once Go North East stops operating all of the additional scholars duplicates services they are operating currently, and there's little point in replacing an 03-plate OmniDekka with a 54-plate one. The two 56-plate long wheelbase examples would have been the only two of interest.
Any idea when the dupe buses will actually end?
 
 (04 Nov 2021, 9:54 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]20 Single Deck Hydrogen Buses for Brighton & Hove/Metrobus to be supplied via Wrightbus
https://newsroom.go-ahead.com/news/go-ah...ogen-buses
Supply deal for liquid hydrogen to fuel these buses has now been agreed with Air Products: 
https://www.route-one.net/news/go-ahead-...pply-deal/
As this will be Go Ahead's first run in Hydrogen, hopefully it and the data is positive and opens up the doors to look at Hydrogen buses as a solution elsewhere in their UK operation.
Had to do a bit digging, as it's not on the latest press releases, but the hefty public funding towards this project is £4.36m from the UK Government's Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme and £2.9m from the European Union’s JIVE2 project, which is confirmed 
in this article.