GNE Fleet Procurement
GNE Fleet Procurement
Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).I think MG preferred ADL to Wrightbus. The 3 E400s were a shift to more ADL products and similarly E200s were ordered to get away from rattly streetlites. All of these were announced before Wright entered administration in September, but the 15 new E400s were ordered after administration, most likely because they wanted to get the new buses quicker and because of the uncertainty of the future of Wrightbus at the time.
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).I think MG preferred ADL to Wrightbus. The 3 E400s were a shift to more ADL products and similarly E200s were ordered to get away from rattly streetlites. All of these were announced before Wright entered administration in September, but the 15 new E400s were ordered after administration, most likely because they wanted to get the new buses quicker and because of the uncertainty of the future of Wrightbus at the time.
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 10:10 pm)Adtrainsam I think MG preferred ADL to Wrightbus. The 3 E400s were a shift to more ADL products and similarly E200s were ordered to get away from rattly streetlites. All of these were announced before Wright entered administration in September, but the 15 new E400s were ordered after administration, most likely because they wanted to get the new buses quicker and because of the uncertainty of the future of Wrightbus at the time.
(02 Aug 2020, 10:10 pm)Adtrainsam I think MG preferred ADL to Wrightbus. The 3 E400s were a shift to more ADL products and similarly E200s were ordered to get away from rattly streetlites. All of these were announced before Wright entered administration in September, but the 15 new E400s were ordered after administration, most likely because they wanted to get the new buses quicker and because of the uncertainty of the future of Wrightbus at the time.
(02 Aug 2020, 10:19 pm)streetdeckfan Yeah, now that Wrightbus are back up and running, I can see them going back to them for the next batch of double deckers, but sticking with ADL for the single deckers. While I obviously haven't been on the new StreetDecks so can't say what the quality is like, I still think the 67 plate StreetDecks feel nicer better than the E400s on the X30.Bodywork wise, WrightBus are streets ahead. But mechanically, ADL have got the E400 pretty spot on. Only bad E400 examples (both classic & MMC) I've seen are Arriva's 57 reg examples that Blyth & Redcar got their hands on.
To me, ADL vehicles always have a cheap plastic feel about them, which isn't helped by the use of glossy plastic everywhere!
(02 Aug 2020, 10:19 pm)streetdeckfan Yeah, now that Wrightbus are back up and running, I can see them going back to them for the next batch of double deckers, but sticking with ADL for the single deckers. While I obviously haven't been on the new StreetDecks so can't say what the quality is like, I still think the 67 plate StreetDecks feel nicer better than the E400s on the X30.Bodywork wise, WrightBus are streets ahead. But mechanically, ADL have got the E400 pretty spot on. Only bad E400 examples (both classic & MMC) I've seen are Arriva's 57 reg examples that Blyth & Redcar got their hands on.
To me, ADL vehicles always have a cheap plastic feel about them, which isn't helped by the use of glossy plastic everywhere!
(02 Aug 2020, 10:44 pm)L469 YVK Bodywork wise, WrightBus are streets ahead. But mechanically, ADL have got the E400 pretty spot on. Only bad E400 examples (both classic & MMC) I've seen are Arriva's 57 reg examples that Blyth & Redcar got their hands on.
I think the StreetDeck has come on quality wise and WrightBus are listening by producing a 6 cylinder example for more heavy duty type work.
Will GNE's OM936 example come with a Voith or ZF gearbox? Also, will it come with stop-start?
(02 Aug 2020, 10:44 pm)L469 YVK Bodywork wise, WrightBus are streets ahead. But mechanically, ADL have got the E400 pretty spot on. Only bad E400 examples (both classic & MMC) I've seen are Arriva's 57 reg examples that Blyth & Redcar got their hands on.
I think the StreetDeck has come on quality wise and WrightBus are listening by producing a 6 cylinder example for more heavy duty type work.
Will GNE's OM936 example come with a Voith or ZF gearbox? Also, will it come with stop-start?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK Before 2019, GNE predominantly purchased WrightBus bodied vehicles as well as a few Optares. But recent single & double decker orders have shifted towards ADL (97, X30, originally 'intended' X1 order but now Derwentside & Hexham).
Were the new batch of StreetDecks in the pipeline before MG arrived or after? Also, what was the reasoning behind ordering 3x E400MMCs initially for the X30 rather than low height StreetDecks across the board?
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.Funnily enough, Arriva ordered StreetDecks for the 110 in Yorkshire. Wouldn't surprise me in the future IF they order that the Blyth routes would get these but perhaps not.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.Funnily enough, Arriva ordered StreetDecks for the 110 in Yorkshire. Wouldn't surprise me in the future IF they order that the Blyth routes would get these but perhaps not.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.
Then if you begin to look into the products - single deck you have an E200 with superior build quality compared to a Streetlite which *still* has build quality issues nearly a decade in. Then the E400 has that 6.7L Cummins engine which has proven itself over and over as a very reliable unit, in comparison to a smaller and less proven Daimler unit in the Streetdeck.
Bamford Bus is also still a relatively unknown quantity - if a company is spending millions on a batch of buses do they want build quality they can trust with ADL, or not really know what's going to turn up (if it turns up!) with Wright?
I think it says it all really when you've got Transdev Blazefield going for E400s as their next double deck order over the Wright product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.
Then if you begin to look into the products - single deck you have an E200 with superior build quality compared to a Streetlite which *still* has build quality issues nearly a decade in. Then the E400 has that 6.7L Cummins engine which has proven itself over and over as a very reliable unit, in comparison to a smaller and less proven Daimler unit in the Streetdeck.
Bamford Bus is also still a relatively unknown quantity - if a company is spending millions on a batch of buses do they want build quality they can trust with ADL, or not really know what's going to turn up (if it turns up!) with Wright?
I think it says it all really when you've got Transdev Blazefield going for E400s as their next double deck order over the Wright product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.
Then if you begin to look into the products - single deck you have an E200 with superior build quality compared to a Streetlite which *still* has build quality issues nearly a decade in. Then the E400 has that 6.7L Cummins engine which has proven itself over and over as a very reliable unit, in comparison to a smaller and less proven Daimler unit in the Streetdeck.
Bamford Bus is also still a relatively unknown quantity - if a company is spending millions on a batch of buses do they want build quality they can trust with ADL, or not really know what's going to turn up (if it turns up!) with Wright?
I think it says it all really when you've got Transdev Blazefield going for E400s as their next double deck order over the Wright product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:02 pm)mb134 To be honest there's been a general trend of the industry moving away from Wright. Build quality went to pot a number of years ago now, and you quickly saw First and Arriva move away, followed by the likes of Go Ahead, and now even Transdev and Lothian.
Then if you begin to look into the products - single deck you have an E200 with superior build quality compared to a Streetlite which *still* has build quality issues nearly a decade in. Then the E400 has that 6.7L Cummins engine which has proven itself over and over as a very reliable unit, in comparison to a smaller and less proven Daimler unit in the Streetdeck.
Bamford Bus is also still a relatively unknown quantity - if a company is spending millions on a batch of buses do they want build quality they can trust with ADL, or not really know what's going to turn up (if it turns up!) with Wright?
I think it says it all really when you've got Transdev Blazefield going for E400s as their next double deck order over the Wright product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:12 pm)L469 YVK Funnily enough, Arriva ordered StreetDecks for the 110 in Yorkshire. Wouldn't surprise me in the future IF they order that the Blyth routes would get these but perhaps not.
Will be interesting to see of Arriva will go back to ZF gearboxes if they order new E400MMCs with stop-start now available for ZF.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:12 pm)L469 YVK Funnily enough, Arriva ordered StreetDecks for the 110 in Yorkshire. Wouldn't surprise me in the future IF they order that the Blyth routes would get these but perhaps not.
Will be interesting to see of Arriva will go back to ZF gearboxes if they order new E400MMCs with stop-start now available for ZF.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:17 pm)Storx Hasn't Volvo now stopped supplying Wright for any new vehicles so the B5TL is no longer available with them so they had to change vehicles anyway. I could be wrong but this could be the main reason they've pulled away in a similar sense that Arriva may have moved since there's no longer a DAF/VDL combo available. Sure I read that somewhere, apoligies if not true.
If it's true about Volvo be interesting to see what Lothian purchase as their whole fleet is Volvo.
It's a shame that Scania pulled out the UK with the Omnicity (Citywide) they were ideal for longer routes instead of Streetlites where a DD wasn't needed.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:17 pm)Storx Hasn't Volvo now stopped supplying Wright for any new vehicles so the B5TL is no longer available with them so they had to change vehicles anyway. I could be wrong but this could be the main reason they've pulled away in a similar sense that Arriva may have moved since there's no longer a DAF/VDL combo available. Sure I read that somewhere, apoligies if not true.
If it's true about Volvo be interesting to see what Lothian purchase as their whole fleet is Volvo.
It's a shame that Scania pulled out the UK with the Omnicity (Citywide) they were ideal for longer routes instead of Streetlites where a DD wasn't needed.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:20 pm)streetdeckfan I disagree that the E200 has 'superior build quality' compared to the Streetlite, sure, the Streetlite has a rattly door, but the E200 feels like it's make from the thinnest, cheapest plastic they could find, with just about every panel creaking, and don't even get me started on the windows.
The Streetlite feels like it's been well screwed together with the exception of the emergency door, and even still on Arriva's examples that isn't even an issue.
I would also disagree with your implication the StreetDecks are unreliable. They're not. They're some of the most reliable vehicles in GNE's fleet.
Did Transdev go with E400s because they wanted to, or because they had no choice? There's a big difference
(02 Aug 2020, 11:20 pm)streetdeckfan I disagree that the E200 has 'superior build quality' compared to the Streetlite, sure, the Streetlite has a rattly door, but the E200 feels like it's make from the thinnest, cheapest plastic they could find, with just about every panel creaking, and don't even get me started on the windows.
The Streetlite feels like it's been well screwed together with the exception of the emergency door, and even still on Arriva's examples that isn't even an issue.
I would also disagree with your implication the StreetDecks are unreliable. They're not. They're some of the most reliable vehicles in GNE's fleet.
Did Transdev go with E400s because they wanted to, or because they had no choice? There's a big difference
(02 Aug 2020, 11:30 pm)mb134 I've always found the E200 MMC a far better vehicle in general than the Streetlite. For GNE, their E200s are light-years ahead of their Streetlites in terms of atmosphere, comfort and build quality. Likewise with First, their Streetlites feel like they're about to fall apart any moment whereas their E200s I've been on have been very solid and much more pleasant places to be.
I didn't say the Streetdeck was unreliable, I simply stated that the Cummins engine in the E400 has proven itself constantly across all sorts of routes for any number of companies. Compare that to how many Damiler powered Streetdecks are running around, then tell me that you can say the Streetdeck is as proven as the E400 (especially considering the earlier GNE examples).
Don't see why they wouldn't have the choice of Wright, they must have be desperate to get any order they could - I'd say it's likely Hornby acknowledging that the E400 is a bloody good product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:30 pm)mb134 I've always found the E200 MMC a far better vehicle in general than the Streetlite. For GNE, their E200s are light-years ahead of their Streetlites in terms of atmosphere, comfort and build quality. Likewise with First, their Streetlites feel like they're about to fall apart any moment whereas their E200s I've been on have been very solid and much more pleasant places to be.
I didn't say the Streetdeck was unreliable, I simply stated that the Cummins engine in the E400 has proven itself constantly across all sorts of routes for any number of companies. Compare that to how many Damiler powered Streetdecks are running around, then tell me that you can say the Streetdeck is as proven as the E400 (especially considering the earlier GNE examples).
Don't see why they wouldn't have the choice of Wright, they must have be desperate to get any order they could - I'd say it's likely Hornby acknowledging that the E400 is a bloody good product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:20 pm)mb134 Aye that was a surprising one - I can't quite remember but was that one of the routes they trialled the demo on? Mind it wouldn't shock me if they only got them because they got a reasonably good deal from Wright's at the time when they were desperate for cash.
To be honest I've never minded Alexander bodied stuff, and while I preferred the Gemini 1/2 to the ALX400 (though not by much), I find the original E400 about on par to the Gem 2 and both the E400 classic and MMC streets ahead of the Gem3/Streetdeck. The Eclipse Pulsar/Solar/Urban line of single deck bodies surpassed any single deck Alexander body for me though.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:30 pm)mb134 I've always found the E200 MMC a far better vehicle in general than the Streetlite. For GNE, their E200s are light-years ahead of their Streetlites in terms of atmosphere, comfort and build quality. Likewise with First, their Streetlites feel like they're about to fall apart any moment whereas their E200s I've been on have been very solid and much more pleasant places to be.
I didn't say the Streetdeck was unreliable, I simply stated that the Cummins engine in the E400 has proven itself constantly across all sorts of routes for any number of companies. Compare that to how many Damiler powered Streetdecks are running around, then tell me that you can say the Streetdeck is as proven as the E400 (especially considering the earlier GNE examples).
Don't see why they wouldn't have the choice of Wright, they must have be desperate to get any order they could - I'd say it's likely Hornby acknowledging that the E400 is a bloody good product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:20 pm)mb134 Aye that was a surprising one - I can't quite remember but was that one of the routes they trialled the demo on? Mind it wouldn't shock me if they only got them because they got a reasonably good deal from Wright's at the time when they were desperate for cash.
To be honest I've never minded Alexander bodied stuff, and while I preferred the Gemini 1/2 to the ALX400 (though not by much), I find the original E400 about on par to the Gem 2 and both the E400 classic and MMC streets ahead of the Gem3/Streetdeck. The Eclipse Pulsar/Solar/Urban line of single deck bodies surpassed any single deck Alexander body for me though.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:30 pm)mb134 I've always found the E200 MMC a far better vehicle in general than the Streetlite. For GNE, their E200s are light-years ahead of their Streetlites in terms of atmosphere, comfort and build quality. Likewise with First, their Streetlites feel like they're about to fall apart any moment whereas their E200s I've been on have been very solid and much more pleasant places to be.
I didn't say the Streetdeck was unreliable, I simply stated that the Cummins engine in the E400 has proven itself constantly across all sorts of routes for any number of companies. Compare that to how many Damiler powered Streetdecks are running around, then tell me that you can say the Streetdeck is as proven as the E400 (especially considering the earlier GNE examples).
Don't see why they wouldn't have the choice of Wright, they must have be desperate to get any order they could - I'd say it's likely Hornby acknowledging that the E400 is a bloody good product.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:17 pm)Storx Hasn't Volvo now stopped supplying Wright for any new vehicles so the B5TL is no longer available with them so they had to change vehicles anyway. I could be wrong but this could be the main reason they've pulled away in a similar sense that Arriva may have moved since there's no longer a DAF/VDL combo available. Sure I read that somewhere, apoligies if not true.
If it's true about Volvo be interesting to see what Lothian purchase as their whole fleet is Volvo.
It's a shame that Scania pulled out the UK with the Omnicity (Citywide) they were ideal for longer routes instead of Streetlites where a DD wasn't needed.
(02 Aug 2020, 11:17 pm)Storx Hasn't Volvo now stopped supplying Wright for any new vehicles so the B5TL is no longer available with them so they had to change vehicles anyway. I could be wrong but this could be the main reason they've pulled away in a similar sense that Arriva may have moved since there's no longer a DAF/VDL combo available. Sure I read that somewhere, apoligies if not true.
If it's true about Volvo be interesting to see what Lothian purchase as their whole fleet is Volvo.
It's a shame that Scania pulled out the UK with the Omnicity (Citywide) they were ideal for longer routes instead of Streetlites where a DD wasn't needed.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:44 am)Big O Volvo and Wright are still working together, its the ADL E400 B5TL That has been dropped for whatever reason.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:44 am)Big O Volvo and Wright are still working together, its the ADL E400 B5TL That has been dropped for whatever reason.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:33 am)Big O The E400 isn't on par with the Gemini 2. That's ridiculous, I remember when I used to overlook PDIs on new E400s coming to a London company and the number of faults there were was just ridiculous, such as window seals loose, misaligned body panels etc. The company switched to Gemini 2s which is a far better product, there is literally no comparison.To be honest I've been on Gemini 2s with faults of a similar standard to those you report on the original E400 - possibly due to the company, but there are a number of Gemini 2s that I've been on that have been a worse experience than an E400. A faultless Gemini 2 (take pretty much any GNE example), is better than an average E400 though for sure.
Also, GNE isn't going to order 40 plus £200,000 vehicles only because they got a good deal notwithstanding the quality of the product they are purchasing. No company does that, its just not good business. The MMC isn't that great that's the thing, its just the quality of the earlier Gemini 3 models has been highlighted, but at the time when quality was being highlighted they were still getting orders all across the country.
Transdev cancelled their order for Streetdecks for the same reason a number of companies did which was the uncertainty at Wright, but with them back up and running again, their order book is nearly full. Diamond has taken on the first of 128 Streetdecks and 35 Streetlites.
The E200 isn't much better than the Streetlite however, they're both pretty rubbish buses if you ask me. The build quality on E200s is just about the same as on the Streetlites.
Of course, the E400 is going to be more proven as you put it, the Cummins engine has been used for over 20 years compared to 6 on the Streetdeck, those stats are nothing to go by. If the E400 was so full proof and the Streetdeck not as good, then it simply wouldn't get as many orders as it does. Look at the Metrodecker Diesel model. Less than 10 in its 6-year production.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:33 am)Big O The E400 isn't on par with the Gemini 2. That's ridiculous, I remember when I used to overlook PDIs on new E400s coming to a London company and the number of faults there were was just ridiculous, such as window seals loose, misaligned body panels etc. The company switched to Gemini 2s which is a far better product, there is literally no comparison.To be honest I've been on Gemini 2s with faults of a similar standard to those you report on the original E400 - possibly due to the company, but there are a number of Gemini 2s that I've been on that have been a worse experience than an E400. A faultless Gemini 2 (take pretty much any GNE example), is better than an average E400 though for sure.
Also, GNE isn't going to order 40 plus £200,000 vehicles only because they got a good deal notwithstanding the quality of the product they are purchasing. No company does that, its just not good business. The MMC isn't that great that's the thing, its just the quality of the earlier Gemini 3 models has been highlighted, but at the time when quality was being highlighted they were still getting orders all across the country.
Transdev cancelled their order for Streetdecks for the same reason a number of companies did which was the uncertainty at Wright, but with them back up and running again, their order book is nearly full. Diamond has taken on the first of 128 Streetdecks and 35 Streetlites.
The E200 isn't much better than the Streetlite however, they're both pretty rubbish buses if you ask me. The build quality on E200s is just about the same as on the Streetlites.
Of course, the E400 is going to be more proven as you put it, the Cummins engine has been used for over 20 years compared to 6 on the Streetdeck, those stats are nothing to go by. If the E400 was so full proof and the Streetdeck not as good, then it simply wouldn't get as many orders as it does. Look at the Metrodecker Diesel model. Less than 10 in its 6-year production.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:58 am)Kuyoyo Incorrect there, Lothian are expecting some ADL-bodied Volvo B5TLs in the future (somewhat delayed due to the current situation but they are still expecting them) along with some B8RLEs with ADL bodywork due sometime this year - they dropped Wrightbus as a body supplier after the shocking quality of the 2018 batch of B5TLs for the main fleet (which were rattling and falling apart within weeks of entering service). And their small batch of Streetair Electrics have already been withdrawn due to reliability issues along with the fact they are too small for the majority of the routes including one of their planned home routes.I used to slate ADL heavily as you quite well remember Kuyoyo. But they have improved massively Euro 5 and above. The older Dennis Tridents weren't the best but the E400 as a whole been pretty much spot on.
The simple fact is this, ADL have made major improvements to their range with the move to Euro6 and have expanded their order books by being able to offer body production at two separate sites (both E200MMCs and E400MMCs are built at Scarborough and Falkirk - Stagecoach's examples in the North East are all Falkirk-built examples, Go North East and Arriva's are Scarborough) while Wright effectively turned away from what made them the successful company by building bodywork on chassis from other companies to following Optare into effectively making integral vehicles (of course, Wright's are still chassis and body unlike Optare's completely integral construction) and the decision to move away from Cummins to Daimler for Euro6 hasn't really helped with that.
(03 Aug 2020, 10:58 am)Kuyoyo Incorrect there, Lothian are expecting some ADL-bodied Volvo B5TLs in the future (somewhat delayed due to the current situation but they are still expecting them) along with some B8RLEs with ADL bodywork due sometime this year - they dropped Wrightbus as a body supplier after the shocking quality of the 2018 batch of B5TLs for the main fleet (which were rattling and falling apart within weeks of entering service). And their small batch of Streetair Electrics have already been withdrawn due to reliability issues along with the fact they are too small for the majority of the routes including one of their planned home routes.I used to slate ADL heavily as you quite well remember Kuyoyo. But they have improved massively Euro 5 and above. The older Dennis Tridents weren't the best but the E400 as a whole been pretty much spot on.
The simple fact is this, ADL have made major improvements to their range with the move to Euro6 and have expanded their order books by being able to offer body production at two separate sites (both E200MMCs and E400MMCs are built at Scarborough and Falkirk - Stagecoach's examples in the North East are all Falkirk-built examples, Go North East and Arriva's are Scarborough) while Wright effectively turned away from what made them the successful company by building bodywork on chassis from other companies to following Optare into effectively making integral vehicles (of course, Wright's are still chassis and body unlike Optare's completely integral construction) and the decision to move away from Cummins to Daimler for Euro6 hasn't really helped with that.
