14 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Toon Link
15 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Whey-Aye-50
14 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Connections4
10 - Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrid 3 - Citylink 58
12 - Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrid 3 - Black Cats 35/38
5 - Scania Omnicities to Percy Main replacing Volvo B7RLE's
8 - Scania Omnicities to CLS replacing Wright Solars
14 - Mercedes Citaros Washington to Riverside replacing Green Arrow Solars - x2 Spare
10 - Optare Versas replacing Loop Solars - x2 Spare
16 - Scania Omnicity replacing 09reg Versas
(15 Sep 2018, 10:19 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]14 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Toon Link
15 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Whey-Aye-50
14 - Volvo B8RLE Wright Eclipse 3 - Connections4
10 - Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrid 3 - Citylink 58
12 - Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrid 3 - Black Cats 35/38
5 - Scania Omnicities to Percy Main replacing Volvo B7RLE's
8 - Scania Omnicities to CLS replacing Wright Solars
14 - Mercedes Citaros Washington to Riverside replacing Green Arrow Solars - x2 Spare
10 - Optare Versas replacing Loop Solars - x2 Spare
16 - Scania Omnicity replacing 09reg Versas
Doubt they'll take so many deckers to Washington and isn't the 58 and Q1/2/3 already getting the streetlights
It would be an interesting change of strategy to suggest GNE would purchase 43x Volvo B8RLEs, when they have decided otherwise in the past, when perhaps they'd have been a more suitable vehicle. The Prince Bishops and Durham Diamonds spring to mind.
(16 Sep 2018, 12:14 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]The B8RLE's are not deckers - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...Qsz-xius9m
First i've heard the 58/Quaylink rumour mind.
I mentioned it in the latest thread last month, but that was because someone asked about when the Scania's would be withdrawn.
So i put in a suggestion in, of what they could get to replace the Scania's
(16 Sep 2018, 4:06 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]It would be an interesting change of strategy to suggest GNE would purchase 43x Volvo B8RLEs, when they have decided otherwise in the past, when perhaps they'd have been a more suitable vehicle. The Prince Bishops and Durham Diamonds spring to mind.
I agree, I think with the new MD from Reading Buses coming in there will be a change in strategy when comes to buying buses, my suggestion was merely with standardisation in mind given the amount of vehicles which have been purchased from Wrightbus in recent years.
It is of my understanding the new MD is not a fan of Wrightbus products, think this is very well supported given Reading Buses have only purchased 7 Streetlites and 6 Streetdecks compared to the amount of vehicles they've purchased from Alexander Dennis since 2013.
(16 Sep 2018, 4:29 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]I agree, I think with the new MD from Reading Buses coming in there will be a change in strategy when comes to buying buses, my suggestion was merely with standardisation in mind given the amount of vehicles which have been purchased from Wrightbus in recent years.
It is of my understanding the new MD is not a fan of Wrightbus products, think this is very well supported given Reading Buses have only purchased 7 Streetlites and 6 Streetdecks compared to the amount of vehicles they've purchased from Alexander Dennis since 2013.
On that note, Reading Buses took on some Greenline work and they trialed the BCI Excellence (double decker). Wonder if one might appear as a demo up here at some point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoN6A8mJUc4
(video not mine)
(16 Sep 2018, 10:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]On that note, Reading Buses took on some Greenline work and they trialed the BCI Excellence (double decker). Wonder if one might appear as a demo up here at some point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoN6A8mJUc4
(video not mine)
It's a common misconception amongst enthusiasts that an MD of a bus company would be so heavily involved in choosing a vehicle type to invest in. I don't think this is really commonplace at all, as the company pays a lot of money for an engineering lead to make those kind of decisions.
Reading Buses' fleet isn't really standardised at all and generally speaking is a bit of a mish-mash of whatever took their fancy at the time. The order for StreetDecks on the orange routes was only to bite back at ADL who weren't willing to change their vehicle specification at the time to meet Reading's needs (this order to Wrights kicked ADL up the rear-end which subsequently led to these changes being made), and in my opinion the more recent order for MetroDeckers for the Greenline services is more of a statement of being the first to buy that vehicle type. I don't think there's any room for that at Go North East.
Reading have actually ordered two of those BCIs for peak-time journeys on the purple 17, which are due to be delivered next year. They wanted to buy tri-axle dual-door buses for the purple 17 but no manufacturer would do it. However, it's my understanding that Lothian Buses have placed an order recently for tri-axle Volvo B8TLs on ADL Enviro500 bodywork, which could well see a step-shift in Reading Buses' loyalty to Scania.
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Found my post about the Scania's, for those who missed it, I've copied and paste it across to here:
Edit: Numbers maybe wrong.
Not sure what would be on order, only service which could get new buses is the Quaylink or Citylink 58, or both as i would imagine they do quite well? (not from the area so no idea), 25 Scania's need replacing at Riverside
38 Versa's at Riverside:
5377 - 84 (8) - 58
5385 - 5388, 8310 - 8318, 8329 - 8338 (23) - Quaylink
5389, 8306, 8308, 8309, 8327, 8328 (6) - Go North East
Streetlites ordered: 31
8 for the 58 + 1 spare
23 for the Quaylink + 3 spare
--- Cascades (all to be in Go North East)
5377 - 84 to Loop (5385 as a spare)
8310 – 16 to Chester for the 13/14 and X25? (8317/18/19 as spares)
8329 – 8338 (10) to Green Arrow (8327/8328 as spares)
8306, 8308 – 67/69
86,87,88 and 89 spares at Riverside
Total spares:
Chester – 3
Riverside – 8 (1 to be used on the X66 on a Saturday)
All above removes the Scania’s from service from Riverside and Chester expect for 5228-32 which will go Percy Main to replace the Eclipses.
I have tried to sort out allocations, so every service has the same style Versa and in number ordering (a tad like the Citaro's)
Although, won't be ordered at once, maybe over the next 2 years.
Edit:
Deptford's Scania's to be removed at a later date (as i can't see it getting new buses)
Or...
8 Streetlites
1 Solo to be allocated to the 38
1 spare Streetlite
Wonder if we will see an investment in the Sunderland Connect next year as its 6 and 7 years since the hybrid Solo's first entered service.
I think the buses were joint funded by the Uni and Council?, so would be interesting to see what would happen to them...
(26 Oct 2018, 9:03 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Wonder if we will see an investment in the Sunderland Connect next year as its 6 and 7 years since the hybrid Solo's first entered service.
I think the buses were joint funded by the Uni and Council?, so would be interesting to see what would happen to them...
I can see the 93/94 getting streetlites
(26 Oct 2018, 10:44 am)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]I can see the 93/94 getting streetlites
I was told by a driver that the new MD dislikes the streetlites, time will tell when new buses arrive.
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(26 Oct 2018, 11:20 am)cbma06 wrote [ -> ]I was told by a driver that the new MD dislikes the streetlites, time will tell when new buses arrive.
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The reading fleet seems to be mostly Enviro 400's, although they do have 6 Streetdecks and 7 Streetlites.
Hopefully we see Enviro's enter Go North East's fleet, wouldn't mind Gas buses either, although i think they've stopped doing the ones Stagecoach Sunderland have, can you get gas buses in the new Enviro 300 style?
Direct everyone back up to post #8:
https://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showt...p?tid=2167&pid=220975#pid220975
Just because the MD may not like the buses that they offer doesn't necessarily mean that the company will drift away from Wright. I think this scenario is very unlikely.
(26 Oct 2018, 9:03 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Wonder if we will see an investment in the Sunderland Connect next year as its 6 and 7 years since the hybrid Solo's first entered service.
I think the buses were joint funded by the Uni and Council?, so would be interesting to see what would happen to them...
Part of the new contract, which came into effect last month, was for the operator to supply 3x Euro 6 vehicles.
Dispensation is allowed to permit time for an operator to buy these vehicles (as they won't be owned by the council this time around), but yes, I'd certainly expect to see three new Solos for the Sunderland Connect some time within the next few months.
Go North East will be able to buy the Hybrids at a reduced rate given they've been maintained by the company since new, but given how expensive their parts are when they're out of warranty, I'm doubtful they will be bought.
(26 Oct 2018, 2:47 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Part of the new contract, which came into effect last month, was for the operator to supply 3x Euro 6 vehicles.
Dispensation is allowed to permit time for an operator to buy these vehicles (as they won't be owned by the council this time around), but yes, I'd certainly expect to see three new Solos for the Sunderland Connect some time within the next few months.
Go North East will be able to buy the Hybrids at a reduced rate given they've been maintained by the company since new, but given how expensive their parts are when they're out of warranty, I'm doubtful they will be bought.
Thats good, about time, hopefully a new colour scheme will be done.
Shame Go North East won't buy the current hybrids though
(26 Oct 2018, 2:47 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Part of the new contract, which came into effect last month, was for the operator to supply 3x Euro 6 vehicles.
Dispensation is allowed to permit time for an operator to buy these vehicles (as they won't be owned by the council this time around), but yes, I'd certainly expect to see three new Solos for the Sunderland Connect some time within the next few months.
Go North East will be able to buy the Hybrids at a reduced rate given they've been maintained by the company since new, but given how expensive their parts are when they're out of warranty, I'm doubtful they will be bought.
Would the hybrid solos then be allocated to Crook due to the low PVR?
(29 Oct 2018, 5:33 pm)JP6004 wrote [ -> ]Would the hybrid solos then be allocated to Crook due to the low PVR?
They might not get bought, as Dan said the parts for the hybrids are expensive.
(29 Oct 2018, 11:13 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]They might not get bought, as Dan said the parts for the hybrids are expensive.
No the hybrids currently on the 700. Would they go to Crook after new bought for the 700...
(29 Oct 2018, 11:27 pm)JP6004 wrote [ -> ]No the hybrids currently on the 700. Would they go to Crook after new bought for the 700...
That's what Dan's saying, the Hybrids currently on the 700 aren't owned by GNE, and it's unlikely they will be bought due to the cost of spare parts.