(16 Nov 2014, 9:44 pm)Jimmi wrote 1410 which has transferred to Darlington is alright, the one I got back to Newcastle from Tynemouth was alright.
I don't mind Pulsars, the Sapphire service 7 examples are probably the best although they are the newest although some of Darlington's 09 reg ones aren't great as some rattle like hell and 1427 was making dodgy noises when I rode it the other week.
The 09 plate Pulsars seem to be the best ones and are the quickest of the lot, and some of our 10 plates at Stockton are seriously quick, far better than the 61 plates. We have 1512 on Sapphires and it's like winning the lottery when you get allocated it over a Streetlite! Half of the problem is the way the gearboxes are set up on the Streetlites though!
They do get quicker as they get run in a bit, for example compared to the first day in service ours are a lot quicker now - however still 'slow' pulling away when compared to other vehicles. Having said that they are superb on the hills, and will leave a Pulsar for dead as I followed one of Redcar's back from Easington when we were both running dead back to the depot and I couldn't keep up (in a Pulsar) on the hilly parts. The acceleration between 30-50mph will leave anything for dead too but that's not where you need the power really, it's lower down pulling away from bus stops that you need it, and it's just not there.
Hopefully Voith can get them sorted and they'd be a half decent bus! Still take a Pulsar all day though...