(08 Oct 2014, 8:40 pm)Robert wrote Without a doubt! Suppose it does come down to which bus they feel is the most reliable. the B5 or Alexander Dennis' offerings

Exactly. I know each individual bus costs god knows how much, but if GNE have been using Wrights as their main source of new vehicles for many years now, I reckon they must be on some sort of 'Buy 50 get 10 free' term.

(08 Oct 2014, 8:42 pm)Marcus wrote Exactly. I know each individual bus costs god knows how much, but if GNE have been using Wrights as their main source of new vehicles for many years now, I reckon they must be on some sort of 'Buy 50 get 10 free' term.

It's the same thing with Stagecoach regarding Alexander Dennis.
I don't think B5's would be suitable at all for certain routes, so E400's may be a good option.

(08 Oct 2014, 8:30 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Funny - as all the other Go Ahead Group operations have gone to ADL for their latest deckers - Oxford getting the very first production E400MMCs.

Doesn't really matter what the rest of the Go-Ahead Group are doing - Go North East is its own company at the end of the day and local management will make a decision based on what they feel is the most appropriate.

(08 Oct 2014, 8:43 pm)Tom wrote It's the same thing with Stagecoach regarding Alexander Dennis.
I don't think B5's would be suitable at all for certain routes, so E400's may be a good option.

BIB: Slight different regarding Stagecoach and ADL - Sir Brian Souter was one of the business men who saved what is now ADL from the Transbus collapse and remains a minor shareholder in the company, hence they'll get a significance discount (looks at Stagecoach on Teesside - around £3million for 25 E300s, that about £120k per vehicle).

(08 Oct 2014, 8:43 pm)Tom wrote It's the same thing with Stagecoach regarding Alexander Dennis.
I don't think B5's would be suitable at all for certain routes, so E400's may be a good option.

I found it easy to tell on my first ride of a B5 on the 21 (it was that Brighton & Hove demonstrator, could have been a B9 though) that they wouldn't be ideal. Fair enough it's a stop start route, but going backwards and forwards day in day out, pretty much every day of the year, bar a few at Christmas and the odd Sunday, I could just tell they weren't right for the route.....

(08 Oct 2014, 8:48 pm)Marcus wrote I found it easy to tell on my first ride of a B5 on the 21 (it was that Brighton & Hove demonstrator, could have been a B9 though) that they wouldn't be ideal. Fair enough it's a stop start route, but going backwards and forwards day in day out, pretty much every day of the year, bar a few at Christmas and the odd Sunday, I could just tell they weren't right for the route.....

I hate them! They are horrible. Despite them being quite reliable, they are so powerless and horrible. They are the same on the 308.

(08 Oct 2014, 8:48 pm)Marcus wrote I found it easy to tell on my first ride of a B5 on the 21 (it was that Brighton & Hove demonstrator, could have been a B9 though) that they wouldn't be ideal. Fair enough it's a stop start route, but going backwards and forwards day in day out, pretty much every day of the year, bar a few at Christmas and the odd Sunday, I could just tell they weren't right for the route.....

It was a B5 like the currect examples on the 21.

I think Volvo are pretty reliable but if they went for the E400 MMC, it could be done like this:

- ADL / Cummins Chassis and engine for routes where power isn't heavily depended upon and fuel economy is a bonus: 21,, 310, 27?, 35?, 20?

- Scania chassis and engine for routes where power is needed: X9, X10, TEN, X1, 309, X21

(09 Oct 2014, 3:41 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I think Volvo are pretty reliable but if they went for the E400 MMC, it could be done like this:

- ADL / Cummins Chassis and engine for routes where power isn't heavily depended upon and fuel economy is a bonus: 21,, 310, 27?, 35?, 20?

- Scania chassis and engine for routes where power is needed: X9, X10, TEN, X1, 309, X21

You have said many many many times

I know I have and it might sound daft but, ADL buses could fit well into GNE's fleet:

- E200 taking the role of Streetlites and Versas.
- E300 taking the role of the lightweight full size single deck. Would be ideal for likes of Toonlink and Centrelink
- Scania E300 taking the role of routes such as the Lime and WTX.
- E400 taking the role of routes such as the Angel.
- Scania E400 taking the role of the big six (3 brands) monster routes that the Cummins would struggle with and perhaps an upgrade for the Pronto.

any news on orders its seemed to have gone quiet

(22 Oct 2014, 7:18 pm)Racer_Experience wrote any news on orders its seemed to have gone quiet

Patience is a virtue Bazza.

(22 Oct 2014, 7:22 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote Patience is a virtue Bazza.

Wise words from Malarkey  

(22 Oct 2014, 7:24 pm)Robert wrote Wise words from Malarkey  

Indeed they are Robert.

I think the only thing we can rule out, is that Davey Bowyer hasn't gotten his wish, and we're not due 100 brand new B9TLs...

They won't be getting 100 B9TL's but, you guys know what route I think will receive an upgrade.

(26 Oct 2014, 8:10 am)DaveyBowyer wrote They won't be getting 100 B9TL's but, you guys know what route I think will receive an upgrade.

Surely not the Red Arrows!

Well it will, think about it:
- Pronto needs new buses
- Angel modern Gemini PVR is short of 2
- TEN modern Gemini PVR is short of 1
- Riverside needs more good spares for the TTX and TEN
- Fab 56 might need a PVR increase owing to reliability issues
- Cobalt Clipper needs another good spare

...it won't!

- 6001 to 6007 and 6050 to Crook for the Pronto
- 6049 to Riverside for TTX
- 6051 to Riverside for TEN
- 6054 and 6055 to CLS for Angel (perhaps fitted with Flybrid technology)
- 6052 to Percy Main as Cobalt Clipper spare
- 6053 to Deptford to allow PVR increase and reliability improvement on the Fab 56
- 3943 to Crook as a spare for the Pronto
- 3941 and 3942 as TEN / TTX spares
- 3963 and 3964 to Percy Main for DFDS work

Why would the Red Arrows need new buses, the buses on the their are only from 2011/2012...

More to the point why would GNE spend a good few grand repainting and mini refurbishing the DFDS fleet to then re-allocate them a few months later?
Makes no business sense whatsoever.

(26 Oct 2014, 10:47 am)Michael wrote Why would the Red Arrows need new buses, the buses on the their are only from 2011/2012...

I don't thinks it's a too bad idea, the main point would be investing in red arrows allowing other routes, who maybe can't justify brand new vehicles, to have updated allocations. However think they'll wait til next year earliest yet. 

(26 Oct 2014, 10:59 am)Drifter60 wrote I don't thinks it's a too bad idea, the main point would be investing in red arrows allowing other routes, who maybe can't justify brand new vehicles, to have updated allocations. However think they'll wait til next year earliest yet. 

I agree its not a bad idea but he consistently posts it

And I know it sounds very petty but, before power sockets became standard on most new double deck orders, 6001 - 6007 and 6049 - 6055 didn't have them fitted. And with regards to the Pronto, would you be happy  if GNE bought new Euro 6 buses that aren't designed for such work?

I would love it to be true, if only for the effort Davey Bowyer puts into his fleet rejigs!

Keep singing that song of his in my head... Davey Bowter, Davey Bowyer, Davey Davey Bowyer. He gets the fleet and swaps it about a bit. Davey, Davey Bowyer.

#DBisaNEBlegend
#hashtagsonNEB

They need to get deckers for service 20 whenever I see it busy and mostly full they deffo need some on their

Well I can see GNE going down 2 ways with future orders:

Route 1: Minibus = Solo, Midi/Full Size= Versa, Full Size Single Deck = Citaro, Double Deck = Metrodecker

Route 2: Mini / Midi = ADL E200, Full Size Single Deck = Cummins E300, Heavyweight Full Size Single Deck = Scania E300, Lightweight Double Deck = Cummins E400, Heavyweight Double Deck = Scania E400.

Forgot the Streetlite/Max

Well the exact reason why I ignored Wrightbus for is becuase they don't have a suitable heavyweight double deck option on the market. I must say that I seem very impressed with the Metrodecker and the Merc engine combination. I don't know about the TTX but for other B9TL routes and routes like the Pronto, it would cope OK.

I still don't get why GNE didn't do a like for like comparison on the TEN with a B5TL and compare it with a B9TL.