(21 Mar 2014, 9:29 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote I must admit I was being a bit radical back a few posts ago but do you really want to know who the cause of the problem is? The likes of Brussels and Greenpeace who bang on about emissions and so on! The only two double deck low floor buses that have came close to the Palatine 2 with the D10245 engine have been the B9TL and DB250. Even the B9TL can struggle with 40 mile runs for 17 - 18 hours per day at 50 to 60 mph. Despite the emissions of ths Palatine 2 being higher, the fuel consumption would only be marginally higher on a 80 mile round run than what it would be on a Volvo B9TL and add better reliabilty and gearing ratios, a few more emissions going into the air is far less important compared to operating and keeping a bus service fully running and reliable. But obviously, the green lefties don't see it that way!
There's far more to go wrong on a Gemini in comparison to a Palatine, such as the electrical systems and the on-board computer systems. Yes, the Palatine's might be more suited to the routes with their strong and powerful engines, but they just aren't suitable for the regular travelling public.