(05 Aug 2022, 5:31 pm)N1cholas wrote Think health and safety would stop that ever happening, would also be a security risk for unknown people just popping in to charge the car

It'd be no different from any other public rapid charger site though

(05 Aug 2022, 2:38 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Slightly unrelated, and not sure if it's been asked before, but since they just use standard CCS chargers, presumably those chargers can be used on any vehicles.

Therefore, could it not be a good idea to open them up for public use, for a charge of course? There might be more money in that than actually running buses!

I think with a lack of charging points across the region the local councils should look at opening up car parks for electric charging vehicles or having dedicated spaces made available in existing car parks to make it more accessible for the public, it would like spur on a change for those driving petrol/diesel to switch to electric but achieve that the councils need to invest first which they are reluctant to do.

(05 Aug 2022, 5:43 pm)Malarkey wrote I think with a lack of charging points across the region the local councils should look at opening up car parks for electric charging vehicles or having dedicated spaces made available in existing car parks to make it more accessible for the public, it would like spur on a change for those driving petrol/diesel to switch to electric but achieve that the councils need to invest first which they are reluctant to do.

I just thought that it could be a potential opportunity for GNE, they have a car park full of rapid chargers (presumably 350kW?) that are empty during the day while the buses are out to play!

(05 Aug 2022, 5:41 pm)streetdeckfan wrote It'd be no different from any other public rapid charger site though

The chargers are on private land and would have to install security fencing so that tom, dick and harry dont just go for a wonder around the depot and into places they shouldnt be, it would happen also what would happen if a bus needed to be brought back to park up in the area if had cars parked on the charging point? would be a better idea to install electric charging points in the car park for people to use

(05 Aug 2022, 5:58 pm)N1cholas wrote The chargers are on private land and would have to install security fencing so that tom, dick and harry dont just go for a wonder around the depot and into places they shouldnt be, it would happen also what would happen if a bus needed to be brought back to park up in the area if had cars parked on the charging point? would be a better idea to install electric charging points in the car park for people to use

Yeah that's right. The parts of the depot that GNE wouldn't wish to be publicly accessible would need to be fenced off.

As soon as you open up part of the depot to the public, private land you can access on foot without incursion is classed as "publicly accessible" so I doubt GNE would want those issues - I imagine Percy Main is bad enough for them.

I believe there's plans to open a large charger space at the Metro Centre in the Green Car Park where people arguably would rather be than in the middle of nowhere.

(05 Aug 2022, 2:38 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Slightly unrelated, and not sure if it's been asked before, but since they just use standard CCS chargers, presumably those chargers can be used on any vehicles.

Therefore, could it not be a good idea to open them up for public use, for a charge of course? There might be more money in that than actually running buses!

Not sure about that. The pay for charging points outside fram greggs barely get used - and that's an increase in activity from the never get used of their first couple of years.

I've noticed building work in the metrocentre car parks that I suspect is charging points, anyhow.

Was it 9 or 10 buses ordered? 

If its 9, it seems 8809 will be the one spare between both of the routes.

(13 Aug 2022, 12:51 pm)Unber43 wrote Was it 9 or 10 buses ordered? 

If its 9, it seems 8809 will be the one spare between both of the routes.

Nine.


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(13 Aug 2022, 2:03 pm)Dan wrote Nine.


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Thanks Dan.

Looks like these are entering service on the 3rd of September then!

Still hopeful the QuayCity name remains (although QuayLink was better), however if it’s dropped in favour of Voltra, then surely the Q prefix will be meaningless and they could’ve went for 3A and 3B.

A couple of weeks max until we find out.

(15 Aug 2022, 2:13 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Still hopeful the QuayCity name remains (although QuayLink was better), however if it’s dropped in favour of Voltra, then surely the Q prefix will be meaningless and they could’ve went for 3A and 3B.

A couple of weeks max until we find out.

I’m sure in the gne changes it states:

“We are pleased to announce that from Saturday 3 September, we will introduce brand new VOLTRA electric buses to this route.”


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So every new electric bus is going to be Voltra, I mean atleast some people will get their wish for being one brand eventually, if they don't change their mind

By the looks of things, it's at least kept the first part of it's name 'quay' judging by the picture Dan posted on twitter, however can't really see what it says after that.

https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/15595...60737?s=20&t=c5GXmQaja0xM4yrN6ZN6GA

Wonder if Voltra, therefore, is going to be their name for the actual vehicles - similar to "LNER Azuma", "Virgin Voyager" and "Inter-City 125"

(16 Aug 2022, 2:29 pm)citaro5284 wrote https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/15595...60737?s=20&t=c5GXmQaja0xM4yrN6ZN6GA

I assume the bus is in darkness for some weird marketing photography impact and not because its been short notice cancelled

(08 Jul 2022, 3:53 pm)Unber43 wrote the awful display for next stops etc, where the wheelchairs go, it blocks the entire view down the bus.

What a shame for you, I would rather it block the view and allow wheelchair user to see the next stop. You can still have a view just sit on the other side

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(16 Aug 2022, 2:42 pm)F114TML wrote Wonder if Voltra, therefore, is going to be their name for the actual vehicles - similar to "LNER Azuma", "Virgin Voyager" and "Inter-City 125"

Do we know the rest of the F/Ns and reg's for the new batch? sor far we have NL72 EUE and NL72 ETT

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(16 Aug 2022, 2:26 pm)Jack Gill wrote By the looks of things, it's at least kept the first part of it's name 'quay' judging by the picture Dan posted on twitter, however can't really see what it says after that.

Could be QuayElectric?

(16 Aug 2022, 3:16 pm)adavies3774 wrote What a shame for you, I would rather it block the view and allow wheelchair user to see the next stop. You can still have a view just sit on the other side

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Do we know the rest of the F/Ns and reg's for the new batch? sor far we have NL72 EUE and NL72 ETT

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Could be QuayElectric?

Fleet numbers will be 5801 to 5809.

(16 Aug 2022, 2:42 pm)Ambassador wrote I assume the bus is in darkness for some weird marketing photography impact and not because its been short notice cancelled

Cannot afford to flip the switch with today's energy prices.

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Messing around with the image in Photoshop, it looks like it just says Quaycity on the front.

If I were to guess, I'd just say it'll be branded as Quaycity, with some Voltra branding on the side

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(16 Aug 2022, 4:17 pm)Adrian wrote Cannot afford to flip the switch with today's energy prices.

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Do GNE have any solar on their depots?

(16 Aug 2022, 4:18 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Do GNE have any solar on their depots?

No, I don't think so. I wonder if it has ever been considered for Riverside, given the roof space that could be utilised.

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(16 Aug 2022, 4:29 pm)Adrian wrote No, I don't think so. I wonder if it has ever been considered for Riverside, given the roof space that could be utilised.

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If they don't that seems like a big mistake to me, especially at Consett given how new it is.

Having said that, I'm not sure it would really make much difference in the cost of running the Voltras given they get charged at night, and the rates you get paid for sending it to the grid is pretty pathetic these days.

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Actually, looking at the Consett depot there's a solar array behind, is that owned by GNE? 
I'm guessing not since the access to it seems to be further down the road and the car park follows the angle of the access road

GNE could put Solar Panels over the bus parking area and just park the buses under them.

(16 Aug 2022, 4:18 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Do GNE have any solar on their depots?

Nah, only way they've got Solar is through the remaining Scania L94's on Driver Training.

(16 Aug 2022, 2:29 pm)citaro5284 wrote https://twitter.com/Dan3942/status/15595...60737?s=20&t=c5GXmQaja0xM4yrN6ZN6GA

All I'm seeing is this

I mean joking aside, but are we really going down the route of singing and dancing about the launch of VOLTRA 2?

If so, then how do you do this positively, against a backdrop of network decimation in July, followed by more (alleged temporary) service cuts in a couple weeks time? It reminds me of VOLTRA being bragged about in the September 2021 'Buses fit for the future' glossy brochure, at the same time as telling some people that they no longer have a bus service. It all feels a bit perverse.

(17 Aug 2022, 9:28 am)Adrian wrote I mean joking aside, but are we really going down the route of singing and dancing about the launch of VOLTRA 2?

If so, then how do you do this positively, against a backdrop of network decimation in July, followed by more (alleged temporary) service cuts in a couple weeks time? It reminds me of VOLTRA being bragged about in the September 2021 'Buses fit for the future' glossy brochure, at the same time as telling some people that they no longer have a bus service. It all feels a bit perverse.

And, rather ironically, the VOLTRA services were among the ones which had their frequencies reduced during the last tranche of cuts in July. 

Still, yet another GNE-led ames Bond audition is in the works for some poor member of staff it seems. Hope they get the part this time around.

It's not like solar powered depots haven't been implemented elsewhere
https://www.transdev.com/en/solutions/en...amsterdam/
Some of the buses themselves are solar powered - Husband caught one when he attended the Intertraffic 3xhibition, earlier, this year http://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c3-veh...ric-buses/