Wellglade Group

[Trainman40083]

They do indeed! None missing on mine tonight.

I wonder if passengers even notice. Probably just glad their bus turned up?

 

[YX73OUB]

I wonder if passengers even notice. Probably just glad their bus turned up?

Yes, they are especially when you consider performance up until 2023. It's been a great turnaround.

 

[Robertj21a]

Yes, they are especially when you consider performance up until 2023. It's been a great turnaround.

What turnaround ? Buses still cancelled, wrong liveries and far too many just Mango (meaningless to prospective pax). No need for them to waste resources on X38.
Nothing like the Really Good Bus Company that it once was.

 

[psmith2023]

Wonder what the plan is to replace the 2 blue sky links use spares or try and put a mango livery adl in to blue skylink

 

[liamf656]

Wonder what the plan is to replace the 2 blue sky links use spares or try and put a mango livery adl in to blue skylink

Only one blue skylink needs replacing, as was discussed

 

[YX73OUB]

What turnaround ? Buses still cancelled, wrong liveries and far too many just Mango (meaningless to prospective pax). No need for them to waste resources on X38.
Nothing like the Really Good Bus Company that it once was.

Referring to the threes, Robert.

 

[JD2168]

E400 HY61 BUS (1401) is now tracking from TM Travel, was showing as on 252 for parts of today.

With regards the TM Omnidekka’s one reason some are being kept I have seen is that a school run needs them as the E400’s are too long for the route being the long wheelbase version.

 

[Trainman40083]

Referring to the threes, Robert.

Good save, there. The new Enviro 200MMCs must have made a difference then. Not my bus of choice, as a passenger.

 

[callum3490]

Wonder what the plan is to replace the 2 blue sky links use spares or try and put a mango livery adl in to blue skylink

Only one - 128 was transferred to kinch a while ago when the pvr of skylink notts decreased. So only 125 needs replacing

Given that 207 is only just supposedly being replaced by 216 going into indigo livery, i cant see 125 being permanently replaced any time soon - more likely that as previously discussed 128 will go back to tb skylink when kinchbus get new buses for their skylink (they are on order apparently)

 

[adrianjohnson]

What is the current order, as I've seen things mentioned on here but nothing official from Trent/Kinch?

What I recall so far is:

1. Volvo Evora for My15 & the Two
2. Yutong coaches for Red Arrow and Flixbus
3. Yutong electrics for Kinch
4. Enviro for Skylink Derby

 

[MCR247]

Is the MCV Evora order confirmed?

 

[bringiton]

What is the current order, as I've seen things mentioned on here but nothing official from Trent/Kinch?

What I recall so far is:

1. Volvo Evora for My15 & the Two
2. Yutong coaches for Red Arrow and Flixbus
3. Yutong electrics for Kinch
4. Enviro for Skylink Derby

Point 1, not heard anything official about evoras, but if they were getting evora's id think they would of been purchased for skylink derby tbf over other routes. Point 2, there was an internal staff announcement which got leaked about these, doubt trent will mention much about flixbus (they have advertised jobs for flixbus work so thats also pretty good evidence, I think there was something else but cant remember off the top of my head) however id assume within the coming months they will announce about red arrow's getting new coaches. Point 3, they got an adl demo, which was very unreliable (had to return to adl before it even entered service) and wouldn't be suitable for the routes within loughborough, whereas the yutongs are (and were more preferred by drivers), once again it has been more of an internal staff announcement/briefing with nothing official announced yet. However, since it'll be the first proper ev's within wellglade I would assume they would do a big marketing thing for it. Point 4, again more of an internal announcement, mainly replacing the whole fleet with new busses, with again an announcement likely within the next few months.

What is the current order, as I've seen things mentioned on here but nothing official from Trent/Kinch?

Looks like this year its quite kinch heavy (would be 40 odd brand new vehicles alone just for kinch), nothing really been announced/rumored properly for trent having brand new busses on routes except red arrow (the odd rumor here or there but nothing very concrete), but this year it might be more displaced fleet off kinch going onto trent routes rather than brand new busses straight onto trent's routes

 

[Mugby]

What is the all white E200 with the 'I'm helping out' strapline? I saw it leaving Derby this evening (Saturday) on a Nines service about 7.40pm.

Where has it come from?

 

[callum3490]

What is the all white E200 with the 'I'm helping out' strapline? I saw it leaving Derby this evening (Saturday) on a Nines service about 7.40pm.

Where has it come from?

Fairly certain i remember reading initially it was to cover for warranty work on the threes batch (?) - although it seems to spend most of its time on the nines so who knows

Long term loan from mistral apparently

 

[SSmith2009]

Point 1, not heard anything official about evoras, but if they were getting evora's id think they would of been purchased for skylink derby tbf over other routes. Point 2, there was an internal staff announcement which got leaked about these, doubt trent will mention much about flixbus (they have advertised jobs for flixbus work so thats also pretty good evidence, I think there was something else but cant remember off the top of my head) however id assume within the coming months they will announce about red arrow's getting new coaches. Point 3, they got an adl demo, which was very unreliable (had to return to adl before it even entered service) and wouldn't be suitable for the routes within loughborough, whereas the yutongs are (and were more preferred by drivers), once again it has been more of an internal staff announcement/briefing with nothing official announced yet. However, since it'll be the first proper ev's within wellglade I would assume they would do a big marketing thing for it. Point 4, again more of an internal announcement, mainly replacing the whole fleet with new busses, with again an announcement likely within the next few months.

Looks like this year its quite kinch heavy (would be 40 odd brand new vehicles alone just for kinch), nothing really been announced/rumored properly for trent having brand new busses on routes except red arrow (the odd rumor here or there but nothing very concrete), but this year it might be more displaced fleet off kinch going onto trent routes rather than brand new busses straight onto trent's routes

Skylink (Leicester-Derby) alone would release 16+ vehicles - maybe send onto sixes and calvertons ?

Loughborough town routes would release around 13 vehicles albeit the solos might be withdrawn as they're nearly 20 years old (only seems like yesterday they were launched)

An exciting year in Loughborough that's for sure with arrival investment in electrics too.

 

[Qwerty133]

Skylink (Leicester-Derby) alone would release 16+ vehicles - maybe send onto sixes and calvertons ?

Loughborough town routes would release around 13 vehicles albeit the solos might be withdrawn as they're nearly 20 years old (only seems like yesterday they were launched)

An exciting year in Loughborough that's for sure with arrival investment in electrics too.

It appears as though they'll be a minimum of 17 electrics on order as they are supposed to be operating the entire Kinch network (excluding Skyline and DRT) and then Skylink has a PVR of 16 suggesting a minimum of 33 new vehicles for Kinch. Assuming that no spares are being ordered for either batch I imagine Kinch will end up keeping Enviros 107-109 as well as a couple of Solos (most likely SR but also potentially 478/479) to provide cover for the new buses.
This is likely to mean that there will be 15 enviros (probably with 128 returning to Skylink Nottingham and the remainder onto other Trent routes), 3 Volvos (all in Mango so likely to be used as spares across the network) and 7 slimline (likely for scrap), 2 regular (not sure if these are euro 6 as they may head to TM if so or otherwise again likely to be scrap) and a couple of SR solos (Notts and Derby?). Plus 5 Versas which may well also be turned into spares unless there is a route with a low PVR that could use them.

 

[YX73OUB]

Fairly certain i remember reading initially it was to cover for warranty work on the threes batch (?) - although it seems to spend most of its time on the nines so who knows

Long term loan from mistral apparently

It's here to cover roof work that's being carried out on the threes buses but it is a spare so has seen use on all 4 runs.

As I've said previously we have more nines buses off than threes at the moment - so it's just a day by day allocation thing & sometimes just depends where it's parked as to where it ends up running!

Skylink (Leicester-Derby) alone would release 16+ vehicles - maybe send onto sixes and calvertons ?

Loughborough town routes would release around 13 vehicles albeit the solos might be withdrawn as they're nearly 20 years old (only seems like yesterday they were launched)

An exciting year in Loughborough that's for sure with arrival investment in electrics too.

They've certainly earned a retirement have those Solos

 

[SSmith2009]

It appears as though they'll be a minimum of 17 electrics on order as they are supposed to be operating the entire Kinch network (excluding Skyline and DRT) and then Skylink has a PVR of 16 suggesting a minimum of 33 new vehicles for Kinch. Assuming that no spares are being ordered for either batch I imagine Kinch will end up keeping Enviros 107-109 as well as a couple of Solos (most likely SR but also potentially 478/479) to provide cover for the new buses.
This is likely to mean that there will be 15 enviros (probably with 128 returning to Skylink Nottingham and the remainder onto other Trent routes), 3 Volvos (all in Mango so likely to be used as spares across the network) and 7 slimline (likely for scrap), 2 regular (not sure if these are euro 6 as they may head to TM if so or otherwise again likely to be scrap) and a couple of SR solos (Notts and Derby?). Plus 5 Versas which may well also be turned into spares unless there is a route with a low PVR that could use them.

At the time of the announcement for the electric buses it was said 21 buses due.

Current peak vehicle requirements
2 = 1 pvr
5 = 2 pvr
9 = 3 pvr
11/12 = 4 pvr
Sprint (inc shuttle) = 6/7 pvr
Total = 17 with a few spares unless they'll be used for enhancements to services.

 

[bringiton]

At the time of the announcement for the electric buses it was said 21 buses due.

Current peak vehicle requirements
2 = 1 pvr
5 = 2 pvr
9 = 3 pvr
11/12 = 4 pvr
Sprint (inc shuttle) = 6/7 pvr
Total = 17 with a few spares unless they'll be used for enhancements to services.

Seems like the correct amount of spares to what they have now. 3 sr's and 1 volvo if I'm not mistaken would make it the 21

 

[YX73OUB]

Good save, there. The new Enviro 200MMCs must have made a difference then. Not my bus of choice, as a passenger.

The difference in missed mileage is phenomenal as expected, if not exceeded expectations. I'd have liked to have seen eVoras or even Scania Fencers but that's just me. I'm really happy with the difference that's been made to the service as are the rest of the team.

 

[Trainman40083]

The difference in missed mileage is phenomenal as expected, if not exceeded expectations. I'd have liked to have seen eVoras or even Scania Fencers but that's just me. I'm really happy with the difference that's been made to the service as are the rest of the team.

I don't think the Scania Fencer has sold well. Talk you need climbing equipment to climb the steps towards the back.

 

[38291018]

Just curious weather is the yutong E9L kinch trialed a while ago on various routes suitable for the sprint/campus shuttle or does it preferably still need be smaller such as the enviro100MMCev to get around the tight university roads

 

[psmith2023]

Trent Barton having tracking issues as it's either a few threes are missing or is the tracking playing up

 

[YX73OUB]

Trent Barton having tracking issues as it's either a few threes are missing or is the tracking playing up

Unfortunately it seems to happen whenever the clocks change. I can tell you that none of the threes have been missed so far today.

I don't think the Scania Fencer has sold well. Talk you need climbing equipment to climb the steps towards the back.

A shame, I've not had the pleasure of riding one.

I was however surprised and impressed with the eVora, however.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

Just curious weather is the yutong E9L kinch trialed a while ago on various routes suitable for the sprint/campus shuttle or does it preferably still need be smaller such as the enviro100MMCev to get around the tight university roads

The E9/E9L is a small bus, the number in the Yutong names is the rough length of the vehicle, they are about the same length as the Solos currently used at around 9.5 metres. The Enviro 100EV is smaller (about 8.5) but as such also seat less so actually may be too small for the demand on the Uni if you are down at 25-seats.

 

[Trainman40083]

Unfortunately it seems to happen whenever the clocks change. I can tell you that none of the threes have been missed so far today.


A shame, I've not had the pleasure of riding one.

I was however surprised and impressed with the eVora, however.

The last I heard about Trentbarton and EvoRas, was that they didn't like the seats. An operations manager contact I have, described the EvoRa as ten times better than an Enviro 200MMC. I had a ride on an Enviro 200 today (not Trentbarton). It sounded like it would fall apart and it felt like it had no suspension.

 

[SSmith2009]

Just curious weather is the yutong E9L kinch trialed a while ago on various routes suitable for the sprint/campus shuttle or does it preferably still need be smaller such as the enviro100MMCev to get around the tight university roads

the E9's used on the Hop! service in Leicester are about the same lengthwise as the sprint solos.

 

[Mugby]

It's here to cover roof work that's being carried out on the threes buses but it is a spare so has seen use on all 4 runs.

That's interesting. Are there issues with the Threes buses already after only about nine month's service?

 

[YX73OUB]

That's interesting. Are there issues with the Threes buses already after only about nine month's service?

They are having some work done to the rear ends as water ingress had become an issue, nothing major.

Just over a year now as the last one entered service on the 7th November 2023. Time flies.

Some have done nearly 100,000 miles already!

 

[Trainman40083]

They are having some work done to the rear ends as water ingress had become an issue, nothing major.

Just over a year now as the last one entered service on the 7th November 2023. Time flies.

Some have done nearly 100,000 miles already!

Just imagine had those buses been 100% right first time. ADL would not have incurred so much cost putting them right and would have made more profit. Maybe Trentbarton would have had a greater satisfaction level.