Bendy buses

[RJ]

Which makes the theoretical capacity numbers a nonsense, as nobody is going to go to the back if they know they'll never be able to get out when they want.

Buses in this country never seem to have solved the "quick passenger flow" versus "fare evasion" balance properly, hence single door buses being so common. London has regularly tried open access and then reverted back, whether with the bendies or the Borismasters.

I use mine on rail replacement where I don't have to collect the fares so it isn't an issue. Stops where it normally takes a good two minutes to empty a double deck bus, I look in the gangway mirror and the one which still has the three door config is empty in 30 seconds!

The time advantage of open boarding is disputed, I think it has been concluded that the total PVR saving in London from its use has been a round figure of 0. Only certain routes might benefit, like the 607 which is limited stop and does suffer from extended dwell times vs the 207/427 due to very high turnover of passengers at most of its stops. Open boarding might save the 10 minutes required to remove a bus from the cycle but the operational costs vs a double decker might well make a big dent in the saving.

 

[MotCO]

I guess the problem with them fundamentally is that the design of the cab means the driver can't take fares, which very much limits their appeal.

That would make them suitable for left hand or right hand drive operations, although the doors may need moving

Yep, it's a key reason why people don't move back. Runcorn's original Busway buses had front and rear (not middle) doors which really encouraged moving down, it's hard* to do with current low floor tech, but should be possible again with the move to electric as you can bin off the rear axle and have independent hub motors allowing low floor throughout.

* But not impossible, some designs for the Netherlands and Switzerland have the engine in the middle of the front section to one side, allowing the whole bendy bus to be low floor throughout, there are also very quirky rigid versions.

The original Enviro 200 prototypes had low floor throughout with front and rear doors. The real problem was that the rear plug door opened beyond the end of the bus which made it particularly vulnerable. Many were operated by 'Buses etc' in Surrey before the company's demise.

 

[tartanterrior]

Pretty sure the ones with First Glasgow only used the front doors.

When we used the stagecoach ones, we used both doors on arrival into Glasgow from Ayrshire for quick alighting, never used the rear door for actual loading though except when I did the sleeper ones.

 

[Bletchleyite]

When we used the stagecoach ones, we used both doors on arrival into Glasgow from Ayrshire for quick alighting, never used the rear door for actual loading though except when I did the sleeper ones.

Generally outside London, when they bother at all, it's been "on at the front, off at the back", which is what London now do except the Red Arrows (which I believe are going away).

Most of Germany has also I believe switched to "on at the front, off at the back" - open boarding was proving too expensive with evasion levels.

 

[tartanterrior]

Generally outside London, when they bother at all, it's been "on at the front, off at the back", which is what London now do except the Red Arrows (which I believe are going away).

Most of Germany has also I believe switched to "on at the front, off at the back" - open boarding was proving too expensive with evasion levels.

Sensible really. Outside of London it's fairly rare to see ticket inspectors or the roving revenue squad actually board a bus to check tickets.

 

[Mikey C]

Yep, it's a key reason why people don't move back. Runcorn's original Busway buses had front and rear (not middle) doors which really encouraged moving down, it's hard* to do with current low floor tech, but should be possible again with the move to electric as you can bin off the rear axle and have independent hub motors allowing low floor throughout.

* But not impossible, some designs for the Netherlands and Switzerland have the engine in the middle of the front section to one side, allowing the whole bendy bus to be low floor throughout, there are also very quirky rigid versions.

The Borismasters manage 3 doors and a flat floor throughout with a diesel engine also.

That would make them suitable for left hand or right hand drive operations, although the doors may need moving


The original Enviro 200 prototypes had low floor throughout with front and rear doors. The real problem was that the rear plug door opened beyond the end of the bus which made it particularly vulnerable. Many were operated by 'Buses etc' in Surrey before the company's demise.

An issues with such buses I guess is that the engine is on one side, so that they have to be optimised for either RHD or LHD, and have to be heavily redesigned for export market if you wanted the rear door there as well.

 

[Deerfold]

The Borismasters manage 3 doors and a flat floor throughout with a diesel engine also.

They don't have a flat floor throughout if you count all the seats that are up a step - just a flat floor aisle.

 

[alex397]

Single door buses are unsuitable in almost all urban circumstances anyway, which is why most countries don't use them

It is slightly bizarre why we have to be different. Most urban areas in the UK use single door buses, and it is painfully slow to alight/board passengers on busy services. Urban areas in most of continental Europe feels *generally* easier to travel around for this reason.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is slightly bizarre why we have to be different. Most urban areas in the UK use single door buses, and it is painfully slow to alight/board passengers on busy services. Urban areas in most of continental Europe feels *generally* easier to travel around for this reason.

Replied here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/single-vs-dual-or-more-doors.241575/

 

[busestrains]

Wright Streetcar reg CU57 AJY (19034) is for sale for £29,995.00 on Ebay currently:

Volvo Ftr Articulated / Bendy Bus 113 Passengers Fully Air Conditioned | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Volvo Ftr Articulated / Bendy Bus 113 Passengers Fully Air Conditioned at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

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So i imagine there may be lots of these Wright Streetcar buses sitting around in various yards. When buses are withdrawn you would think they would go straight to the scrapyard but often they seem to sit around in yards for years. So i reckon there are more of these sitting around in other yards.

The same person on Ebay is selling ex Stansted Airport owned Mercedes Benz Citaro buses for £9,950.00 each:

Mercedes Citaro Articulated Buses Ex Airport Transfer Buses Choice Of 3 Exellent | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mercedes Citaro Articulated Buses Ex Airport Transfer Buses Choice Of 3 Exellent at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

There are three available with K900 LSA (LX03 HCE) and N900 LSA (LX03 HCG) and P900 LSA (LX03 HCL) being for sale.

And the same person on Ebay is also selling an ex CT Plus owned Mercedes Benz Citaro bus for slightly less at £9,750.00 for it:

Mercedes Citaro Articulated Bus 130 Passengers With Standees 6 Cylinder Turbo | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mercedes Citaro Articulated Bus 130 Passengers With Standees 6 Cylinder Turbo at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

There is one available with LX03 HCF being the vehicle.

It is interesting that the Wright Streetcar is going for over three times as much as the Mercedes Benz Citaro buses are. I thought it would have been the opposite way round as the Wright Streetcar are such unique buses that are unlikely to attract much interest. But i suppose if any bus enthusiasts are interested it would be a good one to buy for preservation.

 

[318266]

Wright Streetcar reg CU57 AJY (19034) is for sale for £29,995.00 on Ebay currently.

It is interesting that the Wright Streetcar is going for over three times as much as the Mercedes Benz Citaro buses are. I thought it would have been the opposite way round as the Wright Streetcar are such unique buses that are unlikely to attract much interest. But i suppose if any bus enthusiasts are interested it would be a good one to buy for preservation.

No one is going to buy that for 30 grand. For a 2007 B7LA with at least a £20k markup I struggle to figure out how they reached that figure.

 

[RJ]

I know the seller in question and they know their market having sold many artics over the last few years.

 

[PG]

I know the seller in question and they know their market having sold many artics over the last few years.

Also look at the mileage on that bus - at 125,000 it's barely been used.

 

[volvob12]

I know the seller in question and they know their market having sold many artics over the last few years.

Have they actually sold any? The same 30 odd bendies just seem to have been moved around various yards in Avonmouth, before moving to their current location.

 

[RJ]

Have they actually sold any? The same 30 odd bendies just seem to have been moved around various yards in Avonmouth, before moving to their current location.

They started with 242 of them!