Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

[Eyersey468]

Might be slightly off topic, but if you work say at the Falkirk plant for ADL, can you drive completed vehicles or chassis round the factory on a car licence or do they prefer you to have an appropriate licence?

Aa it's private land legally they could drive completed vehicles round the factory without a PSV licence, that said whether ADL want all staff to be licence holders I have no idea

 

[GusB]

Might be slightly off topic, but if you work say at the Falkirk plant for ADL, can you drive completed vehicles or chassis round the factory on a car licence or do they prefer you to have an appropriate licence?

As it's private land legally they could drive completed vehicles round the factory without a PSV licence. That said, whether ADL want all staff to be licence holders I have no idea.

If it's private land there may be no requirement for a full PCV licence, but from a health and safety point of view I'd imagine there would be some kind of training in the handling of larger vehicles. I don't have any specific knowledge, but I assume some of their staff will be involved in the delivery of new vehicles anyway, so they would have the appropriate qualification.

 

[Brooke]

If it's private land there may be no requirement for a full PCV licence, but from a health and safety point of view I'd imagine there would be some kind of training in the handling of larger vehicles. I don't have any specific knowledge, but I assume some of their staff will be involved in the delivery of new vehicles anyway, so they would have they appropriate qualification.

It’s off topic, but this is exactly how it was when I worked in the trucking industry. When I was in a small company, we shunted trucks around the site regardless what licence we had. Then in a much bigger company, I could legally have driven artics around since there was no public access, but in practice I didn’t / couldn’t since i only had a rigid licence and H&S, insurance, etc mandated having the appropriate qualification.

 

[507021]

As I'm in Wales at the moment, I thought I'd head to Newport to sample the Yutong E12s.

I have to say, I think they're a lot better than the BYD/Enviro200 combination. I can see why more operators are ordering the Yutong instead.

 

[MotCO]

As I'm in Wales at the moment, I thought I'd head to Newport to sample the Yutong E12s.

I have to say, I think they're a lot better than the BYD/Enviro200 combination. I can see why more operators are ordering the Yutong instead.

Better in what way?

 

[507021]

Better in what way?

Compared to the BYD/Enviro200s in my area, the Yutongs feel more solid and have better ride quality.

I drove the former for a living up until last month. They've been back to the manufacturer for warranty work twice and they're not even four years old yet.

 

[Volvodart]

Alexander Dennis, Wrightbus, Switch Mobility etc. are supposed to be exhibiting at Farnborough next week:-

https://www.itthub.co.uk/

 

[Goldfish62]

Compared to the BYD/Enviro200s in my area, the Yutongs feel more solid and have better ride quality.

I drove the former for a living up until last month. They've been back to the manufacturer for warranty work twice and they're not even four years old yet.

Has the warranty work been principally on the bodywork or chassis?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I spotted on ADL Facebook page this morning that they have delivered 21 Scania enviros for service 10 in Cheltenham. Have they finally resolve their differences about buying this chassis or is it a bespoke special order and a somewhat grudging acceptance that these are most definitely better for pelting down dual carriageways

 

[Jordan Adam]

I spotted on ADL Facebook page this morning that they have delivered 21 Scania enviros for service 10 in Cheltenham. Have they finally resolve their differences about buying this chassis or is it a bespoke special order and a somewhat grudging acceptance that these are most definitely better for pelting down dual carriageways

The issue in the past was because Stagecoach wanted E-Fans and Scania wouldn't factory fit them. They're now being converted to E-Fans by an external contractor on delivery.

I wouldn't really say the Scanias are any better at higher speeds when compared to a standard Cummins E400MMC with a ZF box, they both put out practically the same torque/horsepower, the Scania engine is larger however it only has 5 cylinders whereas the Cummins units are 6. Even the newer Voith E400MMCs (Post 68 plate) could hardly be considered slouches.

If anything it perhaps should say something that Stagecoach Highland's have had to swap their Scania/E300s for standard integral Enviro300s on the 25X/X98 as the Scanias couldn't cope with the route and were proving highly unreliable.

 

[cnjb8]

I spotted on ADL Facebook page this morning that they have delivered 21 Scania enviros for service 10 in Cheltenham. Have they finally resolve their differences about buying this chassis or is it a bespoke special order and a somewhat grudging acceptance that these are most definitely better for pelting down dual carriageways

What do you mean by differences?
Stagecoach seemed to be put off by Scanias hard to source parts, but they seem to have changed their mind.

 

[507021]

Has the warranty work been principally on the bodywork or chassis?

It was for the bodywork on both occasions.

 

[Goldfish62]

It was for the bodywork on both occasions.

Doesn't surprise me, given that I understand BYD has a pretty good reputation.

The 12m E200EVs on London routes 507 and 521 are rattling like hell now. You can almost see the bodywork flexing. I wonder if this is why the double deck version has full bonded glazing to add rigidity.

 

[MotCO]

Doesn't surprise me, given that I understand BYD has a pretty good reputation.

The 12m E200EVs on London routes 507 and 521 are rattling like hell now. You can almost see the bodywork flexing. I wonder if this is why the double deck version has full bonded glazing to add rigidity.

Presumably the weight of the batteries on the roof does not help. Double deckers have batteries under the stairs etc.

 

[Goldfish62]

Presumably the weight of the batteries on the roof does not help. Double deckers have batteries under the stairs etc.

Exactly my thoughts. Bonded windows on the single decks would probably reduce the flexing, but as it's offered many operators understandably prefer the quick release glazing system for ease and speed of changing glass.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

If anything it perhaps should say something that Stagecoach Highland's have had to swap their Scania/E300s for standard integral Enviro300s on the 25X/X98 as the Scanias couldn't cope with the route and were proving highly unreliable.

And yet Stagecoach Wales have Scanias on their 172 Aberdare to Porthcawl route precisely to cope with the demands of that route and some very steep climbs, and the X4 which is a long route with bits of high speed running. They also have a few ADL e300s (but they did sack off the MANs....not surprisingly)

 

[cnjb8]

And yet Stagecoach Wales have Scanias on their 172 Aberdare to Porthcawl route precisely to cope with the demands of that route and some very steep climbs, and the X4 which is a long route with bits of high speed running. They also have a few ADL e300s (but they did sack off the MANs....not surprisingly)

And some of those MANs went to Highlands, although they are awaiting disposal

 

[Jordan Adam]

And some of those MANs went to Highlands, although they are awaiting disposal

Most ended up at Bluebird eventually. Of those that came to Scotland only the four Cummins examples (22780/81/85/91) and 22790 at Highland are still going.

 

[MotCO]

And yet Stagecoach Wales have Scanias on their 172 Aberdare to Porthcawl route precisely to cope with the demands of that route and some very steep climbs, and the X4 which is a long route with bits of high speed running. They also have a few ADL e300s (but they did sack off the MANs....not surprisingly)

I'd always thought that Scania engines were best for long distance routes rather than stop-start routes - hence Stagecoach Gold double deckers tended to be Scania 400s etc.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I'd always thought that Scania engines were best for long distance routes rather than stop-start routes - hence Stagecoach Gold double deckers tended to be Scania 400s etc.

It's more down to gearing. The Scanias are all ZF whereas Stagecoach's integral ADLs are Voith, ADL offer a variant of the E400MMC with a different rear axle that's specifically designed geared for running at high speeds.

 

[Volvodart]

Alexander Dennis, Wrightbus, Switch Mobility etc. are supposed to be exhibiting at Farnborough next week:-

See nine Zero Emission Yutong vehicles at ITT Hub next week

https://pelicanyutong.co.uk/see-nine-zero-emission-yutong-vehicles-at-itt-hub-next-week/See nine Zero Emission Yutong vehicles at ITT Hub next week

This time next week we will be exhibiting at ITT Hub 2021 – The Innovation & Technology in Transport show at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. We are really looking forward to meeting everyone at this free-to-attend event on 30th June – 1st July.

We will have nine vehicles in total at the show, including six different customers vehicles from across England, Scotland and Wales. This demonstrates the countrywide appeal of our state-of-the-art vehicles.

All the vehicles have been completed in the UK by Pelican.

Come and visit us on stand 11.

Register for your free ticket if you haven’t already done so.

See you there!

 

[507021]

Doesn't surprise me, given that I understand BYD has a pretty good reputation.

The 12m E200EVs on London routes 507 and 521 are rattling like hell now. You can almost see the bodywork flexing. I wonder if this is why the double deck version has full bonded glazing to add rigidity.

I can't fault the BYD driveline at all, but the bodywork is absolutely dreadful.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I should get a shot on a byd vehicle easily enough locally now Lothian buses have 4 of the double deck options in service on route 10. It's such a shame that what sounds like a good quality driveline is let down by my cheap as chips bodywork, and I really thought ADL were meant to be better these days

 

[MotCO]

I can't fault the BYD driveline at all, but the bodywork is absolutely dreadful.

My earlier comment might help explain this.

Presumably the weight of the batteries on the roof does not help. Double deckers have batteries under the stairs etc.

What I don't understand is why, when presumably the BYD chassis was specially designed to carry batteries, the batteries were not designed to be carried by the chassis rather than on the roof. If Arrival can do it, why can't BYD?

 

[Goldfish62]

B

My earlier comment might help explain this.



What I don't understand is why, when presumably the BYD chassis was specially designed to carry batteries, the batteries were not designed to be carried by the chassis rather than on the roof. If Arrival can do it, why can't BYD?

BYD carries the batteries on the roof regardless of whether it uses its own bodywork or ADL bodywork.

 

[cnjb8]

ADL did make changes to its E200EV bodywork about a year ago, so that the whole top of the vehicle has the batteries if that makes sense.
Old style:

High Voltage

Making a guest appearance at the Go-Coach 10th Anniversary Gala was Go-Ahead London SEe67 LJ67 DKO an example of the future being an all electric bus. It is seen here on a special run following the event in the unlikely surroundings of Otford Pond! Sunday 27th May 2018. Austin Blackburn the...

www.flickr.com

New style:

Go Ahead London SEe116 Enviro 200EV LF20 XMY 20th March 2020 M18

Explore asdofdsa's 12244 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Credit to the photographers

 

[Mikey C]

BYD carries the batteries on the roof regardless of whether it uses its own bodywork or ADL bodywork.

The double deck BYD chassis doesn't though, so it's not as if they have to have the batteries up there

 

[Robertj21a]

Most ended up at Bluebird eventually. Of those that came to Scotland only the four Cummins examples (22780/81/85/91) and 22790 at Highland are still going.

Any idea what was the real problem with those MANs? - Across Europe, and in the trucking world, MAN is very popular.

 

[MotCO]

B

BYD carries the batteries on the roof regardless of whether it uses its own bodywork or ADL bodywork.

Yes, but why aren't the batteries attached to the chassis (as Arrival have done); they have put the extra weight high up, adding further stresses to the body which could destabilise it and make the body rattle?

 

[37114]

Any idea what was the real problem with those MANs? - Across Europe, and in the trucking world, MAN is very popular.

MAN had an issue with a certain Engine model which initially they refused to accept liability for which was partly to blame for their falling out of favour and hence why the ones retained are Cummins engined.