Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

[cnjb8]

I'm reasonably sure the most recent batches for Manchester, for example, have been pure diesel.

Over a year and a half ago, see post 1,230

 

[py_megapixel]

Over a year and a half ago, see post 1,230

Sorry... almost a year with very little use of buses at all has thrown me off a bit with regard to certain vehicles' age!

 

[cnjb8]

Sorry... almost a year with very little use of buses at all has thrown me off a bit with regard to certain vehicles' age!

No problem, I think everything’s thrown off at the moment!

 

[Snow1964]

Stagecoach are still buying quite a few, aren't they? I guess not from Optare though. I'm not sure what even was the last decker they bought that wasn't an E400MMC!

14101-14147 which were delivered earlier this year for Stagecoach London are E400 City not MMC (and there are 25 more on order)

There are also 22 on order for Aberdeen which also has the City style body (as all E400EV are that type and not MMCs)

 

[py_megapixel]

14101-14147 which were delivered earlier this year for Stagecoach London are E400 City not MMC (and there are 25 more on order)

There is also 22 on order for Aberdeen which also has the City style body (as all E400EV are that type and not MMCs)

Ah yes I'd forgotten about the City style bodywork.

 

[Swanny200]

Out of interest what is the visual differences between the MMC and the City?

 

[GALLANTON]

Out of interest what is the visual differences between the MMC and the City?

The front and back end of the bus and the glass stair case on the majority of them.

 

[MotCO]

The front and back end of the bus and the glass stair case on the majority of them.

And a few £000s

 

[KendalKing]

I must say I massively prefer the MMC to what it replaced.
The original E400s seemed to take any opportunity to rattle and clunk, there was far too much engine noise in the passenger cabin (especially the lower deck) and the ride was atrocious, except on the hybrids which felt pretty smooth. Their Wright contemporaries were much nicer.

From a passenger perspective the MMCs are a revelation and beat not only older buses but also probably the StreetDeck - especially now Stagecoach have stopped speccing them with that awful beachball interior* which felt like a Ryanair-Easyjet hybrid - the blue one is much nicer
Obviously this isn't the fault of the MMC design, and other operators of E400MMCs are available.

It's not surprising they've sold well.

Judging by how many bangs and rattles the 68 and 19 registered 400MMC's, have that are operated by Stagecoach in North Lancashire, I am very very surprised that they haven't drop to bits yet.

 

[busesrusuk]

Out of interest what is the visual differences between the MMC and the City?

Here are a couple of pics as a guide:

MMC:
East Yorkshire 925 Sept 20 | York, Sep 2020 | Keith Wood | Flickr
Brighton & Hove 342 Apr21 | Old Steine, Apr 2021 | Keith Wood | Flickr

City:
GAL Ee33 June 20 | Stoke Newington, Jun 2020 | Keith Wood | Flickr
Reading Bus 706 Apr21 | Reading Station, Apr 2021 | Flickr

 

[cnjb8]

Judging by how many bangs and rattles the 68 and 19 registered 400MMC's, have that are operated by Stagecoach in North Lancashire, I am very very surprised that they haven't drop to bits yet.

The ride quality on the TrentBarton 66-plate E200MMCs are so rattly. Even the 20-plates are quite rattly. The Versas they replaced were less rattly

 

[F Great Eastern]

Volvo have now apparently discontinued the B5TL in the UK and Ireland.

Their sole double deck offering in these markets is now said to be the B8L which is a tri-axle chassis.

Volvo have removed any hint of a two axle double deck chassis from their UK website so that would concur with what I have heard.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Volvo have removed any hint of a two axle double deck chassis from their UK website.

So are MCV no longer building UK EvoSetis?

 

[py_megapixel]

For two-axle internal combustion engine (ICE) double decks, does that now leave only the StreetDeck and the various incarnations of Enviro 400, or is there something else I'm forgetting?

 

[507021]

For two-axle internal combustion engine (ICE) double decks, does that now leave only the StreetDeck and the various incarnations of Enviro 400, or is there something else I'm forgetting?

I'd say the MetroDecker, but has anyone actually bought any?

 

[GusB]

I'd say the MetroDecker, but has anyone actually bought any?

There's no sign of it on the Optare website now; it's only the Metrocity and Solo that are showing there. It's only on the Switch Mobility site, which is electric vehicles only.

 

[507021]

There's no sign of it on the Optare website now; it's only the Metrocity and Solo that are showing there. It's only on the Switch Mobility site, which is electric vehicles only.

I can't say I'm surprised, I don't think sales of the diesel variant made it out of single digits.

 

[hst43102]

Volvo have now apparently discontinued the B5TL in the UK and Ireland.

Their sole double deck offering in these markets is now said to be the B8L which is a tri-axle chassis.

Volvo have removed any hint of a two axle double deck chassis from their UK website so that would concur with what I have heard.

Interesting, Lothian have only just taken delivery of the MMC B5TLs. Looks like those will become yet another uncommon type of vehicle.

 

[F Great Eastern]

For two-axle internal combustion engine (ICE) double decks, does that now leave only the StreetDeck and the various incarnations of Enviro 400, or is there something else I'm forgetting?

Scania Fencer F9 is supposedly coming in the future, but we'll have to see if it actually does arrive or not.

 

[MotCO]

I can't say I'm surprised, I don't think sales of the diesel variant made it out of single digits.

I think the only ones sold were the two of the five ordered by Reading Buses for GreenLine work but subsequently cancelled and sold to Johnson Bros. Were any others sold? I think there were a couple of demonstators, one single doored and one double doored, but I think they are still with Optare.

Scania Fencer F9 is supposedly coming in the future, but we'll have to see if it actually does arrive or not.

Are Scania still offering chassis for bodying by ADL?

 

[LOL The Irony]

I think the only ones sold were the two of the five ordered by Reading Buses for GreenLine work but subsequently cancelled and sold to Johnson Bros. Were any others sold? I think there were a couple of demonstators, one single doored and one double doored, but I think they are still with Optare.



Are Scania still offering chassis for bodying by ADL?

Last time I checked, they were both promoting Scania biogas buses.

 

[hst43102]

Are Scania still offering chassis for bodying by ADL?

Stagecoach West just took delivery of 21 N250UD / MMCs.

 

[507021]

I think the only ones sold were the two of the five ordered by Reading Buses for GreenLine work but subsequently cancelled and sold to Johnson Bros. Were any others sold? I think there were a couple of demonstators, one single doored and one double doored, but I think they are still with Optare.

Other than the examples you've mentioned, I don't think there were.

That's quite a bit short of Optare's target of 100 sales in the first eighteen months of production!

 

[37114]

Volvo have now apparently discontinued the B5TL in the UK and Ireland.

Their sole double deck offering in these markets is now said to be the B8L which is a tri-axle chassis.

Volvo have removed any hint of a two axle double deck chassis from their UK website so that would concur with what I have heard.

Other than Lothian did anyone else buy Volvo B5TLs in the last few years? Dublin have switched to ADL, London has gone electric and presumably Lothian will move away from pure Diesel in the next few years.

 

[507021]

Other than Lothian did anyone else buy Volvo B5TLs in the last few years? Dublin have switched to ADL, London has gone electric and presumably Lothian will move away from pure Diesel in the next few years.

Bus Vannin bought two B5TLs, but weren't particularly impressed by them.

 

[hst43102]

Other than Lothian did anyone else buy Volvo B5TLs in the last few years? Dublin have switched to ADL, London has gone electric and presumably Lothian will move away from pure Diesel in the next few years.

Delaine Buses of Bourne has a few.

 

[busesrusuk]

Is this the first time that Volvo haven't offered a double deck chassis since the Ailsa was introduced in the 70's?

Are they still offering the B5 hybrid decker?

 

[F Great Eastern]

Is this the first time that Volvo haven't offered a double deck chassis since the Ailsa was introduced in the 70's?

Are they still offering the B5 hybrid decker?

They still are offering a three axle double deck chassis.

 

[busesrusuk]

They still are offering a three axle double deck chassis.

Of course - silly me!

 

[hst43102]

I wonder if Volvo is developing a fully electric decker chassis? They produce electric single deckers, and ADL-BYD seems to have near monopolized the EV decker segment.