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Eclipse Gemini vs Gemini
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Edited completely as I was wrong but don't want to leave the confusing post.
My understanding is the Eclipse Gemini 3 is the double decker usually on B5TL or B5LH chassis.
The single deck from the same time period is the Eclipse 3 (on B8RLE chassis) - I assume the Eclipse Gemini name was to try and make them seen as a related "family" of options. Wikipedia states that the Eclipse name was to coincide with the Solar Eclipse in its year of launch.
Most people wouldn't use the "Eclipse" part of the name when talking about the double deckers, instead taking about Eclipse (single deck) and Gemini (double deck) hence when it does appear it is confusing, so much so my original answer to this post got them the wrong way round! Wright have a reasonable history of confusing product names and this demonstrates it nicely!
The GB Hawk and Streetdeck integral single deck and double deck designs offered by Wright's these days appear to have huge amounts in common, in terms of outward design, so it can often be hard to tell at a glance what you are looking at.
If you pop these names into Flickr or Google Imagesearch it should help get a feel for the types and who operates them.
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Grahamk748
Member
I thought the Eclipse name was just dropped to simplify when the 3 came out. Gemini basically being Latin for twin ie twin deck was only used for double decker not single deckers.
Snow1964
Established Member
Thats how I understand it, actually there was a period where Gemini 3 bodies were built with older style Gemini 2 fronts (2013-2015) and the Eclipse part of the name seems to have been dropped during that time.
I think Dublin bus specified the old style front for few more years
gledhill56
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I believe the name variations applied to the type of chassis that was bodied.
Eclipse was for Volvo
Solar was for Scania
Pulsar was for VDL/DAF
Gemini was only added for double deck vehicles.
Eclipse was for Volvo
Solar was for Scania
Pulsar was for VDL/DAF
Gemini was only added for double deck vehicles.
There is a bit of logic to the naming.
When first introduced, Eclipse was the name used for bodies that were built on Volvo chassis. Solar was the equivalent name for bodies built on Scania chassis. Pulsar was used on DAF/VDL.
Then you had the Eclipse Fusion (Volvo) and Solar Fusion (Scania), which were built on articulated chassis.
Gemini was used for double decks, so a Volvo would have an Eclipse Gemini body. There was a Pulsar Gemini as well. Had Wright's built a double deck on Scania chassis, logically it would have been the Solar Gemini.
Removal of the Eclipse name would suggest there isn't a bit of Volvo underneath.
Edit: @gledhill56 posted as I was typing and has confirmed this.
When first introduced, Eclipse was the name used for bodies that were built on Volvo chassis. Solar was the equivalent name for bodies built on Scania chassis. Pulsar was used on DAF/VDL.
Then you had the Eclipse Fusion (Volvo) and Solar Fusion (Scania), which were built on articulated chassis.
Gemini was used for double decks, so a Volvo would have an Eclipse Gemini body. There was a Pulsar Gemini as well. Had Wright's built a double deck on Scania chassis, logically it would have been the Solar Gemini.
Removal of the Eclipse name would suggest there isn't a bit of Volvo underneath.
Edit: @gledhill56 posted as I was typing and has confirmed this.
Thanks so much everyone for clearing the confusion!
I'm new to the forums and buses overall (at least in this sort of sense) and I find it so amazing that there are a lot of people passionate about buses - I know nobody IRL myself who is haha
I'm new to the forums and buses overall (at least in this sort of sense) and I find it so amazing that there are a lot of people passionate about buses - I know nobody IRL myself who is haha
Strathclyder
Established Member
Quite a bit more sense to be made there as opposed to the Wright 'Classic' range.
Oh, and you can add Meridian to that list for the few (well, 28) single-deck bodies Wright built on MAN NL273F chassis in the back half of the 2000s (attached images are my own).
Didn't Wright have some significant issues with marrying the Gemini body to the Scania double-deck chassis of the period (N94 I think it was), thus the Solar Gemini never saw the light of day?
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stevenedin
Member
Lothian have 24 of these types as well.
They had a demonstrator back in 2014 https://www.flickr.com/photos/steveneh8/13976926390/in/dateposted/
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Strathclyder
Established Member
Another factoid that I completely overlooked is that the first Wright-bodied buses for Hong Kong (a total of 100 Volvo B10TLs aka Super Olympians for Kowloon Motor Bus, the first examples entering service in November 2003) had a version of the Gemini body that was known, at least at first, as the Wright Explorer (attached images copyright of gakei.com).
Think it's fair to say that Wright managed the cleanest/best-looking result with the Super Olympian's off-side radiator than either Alexander or Volgern did, though that's likely not saying too much!
The rear-end styling treatment on these particular 'Super Olys' is worthy of note too:
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Jordan Adam
Established Member
The Pre-Facelift Gemini 3 is still built, albeit in fairly limited numbers.
Wrightbuses with the "U" shape windscreen are known as the "Millennium" design, while the more recent ones are the "Stealth" design.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of that story but it is one i've heard before too, supposedly First Scotland East's Scania N94UD East Lancs Omnidekkas were originally to be Wright bodied. Given the N94UD itself is regarded as quite a solid chassis i do wonder what a Wright bodied version would be like given the Omnidekka body isn't exactly the most solid things...
Cesarcollie
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The Pre-Facelift Gemini 3 is still built, albeit in fairly limited numbers.
Wrightbuses with the "U" shape windscreen are known as the "Millennium" design, while the more recent ones are the "Stealth" design.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of that story but it is one i've heard before too, supposedly First Scotland East's Scania N94UD East Lancs Omnidekkas were originally to be Wright bodied. Given the N94UD itself is regarded as quite a solid chassis i do wonder what a Wright bodied version would be like given the Omnidekka body isn't exactly the most solid things...
Nothing wrong with the Omnidekka body. It’s alusuisse construction, similar to Wrights.
What other bodies were produced for the N94UD?The Pre-Facelift Gemini 3 is still built, albeit in fairly limited numbers.
Wrightbuses with the "U" shape windscreen are known as the "Millennium" design, while the more recent ones are the "Stealth" design.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of that story but it is one i've heard before too, supposedly First Scotland East's Scania N94UD East Lancs Omnidekkas were originally to be Wright bodied. Given the N94UD itself is regarded as quite a solid chassis i do wonder what a Wright bodied version would be like given the Omnidekka body isn't exactly the most solid things...
Jordan Adam
Established Member
Except for them being highly prone to structural issues particularly around the rear end. At least two in the First Scotland East batch were withdrawn, off the road for 2-3 years and had to have full rear end rebuilds when only around 6 years old as the entire rear end was essentially coming apart. The Wessex batch were also withdrawn at very short notice a few years back due to corrosion issues.
That aside they're also just highly unpleasant vehicles to travel on as a passenger.
I think the only other examples of N94s in the UK are the one off Castrosua City bodied example and a small number of East Lancs Omnitowns which were essentially just a single deck Omnidekka.
Connexionsbuses: YP52CUU
Connexionsbuses - Scania N94UB / Castrosua City - YP52 CUU seen on Station Parade, Harrogate operating a duplicate journey on service X52 as far as Otley Bus Station on April 29th 2021 This operated with Kings Ferry as their B8, later operating with South West Coaches with the registration L55BUS
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Green Transportation
Nottingham City Transport Scania OmniTown 201 - YN04 AMK calls into the Queen's Medical Centre on route 54 to Arnold. Despite its smart appearance, the end is in sight for this unique batch of vehicles.
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