First Greater Glasgow

[route101]

Seen pictures of them on the 88,89 and X3 so far. Never been on one of them before but they do look like pretty good buses to use as a passenger

Been on them a couple of times, try and use public transport if coming back from airport as taxi is £30. I usually travel by myself. But late at night its taxi.

I think they suit dark colours like blue, green or black, never been on a normal specification one, though you see fair few down south.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Been on them a couple of times, try and use public transport if coming back from airport as taxi is £30. I usually travel by myself. But late at night its taxi.

I think they suit dark colours like blue, green or black, never been on a normal specification one, though you see fair few down south.

The spec is practically the same just doesn't have tables and the luggage racks have been replaced with more seats and it's the same Glasgow Airport embroidered seats as well.

 

[route101]

The spec is practically the same just doesn't have tables and the luggage racks have been replaced with more seats and it's the same Glasgow Airport embroidered seats as well.

Yes, I have seen e400citys with normal seats down south. They're still the only examples in Scotland.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Yes, I have seen e400citys with normal seats down south. Still only examples in Scotland.

Aye I think the majority of E400City's are Gas Scanias down south as well, probably a nicer drive.

 

[Rgy88]

X3 and 88 were routes I seen them on, so depends if First No 1 get their hands on one.

I can't imagine they'll be visiting castlemilk on my local routes the 5 or 75
That shape of bus would have looked beyond minted in either 3 of those heritage colours

 

[route101]

Aye I think the majority of E400City's are Gas Scannys down south as well, probably a nicer drive.

Can't imagine they'll be visiting castlemilk on my local routes the 5 or 75
That shape of bus would have looked beyond minted in either 3 of those heritage colours

Yes, I purple is not the best colour for them.

 

[lastbus]

It's all one fleet now anyway so anything can be used on any route if required.

I'm not sure about that as the buses on NO1 routes should be running on NO1 ops discs and the NO2 routes on the NO2 discs. Drivers should be checking the bus has the correct ops disc as part of their walk round check. Yes any vehicle can be used but it should have the correct ops disc for the operating company.

 

[cnjb8]

Aye I think the majority of E400City's are Gas Scanias down south as well, probably a nicer drive.

Not really, I'd say it's about half gas and half diesel or hybrid here in England. I believe that Dundee is recieving some E400EVs with a City body though

 

[Jordan Adam]

Not really, I'd say it's about half gas and half diesel or hybrid here in England. I believe that Dundee is recieving some E400EVs with a City body though

The City body is the norm for BYD/E400EVs.

National Express West Midlands BYD D8UR-DD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 EV E007 (LF20 XOH) 'Moneypenny'

Albert Street, Birmingham Vehicle History - New to Yardley Wood 3/20

www.flickr.com

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Been on a few of the e400 City vehicles that are operated by First West of England on both city and inter-urban services in North Bristol.

They are certainly quieter, and the seats are reasonable (blue & green moquette) so not bad. However, and I think it might be exacerbated by the lack of handrails/stanchions in the top deck, they do make all sorts of squeaks and creaks and more than the equivalent standard e400mmc. That might be because the engine noise doesn't disguise it as much but I don't know.

Should First Glasgow decide to go for alternative power (e.g. EV or gas) for the next batches, fair enough? If it's another slew of diesels in 2022, then I'm not seeing why they'd go for something other than mmc's.

 

[cnjb8]

The City body is the norm for BYD/E400EVs.

National Express West Midlands BYD D8UR-DD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 EV E007 (LF20 XOH) 'Moneypenny'

Albert Street, Birmingham Vehicle History - New to Yardley Wood 3/20

www.flickr.com

Yes that's what I meant

 

[route101]

Wouldn't mind seeing some cities on normal routes. I suppose they would want to keep the fleet uniform with MMCs

 

[experts]

Been on a few of the e400 City vehicles that are operated by First West of England on both city and inter-urban services in North Bristol.

They are certainly quieter, and the seats are reasonable (blue & green moquette) so not bad. However, and I think it might be exacerbated by the lack of handrails/stanchions in the top deck, they do make all sorts of squeaks and creaks and more than the equivalent standard e400mmc. That might be because the engine noise doesn't disguise it as much but I don't know.

Should First Glasgow decide to go for alternative power (e.g. EV or gas) for the next batches, fair enough? If it's another slew of diesels in 2022, then I'm not seeing why they'd go for something other than mmc's.

no more diesels for First Glasgow. All alternative fuels to come.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

The E400City design would add some variety to Glasgow. It’ll be interesting to see what buses we start to get once they stop ordering diesels. I wonder if we’ll see Hydrogen Streetdecks like Aberdeen.

 

[cnjb8]

The E400City design would add some variety to Glasgow. It’ll be interesting to see what buses we start to get once they stop ordering diesels. I wonder if we’ll see Hydrogen Streetdecks like Aberdeen.

Erm, the variety is there, they do already have E400City buses

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Erm, the variety is there, they do already have E400City buses

I mean outwith just the airport buses.

 

[route101]

I saw one of the ex-airport E400Citys being towed out of Buchannan Bus Station yesterday.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Noticed a few B9TLs heading North on the M73 the last couple of week. One today was being towed and the others travelled by themselves. Unusual to see First buses in that direction especially B9TLs does anyone know if they’re going for conversion?

 

[route101]

Noticed a few B9TLs heading North on the M73 the last couple of week. One today was being towed and the others travelled by themselves. Unusual to see First buses in that direction especially B9TLs does anyone know if they’re going for conversion?

Perhaps to Cummins plant near Cumbernauld?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Perhaps to Cummins plant near Cumbernauld?

Noticed a few B9TLs heading North on the M73 the last couple of week. One today was being towed and the others travelled by themselves. Unusual to see First buses in that direction especially B9TLs does anyone know if they’re going for conversion?

I very highly doubt Volvo B9TLs are going to the Cummins plant! If they need engine work they'll either go to Volvo, Renault Trucks (Subsidiary of Volvo) or another external contractor. Given they've been spotted on the M73 it'll likely be Atlas Engines in Bonnybridge who First regularly send vehicles to for major engine work.

 

[lastbus]

Noticed a few B9TLs heading North on the M73 the last couple of week. One today was being towed and the others travelled by themselves. Unusual to see First buses in that direction especially B9TLs does anyone know if they’re going for conversion?

Off to Larbert for Euro 6 upgrades.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Thank you! I had an idea it may be this. Interesting they’re converting their B9TLs I genuinely thought they wouldn’t have bothered doing them.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Thank you! I had an idea it may be this. Interesting they’re converting their B9TLs I genuinely thought they wouldn’t have bothered doing them.

They're going to need them due to the pandemic. Money won't be flowing like it normally is in the company.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thank you! I had an idea it may be this. Interesting they’re converting their B9TLs I genuinely thought they wouldn’t have bothered doing them.

Even before the pandemic, we knew the B9s would need converting. They probably have another 5/6 years life in them.

Did you mean B7TLs? There are c.110 B7TLs (and Tridents) and along with the B7RLEs, their replacement will be the priority and so the B9s will be around for a while longer.

 

[Volvodart]

They have to be around for 5 years anyway as part of the funding.

 

[route101]

The B9TLs are still pretty new to me. The oldest ones will be 07 plates and the youngest 09. The B7TLS feel solid and have a few years left in them too. Hopefully we'll get a decker order.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

The refurbished B9TLs look as good as new but the oldest ones are now 14 years old and if kept for 5/6 more years will be 19/20 years old by the time they are withdrawn. I wasn’t sure whether First would bother. I understand there are younger Geminis too though.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The refurbished B9TLs look as good as new but the oldest ones are now 14 years old and if kept for 5/6 more years will be 19/20 years old by the time they are withdrawn. I wasn’t sure whether First would bother. I understand there are younger Geminis too though.

Deckers have typically been worked to an economic life of 17 years and usually longer. That vehicles have to work to 19/20 is going to be the case going forward; already First are repainting 02 plate Tridents in Norwich. Covid has obviously impacted travel patterns and new vehicle orders so we will have to see what the network ends up looking like and if a number of non-compliant vehicles will simply go as a consequence of post-Covid service rationalisation.

 

[route101]

When you look at the Ailsas and Atlanteans , they nearly made 25 years in service. It seems to have decreased now; theoldest bus is nearly 19 years old in the First Glasgow fleet.

 

[scosutsut]

When you look at the Ailsas and Atlanteans , they nearly made 25 years in service. It seems to have decreased now; theoldest bus is nearly 19 years old in the First Glasgow fleet.

I'd say they don't make them like they used to but PSVAR then emissions and date I say customer expectations have all been factors in reducing lifecycles.