There's 23 E400 Diesels and 10 E400 Hybrids. The Enviro400MMCs from 68 plate onwards are also low height variants, however low height E400MMCs (13ft 10) are 1 inch taller than low height "classic" E400s (13ft 9) as such are not suitable for the 6 as the maximum height under the bridge is 13ft 9.
I think the only real option at the moment if they want to put new deckers on the 6 would be to swap the routes of the 4 and 6 round so the 6 operates via Cartside Street.
The low bridge at Clydebank has a clearance of 13ft 6 so low height E400s wouldn't fit under anyway, i don't think there's any deckers on the UK market that low. There were plans pre-covid to reroute the 1/1A/1B/1E to follow the route of the 1D west of Clydebank to avoid the low bridge, this would also coincide with new E400MMCs for the route. However given they're currently repainting both E300 and Geminis allocated to the corridor it's safe to assume that won't be happening anymore.
Its the bridge at Busby which determines the low height deckers on the route. The 6 route down Holmlea Road and onto Battlefield features no bridges. The 1 route had E400MMCs, were they rerouted last year?
Can anyone confirm exactly how many low height Enviro 400's there are in the First Glasgow fleet, and how many vehicles are required for the 6?.
I know these buses where specifically purchased for the then 66, but now that the Mountblow section has been axed does the 6 still require the same amount of buses or is there a surplus which could be deployed elsewhere?
Over the past few months I have travelled on these vehicles on the 34A a few times between Queens Park and Govan and I must say that I have found them to be a welcome addition. I am not saying it would be wise to convert the 34/A to full decker operation but if there is a surplus then branding 3 or 4 of them for the 34/A would be a nice touch and help with capacity issues at peak times.
The "one" is another route which could benefit from a few deckers on it. I was once told by a driver that the Clydebank bridge was the reason why that route was restricted to single deckers. I don't even know though if a low height decker is low enough for the bridge?. Obviously there isn't enough low height Enviro 400's in the Glasgow fleet to cover the "one" but if there where similar examples on the 2nd market or ones which could be cascaded from elsewhere, having a few on the peak time "one's" would definitely be welcome.
Not sure the 34A is still seeing the low height E400S at the moment. I did see a few on the 2 last Saturday. The Southside section of the 6 is busier. Its been quiet, though when I've got a 6 from Town afternoon/evening it has been getting busier.
The low heights on the 6 should stay on the 6, will be needed when passengers come back. Not sure if the hybrid E400s are coming back.
Prior to Covid the 6 was mainly made up on B7RLEs and E300s. The E400s were being used on other routes out of Caledonia and Scotstoun. They have become more regular on the 6 again due to social distancing. I don’t know how long they’ll stay on that route once things start to return to “normal” whatever that may be.
As for the 1, there was talk on here a while back about them altering the route to accommodate E400MMCs but then Covid struck and I presume they scrapped that idea what with them branding the E300s. It’s a route which I always felt had to be looked at. It used to get crazy busy for the majority of the day but in particular peak times. The E300s and even B9TLs were standing room only by the time they got to Charing Cross. Deckers would have been a good shout but of course post pandemic who knows what passenger numbers will return to and I understand them not wanting to take such a big risk like that.
6 is a right mix of single deckers. Manky B7RLES, Gutless E300 and E200MMCs. There always has been the low height E400s on the 6, just less of them now.
I feel like the next 2 weeks will be pretty telling with passenger numbers.
We get more freedom regarding travelling for leisure purposes on Friday and then non-essential retail reopens on the 26th. That should definitely lead to buses being busier.
I imagine the 1s will be absolutely fine going forward regarding passenger numbers. It would take one of the most drastic passenger drops I've ever come across for them to be quiet across most of the route.
The 6 however is a route I'm not as sure about. I understand why more single deckers have become a thing over the last year or two. Even pre pandemic it could be pretty quiet. It's nowhere near as busy as it used to be some 5/6 years back.
Yes, the 6 has been quiet, it should pick up from now on ( It already has). I have no problem using buses and trains, the challenge is getting the message to passengers that think the bus/train is unsafe.
