Blindtraveler
Established Member
Yes it has been a while since anybody ask this question.
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Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)
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LothianBusesPh
Member
Quick Question, what buses do you think will be the next to get the ECB livery, being Volvo B9TL's, (the rest of them,) or the B5TL's?
While 20938 & 20949 have been at Seafield for several weeks, there has been no progress regarding whether they will be heading for paint or not. Any updates will be confirmed. Buses tend to go to Seafield however after one of the previous bus returns from paint (which didn't occur here) and they don't tend to spend a month at Seafield. I'd assume it will be B9's, though.
alexf380
Established Member
938 and 949 are at Seafield for accident repairs. It would certainly be logical to send them for paint once the repairs are completed.
It would indeed, especially now 842 is just about finished. It'd otherwise leave no bus away for paint with ECB.
ScotRail158725
Established Member
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Most likely finish the 10 plate B9s then onto 20001-8
Lothian Buses
On Moderation
What bus is that, Volvo B5LH Single Decker?
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Volvo 7900 hybrid and evora merged, with a very wonky livery. Perhaps an MAN front? Not sure why they could use the perfectly fine B5 image! It does the job though.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
I wonder if if the Lothian will take any interest in the the batch of B5TL Gemini 3 on 15 plates currently coming available on the second-hand market as a result of the collapse of Bournemouth yellow buses?
Graham Alexand
Member
I guess, in theory, they could replace older buses in the non-main fleet, e.g. 928 - 936. However, this idea I've proposed sounds unlikely.
computerSaysNo
Established Member
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- 14 Dec 2018
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- 1,204
What company are these now with? I've been trying to find them on bustimes but am having no luck.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Not entirely sure, all I know is that I read on Facebook that these vehicles are now offered for sale and are in pretty damn good nick for for 7-year old buses and have a decent spec interior
It was stated elsewhere (the demise of Yellow Buses thread I think) that Ensign had been tasked with shipping the full fleet minus the open toppers that More took on.
A quick glance at their sales page and ex YB B7TLs show up on the deckers page but nothing else. I can't imagine they'd struggle to find buyers for modern E6 diesels out there as more and more LEZ and ULEZ zones pop up.
I think the break from tradition with the Bullocks B5LHs (in the swap deal) and the ex London B9TL batches (I'm guessing at an irresistible price when they were upset with Wrightbus over new build quality) will prove to only be temporary and won't reoccur.
For me Lothian's next order - whenever that may be - will tell us where they are at.
Yes, it's only getting more difficult to order pure diesel which they seem to continue to prefer, and after going big on their Euro 5/6 target and reaching it, they haven't been gung ho - and dare I say a little premature - like, say First, in committing not to buying any more diesel.
They appear to have let off from the replace at 13 year old target and I'm assuming the financial reality of current times, plus the unknown need for further fleet cuts has forced them to slip that back to the more recent tradition of 15 years.
You'd be looking at needing increasingly big orders in the 2024-2026 period if that was correct, and any outliers would presumably get picked up along with those as it was felt prudent to do so (841-850 etc)
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
Suspect you may probably be right but as you point out, hefty orders will be needed in about 3 years time if they don't somehow how make small little inroads like the one I suggested into reducing fleet age generally.
You are also correct in as much as the purchase of pure diesel is certainly becoming harder. Yes the likes of ADL continue to offer it it on integrals but as far as I'm aware are the b5 TL chassis is not offered anymore and is no longer manufactured and somehow I don't see Volvo making another pure diesel standard double deck chassis although I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see some more 4xl be coming along on the tri axle
You are also correct in as much as the purchase of pure diesel is certainly becoming harder. Yes the likes of ADL continue to offer it it on integrals but as far as I'm aware are the b5 TL chassis is not offered anymore and is no longer manufactured and somehow I don't see Volvo making another pure diesel standard double deck chassis although I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see some more 4xl be coming along on the tri axle
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
Whilst these would be nice additions to the fleet something would have to depart for this to happen. So unless they are planning on letting go of 201-215 and/or 591-594 then I don’t see what the point of this is, or the chance of it actually happening would be. Given the fact 1141-1142, 1144-1153 are also VOR this further reduces the likelihood of anything being added.
I don't understand why they aren't using 1141-1153! Perfectly good buses - they'd be much more suitable on Centrals single deck routes than the hybrids.
VioletEclipse
Member
Am I right that single deckers usually have a much higher posted standing capacity than double deckers due to it being based on the weight that the chassis can carry?
Lothian_Bus
Member
- Joined
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Don't know if it's just a problem with tracking (or a bigger issue such as driver shortage) but at the moment only 9 buses are showing as out in service on the 44 and only 13 on the 3. Usually on a Saturday these are 14 and 18 respectively.
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
628, 629, 663 and 664 are all out on the 3. Then 601, 656 and 679 are all out on the 44. They’re tracking on bustimes.org but with no allocation so won’t show on the tracker as they haven’t been allocated to the 3 or 44.
Best advice I’d suggest is if the bus isn’t tracking on the app (and is just light grey with *), head onto bustimes.org’s map and see if an in allocated B5TL E400mmc is nearby. That usually (but doesn’t always) solves it. If the journey is missing completely on the app it means it’s cancelled. Sometimes Lothian can forget to remove a cancelled journey from the app though.
Dfatcontroller
Member
Bus and Coach Centre
Now available Choice of 6 Stock Number 430 Volvo B5TL £90000 Plus VAT open to offers Volvo B5TL Volvo ZF Ecolife Mileage 508797kms DOFR 2015-03-24 MOT expiry 2023-03-31 Is it PSVAR Compliant Yes Euro...
www.facebook.com
Now available
Choice of 6
Stock Number 430
Volvo B5TL
£90000 Plus VAT open to offers
Volvo B5TL
Volvo
ZF Ecolife
Mileage 508797kms
DOFR 2015-03-24
MOT expiry 2023-03-31
Is it PSVAR Compliant Yes
Euro Level 6
Seating Capacity 75
Standing Capacity 23
Seatbelts No
Toilet No
Available documents
V5C Yes - Original
COIF Yes - Original
MOT Certificate Yes - Original
DDA/PSVAR Certs
For all photographs please click on link:
430 - BF15 KFG Double decker Yellow – Google Drive
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Please note all information provided above should be checked by any buyers before purchasing
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City Bypass was shut both ways this morning and it caused absolute carnage everywhere. Took me almost an hour from Fairmilehead to Kaimes on an 11.
ScotRail158725
Established Member
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The 11 & 400 were diverting via Liberton Brae and Cluny Gardens between Kaimes and Morningside at one point with the 400 going from there down to Fairmilehead
LothianBusesPh
Member
That would've been her first day back with the new livery then.
842 has not been out yet.
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
I assume this was 844 or 848 as 842 hasn’t yet returned to service following its repaint. It’s currently at Seafield.
Sorry that was from memory, which is famously rubbish and I've binned the ticket so it will remain a mystery!
Just need to have a rant about Lothian Country/Lothian City for the West of Edinburgh 
What doesn't help is when areas like Newbridge (where I work) and Ratho are classed as Edinburgh council but there is only 1 Lothian bus. Pre-COVID there was the 275, X17, X18, X38 for Lothian Country and the 63, 20 for Lothian City. Since COVID happened this has been reduced to just the X18.
Even the X18 has buses that are 15-20 mins late or doesn't even operate at all. Which has happened to me several times in the last few months.
This is fine if there are other Lothian buses I can get, but I am snookered with a Lothian Country Day Ticket if/when it doesn't show up.
Before COVID when there were 6 Lothian buses running along that route I decided to ditch my car and we went down to 1 car. Thankfully I am only required to go to Newbridge twice a week and 1 of the days I might be lucky to get the car. The others I am left then sometimes waiting 45 minutes for the next bus to come along.
Reducing the Lothian buses along "Edinburgh Council" routes mixed with services not operating doesn't make getting a bus as easy or a good alternative. Personally I will not be getting another car due to cost, but something needs to improve, more so considering houses are being built at Ratho Station and the X18 in its current form is not working which isn't itself own fault, its Lothian Buses/County for allowing their routes to be removed and not reintroducing them.
What doesn't help is when areas like Newbridge (where I work) and Ratho are classed as Edinburgh council but there is only 1 Lothian bus. Pre-COVID there was the 275, X17, X18, X38 for Lothian Country and the 63, 20 for Lothian City. Since COVID happened this has been reduced to just the X18.
Even the X18 has buses that are 15-20 mins late or doesn't even operate at all. Which has happened to me several times in the last few months.
This is fine if there are other Lothian buses I can get, but I am snookered with a Lothian Country Day Ticket if/when it doesn't show up.
Before COVID when there were 6 Lothian buses running along that route I decided to ditch my car and we went down to 1 car. Thankfully I am only required to go to Newbridge twice a week and 1 of the days I might be lucky to get the car. The others I am left then sometimes waiting 45 minutes for the next bus to come along.
Reducing the Lothian buses along "Edinburgh Council" routes mixed with services not operating doesn't make getting a bus as easy or a good alternative. Personally I will not be getting another car due to cost, but something needs to improve, more so considering houses are being built at Ratho Station and the X18 in its current form is not working which isn't itself own fault, its Lothian Buses/County for allowing their routes to be removed and not reintroducing them.
stevenedin
Established Member
It’s crazy when you highlight it like that. The best bet would be to get the One Ticket app and buy the Edinburgh Smart zone day ticket at £5.50 it is slightly more expensive than the Lothian day ticket but at least you can get any bus from any bus company.Just need to have a rant about Lothian Country/Lothian City for the West of Edinburgh
What doesn't help is when areas like Newbridge (where I work) and Ratho are classed as Edinburgh council but there is only 1 Lothian bus. Pre-COVID there was the 275, X17, X18, X38 for Lothian Country and the 63, 20 for Lothian City. Since COVID happened this has been reduced to just the X18.
Even the X18 has buses that are 15-20 mins late or doesn't even operate at all. Which has happened to me several times in the last few months.
This is fine if there are other Lothian buses I can get, but I am snookered with a Lothian Country Day Ticket if/when it doesn't show up.
Before COVID when there were 6 Lothian buses running along that route I decided to ditch my car and we went down to 1 car. Thankfully I am only required to go to Newbridge twice a week and 1 of the days I might be lucky to get the car. The others I am left then sometimes waiting 45 minutes for the next bus to come along.
Reducing the Lothian buses along "Edinburgh Council" routes mixed with services not operating doesn't make getting a bus as easy or a good alternative. Personally I will not be getting another car due to cost, but something needs to improve, more so considering houses are being built at Ratho Station and the X18 in its current form is not working which isn't itself own fault, its Lothian Buses/County for allowing their routes to be removed and not reintroducing them.