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Wellglade Group

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S&W of Alexander Dennis, N&E of Wrightbus
Thought that given the significant overlap that it would be a good idea to have a thread for general Wellglade matters.

On that matter, I've heard reports of 715 moving to Kinchbus. Given the standard of information at bustimes is sub-par, is this confirmed or just rumours?
 
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RailUK Forums

liamf656

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Thought that given the significant overlap that it would be a good idea to have a thread for general Wellglade matters.

On that matter, I've heard reports of 715 moving to Kinchbus. Given the standard of information at bustimes is sub-par, is this confirmed or just rumours?
Just for the benefit of enthusiasts outside the area that's 715 moving from Trent to Kinch. I believe it's correct, as 716 is in use there. 735 has gone the other way to Trent's Derby depot
 

liamf656

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The X38 timetable is now up in the trentbarton website, coming into effect on 31st August
 

Bungle965

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Just to confirm that this thread has been reopened, and the existing separate threads will be closed with the exception of TM Travel which will carry on normal (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tm-travel-news.249944/page-2)

The aim here is to ensure that people viewing this thread from outside the area can easily pickup what is happening therefore please refrain from using codes to describe things without having first spelt them out first (in the same post)
Also please ensure that this isn’t turning into a discussion as to where xyz bus is each day. .

Hopefully this is clear but in case of any ambiguity please do not hesitate to reach out to either myself, @NorthOxonian or any of the other Global Mods
 

joieman

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As I mentioned on the previous Kinchbus thread just before this thread was reopened, rumour has it that Kinchbus's Optare Solo 7 had a fire and is withdrawn as a result.
On BusTimes it was tracking in a single spot on Gotham Road between Gotham and Kingston-on-Soar (on the Rushcliffe DRT) for nearly twenty minutes.
 

SSmith2009

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As I mentioned on the previous Kinchbus thread just before this thread was reopened, rumour has it that Kinchbus's Optare Solo 7 had a fire and is withdrawn as a result.
On BusTimes it was tracking in a single spot on Gotham Road between Gotham and Kingston-on-Soar (on the Rushcliffe DRT) for nearly twenty minutes.
Very likely as its 17 years old now, only seems like yesterday when they arrived.
 

Davidsb3

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Just for the benefit of enthusiasts outside the area that's 715 moving from Trent to Kinch. I believe it's correct, as 716 is in use there. 735 has gone the other way to Trent's Derby depot
This is very much correct 716 and 715 went to kinch and we got 735 at Derby depot
 

joieman

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Passed by the Kinchbus depot today on a long walk. Wright Solars 650 and 651 have disappeared, presumably having been taken for scrap. At the front of the depot was Wright Eclipse 715, with Optare Solo 7 behind, the latter of which had a visibly blackened rear end, as seen from the bridge behind the depot.
 

Trainman40083

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Passed by the Kinchbus depot today on a long walk. Wright Solars 650 and 651 have disappeared, presumably having been taken for scrap. At the front of the depot was Wright Eclipse 715, with Optare Solo 7 behind, the latter of which had a visibly blackened rear end, as seen from the bridge behind the depot.
Can Kinchbus manage without a slimline Solo, until the new electric buses arrive?
 

joieman

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They put 501 on sprint the other day so maybe a solo sr would make do?
Once the full sprint timetable resumes it may be a struggle but I'm sure 478/479 have been onto sprint before
Regular-sized Solos appear on the Sprint plenty often. A couple of months ago, though, I had the treat of riding one of Notts+Derby's ex-Lothian Eclipse Geminis on the campus shuttle for the university open day. So, the situation is not ideal, but perfectly manageable.
Wonder what electrics they're going for as it's gone a bit quiet on that front.
Certainly not Mellors, that's a given.
 

Trainman40083

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Regular-sized Solos appear on the Sprint plenty often. A couple of months ago, though, I had the treat of riding one of Notts+Derby's ex-Lothian Eclipse Geminis on the campus shuttle for the university open day. So, the situation is not ideal, but perfectly manageable.

Certainly not Mellors, that's a given.
I thought they only bought ADLs these days.
 

joieman

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I thought they only bought ADLs these days.
Well, Wellglade have only been buying ADLs since 2016. Wellglade have floated around other manufacturers as well, with Wright's being bought from 2003 to 2009, Optare Solos from around 2000 up until around 2015 and Optare Versa from 2012 to 2014. Then they bought that one batch of Volvo B8RLEs but for some reason didn't get more and went full on with the Enviros.
Trentbarton did try an ADL demonstrator on the H1, but on a BYD chassis (so therefore half-Chinese) and the electric buses for Derby never materialised. The ADL-bodied BYDs are going out of production soon, and the new integral Enviro200EV isn't due to come out quite just yet and they might not want to wait very long for a large single-decker bus from ADL.
 

Trainman40083

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Well, Wellglade have only been buying ADLs since 2016. Wellglade have floated around other manufacturers as well, with Wright's being bought from 2003 to 2009, Optare Solos from around 2000 up until around 2015 and Optare Versa from 2012 to 2014. Then they bought that one batch of Volvo B8RLEs but for some reason didn't get more and went full on with the Enviros.
Trentbarton did try an ADL demonstrator on the H1, but on a BYD chassis (so therefore half-Chinese) and the electric buses for Derby never materialised. The ADL-bodied BYDs are going out of production soon, and the new integral Enviro200EV isn't due to come out quite just yet and they might not want to wait very long for a large single-decker bus from ADL.
At one point, we thought there would be Wright bodied, hydrogen buses for the Sixes and Skylink services. But the BSIP bid was not successful.
 

Qwerty133

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Regular-sized Solos appear on the Sprint plenty often. A couple of months ago, though, I had the treat of riding one of Notts+Derby's ex-Lothian Eclipse Geminis on the campus shuttle for the university open day. So, the situation is not ideal, but perfectly manageable.

Certainly not Mellors, that's a given.
It’s certainly manageable to have non slimline solos on the sprint but it wouldn’t be manageable to run a full service on all routes without something transferring to Kinch. They are currently using at least one of the sprint buses on other routes most days so realistically they need at least 2 additional vehicles before the university returns if they want any hope of being able to run a full service somewhat reliably.
 

m79900

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I'd personally like to see new diesel Solos (now they're back in production) for town/short distance routes, and Volvo Evoras for long 'cross country' routes like Sixes/Comet/Swift.

Like 2009 all over again!

(I'm banking on synthetic/biofuels being the future, hence chosing diesels)
 

joieman

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It’s certainly manageable to have non slimline solos on the sprint but it wouldn’t be manageable to run a full service on all routes without something transferring to Kinch. They are currently using at least one of the sprint buses on other routes most days so realistically they need at least 2 additional vehicles before the university returns if they want any hope of being able to run a full service somewhat reliably.
The slimline Solos certainly have their work cut out, often having to cover for the Sprinter minibuses or the Versas!
 
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Trainman40083

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The slimline Solos certainly have their work cut out, often having to cover for the Sprinter minibuses or the Versas1
Even the odd working on the Skylink Derby. It does seem like 17 years since they first entered service on the Allestree service covering for Solos 460 to 465 whilst they were refurbished.
 

M60lad

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Are there any plans to replace the Volvos on Comet with newer vehicles maybe more MMC200s or has been said Evora's?
 

MCR247

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Are there any plans to replace the Volvos on Comet with newer vehicles maybe more MMC200s or has been said Evora's?
I doubt Comet would get any brand new vehicles. As for replacing the Volvos with E200 MMCs, the Volvos are actually probably more suited to it
 

Trainman40083

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They're brilliant! I had a chat with one of the Comet drivers who showed me 748's odometer; 1,500,000+ miles!
You buy quality, you get quality. It ticks the value for money box.

316 appears to have entered service this afternoon, the last 24 plate to do so.

Trentbarton Optare Solo and Notts and Derby Volvo Plaxton Centro have left Derby for scrap.
 
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Does anyone know where MMCs 101-106 are going. Someone said before they were going to the Calverton to replace the Volvo's, but I wouldn't think they would do that.

Basically, does anyone know what will happen.
 

Mr TrainGuy

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Does anyone know where MMCs 101-106 are going. Someone said before they were going to the Calverton to replace the Volvo's, but I wouldn't think they would do that.

Basically, does anyone know what will happen.
Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't listen to anything any of these people are saying, as it is all speculation by people that persumably don't know what they're talking about. No one is sure at this point apart from possibly internal people/workers so I would just wait for now until we have more confirmation. There are plenty of ways these vehicles could go with current public info.
 

liamf656

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Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't listen to anything any of these people are saying, as it is all speculation by people that persumably don't know what they're talking about.
Bit hostile! There are some employees in this forum who do have knowledge and info
 

Mr TrainGuy

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Yeah I didn't mean exclusively on this forum. Apologies if it came out a bit hostile, just a lot of other non-trusted people outside of this forum I have also seen have been discussing it.
 

bringiton

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Bit hostile! There are some employees in this forum who do have knowledge and info
In my opinion, its really not, the only people ive really seen speculating is enthusiasts and not drivers. Not to mention on bustimes part of the mickleover fleet and 110 (for some reason) got changed to calverton livery when they had only been off the road for a day or two. Theres about ten different places ive seen people saying they could go, when no doubt they will probably end up somewhere completely different to what most people are speculating. I'd say just wait and see, they will most likely be the top of the priority list be repainted so no doubt it'll be evident soon enough
 

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