Robertj21a
On Moderation
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 7,520
There's got to be some cash in the factory equiptment, ADL / Plaxton / whoever picks the sellable products and ditches the rest of the Optare stuff.
Why would they bother ?
There's got to be some cash in the factory equiptment, ADL / Plaxton / whoever picks the sellable products and ditches the rest of the Optare stuff.
Agreed. ADL are proposing workforce reductions trying to coax UK Govt into placing the orders they have hinted they would to support the industry. I don't see what ADL could possibly gain from purchasing Optare.
The only thing Optare has which ADL doesn't is a domesticly-sourced electric vehicle (although I don't know where Optare gets its batteries from). (ADL sources its battery chassis from BYD in China.) If there was any political fall-out between the UK and China (e.g. Huawei, source of Covid etc), then ADL may want to look for a domestic producer, e.g. Optare.
Even Optare's?But pretty much all battery technology is Chinese......
Exactly. To pay for one ageing design and some secondhand tooling that you flog off for less than it costs to buy it? Er no!Why would they bother ?
Yep, back in 2011, so at one point they were definitely interested in taking them out.ADL at one point tried to buy Optare but quickly back tracked when Ashok Leyland refused to sell their shares. I recall it was overtly mentioned on the ADL website at the time.
i don't work in the industry, have next to no technical knowledge but I do wonder why there are so many older Solos still in service?
I wouldn't say some, I would say in most cases, there is a lack of alternative. Look at the routes which Solos run on. Most of them don't carry many passengers (else bigger buses would be put on) or make much money. The Solo is also handy for areas which are quite tight with it having the wheel forward configuration and having the slimline.I think in some cases it's simply a lack of alternatives.
Older 2nd hand Solos aren't expensive and the shorter ones can more or less go wherever Merc minibuses could.
They can't as they have no support network in Ireland which is required.Did Optare miss a trick by not winning the Irish contract which went to ADL when Wright was in difficulties? That would have been a massive boost for them and would have enabled them to enter the mass market.
But nor did ADL to any great extent!They can't as they have no support network in Ireland which is required.
Yes you're right! Believe they are using a contractorBut nor did ADL to any great extent!
But that was 2012, not now.Optare managed to build 33 Solos relatively quickly for LibertyBus to take over Jerseys Bus Network back in, I think, 2012.
LibertyBus operate 35 Solos, 2 more arrived a couple of years ago to replace Fiat Ducato/Bluebird Orions. They also have some Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointers/Caetona Nimbus in Service, so I imagine if HCT win the next Jersey Tender they would possibly replace some remaining Darts with more Solos, which could be another relatively large order for Optare.
Interestingly LibertyBus chose Alexander Dennis Enviro400s for their Double Deckers. I'd have thought they'd have standardised on Optare Products, was the MetroDecker not yet available in 2012? They have since trialled the Electric MetroDecker.
Indeed. Lead times are now 12 months and over.But that was 2012, not now.
There have been a number built for export which don't appear on the blotw lists, there was an order for 94 Solos for Dubai for which were in production last year and there was over a hundred vehicles for New Zealand in 2018/19 as well.Indeed. Lead times are now 12 months and over.
Odd considering looking at Bus Lists On The Web, less than 100 Solos have been built in 2 years!
Dubai and New Zealand are worryingly closer to India than the UK .There have been a number built for export which don't appear on the blotw lists, there was an order for 94 Solos for Dubai for which were in production last year and there was over a hundred vehicles for New Zealand in 2018/19 as well.
But that was 2012, not now.
Ah right - I knew there were some for export but assumed they were in the built/not traced status. How does that work with serial numbers though??There have been a number built for export which don't appear on the blotw lists, there was an order for 94 Solos for Dubai for which were in production last year and there was over a hundred vehicles for New Zealand in 2018/19 as well.
the dearth of new Solos for the major groups is also quite noticeable.