Favorite bus and operator - Page 2

trentside · 22nd February 2012, 08:20

Marshall's of Sutton on Trent are my favourite operator. A small, friendly, family firm running an immaculate fleet of buses and coaches. They've taken on a lot of work other operators didn't want, such as the 90 between Newark and Nottingham and turned it around into a successful service.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trentsi...in/photostream

ollieb · 22nd February 2012, 08:59

Stagecoach Southwest and the scania Enviro 400's

Heinz57 · 22nd February 2012, 14:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdq

On to uni in the early 90s I remember being incredibly impressed by the first Dart I went on. Compared to the normal stock of Bristol LHs and Leyland Nationals it was unbelievably smooth, quiet and brisk.

The Darts are pretty good vehicles. Smooth and comfortable. And they look good too

BestWestern · 22nd February 2012, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heinz57

The Darts are pretty good vehicles. Smooth and comfortable. And they look good too

Ex-London ones are gutless as hell though

Always found the Dart to be a bit of a dull drive to be honest, never felt like a 'proper' bus. Personal favourite would be the Firstgroup standard-spec Volvo B10BLE with the superb Wright Renown body, genuinely excellent motors and still going strong across the board. Also fond of the afore-mentioned Stagecoach B10Ms and their Alexander Olympians.

150222 · 22nd February 2012, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by radamfi

There is the vehicle type MCW Metrobus, the modern day bus company Metrobus operating in south London, Surrey and Sussex (part of the Go-Ahead group) and the historic Metrobus which was the bus operations of West Yorkshire PTE until 1986 (strapline: 'The easiest way from here to there in West Yorkshire')

Yep, meant the MCW Metrobus' operated by Halifax Joint Commitee. (See atachment. NOTE: Not my photo.) Around 30 vehicles entered the fleet from London Transport in the late 1990's. A few of which are still in use today!

Schnellzug · 22nd February 2012, 15:15

The Metrobus did have its good points; it had pretty good peformance for a Gardner engine, and decent ride quality. But (those of certain London operators, particularly), they could get in a dreadful clonky and rattly state. I'd deliberately try to avoid a, say, London General or Metroline ex London Northern one.
One other that I would suggest would be the Leyland Titan; now that was a very well designed Bus. Excellent ride quality and loads of space.

VTPreston_Tez · 22nd February 2012, 20:07

X53, First in Dorset. When you get a good driver the West Bay-Chickerell leg of the route is actually wild and adrenaline-pumping!
The 31 is more frequent and has great rail links but lacks in many other areas, also having a leg similar to the X53's killer leg!
Also there's Preston Bus, my local useless bus service. Ever since my local bus (also the 31!) extended to Lea, the journey from Savick to the City Centre takes just short of 35 minutes, up to an hour in some cases! It used to take 9 minutes, but oh well. I still love 'em. The Orbital (88A/88C) route is classic, serves my school, and most of the major places in Preston but the 20:22 from Black Bull served by 88A is always late! Still love the ride though, especially at night.

beermaddavep · 23rd February 2012, 23:38

Favourite bus- ECW Bristol RE, nothing will ever sound as good as one of those again.

Favourite company is much more difficult, maybe Go ahead group, or East Yorkshire?

185 · 23rd February 2012, 23:58

All hail the beast....

Stonesourscotty · 24th February 2012, 00:57

Very Simple my favourite bus is Arriva 1050-61

This is 1057 seen on a former St Helens route 362 now renumbered 352 and rarely used on the route the buses are fast nippy and have very well padded seats. They where new to Northwestern Skelmersdale Depot since closed for the 311 Service and are by far the best Scania's on earth! (Believe me they are great machines...) It is currently about to be withdrawn by SH when newer cheapo nasty wright Streetlights arrive unfortunately this will be further degradation of Arriva in the local area after numerous darts and pulsars arrived over the past few years as the streetlights are horrible small and rattley even when new and will be my last time using Arriva St Helens depot apart from attending St Helens beer fest once a year as i will be walking or Using Arriva Southport Northern rail or FirstWigan nightbuses from now on.

Favourite operator is Wellglade because everytime i visit the East midlands or Manchester they run there buses to such a high standard nothing i use in the northwest compare to them

Schnellzug · 25th February 2012, 07:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by causton

My favourite in terms of I try and use them as much as possible are Uno, with their relatively clean buses, cheap fares compared to Arriva, wide variety of routes and good selection of buses! Sure, the timetables are sometimes awful:
- extended running times meaning drivers deliberately leave late and make up time so much they are early by the end
- not enough running time so drivers deliberately leave early and are still late in the congested nightmare that is St Albans
- when the London trains arrive at 16 and 46 past the hour and their buses leave at 15 and 45 past the hour, and I'm always on the 46 arrival so I miss the bus

talking of Uno, i lived in the Watford/St Albans vicinity for a while, and while they were never my favourite opertor (i can vouch for their casual attitude to timetables

), what they had then that made for it in entertainment value was the Blue Birds, American built things based on typical American school buses. They were built like battleships (literally, the interiors were all aluminium plating and exposed rivets), and they had basically Dart drivelines, Cummins 6BTA/Allison, but U.S. spec, rated at 210 hp, and boy they could shift. On faster sections of road like the Watford & St Albans bypasses they could get up to <strictly within the legal limit, of course>.

Not bad ride quality, too, for steel suspension, and they sounded rather impressive too.

Heinz57 · 25th February 2012, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by BestWestern

Always found the Dart to be a bit of a dull drive to be honest, never felt like a 'proper' bus.

For that 'proper bus' feel, I think its got to be a Wright Solar Scania. There's just something about it that gives it that feel.

150222 · 25th February 2012, 23:00

I'm a fan of First West Yorkshire's Wright bodied Volvo B10BLE's. Brilliant engine noise.

ajax103 · 26th February 2012, 00:17

Anyone by Stagecoach in Peterborough - Have found First Eastern Counties to be much more value for money even before I joined First.

Stonesourscotty · 26th February 2012, 17:03

If you Like the Solars you'd love The Paladins i posted they have a great high ride quality almost coach like and can really shift...

As for B10BLE's i find them good but some are great especially the Y-CSF batch found allover the country. Arriva's 2701-30 batch of B10BLE are in dire need of a mid life rebuild.

22nd February 2012, 08:20	#16
trentside Established Member Join Date: 14 Aug 2010 Posts: 1,886	Marshall's of Sutton on Trent are my favourite operator. A small, friendly, family firm running an immaculate fleet of buses and coaches. They've taken on a lot of work other operators didn't want, such as the 90 between Newark and Nottingham and turned it around into a successful service. http://www.flickr.com/photos/trentsi...in/photostream __________________ My Flickr Site \| My FlightDiary

24th February 2012, 00:57	#25
Stonesourscotty Member Join Date: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 394	Very Simple my favourite bus is Arriva 1050-61 This is 1057 seen on a former St Helens route 362 now renumbered 352 and rarely used on the route the buses are fast nippy and have very well padded seats. They where new to Northwestern Skelmersdale Depot since closed for the 311 Service and are by far the best Scania's on earth! (Believe me they are great machines...) It is currently about to be withdrawn by SH when newer cheapo nasty wright Streetlights arrive unfortunately this will be further degradation of Arriva in the local area after numerous darts and pulsars arrived over the past few years as the streetlights are horrible small and rattley even when new and will be my last time using Arriva St Helens depot apart from attending St Helens beer fest once a year as i will be walking or Using Arriva Southport Northern rail or FirstWigan nightbuses from now on. Favourite operator is Wellglade because everytime i visit the East midlands or Manchester they run there buses to such a high standard nothing i use in the northwest compare to them Last edited by Stonesourscotty; 24th February 2012 at 00:58. Reason: Picture didnt work

26th February 2012, 00:17	#29
ajax103 Established Member Join Date: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 4,277	Anyone by Stagecoach in Peterborough - Have found First Eastern Counties to be much more value for money even before I joined First. __________________ Platform Dispatcher of the Year 2008 \| Honorary Saltley Man \| Birdsong Radio - A peaceful Dawn Chorus broadcast live over the internet

22nd February 2012, 08:59	#17
ollieb Member Join Date: 21 Mar 2011 Location: Tiverton,Devon Posts: 672	Stagecoach Southwest and the scania Enviro 400's

22nd February 2012, 15:15	#21
Schnellzug le Petit Train Jaune Established Member Join Date: 22 Aug 2011 Location: Evercreech Junction Posts: 2,926	The Metrobus did have its good points; it had pretty good peformance for a Gardner engine, and decent ride quality. But (those of certain London operators, particularly), they could get in a dreadful clonky and rattly state. I'd deliberately try to avoid a, say, London General or Metroline ex London Northern one. One other that I would suggest would be the Leyland Titan; now that was a very well designed Bus. Excellent ride quality and loads of space.

22nd February 2012, 20:07	#22
VTPreston_Tez On Moderation Join Date: 26 Jan 2012 Location: Preston Posts: 1,049	X53, First in Dorset. When you get a good driver the West Bay-Chickerell leg of the route is actually wild and adrenaline-pumping! The 31 is more frequent and has great rail links but lacks in many other areas, also having a leg similar to the X53's killer leg! Also there's Preston Bus, my local useless bus service. Ever since my local bus (also the 31!) extended to Lea, the journey from Savick to the City Centre takes just short of 35 minutes, up to an hour in some cases! It used to take 9 minutes, but oh well. I still love 'em. The Orbital (88A/88C) route is classic, serves my school, and most of the major places in Preston but the 20:22 from Black Bull served by 88A is always late! Still love the ride though, especially at night.

23rd February 2012, 23:38	#23
beermaddavep Member Join Date: 11 Dec 2005 Location: East Durham Posts: 352	Favourite bus- ECW Bristol RE, nothing will ever sound as good as one of those again. Favourite company is much more difficult, maybe Go ahead group, or East Yorkshire?

25th February 2012, 23:00	#28
150222 Established Member Join Date: 9 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,002	I'm a fan of First West Yorkshire's Wright bodied Volvo B10BLE's. Brilliant engine noise.

26th February 2012, 17:03	#30
Stonesourscotty Member Join Date: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 394	If you Like the Solars you'd love The Paladins i posted they have a great high ride quality almost coach like and can really shift... As for B10BLE's i find them good but some are great especially the Y-CSF batch found allover the country. Arriva's 2701-30 batch of B10BLE are in dire need of a mid life rebuild.