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Which bus do you dislike most, and why?

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MrGrumpy

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I've never had an issue with the Solos. They were a big improvement over the front-engined Mercedes minibuses I had to endure before. I suppose it's all relative, really.

Ironically, Stagecoach East Kent replaced Solos on the C around Ashford with front-engined minibuses!

I will also say that the Solos that Stagecoach SE have are terrible. Loud, slow and like an oven.
 
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LiftFan

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The only solo I have been on that I liked was YJ06 YSG as it has a much nicer interior and the engine seemed to have more life in it.
 

SpacePhoenix

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I've never had an issue with the Solos. They were a big improvement over the front-engined Mercedes minibuses I had to endure before. I suppose it's all relative, really.

Me neither. Locally I believe that Morebus/Damory/Salisbury Reds have now retired all their original Solos. There was a few cases of drivers catching the kerb when they were first introduced in the late 90s.

Morebus back when they were as one company with Salisbury Reds as Wilts & Dorset had some buses 2nd hand from a bus company somewhere iirc Manchester way. The double deckers they had to give quite high revs when reversing. Only reason I can think of is perhaps they were used on a partial motorway route and maybe the high revs when reversing was part of the trade-off for motorway performance
 

Observer

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The only solo I have been on that I liked was YJ06 YSG as it has a much nicer interior and the engine seemed to have more life in it.
Because it is fitted with a Cummins engine (usually six cylinder in Solos) rather than the standard Mercedes option. They are very powerful and can go very quick.
 

pemma

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I've never had an issue with the Solos. They were a big improvement over the front-engined Mercedes minibuses I had to endure before. I suppose it's all relative, really.

It also depends on the age and spec of the Solo. The 13 reg M970SR's which D&G Bus operate are comfortable and provide a good ride quality. The 54 reg Cheshire Connect Solos which GHA Coaches used to operate were horrible.
 

pemma

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Do not mention Urban 90 seats, the man who created those needs shot. Alot of people might hate Wrightbus Streetlite, but alas there very good on the fuel...

The bus I hate the most.... Gardner engine Leyland Olympian, cramp, slow and awful just awful.

Whatever seats were used on this bus: https://photos.smugmug.com/LondonExiles/Ex-Capital-Citybus/i-kHrbj6Q/0/XL/168-L888TTT-XL.jpg were the worst I've ever been on.

A poor design of seats doesn't automatically make the type of bus bad though if other buses have different seating types. Some of the Stagecoach Enviro 400s used in Manchester have terrible seating but there's Enviro 400s used by other operators which have much better seating.
 

J-2739

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Whatever seats were used on this bus: https://photos.smugmug.com/LondonExiles/Ex-Capital-Citybus/i-kHrbj6Q/0/XL/168-L888TTT-XL.jpg were the worst I've ever been on.

A poor design of seats doesn't automatically make the type of bus bad though if other buses have different seating types. Some of the Stagecoach Enviro 400s used in Manchester have terrible seating but there's Enviro 400s used by other operators which have much better seating.

They had loads of them buses in West Yorkshire, but they're gone. Seeing pictures of them give nostalgic vibes.

Do the Enviro's at Mancs have normal Stagecoach seating? Cause they've always felt okay to me.
 

pemma

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They had loads of them buses in West Yorkshire, but they're gone. Seeing pictures of them give nostalgic vibes.

L888 YTT and L888 TTT had two non-standard seat types. One had yellow seats with red padding and the other had grey and green seats which were very poorly designed - no proper padding, no proper leg room and it was impossible to sit in them with a normal posture. The one I linked to had the latter but had a couple of pairs of seats replaced by the yellow type. According to one site L888 TTT was the first ever Volvo Olympian.
 
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J-2739

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L888 YTT and L888 TTT had their seats replaced by two unusual types. One had yellow seats with red padding and the other had grey and green seats which were very poorly designed - no proper padding, no proper leg room and it was impossible to sit in them with a normal posture. The one I linked to had the latter but had a couple of pairs of seats replaced by the yellow type.

Those yellow ones look nasty AF. :-x
 

90019

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This wheeled turd.


(Y183CFS)

No power, no torque, no kickdown, rattly bodywork with bits that would occasionally fall off, and just generally slow and crap to drive.
 
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Strathclyder

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Because it is fitted with a Cummins engine (usually six cylinder in Solos) rather than the standard Mercedes option. They are very powerful and can go very quick.
First Glasgow operate at least four Cummins-engined Solos (53201-204). All of them go like the clappers with one heck of a kick to them; way more life in them than the far more numerous Mercedes-engined examples they operate.
 

sk688

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Sorry just had to add one more

An e400 that I have had the misfortune to ride , is T199 ( SN08 AAE ) Of Arriva London Garston , for 142/258 ( can also be on the 340 )

This bus is AWFUL . It is the worst bus I have had the " pleasure " to ride , due to it smelling awful inside , the engine roars to high heaven ( esp on a hilly route like the 258 ) , the interior is awful ( no refurbishment at all in 9 years ) , as well as the fact that it is in old , faded Arriva colours , both inside and outside . It also looks rotten , even from the outside

AN awful bus ,simply awful

And dont forget the rattles , worse than any other ADL product

I know it sounds hyperbolic , but it is honestly that bad . Arriva need to sort it out

search


I have attached a photo ( NOT MINE ) . It doesnt look good , even externally , does it ?
 
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infobleep

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The one that doesn't turn up for any reason or the several delayed in traffic that leaves a gap in the service. Or the one you board that then takes as long or almost as long as if you'd walked instead.

I'm also not keen on any bus going over 40 mph when I have to stand. I am thinking of busy rail replacement buses here. Normal service buses don't seem to have long stretches at such great speeds.
 

F Great Eastern

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507021

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Without any shadow of doubt the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 45. Diabolical ride quality, rock hard seats and extremely slow.

DAFs are good to drive, and I think from a passenger's point of view they're pretty good too, depending on the body. I personally prefer DAFs with East Lancs bodywork, although I know a lot of people who disagree with me. It's just personal taste I suppose, and it's been interesting to read the different opinions shared in this thread so far.
 

Teflon Lettuce

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Sorry just had to add one more

An e400 that I have had the misfortune to ride , is T199 ( SN08 AAE ) Of Arriva London Garston , for 142/258 ( can also be on the 340 )

This bus is AWFUL . It is the worst bus I have had the " pleasure " to ride , due to it smelling awful inside , the engine roars to high heaven ( esp on a hilly route like the 258 ) , the interior is awful ( no refurbishment at all in 9 years ) , as well as the fact that it is in old , faded Arriva colours , both inside and outside . It also looks rotten , even from the outside

AN awful bus ,simply awful

And dont forget the rattles , worse than any other ADL product

I know it sounds hyperbolic , but it is honestly that bad . Arriva need to sort it out

search


I have attached a photo ( NOT MINE ) . It doesnt look good , even externally , does it ?

...or send it to Stevenage to help solve their problems there? :D
 

TheEscapist_

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This wheeled turd.


(Y183CFS)

No power, no torque, no kickdown, rattly bodywork with bits that would occasionally fall off, and just generally slow and crap to drive.



Take that any day over the hybrid buses that are on the 1 now. I hate them, feels like they have no suspension (need that on Edinburghs roads!), rock hard seats and the worst things to be on for an hour.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

infobleep

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Don't come to MK, then...the vast majority of routes run most of their length on 60/70mph roads.
Are they packed with people staying as they go at 60 / 70 mph? I can't imagine a single decker Stagecoach bus going at that speed.
 

Lrd

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Are they packed with people staying as they go at 60 / 70 mph? I can't imagine a single decker Stagecoach bus going at that speed.
Buses and coaches are restricted to 62mph. Most service buses tend to be limited to about 50mph.

Although one batch of E200s that I used to drive weren't limited so running dead back down the motorway in the middle of the night was great. (Let's just say they went over 70)
 

Bletchleyite

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Are they packed with people staying as they go at 60 / 70 mph? I can't imagine a single decker Stagecoach bus going at that speed.

They rarely go that fast in practice (that's just the speed limits on the roads (edit: for cars - buses are 10mph lower I think)) but they certainly do operate on those roads flat-out with standing passengers, yes.
 
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infobleep

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They rarely go that fast in practice (that's just the speed limits on the roads) but they certainly do operate on those roads flat-out with standing passengers, yes.
No thanks then! Haha

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DaveHarries

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What buses do I dislike most, and why? Well....

- Enviro200s (non-MMC): lack of legroom on many of the seats bar the ones at the front of the vehicle. (I can't speak for the MMC version of the Enviro200 as I have never travelled on one but they do look a good bus IMO.)

- StreetDecks: not a nice looking bus. Also, judging by the ones I have used on the 70/71 in Bristol, lacking power.

Dave
 

vicbury

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17 Mar 2012
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What buses do I dislike most, and why? Well....

- Enviro200s (non-MMC): lack of legroom on many of the seats bar the ones at the front of the vehicle. (I can't speak for the MMC version of the Enviro200 as I have never travelled on one but they do look a good bus IMO.)

- StreetDecks: not a nice looking bus. Also, judging by the ones I have used on the 70/71 in Bristol, lacking power.

Dave

With the StreetDecks it doesn't seem to be so much that they lack power more that the gearboxes are set up overly-efficiently. When they actually hold a gear going uphill they move fairly well.
 

fowler9

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The bus that takes me to work, whatever model. Closely followed by anything with Urban 90 seats.
 

NoMorePacers

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ALX 400: As a bus, they're not bad, but the ones in Hull were absolutely knackered. No maintenance at all. They were dirty, cramped and in bad need of repair. If they were served properly, then they were quite nice, but Stagecoach opted to boot the lot out for the new Enviro City buses.
 

507021

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The bus that takes me to work, whatever model. Closely followed by anything with Urban 90 seats.

The Arriva buses operated around your neck of the woods are either Commanders (CX06), ALX400s (CX55/06), Gemini 2s (MX61), Enviro400s (DK64/SK15) or Gemini 3 Hybrids (BT66/BW66/BV17) mate. If it's none of those, let me know the first part of registration and I can tell you what it is (if you're interested, lol).

I think Urban 90s are okay, but it depends what they're used on and how long you sit on them for. I find they're alright on the DAF/East Lancs combination, but on the Dennis Dart they're diabolically poor.
 
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