• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

OmniCity999

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2018
Messages
1,283
Location
Scotland
Just seen on one of those social media pages someone talking about forthcoming deliveries...

Rumour mill is stating 20 new 11.5m Enviro400's for ECB replacing 20794-20800 and 20937-20950.

Appeently 20937-20950 would then go to LCB to replace the Motorcoaches which would go back to motorcoaches.

Apparently more XLB's for the main fleet and some dual doors Enviro 400 B5's for the main fleet to kill off the remaining B7's.

I havent heard anything. Anyone else believe it? Not sure I do...
 
Last edited:

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
Just seen on one of those social media pages someone talking about forthcoming deliveries...

Rumour mill is stating 20 new 11.5m Enviro400's for ECB replacing 20794-20800 and 20937-20950.

Appeently 20937-20950 would then go to LCB to replace the Motorcoaches which would go back to motorcoaches.

Apparently more XLB's for the main fleet and some dual doors Enviro 400 B5's for the main fleet to kill off the remaining B7's.

I havent heard anything. Anyone else believe it? Not sure I do...

I heard they're going to be getting some amphibious Plaxton Interdecks for a new service across the little river to Dunfermline Kirkcaldy, the service would be in direct competition with the FRB(S) and apparently called "Quackian Buses". Not sure how accurate these rumours are but it sounds like a fantastically great idea with no flaws at all, certainly going to get the Beachball Corp panicking!
 

ScotRail158725

Established Member
Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,170
Just seen on one of those social media pages someone talking about forthcoming deliveries...

Rumour mill is stating 20 new 11.5m Enviro400's for ECB replacing 20794-20800 and 20937-20950.

Appeently 20937-20950 would then go to LCB to replace the Motorcoaches which would go back to motorcoaches.

Apparently more XLB's for the main fleet and some dual doors Enviro 400 B5's for the main fleet to kill off the remaining B7's.

I havent heard anything. Anyone else believe it? Not sure I do...
Depends what social media page it is. And id expect if it was true. you, as someone who works for Lothian, to have at least heard something about this before some facebook group
 

ScotRail158725

Established Member
Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,170
I heard they're going to be getting some amphibious Plaxton Interdecks for a new service across the little river to Dunfermline Kirkcaldy, the service would be in direct competition with the FRB(S) and apparently called "Quackian Buses". Not sure how accurate these rumours are but it sounds like a fantastically great idea with no flaws at all, certainly going to get the Beachball Corp panicking!
ahahaha, tbh its better than some of the ideas Lothian Country have come up with lol
 

OmniCity999

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2018
Messages
1,283
Location
Scotland
Depends what social media page it is. And id expect if it was true. you, as someone who works for Lothian, to have at least heard something about this before some facebook group

We're the last to know of any big changes within the company, including new deliveries.

Going by recent deliveries though, it sounds very plausible
 

ScotRail158725

Established Member
Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,170
We're the last to know of any big changes within the company, including new deliveries.

Going by recent deliveries though, it sounds very plausible
dont know why all of 20937-20950 would go considering they’d have too many vehicles. A hint as to if they are is what livery 20942 comes back in
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
To be fair there's been rumours of Lothian getting B5TL/E400MMC's for about 2-3 years now!

I can't see why they'd buy more B5TLs given the already known issues with them. I'm quite honestly surprised Volvo haven't put the D8K on the BxTL chassis yet.
 

Lothian_Bus

Member
Joined
29 Jan 2018
Messages
382
It's the same as "why is there a decker on the 20, 24 or 63?"

Because that's one of the buses that was free
Also, the 22 was a single deck service from 2000 for the best part of a decade so isn't a completely strange thing.

Seeing double deckers on the 61 (like today) does look a bit different. Particularly when navigating around Rutland Street.
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen

cnjb8

Established Member
Joined
26 Feb 2019
Messages
2,113
Location
Nottingham
Just seen on one of those social media pages someone talking about forthcoming deliveries...

Rumour mill is stating 20 new 11.5m Enviro400's for ECB replacing 20794-20800 and 20937-20950.

Appeently 20937-20950 would then go to LCB to replace the Motorcoaches which would go back to motorcoaches.

Apparently more XLB's for the main fleet and some dual doors Enviro 400 B5's for the main fleet to kill off the remaining B7's.

I havent heard anything. Anyone else believe it? Not sure I do...
Are ECBs integral E400s or B5TLs?
 

OmniCity999

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2018
Messages
1,283
Location
Scotland
This isn't confirmed so we don't know if its true, and we also don't know what type it would be.
id hope for just E400 than a volvo product
Volvo, it's a stronger product and is standardised within the fleet. The engineering spares are all Volvo, what would be the point in then opening a different spares shop just including Cummins? Volvo it will stay. Its proved itself.
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
Volvo, it's a stronger product and is standardised within the fleet. The engineering spares are all Volvo, what would be the point in then opening a different spares shop just including Cummins? Volvo it will stay. Its proved itself.

"Stronger product", maybe 10 years ago but i'm not so sure now. That aside for Lothian it makes sense for them to keep buying Volvo if they're happy with the product.
 

Paul Anderson

New Member
Joined
28 May 2019
Messages
3
A Bus company in Kenya has created a new branding named "Lothian Buses". Im not sure about this. It has the Lothian roundel on it and the livery seems to be very similar to the old Airlink Livery. I don't know if Lothian gave them permission or something, but I don't like the look of this. https://www.facebook.com/NeoKenyaMp...395154943034/2518386838277199/?type=3&theater
This article is asking if Neo Kenya are merging with Lothian Buses, and claim they are working in collaboration with Lothian Buses. I'm not convinced they have any grounding for the story.

"It seems Neo Kenya Mpya, which is one of the Kenya Mpya family business breakaway has sold some shares to Lothian."

https://gikuyubulletin.co.ke/is-neo-kenya-mpya-merging-with-uks-lothian-bus-company/
 
Last edited:

scosutsut

Member
Joined
1 Jan 2019
Messages
932
Location
scosutsut
I'd enjoy if the 20 B5TL/E400 rumour for ECB was true but it would surely skew ECBs fleet age profile (and balance sheet out)

I'd send a smaller number over to dump out the B7s and the last two Ex-Arriva B7RLEs allowing a little bit more capacity and flexibility (think a full length X7 journey and the 106 are the only two routes that have to be singles?)

Leave the ex Airlink B9s where they are and that way ECB don't need much until those come up for replacement too?

Saves on yet another repainting bill and also saves LCB from being loaded with an even bigger fleet of 09/10/11 plates that would be due batch replacement at the same time - again something that would cripple the balance sheet.

Send the other brand new B5s directly to LCB instead and even out their age profile a bit and gives you something pretty to stick on your timetables and social media wall.

That's what i'd do anyway!
 

OmniCity999

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2018
Messages
1,283
Location
Scotland
I'd enjoy if the 20 B5TL/E400 rumour for ECB was true but it would surely skew ECBs fleet age profile (and balance sheet out)

I'd send a smaller number over to dump out the B7s and the last two Ex-Arriva B7RLEs allowing a little bit more capacity and flexibility (think a full length X7 journey and the 106 are the only two routes that have to be singles?)

Leave the ex Airlink B9s where they are and that way ECB don't need much until those come up for replacement too?

Saves on yet another repainting bill and also saves LCB from being loaded with an even bigger fleet of 09/10/11 plates that would be due batch replacement at the same time - again something that would cripple the balance sheet.

Send the other brand new B5s directly to LCB instead and even out their age profile a bit and gives you something pretty to stick on your timetables and social media wall.

That's what i'd do anyway!

The company wants new fleet types to be grouped. So if a large order is being made, they'll goto the same brand.

"Stronger product", maybe 10 years ago but i'm not so sure now. That aside for Lothian it makes sense for them to keep buying Volvo if they're happy with the product.

As someone who works for the company and on the Volvo products daily as well as what were Enviro 400 hybrids hybrids we have and previously the Scanias, Darts and tridents, the Volvo chassis and engine product coupled to the various box and axle configurations we have is infinitely stronger, down time is lower and productivity and fuel consumption is better. The only thing that fails the Volvo product in any great number is the body its configured with.

The above is fact stated from internal figures over all of the brands. Some of these can be retrieved from FOI requests and I believe some of it is sent out every April along with the tax year.

Also the Kenya bus company article and branding has been confirmed as fraud by management in internal communications. Press releases are ready and waiting.
 

scosutsut

Member
Joined
1 Jan 2019
Messages
932
Location
scosutsut
The company wants new fleet types to be grouped. So if a large order is being made, they'll goto the same brand.

Makes sense, would leave ECB tantilisingly close to a pure E6 fleet. Assuming the topless Scanias remain withdrawn, it would leave just the B7RLEs.
 

CN04NRJ

Established Member
Joined
28 Nov 2019
Messages
1,711
Location
UK
The company wants new fleet types to be grouped. So if a large order is being made, they'll goto the same brand.



As someone who works for the company and on the Volvo products daily as well as what were Enviro 400 hybrids hybrids we have and previously the Scanias, Darts and tridents, the Volvo chassis and engine product coupled to the various box and axle configurations we have is infinitely stronger, down time is lower and productivity and fuel consumption is better. The only thing that fails the Volvo product in any great number is the body its configured with.

The above is fact stated from internal figures over all of the brands. Some of these can be retrieved from FOI requests and I believe some of it is sent out every April along with the tax year.

Also the Kenya bus company article and branding has been confirmed as fraud by management in internal communications. Press releases are ready and waiting.

What, if anything, will be directly replacing the 04/55 B7RLEs still in use?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top