• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both 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.

GusB

Established Member
Joined
9 Jul 2016
Messages
7,408
Location
Elginshire
What's happening with the Zoo-branded 26s now, are they going to be de-branded?
According to this article, the buses were branded as part of a three-year partnership with the Zoo; the article is dated September 2017 and so three years would take it to September 2020. Is a new deal likely to be reached, eg for keeping the branding and dedicating the buses to the 31 route, or removing it and branding some XLBs? Would the de-branded B5s then just be used as a common fleet with the other remaining B5s?
We're in September 2020!
 
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
1,284
Location
Scotland
What's happening with the Zoo-branded 26s now, are they going to be de-branded?
According to this article, the buses were branded as part of a three-year partnership with the Zoo; the article is dated September 2017 and so three years would take it to September 2020. Is a new deal likely to be reached, eg for keeping the branding and dedicating the buses to the 31 route, or removing it and branding some XLBs? Would the de-branded B5s then just be used as a common fleet with the other remaining B5s?
The idea was that the 26 was due new buses this year and those that were currently on it (apologies for the oxymoron) would be unbranded.
 

computerSaysNo

Established Member
Joined
14 Dec 2018
Messages
1,441
We're in September 2020!
That's the point! :lol:
The idea was that the 26 was due new buses this year and those that were currently on it (apologies for the oxymoron) would be unbranded.
Ahh okay.

Hopefully any new buses would be dual door XLBs, as these seem more suitable than single door B5s for routes like the 26 which are busy even off-peak (on the Seaton Sands services anyway, I've not used the Tranent services so I don't know what the loadings are like on them).
 

scosutsut

Member
Joined
1 Jan 2019
Messages
1,011
Location
scosutsut
The idea was that the 26 was due new buses this year and those that were currently on it (apologies for the oxymoron) would be unbranded.
IIRC last time they cascaded the branded buses being replaced on the 26 to the 31 which also passes the zoo and took their time repainting them as it didn't matter.
 

CN04NRJ

Established Member
Joined
28 Nov 2019
Messages
1,852
Location
UK
Just passed 814 and another unidentified B7TL in convoy on the M6, obviously being delivered fresh from repaint in a very smart green/dark green livery with cream relief. Not sure what operator they were for but definitely not Green Bus' livery.

Also, anyone know if there's a date for the new buses to start going into service?
 

Lothiangem22

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2019
Messages
160
Presumably with the PVR increase from the 13th and recent vehicle sales it must be getting tight for vehicle allocations.
I don’t think they will be far off being ready for service
 

ScotRail158725

Established Member
Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,429
Just passed 814 and another unidentified B7TL in convoy on the M6, obviously being delivered fresh from repaint in a very smart green/dark green livery with cream relief. Not sure what operator they were for but definitely not Green Bus' livery.
Seaford & District?
 

CN04NRJ

Established Member
Joined
28 Nov 2019
Messages
1,852
Location
UK
Just passed 825 heading south on the A74 as well. Looks like they're going thick and fast.
 

OmniCity999

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2018
Messages
1,284
Location
Scotland
Presumably with the PVR increase from the 13th and recent vehicle sales it must be getting tight for vehicle allocations.
I don’t think they will be far off being ready for service

its almost as if the company are selling loads of doubles so that when the new singles come they can run double deck routes with loads of singles so as to keep staff in work...

Wouldnt surprise me - new management are... interesting.
 

scosutsut

Member
Joined
1 Jan 2019
Messages
1,011
Location
scosutsut
its almost as if the company are selling loads of doubles so that when the new singles come they can run double deck routes with loads of singles so as to keep staff in work...
There does seem to be a disparity in what's leaving to what's known to be coming in. So something has to give?

Singles on double routes, PVR or route gouging. Or shutting another subsidiary (however recent repaints / transfers seem to all but rule the latter out)
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,610
Location
Aberdeen
I could be wrong but the move of one of the 7900H's to Livingston would suggest that they're considering converting the X27 and X28 to single deck operation, i'd assume they've just moved one of them now for trial purposes ahead of the new singles entering service on the 30. This would allow some Geminis to move back in to the main Lothian fleet. Then again Gemini 443 has allegedly just been put in to LC colours.

The 275/276/280/281 could be converted back to single deck operation as there's really not any demand for deckers and it does seem a waste of resources. I understand that the 275 has deckers due to clearance issues in Wester Inch but it can't be that much of a problem given B7RLEs have done the route a number of times before.

It'll be interesting to see how things change going forward especially with the new management in place, and if any routes get converted to single deck operation in the city. Whenever i've been in Edinburgh i have found that the use of deckers on certain routes seemed unnecessary and that a single decker would manage fine.
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,610
Location
Aberdeen
All the native B9's have voith on them...

their all also built and maintained exactly the same, so perform exactly the same.

That's not always true though, especially as vehicles age. You get some where the gearbox is louder, others that are slower pulling off etc.
 

sqrtc

Member
Joined
5 Mar 2017
Messages
26
(..) Then again Gemini 443 has allegedly just been put in to LC colours. (..)

I could have sworn I passed 443 being towed when I passed Saughton Park tonight, might have caught the wrong number. Was still in Lothian City colours.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top