Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

[nctx]

Where are scania buses produced now?

China . The Scania Fencer range is built by Higer.

 

[Mikey C]

Scania only closed the body factory, they still make bus chassis.

 

[Goldfish62]

Scania only closed the body factory, they still make bus chassis.

They have ceased offering low floor bus chassis. They made the announcement a couple of months ago.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

They have ceased offering low floor bus chassis. They made the announcement a couple of months ago.

No, they did not cease to offer a low floor chassis, it’s only with regards to there own integral buses this concerns.

The New Scania Fencer range of vehicles are available which are on “low floor” chassis.

They still provide a chassis if a body builder wants them, however, they no longer have there own body building factory in Poland for the Citywide, Interlink or any other integral vehicle they previously built.

 

[Goldfish62]

No, they did not cease to offer a low floor chassis, it’s only with regards to there own integral buses this concerns.

The New Scania Fencer range of vehicles are available which are on “low floor” chassis.

They still provide a chassis if a body builder wants them, however, they no longer have there own body building factory in Poland for the Citywide, Interlink or any other integral vehicle they previously built.

OK thanks.

This article in Route One magazine seemed pretty clear to me, but sounds like it was inaccurate:

Scania global coach and bus changes: 'Little' UK impact - routeone

Work by Scania to reshape its global coach and bus business will have 'little' impact on the UK for the short- to medium-term.

www.route-one.net

Fully low-floor chassis will also be discontinued.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

OK thanks.

This article in Route One magazine seemed pretty clear to me, but sounds like it was inaccurate:

Scania global coach and bus changes: 'Little' UK impact - routeone

Work by Scania to reshape its global coach and bus business will have 'little' impact on the UK for the short- to medium-term.

www.route-one.net

Scania has two chassis which technically are low floor.

Scania has a “Low Entry” chassis and they “had” a “Low Floor” chassis.

Scania are referring to the chassis that was “Fully” low floor inside the bus right up until BEHIND the rear axle.

All Scania bus chassis now have a step inside the bus where the lower front end of the bus meets the rear axle.

 

[Goldfish62]

Scania has two chassis which technically are low floor.

Scania has a “Low Entry” chassis and they “had” a “Low Floor” chassis.

Scania are referring to the chassis that was “Fully” low floor inside the bus right up until BEHIND the rear axle.

All Scania bus chassis now have a step inside the bus where the lower front end of the bus meets the rear axle.

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

With ADL having ceased their partnership with Scania it still remains that the Scania Fencer with the Chinese bodywork is the only UK bus option, and that isn't exactly getting plenty of orders. SMEs, if not wanting the E200 seem to be generally going for the Volvo B8/MCV instead.

 

[py_megapixel]

With ADL having ceased their partnership with Scania it still remains that the Scania Fencer with the Chinese bodywork is the only UK bus option, and that isn't exactly getting plenty of orders. SMEs, if not wanting the E200 seem to be generally going for the Volvo B8/MCV instead.

Has Optare delivered anything lately?

 

[Goldfish62]

Has Optare delivered anything lately?

The manufacturer formerly known as Optare (now Switch Mobility) ceased production of diesel buses a year or two ago.

 

[py_megapixel]

The manufacturer formerly known as Optare (now Switch Mobility) ceased production of diesel buses a year or two ago.

I see, thanks

 

[m79900]

The manufacturer formerly known as Optare (now Switch Mobility) ceased production of diesel buses a year or two ago.

A few diesel Solos have been built since then.

 

[Goldfish62]

A few diesel Solos have been built since then.

Last diesel buses produced by Optare left the factory last summer.

Optare will continue to exist for the purpose of support and after sales.

 

[Snow1964]

Last diesel buses produced by Optare left the factory last summer.

Optare will continue to exist for the purpose of support and after sales.

Still producing buses as Switch Mobility
Photo (not mine) shows Stagecoach 67004, a 2023 Metrocity

IMG_0604r

www.flickr.com

 

[Goldfish62]

Still producing buses as Switch Mobility
Photo (not mine) shows Stagecoach 67004, a 2023 Metrocity

IMG_0604r

www.flickr.com

Arrgghh! This discussion is about diesel buses. That's an electric bus. Switch Mobility does not produce diesel buses!

 

[m79900]

I can’t imagine that the Solo will remain much longer. The majority of its sales were the diesel variant, and with that gone, why’d they keep offering them?

 

[Goldfish62]

I can’t imagine that the Solo will remain much longer. The majority of its sales were the diesel variant, and with that gone, why’d they keep offering them?

Indeed. There was an electric Solo at Eurobus Expo at the NEC in November. With the batteries in a case crudely stuck on the roof with no attention given to aesthetics it really did look like an afterthought compared with other offerings at the show.

 

[Mikey C]

The manufacturer formerly known as Optare (now Switch Mobility) ceased production of diesel buses a year or two ago.

They barely make any electric buses either...

 

[MasterSpenny]

They barely make any electric buses either...

They do have the MetroCities, MetroDeckers and the Indian ones. However, they are just very slow at delivering buses

 

[DaveLondon]

They do have the MetroCities, MetroDeckers and the Indian ones. However, they are just very slow at delivering buses

I am pretty certain the Indian order was not built in the UK. The Metrocity is available but nobody has bought Metrodeckers for quite a while.

 

[johnw]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

With ADL having ceased their partnership with Scania it still remains that the Scania Fencer with the Chinese bodywork is the only UK bus option, and that isn't exactly getting plenty of orders. SMEs, if not wanting the E200 seem to be generally going for the Volvo B8/MCV instead.

Was this an ADL decision to cease their partnership with Scania or was this a result of Scania ending production of low floor chassis which I presume the Scania N250UD was. (The Scania K230UB single decker being a low entry)

 

[Goldfish62]

Was this an ADL decision to cease their partnership with Scania or was this a result of Scania ending production of low floor chassis which I presume the Scania N250UD was. (The Scania K230UB single decker being a low entry)

No idea, but I guess with a contracting diesel market ADL would prefer just to concentrate on their own all-E200 and E400, just as Wright's has done with their Street*****s.

 

[tramboy]

No idea, but I guess with a contracting diesel market ADL would prefer just to concentrate on their own all-E200 and E400, just as Wright's has done with their Street*****s.

Scania stopped producing the N-series chassis as it wasn't modified to meet Euro6 Step E standards.

Once Scania have sorted out their European strategy, I'm sure it'll become clear again as to what they will do in the UK - whether that's sticking with the Fencer or working with one of the more local bodybuilders once again.

 

[Goldfish62]

Once Scania have sorted out their European strategy, I'm sure it'll become clear again as to what they will do in the UK - whether that's sticking with the Fencer or working with one of the more local bodybuilders once again.

Personally I can't see any UK manufacturers wanting to team up with Scania again to body a diesel. All their investment is going into zero emission.

 

[JD2168]

I am pretty certain the Indian order was not built in the UK. The Metrocity is available but nobody has bought Metrodeckers for quite a while.

The last purchase of MetroDeckers outside of London I can think of is the dual-doored batch at First York for Park & Ride duties.

 

[Mikey C]

They do have the MetroCities, MetroDeckers and the Indian ones. However, they are just very slow at delivering buses

Which is down to a lack of orders presumably. Their UK market share figures at the moment must be horrible.

 

[Goldfish62]

The last purchase of MetroDeckers outside of London I can think of is the dual-doored batch at First York for Park & Ride duties.

And in London they were bought when the BYD E400EV was too long for certain routes and no other alternative with a shorter wheelbase was available, eg route 200.

Similarly, the Metrocity has carved out a niche in London because it's currently the only electric bus that meets TfL's 45-capacity single door spec.

Which is down to a lack of orders presumably. Their UK market share figures at the moment must be horrible.

Surely a lack of orders would mean that production would be quick. The fact is that the company formerly known as Optare has long had a reputation for late delivery.

 

[MotCO]

The last purchase of MetroDeckers outside of London I can think of is the dual-doored batch at First York for Park & Ride duties.

There was a batch of 5 ordered by Reading Buses, but due to late (very late) delivery, the order was cancelled. One was subsequently bought by Centaur Coaches of Sidcup (passing on to Central Connect), and another two ended up with Johnsons of Arden. The final two went to Mulleys of Ixworth, registered with 23 plates, so this pair was probably the last Metrodeckers to enter service.

Edit:for typos

 

[tramboy]

Personally I can't see any UK manufacturers wanting to team up with Scania again to body a diesel. All their investment is going into zero emission.

Scania C248E chassis

Explore KA Transport Photography's 20887 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

I didn't suggest any possible strategy revolved around diesel - the flickr link above shows the C248E chassis that was on display at last year's Euro Bus Expo. I would think they are probably looking at who might best be placed (as it is no longer themselves) to put a body on it.

 

[Hullian111]

It would seem Wrightbus are experimenting with something on both the StreetDeck and GB Kite Electroliner models. In a similar vein to Metroline's WDE2857, which I unfortunately cannot reproduce a photo of, here's a GB Kite prototype on the M40 with this strange new front end.

P1088454

M40, Longbridge, Warwick, 21st August 2023, nothbound. This seems to be a prototype/development vehicle for Wrightbus (the side and rear styling is similar to the Kite Electroliner, but the front dash is clearly a new design as evidenced by the "camouflage" effect used within the automotive...

www.flickr.com

According to a post by "a london bus forum user" which I'm trying desperately to attribute:

Incoming Electroliner WDE 2857 has been built to the new TfL bus safety spec with a completely different frontage below the windscreen

Strange times. Could this be the beginning of the end of the 'Stealth' frontage?

 

[Leyland Bus]

It would seem Wrightbus are experimenting with something on both the StreetDeck and GB Kite Electroliner models. In a similar vein to Metroline's WDE2857, which I unfortunately cannot reproduce a photo of, here's a GB Kite prototype on the M40 with this strange new front end.

P1088454

M40, Longbridge, Warwick, 21st August 2023, nothbound. This seems to be a prototype/development vehicle for Wrightbus (the side and rear styling is similar to the Kite Electroliner, but the front dash is clearly a new design as evidenced by the "camouflage" effect used within the automotive...

www.flickr.com

According to a post by "a london bus forum user" which I'm trying desperately to attribute:

Strange times. Could this be the beginning of the end of the 'Stealth' frontage?

Car makers do it to hide design changes, presumably because they think other firms will copy them... ‍