First Greater Glasgow

[Jordan Adam]

I can’t see Blantyre gaining any EV deckers.. Due to the length and hills involved the likes of the 18 will stay diesel for sometime yet.. Most likely Caledonia or Scotstoun for new EV deckers..
Blantyre could gain EV singles and likes of Yutongs or Volvo BZLs may suit routes such as 201,255,263,267.. However I reckon First will continue down the road of E200 EVs (not BYD models, instead the lighter model)
Overtown would be perfect to go fully EV soon, but it could end up last depot with chargepoints..

Route length itself doesn't really make much difference, EVs tend to perform better on hilly routes too as they can make use of the regenerative braking when coming back down.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I can’t see Blantyre gaining any EV deckers.. Due to the length and hills involved the likes of the 18 will stay diesel for sometime yet.. Most likely Caledonia or Scotstoun for new EV deckers..
Blantyre could gain EV singles and likes of Yutongs or Volvo BZLs may suit routes such as 201,255,263,267.. However I reckon First will continue down the road of E200 EVs (not BYD models, instead the lighter model)
Overtown would be perfect to go fully EV soon, but it could end up last depot with chargepoints..

I would find it very unlikely Glasgow will see BZLs given First haven’t ordered the type yet.

I think the plan will definitely be more ADL stock to keep the fleet more standardised. No doubt plenty of E200EVs for Lanarkshire and perhaps E400EVs for the 18 mixed with the diesels like has been done at the other depots.

 

[LT02 NVV]

I can’t see Blantyre gaining any EV deckers.. Due to the length and hills involved the likes of the 18 will stay diesel for sometime yet.. Most likely Caledonia or Scotstoun for new EV deckers..
Blantyre could gain EV singles and likes of Yutongs or Volvo BZLs may suit routes such as 201,255,263,267.. However I reckon First will continue down the road of E200 EVs (not BYD models, instead the lighter model)
Overtown would be perfect to go fully EV soon, but it could end up last depot with chargepoints..

Blantyre also have double-deckers run on routes like the 255, 263, and 267 mainly, but there’s also rare times when a decker is on the 201 and 266 routes.

Depending on what day, you could expect a lot more deckers (mainly E400MMCs, with the odd Gemini or two) on the 267 especially.

 

[lastbus]

I can’t see Blantyre gaining any EV deckers.. Due to the length and hills involved the likes of the 18 will stay diesel for sometime yet.. Most likely Caledonia or Scotstoun for new EV deckers..
Blantyre could gain EV singles and likes of Yutongs or Volvo BZLs may suit routes such as 201,255,263,267.. However I reckon First will continue down the road of E200 EVs (not BYD models, instead the lighter model)
Overtown would be perfect to go fully EV soon, but it could end up last depot with chargepoints..

Overtown will never go electric

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Overtown will never go electric

Do First lease Overtown?

 

[lastbus]

Do First lease Overtown?

Yes

 

[Motherwell241]

Yes

Online records show first purchased Overton in 2008
As shown here

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Online records show first purchased Overton in 2008
As shown here

Given it’s a tiny depot I can’t imagine they’ll get charging ports installed. Perhaps they may need to relocate in the future

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Given it’s a tiny depot I can’t imagine they’ll get charging ports installed. Perhaps they may need to relocate in the future

The size doesn't really matter. The question is more around the local grid capacity and whether it will need to be upgraded to support chargers.

 

[lastbus]

Online records show first purchased Overton in 2008
As shown here

Overtown has been leased since 2008. First does not own the depot.

 

[LT02 NVV]

Overtown has been leased since 2008. First does not own the depot.

I’m guessing that if Overtown depot was to go off lease, then First would move most of the buses to Blantyre depot.

 

[SarahDFIG]

I’m guessing that if Overtown depot was to go off lease, then First would move most of the buses to Blantyre depot.

I believe Blantyre doesn't have the capacity to house Overtown operations also but i could be wrong. Running from Blantyre also would have increased dead mileage.

If Overtown depot can't have electric chargers installed then my guess would be for First to find suitable new land in the area and build a new depot.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I believe Blantyre doesn't have the capacity to house Overtown operations also but i could be wrong. Running from Blantyre also would have increased dead mileage.

If Overtown depot can't have electric chargers installed then my guess would be for First to find suitable new land in the area and build a new depot.

First had pledged that they weren’t ordering anymore diesels so if this is still the case - eventually Overtown would need to go electric especially if they decide to make the 240 electric as some operations are run from there.

Interesting times ahead.

 

[Volvodart]

First had pledged that they weren’t ordering anymore diesels so if this is still the case - eventually Overtown would need to go electric especially if they decide to make the 240 electric as some operations are run from there.

Interesting times ahead.

Assuming First is successful in winning franchise operations somewhere, there is always the possibility that new diesel buses needed there could be eventually transferred in.

 

[Spsf3232]

Assuming First is successful in winning franchise operations somewhere, there is always the possibility that new diesel buses needed there could be eventually transferred in.

I don't see any reason apart from ownership that Overtown couldn't have chargers installed.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't see any reason apart from ownership that Overtown couldn't have chargers installed.

The ownership thing is pretty important.

Imagine you're renting a house. Would you want to install a new kitchen in a place you don't own? Yeah, you can remove the units etc when you leave. However, you'd have to make reparations to get it back to how it was. That's assuming your landlord actually allows you to make those sorts of changes. Well, it's the same for commercial premises.

That's aside from any other challenges that might come from local infrastructure.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

First had pledged that they weren’t ordering anymore diesels so if this is still the case - eventually Overtown would need to go electric especially if they decide to make the 240 electric as some operations are run from there.

Interesting times ahead.

First Glasgow constantly every night has to swap out there electric vehicles for diesels, perhaps the next round of electrics will have plentiful range.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

First Glasgow constantly every night has to swap out there electric vehicles for diesels, perhaps the next round of electrics will have plentiful range.

I agree that it is rather ambitious. We can only hope that advancements in range improve with time.

It doesn’t help that Glasgow have seen BYD vehicles with less range than products like Yutong which are an all round superior bus. The range is there in a sense but First just aren’t ordering them in bulk in favour of BYD/ADL stock.

 

[LT02 NVV]

Kinda Fleet Update (from what I’ve seen and heard at Caledonia):

Most of the Ex-Manchester Gemini’s have been repainted, I think currently only like 2-3 that are still to be repainted (one of the non-repainted ones is 37470, which is getting repanelled right now).

37238 (the only Ex-Yorkshire Gemini left with Glasgow) is currently a back-up spare bus (seems to be in working order, as it has adverts for that new Borderlands Movie on it), it’s next to the broke down E400 that didn’t go up to Aberdeen.

37530 is being maybe fixed up I don’t know.

Also 47394 & 47395 are still at Caledonia, they’re still in working order, but they don’t have any plans for them at the moment.

Mod note: source required

 

[stevenedin]

Kinda Fleet Update (from what I’ve seen and heard at Caledonia):

Most of the Ex-Manchester Gemini’s have been repainted, I think currently only like 2-3 that are still to be repainted (one of the non-repainted ones is 37470, which is getting repanelled right now).

37238 (the only Ex-Yorkshire Gemini left with Glasgow) is currently a back-up spare bus (seems to be in working order, as it has adverts for that new Borderlands Movie on it), it’s next to the broke down E400 that didn’t go up to Aberdeen.

37530 is being maybe fixed up I don’t know.

Also 47394 & 47395 are still at Caledonia, they’re still in working order, but they don’t have any plans for them at the moment.

Thanks for the update

 

[voidwxrranty]

Kinda Fleet Update (from what I’ve seen and heard at Caledonia):

Most of the Ex-Manchester Gemini’s have been repainted, I think currently only like 2-3 that are still to be repainted (one of the non-repainted ones is 37470, which is getting repanelled right now).

37238 (the only Ex-Yorkshire Gemini left with Glasgow) is currently a back-up spare bus (seems to be in working order, as it has adverts for that new Borderlands Movie on it), it’s next to the broke down E400 that didn’t go up to Aberdeen.

37530 is being maybe fixed up I don’t know.

Also 47394 & 47395 are still at Caledonia, they’re still in working order, but they don’t have any plans for them at the moment.

530 was to be repaired i was last told by staff.

33918 (the E400 you mentioned), the plan is for that to be painted, and sent back to SN, wether that will happen or not is a matter of time, since it couldn’t manage more than 15 minutes on the road.

 

[Chris Hamilton]

The size doesn't really matter. The question is more around the local grid capacity and whether it will need to be upgraded to support chargers.

Overtown is only 1mile from a 400kV substation, so assuming the cabling between the depot and the SS is up to standard, grid capacity shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Overtown is only 1mile from a 400kV substation, so assuming the cabling between the depot and the SS is up to standard, grid capacity shouldn’t be a problem.

Regardless - the space is leased and going to the expense of installing chargers in a depot First do not own is not practical nor sensible.

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Regardless - the space is leased and going to the expense of installing chargers in a depot First do not own is not practical nor sensible.

Plenty of companies that lease yards install equipment including charging equipment. If it's a very long lease then it makes sense.

 

[LT02 NVV]

Plenty of companies that lease yards install equipment including charging equipment. If it's a very long lease then it makes sense.

They need to get permission first from the people they are leasing from though.

530 was to be repaired i was last told by staff.

33918 (the E400 you mentioned), the plan is for that to be painted, and sent back to SN, wether that will happen or not is a matter of time, since it couldn’t manage more than 15 minutes on the road.

Speaking of the E400s, why haven’t 33903 & 33907 been out since May?

Are they also broke at Scotstoun too?

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

They need to get permission first from the people they are leasing from though.

Getting permission is usually pretty straightforward as it increases the value and it's a good green credential for the owner.

 

[voidwxrranty]

Speaking of the E400s, why haven’t 33903 & 33907 been out since May?

Are they also broke at Scotstoun too?

those ones i’m not sure about.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Getting permission is usually pretty straightforward as it increases the value and it's a good green credential for the owner.

You reckon? These owners don't really care and it doesn't especially increase the value of the asset. It can be used as leverage against the occupier to get a higher price so less attractive for First.

 

[Noddy1]

Saw an Airport Express bus broken down on Kingston Bridge at 8a.m. this morning. OK breakdowns happen but these buses must have some mileage on them for five years old. Will they need refurbished soon?

 

[Busman84]

They might not be too bad on mileage as Airport isn’t too far from the City. They should also be in better condition than similar aged vehicles that do city work. Travelling up and down the M8 all day will see them limited to pothole roads only within the City Centre.