Thanks for that Swifty. So the ALX400s will have to go on forever!!!
The 19/19A don't go under the bridge at Bitton, only the 37. My understanding is that since the 1st September the 37 no longer interworks with the 19/19A, but with the 178, and is booked to be operated by a mixture of B7RLE and Streetlites.
There is also the X8 as a decker is too high to go under Nailsea and Backwell Station.
I would presume if an ALX400 would fit, the only other deckers capable of going under Bitton Railway Bridge Are the Scanias.
Stageocach operated an old ALX400 on the 432 yesterday which does pass under the bridge at Bitton.
In fairness to them, it's an awkward bridge, which requires turning at a certain angle in order to avoid missing it. The fact that there have been relatively few incidents there over the years is testament to the skill of the drivers who must navigate that bridge multiple times a day. I doubt I could do it
Pity about 30871. It seemed a reliable bus in daily use with its mate 30877 and normally on long distance 19/19A. Given its age I assume it will go for scrap. Has anyone seen how bad the damage is?
From the front photos I saw, and the fact that the road was completely open again with 30 mins, it wasn't too bad.
Don't forget it is actually two bridges in one. The northern half is a steel deck 'rectangular' bridge, whereas the southern half is an arched brick bridge. The Network Rail signs attached to it at road level treat it as 2.
The picture in the article shows what the issue is, an arched bridge hidden behind a more modern 'goalpost' type bridge. As people have said it's almost a surprise that more vehicles haven't hit it and it also forms a pinch point because of the way high vehicles have to approach it. The picture suggests that the driver might have had to avoid something however that may have been how it was parked afterwards.
Saw a Pointer Dart SLF on the A3 when I was in Weston-super-Mare a couple of days ago.
I know the beginning of the week a Streetlite was on it because one of the E200MMCs was off of the road, so the Streetlite must have had issues and was replaced.
Yeah - it's not like bridge strikes happen every day. In truth, we don't know the circumstances of the incident. Could easily have been a car approaching and the bus driver took evasive action....
Doubt the branded vehicles will go. Plenty of unbranded examples can go before them
They will likely stay for the forseeable future, as they are needed for the 8, which isn't changing
Indeed and it might be that they retain some of 474** or 475** for the 9.
Is the plan still for the long StreetLites to head to Leicester?
Who knows, it would certainly follow recent trends, and the demand does justify it. I remember when 69449-60 first arrived they were deployed on the 8, but didn't last, I think for being too big??
A long article on the Bath Chronicle (Somerset Live) website today about saving the 179. First are giving it up so would that save a couple of Solos or is it currently a one bus operation?