Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

Goldfish62 · 5 Mar 2020

cnjb8 said:
It's nice to see Wright getting back up on their feet.
I wonder when the London examples are due.

The London order didn't transfer with the acquisition of the Wrightbus business. Therefore don't expect them anytime soon.

RailUK Forums

Volvodart · 5 Mar 2020

Wrightbus appear to be using the fuel cells intended for the London buses in the Aberdeen buses, as the ones for the Aberdeen buses have not left Canada.

cnjb8 · 6 Mar 2020

Goldfish62 said:
The London order didn't transfer with the acquisition of the Wrightbus business. Therefore don't expect them anytime soon.

Volvodart said:
Wrightbus appear to be using the fuel cells intended for the London buses in the Aberdeen buses, as the ones for the Aberdeen buses have not left Canada.

Ah thanks.

JL1 · 6 Mar 2020

Josh Lawson said:
Anyone know when the new StreetLites and StreetDecks for Arriva Southern Counties are due?

Anyone know?

Robertj21a · 19 Mar 2020

Josh Lawson said:
Anyone know?

These orders were, apparently, cancelled when Wrights closed last year.

Robertj21a · 25 Mar 2020

Alexander Dennis are suspending manufacturing at their UK sites.

cnjb8 · 25 Mar 2020

Robertj21a said:
Alexander Dennis are suspending manufacturing at their UK sites.

https://www.alexander-dennis.com/me...-customers-supply-chain-partners-on-covid-19/
Certainly sad times to live through

37114 · 25 Mar 2020

cnjb8 said:
https://www.alexander-dennis.com/me...-customers-supply-chain-partners-on-covid-19/
Certainly sad times to live through

It doesn't explicitly say in the link they are suspending production but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Their customers have enough challenges at the moment and I imagine they and a number of their suppliers are struggling with high staff absence.

The issue facing the 3 UK manufacturers is unprecedented and their survival will be dependent on how deep their parent companies pockets are.

borage · 25 Mar 2020

Tweet from ADL confirming they've suspended production (the previously linked news item on their website is a week old):

We are suspending production at our UK manufacturing facilities, but our aftermarket and service teams will continue to support our customers in providing vital bus and coach services for essential workers across the country.

We will weather this uncharted territory together.

Goldfish62 · 25 Mar 2020

37114 said:
It doesn't explicitly say in the link they are suspending production but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Their customers have enough challenges at the moment and I imagine they and a number of their suppliers are struggling with high staff absence.

The issue facing the 3 UK manufacturers is unprecedented and their survival will be dependent on how deep their parent companies pockets are.

Not great timing for Bamford/Wrightbus.

Mikey C · 25 Mar 2020

Bus manufacture is hardly an essential activity, especially with the number of buses in service at the moment drastically down, so it's not as if operators will be desperate for new vehicles

cnjb8 · 25 Mar 2020

borage said:
Tweet from ADL confirming they've suspended production (the previously linked news item on their website is a week old):

Oh, I didn't realise it was a week old. I was trying to find proof that they suspended production.
Now it seems doubly ridiculous that Transport for Cornwall launch is still going on.

Goldfish62 · 26 Mar 2020

cnjb8 said:
Oh, I didn't realise it was a week old. I was trying to find proof that they suspended production.
Now it seems doubly ridiculous that Transport for Cornwall launch is still going on.

There's going to be a Sunday plus service on all routes.

First Kernow have just published theirs.

37114 · 26 Mar 2020

Optare now suspended production as well

DaveHarries · 27 Mar 2020

borage said:
Tweet from ADL confirming they've suspended production (the previously linked news item on their website is a week old):

Interesting. Looks as if GoAhead South Coast will be waiting a while for some new vehicles then: while on the M3 this morning I saw an Enviro400 MMC, registration HF20 CVB, looking very smart in a new-style Activ8 branding for the Andover - Salisbury service. Base colour similar to that of the unilink vehicles in Southampton. Vehicle was on trade plates and heading, I guess, for temporary storage at Bluestar (Eastleigh).

Dave

Jordan Adam · 28 Mar 2020

37114 said:
Optare now suspended production as well

Further delays for Readings Metrodeckers!

Volvodart · 28 Apr 2020

Optare and Arcola Energy announce a new hydrogen fuel cell bus

Optare and Arcola Energy announce a new hydrogen fuel cell bus

Optare and Arcola Energy have announced a new hydrogen fuel cell bus for the UK and beyond: the Metrodecker H2. With both bus and power system built in the UK, the two companies believe the [...]

cbwmagazine.com

Optare and Arcola Energy announce a new hydrogen fuel cell bus

Optare and Arcola Energy have announced a new hydrogen fuel cell bus for the UK and beyond: the Metrodecker H2.

With both bus and power system built in the UK, the two companies believe the new bus will make an important contribution to city air quality and a low carbon economic recovery.

Hydrogen fuel cell buses offer a zero-emission “drop-in” replacement for diesel buses. They are especially suited to busy, long-distance, high-capacity routes and complement the use of battery electric buses on shorter routes.

The Metrodecker H2 hydrogen bus product is built on the Optare Metrodecker EV platform. It incorporates a hydrogen fuel cell powerpack developed by Arcola Energy as a direct replacement for the battery powerpack in the Metrodecker EV. It can carry more than 90 passengers and offers a zero-emission range of between 200 and 250 miles depending on specification and route. The Metrodecker H2 complements Optare’s existing range of low and zero emission buses. Optare sees a significant export market for fuel cell buses to regions with high ambient temperatures, requiring high air-conditioning power.

The hydrogen fuel cell powertrain in the Metrodecker H2 is part of a family of products developed by Arcola Energy over the past ten years for a wide range of uses including lightweight cars, trucks, refuse collection vehicles, off-highway vehicles, buses and trains.

Base vehicles for the Metrodecker H2 will be serially produced at Optare’s factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds, on the existing production lines for the Metrodecker EV.

Hydrogen and fuel cell systems will be built by Arcola Energy at their existing Liverpool manufacturing facility, with plans well advanced for a second facility at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc in Dundee.

Dr Ben Todd, CEO of Arcola Energy said: “Our partnership with Optare is an important step forward, not just for Arcola Energy, but for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle deployment in the UK.

The innovative structural design of Optare buses makes them ideally suited to housing zero emission powertrains; and most importantly, to producing buses which we believe will be the safest, most efficient and easiest to maintain in their class“.

Graham Belgum, CEO of Optare Group Ltd commented: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Arcola on this project. We believe fuel cell technology has the potential to complement Optare’s award winning battery electric vehicle range.

We look forward to working closely with Arcola to increase our understanding of the technology and its performance in service. We can see applications for fuel cells on inter urban routes in temperate climates and in high ambient environments where air conditioning is essential and energy consumption is high”.

Jordan Adam · 28 Apr 2020

Volvodart said:
Optare and Arcola Energy announce a new hydrogen fuel cell bus

Optare and Arcola Energy announce a new hydrogen fuel cell bus

Optare and Arcola Energy have announced a new hydrogen fuel cell bus for the UK and beyond: the Metrodecker H2. With both bus and power system built in the UK, the two companies believe the [...]

cbwmagazine.com

Good luck given that Optare can't even for fill orders for the diesel variants that have been on order for at least 2 years.

fgwrich · 28 Apr 2020

Jordan Adam said:
Good luck given that Optare can't even for fill orders for the diesel variants that have been on order for at least 2 years.

I was actually wondering how many Optare Metrodeckers have actually been delivered since it's announcement, as this seems like a case of entering a marathon just after learning to walk.

Eyersey468 · 28 Apr 2020

fgwrich said:
I was actually wondering how many Optare Metrodeckers have actually been delivered since it's announcement, as this seems like a case of entering a marathon just after learning to walk.

I know Metroline took delivery of some last year, not sure how many though or if any others have been delivered

Snow1964 · 28 Apr 2020

Eyersey468 said:
I know Metroline took delivery of some last year, not sure how many though or if any others have been delivered

Metroline have 31, I think the last few were only delivered around time of Covid outbreak. 24 have entered service, 7 haven’t yet been used

Goldfish62 · 28 Apr 2020

cnjb8 said:
It's nice to see Wright getting back up on their feet.
I wonder when the London examples are due.

They're not. The deal fell through. The Aberdeen ones are using some of the equipment planned for the London ones.

Surreyman · 28 Apr 2020

RouteOne magazine article indicates that 20 Buses 'for London' still due?

The proposed 3,000 buses represent around 10% of the UK’s fleet. Their production would lead to an increase in employee numbers at Wrightbus by “nearly 700%,” says Mr Bamford, who has confirmed that 20 hydrogen-powered double-deckers will be delivered to London later in 2020.

Goldfish62 · 28 Apr 2020

Surreyman said:
RouteOne magazine article indicates that 20 Buses 'for London' still due?

The proposed 3,000 buses represent around 10% of the UK’s fleet. Their production would lead to an increase in employee numbers at Wrightbus by “nearly 700%,” says Mr Bamford, who has confirmed that 20 hydrogen-powered double-deckers will be delivered to London later in 2020.

Last month TfL stated that the deal had fallen through during the administration period. If it is true that 20 buses are now due later in the year this will be a completely new order.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it gets cancelled though due to the state of TfL's finances at the moment.

Jordan Adam · 28 Apr 2020

Goldfish62 said:
Last month TfL stated that the deal had fallen through during the administration period. If it is true that 20 buses are now due later in the year this will be a completely new order.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it gets cancelled though due to the state of TfL's finances at the moment.

Indeed it will be a new order as the original order didn't transfer with the sale of Wrightbus.

Wrightbus have also confirmed that Aberdeen's order of 15 Streetdecks has now been extended to 20, these will be using the 20 fuel cells that were delivered at the start of the year and originally intended for the London examples. Aberdeens were due to be delivered around about now, but due to covid-19 Wrightbus have now revised the delivery of the first 15 buses to September.

fgwrich said:
I was actually wondering how many Optare Metrodeckers have actually been delivered since it's announcement, as this seems like a case of entering a marathon just after learning to walk.

As per above comments just the 31 Metroline examples with the Reading and First York example still outstanding. It really does go to show how obsolete Optare are in the decker market though when after 6 years they've only managed to secure and complete one order.

scosutsut · 29 Apr 2020

I'll be interested to see what the Bamford era Wright's end up being like, given the huge quality issues in the latter days of Wright's before they went into administration.

Was the quality loss due to a desperation to deliver orders, or cheapening of component quality to reduce costs? I don't think it was the designs as earlier versions of the Gemini 3 don't seem as bad as the newer ones?

Or will the problems continue as you have largely the same workforce, assembling the same products, in the same factory?

Jordan Adam · 29 Apr 2020

scosutsut said:
I'll be interested to see what the Bamford era Wright's end up being like, given the huge quality issues in the latter days of Wright's before they went into administration.

Was the quality loss due to a desperation to deliver orders, or cheapening of component quality to reduce costs? I don't think it was the designs as earlier versions of the Gemini 3 don't seem as bad as the newer ones?

Or will the problems continue as you have largely the same workforce, assembling the same products, in the same factory?

I don't wish to imply anything so my comments are purely guess work based on what is known. However prior to Wright going in to administration morale between workers was already quite poor so this will have no doubt contributed to the issues, if employee morale is low then the standard of work will also be low.

GusB · 29 Apr 2020

Jordan Adam said:
I don't wish to imply anything so my comments are purely guess work based on what is known. However prior to Wright going in to administration moral between workers was already quite poor so this will have no doubt contributed to the issues, if employee moral is low then the standard of work will also be low.

I'm not quite sure if the workers at Bamford would be very happy to hear you say that they have low morals

scosutsut · 29 Apr 2020

GusB said:
I'm not quite sure if the workers at Bamford would be very happy to hear you say that they have low morals

Maybe that's why the previous administration donated so much to that church?

Jordan Adam · 29 Apr 2020

GusB said:
I'm not quite sure if the workers at Bamford would be very happy to hear you say that they have low morals

Whoops, post amended! I'm sure you know what i meant, i'll blame the lockdown. :lol:

scosutsut said:
Maybe that's why the previous administration donated so much to that church?

Indeed...

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