The 2 vehicles pictured look to both be fitted with Hanover equipment. H
How can you tell the difference please?
The 2 vehicles pictured look to both be fitted with Hanover equipment. H
I disagree. Some places (e.g. the Trafford Centre) have buses to both Piccadilly Gardens and Shudehill, and it's quite some distance if you end up at the wrong one. A good format I think is something like
Manchester
Piccadilly Gardens
but that doesn't leave space for anything else (e.g. intermediate stops)
Yes the short journey displays use both E and PART ROUTE.
See the picture below:
BJ03EWX National Express West Midlands 94E 4489
Explore Matt's Transport Photography's 46754 photos on Flickr!www.flickr.com
They don't use the E on the X routes however, though PART ROUTE is still used:
NXWM 4185
Operator: National Express West Midlands Bus Type: Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident Registration: Y789 TOH Fleet Number: 4185 Garage: Birmingham Central Route: X20 University Location: Birminghamwww.flickr.com
There are screens available which are capable of showing multiple colours, but I'm led to believe they're significantly more expensive than single colour ones, which is why it wasn't my first thought.
The 10H did used go to Harborne. While the 10 used Augustus Road. 10H ran from Birmingham City Centre to Quinton Tesco, think the 10 also has a different terminus at the Quinton end10 & 10H, I never drove this route, so I am unsure to wether the terminus were the same, but I know that the H went through Harborne, I’m sure there’s a few other routes in the WM that used letters that matched the place name, not many though!
Prior to the 24, what routes served that area of Small Heath south of the Coventry Road, that the 28 and 28A serve today?I’m a former driver at AG & YW, so anything you want to know about former routes, numbers and which way they went, I’m sure I can help out.
Yes, they’re both Mobitecs. NXWM only have hanovers, however the Scania bendies they had a good few years ago did have Mobitecs. Having just one type of blind fitted is easier when it comes to programming, as each blind manufacturer uses a different piece of programming software, so having just the one type of blind means you don’t have to program everything twice on two separate pieces of software.The Mobitec one looks like the one on Xplore they use - I wonder if thats the one they used on there older Geminis ie 7001 and one of their single decks 2031 (at a guess again correction if wrong) but the style looks familar as if thats the one used as they have a few of their single decks like that also (but they don't scroll the via points) but it would make a bit of sense if thats the case?, reason I suspect it could be Mobitec its just the style of the fonts especially the bus numbers (I know this could be said with Hanover as pointed out earlier) as they don't much tally up with the rest of the fleet (as I say I could be wrong with my own thoughts here but still.... )
View attachment 78568
View attachment 78569
With TWM/NXWM, a few years back this was the general layout of route number and letter suffix, not complete gospel as there was a few oddities.
Examples
5 & 5A, Both had the same start and finish points, but the 5A missed out The Baldwin and Sarehole Mill.
1 & 1A, Same starting point and route up to the Pershore Road, diverging to the QE Hospital and Five Ways
36 & 36C, The 36C only operated during off peak daytime, The 36 only ran before 930 and after 1600. Both started in Stetchford, but had different terminating points, Sparkbrook (Mole St) 36, Sparkhill (Fernley Road) 36C. The main difference other than terminus being different and only a mile or so apart, was the 36 didn’t serve Acocks Green.
8A & 8C, 11A & 11C, The inner and outer circles. One went clockwise, the other anti-clockwise. When running short, or terminating along the route, as it had no terminus being a circular, you would display an E. Such as my favourite 11E Pineapple Bridge! The ticket machine and running board would be 11AE or 11CE so you’d at least know which way round you we’re supposed to go.
1 & 1E, Before the current routing, and the work in the city, the 1 used to go all the way to the Town Hall, but only during the off peak, during peaks it would be 1E Five Ways, and at night 1E Sheepcote Street, later changed to display Broad Street instead.
10 & 10H, I never drove this route, so I am unsure to wether the terminus were the same, but I know that the H went through Harborne, I’m sure there’s a few other routes in the WM that used letters that matched the place name, not many though!
Another interesting point, was that WMT/TWM had 4 track roller blinds, so you display a 3 number route and a letter suffix, such as 192E.
But I found them to be much amusement when broken down, here’s 628 broken down, on the 36, Percy Road, Sparkhill 16/7/2009.
View attachment 78561
I’m a former driver at AG & YW, so anything you want to know about former routes, numbers and which way they went, I’m sure I can help out.
London had 4 track numbers like 171A but on 2 track roller blinds, i think London blinds though were fitted to what the depot ran
Yes, they’re both Mobitecs. NXWM only have hanovers, however the Scania bendies they had a good few years ago did have Mobitecs. Having just one type of blind fitted is easier when it comes to programming, as each blind manufacturer uses a different piece of programming software, so having just the one type of blind means you don’t have to program everything twice on two separate pieces of software.
Two occasions. One bus had a waypoint destination via a town called North Camp, but was misspelt as "Notth Camp", which I'm sure there's a Flickr photo out there somewhere.
Another bus was operating a dead run, with "Help me!" written on its destination. I laughed my rear end off seeing that, the driver giving a thumbs up as he passed!
Not sure if buses on Orkney have ever had the wonderfully named ****t as a destination?
Both Hanover and Mobitec blinds have the ability for pieces of text to scroll. In the example you’ve used, it hasn’t been programmed to scroll.That does make sense and also adds to the oddness as to why they don't scroll the via points (well for me and understanding of the tech!)
GMPTE didn't have 4 track blinds, but the last blind was big enough so they could fit in 192X, in GM land the X sufflix stood for extra bus, i felt GM had the best blinds
Didn't the Olympians London United bought for their Riverside Bus operation from Turnham Green pre-privatisation have 3 track number blinds?I think the only track blinds London had were the 3-track blinds as fitted to Leyland Nationals. When they wanted add a suffix to a route with three numbers, they added the suffix to the destination blind - I think the only example was the 234a in Croydon.
The only other example with track blinds may be ex WMPTE Titans which ran on the 177E.
Didn't the Olympians London United bought for their Riverside Bus operation from Turnham Green pre-privatisation have 3 track number blinds?
Both Hanover and Mobitec blinds have the ability for pieces of text to scroll. In the example you’ve used, it hasn’t been programmed to scroll.
I have no idea why. MIE (the Mobitec software program) can be a bit fiddly to work with, so they probably found it easier just to use static displays.If both systems are able to roll then why do it for one and not the other? Just seems a strange setup yet they have been using this equipment since the late 2000's (can't remember when all their buses became digital)
I have no idea why. MIE (the Mobitec software program) can be a bit fiddly to work with, so they probably found it easier just to use static displays.
They don’t employ someone specifically to do the displays. It is most often a member of staff who does the displays. NXWM I think uses an outside company to do the displays for them, but I’m not 100% sure.The irony is I believe this is only on a few single deckers (can't remember the fleet numbers other than 2031) and the Geminis (well the Geminis we're their first double decks with displays), I still thought they employ people to do all this (or know how to work it), saying that I haven't seen them display any of the UK/Scottish Gov messages onscreen! (missed opportunity!)
They don’t employ someone specifically to do the displays. It is most often a member of staff who does the displays. NXWM I think uses an outside company to do the displays for them, but I’m not 100% sure.
An empty bus is a happy bus!Today I spotted a bus on the main road with "Bus full: social distancing" on the front. The only person on it was the driver.AnA
I suppose it's one way to avoid people but I can't see him pleasing the bus company!