Borismaster in manchester

[507 001]

I'm no bus spotter, hate the things, however I do quite like the new bus for London, I like its futuristic looks.

I was quite surprised to see one earlier today travelling clockwise on the M60 at besses o' th' barn at about 10 am this morning. Anybody know why it's oop north? I didn't get a reg number or anything as I was on the metrolink bridge.

 

[user15681]

Not sure why, but I only know of one other occasion when a NBfL has gone 'oop north. LTZ 1118 (LT118) was at Hyde Road depot fueling up recently. It was visiting for a funeral.

 

[KendalKing]

I'm no bus spotter, hate the things, however I do quite like the new bus for London, I like its futuristic looks.

I was quite surprised to see one earlier today travelling clockwise on the M60 at besses o' th' barn at about 10 am this morning. Anybody know why it's oop north? I didn't get a reg number or anything as I was on the metrolink bridge.

The NBfL, are built in Ireland, and delivered to UK via Heysham. I heard on the radio that the M6 was closed earlier, so the delivery driver may have been using the M60 as an alternative route to get to London.

 

[ECML180]

Are they driven under their own power? I would have expected it to be a low loader or recovery lorry job!

 

[Carlisle]

Are they driven under their own power? I would have expected it to be a low loader or recovery lorry job!

I think in most cases fully completed new busses are usually delivered under their own power using dedicated delivery drivers but not sure who actually employs them

 

[ECML180]

Interesting! Unless it was last minute, in my experience, most buses have been send via a haulier, so as not to tie up and strand a driver! Can't be too easy to get someone back from the delivery depot to the manufacturing plant sometimes.

 

[Bald Rick]

Interesting! Unless it was last minute, in my experience, most buses have been send via a haulier, so as not to tie up and strand a driver! Can't be too easy to get someone back from the delivery depot to the manufacturing plant sometimes.

Probably about the same as getting a delivery driver and his low loader back from the delivery depot to the factory...

 

[chiltern trev]

I live in Brampton near Carlisle and thus use the M6 quite a bit.

All the new ADL buses I have seen heading south have been under their own power - thus having a driver. I have only seen a couple of buses heading north through the Lakes on the back of a low loader - these were all over 10 years old and thus I assume were not roadworthy or defective insome way.

New ADL chassis head north on a hgv trailer, 2 at a time with one chassis stacked on another. Each chassis faces opposite directions. No doubt there maybe a few bits of 'meccano' to keep the stacked chassis stable.

I have also been to Heysham port - good views of new deliveries from Wrights within the port compound. I beleive all these are driven under their own steam.

Re suspended tows - about 1 year ago there were a lot of First ex London double decks 51 and 53 reg passing through Brampton - en route from the refurbishing company in the NE to Glasgow and these were all suspended tows.

 

[edwin_m]

I think a double decker bus is near the maximum height for general use on UK roads. In which case one on a low loader would be overheight. And it's got to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly just to send the driver back rather than having an empty low loader going all the way back to Northern Ireland.

Bit different for cars of course because one transporter and driver can carry several and there is a fair chance of a backload.

 

[Mojo]

The NBfL, are built in Ireland, and delivered to UK via Heysham. I heard on the radio that the M6 was closed earlier, so the delivery driver may have been using the M60 as an alternative route to get to London.

Whilst they are built on the island of Ireland, the factory is located in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

 

[ECML180]

Probably about the same as getting a delivery driver and his low loader back from the delivery depot to the factory...

Not at all! You either have to send another vehicle to recover the driver(doubling the deal milage) or let them come back via public transport which isn't always a good option.

Edit: For example a vehicle being delivered from the dealer at Hellaby to Wilfreda Beehive at Adwick, 20 mins on the road or probably an hour and a half on public transport.

Bit different for cars of course because one transporter and driver can carry several and there is a fair chance of a backload.

Same for van-derived minibuses, you could leave the depot for the lunch break and 2 or 3 extra vehicles would have popped up!

 

[BuhSnarf]

I would imagine if 5/6 drivers deliver the buses instead of 5/6 empty lorries go back they could all rent a car / minibus and go back as one?

Sent from my GT-I9505G

 

[Bald Rick]

Not at all! You either have to send another vehicle to recover the driver(doubling the deal milage) or let them come back via public transport which isn't always a good option.

Edit: For example a vehicle being delivered from the dealer at Hellaby to Wilfreda Beehive at Adwick, 20 mins on the road or probably an hour and a half on public transport.

Understood. But in this example, it's at least 12h on the road and Irish Sea, with about £250 of diesel plus a ferry ticket, or easyjet taking about 5h including transfers either end for about £70. Times 600.

 

[ECML180]

I would imagine if 5/6 drivers deliver the buses instead of 5/6 empty lorries go back they could all rent a car / minibus and go back as one?

Sent from my GT-I9505G

That's where I've seen it happen before! 4 vehicles delivered together and and 8 seater sent along to take the drivers back.

Understood. But in this example, it's at least 12h on the road and Irish Sea, with about £250 of diesel plus a ferry ticket, or easyjet taking about 5h including transfers either end for about £70. Times 600.

Ah I didn't think there would be a direct flight, makes sense that way. I was thinking it would involve a few trains either side of the ferry crossing or a few trains either side of a flight!

 

[edwin_m]

You see a lot of passengers carrying trade plates on trains, so quite a few vehicle deliveries obviously do involve the driver returning by public transport.

 

[90019]

The 15 Enviro 400 hybrids that Lothian got a couple of years back were all driven through from Falkirk in a convoy. Well, 13 were - one stayed behind for something about training, and the other broke down on the way.

Not sure what they used to get the drivers back.

 

[starrymarkb]

Understood. But in this example, it's at least 12h on the road and Irish Sea, with about £250 of diesel plus a ferry ticket, or easyjet taking about 5h including transfers either end for about £70. Times 600.

Or more likely they go over as unaccompanied vehicles on the Ferry with an NI based Driver taking them to Larne/Belfast, and a British driver taking them from Heysham/Port that replaced Stranrear to the customer. The ports typically have drivers and tugs to shunt trailers that go over unaccompanied, only difference for them is the buses self shunt!

And yes the drivers do go public transport. Where I used to work had two and for most trips to collect trucks they went by train with Newcastle or Scotland being by Easyjet from Bristol Airport.

 

[Mr Spock]

I think a double decker bus is near the maximum height for general use on UK roads. In which case one on a low loader would be overheight. And it's got to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly just to send the driver back rather than having an empty low loader going all the way back to Northern Ireland.

Bit different for cars of course because one transporter and driver can carry several and there is a fair chance of a backload.

I saw a double decker on a low loader heading north on the M1 today so presume there must some height to spare.

 

[richw]

The 15 Enviro 400 hybrids that Lothian got a couple of years back were all driven through from Falkirk in a convoy. Well, 13 were - one stayed behind for something about training, and the other broke down on the way.

Not sure what they used to get the drivers back.

The buses that First Kernow and First Manchester recently swapped I understand that the buses and drivers met half way and just swapped drivers to bring the new buses back.

 

[Deerfold]

I saw a double decker on a low loader heading north on the M1 today so presume there must some height to spare.

You'll be fine on motorways but will have to plan your route very carefully off the motorway network.

 

[jon0844]

You see a lot of passengers carrying trade plates on trains, so quite a few vehicle deliveries obviously do involve the driver returning by public transport.

Nah, that's in case they fancy driving a train back. The plates double up as cab passes, didn't you know?!

 

[fgwrich]

The NBfL, are built in Ireland, and delivered to UK via Heysham. I heard on the radio that the M6 was closed earlier, so the delivery driver may have been using the M60 as an alternative route to get to London.

They certainly do, We passed a convoy of 6 KMB Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 destined for the port of Southampton for onward shipping to Hong Kong a few years ago on the M5. Made quite an impressive sight seeing several KMB buses without heading to HK!

The buses that First Kernow and First Manchester recently swapped I understand that the buses and drivers met half way and just swapped drivers to bring the new buses back.

Out of interest and slightly off topic, which ones would they be?

 

[transmanche]

We passed a convoy of 6 KMB Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 destined for the port of Southampton for onward shipping to Hong Kong a few years ago on the M5. Made quite an impressive sight seeing several KMB buses without heading to HK!

In full KMB livery? That must have made a few heads turn!

 

[richw]

They certainly do, We passed a convoy of 6 KMB Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 destined for the port of Southampton for onward shipping to Hong Kong a few years ago on the M5. Made quite an impressive sight seeing several KMB buses without heading to HK!



Out of interest and slightly off topic, which ones would they be?

Darts 42940/1/4/5 have gone from Cornwall to Manchester, Cornwall has 4 06 plate B7RLE from Manchester.

 

[fgwrich]

Darts 42940/1/4/5 have gone from Cornwall to Manchester, Cornwall has 4 06 plate B7RLE from Manchester.

Blimey, something newer coming down to First Kernow and something older going to Manchester-Bit of a surprise for First, although I hope some of the PZ Alex 300s are going next!

In full KMB livery? That must have made a few heads turn!

Yep, complete with KMB branding. LED Display lit up to but I cant remember what It said now.

 

[richw]

Blimey, something newer coming down to First Kernow and something older going to Manchester-Bit of a surprise for First, although I hope some of the PZ Alex 300s are going next!

Umm not quite, the Darts were 56 plates, the B7RLEs are 06 plates.

 

[168lover]

My dad has spotted many boris masters heading along the M40 under their own power, they are normally driven in groups of three or four.

 

[Class20]

The way buses are transferred around the country varies.

Not long after my brother passed his PSV with Stagecoach and started working for them at Preston, he was one of a number of drivers sent to Newcastle to collect 4 Enviro400s and transfer them back to Preston. 5 drivers headed over in a car, 4 of them returned with the buses while the 5th driver brought the car back.

When Transdev recently sent some of their former 'Witch Way' branded Wright Gemini bodied Volvos to Thorntons for refurbishment, they sent another driver across with them in a single decker to act as the returning taxi.

There's a company called Ben Transport Services who deal with the transportation and transfer of vehicles across the country. This includes brand new buses, mostly ADL vehicles from Scarborough and Falkirk. Their employees make good use of hire cars to move around the country.

One of my own personal sightings was the prototype Wright Streetcar on the back of a low loader heading north on the M6 at J28 a few years back.