cnjb8
Established Member
I very much doubt those Volvos will be sold by Brighton. Would be very unusual but then Covid has seen some strange moves
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Brighton and Hove / Metrobus
- Thread starter ValleyLines142
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700007
Established Member
Yes a number of Volvo hybrids have been out of service since before the first lockdown. I'm not sure what the plan is with them... I heard on the grape vine that they were due to be converted to diesel as the cost of batteries was too expensive but I can't verify this unfortunately so take with a pinch of salt. I think the plan regardless what happens is to see those hybrids move off the 2 and diesels take over due to the hybrids struggling with the demanding nature of the route.
In regards to route 1/1A, not all the MMCs have entered service hence a lot of 2013-plated Gemini 2s and Streetdecks from the 7 being spotted on the route. The 1s own buses have already gone to the 24, 26, 27 and 46 before all the new buses have come in.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Well 336, 349, 350, 352 and 354 are the only ones left so hopefully it'll all be back to normal soon. Noticed 801-824 on the 24/26/27/46 although a handful are still on the 1/1A for the time being. A quick check on Bus Times shows 828-830 are on the 1 whilst 833 and 838 are on the 5!
The 1/1A was increased from 10 to 11 buses per hour a couple of months ago, so I'd expect there to be a shortfall of Enviro ERs. Perhaps once Covid-related capacity restrictions ease, the frequency can go back to every 6 minutes and there might be enough of the new buses.
700007
Established Member
This is a very good point as ideally it should be 27 buses replacing 24, but this new batch is only the 24 buses replacing 24. It may be a case that 3 Gemini 2s stay allocated to the 1, perhaps?
350 is out today on the 1. Looks like first day in service according to bustimes.org
ValleyLines142
Established Member
350 is out today on the 1. Looks like first day in service according to bustimes.org
Indeed so.
I wonder why 336 was so late to arrive?
700007
Established Member
Dusting off this thread... Since the last post, services on many routes have been reduced to Sunday Times as a result of the latest national lockdown and a collapse in demand.
Routes 1, 5, 7, 12, 27 and 49 continue to operate a near normal service (with amendments) with all other routes either on Sunday timetables or special, reduced frequency timetables with earlier finishes to the network around 2200.
All the new route 1 buses have entered service. Brighton & Hove have stood down many of the Volvo B5LHs on route 2 again, all the bendy buses have been stood down from the 25 again - not sure for how long but I wouldn't be surprised to see this permanent. Route 25X is not running with the main stopping service still shortened to run Old Steine to Falmer using spare Volvos.
Routes 1, 5, 7, 12, 27 and 49 continue to operate a near normal service (with amendments) with all other routes either on Sunday timetables or special, reduced frequency timetables with earlier finishes to the network around 2200.
All the new route 1 buses have entered service. Brighton & Hove have stood down many of the Volvo B5LHs on route 2 again, all the bendy buses have been stood down from the 25 again - not sure for how long but I wouldn't be surprised to see this permanent. Route 25X is not running with the main stopping service still shortened to run Old Steine to Falmer using spare Volvos.
SouthEastBuses
On Moderation
And are the 27 Streetdecks still planning to be painted into BH4 Route 27 livery?
ValleyLines142
Established Member
The B5LHs seem to be back on the 2 now. A few bendis are out on the 25 too.
700007
Established Member
I would hope so but not yet been done. Still generic BH4.
SouthEastBuses
On Moderation
I hope so too. They'd look great outside.
As part of Government "Clean air funding" published on 'Gov' website
Presumably 17 older Volvo/Scania 'dekkers upgraded to Euro 6?
Source:
www.gov.uk
| Brighton and Hove City Council | Retrofit of 17 Double decker buses. Working in partnership with Lewes District Council, East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council, Worthing-Adur District Council, and Wealden District Council | £149,500 |
Presumably 17 older Volvo/Scania 'dekkers upgraded to Euro 6?
Source:
£5 million boost for local authorities to tackle air pollution
Air Quality Grants awarded across England to fund local projects for cleaner air
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700007
Established Member
Possibly could be, given the price checks out about right I think. Might be the remaining Scanias in the fleet to get exhaust upgrade.
I know that Brighton & Hove have been curious in looking at various hydrogen solutions including even retrofitting existing buses with a hydrogen driveline of sorts (no idea how it works) but the cost of doing that possibly even just one bus I am sure is more than £150k.
700007
Established Member
Interesting....
There's a press release on the Brighton & Hove City Council website entitled "Air quality boost for Brighton & Hove after funding award for cleaner buses":
A quick scan through the fleetlist reveals 16 Geminis in Regency Route livery. These are, it seems Euro-V. Did think it unlikely that they'd go to the trouble of updating some near end-of-life vehicles such as the remaining Scanias (but obviously didn't go so far as to commit myself on here
)
A quick scan through the fleetlist reveals 16 Geminis in Regency Route livery. These are, it seems Euro-V. Did think it unlikely that they'd go to the trouble of updating some near end-of-life vehicles such as the remaining Scanias (but obviously didn't go so far as to commit myself on here
)
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busestrains
On Moderation
I was speaking to a bus driver yesterday who said that he has heard that next year Newhaven depot will go 100% to Hydrogen and get a large fleet of Hydrogen double deckers for the coastal routes (the 11X 12 12A 12X 13X 14 14A 14B 14C services) that this depot runs.
He mentioned that the plan is that the current long length Wright Streetdeck vehicles allocated to the coastal routes will then transfer to Brighton (Lewes Road) depot and be allocated to the 25 service.
This will enable the newly acquired 2012 buses from Go Ahead London to be withdrawn as apparently these are only a temporary thing to replace the bendy buses until these long length Wright Streetdeck vehicles from the coastal routes become available.
So that should be interesting to watch what happens over the next year or two.
Also i know it has been mentioned that Crawley depot is supposed to be getting a large batch of Hydrogen single deckers for the Fastway routes (10 and 20 and 100) this year or early next year which are slightly delayed. Once these arrive i imagine the current Fastway single deckers will probably transfer to other routes to replace all of the remaining Scania Ominicity (or Scania Omnilink or whatever they are) buses that are still in the Metrobus fleet. I can not confirm this but logically that seems likely to happen.
Finally does anyone know when the 24/7 service to and from Horsham on the 200 will resume? For years and years before the corona virus the service to and from Horsham on the 200 was 24/7 with buses every 45 minutes in each direction all evening long and all night long throughout the entire night. But since the corona virus started this has stopped and has never returned with all buses finishing at around 20:00 now which is a huge reduction. It seems a shame as this was a useful route especially serving Gatwick Airport and providing Horsham a frequent night bus service. It was always well used whenever i used it. Does anyone think this will ever return?
He mentioned that the plan is that the current long length Wright Streetdeck vehicles allocated to the coastal routes will then transfer to Brighton (Lewes Road) depot and be allocated to the 25 service.
This will enable the newly acquired 2012 buses from Go Ahead London to be withdrawn as apparently these are only a temporary thing to replace the bendy buses until these long length Wright Streetdeck vehicles from the coastal routes become available.
So that should be interesting to watch what happens over the next year or two.
Also i know it has been mentioned that Crawley depot is supposed to be getting a large batch of Hydrogen single deckers for the Fastway routes (10 and 20 and 100) this year or early next year which are slightly delayed. Once these arrive i imagine the current Fastway single deckers will probably transfer to other routes to replace all of the remaining Scania Ominicity (or Scania Omnilink or whatever they are) buses that are still in the Metrobus fleet. I can not confirm this but logically that seems likely to happen.
Finally does anyone know when the 24/7 service to and from Horsham on the 200 will resume? For years and years before the corona virus the service to and from Horsham on the 200 was 24/7 with buses every 45 minutes in each direction all evening long and all night long throughout the entire night. But since the corona virus started this has stopped and has never returned with all buses finishing at around 20:00 now which is a huge reduction. It seems a shame as this was a useful route especially serving Gatwick Airport and providing Horsham a frequent night bus service. It was always well used whenever i used it. Does anyone think this will ever return?
Man of Kent
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This was an unfunded ZEBRA bid by the operator in association with Brighton & Hove and East Sussex councils (more information from links on this page of the latter's website: https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/roads...zero-emission-bus-regional-areas-scheme-zebra).
Possibly it is being funded from the councils' funded Bus Services Improvement Plans, but neither mentioned it in this context. And it seems it was also reliant on cash from the Newhaven Town Deal, which received less than was bid for (roughly the amount needed for the hydrogen project....).
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