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3+2 seating is quite common on school vehicles, though virtually non-existant on regular service vehicles.
Capacities run something like;
B10M/PS - B49F normally, upto B63F with 3+2
B10M/Plaxton Premiere C51F normally, upto B70F with 3+2
Enviro300 (2008 model) B44F normally, schoolbus spec up to B55F.
Capacities run something like;
B10M/PS - B49F normally, upto B63F with 3+2
B10M/Plaxton Premiere C51F normally, upto B70F with 3+2
Enviro300 (2008 model) B44F normally, schoolbus spec up to B55F.
starrymarkb
Established Member
Pretty much limited to School services. Some councils don't allow deckers to be used on tendered school services so the 5 abreast bus or coach has become more common. 5 abreast is too tight for adults so it's rare to find one in Public service on the mainland. (nb: Ulsterbus have a batch of buses with both 2+2 and 2+3 in rural NI)
Yeh, if it's a small company doing mostly subsidised work, then I can't see it as being too much of a problem. Lets hope the likes of Stagecoach and First don't cotton on and use try and use them as a way to reduce frequencies on overcrowded routes.
tbone
Member
Whilst capacity is increased, leg room and seat width is greatly reduced which make them unpopular on normal 'adult' services. Transdev York have one such vehicle which sometimes appears on the Unibus 44 and is particularly unpopular.
But if most of the passengers are little old ladies with their bus passes, then I doubt a multinational company that doesn't prioritises customer service would care too much.
I've experienced First Group using it's own Plaxton bodied coaches with 3+2 seating on rail replacement duties between Swansea and Cardiff, on more than one occasion.
Totally unsuitable and unacceptable for such work but they get away with it!
Totally unsuitable and unacceptable for such work but they get away with it!
And against First Rail Support's own specs!!
VTPreston_Tez
Member
I've had a 3+2 coach before. Outrageous, nearly suffocated, all the way from Keswick to Preston, which is about 90 minutes when you add a minor door fault.
CallySleeper
Established Member
I think Ulsterbus will use 3+2 regularly in school and public work.
How's the legroom?
CatfordCat
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Never all that common - a few operators went for it in the 70s - Barton for example had a batch, some of which went to London Country as the RN class - e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/2237208764/
is it? I'm sure some have crept on to GN suburban replacement coaches in recent weekends...
Ivo
Established Member
I've had 3+2 on SWT rail replacement before now. However, it was only for one journey, and then it was on standby thereafter. That was the first time I had ever seen 3+2 on a bus, but certainly not the last - or most recent.
I was less worried about the seating - apparently it sat 67! - than I was about the practicality of having a B10 winding its way around some very marginal roads in and around Strawberry Hill though...
I was less worried about the seating - apparently it sat 67! - than I was about the practicality of having a B10 winding its way around some very marginal roads in and around Strawberry Hill though...
Moffat and Williamson have some, mainly for school work. I think they are B7R's. There is one service which usually is a 3+2, the 1554 from Markinch to Glenrothes. This comes from Auchmuty High School to Coaltown or Markinch, then returns to Glenrothes Bus Station as the number 2 service.
CallySleeper
Established Member
Never been on one so wouldn't be able to comment I'm afraid, however I was once on an old coach which was standing in as a spare on Goldline (the vast majority of these were got rid of) which was 3+2... not very comfy!
Quite. I've driven a 70 seat volvo myself on behalf of FCC. Was not nice. I felt guilty. But FRS in their various documents require a 49 seat coach (at least, in the documents I've seen for three different firms across the country I've done rail rep work for).
Stonesourscotty
Member
The Solars used by Translink on the 300 Belfast International-Belfast are 3+2 over the bays at the back using horrible none standard seats.
CatfordCat
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Does it specifically say (in effect) "it must be a 49 seat coach" or "minimum 49 seat coach"?
I have no knowledge of the detailed spec that FRS use, but have dealt with this sort of thing from both sides of a local authority / bus operator situation, and most contract documents have said something like "minimum X seat vehicle" - and unless there were physical restrictions on the route, if a specification had said (say) 35 seater, but the best bid was (through some sort of interworking) a 53 seater, the council would have been quite content.
I can't see FRS getting upset if a 51 or 53 seat coach were to turn up instead of a 49...
The old Fraser Eagle spec was a 49 seater exec (not 53, due to less legroom) with toilet.
If I remember rightly, the current FRS form requires operators to break their fleet down into 29-35 seat, 49 seat with toilet, 53-57 seat, 70 seat schoolbuses, and double deckers. Something like that anyway
If I remember rightly, the current FRS form requires operators to break their fleet down into 29-35 seat, 49 seat with toilet, 53-57 seat, 70 seat schoolbuses, and double deckers. Something like that anyway
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