Favorite bus and operator

[Heinz57]

What it says on the tin realy!

Who is your favorite bus operator, and what is your favorite bus?

Remember, it can be any bus, not necessarily one that your operator uses.

To kick us off, my favorite operator is Felix (or should I say was after they called it a day were swallowed up by Wellglade?)

For over 80 years Felix provided a reliable and friendly service between Ilkeston and Derby. The reliable service is where they get the name from the title 'Felix kept on walking'. Sun, rain, fog or snow, you always knew that nomatter what, Felix would get a bus out.
You also knew the drivers, with many regulars forming friendships with them.

My favorite bus, which incidentaly is (was) operated by Felix, is a Solar/Scania, they have proved to be very reliable buses. Felix have one which is an 03 plate and to this day is still very reliable on the main service.

Another which was operated by Felix is the Leyland Lynx, I can't remember how reliable they are. But Felix bought a Lynx II in 88, and remained with the company until at least 2009. It was took off main stream service in the early 2000s, and was used as a back up, however in the following years it was used every day on school and other contracts. And on the odd occasion was used back on the main Black Cat service.

Over to you...

 

[150222]

MCW Metrobus, Halifax Joint Commitee.

 

[WestCoast]

Favourite Operator - Lothian Buses
Favourite Bus - East Lancs/Optare Olympus

 

[martinsh]

Most of my favourite bus companies (A1, Green Bus, South Notts, OK) don't exist any more, but of current ones, I have a soft spot for South Lancs Travel.

I quite like Jelgavas Autobusu Parks as well !

 

[90019]

I can answer both questions with this photo;

 

[causton]

I can say my favourite in terms of enthusiast levels is Sullivan Buses, because of the amount of interesting workings they do (rail replacement) and their new ventures into commercial services (including one opening up a route that had been stopped for over 10 years IIRC!) and TfL contract work

My favourite in terms of I try and use them as much as possible are Uno, with their relatively clean buses, cheap fares compared to Arriva, wide variety of routes and good selection of buses! Sure, the timetables are sometimes awful:
- extended running times meaning drivers deliberately leave late and make up time so much they are early by the end
- not enough running time so drivers deliberately leave early and are still late in the congested nightmare that is St Albans
- when the London trains arrive at 16 and 46 past the hour and their buses leave at 15 and 45 past the hour, and I'm always on the 46 arrival so I miss the bus*

Favourite bus would be single-decker Citaro, double-decker Olympus

*at nights there is a service every half an hour calling at the station towards town at 15 and 45 past the hour. The 45 is always early as it starts from Welwyn Garden City and due to point 1 above, makes up time so comes past the station at about 41 past. So I miss it by miles. Then I have to wait for the 15 past, which comes from the depot. All buses seem to leave the depot about 5 minutes late, I always assume it's because the driver has a good old chat with the drivers but at 1am there are none to speak to - but still, the last bus at 0115 *still* turns up at about 0125 - after I've waited just under 40 minutes after getting the 0046 into Hatfield (which always gets there about 0048 due to losing time over the route, thanks First Capital Connect )

 

[ChathillMan]

Favourite Bus - Scania N113 Single deck with Alexander bodywork
Favourite Operator - Go North East

 

[45039]

stagecoach (barnsley) well i do drive for them enviro/man alx200 and the enviro 400 now that the engines have been turned up.
but got a soft spot for the old b10's at our depot

 

[Blindtraveler]

stagecoach (barnsley) well i do drive for them enviro/man alx200 and the enviro 400 now that the engines have been turned up.
but got a soft spot for the old b10's at our depot

are the good old go anywhere do anything B10. vehicle wise I like most things that arnt a Scanier or a solo although many tridents seam to be rattling a lot these days. I have got a bit of a soft spot for the widely used work horse that is the Plaxton Panther coach.

Opperater wise, most stagecoach opperations seam to be good, the acception being Orkney which is terrible. Local opperater wise perimans buses are good on punctualitty and take comments onboard, they just have to many bl**y solos!

 

[dvboy]

Anyone but National Express West Midlands

 

[45039]

nothing wrong with solo's providing they aint got the mercedes engine they are slow as fcuk!!!
b10's and b6's old buses got character but they can bloody shift cant see these new plastic 300 and 400 lasting as long

 

[pdq]

I grew up with Silcox buses in Pembrokeshire. They had a selection of Leopards and old Bristols. I remember being excited to the point of tears at the age of 7 or so when they got a brand new bus, BDE140V, and it appeared as my school bus. Obviously didn't know what it was then, but now know it to be a Leopard with Duple Dominant bus bodywork. It had 3+2 seating throughout.

On to uni in the early 90s I remember being incredibly impressed by the first Dart I went on. Compared to the normal stock of Bristol LHs and Leyland Nationals it was unbelievably smooth, quiet and brisk.

 

[madannie77]

Time to show my age again.

Favourite operator of times past: Sheffield Transport.
Favourite all time bus: Leyland Atlantean or Daimler Fleetline with Park Royal bodywork to Sheffield's design:

In more recent times, the favouite bus has to be the Alexander PS bodied Volvo B10M-55. Many a fine thrash on the routes to Penrith and Dumfries from Carlisle. None of the low-floor buses really have the same feeling of power, and all sound like they are falling apart from new.

Favourite current operator has to be Lothian, although I like Reays of Wigton: their local services in Carlisle have prompted a bit of a price war with Stagecoach and the cost of travelling by bus in Carlisle has gone down considerably recently.

I would also name Network Warrington, but I find it hard to forgive them for abandoning my part of the town (when I lived there) to Arriva . It is good to know that error has been rectified, however.

 

[Schnellzug]

leyland National mk.2 with the L11 engine. Combining the good features of the National: ride quality & space, with a great sounding engine. In terms of best sounding, though, the Leyland Leopard.
More or less current: Volvo B10B and Leyland/Volvo Olympian with Cummins engine.
The Lynx sounded great as well, and seemed to go pretty well, but they always seemed a bit rattly and the ride quality wasn't as good.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
oh, and favourite operator: Badgerline for a nice livery and the sheer variety of Vehicles.

 

[radamfi]

Metrobus, Halifax Joint Commitee.

There is the vehicle type MCW Metrobus, the modern day bus company Metrobus operating in south London, Surrey and Sussex (part of the Go-Ahead group) and the historic Metrobus which was the bus operations of West Yorkshire PTE until 1986 (strapline: 'The easiest way from here to there in West Yorkshire')

 

[trentside]

Marshall's of Sutton on Trent are my favourite operator. A small, friendly, family firm running an immaculate fleet of buses and coaches. They've taken on a lot of work other operators didn't want, such as the 90 between Newark and Nottingham and turned it around into a successful service.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trentsidetraveller/6334278607/in/photostream

 

[221129]

Stagecoach Southwest and the scania Enviro 400's

 

[Heinz57]

On to uni in the early 90s I remember being incredibly impressed by the first Dart I went on. Compared to the normal stock of Bristol LHs and Leyland Nationals it was unbelievably smooth, quiet and brisk.

The Darts are pretty good vehicles. Smooth and comfortable. And they look good too

 

[BestWestern]

The Darts are pretty good vehicles. Smooth and comfortable. And they look good too

Ex-London ones are gutless as hell though

Always found the Dart to be a bit of a dull drive to be honest, never felt like a 'proper' bus. Personal favourite would be the Firstgroup standard-spec Volvo B10BLE with the superb Wright Renown body, genuinely excellent motors and still going strong across the board. Also fond of the afore-mentioned Stagecoach B10Ms and their Alexander Olympians.

 

[150222]

There is the vehicle type MCW Metrobus, the modern day bus company Metrobus operating in south London, Surrey and Sussex (part of the Go-Ahead group) and the historic Metrobus which was the bus operations of West Yorkshire PTE until 1986 (strapline: 'The easiest way from here to there in West Yorkshire')

Yep, meant the MCW Metrobus' operated by Halifax Joint Commitee. (See atachment. NOTE: Not my photo.) Around 30 vehicles entered the fleet from London Transport in the late 1990's. A few of which are still in use today!

 

[Schnellzug]

The Metrobus did have its good points; it had pretty good peformance for a Gardner engine, and decent ride quality. But (those of certain London operators, particularly), they could get in a dreadful clonky and rattly state. I'd deliberately try to avoid a, say, London General or Metroline ex London Northern one.
One other that I would suggest would be the Leyland Titan; now that was a very well designed Bus. Excellent ride quality and loads of space.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

X53, First in Dorset. When you get a good driver the West Bay-Chickerell leg of the route is actually wild and adrenaline-pumping!
The 31 is more frequent and has great rail links but lacks in many other areas, also having a leg similar to the X53's killer leg!
Also there's Preston Bus, my local useless bus service. Ever since my local bus (also the 31!) extended to Lea, the journey from Savick to the City Centre takes just short of 35 minutes, up to an hour in some cases! It used to take 9 minutes, but oh well. I still love 'em. The Orbital (88A/88C) route is classic, serves my school, and most of the major places in Preston but the 20:22 from Black Bull served by 88A is always late! Still love the ride though, especially at night.

 

[Zamracene749]

Favourite bus- ECW Bristol RE, nothing will ever sound as good as one of those again.

Favourite company is much more difficult, maybe Go ahead group, or East Yorkshire?

 

[185]

All hail the beast....

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Very Simple my favourite bus is Arriva 1050-61

This is 1057 seen on a former St Helens route 362 now renumbered 352 and rarely used on the route the buses are fast nippy and have very well padded seats. They where new to Northwestern Skelmersdale Depot since closed for the 311 Service and are by far the best Scania's on earth! (Believe me they are great machines...) It is currently about to be withdrawn by SH when newer cheapo nasty wright Streetlights arrive unfortunately this will be further degradation of Arriva in the local area after numerous darts and pulsars arrived over the past few years as the streetlights are horrible small and rattley even when new and will be my last time using Arriva St Helens depot apart from attending St Helens beer fest once a year as i will be walking or Using Arriva Southport Northern rail or FirstWigan nightbuses from now on.

Favourite operator is Wellglade because everytime i visit the East midlands or Manchester they run there buses to such a high standard nothing i use in the northwest compare to them

 

[Schnellzug]

My favourite in terms of I try and use them as much as possible are Uno, with their relatively clean buses, cheap fares compared to Arriva, wide variety of routes and good selection of buses! Sure, the timetables are sometimes awful:
- extended running times meaning drivers deliberately leave late and make up time so much they are early by the end
- not enough running time so drivers deliberately leave early and are still late in the congested nightmare that is St Albans
- when the London trains arrive at 16 and 46 past the hour and their buses leave at 15 and 45 past the hour, and I'm always on the 46 arrival so I miss the bus

talking of Uno, i lived in the Watford/St Albans vicinity for a while, and while they were never my favourite opertor (i can vouch for their casual attitude to timetables ), what they had then that made for it in entertainment value was the Blue Birds, American built things based on typical American school buses. They were built like battleships (literally, the interiors were all aluminium plating and exposed rivets), and they had basically Dart drivelines, Cummins 6BTA/Allison, but U.S. spec, rated at 210 hp, and boy they could shift. On faster sections of road like the Watford & St Albans bypasses they could get up to <strictly within the legal limit, of course>. Not bad ride quality, too, for steel suspension, and they sounded rather impressive too.

 

[Heinz57]

Always found the Dart to be a bit of a dull drive to be honest, never felt like a 'proper' bus.

For that 'proper bus' feel, I think its got to be a Wright Solar Scania. There's just something about it that gives it that feel.

 

[150222]

I'm a fan of First West Yorkshire's Wright bodied Volvo B10BLE's. Brilliant engine noise.

 

[Aictos]

Anyone by Stagecoach in Peterborough - Have found First Eastern Counties to be much more value for money even before I joined First.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

If you Like the Solars you'd love The Paladins i posted they have a great high ride quality almost coach like and can really shift...

As for B10BLE's i find them good but some are great especially the Y-CSF batch found allover the country. Arriva's 2701-30 batch of B10BLE are in dire need of a mid life rebuild.