First Greater Glasgow

[Gingerbus1991]

I think it would have been better on a bigger, main stream route. I always see the 77 as being a good route for electric buses. You could have charging ports at either end of the bus station and the QEUH/Airport terminus.

A frequent route through the city centre in both direction and one that is flat and operates a much larger number of older vehicles atm all day long is the 7/7A route, plus Arrochar Terminus is ideally large enough for placing charging pylons, the M3 only uses 2 electric buses, how is that a significant improvement?

Plus an electric bus should be easily able to travel summerston to rutherglen and back again until needing another charge.

 

[lastbus]

241 bus will be launched on Friday the 16th November at Tesco’s in wishaw between 10am and 4pm

 

[route101]

isn't the m3 also on a hilly route?

Yeah , up Firhill ! If it still goes that way . Hardly see the M3

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Yeah , up Firhill ! If it still goes that way . Hardly see the M3

It really doesnt look like a big Incentive with only 2 electric buses anyways, The longevity of the electric motors on hills may be poor, Lothians enviro 400h hybrids have struggled at 7 yrs old because of the hills on lothians 10 route, these use the same principal of the electric motor doing all the work as the BYD electrics do, perhaps BYD are doing a great job on these, but I’d like to compare these electrics to Harrogates Electric 7900e buses.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Just saw what looked like a blue fronted Streetlite sitting outside the sheds at Caledonia.

 

[Volvodart]

It is First Scotland East. Not sure why.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I must say I’m glad First have revised their livery. I wasn’t too keen on it to start but it’s definatelt a grower. I like the large purple F for First that I’ve saw on other livries down south to finish it off.

FSE is the main one. It really like their new livery. It stands out more and is very smart unlike the blue livery. Don’t really know what they were thinking with that...

 

[Jordan Adam]

The Blue front could perhaps be for route branding? 38 maybe?

 

[lastbus]

3 of the 241 buses now in Overtown depot

 

[Observer]

The Blue front could perhaps be for route branding? 38 maybe?

None of the Larbert Streetlites have had route branding removed from routes that are no longer since August. It would only make sense to put them in front of the queue, as much as those buses are horrendous and should be replaced with heavier and reliable stock.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

The FSE Streetlite is from Livingston depot, not sure what the blue livery is for mind you

 

[christopherrfc]

More info on what buses are leaving the fleet

http://www.route-one.net/articles/Environment/First_Glasgow__Trying_to_make_sense_of_LEZ/c

 

[Volvodart]

Are the retrofit schemes in England not fully funded?

 

[JumpinTrainz]

More info on what buses are leaving the fleet

http://www.route-one.net/articles/Environment/First_Glasgow__Trying_to_make_sense_of_LEZ/c

Am I right in saying the B7RLEs and B7TLs are Euro 3? What a shame they are great buses but unfortunately have been neglected over the years. The seats covers are also barely hanging on.

This is quite a big deal on the grand scale of things. Pretty much by 2022 Glasgow will have a fully ADL/Wright fleet. This is a very positive change welcomed by Glasgow. This has been long overdue.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Am I right in saying the B7RLEs and B7TLs are Euro 3? What a shame they are great buses but unfortunately have been neglected over the years. The seats covers are also barely hanging on.

This is quite a big deal on the grand scale of things. Pretty much by 2022 Glasgow will have a fully ADL/Wright fleet. This is a very positive change welcomed by Glasgow. This has been long overdue.

B7RLEs up to 56 plate are Euro 3, from 07 plate they're Euro 4 (Albeit actually compliant to Euro 5). All B7TLs in the fleet are Euro 3.

 

[Volvodart]

There are still 200 odd buses outwith the zone, so the Euro3s could be used for a couple of years after the full zone comes in.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

B7RLEs up to 56 plate are Euro 3, from 07 plate they're Euro 4 (Albeit actually compliant to Euro 5). All B7TLs in the fleet are Euro 3.

Can the likes of Eminox or Baumot not retrofit the Euro 3 single or doubles? there are about 90 odd B7RLEs alone, and god knows how many B7TL, I assume the B7L/B10BLE’s can’t be upgraded.

Im not saying any of these are ethical to upgrade given there age.

 

[Volvodart]

Would it not cost more to fit adblue? Plus they would only have a life of a couple of years after the full LEZ implementation.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Can the likes of Eminox or Baumot not retrofit the Euro 3 single or doubles? there are about 90 odd B7RLEs alone, and god knows how many B7TL, I assume the B7L/B10BLE’s can’t be upgraded.

Im not saying any of these are ethical to upgrade given there age.

The B7Ls have the exact same engine as the B7RLEs/B7TLs, but yeah it wouldn't be logical to upgrade them.

Keep in mind that in 2022 the 06 plate B7RLEs will be 16 years old. So in their final years, it may perhaps be better to transfer them rather than convert.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Would it not cost more to fit adblue? Plus they would only have a life of a couple of years after the full LEZ implementation.

It costs between £13-£16k for a full conversion, this usually covers a New particulate filter, AdBlue dosing unit, piping and catalyst, and a new AdBlue tank if needed.

The B7Ls have the exact same engine as the B7RLEs/B7TLs, but yeah it wouldn't be logical to upgrade them.

Keep in mind that in 2022 the 06 plate B7RLEs will be 16 years old. So in their final years, it may perhaps be better to transfer them rather than convert.

Yeah I understand this, I mentioned them separately due to there rear end design internally(toiletbox takes up a few seats and the noise next to them is ridiculous) and the older age of the B7Ls in general, honestly like many people understand with a large mechanical overhall the 05/55 B7TL/06 B7RLEs could accomplish a vastly improved bus that could be operated to a 20yr life, I believe that could be do-able In the short term and it would greatly help spread the cost and time of completely renewing such a vast fleet number.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Yeah I understand this, I mentioned them separately due to there rear end design internally(toiletbox takes up a few seats and the noise next to them is ridiculous) and the older age of the B7Ls in general, honestly like many people understand with a large mechanical overhall the 05/55 B7TL/06 B7RLEs could accomplish a vastly improved bus that could be operated to a 20yr life, I believe that could be do-able In the short term and it would greatly help spread the cost and time of completely renewing such a vast fleet number.

Yeah, i agree that it wouldn't be worth it at all converting the B7Ls, even if they were a few years younger, the condition of some of them is appalling. It is somewhat ironic as the similar aged (and older) B10BLEs could quite easily do 25-30 years! I could see a case for the B7RLEs to be converted, but then again it would just make more sense to move them on services outside the LEZ zone or to Aberdeen/Scotland East in exchange for D7E engine examples which are compliant to E5 already.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I honestly think both the B10BLEs and B7RLES have it in them for lots more years service with a refurbishment. They have great motors and are really reliable buses.

I think most of the B7RLEs will be transferred to Aberdeen and FSE. I’m really not a fan of the hard back seats that FSE have they’re a bit odd does anyone know why they always order their seats like this compared to Aberdeen and Glasgow?

I honestly wonder what they’ll do with all the B7TLs... they are in huge numbers.. A subsidiary is about to get a huge second hand order of deckers!!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I honestly wonder what they’ll do with all the B7TLs... they are in huge numbers.. A subsidiary is about to get a huge second hand order of deckers!!

Guess they'll be sent to a range of operations that have 2000-2 fleet that could do with replacing - South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and West of England may hit that criteria have quite a few B7L/B7TL that fit that criteria?

 

[Jordan Adam]

I wouldn't be shocked if in a year or so Aberdeen sees some of Glasgows 06 plate B7RLEs join the fleet to oust the remaining B10BLEs in the fleet. We already have 4 members of the SF06 batch, albeit they were diverted on delivery and re-registered to SV06 plates prior to entering service!

The Original short lived SF plates they had were:
69110: SF06GZW > SV06GRF
69122: SF06HBD > SV06GRK
69123: SF06HBE > SV06GRU
69124: SF06HBG > SV06GRX

The metal plate inside the cab which has the fleet number and registration also had their original plates on them, but sadly they were removed not too long ago.

I was at a local event a while back and there was a photo of 69123 on display from when it was delivered back in 2006 and still carried it's original SF06 plate. As i hadn't seen this before i couldn't help but take a photo of the photo! (Note: If the original owner wants the photo removed just PM me)

 

[Gingerbus1991]

I honestly think both the B10BLEs and B7RLES have it in them for lots more years service with a refurbishment. They have great motors and are really reliable buses.

I think most of the B7RLEs will be transferred to Aberdeen and FSE. I’m really not a fan of the hard back seats that FSE have they’re a bit odd does anyone know why they always order their seats like this compared to Aberdeen and Glasgow?

I honestly wonder what they’ll do with all the B7TLs... they are in huge numbers.. A subsidiary is about to get a huge second hand order of deckers!!

Guess they'll be sent to a range of operations that have 2000-2 fleet that could do with replacing - South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and West of England may hit that criteria have quite a few B7L/B7TL that fit that criteria?

I get that taking a newer Euro5 vehicle and putting it in place of the older stock in glasgow makes everything move quicker and is less expensive to do, but is it not counter productive, meaning that another location has to loose a newer vehicle and in its place they get an older, more polluting vehicle in return? Even if that “other” location isnt impinged by LEZ’s, it essentially means Stirling, Falkirk, Livi and Aberdeen will have to endure with an older fleet for a larger period of time.

Of course if First also considered Wright products alongside ADL they could have new stock on the roads much quicker.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I get that taking a newer Euro5 vehicle and putting it in place of the older stock in glasgow makes everything move quicker and is less expensive to do, but is it not counter productive, meaning that another location has to loose a newer vehicle and in its place they get an older, more polluting vehicle in return? Even if that “other” location isnt impinged by LEZ’s, it essentially means Stirling, Falkirk, Livi and Aberdeen will have to endure with an older fleet for a larger period of time.

Of course if First also considered Wright products alongside ADL they could have new stock on the roads much quicker.

I see your point, but every little move makes a different, There's less than a year between Aberdeens 69125 - 34 (Euro 5) and Glasgows 06 (Euro 3) plates. 10 vehicles isn't much, but surely every little move ads up to help in the long run.

 

[Volvodart]

Aberdeen is supposed to be getting a LEZ so it is unlikely they will go there. If they were going to do that the recent additions from FSE would have gone there and we would have got the older ones then.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I get that taking a newer Euro5 vehicle and putting it in place of the older stock in glasgow makes everything move quicker and is less expensive to do, but is it not counter productive, meaning that another location has to loose a newer vehicle and in its place they get an older, more polluting vehicle in return? Even if that “other” location isnt impinged by LEZ’s, it essentially means Stirling, Falkirk, Livi and Aberdeen will have to endure with an older fleet for a larger period of time.

Of course if First also considered Wright products alongside ADL they could have new stock on the roads much quicker.

You are right in that it would be robbing Peter to pay Paul in a location that doesn't have an LEZ loses a modern vehicle and gains something older that it more polluting but if you've not the finances to do so and you need to do that to be compliant.....

Wright obviously has been the preferred option for a long time and they are using them for the new Leeds fleet in delivery.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Aberdeen is supposed to be getting a LEZ so it is unlikely they will go there. If they were going to do that the recent additions from FSE would have gone there and we would have got the older ones then.

The council have been going back and forth between it, but the current view seems to be that AWPR and the pedestrianisation of some city centre streets may be enough to lower emissions levels. The only street where a LEZ zone has been considered as far as i'm aware is Market Street.

 

[Observer]

The FSE Streetlite is from Livingston depot, not sure what the blue livery is for mind you

Fair enough. That being said a blue front wedge would look decent if applied to all of them regardless. Just looks so empty without the wedges.