London Buses Discussion

[Thirteen]

You mean the BYD BD11?

I quickly realised my error and edited it!

 

[Busoccultation]

I assume the BL1 won't be using the BYD 11s that was used for publicity purposes.

I wouldn't rule that completely as Go Ahead won the route and I wouldn't be surprised if they ordered BYD BD11s for the BL1 or even Wright Streetdeck Electroliners.

 

[Thirteen]

I wouldn't rule that completely as Go Ahead won the route and I wouldn't be surprised if they ordered BYD BD11s for the BL1 or even Wright Streetdeck Electroliners.

Given the route starts in late September, I do wonder if they might be a few temporary buses used or will they manage to get 10 BYDs or Electroliners ordered by then.

 

[YorkRailFan]

The contract for the BL1 has been awarded to Go-Ahead.
Starting 27th September

Don't think that comes as a surprise to anyone. Go Ahead were the ones who got to use a BYD BD11 on a press tour featuring "Bakerloop" vinyls for the run. Would've been surprised had Go Ahead not won the contract to be honest.

 

[Intro298]

I wouldn't rule that completely as Go Ahead won the route and I wouldn't be surprised if they ordered BYD BD11s for the BL1 or even Wright Streetdeck Electroliners.

Go Ahead have a framework agreement with Wrightbus, so I'd be surprised if BD11s are ordered for the BL1. However there is a chance that since the contract start date is so soon, BD11s intended for other garages that are waiting to get wired up, are diverted to give it a full allocation from Day 1.

 

[PGAT]

Given the route starts in late September, I do wonder if they might be a few temporary buses used or will they manage to get 10 BYDs or Electroliners ordered by then.

No way the new buses would be built and delivered in 3 months. The BD11s EBD100-113 aren't needed for their intended route at the moment so could be used on the BL1 while a permanent order awaits

 

[DaveLondon]

Go Ahead have a framework agreement with Wrightbus, so I'd be surprised if BD11s are ordered for the BL1. However there is a chance that since the contract start date is so soon, BD11s intended for other garages that are waiting to get wired up, are diverted to give it a full allocation from Day 1.

Athough there is a framework agreement with Wright there is no exclusivity as far as I understand it. Volvo BZL are on order as well at present. Time will tell what eventually is ordered although BYD do have a very quick delivery time.

 

[Intro298]

Athough there is a framework agreement with Wright there is no exclusivity as far as I understand it. Volvo BZL are on order as well at present. Time will tell what eventually is ordered although BYD do have a very quick delivery time.

There is no exclusivity, but there is no GB Kite in the same length as the BZLs and the Enviro 100EVs that have been procured, and the other orders since the initial BYD BD11 order have been for Wright Kite/Streetdeck Electroliners. I'd be surprised if Go Ahead don't go down the standardisation route with Wright, as they did up until recently with the BYD Enviro 200/400 EV.

 

[700007]

A couple of other bus websites, carrying story that 3 routes have been awarded tenders including BL1 today

route 149 same operator (Arriva) 2.5 years to 21 April 2028
route 275 same operator (Stagecoach) 7 years (new electric buses)
route BL1 GoAhead at Waterloo for 7 years starting 27 Sept (10 electric buses)

Will look for link that doesn't require registering, and update

The key phrasing just has it as 'electric buses' so the scope is quite open to it being existing electrics that may be refurbished to a high standard. It doesn't explicitly say that it is new.

10 buses actually quite neatly fits the amount of buses being released off the route 230 currently using 20-plate EV buses over at Northumberland Park, which a while ago was retained with brand new electric buses although they have yet to be introduced. I don't think a public (being the key word here!) order has been made yet for what the new 230 buses are but if they have only 3 months to go, they may divert some new/er EVs to Northumberland Park to release the 230s Ee type buses to go under a refurbishment and re-vinyling programme ready for the end of September to use on the Bakerloop. Just my guess, however. Could be very wrong.

 

[Semys12]

At one of my local bus stops, 4 buses call at it. The bus stop has an information board showing the times. It cycles between 4 pages, showing 4 buses at a time on each page, but the next bus is always shown, leaving the other three rows free for times of the other buses. I find that it seems to stay longer on page 2 to 4 rather than page 1, making it extremely frustrating to figure out when the next bus is due.

Why does the information board behave in this way? What is the value of showing that a bus is 30 mins away (page 4) if there are other buses of the same route 5 or 10 mins away?

Pinner Station

Live arrivals for Pinner Station stop.

tfl.gov.uk

O

 

[Simon75]

So how many garages have electric charging, and how easy it to upgrade older buildings?

 

[Edvid]

So how many garages have electric charging

Going by Robert Munster's LBR site, I'd say just over half of the 75-80 garages (inc. outstations) that TfL-contracted operators use have some degree of charging capability. Fully electrified garages or those approaching that state - Edgware (Metroline), for instance - are still few and far between, though.

 

[PGAT]

Going by Robert Munster's LBR site, I'd say just over half of the 75-80 garages (inc. outstations) that TfL-contracted operators use have some degree of charging capability. Fully electrified garages or those approaching that state - Edgware (Metroline), for instance - are still few and far between, though.

I believe Sutton is the only garage that only has electrics

 

[renegademaster]

South Croydon has charging capabilities but since 312 changes, doesn't actually use them

 

[Railguy1]

I've noticed that recently. It's a change from how they used to work when all pages stayed on for the same amount of time.

If you don't have a lot of buses it'll only show those due in the next 30 minutes.

There was discussion within TfL about not showing routes with earlier buses predicted but that option wasn't chosen.

Citymapper's app seems a nice way of doing it, listing routes then the number of minutes away for up to 3 buses on each.

Sorry for the late reply. Yes, I use Citymapper but sometimes I don’t feel safe or it’s raining and the bus stop (which has cover) is busy. I wonder why they picked that option. At least using equal times I can be assured of when the first page will be shown.

The advantage of having more than one bus on the same route showing is that if the first bus turns up full & standing and you know there’s a second bus close behind you can wait for a less crowded bus.

There are evidently better ways of displaying the information without making it harder to see when the next bus is.