London to try a tri-axle ‘decker

[overthewater]

https://cbwmagazine.com/london-to-try-a-tri-axle-decker/

Nice to see some new types of buses coming to london, Why an E500MMC could not be tried is anyone's guess.. Im sure ALX would be happy to make them.

Manoeuvrability is assisted by the rear-steering axle. ENSIGNBUS

London’s latest clocks a number of ‘firsts’ & is expected to be trialled on route Go-Ahead London’s X68 route this Summer

London is to trial a tri-axle low-floor double-decker bus, which boasts a number of ‘firsts’ in terms of in innovations on a service bus in the capital.

Manufactured in China by BCI, the bus marks the latest development in the range imported into the UK by Purfleet-based operator-dealer Ensignbus (EBC). Called the Enterprise 2HD, it has been developed for London in collaboration with Transport for London (TfL) and thus incorporates many of the transport authority’s innovative ideas.

The vehicle is believed to be UK’s inaugural tri-axle low-floor hybrid double-decker bus to be fitted with full air-conditioning – for the saloon and cab alike. In the event of failure or in an emergency, the hopper windows can be opened using a t-key. They will however, normally be locked shut.

The bus is also equipped with occupancy indicators, with displays in the cab and at the bottom of the staircase showing the number of free seats available.

Manufactured by Lazzerini, the seats, which are covered in special TfL moquette, include integrated bus stop bells, USB power points and mobile phone holders at the rear. The seats upstairs are angled towards the windows rather than the aisle.

While the bus offers a total capacity for 130 passengers, 55 passengers can be seated on the upper deck and 23 on lower deck, which includes a large wheelchair area and a separate bay for two buggies.

Another milestone is the fact that it’s the first new bus to be fitted with a Vantage Power hybrid drive system, matched to a 185bhp Cummins Euro 6 diesel engine.

A ‘back to front’ view of the upper saloon. ENSIGNBUS
Built on a stainless steel chassis, the 12.5m-long bus includes a rear steer axle as on the diesel variants operated by EBC for its private hire and rail replacement work. A notable difference however, is that the rearmost axle is a Hande axle with motors on each wheel, an arrangement similar to that found on London Underground trainsets.

CBW understands the destination board is also set to break new ground – further details of which are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The bus has been acquired by Go-Ahead London. CBW understands it’s going to Camberwell Garage for initial use on limited stop route X68, which links Croydon, Thornton Heath, Upper Norwood and West Norwood, then runs non-stop-to Waterloo, Holborn and Russell Square. The vehicle is expected to enter traffic this Summer. Described as a ‘pilot vehicle,’ if successful, further tri-axle low-floor double-deckers could follow for London.

Peter Newman, Chairman at Ensignbus, the Purfleet-based dealership that imports the Chinese-made range, told CBW: “This bus has been developed for London in collaboration with TfL, incorporating many of their innovative ideas. It’s a pilot vehicle to examine its potential for service routes with London Buses.”

Having arrived at EBC’s premises on April 4, the bus is expected to be certified on April 10, before going to Vantage Power for three weeks.

 

[Busaholic]

Hasn't the lesson already been learned the hard way that London buses need windows that can be opened other than in an emergency?!

Using it on the X68 will mean it does a maximum of two journeys a day in actual service, five days per week, with a little residual oos positioning.

 

[overthewater]

I see three windows on the top deck that can be open.

 

[alex397]

Very interesting! As London finds bendy-buses unacceptable, tri-axles could certainly help on some routes in London.

Ensignbus have had success with the BCI so far. I have been on one myself, and they are impressive vehicles.

 

[jon0844]

Hasn't the lesson already been learned the hard way that London buses need windows that can be opened other than in an emergency?

Not if the air conditioning is designed to work properly, in which case opening windows should be a very rare event indeed.

And I am intrigued about this new destination display. TfL has always required proper blinds, but perhaps this will be the first to feature a high-resolution display? Or perhaps even show different colours (as is common in China)? Maybe a mix of white and amber?

 

[radamfi]

Tri-axles solve the weight limit problems that plague two axle double deckers, so effective air conditioning can be installed, for example. It should also be easier to carry batteries and conversion to zero emission is a priority over the next few years. Other countries that don't use double deckers are now starting to roll out full size electric buses (including artics) in large numbers whereas London is mostly only using short electric buses at the moment.

 

[Robertj21a]

Not if the air conditioning is designed to work properly, in which case opening windows should be a very rare event indeed.

And I am intrigued about this new destination display. TfL has always required proper blinds, but perhaps this will be the first to feature a high-resolution display? Or perhaps even show different colours (as is common in China)? Maybe a mix of white and amber?

TfL have already indicated that digital screens may soon be acceptable in lieu of blinds.

 

[edwin_m]

Don't some London buses use high resolution screens that to the casual viewer are indistinguishable from blinds?

 

[alex397]

Don't some London buses use high resolution screens that to the casual viewer are indistinguishable from blinds?

I don't think this is the case at the moment.

 

[Busaholic]

I see three windows on the top deck that can be open.

If you read the article, it states that they will be kept locked.

 

[Busaholic]

Not if the air conditioning is designed to work properly, in which case opening windows should be a very rare event indeed.

A shame that Wrightbus couldn't crack it with the New Bus for London, resulting in an expensive retrofitting programme to the first few hundred, and yet more cost to TfL to add to the already inflated price they'd paid for these expensive white elephants.

 

[class387]

Very excited for this trial. I went on a two-axle BCI during the Reading Buses 702 trials and it is easily the best double decker I have been on.

 

[class387]

If you read the article, it states that they will be kept locked.

But can be opened with a T-Key if the aircon fails.

 

[radamfi]

A shame that Wrightbus couldn't crack it with the New Bus for London, resulting in an expensive retrofitting programme to the first few hundred, and yet more cost to TfL to add to the already inflated price they'd paid for these expensive white elephants.

It was never claimed to have proper "air conditioning", only "air cooling" (or "air chilling"). Proper air conditioning was never possible with the New Routemaster because the extra weight required would have been two much for the two axles.

 

[jon0844]

A shame that Wrightbus couldn't crack it with the New Bus for London, resulting in an expensive retrofitting programme to the first few hundred, and yet more cost to TfL to add to the already inflated price they'd paid for these expensive white elephants.

I realise businesses don't have the same protection as consumers, but surely TfL shouldn't have been paying to retrofit openable windows on a bus that clearly wasn't capable of providing the cooling that I assume was specified?

Unless of course the original spec was inadequate, which surely couldn't happen. I mean, air conditioning on a bus might be a big thing for London (and the UK in general) but, shock horror, buses in other places have had it for decades. It isn't some unknown science when it comes to cooling!

Edit: Seen the post above. That makes it absurd that a bus not fitted with proper air conditioning could have windows that wouldn't open. In fact, how could anyone allow such a thing to be built? Either have windows or proper air con, not some combination that is unworkable.

 

[Busaholic]

But can be opened with a T-Key if the aircon fails.

We're going round in circles - it was that aspect that I thought might, or even would, prove problematic.

 

[Busaholic]

It was never claimed to have proper "air conditioning", only "air cooling" (or "air chilling"). Proper air conditioning was never possible with the New Routemaster because the extra weight required would have been two much for the two axles.

In which case, which genius thought windows were superfluous to requirements?

 

[class387]

We're going round in circles - it was that aspect that I thought might, or even would, prove problematic.

If it had windows that can be opened by passengers, then they would open them when the aircon is working, therefore the aircon would be pointless. If it had no opening windows, then if the aircon fails it would be unbearable. Having the driver open the windows when there isn't aircon seems like a good compromise.

 

[jon0844]

If it had windows that can be opened by passengers, then they would open them when the aircon is working, therefore the aircon would be pointless. If it had no opening windows, then if the aircon fails it would be unbearable. Having the driver open the windows when there isn't aircon seems like a good compromise.

That's exactly the way it should be. If passengers open windows then the air con will fail to work (didn't National Express add aircon to some 317s and then keep the openable windows?). Having only the driver on a bus able to open the windows (or another member of staff on a train) is the best way to ensure that the aircon can do its job properly.

But if the air conditioning isn't up to scratch out of the factory, you've got a rather large problem.

 

[class387]

That's exactly the way it should be. If passengers open windows then the air con will fail to work (didn't National Express add aircon to some 317s and then keep the openable windows?). Having only the driver on a bus able to open the windows (or another member of staff on a train) is the best way to ensure that the aircon can do its job properly.

But if the air conditioning isn't up to scratch out of the factory, you've got a rather large problem.

It was the Stansted Express 317/7s that had both aircon and opening windows and it didn't work well.

BCI say this has full air conditioning rather than just air cooling like on the NBFLs, so it should be better. If it does turn out to be rubbish, they could just leave the windows unlocked like every other London bus.

 

[Robertj21a]

In which case, which genius thought windows were superfluous to requirements?

Whoever designed it !!. Wasn't it something to do with Heatherwick wanting to have a sleek design ?

 

[Busaholic]

If it had windows that can be opened by passengers, then they would open them when the aircon is working, therefore the aircon would be pointless. If it had no opening windows, then if the aircon fails it would be unbearable. Having the driver open the windows when there isn't aircon seems like a good compromise.

Good luck with getting a driver on a London bus route to leave their cab and, having equipped themselves with a T-bar (assuming one has been provided), go round opening those three, or whatever the number is, windows. It ain't going to happen!

 

[Robertj21a]

Good luck with getting a driver on a London bus route to leave their cab and, having equipped themselves with a T-bar (assuming one has been provided), go round opening those three, or whatever the number is, windows. It ain't going to happen!

No excuse for not doing so at a terminus.

 

[Busaholic]

No excuse for not doing so at a terminus.

You might think so, and so would I, if I didn't keep reading on another forum devoted to London buses of the pressure on drivers at many companies from their controllers in the pursuit of 'targets', these targets often involving actions in direct conflict to the interests of a proportion of passengers.

 

[Mikey C]

https://cbwmagazine.com/london-to-try-a-tri-axle-decker/

Nice to see some new types of buses coming to london, Why an E500MMC could not be tried is anyone's guess.. Im sure ALX would be happy to make them.

Yes, slightly odd to have a completely new manufacturer supplying this bus instead of ADL or Wrights with one their 3 axled Volvos, I guess this is an initiative driven by Ensign.

 

[Be3G]

That bus certainly looks nice but… no grab poles on the top deck! I know there’re handles on the sides of the seats but they’re nowhere near as reassuring when swinging chimpanzee-like pole-to-pole to get from the back of the top deck to the exit doors whilst the driver's going at full throttle.

Don't some London buses use high resolution screens that to the casual viewer are indistinguishable from blinds?

Not that I’m aware of, but there was a rather nice single-decker trial bus doing the rounds a few years ago (it even ended up on my relatively provincial local route, the 313) which had a very good digital blind. Certainly not indistinguishable from ‘real’ though; I imagine the only thing that would be would be e-ink and I don’t think any buses anywhere (in the UK at least) use that.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The air chilling on London buses would work a lot better if the windows were locked shut. But it wasn't powerful enough to compensate against the open rear platform. Hopefully proper air con and closing doors will help.

I imagine use of a tri-axle will be limited. If the NBfL is too big for many routes...

 

[Antman]

Good luck with getting a driver on a London bus route to leave their cab and, having equipped themselves with a T-bar (assuming one has been provided), go round opening those three, or whatever the number is, windows. It ain't going to happen!

Unless the air con fails why would anyone need to open windows?

 

[Busaholic]

Unless the air con fails why would anyone need to open windows?

I was replying to someone who posted that the driver could open windows if the aircon failed. Personally, I think it's rather academic, as I can see little/no take-up of these buses.

 

[MotCO]

"Manufactured by Lazzerini, the seats, which are covered in special TfL moquette"

It doesn't look like the new 'standard' TfL moquette - I thought it was more red than that.