Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[SpeedbirdA350]

Would have thought they've got the ZF gearboxes instead of Voith which Lothian usually go for. The ZF in my opinion are ludicrously jerky when travelling at low speeds.

Lothian have quite a few ZF gearboxes in the fleet but you also have to remember that these are ex London buses so to retrofit them with a new gearbox when nothing is wrong with the current ones would be an extra cost for nothing.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Lothian have quite a few ZF gearboxes in the fleet but you also have to remember that these are ex London buses so to retrofit them with a new gearbox when nothing is wrong with the current ones would be an extra cost for nothing.

I would agree with early voiths being smoother than ZFs Ecomat/Ecolifes, but the latest DIWA.6 units from voith that you find in streetlites and 200 mmc’s are not very good at all, it is I reckon the way they are set up for fuel economy but ZFs latest transmission in Lothians B5TLs and B8RLE ECB singles are smooth with no obvious flaws.

 

[ANWP Tom]

20001 and 20002 both seen in traffic on 124s as expected. 551 also working on these this week as is a 9** wright in county colours all observed over the past week

 

[route101]

The 41s seem to be particularly blessed(?) with a number of the ex Londons with the Armagh plates. Speaking to a driver on a sardine-packed service his comments were: 'Not good at all. Short and slow'. How many seats are they short of the standard BT9Ls?

They are same size as the Glasgow ones are they not . Funny how they are on NI plates .

 

[Gingerbus1991]

They are same size as the Glasgow ones are they not . Funny how they are on NI plates .

Yes, there 10.6m

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

... but ZFs latest transmission in Lothians B5TLs and B8RLE ECB singles are smooth with no obvious flaws.

I'm afraid I have to disagree; I found the ZF gearbox on the B5TLs very jerky when I was in Edinburgh a few weeks ago. I much preferred the i-Shift on the 7900Hs and B5LHs.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

I'm afraid I have to disagree; I found the ZF gearbox on the B5TLs very jerky when I was in Edinburgh a few weeks ago. I much preferred the i-Shift on the 7900Hs and B5LHs.

If you drive them back to back on 12 hr shift youd quickly change your mind, after driving the 7900h’s if your to sharp with the accelerator the clutch can engage to quickly causing it to jerk forwards quite harshly, and consider there gear changes take for every there not ideal when you get flashed out at a bus stop, any of Voiths or ZF torque convertor transmission are more suited to city work.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

If you drive them back to back on 12 hr shift youd quickly change your mind, after driving the 7900h’s if your to sharp with the accelerator the clutch can engage to quickly causing it to jerk forwards quite harshly, and consider there gear changes take for every there not ideal when you get flashed out at a bus stop, any of Voiths or ZF torque convertor transmission are more suited to city work.

Euro 5 ones are worse compared to the Euro 6 ones, imo

I have B5LHs on E400MMC bodies on my local route and they seem to be fine ... apart from when they're faced with a hill.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Euro 5 ones are worse compared to the Euro 6 ones, imo

I have B5LHs on E400MMC bodies on my local route and they seem to be fine ... apart from when they're faced with a hill.

Hills are another issue for the gearbox, the iShift trans was orginally for HGV applications then led onto PSV coaches which is sensible given more of these were used long hall on a motorway etc, the reason being there so slow on hills is simply because between each gearchange you loose momentum, I understand that volvo do produce a DualClutch version which would help matter but unfortunetly not bound for PCV apps.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

It also doesn't help that when pulling off on a hill, the i-Shift goes into a lower gear, having a larger gear ratio, thus increasing torque output, therefore making it even jerkier when changing gear.

Notice that when on the flat in a higher gear, you can barely feel the gearbox upshift.

 

[Kilmux]

20001 and 20002 both seen in traffic on 124s as expected. 551 also working on these this week as is a 9** wright in county colours all observed over the past week

856 on service 124 today. It's the Macmillan bus, so at least it's green. 317 on the 43s, and it's not!

 

[Volvodart]

Another travel shop closure:-

https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2018/08/hanover-street-travelshop/

Hanover Street Travelshop
Closing 1 September 2018
August 21, 2018
Our Hanover Street Travelshop will close on Saturday 1 September.

From that date, you can still visit our Waverley Bridge Travelshop for all your bus timetables, travel information, tickets and Ridacards.

To ensure everyone has the chance to get their travel information, we’ve extended the opening hours of of our Waverley Bridge Travelshop throughout Septembe and will open Monday – Thursday 0800 – 2000, Friday – Saturday 0800 – 1800 and Sundays 0900 – 1730.

Please remember, you can also call our Traveline, 0131 555 6363 or contact our social media team on Twitter and Facebook.

Our Lost Property office will close on 30 August to move to our Central Garage in Annandale Street and re-open in a temporary portocabin on 3 September. Opening hours will remain the same 0930 – 1730.

We are currently looking for a new, fit for purpose location to bring you a new brand new Travelshop experience.

Watch this space!

 

[ANWP Tom]

Plain white new shape open top 250 was on the 3 bridges tour yesterday. Not sure if just as cover or potential regular thing in the future

 

[route101]

Another travel shop closure:-

https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2018/08/hanover-street-travelshop/

Does that leave two ? Its funny theres a first one in Motherwell but none in Glasgow itself.

 

[overthewater]

There is only one Lothian travel shop left... There is one at muss depot for East coast buses.

 

[MrHopefull]

There is only one Lothian travel shop left... There is one at muss depot for East coast buses.

technically musselburgh one is Lothian also
can buy anything there

 

[Mal]

Lothian Buses closed the Dalkeith office and two of their three enquiry offices in the city centre, but publicity says they are looking to open another in Edinburgh.
As for First still having an enquiry office in Motherwell, they must have forgotten it exists! I wonder how long that will last now??

 

[Stef434]

Lothian Buses closed the Dalkeith office and two of their three enquiry offices in the city centre, but publicity says they are looking to open another in Edinburgh.
As for First still having an enquiry office in Motherwell, they must have forgotten it exists! I wonder how long that will last now??

They have not forgotten as it doubles up as a driver bothy for all Overtown changeovers I believe and also sells all types of tickets not available on buses

 

[route101]

They have not forgotten as it doubles up as a driver bothy for all Overtown changeovers I believe and also sells all types of tickets not available on buses

Some of timetables are out of date by a few years when i was in a few years ago.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Ive noticed the 1 has quite a few double deckers on it recently. Is this becuase of the 7900s getting repainted? To be fair, one of the 1s I seen (ex london) was quite full on both decks, so it's actually a good thing they are putting some doubles on that route.

 

[ANWP Tom]

Has been occasionally decker 1s at weekends, hibs matches and peak so maybe a fringe thing

 

[Darklord8899]

Has been occasionally decker 1s at weekends, hibs matches and peak so maybe a fringe thing

I've also noticed the electrics poping up on the 24 and occasionaly on the 45 (apparently whilst the 45 is run from Marine, Central do provide the odd vehicle for it)

 

[Lothian_Bus]

Has been occasionally decker 1s at weekends, hibs matches and peak so maybe a fringe thing

Yes deckers are seen on the 1 during Hearts matches as well so it's definitely something that Lothian monitor and adjust for busy periods.

I wonder if service 49 will remain as a single decker as there have been several twitter complaints over the last few months on the lack of capacity since the deckers were switched to the 21.

 

[ANWP Tom]

I wonder if service 49 will remain as a single decker as there have been several twitter complaints over the last few months on the lack of capacity since the deckers were switched to the 21

Difficult one to call between the 2 routes as recon loading demand on the routes is at different times of day. 21 always seems to do heavy loadings into/out gyle in the peak but is around 1/2 full when I see it at other times. Gyle-Crewe Toll and ERI-Porty seem the heavy loaded part of the route. Whereas 49 also seems quieter across the central section aswell with bridges-Rosewell and Porty-Fort being the main areas of heavy loading. 2 deckers roster 12s in the morning at that moment as well I think. Trying to think of another decker route with low loadings which would better suit singles. 41 maybe?

 

[sam120]

Difficult one to call between the 2 routes as recon loading demand on the routes is at different times of day. 21 always seems to do heavy loadings into/out gyle in the peak but is around 1/2 full when I see it at other times. Gyle-Crewe Toll and ERI-Porty seem the heavy loaded part of the route. Whereas 49 also seems quieter across the central section aswell with bridges-Rosewell and Porty-Fort being the main areas of heavy loading. 2 deckers roster 12s in the morning at that moment as well I think. Trying to think of another decker route with low loadings which would better suit singles. 41 maybe?

49 is one of those routes where there’s too much capacity for a single, and not enough for a double. I think either the 41 or the 8 could survive on singles. 67 too.

 

[alexf380]

Talking from experience, the 8 is the main choice of bus for people travelling from the city centre to Edinburgh college at Granton (there are other options available, I.e. 14 and 16, but the 8 is the quickest and that's what we always went for) which can throw out standing loads in the peaks so deckers definitely needed at those times. Can't speak for the 41 but I think its also a case of being busy in the peaks but not so at other times.

 

[tbtc]

49 is one of those routes where there’s too much capacity for a single, and not enough for a double.

I wondered if that was part of the logic of buying the "short" deckers from London - for such routes?

I thought the 49 ought to be upgraded to deckers when the frequency was cut though.

 

[sam120]

I wondered if that was part of the logic of buying the "short" deckers from London - for such routes?

I thought the 49 ought to be upgraded to deckers when the frequency was cut though.

but the short ones aren’t even operating the 49. I hope heykeep the weekend deckers thiugh.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Im not clued up what gets used on where, I am aware that the Electrics are too small for the 1!

 

[Darklord8899]

Im not clued up what gets used on where, I am aware that the Electrics are too small for the 1!

I'm sure they would better suited to off peak 38's