Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[Edirim]

London Vehicle Finder

Search current and historic bus routes and locations in London, Reading, Edinburgh. Created to help photographers track down ellusive vehicles.

lvf.io

Lvf.io/#LRT|Fullhist%20284
Using fullhist instruction is a great tool to get old data.

Edit - looks like I've been beaten to the punch

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Hold your horses? What City Free route? When is this coming into operation and what is this route? Surly they would be better off using the stock that comes off the No6 and N061?

Lothian Group Consolidated Financial Statement 2019

Lothian Buses - Local bus services in and around Edinburgh

www.lothianbuses.com

Page 7

We have been awarded £1.7m by the Green Economy fund which will be used to introduce four Alexander Dennis E400 City Electric Double Decker vehicles onto a city centre route. Discussions with Scottish Power Energy Network and Alexander Dennis are ongoing and it is hoped that these vehicles will be introduced to the fleet towards the end of 2020.

Given it is just 4 buses, there is no route that would require just 4 EVs. Route 6 used the EVs plus any decker at the end, and route 61 uses fleet number 288 or any single available. Recently, it was using 287 I think.

A free route was spoken about with the city council, as part of the revamping the city centre programme.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

use fullhist 28* and it will show the full vehicle history, the “history” command cuts every 6 months so its only showing vehicle usage since the 1st of this year and only 287 has been out this year

Thank you! (although as we have a route 287, it clashes with that). I do use ZW quite a lot, but that one is a handy one

London Vehicle Finder

Search current and historic bus routes and locations in London, Reading, Edinburgh. Created to help photographers track down ellusive vehicles.

lvf.io

Lvf.io/#LRT|Fullhist%20284
Using fullhist instruction is a great tool to get old data.

Edit - looks like I've been beaten to the punch

Thank you anyway

 

[overthewater]

Lothian Group Consolidated Financial Statement 2019

Lothian Buses - Local bus services in and around Edinburgh

www.lothianbuses.com

Page 7

Given it is just 4 buses, there is no route that would require just 4 EVs. Route 6 used the EVs plus any decker at the end, and route 61 uses fleet number 288 or any single available. Recently, it was using 287 I think.

A free route was spoken about with the city council, as part of the revamping the city centre programme.

Cheers for that.

Deckers seem like an overkill? It doesn't say free?

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Cheers for that.

Deckers seem like an overkill? It doesn't say free?

Free buses and more trams to overhaul Edinburgh transport

Streets closed to traffic as lifts take pedestrians from one street level to another.

news.stv.tv

A free ‘hopper’ bus and an extended tram line are being planned to transform public transport in Edinburgh.

I think it's better to have a decker over a single, especially now given the current COVID-19 situation we have going on, with social distancing etc… However, looking back at when the order was placed pre COVID-19, I can only assume they thought that this might be a popular service, and as such, would be better to have deckers over singles.

 

[overthewater]

Lets see if this service even happens now, It deffo will not start until next spring. One can only hope they council closes off more streets and kill off parking once and for all on george street.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Lets see if this service even happens now, It deffo will not start until next spring. One can only hope they council closes off more streets and kill off parking once and for all on george street.

There will be some parking on George St, for disabled and some permit only but would the council get rid of parking when it generates them extra cash? Some roads do need to be sorted though, especially those that have bad timings on traffic lights, which ultimately holds up buses. One of the reasons drivers say they won't give up the car too.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Thank you! (although as we have a route 287, it clashes with that).

Thank you anyway

ah forgot about that, on fleet numbers that are also route use the regi instead

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

ah forgot about that, on fleet numbers that are also route use the regi instead

Yeah, it's easy enough with 284-289 as they are C to H

 

[Bus9120UK]

ah forgot about that, on fleet numbers that are also route use the regi instead

What I usually do is enter "lrt 284-289" and 287 will also pop up.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

What I usually do is enter "lrt 284-289" and 287 will also pop up.

I tried that earlier but it did not work. FULLHIST also I think only works on single buses too, not groups.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Reading various posts online about some of the Airlink XLBs being seen repainted in all over white and debranded ones headed south. Are these being disposed of or repurposed?

 

[jcf5561]

Reading various posts online about some of the Airlink XLBs being seen repainted in all over white and debranded ones headed south. Are these being disposed of or repurposed?

Are they leased? If so they could be returning to the leasing company if Lothian no longer requires them and/or they are due for replacement due to the age limit imposed by Edinburgh Airport on the Airlink vehicles.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

1132 is the only bus without a tracker.

Seafield - 1126, 1127, 1137, 1138
Central - 1129, 1135, 1140
Longstone - 1130
Abercorn (paint) - 1128
Newbridge - 1131, 1133, 1134, 1136, 1139

As for the main city fleet of B8L, all are in Edinburgh right now either on the road or in Central.

Plus, with social distancing, we need more not fewer buses. We need more not fewer seats.

As for the age - the limit is 2 year old vehicles, these will be 2 years old March 2021, so still 8 months to go, but one would assume that this age limit would be waved for 12 months given the low mileage of the buses (however I think this is something LB and EDI would need to talk about as per the contract)

 

[CN04NRJ]

1132 is the only bus without a tracker.

Seafield - 1126, 1127, 1137, 1138
Central - 1129, 1135, 1140
Longstone - 1130
Abercorn (paint) - 1128
Newbridge - 1131, 1133, 1134, 1136, 1139

As for the main city fleet of B8L, all are in Edinburgh right now either on the road or in Central.

Plus, with social distancing, we need more not fewer buses. We need more not fewer seats.

I wouldn't rely on that transport visualiser as it's showing buses at Longstone that definitely aren't there along with buses parked at Longstone showing at Marine. There were two reported being away for paint and if one has been seen in white that would explain at least one of them.

Guess we'll all find out in time.

 

[route101]

I would say Wright 2017 was their last decent year. 2018 was shocking, and no idea about 2019. They were as you said, in a league of their own between 08 and 14

Now, we know that Lothian are getting 4 electric deckers for the city free route, I wonder if they will also throw in the 6 electric singles they have if they need to. They have not been used in about a year with one of them not since April 2019. Even LVF does not have info on them any more!

Im sure i seen one of the wee electrics in service in March this year.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Im sure i seen one of the wee electrics in service in March this year.

287 was out for a but in March

 

[OmniCity999]

Are they leased? If so they could be returning to the leasing company if Lothian no longer requires them and/or they are due for replacement due to the age limit imposed by Edinburgh Airport on the Airlink vehicles.

Bought, not leased.

Still under manufacturers warranty though.

 

[jcf5561]

Bought, not leased.

Still under manufacturers warranty though.

Is there a reason some of them have been repainted?

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Could be because they are leaving Airlink and going to main fleet, but for a full advert wrap, just like 551 and 1125 are. Or it's a floater bus that can do all parts of the company (although at the moment, that is less of an issue). Or of course, it's heading elsewhere. I would say it's the first, that it's going to be for all over wrap adverts. Brings in higher revenue for the company.

 

[OmniCity999]

1125 isn't a wrap. It has vinyl sections but its painted cream and madder then everything else like the flashings etc are vinyl.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Looks like fleet number 373 crashed at South East Circus Place this morning while on Service 24.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Looks like fleet number 373 crashed at South East Circus Place this morning while on Service 24.

Just saw photos. How can you even crash like that?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Just saw photos. How can you even crash like that?

Pure speculation, but the driver could've fell ill at the wheel? Or the bus was left at a stop with the handbrake off.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I'd assume the tyres have lost grip on the cobbles. They're lethal when they're wet.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Pure speculation, but the driver could've fell ill at the wheel? Or the bus was left at a stop with the handbrake off.

cant have been the latter, this is right after the left turn so it would have rolled straight down the hill if that was the case. cant think of any reason for it to end up at that angle other than the driver becoming ill at the wheel and if it is that then hope they are ok

 

[CN04NRJ]

I'd assume the tyres have lost grip on the cobbles. They're lethal when they're wet.

I always take it very easy going down that hill, especially when it's wet. Even 15mph feels a little too fast going down that in a decker, back in Feb when it was icy on the 36 diversion it definitely was 'lethal' as you say.

 

[scosutsut]

Yeah surface, camber, angle of approach are all hideous there, even in a car, can't say I'm surprised. Hope no injuries.

 

[overthewater]

Are they any further changes due on monday?

 

[BobScott]

Are they any further changes due on monday?

None planned this soon.