Olympic Bus Transfers/ Loans

[tbtc]

Whilst I've seen threads on "local" bus forums regarding vehicles that are going to London for Olympic work (and various loans to cover these "missing" buses/ old buses brought back onto fleet to cover), I've not seen any national discussion.

So, would a thread on here regarding all the temporary vehicle swaps/ loans/ transfers (and buses brought "back from the dead" to cover) work?

 

[trentside]

The Stagecoach Lincolnshire fleet are apparently sending some Enviro300s and Scania N230UD / Enviro400s to cover the Olympic Park work. The Scanias are reportedly those from Lincoln depot, not the ones newly delivered to Skegness.

The strategic reserve fleet includes a number of Volvo Olympians and Dennis Dart SLFs with East Lancashire and Alexander ALX200 bodywork. Currently sat in the yard at Lincoln are;

16094 R94 XNO Volvo Olympian Northern Counties
16735 N735 LTN Volvo Olympian Alexander RL
33251 R501JFE Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33252 R502JFE Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33207 S507BTL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33212 S512BTL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33213 T513 SVL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte

There's also another Dart SLF with ALX200 bodywork on the sidelines. Most of the reserve fleet were being stored at Skegness, so these movements to Lincoln suggest these are the vehicles likely to be heading back into service imminently. The Sprytes are particular favourites of mine, so will be glad to have them back in service.

Will report anymore changes as they emerge.

 

[Clip]

I noticed some stagecoach liveried buses at West Ham garage either yesterday or today. only half a dozen or so.

 

[CC 72100]

Some of those vehicles in the 'reserve' fleet would be regarded as perfectly serviceable in the Forest of Dean, in fact newer than some of our vehicles

 

[tbtc]

Some of those vehicles in the 'reserve' fleet would be regarded as perfectly serviceable in the Forest of Dean, in fact newer than some of our vehicles

Funnily enough whilst we have Bob Crow complaining about the Games meaning a temporary reduction in standards on London's trains, nobody in the media seems to have picked up on the twenty year old buses being brought out of "reserve" (and routes where low floor buses are replaced by "inaccessible" high floor ones for the Olympics). Yet...

 

[jonesy3001]

The rules have been relaxed while the game are on.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The rules have been relaxed while the game are on.

yet another example of how the rest of the counry is ment to suffer for this event which I am hartilly sick of already! Whilst I'm not bothered by the bus changes and will enjoy bashing some different vehicles in some areas I can see many who rely upon accessible services more being majorly inconvenienced.
Whats moving from Fife if anybody knows and more importantly whats replacing it?

 

[pemma]

To me non-accessible buses on alternate services on frequent London bus routes seems a much more sensible place for them to be used than on hourly services in other parts of the country.

 

[Deerfold]

To me non-accessible buses on alternate services on frequent London bus routes seems a much more sensible place for them to be used than on hourly services in other parts of the country.

That's not going to happen though as the contracts specify what buses must be used.

The majority of the buses coming to London for the games are to be used on Olympic shuttle services to/from car parks and to move the "Olympic Family" around.

There will only be an extra 200 buses on TfL routes (though there are quite a lot of frequency increases on routes round Olympic areas on evenings and overnight).

 

[ushawk]

All Enviros (i think) from Stagecoach in Eastbourne are going up to London for Olympic work. They all have posters in them saying this and that they will be transporting athletes around the Olympic Park.

Will mean the Route Uno in Eastbourne will be operated by different vehicles during the Olympics, probably replaced by some ancient double deckers, which isnt good as the route is always low-floor.

 

[starrymarkb]

I think the new Scanias in Torbay are going up, they haven't been branded beyond small Stagecoach logos. (I suspect they will gain branding on their return)

The new Plymouth Park and Ride E400s entered service with "Your Venue SHUTTLE" Fleet names so they'll be going :roll:

 

[MCW]

Any info On Arriva Midlands transfers anyone???

I would love to know, I'm excitedly waiting with my camera (sad isn't it?)

 

[jamieintercity]

The Stagecoach Lincolnshire fleet are apparently sending some Enviro300s and Scania N230UD / Enviro400s to cover the Olympic Park work. The Scanias are reportedly those from Lincoln depot, not the ones newly delivered to Skegness.

The strategic reserve fleet includes a number of Volvo Olympians and Dennis Dart SLFs with East Lancashire and Alexander ALX200 bodywork. Currently sat in the yard at Lincoln are;

16094 R94 XNO Volvo Olympian Northern Counties
16735 N735 LTN Volvo Olympian Alexander RL
33251 R501JFE Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33252 R502JFE Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33207 S507BTL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33212 S512BTL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte
33213 T513 SVL Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte

There's also another Dart SLF with ALX200 bodywork on the sidelines. Most of the reserve fleet were being stored at Skegness, so these movements to Lincoln suggest these are the vehicles likely to be heading back into service imminently. The Sprytes are particular favourites of mine, so will be glad to have them back in service.

Will report anymore changes as they emerge.

heard that some evirons400s from stagecoach strathtay are also heading south, not sure when though.

 

[trentside]

The vehicles from the Stagecoach East Midlands reserve fleet have started entering service at Lincoln depot. This includes ALX200 bodied 33765.

 

[ushawk]

The vehicles from the Stagecoach East Midlands reserve fleet have started entering service at Lincoln depot. This includes ALX200 bodied 33765.

A couple of ALX200s have entered service down here as well, although the Enviros havent yet gone. Id assume its to get drivers familiar with them or something like that.

 

[starrymarkb]

It looks like Stagecoach are using standard E400s, I think the Exeter Park and Ride E400s have gone (With at least 2 (maybe 3) Scanias from Torquay covering), plus I saw one of the WA08 batch heading for the motorway devoid of Stagecoach Logos (but with full route branding) this afternoon

 

[jonesy3001]

Morecambes enviro 300s(27743-27754) should be making there way to london between now and next week after being stripped and vinyled over of stagecoach logos, 27743 is the first to go as the B10s are gradually being put into service;

B10Ms
20131
20545
20546
20547
20795
20896
20905
20907
20994

B10Bs
21003
21004
21005

 

[W-on-Sea]

Stagecoach Oxfordshire have announced they are sending the buses usually used on routes X30/N30/31/N31/N32/34 (Oxford-Wantage) to "The Games"

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/tis-service-update-details.aspx?id=98

I'm not absolutely certain but I think they are Enviro 300s. Some of the crappier and older buses usually used on some of the more peripheral Oxford city services (10/12/16/16A) seem to have made their way to the Wantage routes already - so I dread to think what those routes in Oxford will get in their place....

 

[richw]

Assuming first Devon and cornwall have sent some as there are old step entrance darts popping up everywhere down here, seen more step entrances today than ive seen in last 18 months!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well if it means steppy darts out then great stuff!

 

[BestWestern]

It is quite interesting to see the semi-dead stuff coming back to life, and it answers the question of why on earth the big operators keep these 'reserve' fleets; it's for the 'Lympics stoopid!

Can anybody confirm what S'coach South have sent, if anything? Taken a couple of recent trips in Portsmouth and noticed a slightly shabby V-plate Trident/ALX, an ALX200 Dart and one of the former Hong Kong Pointer SLF batch that dissapeared from mainstream routes quite a while back. All were on the 23, so I'm taking a punt that the usual Enviro 300's have moved over to the 700, to free up it's E400's for 'Games duties??

 

[fgwrich]

Looks like this lot will be leaving us for the olympics - Good riddence, please, please don't bring them back!!!

Aldershot: 36431 - 36436 (GX61AYJ / L / M / N / O)
Basingstoke: 36437 - 36443 (GX61AYP / S / T / U / V / W / Y / Z)

Although it'll be interesting to see how they deal with the route branding issue, considering the Bas, which are used on the Jazz 3 route, have route branding on the front, sides and full vinyl route advert on the back. Unfortunatly though, this will mean a return of the not so good step enterance drats around here - those awful awful N -PAP & N -AMC Dash Drats...:x:x

Still though, if anyone likes / rates their Alex / Volvo Olympians, Basingstokes a good bet to get them in as we've got a fair few around here and no doubt a few coming back.

 

[starrymarkb]

It is quite interesting to see the semi-dead stuff coming back to life, and it answers the question of why on earth the big operators keep these 'reserve' fleets; it's for the 'Lympics stoopid!

Not just the Olympics, but they come in useful for various events, (ie the Silverstone F1 shuttles or Farnborough Airshow), it used to be the case that the reserve fleet were used directly on these services but it seems now that the events are writing minimum vehicle ages into their contracts so buses are borrowed from their normal routes and the reserve fills the gaps
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Assuming first Devon and cornwall have sent some as there are old step entrance darts popping up everywhere down here, seen more step entrances today than ive seen in last 18 months!

Probably covering for the Plymouth Park and Ride buses (which were delivered in Olympic Livery so safe to assume they are going)

 

[BestWestern]

Still though, if anyone likes / rates their Alex / Volvo Olympians, Basingstokes a good bet to get them in as we've got a fair few around here and no doubt a few coming back.

Excellent!

 

[mbonwick]

It's not just major events that the reserve fleet cover - what if a bus is written off and needs replaced in service? Answer - pull one out of reserve.

South's contribution to Olympics
19882/7, 19900, 10001/7-9, 27555-70, 27641-80, 27616, 27741/2/55/56

Should be 78 all in, although some are counted twice due to going for the Opening Ceremony, returning and then going for the Closing Ceremony.

 

[tbtc]

It is quite interesting to see the semi-dead stuff coming back to life, and it answers the question of why on earth the big operators keep these 'reserve' fleets; it's for the 'Lympics stoopid!

Or in case they suddenly need to run a lot of "new" routes in the Northampton area?

(or the floods in Carlisle a few years ago or rail replacement contracts - or the dozens that Stagecoach usually find for the Open Golf shuttles from Leuchars station into St Andrews)

 

[Flange Squeal]

South transferring a number of it's buses is causing a bit of a stir in my neck of the woods. The ones with notices all come from the Route 1 'Gold' service running between Aldershot and Camberley. Heavily publicised locally with it's free wifi, big comfy seats etc, local people don't seem to be happy that the money they pay for it will see them with an inferior service for a few months!

 

[BestWestern]

Morecambes enviro 300s(27743-27754) should be making there way to london between now and next week after being stripped and vinyled over of stagecoach logos, 27743 is the first to go as the B10s are gradually being put into service;

Interesting that they're blanking the logos, I'd have thought that as an 'official partner' Stagecoach would be permitted to display their branding.

Just an observation from my afore mentioned rovings on some of Portsmouth's reserve fleet; it's apparent that the fleetnumbers on some vehicles have been re-applied in a non-standard font, bolder and more rounded than the usual. Gives the impression that the vehicles concerned had been 'de-numbered' at some point and then had them put back on. Not entirely sure why that would be, the livery is standard, if a little tatty.

 

[mbonwick]

The reserve fleet probably had the numbers removed pending disposal but had them reapplied in a hurry when it became clear they'd be out to play during the Olympics.

 

[BestWestern]

Yeah that's highly likely I suppose, seems odd they had no group standard numbering decals available though!