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Opeators that still use Rollers blinds
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Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Lothian do on their older buses.
Beyond that, I can't think of any.
Beyond that, I can't think of any.
cnjb8
Established Member
Wellglade Group had them on older buses up until a few years ago. Roller blinds were standard here until 2009.
CBlue
Member
Delaine Buses of Bourne also used manual blinds up until 2009 also, when the last new bus so fitted was delivered. Majority of their fleet still has them, I believe.
computerSaysNo
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Just to add, as far as I'm aware, while the Lothian buses to which you refer do still use blinds, these are selected and changed by a computer and a motor, rather than by hand, so I'm not sure they can still be described as manual blinds.
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Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
When you put it like that! TfL use motorised blinds too, I think.
I've worded it wrong sorry, what I mean is roller blinds
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Just over 18 months ago, I was out and about in Kidderminster. R&B Travel were a small local firm (now out of business with hours and maintenance issues) but ran some Solos with full roller blinds which I thought odd for a small outfit
) suitable for preserved buses.Pat1105
Member
Yes, Lothian use Hanover controllers (?) and TfL use Mobitec ones.
Flange Squeal
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The small Cardinal Buses operation in Surrey were 100% roller blinds until only last year, when a pair of Enviros were acquired (and a Trident also fitted). The majority of the fleet still have manual roller blinds though, featuring their school routes, common rail replacement stations, and extras such as Private Hire. They were also updated when they won some public stage carriage work, took over some routes from another operator, and the Pointer Dart even carries a route they had originally proposed to work but never got around to starting.
The older systems at Lothian with a three track number blind are the now defunct Bright Tech. Newer ones are Mobitec.
It's easier and nowadays cheaper to scrap off the roller blinds. The company I work for got a quote to have blinds printed for ex Lothian buses (Bright Tech system) and have the powerblind unit reprogrammed with the new codes and to programme the side LED display, but it was cheaper to buy a used set of LED boards.
The older stuff (04/55 B7RLEs etc) use Bright Tech controllers, the newer buses with roller blinds have Mobitec controllers.
Kent Coach Tours, a small bus and coach operator in Ashford, still have a Dart with a roller blind display. Until fairly recently, most of their buses had smart roller blinds.
Regent Coaches and even Arriva Kent Thameside had some roller blinded vehicles until last year, but they have gone now.
I'm struggling to think of any other examples now. Up until a few years ago there were still numerous examples about.
Regent Coaches and even Arriva Kent Thameside had some roller blinded vehicles until last year, but they have gone now.
I'm struggling to think of any other examples now. Up until a few years ago there were still numerous examples about.
Busaholic
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Boris Johnson (remember him? 
) as Mayor of London made great play of the so-called New Routemasters being sourced in almost every regard from U.K. firms, including the last remaining traditional bus blindmakers, who had supplied London's needs since Victoria was Queen, or near enough. Presumably they won't survive the current crisis, which I'd find sad.
) as Mayor of London made great play of the so-called New Routemasters being sourced in almost every regard from U.K. firms, including the last remaining traditional bus blindmakers, who had supplied London's needs since Victoria was Queen, or near enough. Presumably they won't survive the current crisis, which I'd find sad.
Flange Squeal
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The New Routemaster’s blind system was supplied by McKenna Brothers, who are also the UK supplier of the ‘Mobitec‘ brand of LED destination displays, which are fitted to a large percentage of buses these days.Boris Johnson (remember him?
Some companies haven't quite got up to the technology of roller blinds.
www.flickriver.com
South Pennine Community Transport on Route X22 - a photo on Flickriver
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TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Nearly as good as this https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751...wqr-KMdoXX-B5s857-DUur57-fjPeLP-pcHrpw-SG2SJDSome companies haven't quite got up to the technology of roller blinds.
South Pennine Community Transport on Route X22 - a photo on Flickriver
Flickriver - view images as a 'river of photos' and more...
And yet, still more informative than this https://www.flickr.com/photos/38817273@N08/14468419560/in/dateposted-public/
RJ
Established Member
Go-Coach based in Sevenoaks.
Pat1105
Member
Similarly, Walsall Community Transport use a plastic sign that is stuck onto the windscreen. Many of their vehicles are specialist disabled minibuses, so don’t have any destination equipment fitted.
delt1c
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Moving a bit of Topic who remembers Eatern Scottish when despite having fully functioning blinds used to have a habit of using stick on destinations on the front screens, not a major problem on single deckers or Fleetlines but could be see on a Loddekka , especially when both destination and return destinations were often shown.
It is a little bit off-topic, but it was a practice undertaken by other companies too. I recall Northern using paper stickers to show origin and destination, but this was usually after a bus had been transferred from a different depot (or another company within the group), and hadn't received local blinds. Sometimes a painted destination board was placed inside the windscreen.
If there's enough interest we could split this into a separate thread.
Their single deckers (Solos, Metrocity and Versas) all seem to have digital displays. The Plaxton President double deckers did have rollers, but I think that they are being replaced by E400s, ex Quality Line - I don't know if their blinds will be replaced.
If I had seen that I would have mentioned it to the driver as I'm pretty sure some companies frown upon not having a working front destination display then the driver can try a reset to see if that works and if not request a vehicle change over.
Not all of them though
A chance encounter E54 LK56FHM (TE717) arriving for the 2050 951 E55 LK56FHN (TE718) Standing time for the 2150 951
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