Query about seat colour on Optare Solo

[DBBR193303]

Why does Stagecoach Optare Solo GX58GJO 47644 have yellow seats?

 

[JonathanH]

Why does Stagecoach Optare Solo GX58GJO 47644 have yellow seats?

There are quite a few videos of GX58GJO on YouTube, where there is discussion of it having been worked on by depot staff, and having been brought in to deal with a shortage of Solos at Aldershot, but those videos show it with Stagecoach beach ball moquette. What sort of yellow seats does it have?

The most recent video says

It's improving! Stagecoach South Optare Solo 47644 GX58GJO on the 15 to Tices Meadow. 01/08/23.

Hants and Surrey Buses & Trains
1 Likes 149 Views Aug 30 2023

The engineering team at Aldershot have been working very hard recently to improve the ride, and driving quality of this bus and their effort has paid off. 47644 is no longer 'the crappy solo' and this ride was actually pretty decent. The engine sounds much healthier and the bus itself no longer rattles half as much! It's good to see that Aldershot are trying and not just giving up on this and sending it for scrap. The main issue is that they only have Solos and they run 6 and soon to be 7 routes that require nothing bigger than Solos, so just like the rest of the country, they are facing a small vehicle shortage so they need the last 2 old Solos to last aswell. Until last November we had 3 older ones but the 3rd one (47740 MX09MJJ) died, it was actually the last ex Fleet Buzz bus in the fleet but infact, was even worse than how 47644 was so was doomed anyway. One driver I spoke to who had 47740 quite regularly told me that it rattled so badly that you had to switch the engine off to hear where the boarding passengers wanted to go! The starter motor probably got pretty worn out. To my shock a spare Solo was sourced but it would have to come from the nearby town of.. South Wales! not very nearby at all! So Aldershot understandably didn't take up the offer and had 47307 transfer back here instead. Anyway, enough of my rambling and enjoy the video!

Looking at the history on bustimes.org I see its last operation in the Aldershot area was on Monday 18 September, when it seems to have been withdrawn. It has then been working from Chichester since Saturday 30 September.

No yellow seats in this picture either.

47644 GX58 GJO

Interior shot of 47644 on the 54

www.flickr.com

 

[DBBR193303]

There is a sister to GX58GJO - GX58GJU. https://www.flickr.com/photos/195384930@N04/53434086548/

It also has yellow seats.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I assume the original poster is referring to the top portion of the seat.

The seat is an Esteban/ISRI Civic V0 which was quite uncommon for Stagecoach. The grab handle section at the top is only offered in either black or yellow, as such all Stagecoach spec vehicles with these seats have yellow grab handles rather than orange as was standard on Stagecoach vehicles at the time.

In terms of Stagecoach vehicles they are probably most commonly found in the earlier Ex-London Enviro200s.

Stagecoach Bluebird 36337 LX58CDU (22nd November 2022)

Stagecoach Bluebird Alexander Dennis Enviro200 36337 LX58CDU is seen here at Ellon Park & Ride while working a Service 50 to Aberdeen. Photo Date: 22nd November 2022

www.flickr.com

No yellow seats in this picture either.

47644 GX58 GJO

Interior shot of 47644 on the 54

www.flickr.com

If you look more closely you can see the seat tops are also still yellow in that photo.

 

[DBBR193303]

Is the Optare Solo from a different operator?

 

[JonathanH]

Ah, thanks, that solves it then.