The New 24!

[Tom B]

SPD = Super Pointer Dart. Grandoise name for a crap bus.

Photo

They would be OK on quiet routes, but B41F is NOT ideal for a route which was previously worked by H78F!

 

[Techniquest]

Just had a gander at the picture of it in the link on page 1, looks quite cool. Favourite bus for me, as it stands, is still the step-entrance Dart.

 

[RJ]

I think that all types of the short geared Volvo Olympians were the best step entry buses. I think that there is only one route in South London which still uses step entrance buses
--- edited ---
Like all of Stagecoach's buses, SPDs appear to have been especially rigged to have 3 gears. Incidentally they are used on the 227. Also, whatever happened to the original Tridents-the S8xx BWC ones? They've been replaced with those new ubiquitous Tridents!

 

[Jim]

SPD or Super Pointer Dart. These are the longest length of Dart in the Dart family, at a lengthy 11.7m.

A batch of which operate with Stagecoach in London and look something like this: http://www.londonbusroutes.net/photos/JPEGs/227-dl225.jpg

ah, those, yes, off course

 

[Sprinter]

The original low-height "golden oldie" Tridents of Stagecoach London are now spread far and wide

--17001 (TA1), the very first Trident built, remains at Leyton and has been repainted into Stagecoach East Livery, which it first carried when delivered.
--Some others also remain in London (17039/40-49/62-65/81-98 ), mainly at Upton Park and Barking depots.
--17002-6 are now in Exeter on Park & Ride duties in a striking yellow and blue livery.
--Also on Park & Ride duties are 17007-11/36-38/50-59/76/78-79, in Cambridge.
--17012-024 are at Morecambe
--17025-035 are with Stagecoach Hull
--17060-061 are with Stagecoach Gloucester normally working route 10.
--17066/069/71-73/75/77 were with Stagecoach Lewes, until Brighton & Hove bought Stagecoach Lewes thus are and now part of the Brighton & Hove fleet.
--Finally 17067/68/70 are with Stagecoach Hants at Andover.

Hope this answers your queries.

 

[DLA365]

I think that all types of the short geared Volvo Olympians were the best step entry buses. I think that there is only one route in South London which still uses step entrance buses

There are no London Buses routes that use step entrance buses except Heritage RM routes. The very last route was the 4 which was AV operated until 23rd December 05. School routes lasted till 14th Jan 06 (and one or two appeared on the 17th Jan).

The only step-entrance buses in service in the London area are on LLSA/LSP routes, Big Bus and rail replacement services.

 

[RJ]

Those Metroline Palatines were alright, although the seats were little more than the plastic with a patch of cloth! Even so, after that, why did I keep seeing First Tridents on it?

Although not London based, the 402 which runs from Bromley-Tunbridge Wells sees blue or turquoise Arriva DAF Palatines.

 

[Sprinter]

The 402 will very shortly succumb to low floor single deckers, ride those DAF Palatines whilst you still can!

As for the 4, boarded 32960 on the route today at Holloway. The reason why Metroline have some First Tridents is still is that deliveries of Enviro 400s to Metroline are heavily delayed and now that the running of step entrance buses is effectively banned on TfL contract routes, Metroline are a few LFDDs short!

 

[DLA365]

The 402 will very shortly succumb to low floor single deckers, ride those DAF Palatines whilst you still can!

As for the 4, boarded 32960 on the route today at Holloway. The reason why Metroline have some First Tridents is still is that deliveries of Enviro 400s to Metroline are heavily delayed and now that the running of step entrance buses is effectively banned on TfL contract routes, Metroline are a few LFDDs short!

But I have seen (and been on) TE 692a couple of weeks ago, which is one of the final Enviros. However, I saw TN 32964 still running on route 4.

Does that mean Metroline would have had a deficiency anyway because they did not order enough Enviros?

 

[RJ]

I just saw TA1 near Selbourne Walk on the 230 looking very shiny with no ads

 

[Guinness]

Personally I hate a Darts with 2 Doors, makes it look wrong and look cramped inside. Picture 2 Doors on a MPD! hock:

 

[Sprinter]

I just saw TA1 near Selbourne Walk on the 230 looking very shiny with no ads

Sorry to be picky but there is no "U" in Selborne!

TA1 has been repainted into the Stagecoach East London livery it was delivered in when new in 1998 and thus looks superb..

 

[DLA365]

Personally I hate a Darts with 2 Doors, makes it look wrong and look cramped inside. Picture 2 Doors on a MPD! hock:

You can get a very short Dart in London with two doors. First call them DM's, and they look quite odd:

http://www.bus-photo.net/pictures/b3/1220.jpg

 

[Guinness]

You can get a very short Dart in London with two doors. First call them DM's, and they look quite odd:

http://www.bus-photo.net/pictures/b3/1220.jpg

Wonders never cease to amaze me...

Looks crap and more importantly its a Marshall Bodied bus! hock:

 

[Sprinter]

You'll notice that the Marshall bodied bus in the picture above has a panel just in front of the centre door, this used to house a half window, but it has been removed and a strengthning panel inserted instead bbecause of the weak body structure!

The reason why First London bought Marshall Darts is that First Capital (now part of First London) engineers designed the body in conjunction with Marshalls, which is why the body is known as the Marshall Capital.

41233 is B22D! Yes, it can only seat 22!

 

[DLA365]

Speaking of Marshall bodied buses, was Thorpes' MLF 122 originally intended for First?

The reason I ask is that the interior resembles a First bus with the purple flooring (and it is a Marshall).

 

[RJ]

Those flippin' MPDs get everywhere! Now what is a 233 doing at Lewisham Bus Station?

 

[Sprinter]

I can beat that, I have seen one of the Mercedes Sprinters (for route R8 in the Orpington area) also parked up in Lewisham bus station.

 

[RJ]

School is now almost served by sparkly new buses! As well as the London Central 06 reg Eclipses on the 468, we've now got London General 06 reg Enviro Tridents on the 196! Although they are the 4 gear version . I was very surprised to see one for the first time! Unfortunately it didn't take long for an 02 reg Eclipse to stray onto the route!

 

[Jim]

School is now almost served by sparkly new buses! As well as the London Central 06 reg Eclipses on the 468, we've now got London General 06 reg Enviro Tridents on the 196! Although they are the 4 gear version . I was very surprised to see one for the first time! Unfortunately it didn't take long for an 02 reg Eclipse to stray onto the route!

I don't think it is right that schools should get all the new buses. It is them lot that vandilise them after all. I walk & am very jealous however of a nice R reg Barbie doing the 266 in Trowbridge

 

[RJ]

I spoke too soon I didn't see a single Enviro today, all 02/52 reg Eclipses I guess all the fresh buses are locked in Stockwell

 

[Tom B]

Why put new (say 2000 or newer) reg buses on school runs? Use the 1970s or 80s vehicles... (though our bus is 1999 we keep it clean and tidy ).

 

[Voyager 2093]

Did you hear that metroline are removing the TA & ET clases from Harrow Weald in exchange for some Holloway based VPs well i have just seen on it South Harrow on the route H12

 

[RJ]

Did you hear that metroline are removing the TA & ET clases from Harrow Weald in exchange for some Holloway based VPs well i have just seen on it South Harrow on the route H12

That's North London for you, using old buses, pretty sure the TAs have been around since 2000! Leather seats and 57-reg's are more common down my way 8)

 

[Coxster]

Did you hear that metroline are removing the TA & ET clases from Harrow Weald in exchange for some Holloway based VPs well i have just seen on it South Harrow on the route H12

Does that mean the Route 4 will be getting better buses?

 

[Bighat]

Also, whatever happened to the original Tridents-the S8xx BWC ones? They've been replaced with those new ubiquitous Tridents!

They have been repainted into standard Stagecoach white livery, had the centre doors removed, some have had LED displays fitted; and then they have been 'cascaded' throughout the UK.

Stagecoach in Hull (a.k.a. Stagecoach East Midlands, Cleveland Transit) have about eleven of them IIRC, as well as some 'T' registration examples.

In fact, in total, about 30 per cent of Stagecoach in Hull vehicles originate, or have previously seen service with, Stagecoach London.

 

[RJ]

Picture 2 Doors on a MPD! hock:

We have something similar here, journies between college sites on these things with half the 6th form piling on is fun to say the least hock:

http://nbe.fpic.co.uk/p7977707.html

 

[Tom B]

That's North London for you, using old buses, pretty sure the TAs have been around since 2000! Leather seats and 57-reg's are more common down my way 8)

*rolls eyes*

A bus built in 2000 is *NOT* old.

A bus built in 1973 IS old.



Although some bus drivers up here refer to 51-reg vehicles as "old scrap"...

 

[Newtonhall]

I dug up this from Alexander Dennis' own site:

http://www.alexander-dennis.com/enviro400/intro.htm

My personal favourite in terms of new buses at the moment has to be the Wright Eclipse Gemini. Very space age and looks nice in EYMS livery in my opinion

Look nice matey need some of those in lancashire

 

[Donny Dave]

Another thread dragged up from the dead .....