Translink Glider keeps getting stuck

[nidave]

Who would have guessed a bendy buss would would have issues:

Lots of complaints about it being slower, fewer seats and just crap.

https://twitter.com/TrafficwatchNI/status/1044196171579887616

#Dundonald Glider Bus Stuck East Link Road / Comber Road!

 

[nidave]

 

[gordonthemoron]

can't turn corners?

 

[radamfi]

Clearly articulated buses are common in most countries and run without issue. It looks like the authorities in Northern Ireland haven't altered the roads properly.

 

[Gingerbus1991]

So the vanity fair project by Translink comes to a halt after a Glider vehicle gets stuck making a turn?

Why not just rigid hybrid buses?

 

[nidave]

Clearly articulated buses are common in most countries and run without issue. It looks like the authorities in Northern Ireland haven't altered the roads properly.

You mean Translink have done a half arsed job at something.... <super massive sarcasm mode on> I am surprised<super massive sarcasm mode off>

 

[carlberry]

Clearly articulated buses are common in most countries and run without issue. It looks like the authorities in Northern Ireland haven't altered the roads properly.

Or, as I assume this wasn't the first journey here, the driver misjudged the turn.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Back to driving school I think

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Also half of them seem to be 'not in service' or getting tipped out for spurious reasons

 

[Jordan Adam]

So the vanity fair project by Translink comes to a halt after a Glider vehicle gets stuck making a turn?

Why not just rigid hybrid buses?

They should have just went for normal Artics (which work perfectly fine) and improved the infrastructure on the route to offer more priority to buses. You'd have thought the lesson from the Wright Streetcars would have been learnt by now!

Clearly articulated buses are common in most countries and run without issue. It looks like the authorities in Northern Ireland haven't altered the roads properly.

"Normal" Artics wouldn't have these issues at all!

 

[mlambeuk]

Didn't they look at First York, Leeds or Swansea's attempt of a similar project that ended up being scrapped?

 

[talltim]

How are they different from a ‘normal’ bendy bus, apart from styling?

 

[KendalKing]

You'd have thought the lesson from the Wright Streetcars would have been learnt by now!

You are clearly thinking on the same lines, as me.........

 

[Jordan Adam]

How are they different from a ‘normal’ bendy bus, apart from styling?

The biggest difference with these and the Streetcars is that the front axle is set considerably further forward than on the likes of the Wright Eclipse Fusion bodied Volvo B7LAs and Mercedes Citaros. Because of this the wheelbase between the front and centre axle is much longer, this means the turning radius is quite noticeably inferior. Believe it or not the B7LAs actually have a much better turning radius than the likes of the B7L and B7RLE. This is simply due to the distance between the front and centre axle being much shorter.

Another thing that sets them apart is all the extra bodywork, the Streetcars (which were on a modified Volvo B7LA chassis), were known for being very slow, this is due to the extra weight from the body. Where as the standard Wright Eclipse Fusion bodied Volvo B7LAs are capable of some quite impressive acceleration and hill climbing.

 

[westcoaster]

Dont understand why the driver has not straightened it up and tried again, unless something else is wrong.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Dont understand why the driver has not straightened it up and tried again, unless something else is wrong.

It appears to have jackknifed and the automatic brake has applied to stop the bus moving, preventing damage to the turntable. There is a brake release switch but part of the issue with them is that drivers are known to abuse it.

When driving normally if the button is pressed it "boosts" the engine making the bus accelerate faster. Certain drivers here have been known to wedge bits of paper in the button to hold it down when they've been running late. A consequence of doing this is that it can damage the turntable. As such if drivers are caught they get in trouble from management!

Because of this it really wouldn't shock if the Glider drivers have not been shown where the button is!

Of course another factor is the driver can't reverse the bus without a banksman.