trentbarton discussion

[43055]

Looks like 702 is out on the swift.

 

[Hyebone]

Can anybody confirm this information? It was denied to due lack of evidence; it made me chuckle slightly.

 

[zakky1.0]

Can anybody confirm this information? It was denied to due lack of evidence; it made me chuckle slightly.

View attachment 162136

no, yet again wibble from bustimes.

it was only a brief loan from pelican.

 

[Hyebone]

no, yet again wibble from bustimes.

That was my guess, I'll admit it did make me giggle

 

[Trainman40083]

And they did apply for funding for hydrogen buses for the Skylink together with Arriva for electric buses for the 1s and 38, but unlike their other joint bid to electrify the rest of Kinchbus's network and Arriva's 5s and 127, the hydrogen bid wasn't successful. To be fair, operators who did go down the hydrogen route are now having trouble getting enough hydrogen for their buses.

Yes, certainly need to see production of green hydrogen increase dramatically, to give security of supply. I think at the moment, much comes from mainland Europe.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2024 ==

Volvo /Wright single decker 702, seen in Derby today, freshly painted in Swift livery . My picture.

 

[joieman]

Volvo /Wright single decker 702, seen in Derby today, freshly painted in Swift livery . My picture.

That was fast! With more recent transfers to Kinchbus such as 107, 108, 128, and 822, it's taken months to get them back onto the road. 108 even briefly went around with pink and black seats before getting reupholstered!

 

[liamf656]

That was fast! With more recent transfers to Kinchbus such as 107, 108, 128, and 822, it's taken months to get them back onto the road. 108 even briefly went around with pink and black seats before getting reupholstered!

It depends where the refurb/repaint takes place. Some are done at Langley Mill, some are sent to Blackburn and I believe Kinchbus do a few too as I'm sure 822 was done there, arguably quicker than any of the other Threes Versas, one of which I saw today still in threes livery working for Notts & Derby

 

[Trainman40083]

It depends where the refurb/repaint takes place. Some are done at Langley Mill, some are sent to Blackburn and I believe Kinchbus do a few too as I'm sure 822 was done there, arguably quicker than any of the other Threes Versas, one of which I saw today still in threes livery working for Notts & Derby

I even saw 813 in orange on the Nines today..It seemed to blend in nicely. I'm sure Skylink Express branded Volvo 744 went to Blackburn.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2024 ==

That was fast! With more recent transfers to Kinchbus such as 107, 108, 128, and 822, it's taken months to get them back onto the road. 108 even briefly went around with pink and black seats before getting reupholstered!

Yes, probably cos it is a Volvo Wright quality bus, not ADL or Optare

 

[joieman]

...the other Threes Versas, one of which I saw today still in threes livery working for Notts & Derby

That would be 823. I once spotted it on the Loughborough University campus shuttle during a university open day last month.

 

[ChrisC]

I travelled on the Red Arrow today.
1035 bus from Nottingham to Derby - 8 passengers.
1540 from Derby to Nottingham - 7 passengers.
Off peak on a Monday is probably one of the quietest times of the week, but I have travelled at around those times on other days and they have always been very lightly loaded. How can Trent Barton afford to run a bus every 10 minutes at off peak times with so few people travelling on them.

 

[bringiton]

I travelled on the Red Arrow today.
1035 bus from Nottingham to Derby - 8 passengers.
1540 from Derby to Nottingham - 7 passengers.
Off peak on a Monday is probably one of the quietest times of the week, but I have travelled at around those times on other days and they have always been very lightly loaded. How can Trent Barton afford to run a bus every 10 minutes at off peak times with so few people travelling on them.

Colleges and schools are closed. That'll be why there are fewer passengers on the likes of Red Arrow.

 

[Davidsb3]

I reckon it can't be much more than 2 years till the Swift Volvos get replaced to be honest. Probably end up being more Enviros.

With the new routing from the 28th of July there is now a turn in Ashbourne up by the school and another in Uttoxeter which a volvo can only just make, meaning only Volvos and Solos can be used on the swift. So ADLs and versas cannot be used on the route as they will not make those turns.

 

[bringiton]

With the new routing from the 28th of July there is now a turn in Ashbourne up by the school and another in Uttoxeter which a volvo can only just make, meaning only Volvos and Solos can be used on the swift. So ADLs and versas cannot be used on the route as they will not make those turns.

Would be interesting what a future replacement for the fleet will end up being then if there's restrictions on the route now. Would it mean extra spare volvos at derby since the solos are getting replaced by the versas?

 

[Hyebone]

So ADLs and versas cannot be used on the route as they will not make those turns.

Not even 269?

 

[Davidsb3]

Not even 269?

269 barely makes the turn at Denstone so no chance really.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2024 ==

Would be interesting what a future replacement for the fleet will end up being then if there's restrictions on the route now. Would it mean extra spare volvos at derby since the solos are getting replaced by the versas?

I could see the B8s on the TWO being brought across to replace the B7s when they get released.

 

[richardderby]

I travelled on the Red Arrow today.
1035 bus from Nottingham to Derby - 8 passengers.
1540 from Derby to Nottingham - 7 passengers.
Off peak on a Monday is probably one of the quietest times of the week, but I have travelled at around those times on other days and they have always been very lightly loaded. How can Trent Barton afford to run a bus every 10 minutes at off peak times with so few people travelling on them.

I've noticed cross country trains are doing derby to Nottingham for £1.60 booked in advance, so plenty of competition..

 

[olliethe153]

Does anyone know why 828 was never replaced with a Volvo on the H1? I assume it's coming from a place of not having enough vehicles to replace the whole lot of them. Always thought it was odd that they replaced the majority of the Optares aside from that one, but it does feel satisfying when I manage to catch it around.

 

[liamf656]

Does anyone know why 828 was never replaced with a Volvo on the H1? I assume it's coming from a place of not having enough vehicles to replace the whole lot of them. Always thought it was odd that they replaced the majority of the Optares aside from that one, but it does feel satisfying when I manage to catch it around.

There are a few reasons. 726/7 and 732/4 were set to work on H1 during the pandemic with a reduced timetable, with 828/829 temporarily withdrawn. They returned when the timetable increased again, but they didn't have chance to release two Volvos to replace the two Versas. They managed to take on 733 from Kinchbus to allow 829 to transfer to My15 but 828 stayed as an oddball until now. I believe there were various fleet replacement programs being thought of before settling on ADLs so I assume they wouldn't have wanted to paint up a Volvo up for what would have been short term.

 

[joieman]

There are a few reasons. 726/7 and 732/4 were set to work on H1 during the pandemic with a reduced timetable, with 828/829 temporarily withdrawn. They returned when the timetable increased again, but they didn't have chance to release two Volvos to replace the two Versas. They managed to take on 733 from Kinchbus to allow 829 to transfer to My15 but 828 stayed as an oddball until now. I believe there were various fleet replacement programs being thought of before settling on ADLs so I assume they wouldn't have wanted to paint up a Volvo up for what would have been short term.

And now the repaint of 733 will seem to have been a rather silly waste.

 

[Trainman40083]

And now the repaint of 733 will seem to have been a rather silly waste.

On several days, just 4 of the 6 buses were on the H1; sometimes with even Alfreton leg services missing. Still, in a matter of days, that will all be a distant memory when the new ADLs take over running the route

 

[derbybusdepot]

On several days, just 4 of the 6 buses were on the H1; sometimes with even Alfreton leg services missing. Still, in a matter of days, that will all be a distant memory when the new ADLs take over running the route

Like the Ilkeston flyer this week, 1 bus missing all day Monday, and 2 down during the morning rush hour yesterday. New buses should be more reliable, but still need maintaining, and will still have faults. Plus with the peak vehicle requirements going up, that's more buses to maintain.

A good use of bsip money?

 

[Llandudno]

I've noticed cross country trains are doing derby to Nottingham for £1.60 booked in advance, so plenty of competition..

Doubt cross-country will be any more reliable than the Red Arrow!

 

[Trainman40083]

Doubt cross-country will be any more reliable than the Red Arrow!

Well, every time I have gone for them, they have turned up on time.

 

[Hyebone]

I've noticed cross country trains are doing derby to Nottingham for £1.60 booked in advance, so plenty of competition..

That's all well and good; however Derby train station is quite a way out of the city centre.

 

[Trainman40083]

That's all well and good; however Derby train station is quite a way out of the city centre.

I guess it depends where you start your journey.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2024 ==

Does anyone know if any more ex Threes Versas are due out of Engineering at Langley Mill, any time soon? Seems a while since Versas 821 and 824 were pictured in red livery.....Indeed, pre General Election. I guess maybe the new Enviro 200MMCs and Volvos 701/702 may have taken priority

 

[YX73OUB]

I guess it depends where you start your journey.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2024 ==

Does anyone know if any more ex Threes Versas are due out of Engineering at Langley Mill, any time soon? Seems a while since Versas 821 and 824 were pictured in red livery.....Indeed, pre General Election. I guess maybe the new Enviro 200MMCs and Volvos 701/702 may have taken priority

Optare Versa 817 shall be reappearing soon in trentbarton red at Sutton.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2024 ==

And now the repaint of 733 will seem to have been a rather silly waste.

It might seem that way, but the plan for H1 came about quite late in the day. Also 733 was in need of an interior refurbishment anyway ahead of its next move.

 

[Skymonster]

I travelled on the Red Arrow today.
1035 bus from Nottingham to Derby - 8 passengers.
1540 from Derby to Nottingham - 7 passengers.
Off peak on a Monday is probably one of the quietest times of the week, but I have travelled at around those times on other days and they have always been very lightly loaded. How can Trent Barton afford to run a bus every 10 minutes at off peak times with so few people travelling on them.

As a railcard holder I can often get an Advance on Cross Country trains for £1.20, even at fairly busy times such as the evening peak - and they are available until fairly shortly before departure. If I can get from Derby to Nottingham and back on the train why an earth would I use the Red Arrow. Honest answer I don’t very often now, only when there’s no Advances available which is rare in my experience.

 

[Trainman40083]

Volvo /Wright 701 has arrived back in Derby painted green for the enhanced Swift service.

 

[bringiton]

Volvo /Wright 701 has arrived back in Derby painted green for the enhanced Swift service.

Any sign of 738 returning before Monday? If not i'd assume a spare will be needed... If they have enough

 

[Trainman40083]

Any sign of 738 returning before Monday? If not i'd assume a spare will be needed... If they have enough

Ah, but not just any spare, given what someone said about Enviro 200MMCs and Versas. About a week ago, someone said 738 was awaiting collection from Nottingham.