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Wrightbus enter administration

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winston270twm

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There seem to be three stories doing the rounds, each claimed to be from "reliable sources":

1) Cancelled order
2) No cancelled order
3) Wrightbus speculatively built more First Group spec Streetdecks to keep lines running/staff employed in the expectation of future orders

Only First management know the truth, the rest is speculation.

3) If Wrightbus speculatively built more First Group spec Streetdecks, why then were the ones that Rotala bought for DBNW @ Bolton painted in First Leeds colours, had First Leeds legals / interior branding & ready to be delivered etc
Wrightbus have also being approaching various operators trying to offload Streetdecks at heavily discounted prices.
 
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jammy36

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3) If Wrightbus speculatively built more First Group spec Streetdecks, why then were the ones that Rotala bought for DBNW @ Bolton painted in First Leeds colours, had First Leeds legals / interior branding & ready to be delivered etc
Wrightbus have also being approaching various operators trying to offload Streetdecks at heavily discounted prices.

To be fair that's sort of my point. There are posts stating as a fact that there was no cancelled order. We have the DBNW vehicles which are seemingly to First Leeds spec and claims that they were originally fully finished and liveried for Leeds. Then we have a First Bristol management newsletter stating interfleet transfers can't take place because First Leeds were expecting imminent delivery of 50 new Streetdecks of which 30 were completed but not shipped at the point of administration. Something doesn't add up and if every claimed truth/fact is correct, then something very odd was happening - selling off any completed vehicle just to get some cash flowing even if intended for another operator!? Now I'm speculating...
 

winston270twm

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To be fair that's sort of my point. There are posts stating as a fact that there was no cancelled order. We have the DBNW vehicles which are seemingly to First Leeds spec and claims that they were originally fully finished and liveried for Leeds. Then we have a First Bristol management newsletter stating interfleet transfers can't take place because First Leeds were expecting imminent delivery of 50 new Streetdecks of which 30 were completed but not shipped at the point of administration. Something doesn't add up and if every claimed truth/fact is correct, then something very odd was happening - selling off any completed vehicle just to get some cash flowing even if intended for another operator!? Now I'm speculating...

Trust me, they aren't just claims, it's fact. They were fully finished in Leeds colours all bar external logo's & fleetnumbers.

I've seen internal/external pictures of them on Wrightbus production lines as above, with numerous other examples in the background of the interior shots. Underneath DBNW two tone blues you will find two tone greens, certainly not dealer stock white.
 

Jordan Adam

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Trust me, they aren't just claims, it's fact. They were fully finished in Leeds colours all bar external logo's & fleetnumbers.

I've seen internal/external pictures of them on Wrightbus production lines as above, with numerous other examples in the background of the interior shots. Underneath DBNW two tone blues you will find two tone greens, certainly not dealer stock white.

Look between the panels or under the wheel arches and you'll quickly see signs of green. Not to forget there was a photo of them all parked on a farm.
 

winston270twm

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Look between the panels or under the wheel arches and you'll quickly see signs of green. Not to forget there was a photo of them all parked on a farm.

I don't need to look for evidence of green, it will be there.

Never seen any pictures of them on a farm, these photos were whilst still in the factory circulated to prospective buyers by Wrightbus circa mid July.
 
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Jordan Adam

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Never seen any pictures of them on a farm, these photos were whilst still in the factory circulated to prospective buyers by Wrightbus circa mid July.

Here it is. These i understand are all 14 of the examples currently at DBNW prior to respray.

67705914_333609320851537_4635184372914323456_n.png

If the original owner wants the photo removed just PM me.
 

winston270twm

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Here it is. These i understand are all 14 of the examples currently at DBNW prior to respray.

Ta! Yes those of what I've seen before they were moved there no doubt. DBNW only had 13 new Streetdecks (a batch of 10, then an additional 3).

I've even seen a subsequent upper deck interior shot of a DBNW Streetdeck in service at Bolton with First Leeds branding on the cove panels.
 

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Jordan Adam

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Ta! Yes those of what I've seen before they were moved there no doubt. DBNW only had 13 new Streetdecks (a batch of 10, then an additional 3).

I've even seen a subsequent upper deck interior shot of a DBNW Streetdeck in service at Bolton with First Leeds branding on the cove panels.

Ahh yes my mistake. I forgot the 14th example is one of the demonstrators!

Most of the Leeds spec examples are/were going about with full internal Leeds City branding, the next stop screens have also been removed although the frames remain in place.
 

47550

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Just having a wander through the accounts and filings at Companies House for the parent company Cornerstone Group Ltd. Rather odd for a company in financial difficulties was that on 4th April 2019, the company paid £1m to buy back 42,821 shares. I am guessing that this was paid to (MD) Lorraine Rock, as this corresponds the number she owned. So much for saving cash...
 

Jordan Adam

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In all honesty it's pretty evident here that the main demise for Wrightbus has been poor management decisions when it comes to finances. That being said (and this is nothing against people of religion) saying that "we made god a shareholder" is quite worrying, with the greatest of respects Jeff Wright doesn't seem mentally or morally sane. Surely employees should come first, at the end of the day they're the ones who give you a pay check - not personal "charity" projects!
 

47550

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Also raising an eyebrow is the £4.4m lent to "associated companies" - ie other companies owned by Jeff Wright. There's no breakdown which companies they are but he does own a couple of property companies (Whirlwind Property Ltd and Whirlwind Property Two Ltd) as well Nu-Track. Hopefully the administrators will get the money back.
 

randyrippley

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Just been up to Heysham port and as far as I can see there's nothing there pending delivery

Last one I can remember seeing on the motorway was a few weeks back, two deckers in two-tone turquoise (I'd guess for Nottingham), one carrying a destination of "Gotham". I wonder if that was a driver trying to send a message about funny goings on?
 

Jordan Adam

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Just been up to Heysham port and as far as I can see there's nothing there pending delivery

Last one I can remember seeing on the motorway was a few weeks back, two deckers in two-tone turquoise (I'd guess for Nottingham), one carrying a destination of "Gotham". I wonder if that was a driver trying to send a message about funny goings on?

Are those you saw not perhaps for Arriva Yorkshire?
 

Robertj21a

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Nottingham hasn't got any Wright buses. They are receiving new buses in turquoise but they are Scania gas buses with ADL bodywork.
 

randyrippley

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Nottingham hasn't got any Wright buses. They are receiving new buses in turquoise but they are Scania gas buses with ADL bodywork.

Maybe I got the builder wrong then.......not always easy to be sure when you need to keep eyes on the road. The ADL ones would come down the M6 as well
 

awsnews

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3) If Wrightbus speculatively built more First Group spec Streetdecks, why then were the ones that Rotala bought for DBNW @ Bolton painted in First Leeds colours, had First Leeds legals / interior branding & ready to be delivered etc
Wrightbus have also being approaching various operators trying to offload Streetdecks at heavily discounted prices.
It is perfectly feasible for specific vehicles to have been rejected due to [insert speculation here] without the overall order itself being cancelled. It would be something significant though to require complete replacements to be provided rather than rectify the existing examples but certainly not impossible. It wouldn't have helped the financial situation either due to having them effectively as stock and not cash in the bank.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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There is clearly a difference between the version of events from both sides in this. The Diamond vehicles were built for First Leeds and even carried internal branding AND legal lettering so delivery was clearly imminent.

Now it may have been a quality issue or, perhaps possibly, a commercial issue that affected the order that may have proved pertinent given Wright's woes.

Certainly, there can be (and is) speculation. As Mulder may say......
 

cnjb8

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Just been up to Heysham port and as far as I can see there's nothing there pending delivery

Last one I can remember seeing on the motorway was a few weeks back, two deckers in two-tone turquoise (I'd guess for Nottingham), one carrying a destination of "Gotham". I wonder if that was a driver trying to send a message about funny goings on?
Gotham is a Nottingham City Transport depot. It is pronounced Got-ham. But this does seem weird as Gotham is not getting any new buses.
 

RichSwitch

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I'll agree that the product page should be up to date, but I don't think something like that is going to put off prospective investors. There are far more important things for them worry about.

As for operators who are looking to order new stock, they will know what's available.
Apologies if it has already been said, but if a product page is not up to date then there’s not much point in having a website. I’m not doubting what’s been said. I’m just saying it gives an impression of laziness. If they can’t be bothered with their shop window, then one starts to think “do they apply that same lazy philosophy to the product itself?”.
 

randyrippley

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It is perfectly feasible for specific vehicles to have been rejected due to [insert speculation here] without the overall order itself being cancelled. It would be something significant though to require complete replacements to be provided rather than rectify the existing examples but certainly not impossible. It wouldn't have helped the financial situation either due to having them effectively as stock and not cash in the bank.

Someone claimed recently a batch had been rejected because the doors were the wrong size / didn't fit.......anyone remember who they were for?
 

Andyh82

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There is clearly a difference between the version of events from both sides in this. The Diamond vehicles were built for First Leeds and even carried internal branding AND legal lettering so delivery was clearly imminent.

Now it may have been a quality issue or, perhaps possibly, a commercial issue that affected the order that may have proved pertinent given Wright's woes.

Certainly, there can be (and is) speculation. As Mulder may say......

Could it not have been part of the deal purchasing Bolton depot, that they also received some brand new buses. First then got Wright to build another set of buses for Leeds, which were less urgent.
 

MotCO

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Someone claimed recently a batch had been rejected because the doors were the wrong size / didn't fit.......anyone remember who they were for?

Are you thinking of some buses for Scotland(?) where the central doors would not shut properly?
 

F Great Eastern

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Dublin Bus. (I think)

It was initially reported that the doors were the wrong size to go back into the bus when closing, but it was incorrect and this was merely a symptom of another issue.

Was a batch of vehicles for Dublin Bus, Go Ahead Ireland and Bus Eireann, the ceiling was sagging under weight to the point where the doors could not close so they all had to be modified.

Seeing the companies financial problems, makes you wonder if they used lighter and cheaper materials to save on costs in the knowledge that funds were low so corners were cut.
 

randyrippley

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Are you thinking of some buses for Scotland(?) where the central doors would not shut properly?

I think Jordan Adam got it right: Dublinbus.
As far as I can remember the doors were said to be the wrong size.
If they were making mistakes as obvious as that, what else was wrong? Makes the Leeds buses not the only rejected ones
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Could it not have been part of the deal purchasing Bolton depot, that they also received some brand new buses. First then got Wright to build another set of buses for Leeds, which were less urgent.

It wasn't part of the deal. It is coincidence.

However, it does pose another challenge for First. They were supposed to receive back 10 e400 off lease from Bolton in December, freed up by more new Streetdecks.
 

Alexbus12

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It wasn't part of the deal. It is coincidence.

However, it does pose another challenge for First. They were supposed to receive back 10 e400 off lease from Bolton in December, freed up by more new Streetdecks.

Wouldn't surprise me if instead of buying brand new for the next batch of returns, they end up getting stuff from the London market that can be converted to Euro 6 standards.
 
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