http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131222/local/arriva-to-leave-malta-early-next-year.499979#.UravcrSvSs0
Certainly not West midlands News. Wonder if any of the buses will be repatriated over here though
It could make Wednesfield or Cannock more interesting!
Arriva's exit from Malta is not surprising - it's been reported that they've made big losses. I wonder what next for there. It's hard to imagine another UK group being interested.
Quote from: Justin Tyme on December 22, 2013, 10:59:22 AM
It could make Wednesfield or Cannock more interesting!
Arriva's exit from Malta is not surprising - it's been reported that they've made big losses. I wonder what next for there. It's hard to imagine another UK group being interested.
Probably a consortium of sorts?
It seems to have been a complete disaster from start to finish-the buses, the routes, the bus stations, the increased fares, the drivers initially reluctant to work for arriva. I just think it is a shame the yellow buses went-pretty sure they didn't catch fire, get lost, not turn up etc etc. Shame I never went to Malta to see the yellow buses in action but it certainly looks an interesting place. Dare I say-this is what happens when you re-regulate a market...
Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?
Quote from: bob on December 22, 2013, 11:29:08 AM
Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?
Think so yeah which were heavily modified
Cool.
Quote from: DiamondDart on December 22, 2013, 11:31:56 AM
Quote from: bob on December 22, 2013, 11:29:08 AM
Didnt malta use to have a lot of old ex london swifts and merlins?
Think so yeah which were heavily modified
Passenger doors welded open most likely haha
Yes, all these and loads of much older vehicles, such as Bedford SBs and Leyland Comets I believe. I've never been to Malta either, but I gather the buses themselves were lovingly cared for by their owner-drivers (who generally owned just one bus each), and were regarded as one of the main sights of the island.
However, I think the theory was that while tourists loved them, residents did not think that much of them and the network carried alot fewer passengers than it ought to have done. But... It looks like the Maltese Government upset the owner-drivers by effectively excluding them from bidding for the new network (as apparently only major operators met the criteria) and Arriva had to rush over loads of drivers as well as buses - regardless of cost - even though they had several months to prepare. Perhaps a phased transition rather than a revolution would have been better.
A Maltese or partly-Maltese consortium may be the best solution, with a phased transfer rather than another big bang.
What will the authorities do now? Take the services on themselves? Apparently the bendi buses were a bit tight getting up some streets and certain corners etc and the bus stops etc werent designed for them
Quote from: Tony on December 22, 2013, 09:25:24 AM
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131222/local/arriva-to-leave-malta-early-next-year.499979#.UravcrSvSs0
Certainly not West midlands News. Wonder if any of the buses will be repatriated over here though
Other than the Artics that Malta have (which I can't see Arriva wanting back), are any other of the types operated common to UK?
If I remember correctly, isn't the bulk of the Malta fleet made up primarily of King Long low floor single deckers of varying lengths & supplemented by a fleet of ex London Merc Artics?
Latest Buses mag has a feature on the continuing problems in Malta from a passengers point of view. Arriva's name seems to be mud over there.
Maybe the citaros could come over here for the 19 and 10? Place the dockers on the 310 and brand the darts for the 229 :-)
Quote from: the trainbasher on December 23, 2013, 12:17:13 AM
Maybe the citaros could come over here for the 19 and 10? Place the dockers on the 310 and brand the darts for the 229 :-)
I'd love to see the state of an artic after going round Wolverhampton on the 10 and 19, 6013!
Yesterday's paper says the government are taking over the buses:-
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-to-purchase-Arriva-buses-20131223
Patrick.
Quote from: derningtona on December 24, 2013, 08:52:14 AM
Yesterday's paper says the government are taking over the buses:-
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-to-purchase-Arriva-buses-20131223
Patrick.
And have sold all the bendibuses to the Sudan!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140218/local/bendy-buses-to-be-shipped-to-sudan.507334#.UwO_HooHnew.facebook
And a company in Malta is advertising in this week's route one for recent low floor single deckers...
NX group Spanish subsidiary ALSA is part of a consortium that submitted a Euro 70 Million bid on Monday to operate the Maltese bus routes formally run by Arriva
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-04-10/news/70-million-to-run-public-transport-4578050048/
Autobuses de Leon still appear to be favourite to run Malta Bus Services (Autobuses de Leon are a bus subsidiary of NX owned ALSA)
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140730/local/bidders-surprise-as-minister-announces-talks-with-rival-bidder-for-bus-service.529902
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-08-23/news/island-buses-will-not-appeal-choice-of-preferred-bidder-6307545088/
It seems that despite the injunction from Island Bus, the contract award to Autobuses de León (an ALSA subsidiary) has been upheld.
The new contract is due to start from 8th Jan, with 142 new buses due by summer 2015. It appears NX involvement is being kept low key by it not being awarded to ALSA directly, but instead a subsidiary.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-20/local-news/Autobuses-de-Leon-awarded-the-contract-to-operate-Malta-and-Gozo-scheduled-bus-services-6736127656
Quote from: Winston on January 01, 2015, 10:54:30 PM
It seems that despite the injunction from Island Bus, the contract award to Autobuses de León (an ALSA subsidiary) has been upheld.
The new contract is due to start from 8th Jan, with 142 new buses due by summer 2015. It appears NX involvement is being kept low key by it not being awarded to ALSA directly, but instead a subsidiary.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-20/local-news/Autobuses-de-Leon-awarded-the-contract-to-operate-Malta-and-Gozo-scheduled-bus-services-6736127656
142 buses on an island the size of a shoe?
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 01, 2015, 11:15:00 PM
Quote from: Winston on January 01, 2015, 10:54:30 PM
It seems that despite the injunction from Island Bus, the contract award to Autobuses de León (an ALSA subsidiary) has been upheld.
The new contract is due to start from 8th Jan, with 142 new buses due by summer 2015. It appears NX involvement is being kept low key by it not being awarded to ALSA directly, but instead a subsidiary.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-20/local-news/Autobuses-de-Leon-awarded-the-contract-to-operate-Malta-and-Gozo-scheduled-bus-services-6736127656
142 buses on an island the size of a shoe?
Arriva Malta had 264 on there, so the 142 new buses due will no get shot of the King Longs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_bus
Meh. Bring back the driver-owned operation I say! I loved Malta when it was all Bedfords and Leylands and the like!
I expect the operation will be spread across to Gozo too?
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 01, 2015, 11:19:34 PM
Meh. Bring back the driver-owned operation I say! I loved Malta when it was all Bedfords and Leylands and the like!
I expect the operation will be spread across to Gozo too?
You've got more chance of a fleet of E200's....
Yes, it includes Gozo too
Quote from: Winston on January 01, 2015, 11:22:36 PM
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 01, 2015, 11:19:34 PM
Meh. Bring back the driver-owned operation I say! I loved Malta when it was all Bedfords and Leylands and the like!
I expect the operation will be spread across to Gozo too?
You've got more chance of a fleet of E200's....
Yes, it includes Gozo too
Unfortunately Winston... You actually might be correct.
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 01, 2015, 11:34:36 PM
Quote from: Winston on January 01, 2015, 11:22:36 PM
You've got more chance of a fleet of E200's....
Yes, it includes Gozo too
Unfortunately Winston... You actually might be correct.
If they did turn out to be E200's, I bet you've got everything crossed that they get washed over board on delivery..... Can't see ADL supplying any of the new buses tbh
Autobuses de León seem to favour Citaro's:
http://zetaestaticos.com/leon/img/noticias/0/631/631965_1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1vlwgP9T4Y/TWd4P9oGN_I/AAAAAAAAAEs/QqCfjkGcQUk/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG
Whilst deliveries of new buses to ALSA for operation in Agadir & the latest Tangiers, Morocco all appear to be Scania/Tata-Hispano
https://terriermichel.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/p1080060.jpg
http://tanger.madeinmedina.com/fr/article-alsa-les-nouveaux-bus-sont-en-retard-4342.html
http://www.lejournaldetanger.com/images/visuels/articles/article_4827_Sans%20titre-21.jpg
http://tanja7.com/image/AlsaTanger4.jpg
Oh I only hazarded a guess as really its something from NX if it boils right down to point, and we all know which manufacturer is in whos pockets! And yes, I hope they all fall off the container ship. Only thing those E200's are good for is a possible plastic manufactured coral reef or a very large toy in a fish bowl!!! Sorry for my hatred of all things E200 but my god are those buses shit.
And yeah probably will be something Scania orientated; probably easier to source parts from neighbouring shorelines.
Haha! ;D Love your comment LS regarding the E200s!
Well Malta are more than welcome to take a few of the Enviro 200s off our hands! Why we could not have Wrights/Volvo B8RLE or Citaros, which are both decent quality buses - just look at the B10L/Wright combos which have worked excellently!
Is they prefer Scania orientated buses - perhaps this would fit the bill:
http://www.scania.co.uk/products/buses-coaches/bus-range/irizar-i3/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6975slSBiBE
https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Irizar%20i3%20Scania
http://www.route-one.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Scania-Irizar-i3.jpg
Built for the UK market, euro 6 and Scania built aside from the body. Looks a really nice bus I must say. Recently launched and probably could do with some orders coming in.
Courtesy Of Yahoo group (uk-bus-fleetnews)
It appears a batch of up to 30 x 3 door 56/57 plate Merc Citaros currently with OmniServ on Airside transfer work at Heathrow Airport (formerly with NSL) & currently being replaced by brand new 3 door E200's, will be heading to Malta after having their offside doors removed.
Quote from: Winston on January 06, 2015, 12:30:24 AM
Courtesy Of Yahoo group (uk-bus-fleetnews)
It appears a batch of up to 30 x 3 door 56/57 plate Merc Citaros currently with OmniServ on Airside transfer work at Heathrow Airport (formerly with NSL) & currently being replaced by brand new 3 door E200's, will be heading to Malta after having their offside doors removed.
There was 2 mercs heading north on the M40 today
Quote from: Ex BC driver on January 08, 2015, 11:27:40 PM
Quote from: Winston on January 06, 2015, 12:30:24 AM
Courtesy Of Yahoo group (uk-bus-fleetnews)
It appears a batch of up to 30 x 3 door 56/57 plate Merc Citaros currently with OmniServ on Airside transfer work at Heathrow Airport (formerly with NSL) & currently being replaced by brand new 3 door E200's, will be heading to Malta after having their offside doors removed.
There was 2 mercs heading north on the M40 today
I believe some/all are having their offside doors removed by Evobus in Coventry
For anyone interested:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-11/local-news/Arriva-is-history-says-Alesa-boss-6736128470
Arriva of course did the hard bit, replacing the owner drivers, even if they didn't do it well.
Quote from: Winston on January 17, 2015, 05:54:51 PM
For anyone interested:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-11/local-news/Arriva-is-history-says-Alesa-boss-6736128470
Oh dear. Even Malta has surcomed to the EU's strangle hold. Oh well, I'd rather the B7RLE and solos then anything ADL in my holiday destination.
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 18, 2015, 01:09:34 AM
Quote from: Winston on January 17, 2015, 05:54:51 PM
For anyone interested:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-11/local-news/Arriva-is-history-says-Alesa-boss-6736128470
Oh dear. Even Malta has surcomed to the EU's strangle hold. Oh well, I'd rather the B7RLE and solos then anything ADL in my holiday destination.
And in a roundabout way they're NX owned so NX Group have brought some solos and Eclipse2s in a way....
Quote from: the trainbasher on January 18, 2015, 02:14:47 AM
Quote from: Liverpool Street on January 18, 2015, 01:09:34 AM
Quote from: Winston on January 17, 2015, 05:54:51 PM
For anyone interested:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-11/local-news/Arriva-is-history-says-Alesa-boss-6736128470
Oh dear. Even Malta has surcomed to the EU's strangle hold. Oh well, I'd rather the B7RLE and solos then anything ADL in my holiday destination.
And in a roundabout way they're NX owned so NX Group have brought some solos and Eclipse2s in a way....
Nope as they're leased and were acquired last summer when the government was in charge of local bus routes as a way of improving reliability.
For anyone interested, ALSA subsidiary Autobuses de Leon's new Malta livery
http://maltabuses.piwigo.com/index?/category/469-autobuses_de_leon_livery
Quote from: Winston on February 13, 2015, 12:04:59 AM
For anyone interested, ALSA subsidiary Autobuses de Leon's new Malta livery
http://maltabuses.piwigo.com/index?/category/469-autobuses_de_leon_livery
Can't say I'm keen on the shade of green used.
Looks as if the Malta Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse 2s are starting to come back from Malta. I saw BD14KXY earlier at Graysons near the NEC.
One was in service with Transdev Yellow Buses as 997 BG14OPD on 12th Nov.
I assume they're at Graysons to have air-conditioning modified or removed
It never happened because (the story goes) the Sudanese buyers failed to pay in time and they were scrapped instead. There were apparently very stringent conditions attached to the timescales for payment and removal of the artics from Malta, presumably because they had become a major embarrassment to the government there.
Quote from: barry619 on November 29, 2015, 06:30:49 PM
It never happened because (the story goes) the Sudanese buyers failed to pay in time and they were scrapped instead. There were apparently very stringent conditions attached to the timescales for payment and removal of the artics from Malta, presumably because they had become a major embarrassment to the government there.
Not all ex Arriva Malta artics have been scrapped, some still exist in the quarry
Quote from: countryliner on November 29, 2015, 07:20:10 PM
@barry619 - Thanks for the info. It is a shame that they never went to Sudan as i think a country like Sudan could really benefit from having some modern vehicles like these on their bus services. They have had years of war and i dont think that they have many modern buses in the country.
@Winston - Thanks for the info. It is good to hear that not all of them have been scrapped. Do you know which vehicles are still in the quarry and have not been scrapped yet. Also will they keep these vehicles or will they get scrapped as well.
Also does anyone know who the Sudanese buyer was (was a bus operator in a Sudan) and what they intended to use these vehicles on in Sudan.
It is a shame to see so many Bendy Buses (mainly Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G buses) getting stored out of use or scrapped.
This is where I got the info from, no ID's
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/maltabuses/conversations/messages/14966
Since found this picture site, but can't find the latest Citaro Artics pictured on Yahoo Groups
http://maltabuses.piwigo.com/
Quote from: countryliner on November 30, 2015, 12:41:42 AM
@Winston - Thanks for the info. Yes the malta buses website (the second link that you sent me) is an excellent website. It seems to have photos of almost every Arriva Malta bus.
With the yahoo group link that you sent me - i cant seem to view it - as i think that you have to be a member of the group. What does it say on this page and what buses are photo(s) of.
I believe that all of the following Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G buses went to Malta.
I would quite like to find out which ones are still around and which ones have been scrapped. Do you know if the Maltese government has a vehicle check website (like the one that we have in the UK). I am wondering if the ones that have not been scrapped yet might re enter service in Malta and maybe they will come back to the UK - i hope that they dont get scrapped as well.
Below is the conversation, the photo is an Arriva Malta Citaro artic in the quarry (photo side on) - no ID as previously posted
Join the Yahoo Group, someone on there may be able to confirm which still exist in the quarry.
Why would anyone pay to send them back to the UK, when there is an abundance of ex London examples that no one wants
-------------------------------------
The Citaro Artics have been moved around the quarry a bit since last visit there. This one looks as if it is about to 'jump'
-------------------------------------
Hi Keith,
Which quarry are they in. I will search next January!
Andrew
-------------------------------------
Hi Andrew,
Take the No. 36 bus from Valletta. Ask to be put off at San Gwann Industrijali
Have fun.
Kind regards.
Keith.
Quote from: countryliner on November 30, 2015, 01:44:02 AM
@Winston - Thanks for the info. Yes it is such a shame that there are so many ex London Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G bendy buses that are just sitting in depots and bus dealers all over the UK. I am quite surprised that more bus operators dont buy them especially as they are going for such cheap prices. With the ones that are still in Malta - i suppose that Arriva might possibly be interested in taking them back to the UK to use somewhere (maybe on some routes around Leicester - where they already have some or on Arriva Surrey & West Sussex route 38 from Guildford to Surrey University would be a good route to convert to bendy buses). Or maybe the remaining bendy buses in Malta will go to Sudan like they were originally intended to do so.
The reason they are so cheap to buy is very few operators wants them. Arriva are not going to go to the expense of bringing them back to the UK. They did after all get banned from operating the artics on Malta after three separate fires within three days.
It also has to be remembered they are not cheap to run compared to a double decker of similar capacity and they take up a lot of depot floor space. Drivers also need to be trained on them, an additional cost.
Quote from: countryliner on November 30, 2015, 12:31:18 PM
@Bryan - Yes but i think that it is a real shame that so many of them are just sitting all over the UK in depots and bus dealers doing nothing. They are not as bad as many people think. It is just Boris Johnson's fault for making them so unpopular. They are actually quite easy drive and these bendy buses can be used on much more routes than most people think. An 18m Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G bendy bus should be able to be used on any routes that a 12m Mercedes Benz Citaro O530N rigid bus could manage. With the bus fires - these buses have hardly ever caught on fire - many other types of buses have had many more fires than these Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G bendy buses. And no bendy buses in the UK (or in Malta) have ever caused any deaths. I think that if Boris Johnson was never elected as the Mayor Of London (which i wish that he never was as he has done some rediculous things during his time as the Mayor - getting rid of the excellent bendy buses / introducing the awful borismasters / getting rid of cash / etc - Ken Livingstone was so much better) then we would probably still have bendy buses all over London and the UK and they would probably still be very popular. I have driven many Bendy Buses (including Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G buses) and i can easily say that they are fantastic buses to drive and are no harder to drive than most non bendy buses. More bus operators should buy them - they are not as bad as people think at all.
I agree with you that they are nice buses to drive, and just as easy an any 12m bus, but they do have a high percentage of fires with the engine that was in the London ones. The Coventry ones have a different engine. They are all also over 10 year old now and cost a fortune to run
Quote from: countryliner on November 30, 2015, 12:31:18 PM
@Bryan - Yes but i think that it is a real shame that so many of them are just sitting all over the UK in depots and bus dealers doing nothing. They are not as bad as many people think...
The Citaro artics are not bad buses at all, and the suggestion that they are came about following the handful of fires which were encountered in London, plus the moaning about them blocking junctions.
Where the problem comes is how much they cost to operate. The 3-4mpg they do compared to 5-7mpg of a double-decker can only be justified where a capacity of 100+ passengers is needed. Additionally when the 'turntable' between the two sections goes wrong (and they do), it is horrifically expensive to put right.
Quote from: barry619 on November 30, 2015, 01:35:13 PM
The Citaro artics are not bad buses at all, and the suggestion that they are came about following the handful of fires which were encountered in London, plus the moaning about them blocking junctions.
Where the problem comes is how much they cost to operate. The 3-4mpg they do compared to 5-7mpg of a double-decker can only be justified where a capacity of 100+ passengers is needed. Additionally when the 'turntable' between the two sections goes wrong (and they do), it is horrifically expensive to put right.
And they cost 50% more to park.
For instance you can fit 135 buses in Yardley Wood garage, but it would be less than 100 if the routes were bendi operated
Detailed article on Malta Public Transport & the Otokar order/final delivery of 143 being completed.
It also confirms that the Malta Op is nothing to do with NX Group, Autobuses de Leon (ALESA) is still privately owned by the Cosmen family
http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/otokar-celebrates-malta/
I assume Coventry citaros time is near to an end as well , IMO bendy buses a waste of time and money this country is geared up for double deck buses lets just stick to them they have served very well for the past 80 odd years, saying this the so called sprint service if it ever sees light of day will be using bendies of some description.
Quote from: 2900 on December 16, 2015, 11:32:22 AM
I assume Coventry citaros time is near to an end as well , IMO bendy buses a waste of time and money this country is geared up for double deck buses lets just stick to them they have served very well for the past 80 odd years, saying this the so called sprint service if it ever sees light of day will be using bendies of some description.
Bendi buses in the UK were just a passing fad, people in the UK like a seat & don't want to stand, double deckers are the ultimate people movers with their seating capacities
I do wonder whether Sprint might now switch to dual door double deckers (as per 4798 recent demo), Bendi's with either one or two articulated compartments will just add to congestion on the Hagley Rd corridor due to their length
@2900 Exactly; bendis are just not ideal for the UK's roads - they're inflexible in terms of route allocations and are best suited on straight and wide roads. First have proven their issues - both in Swansea and York, where the FTR schemes failed in favour of conventional buses. Granted that York still use Mercedes Citaros on a couple of their Park and Rides, which do work as the routes are relatively straight roads.
Deckers have the benefit of the higher seating capacity and proven their worth over the years in London, so no need to change from that. Hopefully Sprint will recognise that and use suitable deckers, rather than bendis.
Quote from: Liberator9 on December 16, 2015, 12:19:10 PM
@2900
Exactly; bendis are just not ideal for the UK's roads - they're inflexible in terms of route allocations and are best suited on straight and wide roads. First have proven their issues - both in Swansea and York, where the FTR schemes failed in favour of conventional buses. Granted that York still use Mercedes Citaros on a couple of their Park and Rides, which do work as the routes are relatively straight roads.
Deckers have the benefit of the higher seating capacity and proven their worth over the years in London, so no need to change from that. Hopefully Sprint will recognise that and use suitable deckers, rather than bendis.
It's nothing to do with 'straight roads' bendis are far more manoeverable than some current rigid vehicles. Bendis work on routes where lots of people travel short distances.
That is why they did actually work on the London Red Arrow network. It was politically reasons that saw their removal, not that they didn't work
A bit of good 'gen' from someone in the know suggests the artics which remain dumped on Malta have been viewed by representatives of an operator from Pakistan... :o
The argument of artics being 'a passing fad' is questionable. Mercedes is bringing the Euro 6 Citaro artic here and bendies will be a feature of certain airport operations for a long time, hence MB's decision
Quote from: barry619 on December 16, 2015, 04:27:18 PM
A bit of good 'gen' from someone in the know suggests the artics which remain dumped on Malta have been viewed by representatives of an operator from Pakistan... :o
The argument of artics being 'a passing fad' is questionable. Mercedes is bringing the Euro 6 Citaro artic here and bendies will be a feature of certain airport operations for a long time, hence MB's decision
Airport work ie short distance shuttle services or airside work is very different to urban bus operation. They take up too much road space in our already congested cities, too much depot space and offer no where near the mpg of a double decker. MB may well be bringing Euro 6 Artics to the UK, but they will never sell in the numbers the previously have
Right, thanks for that. And the grass is green and the sky is blue, yes?
Quote from: barry619 on December 17, 2015, 06:12:56 AM
Right, thanks for that. And the grass is green and the sky is blue, yes?
The grass may be green but the sky definitely ain't blue....
I can definitely see why Arriva were using the ex-London bendi-buses over here. Most of the buses are small single deckers with a few longer Kinglongs and Citaros and they nearly always seem to be very overcrowded.
The only deckers about are on sightseeing tours mostly ex London again with very low open top decks
Quote from: John on January 31, 2018, 05:47:24 PM
I can definitely see why Arriva were using the ex-London bendi-buses over here. Most of the buses are small single deckers with a few longer Kinglongs and Citaros and they nearly always seem to be very overcrowded.
The only deckers about are on sightseeing tours mostly ex London again with very low open top decks
I could definitely see why short buses are much preferable throughout Malta. Several times I've been on a service (usually on a King Long) when it has taken a very time consuming series of manoeuvres to get past parked cars.
The Otokars seem ideal. Services are extensive, reliable and frequent, and consequently well-used.
There are plenty of open-top double-deckers on the islands, though the ex UK contingent is declining. Judging by my photos, somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters were built new as open-top; mostly King Long and, a little earlier, several Visionaire-bodied Scanias.