First Group New Vehicle Order 2015/16

[winston]

First Group have this morning announced that they have placed orders for 385 new buses for 2015/16:

Full press release here:
http://www.firstgroupplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2015/29-05-15.aspx
http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/alexander-dennis-wins-big-firstgroup-order.127420990

Full details of the First Bus order:

Manufacturer       Model                                          Quantity
Volvo                    B5LH                                             20
Wrightbus            StreetDeck                                    65
Wrightbus            StreetLite                                     183
ADL                       Enviro 200 MMC                           63
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC                           47
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC GK                      5
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC Virtual Electric    2

[barry619]

The five E400s marked as 'GK' are obviously subject to a typo as it should say 'GKN', referring to a GKN Hybrid Power flywheel fitment. They are for Stirling; around 110 of the whole order is Scotland-bound, primarily for Glasgow, which is to receive 75 new buses.

[winston]

The size of the order is hardly very impressive given the size of the First Groups UK bus fleet. Especially considering the amount early low floor single deckers & step entry double deckers that are still left in service.

[DD12]

The size of the order is hardly very impressive given the size of the First Groups UK bus fleet. Especially considering the amount early low floor single deckers & step entry double deckers that are still left in service.

I totally agree  -  especially the small number of DDs.  :(

[Ashley 60171]

Half of the Streetdecks are for South Yorkshire. See off all but a handful of B10BLE's plus the remaining Tridents I believe.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/business-news/first-announce-5m-investment-in-22-new-south-yorkshire-buses-1-7284921

[winston]

I totally agree  -  especially the small number of DDs.  :(

For a fleet of 6400 buses it isn't great at all, they are replacing only 6% of the fleet implying a vehicle life of approaching 16.5 years. It makes NX Groups new bus investment this year look all the more impressive.

I don't see from the quantities on order how First are going to free much if the way of newer stuff to cascade to the the poorer subsidiaries such as Kernow. The majority of the new fleet can only be replacing non DDA single deckers & step entrance deckers at best

[JoNi]

Unless they are contemplating disposing of even more of their bus operation!

[winston]

Unless there contemplating disposing of even more of their bus operation!

I don't expect them to dispose of any more of their bus operations, they should never have sold off London as they've lost their supply of midlife cascades

[Bob]

Potteries fleet age must be abysmal....a handful of crap streetlites last year and prior to that a handful of omncity's in 2006...lots of tired old single deckers. ..andsome old cascaded deckers plus a few now 11 yr old Gemini's
Pretty p##s poor up there. Does the potteries fleet make any money?

[winston]

Potteries fleet age must be abysmal....a handful of crap streetlites last year and prior to that a handful of omncity's in 2006...lots of tired old single deckers. ..andsome old cascaded deckers plus a few now 11 yr old Gemini's
Pretty p##s poor up there. Does the potteries fleet make any money?

Obviously not judging by the amount of investment.

[Roy]

I can't see First disposing of any more subsidiaries.  In some areas, they have actually started to make an effort. 

In Bristol, new commercial routes have been introduced which have seen off a number of Wessex subsidised routes.  In Cornwall, First started to make a comeback before Western Greyhound's demise, although the competition on certain routes was a contributory factor in that demise.  However, both of these route improvements have come without any major fleet enhancements.  It's true that Bristol have received new StreetLites to replace ancient step entrance Darts, but Bristol has not seen a new double decker since 2009, and the latest double deckers are cascaded 58-reg E400's from Leicester.  In Cornwall, the First Kernow fleet is a disgrace.  I recently caught a P-reg Olympian that shook throughout the entire journey and that was one of the better buses!

One interesting area as far as First is concerned is Plymouth, where Plymouth CityBus (Go Ahead) has recently stepped up competition by introducing new services on the Tavistock and Plymstock corridors (the former with high-spec new buses), and the acquisition of the Liskeard depot of Western Greyhound has also greatly improved Plymouth CityBus services on the Saltash corridor.  First have already abandoned the X80 Plymouth to Torquay service after competition from Stagecoach Devon, so it will be interesting to see what happens next with its Plymouth operations.  They had not responded to this new completion by bringing in newer vehicles when I was in Plymouth last month.

[Solo1]

First Group have this morning announced that they have placed orders for 385 new buses for 2015/16:

Full press release here:
http://www.firstgroupplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2015/29-05-15.aspx
http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/alexander-dennis-wins-big-firstgroup-order.127420990

Full details of the First Bus order:

Manufacturer       Model                                          Quantity
Volvo                    B5LH                                             20
Wrightbus            StreetDeck                                    65
Wrightbus            StreetLite                                     183
ADL                       Enviro 200 MMC                           63
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC                           47
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC GK                      5
ADL                       Enviro 400 MMC Virtual Electric    2

would be nice to see a break down of where they the new buses going

[winston]

would be nice to see a break down of where they the new buses going

Search the various forums & compile one for us then  ;)

[Ally]

As soon as South Yorkshire was mentioned I guess the service number straight away and was correct! I hope they're as speedy as the B9TLs currently on the route, not much point making it look like a fighter jet if it goes like a dead tortoise! ;D

Leicester is another that generally suffers, their last new buses were 54/05 plate ones (though I'm sure the 05 ones were cascades? - First aren't really my strong point), then recently they got the 08/58 reg E400s transferred in from London, half of which have already left. Now they have a few extra B7RLEs, but I'm wondering if they'll last long either.

First only really seem to care about a few of their divisions and even that's not very much! I think the only place in the entire group that they actually make more than half an effort is Glasgow, which is further reinforced by this latest order.
Personally, I'm glad I don't live in an area served by First, while they have much better types of buses (bar the Street**ites). If the services do actually by some miracle actually show up, they won't get far before breaking down, bursting into flames or whatever else.

Bring back the B10M (ex-Mainline ones!).

[Ashley 60171]

As soon as South Yorkshire was mentioned I guess the service number straight away and was correct! I hope they're as speedy as the B9TLs currently on the route, not much point making it look like a fighter jet if it goes like a dead tortoise! ;D

Leicester is another that generally suffers, their last new buses were 54/05 plate ones (though I'm sure the 05 ones were cascades? - First aren't really my strong point), then recently they got the 08/58 reg E400s transferred in from London, half of which have already left. Now they have a few extra B7RLEs, but I'm wondering if they'll last long either.

First only really seem to care about a few of their divisions and even that's not very much! I think the only place in the entire group that they actually make more than half an effort is Glasgow, which is further reinforced by this latest order.
Personally, I'm glad I don't live in an area served by First, while they have much better types of buses (bar the Street**ites). If the services do actually by some miracle actually show up, they won't get far before breaking down, bursting into flames or whatever else.

Bring back the B10M (ex-Mainline ones!).

By all accounts, the Streetdeck goes like drink and was liked by OG drivers once it was working. Rotherham apparently just break it (the words of a Sheffield spotter)