Always been curious on this, ever since i was 3, and saw an O405GN running on the 67 in B'ham, why was the 67 chosen to receive bendi buses, but more important routes weren't. I know that PB only have 8-10 Bendis, but why the 67?
As far as i know for the 67, it was the areas that it runs through that consigned this to be a bendi route. Was considered to be unsuitable for deckers, but we now know that deckers do operate it!
Why would it be unsuitable for deckers? ? They ran on it for years prior to bendibuses!
From what I can tell it was entirely arbitrary. They originally wanted to put them on the 51 but after some trials Walsall council said no, so they picked a route entirely within Birmingham
Casting my mind back, I thought the reasons given at the time were mainly:
1) The 67 has long stretches of routes along fairly straight main roads so it was a good route to test Bendis on, rather than on a route with numerous tight bends and turns throughout.
2) The Tyburn Road had had bus lanes installed along it by BCC, therefore the introduction of exotic Bendis was TWM's contribution to match BCC's investment. Of course I understand the bus lanes have now been removed, although I haven't been that way for a few years to confirm that.
3) At the time certain areas along the route had large areas of run down housing with all the social problems that came with that, and passengers didn't feel safe on Double Deckers.
It also depends on routes that bendis would actually fit. I believe they trialled a bendy on the 71 but found it wouldn't actually fit. The 67 was the easiest to make them fit
Quote from: Steveminor on September 29, 2014, 08:47:06 PM
It also depends on routes that bendis would actually fit. I believe they trialled a bendy on the 71 but found it wouldn't actually fit. The 67 was the easiest to make them fit
Bendis will fit anywhere a 12m single deck fits. The driver who drove one along the 71 route said he had no problems at all with the route. The only problem was centro would have to reorganise the stops in Sutton Coldifled
Wasn't one trialled on the 451s route as well? A Coventry O530G. I'm sure I remember seeing a pic of one in West Bromwich Bus Station
Quote from: John on September 29, 2014, 09:21:22 PM
Wasn't one trialled on the 451s route as well? A Coventry O530G. I'm sure I remember seeing a pic of one in West Bromwich Bus Station
I've just seen that pic whilst lookig through old photos on Flickr.
The 67 was chosen partly because at the time they were new the service terminated by the law courts in Corporation Street so they would not block the main City Centre Streets
Quote from: ARJ2901 on September 28, 2014, 09:34:42 PM
Always been curious on this, ever since i was 3, and saw an O405GN running on the 67 in B'ham, why was the 67 chosen to receive bendi buses, but more important routes weren't. I know that PB only have 8-10 Bendis, but why the 67?
"Who chose the routes that the bendi buses would run on?"
That sir, would be me. :D
Haha. I jest.
Bendibuses.... What a joke. Our streets are not made for them.
*Don't Shoot*
I enjoy my VERY rare journeys on a Bendy. I used to get on them a lot when my parents worked in Erdington. (67 to Salford Circus, then the 65). Imagine if the 67 were operated by other articulated buses, like the Wright Solar Fusion, or the Wright Streetcar? or even swap these* with PB's Scanias...
http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6021.html (Last Photo)
I am glad that Wolverhampton doesn't have any routes that use bendy buses as Wolverhampton (especially Wolverhampton city centre) has lots of winding routes and circulars, as well as small traffic islands that are hard to negotiate with a standard single decker, let alone a bendy bus.