Messages

4143 & 4144 now part of WN fleet.

I confirm that Nathen is right, unfortunately the open day for the 21st is cancelled.

No re schedule date has been set yet and might not be in future.

TBH I don't see why everyone is slagging it off. I like it! It gives off the idea 'platinum' should, a slick and swarve livery with a nice tone in colour.

I agree, I like it very much!

It's sophisticated and not childish like some other examples of "premium" routes!

There is an old saying.... You'll never please everyone... and that's the case here.

If NXWM hadn't done a "platinum" livery, everybody would of been saying that they aren't trying, they release a new livery and upgrade major routes into "platinum" routes, probably won't charge people any extra to travel on them (unlike some others) and still people moan, quite frankly it's unbelievable!

Just my two pence worth.

4555 has just gone past me by coseley train station displaying Wolverhampton Garage. It had a few people on the lower deck and a few on the upper. There was a piece of paper in the lower right hand corner.of the windscreen but I couldn't see what it said.

It's Bank Holiday Rail Replacement buddy.

4313 is back at wn with 4311 and 4312 coming back too.

Just to clear things up also, I can categorically say it was not a fault with the bus in the accident, it was driver error.

how can you 'categorically' say it was the drivers fault?

I've seen the VCR and subsequent report identifying there was no defect present, plus two days before it passed its MOT. Categorical?

A fault can occur a day after an MOT. An MOT proves it passed the test on 'That day' If you are a driver as you say, you would not be permitted access to the previous VCR's furthermore it is not correct to broadcast on the internet that the Driver is at fault pending his/her discliplinary/fact finding interview!!! If you are a driver, furthermore shame on you to digress and put blame on a colleague before they have had chance to defend themselves. I'm not commenting on the VCR but obviously if the driver was taken to hospital, he may have not signed it off

I have removed my post, I only saw the VCR by chance. I however don't agree that assumptions should be made that it was a defective bus, that was the point I was trying to highlight just as you did with me assuming driver error.

Well the fact that the reason is being discussed here can really contravene forum rules, as neither party can defend themselves at all..

Tell you what? I'd recommend not posting reference the accident if it could affect and show judgement on both/either sides.

Comprehend.

Agreed. Can post related be removed? Apologies to you and 4006.

4313 is back at wn with 4311 and 4312 coming back too.

Just to clear things up also, I can categorically say it was not a fault with the bus in the accident, it was driver error.

how can you 'categorically' say it was the drivers fault?

I've seen the VCR and subsequent report identifying there was no defect present, plus two days before it passed its MOT. Categorical?

A fault can occur a day after an MOT. An MOT proves it passed the test on 'That day' If you are a driver as you say, you would not be permitted access to the previous VCR's furthermore it is not correct to broadcast on the internet that the Driver is at fault pending his/her discliplinary/fact finding interview!!! If you are a driver, furthermore shame on you to digress and put blame on a colleague before they have had chance to defend themselves. I'm not commenting on the VCR but obviously if the driver was taken to hospital, he may have not signed it off

I have removed my post, I only saw the VCR by chance. I however don't agree that assumptions should be made that it was a defective bus, that was the point I was trying to highlight just as you did with me assuming driver error.

4313 is back at wn with 4311 and 4312 coming back too.

Just to clear things up also, I can categorically say it was not a fault with the bus in the accident, it was driver error.

Thanks for that Driver03 :) That was a question I had on my mind for sometime about how long Spectras have left.

I have been speaking to a few drivers on the 59 and they have said they don't like it now Spectras are now allocated to evening journeys aswell

That's the most common complaint I get a night when they return from service ;D

Spectras are 100% confirmed to be staying for another 12 months. According to the person I've been talking to inside the garage, WN have invested a huge amount of money in increasing their reliability so much so they are the 2nd most reliable bus in garage behind B7RLE they are now focusing efforts and ££££s on making B6s just as reliable. So looks like they will be around a lot longer now.

Noted on the Himley services tonight

4115
4201
4248
4525
4539
4540
4542
4544
4556
4562
4563
4565
4575
4578
4586
4589
4596
4605
4705
4706
4707

So 14 WN Tridents (including 126 branded 4575 and 529 branded 4605), 4 WB Geminis (including Dudley Road branded 4705/6/7), 1 WB ALX400 (Soho Road branded 4248), 1 WB President and 1 PN Trident

PN provided 3 vehicles don't know what their fleet numbers were though

I saw 4200 and 4201 so there's 2 of them, the other was an E400 but didn't catch that fleet num.

at 1315 this afternoon, 4596 was being driven around Wolverhampton bus station by an engineer. I didn't think you could adjust the steering column of a bus whilst it was moving, but this engineer was, dangerous!!!

There is a clue in there ;D , an Engineer was driving the bus, hence that implies that there was a fault with the bus and either it was being moved to a safer location to be repaired or towed, or that they were moving I onto a less frequent stand, either way it is obvious it was out of service :)

true, although it was displaying 126 Birmingham Markets on the front.

There you go :) it was moved from the 126 stand to avoid disrupting service onto probably stand u to be repaired, this is only my opinion, but I'm very sure it wouldn't go out like that, I know no driver who would drive a bus like that.

at 1315 this afternoon, 4596 was being driven around Wolverhampton bus station by an engineer. I didn't think you could adjust the steering column of a bus whilst it was moving, but this engineer was, dangerous!!!

There is a clue in there ;D , an Engineer was driving the bus, hence that implies that there was a fault with the bus and either it was being moved to a safer location to be repaired or towed, or that they were moving I onto a less frequent stand, either way it is obvious it was out of service :)

Went hunting for Spectras today in Wolverhampton and 4001 shows up on the 32, so I caught that, and then when I got back to Wolves 4002 is there on the 529, although I let that one go because it was full. Didn't expect to see either of those two, let alone both!

Also caught 5513 on the 126, sat upstairs at the front and it sounds like there is a hole in the panelling somewhere, every time the bus got up to any sort of speed, there was a blowing sound coming from behind the lights/roof panels

One of the WN B5s (may have been 5510 but can't remember as it was a while ago) had a hole about the width of a 2p coin near the front right upstairs seats (low down, near the corner) through which you could see the outside world! I think that's been fixed now though. Shows the superior quality of the Enviros though, as they don't have issues like these

;D superior quality and Enviro 400H in the same sentence? Most of ours leak water through the electrics and radio if liquid is spilt upstairs at the front, showering the driver in the process! Does really happen too.

The B5 is a shambles ::) they are too slow at pulling off and throw you down the stairs at every gear change. God knows how many gears it has. Most drivers find them too difficult to drive and hate them. Plus it's too narrow inside, that and a lack of downstairs seats leads to overcrowding. Plus Geminis are ugly ;)

The Enviro is clearly the superior choice, pulls off smoothly, much quieter, and is just so much faster than the B5! Much more seats, the bodywork is more attractive and plenty more interior space. Generally more reliable than the B5s too. I would expect the majority, if not all, of NXWM's next Hybrid order will be from ADL.

I agree somewhat with what you say, Matt. Too many gears and very, well it isn't a jerk but more of a lurch similar to B7RLE, lurchy gear changes. (It is emphasized by the massive gap between changes!) Smooth up to 10mph then nothing. Deadly at 5-ways and other junctions.

The B5 I find to be very comfortable, albeit 'cozy' in the cab. I found it easy to drive the B5's, very light steering and light everything actually. Shame the handbrake needs to be applied before the doors open. Its short wheelbase makes it incredibly maneuverable, but shame as you say about interior space. I think its a good looking brute.

However, the ADL I don't think is fully refined either. Yes, I think it is a better choice, but with the auto-retarder and other discrepancies, I don't reckon its quite 'there' yet. (And its Stop-Start system is.. interesting)

Indeed, once both manufacturers iron out the issues, they'll both be equal. In my opinion anyway.

But in either case, I'd prefer a high-economy full oil burner block, with stop-start and brake heat regeneration etc.

The only reason for delay in gear changes is because its a manual transmission with automatic clutch, if you take your foot of the accelerator when's its due to change (similar to how you drive a manual car etc) gear changes are silky smooth as the bus doesn't need to do it for you, hence my comment about feeling like a proper driver after a day driving them ;D

Well yes I knew how to drive them without a clutch so to speak but you seem to be missing the point, its supposed to be automatic. Do the work for us. Hence why the E400's are superior. :P

Also, the B5's seem to have weak shock absorbion. They just keep bouncing!

Well I guess you have a point there but to be fair I do really like the system, it's as close to manual driving your ever going to get if like me and most other we only have auto PCV licences :-[

Got to admit that I do like the bouncy effect on b5s like on Spectras it makes the ride that much quiter ;D

Alexander Dennis need to start putting their bodies together better before they come anywhere near Wrights. 4898 I had Friday and yesterday has more rattles and squeaks and loose fittings than a twelve year old B6 from Wrights

Tony I totally agree there! ADL interior is awful build quality and feels cheap, even back on Tridents, except the old 41xx series, they seemed better quality!

The B5 is a shambles ::) they are too slow at pulling off and throw you down the stairs at every gear change. God knows how many gears it has. Most drivers find them too difficult to drive and hate them. Plus it's too narrow inside, that and a lack of downstairs seats leads to overcrowding. Plus Geminis are ugly ;)

The Enviro is clearly the superior choice, pulls off smoothly, much quieter, and is just so much faster than the B5! Much more seats, the bodywork is more attractive and plenty more interior space. Generally more reliable than the B5s too. I would expect the majority, if not all, of NXWM's next Hybrid order will be from ADL.

I agree somewhat with what you say, Matt. Too many gears and very, well it isn't a jerk but more of a lurch similar to B7RLE, lurchy gear changes. (It is emphasized by the massive gap between changes!) Smooth up to 10mph then nothing. Deadly at 5-ways and other junctions.

The B5 I find to be very comfortable, albeit 'cozy' in the cab. I found it easy to drive the B5's, very light steering and light everything actually. Shame the handbrake needs to be applied before the doors open. Its short wheelbase makes it incredibly maneuverable, but shame as you say about interior space. I think its a good looking brute.

However, the ADL I don't think is fully refined either. Yes, I think it is a better choice, but with the auto-retarder and other discrepancies, I don't reckon its quite 'there' yet. (And its Stop-Start system is.. interesting)

Indeed, once both manufacturers iron out the issues, they'll both be equal. In my opinion anyway.

But in either case, I'd prefer a high-economy full oil burner block, with stop-start and brake heat regeneration etc.

The only reason for delay in gear changes is because its a manual transmission with automatic clutch, if you take your foot of the accelerator when's its due to change (similar to how you drive a manual car etc) gear changes are silky smooth as the bus doesn't need to do it for you, hence my comment about feeling like a proper driver after a day driving them ;D