Arriva Leicester

[Magikrabby]

Based on the current plans it is looking like the longer term idea is for Leicester to have 162/163 buses (I assume 162 as I don't see one solitary Olympus staying despite the rumours so far talking about 12 leaving) including 1008 which isn't used in public service and 4 coaches for the X6. Given Leicester has an approximate PVR of 150 at a quick count and a lot of the fleet will still be on the verge of life expired this seems like a disaster waiting to happen as it gives approximately a 7.5% maximum rate of unavailability before services have to be cancelled which gives very little room for any issues.

The information about the olympuses transferring came from who I believe is a network manager at Arriva, and was talking in relation to the beds and bucks region, with 6 being for Milton Keynes and 6 for Luton. If anyone wants the source the link is below. This leaves open the possiblity that the 3 remaining B9s can transfer to a different region - the others from the B9TL Gemini batch are currently in Kent so perhaps they will head there? Possibly even a swap with some of their E400s? It's also worth noting that elsewhere he said plans can and do change, so nothing with regards to fleets is ever set in stone and definite.

You are correct that their margin for error is quite low, but once all the electroliners are in service there should be a decrease in need for spare buses since over half the deckers will be less than 2 years old, meaning they're less likely to break down and less maintenance will be required. How regularly are journeys being cancelled with the current fleet?

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/arriva-beds-bucks-herts.259763/page-3#post-6724079

[joieman]

Based on the current plans it is looking like the longer term idea is for Leicester to have 162/163 buses (I assume 162 as I don't see one solitary Olympus staying despite the rumours so far talking about 12 leaving) including 1008 which isn't used in public service and 4 coaches for the X6. Given Leicester has an approximate PVR of 150 at a quick count and a lot of the fleet will still be on the verge of life expired this seems like a disaster waiting to happen as it gives approximately a 7.5% maximum rate of unavailability before services have to be cancelled which gives very little room for any issues.

We don't thank Liverpool for their bus age limit, it just drives older buses elsewhere, as has happened here in Leicestershire, with a rather large chunk of the double decker fleet being built before 2010.
Perhaps the lone Olympus might stick around as the two remaining Eclipse Geminis, also Volvo B9TLs, don't seem to be going anywhere at the moment. Besides that pair of Eclipse Geminis, we also still have three random Streetlites, so not impossible that the last Olympus will stay!

[Mayfield]

Looks like 8000 has entered service today if Bustimes is correct 

[joieman]

Looks like 8000 has entered service today if Bustimes is correct

Has been tracking on Bustimes since Saturday

[Wumpty]

We don't thank Liverpool for their bus age limit, it just drives older buses elsewhere, as has happened here in Leicestershire, with a rather large chunk of the double decker fleet being built before 2010.
Perhaps the lone Olympus might stick around as the two remaining Eclipse Geminis, also Volvo B9TLs, don't seem to be going anywhere at the moment. Besides that pair of Eclipse Geminis, we also still have three random Streetlites, so not impossible that the last Olympus will stay!

Spotted Arriva Merseyside's 4473 being towed on M6 south past J11 - perhaps heading your way?

[Mayfield]

Spotted Arriva Merseyside's 4473 being towed on M6 south past J11 - perhaps heading your way?

Hopefully not, you would normally come off the M6 at 16/15 - A50 to the M1

[Mayfield]

Has been tracking on Bustimes since Saturday

Can someone advise me please, I'm pretty sure when I've looked 8000 did not show up on Bustimes Saturday/Sunday but I can clearly see on the history that it was in service is this possible or am not using Bustimes correctly 

[EK40]

Spotted Arriva Merseyside's 4473 being towed on M6 south past J11 - perhaps heading your way?

doubt theyd send a DB300 down to leicester, probably heading further south to kent to replace ALX400s since they already have a fairly sizeable fleet of vdl geminis

[joieman]

doubt theyd send a DB300 down to leicester, probably heading further south to kent to replace ALX400s since they already have a fairly sizeable fleet of vdl geminis

What I do know is that 4532 has gone to Liverpool in exchange for 4412, which will be renumbered 4437 once it arrives in Leicester.

[Wba_lad]

I've noticed that some of the X6 brands are loosing their branding, will new vehicles be branded up or is this the end of the X6 branding. 

[Magikrabby]

Some of the DB250s seem to be transferring to Aylesbury rather than being withdrawn. Apparently 4771 and 4772 have moved already

[JPC]

Have just spotted on the X6 service there is now two vehicles provided for the weekday journeys at 7:20 from Coventry to Leicester and 17:15 from Leicester to Coventry, I will assume these journeys are incredibly busy and it puts that fourth coach into regular use.

[Magikrabby]

Have just spotted on the X6 service there is now two vehicles provided for the weekday journeys at 7:20 from Coventry to Leicester and 17:15 from Leicester to Coventry, I will assume these journeys are incredibly busy and it puts that fourth coach into regular use.

The fourth coach actually appeared for the duplicate journeys! They are bound to be busy because they are peak commuting time. Apparently the 17:15 journey was pretty much full today, and I'm not sure the use of a solo as the second journey helped too much 

I've noticed that some of the X6 brands are loosing their branding, will new vehicles be branded up or is this the end of the X6 branding.

afaik the only one to lose its branding is 7104. 7101 never had branding because it is a recent addition, and I think 7102 and 7103 both still have branding. 7104's blue on the front has been half peeled off for a few weeks, so it is possible that its branding was damaged and will be reapplied soon. However, they may have decided that branding is not necessary anymore

[Mayfield]

What I do know is that 4532 has gone to Liverpool in exchange for 4412, which will be renumbered 4437 once it arrives in Leicester.

I noticed on Bustimes this started tracking yesterday 

[Mayfield]

Some of the DB250s seem to be transferring to Aylesbury rather than being withdrawn. Apparently 4771 and 4772 have moved already

Aren't they lucky, better get a recovery contact in place, they dumped a number of the 40** to Aylesbury a few year ago if remember correctly