Hydrogen vehicles

[Mayfield]

BCC own the vehicles and (according to the franchising consultation documents) lease them to NX at a "peppercorn rate", so if the vehicles are sat at Walsall doing nothing, it's not costing NX a great deal, and clearly there are enough diesel vehicles to cover for them.

No it hasn't, if you actually look properly on BusTimes you'll see its just been moved around Walsall garage, the system is just reporting default route and trip number of '1'.
https://bustimes.org/vehicles/tnxb-h1005

I don't understand where you can see that when clicking on the link, can you please explain, thanks

[ellspurs]

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/tnxb-h1005#journeys/702314413

You see at the bottom of the map where the route is "supposed" to be, but if you look where Walsall garage is, you'll see where the vehicle's tracking has been pinging. The above is from today.

[Tony]

BCC own the vehicles and (according to the franchising consultation documents) lease them to NX at a "peppercorn rate", so if the vehicles are sat at Walsall doing nothing, it's not costing NX a great deal, and clearly there are enough diesel vehicles to cover for them.

No it hasn't, if you actually look properly on BusTimes you'll see its just been moved around Walsall garage, the system is just reporting default route and trip number of '1'.
https://bustimes.org/vehicles/tnxb-h1005

H1005, along with H1003 and H1008 were the ones not tracking when they were in use .

The traffilog engineer has been to Walsall and managed to fix all but 806 and 1884 presumably H1005 still has the route he tested it on the ticket machine, but will be cleared when a driver next puts a genuine board in

[Stu]

I don't understand where you can see that when clicking on the link, can you please explain, thanks

For starters, the 1 Acocks Green to Five Ways is not a Walsall route, and the vehicle did not complete any other journeys that day.

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Clicking on the Map link shows that the vehicle didn't track anywhere near the 1 route today:
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Zoom into the map where the tracking arrows show, and you'll see it's Walsall garage (off Carl Street).

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I hope that answers the question!

[Budgie]

Metrobus seem to be able to get their Hydrogen buses out regularly. It appears they are in daily use as a diesel or electric bus would be.

https://bustimes.org/operators/metrobus/vehicles

Are they taking all the available fuel from Tyseley or are they sourcing from elsewhere?  They also seem to be ordering more... albeit not many compared to Electric purchases. NX seem to take a different view.

https://www.route-one.net/news/go-ahead-agrees-1200-zero-emission-bus-deal-with-wrightbus/

Obviously something different for Go Ahead compared to NX and Arriva/Stagecoach in Merseyside.  I doubt it's simply a willingness to take a more proactive approach. Or just as likely, I'm missing something obvious. 

[Tony]

Metrobus seem to be able to get their Hydrogen buses out regularly. It appears they are in daily use as a diesel or electric bus would be.

https://bustimes.org/operators/metrobus/vehicles

Are they taking all the available fuel from Tyseley or are they sourcing from elsewhere?  They also seem to be ordering more... albeit not many compared to Electric purchases. NX seem to take a different view.

https://www.route-one.net/news/go-ahead-agrees-1200-zero-emission-bus-deal-with-wrightbus/

Obviously something different for Go Ahead compared to NX and Arriva/Stagecoach in Merseyside.  I doubt it's simply a willingness to take a more proactive approach. Or just as likely, I'm missing something obvious.

Nothing to do with operators purely fuel supply as has been said many times.

If you look closely Metrobus only have about 10 of the original 20 out each day, hardly being fully utilised.

[Straightlines]

Nothing to do with operators purely fuel supply as has been said many times.

If you look closely Metrobus only have about 10 of the original 20 out each day, hardly being fully utilised.

Looking closely Metrobus seem to have had 16 out today, perhaps they've finally got control of the fuel situation? 

[Tony]

Looking closely Metrobus seem to have had 16 out today, perhaps they've finally got control of the fuel situation?

Looks like another visit to Crawley is due!

[amodelofcontrol]

Looks like another visit to Crawley is due!

Metrobus now have their on-site liquid hydrogen station live at last (https://www.metrobus.co.uk/hydrogen), which has allowed them to roll out the second batch of 34 vehicles (23 10.9m GB Kites and 11 'decker Hydroliners). Most of these are now in service, but not all yet.

A further 43 (again, mix of 'deckers and single-decks) will follow from ZEBRA2 funding for West Sussex services.

[don]

Metrobus now have their on-site liquid hydrogen station live at last (https://www.metrobus.co.uk/hydrogen), which has allowed them to roll out the second batch of 34 vehicles (23 10.9m GB Kites and 11 'decker Hydroliners). Most of these are now in service, but not all yet.

A further 43 (again, mix of 'deckers and single-decks) will follow from ZEBRA2 funding for West Sussex services.

That's interesting - there was an item on BBC South East Today a while back concerning the issue with getting approvals for the fuelling station (which was already built but could not be operated). The limited number of hydrogen buses then in operation were stated to be fuelled from tankers from Birmingham...... if the Crawley operation is in full swing does that mean the Tyseley facility can provide fuel for more of the Walsall Hydroliners now? 

[Tony]

That's interesting - there was an item on BBC South East Today a while back concerning the issue with getting approvals for the fuelling station (which was already built but could not be operated). The limited number of hydrogen buses then in operation were stated to be fuelled from tankers from Birmingham...... if the Crawley operation is in full swing does that mean the Tyseley facility can provide fuel for more of the Walsall Hydroliners now?

It needs to work at all first. ITM power who run it I believe have sold put to one of the Bamford companies 

[woody38]

There are two types are hydrogen Grey & Green, Green is more reliable but expensive Metrobus use green, whereas the others including NX use grey which is cheaper.

[Tony]

There are two types are hydrogen Grey & Green, Green is more reliable but expensive Metrobus use green, whereas the others including NX use grey which is cheaper.

There's only one type of Hydrogen. It's an element, not something you make. All Hydrogen sold in the UK is 99.5% pure.

The colours only relate to how the Hydrogen is extracted

[Mayfield]

Looking closely Metrobus seem to have had 16 out today, perhaps they've finally got control of the fuel situation?

59 out 70 out today if my maths and Bustimes is correct 

[Celestial Toymaker]

It needs to work at all first. ITM power who run it I believe have sold put to one of the Bamford companies

couldn't they consider them being converted to Electric, as it is they are just standing idle, another waste of taxpayers money
(ducking for cover now)