Bendi-bus

[:D]

What are the disadvantages of using bendibus instead of other buses? I know that fare evasion is one disadvantage but surely this isn't enough to discourage bus operators from it? I mean, they could just not let anyone in through any of doors other than the one at front as seen in NX bendibuses. IIRC London operators abandoned bendi bus because of higher accident rate due to unsuitability of using it in heavily urbanised area although I don't think it applies here in Birmingham.

A much higher passenger capacity would cover the disadvantages mentioned above.

Can anyone enlighten me here?

[Tony]

What are the disadvantages of using bendibus instead of other buses? I know that fare evasion is one disadvantage but surely this isn't enough to discourage bus operators from it? I mean, they could just not let anyone in through any of doors other than the one at front as seen in NX bendibuses. IIRC London operators abandoned bendi bus because of higher accident rate due to unsuitability of using it in heavily urbanised area although I don't think it applies here in Birmingham.

A much higher passenger capacity would cover the disadvantages mentioned above.

Can anyone enlighten me here?

Heavy buses = heavy fuel consumption,
less seats than a double deck
take up more garage space,
require specialist engineering equipment, (longer pits or 6 wheel jacks)
more things to go wrong (turntable)

are a few I can think of

[:D]

Heavy buses = heavy fuel consumption,
less seats than a double deck
take up more garage space,
require specialist engineering equipment, (longer pits or 6 wheel jacks)
more things to go wrong (turntable)

are a few I can think of

Thanks, never thought of that.

[JoNi]

Apparently spares are more expensive too.
Separate rota as they make up small proportion of allocation, hence why they are not used on Sundays in Coventry so that any route trained driver can be used on 4.

[BU07 LGO]

Take up more road space,

Harder to see cyclists

[B61 ANDREW]

Do we know the reason why so many bendies were introduced in London ?? [I know a lot of them did not last too long in service.]. Was their introduction all down to "Boris" and politics ??  :-[

[Tony]

Do we know the reason why so many bendies were introduced in London ?? [I know a lot of them did not last too long in service.]. Was their introduction all down to "Boris" and politics ??  :-[

Don't blame Boris for the introduction of them, it was one of his election pledges to get rid of them, which he did!

[Westy]

Don't blame Boris for the introduction of them, it was one of his election pledges to get rid of them, which he did!

In other words, blame Ken for their introduction, if I'm remembering correctly?

[JoNi]

Fairly balanced Wikipedia article, don't forget Boris is an avid cyclist!

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=s8ZHVeCYOYGeUJD_gfgB&url=http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_buses_in_London&ved=0CB0QFjAA&usg=AFQjCNH6UCa28kbu8wPxKZcmhZUA7hT8zQ&sig2=_1ODRsq0cJsie580BiWxvw

[GeminiFan1991]

Their the longest buses which is an additional challenge when it comes to route allocations and driving as the bus has to be able to traverse the route. I've only ever seen the Scania Artics on the 67.

Having less seats than a double deck but taking up more space in a garage is a double wammy. If you put 2 Artics in a line, you could (Probably) fit 3 double deckers in the same space.

These are what I can think of. Personally and I like to many others (Drivers & Passengers) agree that Double Deckers are better than Articulated buses.

[Tiptonian]

Think about any situation where reversing is required, e.g. garage or yard, bus stations, on-road incidents (see recent Northfield entry in accidents/incidents thread, same could apply anywhere there is 21st century traffic in 1930s roads). These vehicles work in Europe, where towns and cities have wider roads and open spaces. British towns and cities tend to be tightly packed, retaining pre-war road layouts. Like a lot of things in passenger transport (bus and rail), a "good-on-paper" idea was introduced without examining the true practical situations. If I am feeling kind, I will call it naivety;  if not, pig-headedness.

Personally, I found them to be the most horrible buses I had ever travelled on. In London, the standard RM Routemaster, was half the length of a bendy, or to put it another way, 128 seats in the same roadspace!

[JoNi]

Birmingham Connected wants a host of Bendibus routes under the title of Sprint. This hyperlink should connect you to the Passenger transport bit that runs to 141 pages on paper!


http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223568340501&ssbinary=true&blobheadervalue1=attachment%3B+filename%3D281928Technical_Package_2.pdf