Xplore Dundee

[D10]

That sounds like 4025-26/28/76/121-124 have all gone to their makers.

Saw 4028 being driven through Kidderminster yesterday, fleet names removed but otherwise still in NX Red and white standard livery.

[winston]

In Dundee our 54 plates are getting a refurb seats  and paintwork.

Do all Dundee repaints get a retrim? B7RLE's etc

At last count, nothing under 4718 (07 plate E400's) would be gaining a Crimson refurb at NXWM, also buses below 4718 that hadn't already been upgraded to Euro 6 will not now treated, as service life insufficent / too old to recoup upgrade/refurbisment costs.

[DavieDD2]

Do all Dundee repaints get a retrim? B7RLE's etc

At last count, nothing under 4718 (07 plate E400's) would be gaining a Crimson refurb at NXWM, also buses below 4718 that hadn't already been upgraded to Euro 6 will not now treated, as service life insufficent / too old to recoup upgrade/refurbisment costs.

There's a surprise, Dundee has 4700-17 in our garage, they're trapped fair enough, but added to the 25 older Geminis in our fleet, I'm beginning to think Xplore Dundee aren't as green as they claim to be on Facebook, I've heard many a Gemini pass where I live sounding like an asthmatic hoover!

[ross4122]

Currently, the buses that have been retro-fitted with adblue in the Dundee fleet are: 4700, 4703, 4706, 4707, 4708, 4710, 4717, and are intended for the Douglas route - but you'll be lucky if you see 3 of them there a day. Only 9 out of the 17 47-- batch were actually in service today - yet only 2 of the natives (7001-7018) were off. Perhaps this implies the 47-- Gemini's are not as reliable, and/or not preferred by the steering wheel attendants?

The 20-- B7RLEs do not get a retrim when repainted - only a fresh coat of paint.

I'm positive Dundee have got funding for a further 10 Euro 6 conversions - I can only assume they'll start working their way through the Euro 5 B7RLEs next.

[winston]

Currently, the buses that have been retro-fitted with adblue in the Dundee fleet are: 4700, 4703, 4706, 4707, 4708, 4710, 4717, and are intended for the Douglas route - but you'll be lucky if you see 3 of them there a day. Only 9 out of the 17 47-- batch were actually in service today - yet only 2 of the natives (7001-7018) were off. Perhaps this implies the 47-- Gemini's are not as reliable, and/or not preferred by the steering wheel attendants?

The 20-- B7RLEs do not get a retrim when repainted - only a fresh coat of paint.

I'm positive Dundee have got funding for a further 10 Euro 6 conversions - I can only assume they'll start working their way through the Euro 5 B7RLEs next.

Depends if the 47-- batch being out in such low quantities is a regular occurrence? Could a number have been kept in the garage for inspections / routine maintenance? Aren't some of those normally found on the Fife School services.

Oh, some there's some inconsistences between NXWM B7RLE refurbs with Dundee's only get new paintwork.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Dundee get an additional batch of Emeralds potentially next year, once the NXWM mass Euro 6 upgrade is out the way.

Also, with Platinum's 7518-38 now heading to Yardley Wood 5-6 months earlier than the Electric DD's, it looks as though homes for more single decker's will need to be found, potentially needing re-homing may be E200MMC's 2230-2247 ?   

[ross4122]

It's been fairly regular recently. Fife school buses are usually red Geminis - so 4681-4686 and 7011-7013/7015-7018 - but Scottish schools finish at the end of June, so they're being used in daily service now.

Doubt we will be getting any more E200MMCs. They're completely useless for the majority of our routes, because of the abysmal turning circle on them.

[2206]

Doubt we will be getting any more E200MMCs. They're completely useless for the majority of our routes, because of the abysmal turning circle on them.

It looks as though homes for more single decker's will need to be found, potentially needing re-homing may be E200MMC's 2230-2247 ?   

If NX will soon possibly have 25 single deckers (2134 - 2140 and 2230 - 2247) that will possibly need a new home, with nowhere else really needing more single decker's.
Could that perhaps mean the withdrawl of of the euro 3 B7RLE then in the West Midlands (1750 - 1773)? Possibly joining the training fleet?

[winston]

If NX will soon possibly have 24 single deckers (2134 - 2140 and 2230 - 2247) that will possibly need a new home, with nowhere else really needing new single decker's.
Could that perhaps mean the withdrawl of of the euro 3 B7RLE then in the West Midlands (1750 - 1773)? Possibly joining the training fleet?

Depends whether NX are looking at any parts of First UK bus that are currently for sale. They could become a home for spare B7RLE & E200MMC's.

Realistically, NXWM could do with loosing more the just 24 single deckers, Dundee has a large proportion of single decekrs, I assume loadings are lower in Dundee compared with main Birmingham corridors?

[JIM C]

Currently, the buses that have been retro-fitted with adblue in the Dundee fleet are: 4700, 4703, 4706, 4707, 4708, 4710, 4717, and are intended for the Douglas route - but you'll be lucky if you see 3 of them there a day. Only 9 out of the 17 47-- batch were actually in service today - yet only 2 of the natives (7001-7018) were off. Perhaps this implies the 47-- Gemini's are not as reliable, and/or not preferred by the steering wheel attendants?

The 20-- B7RLEs do not get a retrim when repainted - only a fresh coat of paint.

I'm positive Dundee have got funding for a further 10 Euro 6 conversions - I can only assume they'll start working their way through the Euro 5 B7RLEs next.

Fleet numbers 7011 -70184681-4686  Are the allocated buses to us on the fife schools .Each one of the 7011 etc. in turn is getting a full retrim ,The seats are threadbare and all are badly needing it. Fife council have a 15 year rule on contract buses so it will be interesting to see what we get next term.

[ross4122]

Fleet numbers 7011 -70184681-4686  Are the allocated buses to us on the fife schools .Each one of the 7011 etc. in turn is getting a full retrim ,The seats are threadbare and all are badly needing it. Fife council have a 15 year rule on contract buses so it will be interesting to see what we get next term.

Likely the 47-- batch that the service drivers don't like!  :D

[winston]

Fleet numbers 7011 -70184681-4686  Are the allocated buses to us on the fife schools .Each one of the 7011 etc. in turn is getting a full retrim ,The seats are threadbare and all are badly needing it. Fife council have a 15 year rule on contract buses so it will be interesting to see what we get next term.

I thought The Fife schools would be due for replacement.

[JIM C]

 I dont think they will convert the 06 plates for adblue and then have them sitting in fife all day.

[ross4122]

Only 7 out of 18 have been converted, and Fife only needs 8 deckers.

[JIM C]

As you said they have got green bus funding to convert another 10.

[ross4122]

I believe that's going towards the 20-- batch of B7RLE Eclipses