1407

[Ashley 4569]

With all big bus companies in major areas there are pockets of vehicles that are from the same era as our Liberators, for example R reg Renowns with first south yorkshire. As for 1407 sound bus, the paintwork issue does happen from time to time but there's some sort of character in it. As for the travelling public they just want a bus that gets them from A to B, is clean, punctual and warm in winter, buses of this age don't meet that last one as much but were talking about routes like the 27, a route doesn't really go anywhere and definately doesn't get anybody to an office

[ilovetea4370]

I think the cost of bus travel would be more of an issue to newcomers than a simple matter of how a bus is painted!

I was thinking the same aswell. Although recently when a Spectra/trident and a B5LH turn up together on the 59 a fair few peoe have been waiting for the hybrid bus.

That could just be a case of going for the emptier one, something I do myself!

It does make me laugh though reading some of these comments, if somebody is pondering switching to public transport be it the car is too expensive or bus is easier, whatever. The first thing they are going to look at is "does the bus get me to where I want to go or will I need to change/will it be a hassle"? Second is going to be "well is the bus going to be cost effective for me"? They arent going to go on the street just to see how the buses are painted and say "NO! :O that bus has odd panels, I'm sticking with my car!" I'm not saying comments might not be made or thinking gosh that bus looks tatty, and I'm not saying that its acceptable for 1407 to look that bad, but really people aren't going to alter their plans just because buses are in service with odd coloured panels. Look at the state some other "independents" buses get let out in, but they still do well!

I'm not saying people go and look at how a bus is painted. I am saying that image is a contributing factor, and a very significant one. As you say yourself, the independent operators often look tatty and unkept and consequently don't really attract passengers.

Believe me, things like this do influence people's choices.

Andy anyway, does the company have no pride? Regardless of any of this, they should not be happy to put junk like that on their services.

That's not true, Joe's Travel's buses look rather old and tatty yet they seem to be doing very well on the 11, the same can be said for Sunny Travel on the 71E too.

I think the companies priority is (and should be) getting a bus out in working order rather than keeping it in for a repaint whilst having to cancel a service.

B10s, junk? That "junk" costs more than any average car!

I give up.  Sorry, but a 16 year old bus that's been round the block several times (and looks like it has been) in this state operating a key bus route on the streets of the second city for supposedly one of the leading operators in the country is not the future of public transport. It should have been put to pasture a good while ago.

If it was a one off I wouldn't bother to comment but I'm afraid NX has form for this sort of stuff time and time again, it's really sloppy stuff. A company of it's position should be aspiring to innovate and set the standard, not make do and mend just to get a service out. I'm sorry but they should be past that level by now.

Take your rose tinted glasses off, that's all I ask.

So what should we do then replace every bus as soon as it reaches 2 years old and double the fares overnight? Because that would really work! All of the big companies still have step entrance buses older than 1407 in service, it is standard practice to generally let a bus live its life before scrapping it!

If it had been on the 50 or 6 then I would agree with what you're saying but the 27, a key route? and you think my glasses are tinted...

[nitromatt1]

I think the cost of bus travel would be more of an issue to newcomers than a simple matter of how a bus is painted!

I was thinking the same aswell. Although recently when a Spectra/trident and a B5LH turn up together on the 59 a fair few peoe have been waiting for the hybrid bus.

That could just be a case of going for the emptier one, something I do myself!

It does make me laugh though reading some of these comments, if somebody is pondering switching to public transport be it the car is too expensive or bus is easier, whatever. The first thing they are going to look at is "does the bus get me to where I want to go or will I need to change/will it be a hassle"? Second is going to be "well is the bus going to be cost effective for me"? They arent going to go on the street just to see how the buses are painted and say "NO! :O that bus has odd panels, I'm sticking with my car!" I'm not saying comments might not be made or thinking gosh that bus looks tatty, and I'm not saying that its acceptable for 1407 to look that bad, but really people aren't going to alter their plans just because buses are in service with odd coloured panels. Look at the state some other "independents" buses get let out in, but they still do well!

I'm not saying people go and look at how a bus is painted. I am saying that image is a contributing factor, and a very significant one. As you say yourself, the independent operators often look tatty and unkept and consequently don't really attract passengers.

Believe me, things like this do influence people's choices.

Andy anyway, does the company have no pride? Regardless of any of this, they should not be happy to put junk like that on their services.

That's not true, Joe's Travel's buses look rather old and tatty yet they seem to be doing very well on the 11, the same can be said for Sunny Travel on the 71E too.

I think the companies priority is (and should be) getting a bus out in working order rather than keeping it in for a repaint whilst having to cancel a service.

B10s, junk? That "junk" costs more than any average car!

I give up.  Sorry, but a 16 year old bus that's been round the block several times (and looks like it has been) in this state operating a key bus route on the streets of the second city for supposedly one of the leading operators in the country is not the future of public transport. It should have been put to pasture a good while ago.

If it was a one off I wouldn't bother to comment but I'm afraid NX has form for this sort of stuff time and time again, it's really sloppy stuff. A company of it's position should be aspiring to innovate and set the standard, not make do and mend just to get a service out. I'm sorry but they should be past that level by now.

Take your rose tinted glasses off, that's all I ask.

I smell

[ilovetea4370]

I smell

I think I agree!

[vinh1000]

GRS travel have R reg buses too and the 16 journeys are quite but even sometimes fully loaded too! (the fare they offer too is a good attractor to them)

[andy]

With all big bus companies in major areas there are pockets of vehicles that are from the same era as our Liberators, for example R reg Renowns with first south yorkshire. As for 1407 sound bus, the paintwork issue does happen from time to time but there's some sort of character in it. As for the travelling public they just want a bus that gets them from A to B, is clean, punctual and warm in winter, buses of this age don't meet that last one as much but were talking about routes like the 27, a route doesn't really go anywhere and definately doesn't get anybody to an office

Sorry guys but you are really clutching at straws here....character??!! What does it matter if someone is going to an office or to a shop or wherever? I'm talking about progress here.....

If it was any other operator they would get hell on here, but we all know that NX could put any old tat on the road as long as it was a vehicle with some posterity and nostalgia, like for instance running 25 year old rotboxes around for many more years than they should have but that was ok because they were Metrobuses and were full of charm, posterity and character etc etc....

I can't get my point across so I'll bow out gracefully.

[ilovetea4370]

With all big bus companies in major areas there are pockets of vehicles that are from the same era as our Liberators, for example R reg Renowns with first south yorkshire. As for 1407 sound bus, the paintwork issue does happen from time to time but there's some sort of character in it. As for the travelling public they just want a bus that gets them from A to B, is clean, punctual and warm in winter, buses of this age don't meet that last one as much but were talking about routes like the 27, a route doesn't really go anywhere and definately doesn't get anybody to an office

Sorry guys but you are really clutching at straws here....character??!! What does it matter if someone is going to an office or to a shop or wherever? I'm talking about progress here.....

If it was any other operator they would get hell on here, but we all know that NX could put any old tat on the road as long as it was a vehicle with some posterity and nostalgia, like for instance running 25 year old rotboxes around for many more years than they should have but that was ok because they were Metrobuses and were full of charm, posterity and character etc etc....

I can't get my point across so I'll bow out gracefully.

When First still have G reg Olympians in service, you can hardly call a B10L old(in comparison)...

Its not clutching at straws, its called being realistic.

[Dylan4579]

B10's are junk, and first should not have Olympians in service anyway so pointless

[andyr]

Would 1407 tempt u from your nice car on to public transport ? If thats the exterior standars god help the interior.... so bucause first group have G reg olympians then we can all lower our standards... lets hope operators like Johnsons and Parrys dont copy Thandi ????.

[ilovetea4370]

Would 1407 tempt u from your nice car on to public transport ? If thats the exterior standars god help the interior.... so bucause first group have G reg olympians then we can all lower our standards... lets hope operators like Johnsons and Parrys dont copy Thandi ????.

Would having to pay £7 for a daysaver to keep replacing the fleet every 5 years tempt someone from their car?

Please don't make me laugh by bringing Johnsons into this, Out of their solos in use, Two have 0 transfers on them, no logos, no fleetnames, nothing (been out like this since last years olympics!) and one in nothing but plain white, yeah a highly professional looking image that is in no way worse than a few miscoloured panels!

Who says First are unique? Have you taken a look at Stagecoach's fleet lately or Arriva? The biggest operators in the country and All still have a high number of step entrance vehicles in daily use. In Contrast NXWM's fleet is fairly modern!

(hmmm Id love to know the ip address for andyr's and andy's accounts!)

[ilovetea4370]

B10's are junk, and first should not have Olympians in service anyway so pointless

Just like this comment!

[Mike K]

As for the travelling public they just want a bus that gets them from A to B, is clean, punctual and warm in winter, buses of this age don't meet that last one as much but were talking about routes like the 27, a route doesn't really go anywhere and definately doesn't get anybody to an office

Apart from of course office workers at probably Birmingham's most famous employer Cadbury's

[Sh4318]

Shall we make a separate thread for arguments...

[nitromatt1]

Are "andy" and "andyr" the same person? Both are spouting continuous nonsense

[ilovetea4370]

Are "andy" and "andyr" the same person? Both are spouting continuous nonsense

Blatently!