Birmingham Central Garage

[Tony]

The tridents are better than the adl crap they keep producing. In fact with a shiny red and white and good exterior people would probably think the tridents were newer. Even the alx400 look new, with the shiny paintwork. The pe enviros look wrecked in comparison.

If you haven't noticed These Tridents were produced by the same people and in the same factories to the same quality as the 'ADL products.

[winston]

Just about the age of the vehicles on the 14 and 97... There is nothing wrong with 44xx and 46xx vehicles when refurbished!!!!

The other issue that people are missing, it that BC have only had 29 new E400's 13 & 14 plate & 18 Volvo B5LH/Wright hyrbids since the 46-- Tridents were delivered back in 2004. BC has a large concentration of Tridents dating from 2001-2004. Until there is a big allocation of new double deckers at BC, I'm afraid it's Tridents for the majority of BC's double decker routes.

Exactly. The Bristol Road hasn't had new buses since 2002 with the 43's... 13 years with no new buses? Isn't that something worth moaning about in comparison to the 97 which had them branded Omnilinks?

And I'll reiterate my point... THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH TRIDENTS. I travelled on 4179 with the E5 engine, fantastic bus.
[/quote]

I'd expect BC to be the recipient of large numbers of new/nearly new double deckers over the next 2 years, as all buses entering the City Centre on high frequency routes need to be min Euro 4 by 2017 which puts all of BC routes in that category. I'd expect by this point, most of the bus routes in questions plus other entering the City Centre will of had a new/much newer fleet to comply with the new SQPS rules, particularly as NXWM doesn't have many Euro 4 buses.

[PM]

The tridents are better than the adl crap they keep producing. In fact with a shiny red and white and good exterior people would probably think the tridents were newer. Even the alx400 look new, with the shiny paintwork. The pe enviros look wrecked in comparison.

If you haven't noticed These Tridents were produced by the same people and in the same factories to the same quality as the 'ADL products.

I don't get the constant ADL bashing on here. Enthusiasts in Bristol love the new e400's and e200's have arrived on my local route ex London. They've been refurbished by Arriva to a very high standard-leather seats, charging points etc etc. They're fast, rattle free and cope well with the many hills... ADL aren't Britain's leading bus manufacturer without good reason!

[Tony]

@Tony Which operators are you referring to?

Most parts of Go-Ahead group are operating vehicles a lot worse than 10 year old refurbished Tridents

Nottingham have double decks older than the 46xx which haven't had a retrim/tidy up for several years

Transdev Group still have a lot of older stuff despite casting off some very nice newer stuff like those B7RLEs at Diamond.

Then you get to Arriva/First Stagecoach all of which have many vehicles a lot worse.

[Liberator9]

NX are doing very well in terms of investment at the moment - I'm more than happy now with refurbished Tridents. As Tony says NX are doing much better than First, Stagecoach and Arriva in terms of vehicle investment.


Well when likes of 761 and 804 rattle everywhere possible, with the suspension at times feeling detached, there good reason to moan about them. They are very smart and the Enviro 200s are nippy. However the never ending rattles on some of the Enviro 200s is a pain in the head - ask 2900 and LS about them.

[Tony]

Well when likes of 761 and 804 rattle everywhere possible, with the suspension at times feeling detached, there good reason to moan about them. They are very smart and the Enviro 200s are nippy. However the never ending rattles on some of the Enviro 200s is a pain in the head - ask 2900 and LS about them.

The biggest thing to remember with E200s is they are smaller buses with smaller wheels. Don't think any manufacturer has got a small wheeled bus to have brilliant suspension, which also helps cause rattles

[Liverpool Street]

Well when likes of 761 and 804 rattle everywhere possible, with the suspension at times feeling detached, there good reason to moan about them. They are very smart and the Enviro 200s are nippy. However the never ending rattles on some of the Enviro 200s is a pain in the head - ask 2900 and LS about them.

The biggest thing to remember with E200s is they are smaller buses with smaller wheels. Don't think any manufacturer has got a small wheeled bus to have brilliant suspension, which also helps cause rattles

Having said that what's the reason for the bottom of the bus feeling like its going to fall out? Steering feeling detached and loose; I remember the B6's they were twice the bus the E200's are! Same size wheels too.. Obviously they were more unstae then a full size single, but nothing like 804. I enjoyed driving the B6's, glad I haven't had the unfortunate pleasure to be stuck in a E200 for 8hours a day!!!

[PM]

@Tony Which operators are you referring to?

Most parts of Go-Ahead group are operating vehicles a lot worse than 10 year old refurbished Tridents

Nottingham have double decks older than the 46xx which haven't had a retrim/tidy up for several years

Transdev Group still have a lot of older stuff despite casting off some very nice newer stuff like those B7RLEs at Diamond.

Then you get to Arriva/First Stagecoach all of which have many vehicles a lot worse.

All valid. Go Ahead East Anglia ops in particular have some really old vehicles. Nottingham, as you say older unrefurbed OmniDekkas.

And Transdev... They seem to be releasing off lease the good stuff ie Versas Central have and b7rle's Rotala acquired back last year... Odd given the number of old deckers in particular and even vehicles like Renowns that don't have long left with other groups they could be replacing and selling instead?!

Wellglade group could be added, there's tonnes of old stuff at Notts and Derby!

Current NX investment levels are fantastic and I just hope they're maintained.

[karl724223]

Don't forget the state of the roads

[Liverpool Street]

Don't forget the state of the roads

The B6's didn't have half the issues over pot holes as does the E200's do.

Just in case my point isn't clear; I truly hate the E200's. I've never hated anything as much as those buses. If my car was half as bad as them, I'd send it straight back to the manufacturer.

[979]

Don't forget the state of the roads

The B6's didn't have half the issues over pot holes as does the E200's do.

Just in case my point isn't clear; I truly hate the E200's. I've never hated anything as much as those buses. If my car was half as bad as them, I'd send it straight back to the manufacturer.

I completely agree about the 62 plates, I wonder if the newer E200's at WA/WB/WN are any better.

[Trident 4194]

Don't forget the state of the roads

The B6's didn't have half the issues over pot holes as does the E200's do.

Just in case my point isn't clear; I truly hate the E200's. I've never hated anything as much as those buses. If my car was half as bad as them, I'd send it straight back to the manufacturer.

Agreed, yes the roads round Welsh house farm are bumpy, but the b6s never felt like you were on the rim of the road. Also the darts such as 3601 series never were that bad nor were the solos. Yes they cope up hills better than b6s, but there not that quick tbh

[Alex]

Don't forget the state of the roads

The B6's didn't have half the issues over pot holes as does the E200's do.

Just in case my point isn't clear; I truly hate the E200's. I've never hated anything as much as those buses. If my car was half as bad as them, I'd send it straight back to the manufacturer.

I wonder if the newer E200's at WA/WB/WN are any better as I completely agree about the 62 plates.

The 64 plates aren't much better, WN844 being undoubtedly the worst of WN's, with a horrific noise coming from the back of the bus (No, it's not the engine ;))

[Trident 4609]

[Snip!] Courtesy of LS [/Snip!] - You wouldn't find me on an E200 lol


Getting back to BC garage happenings, How many Tridents will be branded up for the 14 altogether?

[andy]

Don't forget the state of the roads

The B6's didn't have half the issues over pot holes as does the E200's do.

Just in case my point isn't clear; I truly hate the E200's. I've never hated anything as much as those buses. If my car was half as bad as them, I'd send it straight back to the manufacturer.

I wonder if the newer E200's at WA/WB/WN are any better as I completely agree about the 62 plates.

The 64 plates aren't much better, WN844 being undoubtedly the worst of WN's, with a horrific noise coming from the back of the bus (No, it's not the engine ;))

I can only go by the ones I drove at Silverline, and can confirm they were awful. When you go over anything remotely uneven on the road, the bodywork appears to lurch in a different direction to the chassis and everything rattles and squeaks infuriatingly. They even make early Darts seem appealing to drive.

The only worse buses I have ever had to suffer were the 62 plate door forward Streetlites. I can't begin to explain how awful these contraptions are.