Acocks Green Garage

[BK63 YWP]

Dennis Trident 2 with Alexander ALX400 bodywork

Volvo B7TL with Alexander ALX400 bodywork.

Both are ALX400. Just because you got your "head ripped off" doesn't change the facts above.

Ok sorry

[Tony]

London United called them VP TA VA lol :D btw I wanted to ask, are National Express and Abellio still merged? as the Abellio Buses uptill last year were still getting TWM latest blue and greey seat colors and same inside intiror as TWM buses do apart from the new MMC will TWM go to that same spec asthe new Abellio with red seats and yellow grab rails?

Arriva use VLA for B7/ALX

[Ronnoc]

I doubt it. Gemini's seem to be better built and more reliable which is probably why these ones are being done. I look forward to driving 4527-34 though :D

Childhood dream of wanting to drive 4511-14, 4517-4534 & 4635-4679 lol. Only about 12 left to drive :)

Gemini's are quite bad actually, most of them vibrate on an enormous scale, when I say enormous, I mean enormous.

[Tomf1993]

Arriva use VLA for B7/ALX

Yes long wheel base, I tell you one thing those VLAs at Norwood Garage VLA1-78 they are the best in London all have kickdown, excellent buses, only buses liek those at WA is 4534 which you said is going the TA/VA WA are VOIT rubbish and worn out, the 529 TA are OK

[2206]

London United called them VP TA VA lol :D btw I wanted to ask, are National Express and Abellio still merged? as the Abellio Buses uptill last year were still getting TWM latest blue and greey seat colors and same inside intiror as TWM buses do apart from the new MMC will TWM go to that same spec asthe new Abellio with red seats and yellow grab rails?

No they are not merged. The PB Omnilinks, and WB, CV and PB Enviro 400 also have the same moquette style seats and the same colour grab handles as the MMC

[MW]

Gemini's are quite bad actually, most of them vibrate on an enormous scale, when I say enormous, I mean enormous.

In my experience, I've found the 45xx batch to have some annoying vibrations to be fair. I haven't been on a Trident in at least 5-6 years, when YW had them on the 6, and WN on the 79 (Bham-Wolv), but when they were, I do remember them rattling around a lot. In particular, upstairs, the staircase panel, and the destination thing upstairs.

Speaking to engineers and drivers at the company though, they all seem to say AG is lucky to not have ADL vehicles. Well that was true up until recently lol. Was talking to a PB driver today, who was saying Volvos beat everything else they've got. Bearing in mind they've got 63 reg Enviro400s. Engineering wise, the Geminis don't seem to break down much at AG, compared to the Scanias/MMCs/Plaxton. I know the it's early days for the MMCs but still. Everything suggests ADL vehicles are terrible compared to Volvo/Wright. As said on here before by someone, the Volvo/Wright combination seems to work so well when you bear all that in mind. I think it was Tony who recently said that the Geminis basically don't rot. Or Wright vehicles generally.

Vibrations from the engine, like the Geminis have, wouldn't really effect build quality, reliability etc, that's just that particular engine seems to vibrate a lot.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

[MW]

No they are not merged. The PB Omnilinks, and WB, CV and PB Enviro 400 also have the same moquette style seats and the same colour grab handles as the MMC

Isn't the moquette on the MMCs different to the Scanias AG had? I'm sure they are?

[Tomf1993]

In my experience, I've found the 45xx batch to have some annoying vibrations to be fair. I haven't been on a Trident in at least 5-6 years, when YW had them on the 6, and WN on the 79 (Bham-Wolv), but when they were, I do remember them rattling around a lot. In particular, upstairs, the staircase panel, and the destination thing upstairs.

Speaking to engineers and drivers at the company though, they all seem to say AG is lucky to not have ADL vehicles. Well that was true up until recently lol. Was talking to a PB driver today, who was saying Volvos beat everything else they've got. Bearing in mind they've got 63 reg Enviro400s. Engineering wise, the Geminis don't seem to break down much at AG, compared to the Scanias/MMCs/Plaxton. I know the it's early days for the MMCs but still. Everything suggests ADL vehicles are terrible compared to Volvo/Wright. As said on here before by someone, the Volvo/Wright combination seems to work so well when you bear all that in mind. I think it was Tony who recently said that the Geminis basically don't rot. Or Wright vehicles generally.

Vibrations from the engine, like the Geminis have, wouldn't really effect build quality, reliability etc, that's just that particular engine seems to vibrate a lot.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

when buses vibrate, like a Dennis Dart, im told the brackets from the engine to the engine wall when the engine is bolted to are lose, which makes the buses vibrate, their is one WA Volvo ALX like that really annoying

[Ronnoc]

In my experience, I've found the 45xx batch to have some annoying vibrations to be fair. I haven't been on a Trident in at least 5-6 years, when YW had them on the 6, and WN on the 79 (Bham-Wolv), but when they were, I do remember them rattling around a lot. In particular, upstairs, the staircase panel, and the destination thing upstairs.

Speaking to engineers and drivers at the company though, they all seem to say AG is lucky to not have ADL vehicles. Well that was true up until recently lol. Was talking to a PB driver today, who was saying Volvos beat everything else they've got. Bearing in mind they've got 63 reg Enviro400s. Engineering wise, the Geminis don't seem to break down much at AG, compared to the Scanias/MMCs/Plaxton. I know the it's early days for the MMCs but still. Everything suggests ADL vehicles are terrible compared to Volvo/Wright. As said on here before by someone, the Volvo/Wright combination seems to work so well when you bear all that in mind. I think it was Tony who recently said that the Geminis basically don't rot. Or Wright vehicles generally.

Vibrations from the engine, like the Geminis have, wouldn't really effect build quality, reliability etc, that's just that particular engine seems to vibrate a lot.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

The volvo's are impressive, I particularly love the ALX400's, but some vibrations are so strong, they even vibrate you. The ALX400's rattle a lot, it's quite annoying. But B7TL's are one of my favs, they are much more quieter then Euro 3 spec'd Tridents.

[2206]

Isn't the moquette on the MMCs different to the Scanias AG had? I'm sure they are?

Yes but the refurbished PB ones have the same moquette

[AV4248]

The volvo's are impressive, I particularly love the ALX400's, but some vibrations are so strong, they even vibrate you.

4507 is one that springs to mind easily. As much as I like the Gemini's, the vibration's stand out the most on this one!

Know it's not a Gem but 4113 is another with severe vibrations. Well to be honest it's just a rattlebox altogether really.

[MW]

4507 is one that springs to mind easily. As much as I like the Gemini's, the vibration's stand out the most on this one!

Know it's not a Gem but 4113 is another with severe vibrations. Well to be honest it's just a rattlebox altogether really.

4507 was the one I was thinking of too lol. Had it recently and found it quite irritating.

[GeminiFan1991]

4507 was the one I was thinking of too lol. Had it recently and found it quite irritating.

Imagine being a passenger ! I tend to sit at bottom, at the back and if a bus is a rattler, damn you can feel it and Geminis are big culprits in this regard, I love them but they have their moments !

[Ronnoc]

If a Gemini of nearly 12 years has been repainted in to crimson, surely some buses of different types that are a similar age can be repainted.

[GeminiFan1991]

If a Gemini of nearly 12 years has been repainted in to crimson, surely some buses of different types that are a similar age can be repainted.

I quite like the idea of a Plaxton in crimson, they look good in new paint I find !