Refurbs

[Tony]

I still think the B7 ALXs really need a refresh, any refurbs planned for them?

I was expecting WB's ALX400's to be refurb'd as part of NXWM's commitment following the Sandwell Review, other than the Presidents on the 5 that seems to be about it at present

Most garages can only spare one or two buses at any time for repaint/retrim. As all of West Bromwich's Geminis are in NX livery and they are currently getting the last couple of Presidents done, I would imagine WB will then start on their ALXs. West Bromwich is one garage that does always seem to have one bus in for repaint. Other garages seem to have gaps without any in at all.

Perry Barr seem to be keeping two in at any time at the moment, but with one Gemini replacing the last one done and 4234 currently away being reroofed it looks like the ALX 400s there ahve drawn the short straw at the moment

[Sh4318]

I still think the B7 ALXs really need a refresh, any refurbs planned for them?

I was expecting WB's ALX400's to be refurb'd as part of NXWM's commitment following the Sandwell Review, other than the Presidents on the 5 that seems to be about it at present

Most garages can only spare one or two buses at any time for repaint/retrim. As all of West Bromwich's Geminis are in NX livery and they are currently getting the last couple of Presidents done, I would imagine WB will then start on their ALXs. West Bromwich is one garage that does always seem to have one bus in for repaint. Other garages seem to have gaps without any in at all.

Perry Barr seem to be keeping two in at any time at the moment, but with one Gemini replacing the last one done and 4234 currently away being reroofed it looks like the ALX 400s there ahve drawn the short straw at the moment

I see. Thanks Tony  :)

[winston]

I still think the B7 ALXs really need a refresh, any refurbs planned for them?

I was expecting WB's ALX400's to be refurb'd as part of NXWM's commitment following the Sandwell Review, other than the Presidents on the 5 that seems to be about it at present

Shame  :-\. But I'm not going to complain, last year's mass Gemini refresh makes them look practically brand new, and E200s are a great addition to WB's fleet. I saw 4299 out today, looking great

Possibly once they have finished refurbing the 03/53 plate Gemini they are doing on mass at PB, they could then concentrate on doing all of WB's ALX400 & coincide it with the introduction on new Soho Rd branding, it would make a massive improvement to their appearance both internally & externally

[Sh4318]

I still think the B7 ALXs really need a refresh, any refurbs planned for them?

I was expecting WB's ALX400's to be refurb'd as part of NXWM's commitment following the Sandwell Review, other than the Presidents on the 5 that seems to be about it at present

Shame  :-\. But I'm not going to complain, last year's mass Gemini refresh makes them look practically brand new, and E200s are a great addition to WB's fleet. I saw 4299 out today, looking great

Possibly once they have finished refurbing the 03/53 plate Gemini they are doing on mass at PB, they could then concentrate on doing all of WB's ALX400 & coincide it with the introduction on new Soho Rd branding, it would make a massive improvement to their appearance both internally & externally

Are there many PB Geminis left to be completed? I imagine for the Soho Rd branding they'll use some buses already in NXWM livery, i.e. 4274/5, 4295, 4299, to try and get the branding applied as soon as possible

[nitromatt1]

You've said that at least twice now, they'll get done when they get done, deal with it

Whoa, leave him alone, he was only asking, it's not as if he asks every day

[Trident 4609]

You've said that at least twice now, they'll get done when they get done, deal with it

Whoa, leave him alone, he was only asking, it's not as if he asks every day

Thats exactly what i said, i wonder who or what rattled his cage and he still hasn't said why.

Look at The unusual workings section and look what he said there.

[nitromatt1]

You've said that at least twice now, they'll get done when they get done, deal with it

Whoa, leave him alone, he was only asking, it's not as if he asks every day

Thats exactly what i said, i wonder who or what rattled his cage and he still hasn't said why.

Look at The unusual workings section and look what he said there.

Yeah I saw, he probably just had a bad day, he shouldn't take it out on you.

I'll message you rather than clogging up a thread :)

[ilovetea4370]

I get the impression something is planned at YW, 4333-4341 (although 4335 is unrefurbed), possible new 35 branding to coincide with a new 50 branding(hope not though, at least give us BV52s!)? Just pure guesswork but it kind of fits, to try and take back some of the competitions passengers.

On a more serious note, Isn't it time some of the worst repainted but unrefurbed buses had some internal work done? On 4388 today, most of the seats looked about 25 years old but this was easily the worst, also looked like it hadn't been cleaned all week!

[Sh4318]

I get the impression something is planned at YW, 4333-4341 (although 4335 is unrefurbed), possible new 35 branding to coincide with a new 50 branding(hope not though, at least give us BV52s!)? Just pure guesswork but it kind of fits, to try and take back some of the competitions passengers.

On a more serious note, Isn't it time some of the worst repainted but unrefurbed buses had some internal work done? On 4388 today, most of the seats looked about 25 years old but this was easily the worst, also looked like it hadn't been cleaned all week!

:-\, seats on the mercs look brand new in comparison, surely they could just stitch or replace the trim as a quick fix  :)

[winston]

I get the impression something is planned at YW, 4333-4341 (although 4335 is unrefurbed), possible new 35 branding to coincide with a new 50 branding(hope not though, at least give us BV52s!)? Just pure guesswork but it kind of fits, to try and take back some of the competitions passengers.

On a more serious note, Isn't it time some of the worst repainted but unrefurbed buses had some internal work done? On 4388 today, most of the seats looked about 25 years old but this was easily the worst, also looked like it hadn't been cleaned all week!

I don't think that level of damage is typical, but a lot of the early double deckers do now have dirty/ threadbare interiors and really don't do anything for the image of public transport.

NXWM should seriously consider re-trimming all of the earlier NX repaints at least to improve the internal appearances. I was thinking would it may be feasible to do that at garage level by buying one new set of seat cushions to act as a float, fit the new set to the first bus treated, send the set of seat cushions removed off to be re-trimmed, once they return, do the same with the next bus and so on...... That way, a bus would only need to be off the road for approx a day whilst it was having its seat cushions swapped over, rather than be sat around waiting for its own set to be retrimmed

[ilovetea4370]

Oh I know this is extreme but what I mean is generally a lot of the early unrefurbed repaints are in worse condition than some buses still in TWM livery but they don't seem to want to refurb or at the very least replace some of the threadbare seats they just get left, it drives me mad! I notice though its Yardley Wood who seem to fear replacing seats the most, at least on AG's Geminis you can see where they've replaced the seat covers on unrefurbed gems, they might be odd new style seats but at least there not old threadbare knackers that aren't fit for purpose!

[The Real 4778]

Are there many PB Geminis left to be completed?
[/quote]

About half a dozen, I reckon.  Seem to see three or four in the old TWM colours on any given day, but 4502 is now in new livery, so I think it's basically 4484, a few 449x, plus 4500 and 4515 left to do.

[John]

Are there many PB Geminis left to be completed?

To be exact, there are

4481 (now in), 4484, 4490 (In desperate need of refurb), 4491, 4495, 4496, 4498, 4499, 4500, 4502, 4515

still in TWM livery

[uniquicity]

4044 and 4054 were both still in service today. They do really stand out in that livery.

[ilovetea4370]

About half a dozen, I reckon.  Seem to see three or four in the old TWM colours on any given day, but 4502 is now in new livery, so I think it's basically 4484, a few 449x, plus 4500 and 4515 left to do.

Are you sure about that? 4502 was only on the 7, on the 6th in TWM livery. Surely it hasn't been refurbed, repanelled and repainted in 6 days  ???