First Bus - Leicester

[SSmith09]

The B8's are now branded..
All 5 are white with Purple branding for EMA.. with a reference to First bus on the back.
I saw one yesterday on driver training running along the A50 in Markfield.
The service starts on Sunday.

Branding very similar to last year and they look very smart

[Mayfield]

Are they just for internal car park work.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Are they just for internal car park work.

Yep. They run back and forth mostly from long stay car park through to front arrivals and departures.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Yep. They run back and forth mostly from long stay car park through to front arrivals and departures.

There's also an outstation / garage for 6 vehicles at EMA which is where the vehicles tend to be situated when not in use, and this is also where they fuel (rather than having to run back and forth to Abbey Lane)..

[Mayfield]

Does anybody know why 63531 hasn't been in service for 5 weeks, this is the one that entered service weeks after all the others and has already had a lengthy time out with what if I am correct was accident damage.

[SSmith09]

Does anybody know why 63531 hasn't been in service for 5 weeks, this is the one that entered service weeks after all the others and has already had a lengthy time out with what if I am correct was accident damage.

I think this one is the troublesome one as when it first entered service it only managed a morning out on the 54 then was taken off.

Although Electroliner demo LY71 GJE is currently parked up at Abbey Lane so hopefully the much needed deckers are due very soon? 🤞

[Glenfieldmathk1]

I think this one is the troublesome one as when it first entered service it only managed a morning out on the 54 then was taken off.

Although Electroliner demo LY71 GJE is currently parked up at Abbey Lane so hopefully the much needed deckers are due very soon? 🤞

Much needed? 
According to first they are replacing the existing double deckers. So it will mean we have less double deckers than at current.. and to be honest, it's not enough. Really still think it should have been 18 singles and 68 doubles!
Still First haven't been able to justify why a like for like order wasn't placed.. last response I got was email the charity "bus users"!!

[Pscar05]

Looks like the electric double deckers are now arriving at abbey Lane according to the facebook

[Magikrabby]

Looks like the electric double deckers are now arriving at abbey Lane according to the facebook

Streetdecks I'm guessing? Are they the old version (like Arriva's) or new version (like Oxford Bus Company's)?

[EK40]

Streetdecks I'm guessing? Are they the old version (like Arriva's) or new version (like Oxford Bus Company's)?

all of firsts newest electroliners are all pre-facelift so its probably the same

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Looks like the electric double deckers are now arriving at abbey Lane according to the facebook

They haven't arrived yet!
The picture on Facebook was taken in the Wright bus factory!
A second post from wright bus themselves clearly shows a green "Leicester electric" first Streetdeck again in factory at a show there! So they will definitely be on the way soon.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

all of firsts newest electroliners are all pre-facelift so its probably the same

As they've been produced later than Arrivas batch and the earlier firsts batch it would be nice to see them in facelift version, but honestly they've probably specified the old front when the order went in!

[joieman]

As they've been produced later than Arrivas batch and the earlier firsts batch it would be nice to see them in facelift version, but honestly they've probably specified the old front when the order went in!

They might be inclined to keep on ordering the old version for parts commonality. That, though, would probably backfire eventually once they stop making the old version. Personally, I would switch as soon as possible. Needless to say, though, the former sort of behaviour has sometimes produced interesting results.

[Magikrabby]

They haven't arrived yet!
The picture on Facebook was taken in the Wright bus factory!
A second post from wright bus themselves clearly shows a green "Leicester electric" first Streetdeck again in factory at a show there! So they will definitely be on the way soon.

That post from Wright actually has 2 of them visible in the background at timestamp 0:21! At 0:14 it is out of focus, but it looks like the old style headlight which is painted green (unlike the kites which are black). I would imagine that they ordered the old style so that parts are interoperable with the Kites - since there are (likely) only 18, it would be annoying to have to keep a stock of parts for both styles. Also looks like they are full-height ones unlike Arriva's batch

[SSmith09]

Does anybody know why 63531 hasn't been in service for 5 weeks, this is the one that entered service weeks after all the others and has already had a lengthy time out with what if I am correct was accident damage.

If bus times is correct then 63531 has returned from wrightbus and is now back in service.