Drivers - Bus Reviews & Opinions

[Ronnoc]

4035

A complete shed. The pull on it is so slow! It managed around 18mph (indicated) up Marsh Hill but felt like 10! The interlocking system has an annoying delay unlike other Plaxtons. It kept cutting off when moving away from a stop too quickly (as the doors shut), you have to wait a couple of seconds. The engine noise was quite weird aswell. There were times it was rattling like mad and times it sounded near silent! Very weird Plaxton. Probably has the most character in one but just horribly slow, intrastate to 4102 I had earlier (another rattle one) but it kept up to a YW 47** (which was full and mine was empty but hey lol)

I can't wait to see the back of these! Those days were I get a Gemini for at least one portion of a duty is a good day!

When I get two, well it'll just be magic! (Only on the 5/31 I get that!)

When I went on this a few weeks ago, the coolers went on and off constantly and didn't look to be in good condition.

[2900]

Shame AG placky Volvo never got the same treatment the west brom plackys have had, most are in excellent order and some of the very best to drive here.

I saw 4201 at Dudley bus station the other day what an eye sore it's rough and then some, it reminds of the old days when metrobuses went  into decline during the late 90s

[2900]

Talking of air con in another thread reminded me of the brand new ALX400 Volvo delivered to hockley had excellent drivers cab air con units you could sit in the cab with thick TWM jumper  not the crap we get now on a hot day and you would be nicely chilled, you had to be careful with it couple of times I got air con flu by over using it.

[2900]

4266, 4269 ALEXANDER ALX400 B7TL VOLVO

Excellent all rounders, very pleasant to drive these two, not much rattling quite an achievement considering who built the bodies. Chassis are most excellent Volvo units everything works as it should.


4738 ALEXANDER ENVIRO 400 TRIDENT2

First drive of this bus fully re furbed looking the business , interior the red dot moquette goes well with the red poles otherwise I personally don't like it with the blue.
To drive its nicest one I,ve driven so far it's not the fastest but an excellent cruiser, every aspect on this particular bus is that bit better in all areas even suspension seemed a bit more compliant.
Come into Brum I needed to change the binds I looked up I noticed in the overhead panel the Hanover blind control panel missing in its place was a black box which appeared to have two slots for some sort of SD cards, screen reading no cards, no idea what this unit is for may be some one can enlighten me. Now I am looking all over for the Hanover switch panel found it placed on the right hand side towards the back of cab seat.

Engine  - excellent nice and smooth
Gearbox - as above, has the kick down function
Retarder- excellent well balanced very easy to use
Brakes- all good
Suspension- better than most enviros
Excellent all round bus 9/10
Re

[Liberator9]

@2900

4738 was always a nice ride at YW - had it a lot in a morning on the 76. That might be a digital tachograph - did it look like this?

http://www.timtach.co.uk/images/Digitaltachos.jpg

[BU07 LGO]

4266, 4269 ALEXANDER ALX400 B7TL VOLVO

Excellent all rounders, very pleasant to drive these two, not much rattling quite an achievement considering who built the bodies. Chassis are most excellent Volvo units everything works as it should.


4738 ALEXANDER ENVIRO 400 TRIDENT2

First drive of this bus fully re furbed looking the business , interior the red dot moquette goes well with the red poles otherwise I personally don't like it with the blue.
To drive its nicest one I,ve driven so far it's not the fastest but an excellent cruiser, every aspect on this particular bus is that bit better in all areas even suspension seemed a bit more compliant.
Come into Brum I needed to change the binds I looked up I noticed in the overhead panel the Hanover blind control panel missing in its place was a black box which appeared to have two slots for some sort of SD cards, screen reading no cards, no idea what this unit is for may be some one can enlighten me. Now I am looking all over for the Hanover switch panel found it placed on the right hand side towards the back of cab seat.

Engine  - excellent nice and smooth
Gearbox - as above, has the kick down function
Retarder- excellent well balanced very easy to use
Brakes- all good
Suspension- better than most enviros
Excellent all round bus 9/10
Re

Sounds like it could be tachograph as already mentioned. Our 4737 is like that with the hanover screen on the side

[2900]

Yes it looks like the unit at the top of the picture thanks for clearing that up. Heard all about these digital tachographs never seen one until yesterday.

[Liberator9]

No problem - Must be intended for some Private Hire work if it has that fitted.

[Tony]

No problem - Must be intended for some Private Hire work if it has that fitted.

It was fitted from new, but is currently unusable because it is not currently calibrated

[MW]

It was fitted from new, but is currently unusable because it is not currently calibrated

4042 recently, not especially quick nor slow for a Plaxton, but my god when the YW E400 in front of me moved off, it rapidly accelerated away while I was struggling to get the bloody thing to 30mph!

[2900]

4952 ADL ENVIRO400 E40D

OMG this has got to be one of very slowest annoying,infuriating bag of shit I have ever had the misfortune of driving, gutless piece of crap, engine labouring at 700 RPM , even going uphill there was no go usually these things wake up on inclines, 0-30 in service impossible not enough distance between stops. This must have the extreme fuel efficient mapping programme, must be just getting enough fuel for tick over, honestly you might as well throw the accelerator pedal out of the window you don't need it does f--k all. It feels as though the computers dictate how you drive this piece of turd.

Score a big fat emphatic f,ing ZERO with brass knobs on it as well

[Liberator9]

@2900

Sounds infuriating to drive - I assume you mean 4952 as opposed to the Scania - the latter I hope would be a far better bus as they can actually move!

[BU07 LGO]

1952 ADL ENVIRO400 E40D

OMG this has got to be one of very slowest annoying,infuriating bag of shit I have ever had the misfortune of driving, gutless piece of crap, engine labouring at 700 RPM , even going uphill there was no go usually these things wake up on inclines, 0-30 in service impossible not enough distance between stops. This must have the extreme fuel efficient mapping programme, must be just getting enough fuel for tick over, honestly you might as well throw the accelerator pedal out of the window you don't need it does f--k all. It feels as though the computers dictate how you drive this piece of turd.

Score a big fat emphatic f,ing ZERO with brass knobs on it as well

I have to put up with these day in day out! There are 3 or 4 decent ones

[MW]

4661,

Literally an animal! Compared to 4639, it's completely different! Out dragged at least 3 Presidents and ate up the hill outside Cadbury World. Absolutely spot on bus! Took it out the garage middayish so it wasn't fuly warned up but as soon as it hit around 90 degrees, the fans were non stop glaring! Made mince meat of The City Road stretch too!

4654, not too happy with this one, the brakes seem to be close to gone! Slowing from 30 to 0 took a while! Had an annoying rattle near the Hanover unit which I "repaired" with some ticket paper!

[Liberator9]

Always nice to get a good Gemini - for a 10-11 year old bus they are still great - the only thing I don't like about them is the noise emitted when they idle - sometimes makes a horrible noise that goes right through my ears.

Can never go wrong with paper to fix rattling - Reminds me of how Metros were used to stop squeaking from Scanias cab doors when they were newer - Drivers used to shove metros in the areas to stop it! When YW and AG first got their Scanias some used to squeak very badly - one of the Omnilink downsides - rather poorly designed and built cab partition, as well as the ticket bin. A few have had the ticket bins removed now due to the rattling they made.

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/1750-1953/1848.html - photos 4 and 5 shows an example of that