Doors

[Trident 4194]

I know a bit of a blank subject, but I was just wondering why on national express you have to wait till the doors close, which sometimes takes an age to close, whereas the likes of diamond hansons etc you can close and pull off without them being completely shut. What are the types of doors? And which ones do you prefer?

[winston]

It's inter-lockers fitted to the doors i.e. a safety device preventing the vehicle from moving whilst the doors are open/part open

[the trainbasher]

I think it's because NXWM have a interlock system on their doors where if it's open even by 1 picometer then it won't move at all...

[Stuharris 6360]

that would have been my answer Winston, take it older buses ike the B6s etc don't have this interlocking system.

[Trident 4194]

I thought that all nxwm buses couldn't move including b6s so I remember. On the new enviros they have different doors on, are they meant to close quicker? As the tridents take ages to open and close the doors. How come diamond or hansons didn't choose this interlocking system?

[the trainbasher]

Because of the specification ordered??

[winston]

that would have been my answer Winston, take it older buses ike the B6s etc don't have this interlocking system.

I think it may have first been introduced on the Omnilinks?

[Stuharris 6360]

I thought that all nxwm buses couldn't move including b6s so I remember. On the new enviros they have different doors on, are they meant to close quicker? As the tridents take ages to open and close the doors. How come diamond or hansons didn't choose this interlocking system?

Could be that the interlocking system is more expensive and companies like the ones you have mentioned don't feel it is worth it!

[winston]

I thought that all nxwm buses couldn't move including b6s so I remember. On the new enviros they have different doors on, are they meant to close quicker? As the tridents take ages to open and close the doors. How come diamond or hansons didn't choose this interlocking system?

Because a large proportion of both Diamond's & Hanson's buses were acquired second-hand

[Tony]

I think it is standard on all new vehicles now, It is just NX have retrofitted it after an accident. I am not sure if it is fitted to the Spectras, as it is difficult to fit to early Optare products and the Solos and Excels were never fitted.

After any sort of accident companies have to be seen to be doing everything they sensibly can to prevent similar accidents happening in the future. I am surprised some companies are not fitting it now as if ever they were to have an accident where someone fell off the platform of a moving bus it would be quite possible that their insurance 'may' not cover it as they had not taken precautions to stop that accident happening when an easy solution is available

[Stuharris 6360]

I remember in the Midland Red/Early WMPTE days that it was quite common for buses to be driven round with the doors open in the warmer weather, would never be allowed now!

[CL]

When the 66 were operated by mercs, there was one particular faulty bus which would pull off and have the doors switching between open and close 'mode' a couple of times until finally closing for the final time (usually after the fifth time)

Only my experience. So I guess it's only my opinions. Still, Mercs were one of my favourite buses. So much character, rattling windows, drivers doors, et cetera, et cetera... (My only downpoint was the bottom of the doors with the draft from outside, terrible!)  ;)   ::) :P

[andy]

I think it is standard on all new vehicles now, It is just NX have retrofitted it after an accident. I am not sure if it is fitted to the Spectras, as it is difficult to fit to early Optare products and the Solos and Excels were never fitted.

After any sort of accident companies have to be seen to be doing everything they sensibly can to prevent similar accidents happening in the future. I am surprised some companies are not fitting it now as if ever they were to have an accident where someone fell off the platform of a moving bus it would be quite possible that their insurance 'may' not cover it as they had not taken precautions to stop that accident happening when an easy solution is available

I disagree Tony. The system is a menace and in my opinion more unsafe than being able to move away with the doors open.

My brief experience of suffering it involved being stuck at Gospel Lane trying to pull away from a bus stop several times and being stopped dead due to yobs running up and pressing the emergency door control repeatedly from the outside.

And being stuck at the side of the road at the Wheatsheaf on a green light because some idiot decided to open the doors and get off just as I was pulling away resulting in the car behind narrowly avoiding a shunt.

Anything that removes control of the vehicle from the driver is in my opinion a major step backwards.

[Tony]

I think it is standard on all new vehicles now, It is just NX have retrofitted it after an accident. I am not sure if it is fitted to the Spectras, as it is difficult to fit to early Optare products and the Solos and Excels were never fitted.

After any sort of accident companies have to be seen to be doing everything they sensibly can to prevent similar accidents happening in the future. I am surprised some companies are not fitting it now as if ever they were to have an accident where someone fell off the platform of a moving bus it would be quite possible that their insurance 'may' not cover it as they had not taken precautions to stop that accident happening when an easy solution is available

I disagree Tony. The system is a menace and in my opinion more unsafe than being able to move away with the doors open.

My brief experience of suffering it involved being stuck at Gospel Lane trying to pull away from a bus stop several times and being stopped dead due to yobs running up and pressing the emergency door control repeatedly from the outside.

And being stuck at the side of the road at the Wheatsheaf on a green light because some idiot decided to open the doors and get off just as I was pulling away resulting in the car behind narrowly avoiding a shunt.

Anything that removes control of the vehicle from the driver is in my opinion a major step backwards.

Not saying that was my opinion, and I agree about the pain of people using the emergency door button. but it is that of the HSE, who investigated and accident where a bus pulled away with someone half on and half off causing serious injuries, and any company having a second accident after not taking the advise of the HSE will be in serious trouble.
On NXWM tridents, Presidents and several others you can override the emergency open button by holding the close button down in the cab.

[Steveminor]

The ex me trolling trident that Ampm had the system on those was that the doors would not open unless the bus was fully stopped and as soon as the vehicle moved off the doors would close. Imo that is a better system than the one nxwm have as this alleviates the (idiot factor).
I temper your bus ikarus buses had a similar system fitted.