Passengers - Bus Reviews & Opinions

[Liberator9]

Some new ones to add from yesterday;

Diamond Versa CHH - Nice run - pretty quick running, with suspension doing well. Rattly from various fittings, but didn't really matter. 8/10

Scania Omnilink - 37 - 1944     - Good Scania - engine/gearbox smooth running, with suspension doing well most of the time. A rattle from roof panel, but other than that very solid. Rode it later in the day and again did very well. 9/10

Plaxton President - 11A - 4041 - Engine/gearbox still doing well; still in good condition in regards to seats/panels. Unfortunately the door banged loudly when opening - wouldn't fancy that for a few hours next to the cab! Rattling from cab area clear as well; not as good as some of the other Presidents. So 6.5/7 out of 10.

Scania Omnilink - 28 - 187(3 or 4?) - Sat at the front - suspension was very good and engine/gearbox doing well. Very smart looking being an ex Coventry repaint example. The bus wouldn't rattle much if the ticket bin wasn't fitted - one of the rattly ones certainly - they need removing as they're never used. 8/10

Scania Omnilink - 952 - 1841 - Very smart inside and outside - these refurbs have been done really well. Engine/gearbox very smooth; Suspension was good - dealt with some of the rougher roads well. Not much rattling either, Pleasant first ride on this so gets a 9/10.

[Ronnoc]

The doors on the Presidents usually smash themselves on the bus when they open.

[Trident 4194]

The doors on the Presidents usually smash themselves on the bus when they open.

4074 also closes doors very quickly, just age I think

[Tara4352]

It's like it on some spectras in my point of view but the seating layout on them is weird

[winston]

You haven't been on Enviro 300s I suppose? The new ones at Stagecoach in Fife are great. Rattle free and smooth.

No ADL E300s down here. UNLESS a Transbus one counts. We've got plenty of those, lol. (FirstBus & Diamond, Rotala)

What's this then?

Diamond 30879
https://www.flickr.com/photos/55059449@N06/16056591452/

Also sister 30878 SN10CDF, both allocated to Redditch

[Liberator9]

2118 - Route 37 AG - Nice change to the usual Scanias and Geminis on the 37 - suspension really good - well built with no rattling in the passenger area. Interior and exterior in good condition - although will be nice when these get a repaint like 2110 and 2120. Engine/gearbox smooth although ZF lifeless sounds. 9/10

6031 - Route 67 PB - Never been on a bendibus, but thanks to Tony managed to at last. Found iit weird sitting at the back at the start! Got some power in it and runs along well. Suspension was good on smooth roads - when it came to some rough parts including the humps round Castle Vale, it got a bit bumpier - thought the bottom had fallen through at one point! But good bus ride and still in pretty good shape - seats need a retrim and the handlebars a repaint if it goes on to another company.  7/10

4259 - Route 67 PB - Great running ALX/Volvo - good suspension and good acceleration. Prefer these to the YW Tridents actually - smoother riding. Few rattles on it and newer refurb so in good condition. Also the windows weren't leaking, unlike some of the other old ADL bodies. 9/10

1947 - Route 37 AG - Good Scania -   suspension smooth, little rattling and good engine/gearbox. Engine seemed very quiet and actually could hear the air circulation system instead. Good condition but will benefit from retrim soon. 8.5 or 9/10

[Stuharris 6360]

4808 - 9 PE Am glad that they are getting rid of the older enviros to PB if this bus is anything to go by. Very slow and as we turned to go up the hill on Spies Lane, the bus started to shake and the noise from the engine was deafening!Are these buses due to be refurbed i wonder because if this one is anything to go by, they need it!

[Trident 4194]

4802- was being driven extremely quickly, fairly powerful. However I could not believe how bad the interior was: newspapers on the floor,cigarette ends on the floor, and the rear facing seats were very muddy. These buses need refurb. Probably one of the worst pe enviros, back seats were all uneven

[Trident 4609]

4587- WN

I wasn't a fan of this one in the past. However, this one has improved massively. Pretty nippy bus  and suspension is pretty good for a Trident. External repaint is current vivid red with grey dot seat moquette so very smart. 8/10 for this one

[Liberator9]

@Matt

4259 certainly is a great one - had it on the 67 yesterday and brilliant run on it. I too prefer them to the Tridents actually!

[Liberator9]

Few more to add from today; some are not National Express.

Diamond MFZ - Felt like it was going to die going up the hill - could've walked quicker than it was moving. Other than that decent Solo SR - heating as always toasty and ran along smoothly, albeit fairly slow. Fairly dull ride though but interior/exterior in good shape. 7/10

1927 - Route 6 -  Suspension was doing very well and riding out the potholes, bumps etc. very well. Did very well at dealing with Poplar Road as well, which can cause most of the buses to judder slightly. Warm on there as well, with interior in good condition. Only very minor rattling.

However very soon the gearbox nearly lost it, kicking down very weirdly; the doors also decided to open and close by themselves. Driver radioed in and said to us we would have to transfer off the bus. I was speaking to him and he said that the doors had a mind of their own and there was some light coming up on the dash.

First Scania to pack up on me - must have been an electrics issue. Driver was a friendly chap and got us all transferred onto the 76 behind.


Johnsons Scania Omnilink YN63BYP - 150. Gearbox and engine lifeless but smooth running. Suspension was perfect - best bus I've known to deal with the potholes south of King's Heath. Interior and exterior in pristine condition - the interior is so much better than NX's - panels are lighter shade, look of a better quality actually and there is legroom on them! Deserves a 10/10

[Trident 4609]

4226 - caught this on the 127 on Saturday, bit slow pulling off and it didn't like the Portway Hill, old seats as well but what I liked about it was the way it sounded, possibly a dodgy rear axle causing some nice sounds as it accelerates. 8/10

4565 - caught this on the 1 last night, now I have never heard a Trident sound like this, another dodgy rear axle I think but this one was LOUD. It almost sounded like a Spectra. Definite 10/10... quick clip of it on my phone: http://youtu.be/1pTqd2w0t2E?t=3m23s

4565 is a great bus. Just see your video of it on the 126.....

[Ronnoc]

4333 - Caught this on the 76 today and this is an amazing bus. Sounds nearly like what 4370 used to sound like. Grey moquette seats, they are comfortable. Hardly any rattles, only with the window but it's not really major. Had a really fast driver. I recommend trident4370 to try and find this bus. 10/10

[Sh4318]

4157 - on the 97 today, last caught 4 years ago, when it was branded for the 14. Still every bit as good as it was, a quality 41** Trident. 8/10

[Liberator9]

Silverline - S10 - YX63XWM - Enviro 200 (Short Wheel Base)

At last - a really good Enviro 200! After a not so great ride on 761, and a Yorkshire E200, finally got on a good one - although 808 is a good one at NX. Engine has power in it; got up a steep hill easily on the route. No rattling - just something from the ticket machine. Really smart inside and out - Silverline really looking after this bus. Suspension was really good most of the time - rode smoothly and was just a bit unsettled on one rough section. Miles better than the Solo SRs round by me and so deserves a 10/10!

NXWM - 6 - 1923 - Scania Omnilink

Normal, smooth running Scania - suspension very good. Interior in good condition and same for exterior - would still love to see these put into the Platinum or new 2015 livery  :D Very little rattling - just some minor noise from near the cab - seemed to be a soft squeaking from the cab wall partition (which I've noticed on some of them - 1924 e.g) when hitting pot holes. 9/10

Diamond - 96 - Optare Solo - YJ 54 BUE

Typical Optare - feels like it will fall apart at any minute or breakdown. Rattling everywhere - squeaking from the roof hatch. Suspension not good at dealing with road humps. 6/10