Passengers - Bus Reviews & Opinions

[Jack]

4247 - ALX400 B7TL

Rode this from West Brom to Sutton Coldfield. Was hoping for 4254 but I was more than happy to have this. Pulls away fine, not sluggish compared to 4253. No harsh brakes and no rattles. Suspension wasn't that good, could feel every pothole. Has the later TWM interior which was is still in mint condition after 5 years of having it. The doors were quite slow but didn't make a fart sound like 4284 does. Was running 10 minutes late but it did get thrashed after Scott Arms which was nice. Paint still looking in good condition.

8/10

[BusFan94]

Rode 4314 and 4538 today on the 79
4314 was on my 15:25 79 from Darlaston to Wolverhampton
Seats are nice, smart and Comfy, 10/10
Interior Clean bar some Chav spilling bear on the Floor and leaving The cans on the Floor butwent upstairs and it was clean so 10/10
Exterior Smart and Nice 10/10
Doors Quick but a Slight Creek nothing WB40 couldn't solve 9.5/10
Suspension Ok a but of a rattle so 9/10
Engine really good 10/10
Total 9.5/10

4538
Seats are Grimy 5/10
Engine a bit unhealthy 7/10
Exterior a bit faded 8/10
Interior Grimy and Looks old
Suspension Good 10/10
Doors 10/10 No Creeks
Total 7/10

[j789]

'Door creeks????' Well you definitely wouldn't have got on well with the doors on MK1 Metrobuses, used to slam open and closed. Must have weakened the front chassis I'd think too.

[Jack]

1763 - Volvo B7RLE
Had this on Saturday on the 4H. Beast! Really fast pulling away and could handle steep hills after leaving Bradford Place. Very good suspension and no rattles whatsoever, brakes were good. Interior refurbed in Red and grey, looks smart aswell on its exterior. Only problem was the seats at the back, they were really rock hard and not comfy whatsoever. The walls and floor looked abit grubby and could do with a deep clean. Other than that it's a fine bus = 7/10

4463 - Transbus Trident
Had this on the 97. My favourite 97 branded bus. Quickly pulls away and isn't always sluggish like 4465. Had a rattling emergency exit but that was only when it was stationary, the brakes were fine and not like some others. Repaint still looks really smart and the interior does aswell. This one has a working kickdown and a howl like 4445, not as loud, however. Great bus = 9/10

[karl724223]

'Door creeks????' Well you definitely wouldn't have got on well with the doors on MK1 Metrobuses, used to slam open and closed. Must have weakened the front chassis I'd think too.

suprised the glass never shattered how fast some doors opened

[Tony]

4463 - Transbus Trident
This one has a working kickdown and a howl like 4445, not as loud, however. Great bus = 9/10

44XX do not have kickdown

[Jack]

44XX do not have kickdown

It sounded like it did. It's probably the driver revving it like 6103 does.

[Ronnoc]

44XX do not have kickdown

I thought all ALX400s in the West Midlands did.

[Mike K]

Rode 4314 and 4538 today on the 79
4314 was on my 15:25 79 from Darlaston to Wolverhampton
Interior Clean bar some Chav spilling bear on the Floor and leaving The cans on the Floor

Presumably it was Hoffmeister.
(That possibly means nothing to anyone under the age of 40)

[Jack]

44XX do not have kickdown

Probably explains why 4465 is an awful bus.

[Eric Shaw]

I have always preferred the Voith gearbox to the ZF, but only marginally until recently. I now take my wife on the bus in a wheelchair and sit in the wheelchair space to be near her. As I sometimes am sitting at odd angles I find that the Voith gearbox gives a much smoother change up and down, irrespective of the type of vehicle.

[B.C Driver]

'Door creeks????' Well you definitely wouldn't have got on well with the doors on MK1 Metrobuses, used to slam open and closed. Must have weakened the front chassis I'd think too.

I remember the look from some of the passengers, I'm sure they thought we did it on purpose.

[paulb1973]

I remember the look from some of the passengers, I'm sure they thought we did it on purpose.

Under heavy braking and if the door opening jammed ever-so-slightly while opening, it would slam against the interior with one hell of a thump. I remember a few Coventry Mk1's doing that, 2016/23 possibly, its a long time ago. And as alluded to, would close just as viciously as it opened.

[Mike K]

Under heavy braking and if the door opening jammed ever-so-slightly while opening, it would slam against the interior with one hell of a thump. I remember a few Coventry Mk1's doing that, 2016/23 possibly, its a long time ago. And as alluded to, would close just as viciously as it opened.

The doors on mk1 Metrobuses were a real hazard to school bags. If you weren't careful your bag got trapped between the door and the panel below the windscreen if you stood too close to the edge of the platform when the doors were opening.

[Jack]

4846 - Enviro 400

Had this yesterday from town to Beeches Road on a 52A. One thing I've noticed on the E40D's is that the doors open just before the bus has fully stopped. Slow pulling away but I do love the sound of them pulling away (probably the only one who likes the E40D's on here). Minor rattles from the downstairs interior window. Interior still looking smart after a year of being in Crimson. Suspension good, brakes good. Exterior smart. Does the job fine

9/10