New Deliveries / New Livery & Branding Discussion

[Jack]

NXWM annoy me when they order the leather seat Envrio400MMC's it means that the routes they upgraded in 2015 they upgrade again. Can't they order Wright Products, Volvo, Normal Spec MMC's and Hybrids even Optare or Scania it gets annoying renumbering and upgrading

There was never any `complete` leather seat E400 MMCs. I presume you mean 4763-4776, the former leather seated E400`s that were new to both PB and WA.

Unless you mean 6701-6718? Which got displaced at BC by the better Voith Platniums, 6825-6854.

[BusFan94]

Yes I mean the 67 batch

[2206]

Yes I mean the 67 batch

The reason the 2015 67XX platinums were replaced with the 2016 68XX Platinums.
Was something to do with them not being able to have the 2015 and 2016 platinums at the same garage. Also because BC needed more for the X61 it keeps the batches together.

[lauren1993]

There was never any `complete` leather seat E400 MMCs. I presume you mean 4763-4776, the former leather seated E400`s that were new to both PB and WA.

Unless you mean 6701-6718? Which got displaced at BC by the better Voith Platniums, 6825-6854.

Never heard anyone say voith is better than ZF before.
Voith is the cheapest option, ZF is much more expensive.

[MW]

Never heard anyone say voith is better than ZF before.
Voith is the cheapest option, ZF is much more expensive.

I prefer ZF.

Speaking of Voith, I've been reading into this gearbox. It's called the DIWA.6 and is apparently a 6 speed Voith? I've never known a Voith box to have more than four gears. Is this true or is this bollocks? Apparently the 200 & latest 400 MMC have this gearbox. The 200s don't have 6 gears from what I remember (I couldn't get them past 4th gear at 55mph...) so what's true and what isn't true?

[MW]

I prefer ZF.

Speaking of Voith, I've been reading into this gearbox. It's called the DIWA.6 and is apparently a 6 speed Voith? I've never known a Voith box to have more than four gears. Is this true or is this bollocks? Apparently the 200 & latest 400 MMC have this gearbox. The 200s don't have 6 gears from what I remember (I couldn't get them past 4th gear at 55mph...) so what's true and what isn't true?

In response to myself, it's definitely a 4 speed. I think the 6 speed thing came from some morons YouTube comment. For all the OMSI fans on here, the ratios for the gears are:

1st 5.20
2nd 1.43
3rd 1.00
4th 0.70
Reverse 4.12

So yeah, DIWA.6 has four gears. Presumably the 6 stands for 6th generation or something similar.

[Jack]

Never heard anyone say voith is better than ZF before.
Voith is the cheapest option, ZF is much more expensive.

ZF is terrible on the E400 MMC's. Slow and dangerous, when pulling onto busy roundabouts you have try and do a high rev which can be hard with. They are terribly boring, not surprising with Ecoshite sorry Ecolife. The Voith Platniums are actually really nice. They zip down roads and don't struggle on the roundabouts.

[don]

I read the other day that the MD of NX bus has left and gone to Stagecoach East Scotland recently.

I wonder if there will be any gradual change of Policy with a new person in charge? I was quite surprised no more 45xx Tridents or any Geminis beyond the remaining PB and two or three AG ones will be done - the AG Geminis in red and white make sense owing to use on the 11 and avoiding the non compliant ones being sent into the City low emission zone by accident - however the WN and WA Tridents are a little more difficult to fathom particularly as some are threadbare to say the least inside - and what about Dundee's Geminis?

Just curious if there has been some change in approach - also when the next round of new investment will start - presumably next financial year (after October now) - I read something about other operators booking delivery slots for certain types and there being a 12 to 18 month backlog in front of them?

[don]

.......not surprising with Ecoshite

Off topic for 2 seconds - someone told me the other day high performance BMW cars of the M category are fitted with a driver-selected function which makes the engine sound louder with a synthesised sound increase in the car - called Egoboost....

[Tony]

Article here about the new livery, people who designed it, and an impression of what a blue/cream version would look like
https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2017/08/16/crimson-tide-national-express-west-midlands-visual-identity-2015/

[Dylanbusboy45]

Article here about the new livery, people who designed it, and an impression of what a blue/cream version would look like
https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2017/08/16/crimson-tide-national-express-west-midlands-visual-identity-2015/

Don't know if it's just me but I personally very much like that blue/cream version. Could we ever see a bus painted like that as a heritage throwback like 4453 ??

[Steve3229vp]

I'm a big Cream and Blue fan but I'm not keen on this version

[paulb1973]

Just to add to Chris's comment in the repaint thread - have repaints of the new Coventry blue livery been suspended? Only 4836 has been done - with others in the 4830-42 range being repainted into the old scheme. Seems a strange situation just to go back to the old livery - has/will something else been/be devised?

[lauren1993]

Maybe Coventry would suit blue and cream, the same livery 4697 is currently in, only replacing the red with blue?

[Jack]

Just to add to Chris's comment in the repaint thread - have repaints of the new Coventry blue livery been suspended? Only 4836 has been done - with others in the 4830-42 range being repainted into the old scheme. Seems a strange situation just to go back to the old livery - has/will something else been/be devised?

The reason that no more 2 tone blue is happening is because people in Coventry think every bus in the new livery means it has Wifi. Not being offensive but these people are somewhat thick. @paulb1973