Bus Garage Logistics

[GeminiFan1991]

I've often wondered what goes on in a bus garage. I know it sounds obvious, buses get parked up after a days work, they get serviced but I personally think what kind of time tabling goes on with the buses. Why does a certain bus get sent on a route while another stays at the garage. If I ever get the opportunity, I would happily take it and work in a garage as I would like to be around them magnificent vehicles !
Also I was wondering how big are the fuel tanks in the buses ?! How long do they last them on their journeys ?!

I'm just recently getting into bus hobby of mine and as such I'm just absorbing all the information I can get and as such I will be using this thread to post answers and probably opinions of mine. I'm using this thread as I don't want to litter other threads with non relevant topics.

[Trident 4609]

I've often wondered what goes on in a bus garage. I know it sounds obvious, buses get parked up after a days work, they get serviced but I personally think what kind of time tabling goes on with the buses. Why does a certain bus get sent on a route while another stays at the garage. If I ever get the opportunity, I would happily take it and work in a garage as I would like to be around them magnificent vehicles !
Also I was wondering how big are the fuel tanks in the buses ?! How long do they last them on their journeys ?!

Looking at your comment about buses getting onto a route. Each bus will be parked in either a numbered space in the bus park (Each space is numbered I.e B2,C4 etc), In the garage itself it it is having work or by the fuel tanks (At WN garage anyway). When the buses park up at night, the allocator will mark up each bus for service in time for the next morning. The buses on the front line will tend to be allocated to buses leaving garage in the morning and buses further back will be allocated to later buses out of garage.

Sometimes, buses will be allocated to a peak extra Running Card. This is sometimes a bus that is due for work or an inspection during the day

[GeminiFan1991]

Looking at your comment about buses getting onto a route. Each bus will be parked in either a numbered space in the bus park (Each space is numbered I.e B2,C4 etc), In the garage itself it it is having work or by the fuel tanks (At WN garage anyway). When the buses park up at night, the allocator will mark up each bus for service in time for the next morning. The buses on the front line will tend to be allocated to buses leaving garage in the morning and buses further back will be allocated to later buses out of garage.

Sometimes, buses will be allocated to a peak extra Running Card. This is sometimes a bus that is due for work or an inspection during the day

Thanks ! What happens to a bus when they finish their daily duties to them being parked up ?! I say this because I often go past BY and I see OmniLinks just lining like they have to be processed or something

[Tony]

Checked for lost property
Defaulted
Fuelled
Externally washed
Parked up
Swept off.

Then...
If any minor repairs - repaired
If due inspection - inspected
If due full clean - cleaned.

So many buses also have tyres checked
Some may get their advertising changed

[GeminiFan1991]

Are the buses fueled on a daily basis ?! I remember chatting to an Acocks Green driver and I asked about the size of the tanks and he stated their fairly sizable and they can roughly 28 rounds of the 11 (I believe he was referring to Presidents as their usually allocated on the 11)

[Steveminor]

At Ampm buses were field in the evening then parked up & devaulted.  Then when the fleet was in the mornings allocation was sorted as per how the buses were parked I.e front row allocated first duties with rear row allocated to later starts.At petes it the buses were allocated for the next day before they returned with no marked bays the mornings would be fun with drivers frantically looking for their bus only to find it completely blocked in, then rushing to find a bus that could be got out then driving that out and letting the office know which bus they had taken.
It was something you really had to see. How buses got out on time was a miracle.
Zaks had so much space it didn't matter how they were parked at night.
Drivers would drop their cash through a chute as they entered the garage then simply parked up. The engineers would then get the bus & fuel it before returning it to the spot they had taken it from.
Drivers mainly had the same bus each day so next morning they just went back to where they parked the bus the previous evening

[GeminiFan1991]

At Ampm buses were field in the evening then parked up & devaulted.  Then when the fleet was in the mornings allocation was sorted as per how the buses were parked I.e front row allocated first duties with rear row allocated to later starts.At petes it the buses were allocated for the next day before they returned with no marked bays the mornings would be fun with drivers frantically looking for their bus only to find it completely blocked in, then rushing to find a bus that could be got out then driving that out and letting the office know which bus they had taken.
It was something you really had to see. How buses got out on time was a miracle.
Zaks had so much space it didn't matter how they were parked at night.
Drivers would drop their cash through a chute as they entered the garage then simply parked up. The engineers would then get the bus & fuel it before returning it to the spot they had taken it from.
Drivers mainly had the same bus each day so next morning they just went back to where they parked the bus the previous evening

It's fairly good NXWM have a good system in place then ! Imagine what would happen if the Allocator didn't show up

[Tony]

Are the buses fueled on a daily basis ?! I remember chatting to an Acocks Green driver and I asked about the size of the tanks and he stated their fairly sizable and they can roughly 28 rounds of the 11 (I believe he was referring to Presidents as their usually allocated on the 11)

I don't think you heard correctly!

28x26=728 miles. At 6 miles per gallon they would need a 122 gallon (552 litre) tank

[GeminiFan1991]

I don't think you heard correctly!

28x26=728 miles. At 6 miles per gallon they would need a 122 gallon (552 litre) tank

Do Presidents do 6 miles to the gallon ?! No wonder they banned from City Centre routes !

[GeminiFan1991]

I suppose not although I'm assuming the buses that came after Presidents had improved efficiency

I must ask seeing as so many informed people are here but where do you lot get your info on all things bus, my only way of finding out is via this forum which I may see is quite good. Good Job Tony & Co

[Ronnoc]

How much are the Tridents? What is the best bus in the fleet in terms of mpg.

[GeminiFan1991]

How much are the Tridents? What is the best bus in the fleet in terms of mpg.

I would surmise its probably the Enviro 400 and MMC and as I believe they were advertised for the fuel efficiency

[GeminiFan1991]

I was wondering what are peoples view on a Mega Garage ?! Basically a big garage, I got the idea after checking out Stage Coach's West Ham garage and I was blown away by the sheer size of it. Seeing all those buses was quite the visual treat.

Has NXWM ever dabbled with that kind of idea ?!

[:D]

I was wondering what are peoples view on a Mega Garage ?! Basically a big garage, I got the idea after checking out Stage Coach's West Ham garage and I was blown away by the sheer size of it. Seeing all those buses was quite the visual treat.

Has NXWM ever dabbled with that kind of idea ?!

It would have to be located optimally to reduce dead mileage costs. I'd guess it would be in same location as current BC garage or little further south/east to cover BC, BG, YW, PB, and AG garages. But then I doubt it would save enough on operations cost to cover dead mileage costs.

[Ronnoc]

I was wondering what are peoples view on a Mega Garage ?! Basically a big garage, I got the idea after checking out Stage Coach's West Ham garage and I was blown away by the sheer size of it. Seeing all those buses was quite the visual treat.

Has NXWM ever dabbled with that kind of idea ?!

How many buses are in West Ham garage? I believe Wolverhampton has over 400.