South Birmingham Consultation 2017

[MW]

The interior of the Eclipse 2 is absolutely miles better than a Scania. As a passenger I don't understand why the Scanias are favoured. The suspension on them is bouncy as f*ck. Legroom is worse on the Scanias except the emergency door. Legroom tbh is a problem I have with every single bus I've been on, bar some of the Metrobus seats. There's more light in the interior of the Eclipses than the other two. Probably due to the fact that the windows are massive. I remember driving a Scania and an Eclipse back to back when I was route training. As soon as I got into the Eclipse, without even driving, it felt so much better. All round visibility was the first thing I noticed.

As a passenger, the ride quality is far superior on the Volvo. The power delivery on the Volvo is also excellent. They're gearbox and drive train set up, although boring, is perfect. They have plenty of low down torque to pull away swiftly. They really are fast. As a passenger, loud and high revving makes you think you're going fast. Trust me, the B7RLEs are fast. I'm sure the few PE/WA drivers on here will be able to confirm this. The Scanias are fast too but you lose too much time with them damn doors and the suspension just dies my head in. Constantly up and down.

Each to their own of course. We all have our own opinions. I think they're most definitely not heaps and are very good buses. Best single deckers in the NXWM fleet currently.

[Dom]

The interior of the Eclipse 2 is absolutely miles better than a Scania. As a passenger I don't understand why the Scanias are favoured. The suspension on them is bouncy as f*ck. Legroom is worse on the Scanias except the emergency door. Legroom tbh is a problem I have with every single bus I've been on, bar some of the Metrobus seats. There's more light in the interior of the Eclipses than the other two. Probably due to the fact that the windows are massive. I remember driving a Scania and an Eclipse back to back when I was route training. As soon as I got into the Eclipse, without even driving, it felt so much better. All round visibility was the first thing I noticed.

As a passenger, the ride quality is far superior on the Volvo. The power delivery on the Volvo is also excellent. They're gearbox and drive train set up, although boring, is perfect. They have plenty of low down torque to pull away swiftly. They really are fast. As a passenger, loud and high revving makes you think you're going fast. Trust me, the B7RLEs are fast. I'm sure the few PE/WA drivers on here will be able to confirm this. The Scanias are fast too but you lose too much time with them damn doors and the suspension just dies my head in. Constantly up and down.

Each to their own of course. We all have our own opinions. I think they're most definitely not heaps and are very good buses. Best single deckers in the NXWM fleet currently.

The B7RLE's are by far my favourite type of bus in the fleet, closely followed by ZF E400MMCs.

[Westy]

Why Walsall use the Scanias on Sundays over the B7Lre beats me!

[Jack]

Why Walsall use the Scanias on Sundays over the B7Lre beats me!

Less fuel use than Urban 1's and better than Urban 2's. And very reliable, they don't have grubby and depressing interiors. Like Urban 1's and 2's.

The B7RLE's are by far my favourite type of bus in the fleet, closely followed by ZF E400MMCs.

I know what you are trying to do...

[Trident 4194]

Less fuel use than Urban 1's and better than Urban 2's. And very reliable, they don't have grubby and depressing interiors.
I know what you are trying to do...

Well I find the omnilinks interiors very dark not helped by the windows plastered in advertisement granted but still. I wouldn't say there that reliable I've seen a fair few broken down the past couple of weeks. One the other day was smoking badly up coombswood!! Urban 1 whilst they sound good they are a bit tatty still, the light blue walls don't help!

[Dom]

I know what you are trying to do...

Eh? I've said for a very very long time that they are. I've always said how I prefer the ZF variant of the MMCs not the voith variant.

[Jack]

Eh? I've said for a very very long time that they are. I've always said how I prefer the ZF variant of the MMCs not the voith variant.

How come? The Voith's are tons better than the ZF slugs.

Well I find the omnilinks interiors very dark not helped by the windows plastered in advertisement granted but still. I wouldn't say there that reliable I've seen a fair few broken down the past couple of weeks. One the other day was smoking badly up coombswood!! Urban 1 whilst they sound good they are a bit tatty still, the light blue walls don't help!

Better than B7RLE. The B7RLE break down more than the Omnilinks I've noticed.

[Dom]

How come? The Voith's are tons better than the ZF slugs.

I beg to differ, having had Voith E400MMCs on my local route since they were introduced I find them slow to accelerate, change gear at low revs, a lot more jolts from a voith gearbox compared to a ZF imo. The stop start is unreliable, the ammount of times I've had stop start fail is disgraceful for a 66 plate vehicle (Dig at voith not NX).

ZF's are faster, smoother and is just all round a better gearbox.

[Jack]

I beg to differ, having had Voith E400MMCs on my local route since they were introduced I find them slow to accelerate, change gear at low revs, a lot more jolts from a voith gearbox compared to a ZF imo. The stop start is unreliable, the ammount of times I've had stop start fail is disgraceful for a 66 plate vehicle (Dig at voith not NX).

ZF's are faster, smoother and is just all round a better gearbox.

The Voith are better than the ZF crap I have on my local route. The drivers say theyare sluggish (which they are) and dangerous at busy roundabouts with their slow pull off and crap acceleration. Jolts from ZF is awful.
I'd rather have Voith MMC's. ZF gearbox in these are too juddery and boring. Personal opinion of them. Also I always here a distinct Voith Trident whine I'm them too!

[Trident 4194]

I've travelled on my fair share of ZF MMCs and they really aren't outstanding. There's a select few that can actually shift. The ride quality is average certainly not as good as a streetdeck, however the braking on these things is very very good. A lot depends on the driver too I suppose. For example I had 6713 or 6715 couldn't tell as the upstairs fleet number had been ripped off slightly. And I recognised this guy from driving the 9 before and he certainly didn't hang around with this bus, pulling straight into the outside lane as soon as leaving bearwood interchange.

The voith ones I haven't travelled on another to get a good grasp of them however I prefer the engine noise of the voith

[Jack]

I've travelled on my fair share of ZF MMCs and they really aren't outstanding. There's a select few that can actually shift. The ride quality is average certainly not as good as a streetdeck, however the braking on these things is very very good. A lot depends on the driver too I suppose. For example I had 6713 or 6715 couldn't tell as the upstairs fleet number had been ripped off slightly. And I recognised this guy from driving the 9 before and he certainly didn't hang around with this bus, pulling straight into the outside lane as soon as leaving bearwood interchange.

The voith ones I haven't travelled on another to get a good grasp of them however I prefer the engine noise of the voith

Barely any at Walsall's can shift, only 6729 and 6735. AG's can shift very well. But the MMC body looks much better than Streetdeck body. I've never ridden a Streetdeck so I can't judge them performance wise.

I've not ridden any of the new (67 plate) Platinums, but seeing videos they look just as good as the 16/66 plates. But I'd rather get one on the X1/2 to see what they idle like on the Small Heath Bypass.

[V89MOA]

Regarding the rubbish above about the Volvo's all I can do is quote myself and say "It's like talking to Trump's wall." Each to their own.

Bringing the topic back on course is there an actual reason the 18s now say via Kings Heath? Even the bit by the 50 I'd say was pushing it...

[MasterPlan]

Bringing the topic back on course is there an actual reason the 18s now say via Kings Heath? Even the bit by the 50 I'd say was pushing it...

This is what I was thinking yesterday. What was wrong with via Cotteridge, Northfield & Bangham Pit? Just seems like a a stupid thing to change in my opinion.

[2206]

I noticed yesterday that the number 4 did a short journey from Solihull to Acocks Green but rather than saying 4E it just said short journey underneath? Wouldn't it just be clearer to say E?

Claribels have been doing this for years and i've never heard of/seen anyone get confused with them doing it, or seen anyone complaining about them not showing an E on the display.

eg they display:
(94 Bacons End.
Short Journey).
I've also seen this in the past when they were on the 55 all day:
(55 Kingshurst
Short Journey).

Social Travel also used to just display 11C Bearwood rather than 11E Bearwood.

Surely "Short Journey" is just as clear as showing and "E", they both mean exactly the same thing.

[Stu]

Claribels have been doing this for years and i've never heard of/seen anyone get confused with them doing it, or seen anyone complaining about them not showing an E on the display.

Surely "Short Journey" is just as clear as showing and "E", they both mean exactly the same thing.

A lot of people simply don't look at the displays though. Yesterday evening, I got off an 11E at Acocks Green village, and it was still showing 11E Acocks Green on the displays, and as I stepped off, the driver was calling out 'last stop' to those passengers on board still sitting down. Yet there were people waiting at the stop and trying to get on, one woman started to get irate with the driver asking "what bus is this then, is this the 11?"

Honestly, if I fancied getting into a disagreement myself I'd have gone over to her and pointed to the side display myself.

A few minutes later, another bus pulled up, showing "Not In Service", just in front of another 11A displaying "Outer Circle". As it happened, the out of service bus was starting a trip, rather than finishing, but before the driver had even changed the display, as soon as the door opened, people were stepping on board.

Makes you wonder sometimes how these people ever get to where they want to go. And they're usually the first ones to complain when service numbers change!