Crikey, what happened to the bus fleet (Brum 9 and 12x routes?)

[V89MOA]

Gemini 1 is perfection,  Gemini 3 however is lipstick on a pig.

[P419 EJW]

Gemini 1 is perfection,  Gemini 3 however is lipstick on a pig.

Agreed. Not too keen on Gemini 2 and 3 either.

[V89MOA]

Agreed. Not too keen on Gemini 2 and 3 either.

Nah nor am I, I'm not really keen anything Volvo or Wright post 2007.

[P419 EJW]

Nah nor am I, I'm not really keen anything Volvo or Wright post 2007.

Aye, Wrightbus has gone downhill with the bodywork designs from that year.

[V89MOA]

Aye, Wrightbus has gone downhill with the bodywork designs from that year.

100% agree!

[Jack]

Agreed. Not too keen on Gemini 2 and 3 either.

I love them. Yes lol, it's abit weird. But the Streetlite is horrible. But the B7RLE Bodywork (Urban 1 and 2) are great.

[MasterPlan]

Agreed. Not too keen on Gemini 2 and 3 either.

What's wrong with the Gemini 2s? I rather like them personally.

[Ronnoc]

The ALX400 is the best design going, the worst is the Streetdeck. The Gemini 1's are really solid as well but what I can agree on is that Wrightbus body designs have gone downhill since 2007.

[Jack]

What's wrong with the Gemini 2s? I rather like them personally.

Gemini 2 is smart. It's the Streetdecks that don't look right at the front but the rear is smart. The ALX400 is horrible, rattles like mad, bounce over a pot hole, the Euro 5 Omnilinks have a crappy suspension aswell.

[MW]

Sounds like some of you are talking about the design and some of you are talking about wualityZ

With regards to the design of ALX400s, of course everyone will have their own opinion. It's subjective.

With quality. I don't think ADL are in the same league as Wright to be quite honest. Wrightbus definitely wi the quality argument. Although this is pre MMC era. I haven't really been on these 400MMCs/Streetdeck to comment on them.

[j789]

I don't know how anyone can criticise the StreetDeck, it is the best modern decker by miles. It's the best bus I have ever driven and I wish we had more than the 4 we do have at Worcester. I have driven them many times and can honestly say that I have not heard one negative comment from passengers about them. The unusual bodywork is a plus point and they are well built. I have never driven an enviro 400 but have been a passenger on many NXWM examples and the ride quality is certainly not as good. I would hope that NXWM will purchase a significant number of StreetDecks in the future. However, do not get me started on the StreetLite single decker which is the complete opposite of all the StreetDecks positive points!

[Typhoon2000]

Sorry for the late reply guys.. trying to type stuff on a mobile phone is no fun. Back on a computer now..

So what I was getting at (I got my bus names and numbers totally confused)


ADL Enviro 400


Wrightbus Gemini3

As a passenger, and an advocate of the use of buses in Brum, to suddenly go from a smooth E400 to one of these awful sardine cans on wheels it's really put me off travelling by bus in this area. In some cases, when I wait at Lloyd House for a bus back home, I try to wait for another bus if a Gemini3 turns up, simply because it's just far too uncomfortable, cramped and feels like I'm riding on a cement mixer. I'm 6'2" and after a long physically demanding shift at work every weekday, the bus is usually a chance to sit and relax on the way home. Not on these. And as I've mentioned before, looking at the space the driver has to operate the bus with, it looks like they might run into the same problems London Taxi drivers end up after they've been at the job for a number of years. I only have to put up with it for a short while.. these drivers have hours. Every day... It's truly terrible.

Even these are preferable (at least in the summer - in the winter they seem to forget to open the heat flap at the start of the day)


ALX400

As for losing these to the Scania Omnilink:

Vovlo B7RLE Eclipse(?)

Well I get it, fully, if it's for legal reasons such as exhaust emissions - that cannot be helped. However, my reasoning for not liking them is, again, a lot of legroom gets lost and in general the layout is pretty poorly thought out. The previous bus was very, very well laid out and there was good space to be able to be properly seated in all seat, and even the red tap disc was in a sensible place as you boarded the bus. I hate bad design and the idea that you need to redesign the man fit on the bus.. I mean this is the 21st century now, so I don't get why the badly designed and generally poor quality ride of the Gemini3 actually exists.

One thing I praise the newest ADL E400's MMC on his how they manage to re-engineer the original in order to make it easier for bus operating companies and their drivers to use. In fact there was a promo video demonstrating how they actually asked the drivers what they want (novel concept), maintenance guys what they wanted (again novel), and bus operators how they can make them cheaper and easier to run. I wonder what the drivers at NXWM make of these.

Here's a video that was uploaded to YouTube on the E400 MMC development. Some good design and engineering here...

Anyway, again I do apologise for the confusion guys, the bus types/chassis types, names and numbers do get get a bit mixed up here. Hope this clears things up!  :)

[2206]

What's the difference between a Gemini 3 and a streetdeck?
From what I can see the Gemini 3 is the offering on the Volvo chasis.
NX have Wright Streetdecks on the 9 in Birmingham not Volvo Gemini 3s?

Regarding the ALX400s, the picture of the Trident is confusing me as you were complaining about them being taken of the 127/8 and Tridents have never been used on the 127/8. you seem to be confusing, the two different types with NX.
B7TL's with ALX400 bodywork, these are the ones on the 127/8 and they are still the majority type on the 127/8 and have not been replaced by Omnilinks.
Tridents with ALX400 bodywork, the bus in your pic on the 51 is a Trident.

[don]

Mr Typhoon, I couldn't agree with you less on that exact batch of Wrightbus Gemini 3 shown in your photo. I travel on them quite frequently for a 40 minute journey and whilst no urban bus is particularly comfortable for that distance these are fast vehicles, and the bodywork does not rattle, and the suspension is not bad - a similar journey on an E200 mini MMC is awful is comparison in all ways, as is an E400 - the E400 are irritatingly sluggish also.

I'm not sure about comfort and leg room - I don't find it an issue but am average build.

The Wright bodywork on the Streetdeck and the London Volvo Hybrids are similar structures if not exactly the same in length, so in terms of its performance from a passenger perspective is likely to be similar - the Volvo has a longer rear overhang - so the seating spacing and layout may be different - it definitely will in London because of the extra door. 

[Typhoon2000]

Yes, I'm 6'2" so no bus will be totally comfortable, as you say. However the unit being run on the 9 route is beyond a joke! As for the rattle - no, it's bad. However the rattle must be due to poorly designed engine mounts because the NVH gets transferred directly to the passenger compartment and it's not pleasant. Especially if you're sitting at the back.  :o