Electric Buses

[CL]

What I have noticed on the new Coventry electrics is that the nearside fleet number is up by the wing mirror/camera and not by the door release as normal. Is there a particular reason for this or is this the norm now for just the electrics? @Tony

The recent repaints into the new livery have the fleet number above the doors/driver's cab window also. I think it may be the new standard positioning across the fleet.

[markcf83]

I have put more details of the new buses on the main website. All VINs for the first 46 are there, and body numbers for all 130

E001 upwards (wmbusphotos.com)

Most helpful Tony. Thanks. 

[Ginger66]

Do you think it's possible to have charging points at bus stations on the over flow stands to give electric buses a top up while in service.

We know Dudley bus station is been rebuilt shortly could electric charging for NX/Diamond be considered 

[Tony]

Tomorrow is probably the last day to catch 1908 in service. It will be on the YW3 from 07:12 until 14:33 when it will do a journey on the 2 at 14:38

[Stu]

Tomorrow is probably the last day to catch 1908 in service. It will be on the YW3 from 07:12 until 14:33 when it will do a journey on the 2 at 14:38

Ooh, thanks for the heads up! If I'm reading this week's timetables correctly (from BusTimes, as those on the NX website are wrong, I was wondering why the 2 seemed to be ten minutes late this morning!), that should do the 8:20 departure from Slade Lane, which will be my ride to work!

[Tony]

Ooh, thanks for the heads up! If I'm reading this week's timetables correctly (from BusTimes, as those on the NX website are wrong, I was wondering why the 2 seemed to be ten minutes late this morning!), that should do the 8:20 departure from Slade Lane, which will be my ride to work!

It does the 07:12 & 08:30 departures into city

[Stu]

It does the 07:12 & 08:30 departures into city

You're right, I momentarily lost the ability to count properly! Now I just need to make sure I leave home on time so I don't miss it!

[The Real 4778]

Tomorrow is probably the last day to catch 1908 in service. It will be on the YW3 from 07:12 until 14:33 when it will do a journey on the 2 at 14:38

I know I'm being daft here, but 1908? 

[Stu]

I know I'm being daft here, but 1908?

Demonstrator:
http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/1750-1953/1908d.html

[The Real 4778]

Demonstrator:
http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/1750-1953/1908d.html

Aha!  Cheers - upholding the great tradition of 1908s!  I should've guessed!

[Stu]

OK, so I did manage to get a ride on 1908 this morning - the Mercedes eCitaro demonstrator.

To be honest, I don't really know what to make of it.

Its always a little bit exciting to travel on a new type of bus for the first time, from a purely passenger perspective, it was a nice bus to travel on, smooth ride, and given the opportunity could be quite nippy too.

The interior is fairly spacious, not as 'claustrophobic' as the OmniLinks, though I did think that the seating layout didn't offer much legroom, a common complaint aimed at those Scanias. I did note that this eCitaro did show a seated capacity of 37, so around the same as the OmniLinks and E200MMCs.

Due to being pre-Christmas week, there were only a few passengers when I got on at the Hullbrook Road stop on Trittiford Road, so it was difficult to judge what the journey would be like with a full load.

The other observation I noted is that despite an entirely different vehicle being used on this route, in non-standard livery, still with National Express Coventry logos all over it, passengers still got on without questioning anything, and most didn't seem to notice. It just goes to show that many passengers don't really care, and that any bus is better than no bus.

I guess these would be great for less-busy routes that require single-deck vehicles, I'm not sure what they would be like used on busier routes, would like to hear opinions from anyone who travelled on this while it was used on the 20 in Coventry.

[Tony]

OK, so I did manage to get a ride on 1908 this morning - the Mercedes eCitaro demonstrator.

To be honest, I don't really know what to make of it.

Its always a little bit exciting to travel on a new type of bus for the first time, from a purely passenger perspective, it was a nice bus to travel on, smooth ride, and given the opportunity could be quite nippy too.

The interior is fairly spacious, not as 'claustrophobic' as the OmniLinks, though I did think that the seating layout didn't offer much legroom, a common complaint aimed at those Scanias. I did note that this eCitaro did show a seated capacity of 37, so around the same as the OmniLinks and E200MMCs.

Due to being pre-Christmas week, there were only a few passengers when I got on at the Hullbrook Road stop on Trittiford Road, so it was difficult to judge what the journey would be like with a full load.

The other observation I noted is that despite an entirely different vehicle being used on this route, in non-standard livery, still with National Express Coventry logos all over it, passengers still got on without questioning anything, and most didn't seem to notice. It just goes to show that many passengers don't really care, and that any bus is better than no bus.

I guess these would be great for less-busy routes that require single-deck vehicles, I'm not sure what they would be like used on busier routes, would like to hear opinions from anyone who travelled on this while it was used on the 20 in Coventry.

Seating is 37+wheelchair or 39 (2 pulldown seats).

I drove the second half of the running board both days. While a lot of people do just get on, both myself and 'Andy' who drove the morning half both commented on the number of people asking if it was a 'proper bus' with several saying when they did get on they 'thought it was a coach'.

The bus is a dream to drive so easy to give a smooth ride to passengers. On a couple of trips I did I had a full seated load with some standing and apart from the usual problem of standing passengers not moving from between the front wheelarches it still looked 'spacious' in the interior mirror.

Incidentally the interior mirror is the best I have ever found in any bus. Normally on buses with vandal screens you struggle, but the mirror in this gave an excellent view of the interior of the whole bus.

[Jack6101]

I didn't know where to put this but there is an electric grey bus with new nx interior in Birmingham doing rail replacements reg is LG72DSX , looked on the electrics fleet list and can't find this one ? So who is this owned by ? 
It's doing the 10am brum to coleshill rail replacement 

[ellspurs]

https://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/index.htm?https://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/year.asp?Year=72&Type=9

This website says it is a "Spare vehicles for NXWM ETaaS contract" listed under Zenobe.

[Jack6101]

https://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/index.htm?https://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/year.asp?Year=72&Type=9

This website says it is a "Spare vehicles for NXWM ETaaS contract" listed under Zenobe.

8 Spare ones wonder if they will be given fleet numbers E164-172?