Electric Buses

[Tony]

I've seen some coming through Walsall this morning obviously heading to the garage.

4 currently at WA and 10 at BC

[Mayfield]

Noted UID one on the M6 south near junction 36 about 14.30 today

[Solo1]

Mentions pensnett wonder if will be for 126 

[Stu]

Mentions pensnett wonder if will be for 126

Likely Pensnett will just be used for temporary storage, same as Walsall and Birmingham Central.

[Wumpty]

@Tony any performance figures available for first phase electrics 20 plates) to see how battery life against mileage covered is performing?

Interested to see if the batteries are sustaining the constant charging as there would be some expected battery depreciation.

[winston]

E236 & E239 are both built at ADL, Falkirk:

E236:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197146068@N03/53356295212

E239:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197146068@N03/53357501859

[Tony]

The first two of 

E236 & E239 are both built at ADL, Falkirk:

E236:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197146068@N03/53356295212

E239:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197146068@N03/53357501859

the first two second batch (E194/5) are due for delivery this week. (along with all the remaining ones of the first batch)

[spacecowboy150]

How come they have London registrations 

[Tony]

How come they have London registrations

Exactly the same reason all the others in the fleet do. They're registered by BYD. Apart from Wrights most buses are registered in the area they are built, or where the head office is.

[Mike K]

Exactly the same reason all the others in the fleet do. They're registered by BYD. Apart from Wrights most buses are registered in the area they are built, or where the head office is.

I've noticed that Go Ahead companies tend in many cases to have their vehicles registered locally, regardless of make. For example GNE's E200s carry Newcastle plates (although their E400s don't) and most of Go South Coast's ADL vehicles have Hampshire plates. Likewise, Plymouth Citybus tend to have West Country plates. I'm not sure how or why Go Ahead manage to do this when other companies don't, but I personally think the loss of local plates on what are already pretty generic buses nationwide these days is a bit of a shame. 

[Wba_lad]

E187 arrived at Wolverhampton where it is being stored.

[Tony]

E170 is the first new electric to get to Perry Barr. It's only to be used for on site training at the moment so don't expect to see it out and about 

[Wba_lad]

E170 is the first new electric to get to Perry Barr. It's only to be used for on site training at the moment so don't expect to see it out and about

Do the electrics have pantographs to be charged or will charging facilities be fitted 

[Stu]

Do the electrics have pantographs to be charged or will charging facilities be fitted

Have a look at this (timestamped for relevance)

[Squiz1971]

Do the electrics have pantographs to be charged or will charging facilities be fitted

I believe they plug in like an electric car/van does. Pantographs were used on trolley buses in the day and now on the trams otherwise there would be streets of overhead lines to accommodate the new electrics,