Electric Buses

[Stu]

I shall be very interested to see how you deal with AG's allocation of non Euro 6 Geminis in the short term - although they don't necessarily need to replaced based on non B'ham city centre routes, I guess, if really necessary, there are enough Euro 6 ones at WB to move across if they get some more E400s (noting the next fleet number, leap frogging the 5 Omnidekkas is 4799).....

Anyway, a very interesting period, fleet wise approaches!!

There aren't any Omnidekkas, you must mean the Omnicities.

As AG has never operated Enviro400s, I would hazard a guess that they will end up with some of the Platinum E400MMCs to replace their non-Euro6 Geminis.

[don]

There aren't any Omnidekkas, you must mean the Omnicities.

As AG has never operated Enviro400s, I would hazard a guess that they will end up with some of the Platinum E400MMCs to replace their non-Euro6 Geminis.

Yeah sorry, I meant the Omnicities. 

I agree re the Platinums. However I also wonder if they won't go straight to electrics in the next couple of years - just have to be patient and wait and see! 

[BK63 YWP]

I wouldn't be surprised if AG gets some platinums to make the 4/A double decker moving some of the e200mmc to West Bromwich. But that's all speculation.

[Stu]

I wouldn't be surprised if AG gets some platinums to make the 4/A double decker moving some of the e200mmc to West Bromwich. But that's all speculation.

The priority at AG is going to be getting rid of the older non-Euro6 Geminis, before they even think about moving out their E200s.

[Stu]

@Tony that article I posted on my Facebook page yesterday has definitely attracted a lot of negative/ignorant comments for some reason!

[Steve3229vp]

@Tony that article I posted on my Facebook page yesterday has definitely attracted a lot of negative/ignorant comments for some reason!

Some (actually a lot) of the comments were unsubstantiated rubbish, these new Electric buses are the future, they are comfortable, quite and fairly quick. When the Platinums arrived they were the most impressive buses since the Timesaver metrobuses from 1986. For me the new Electrics are even better. The only problem with them is their seating capacity is a bit low at 65 which is 8 less than a Platinum and 12 less than an Enviro, the main daytime will be fine, but peaks may struggle, buses going towards Perry Barr are carrying more than a year ago. I hoping than come September there will be peak frequency increases on the 33 and 907. If passenger numbers are increasing the last thing we need is them been put off by packed buses especially with Parker on the prowl.

[Ronnoc]

@Tony that article I posted on my Facebook page yesterday has definitely attracted a lot of negative/ignorant comments for some reason!

It's so common on Facebook to see all of these low functioning doom and gloom people commenting nonsense about electric buses blowing up. They are everywhere and have nothing better to do. Your article was amazing, don't let them hinder your work.

[Straightlines]

Some (actually a lot) of the comments were unsubstantiated rubbish, these new Electric buses are the future, they are comfortable, quite and fairly quick. When the Platinums arrived they were the most impressive buses since the Timesaver metrobuses from 1986. For me the new Electrics are even better. The only problem with them is their seating capacity is a bit low at 65 which is 8 less than a Platinum and 12 less than an Enviro, the main daytime will be fine, but peaks may struggle, buses going towards Perry Barr are carrying more than a year ago. I hoping than come September there will be peak frequency increases on the 33 and 907. If passenger numbers are increasing the last thing we need is them been put off by packed buses especially with Parker on the prowl.

The Platinums are probably some of the most uninspiring buses ever conceived. 

[Tony]

Current locations

PB	BC	WA	WN	PN	Aston	MS	Roberts	ADL
E165	E245	E166	E168	E229	E164	E176	E174	E231
E167	E248	E171	E172	E236	E198	E196	E175
E169	E251	E218	E173	E242	E200	E219	E177
E170	E253	E220	E178	E238	E201	E223	E179
E191	E257	E221	E184	E239	E203	E224	E180
E199	E258	E222	E189	E240	E204	E226	E181
E230	E261	E244	E194	E241	E213	E227	E182
	E262	E246	E195	E243	E225	E232	E183
		E247	E197			E260	E185
		E249	E205				E186
		E250	E207				E187
		E254	E208				E188
		E256	E210				E190
			E211				E192
			E216				E193
			E228				E202
			E235				E206
			E237				E209
			E252				E212
			E255				E214
							E215
							E217

[Ronnoc]

The Platinums are probably some of the most uninspiring buses ever conceived.

Platinums were an upgrade over existing vehicles, boasting many new comfort features to attract new passengers. This has allowed the platinum spec to become standard for National Express fleet. What makes you think they are uninsipring?

[Stu]

It's so common on Facebook to see all of these low functioning doom and gloom people commenting nonsense about electric buses blowing up. They are everywhere and have nothing better to do. Your article was amazing, don't let them hinder your work.

Thanks, I don't do this for kudos or recognition, just to try and inform bus users about what is going on. I wouldn't say that article was 'amazing' though, just concise and to the point.

The Facebook post has definitely attracted the Daily Mail-reading anti-electric bus mob now though. What also disappoints me is how many people are commenting who clearly haven't read the article I wrote.

Here's some stats which are correct at the time of posting this.
The website article currently shows 491 views.

According to Facebook, that particular post has 22k impressions/reach, and 1.6k 'engagement'. While the link to the article only has 378 clicks.

So far only one person has actually commented on the website.

[Ingleboro261F]

There aren't any Omnidekkas, you must mean the Omnicities.

As AG has never operated Enviro400s, I would hazard a guess that they will end up with some of the Platinum E400MMCs to replace their non-Euro6 Geminis.

Maybe the drivers could adapt to using older e400s? They're kinda similar to e400mmcs

[winston]

Platinums were an upgrade over existing vehicles, boasting many new comfort features to attract new passengers. This has allowed the platinum spec to become standard for National Express fleet. What makes you think they are uninsipring?

Because Straightlines has never has anything positive to say towards NX, constantly negative no matter what they do / don't do.
The Platinum's were high spec when first introduced back in 2015, and offered something different, the Platinum spec has since become standard. 
I'm not keen on the latest standard livery I.e single grey, but that's been done to death.....

[Jack]

Maybe the drivers could adapt to using older e400s? They're kinda similar to e400mmcs

They aren't, the three types NX use are all different cabs to each other. So would require more type training. 

[Ingleboro261F]

I've just seen an abellio London single dicker bus looks like a wrightbus vehicle (maybe a GB kite??) around AG, What's it doing around there nearly 100 miles away?