Last step entry buses

[sconehead85]

OFFICIAL- 2038 is now Arrivas last step Dennis Dart.

sconehead85

[covlad27]

What's happening to 3416 and where is 3417 these days??

Ive heard 3417 left cannock on the back of a lorry so its destination could well be a scrap yard somewhere

[tphi12000]

3417 has been reported in service at shrewsbury and Telford in the last week.

[sconehead85]

JOLLY CRIMBOMAS FOLKS!

2012 is fading away and so is the  Arriva Scania presence , particularly with step entrances.

We know about 3415 (possibly a preservation candidate alongside Dart 2038) but are 3417/68/89/91 still about?  3468/89 are listed as withdrawn, but that has been proved wrong.  N430 XRC (3490) is a mystery as there is no evidence newer than 2011 of it still being with TGM Stansted. So in theory six are still running.

Double deck Scanias are fading out too, although TGM Colchester have six Omnidekkas there are still some 1990s examples left, H804 RWJ was sighted with TGM in November and M161/2 GRY are POSSIBLY still with TGM.  Arriva NE still has 7258/61/3-5, all with a Midland pedigree.  None have a great future.

Any news, folks?

sconehead85

[sconehead85]

IS 2013 THE YEAR ARRIVA MIDLANDS GO FULLY LOW FLOOR?

Its difficult to predict, but I am surprised the Scanias 34xx series have survived although there is only until the end of 2014 remaining for the single deckers.  The Scanias could have gone last year with all other such like Arriva buses (North West 1041-61) and the Shires R-RBM batch.

However it cant be long before the Scanias have gone, or are likely as not transferred to the Wardle fleet.

So the answer will be YES but except for Wardle.

sconehead85

[Bob]

I much prefer step entry buses, more comfortable

[Tony]

I much prefer step entry buses, more comfortable

So the current buses on the Pye Green Circulars are less comfortable than their step entrance predecessors? Even most of Cannock's current fleet is better than the Mercedes & Ford Transit breadvans that preceded them.

[Bob]

Im not referring to minibus routes Tony! But a Metrobus, Leyland Tiger, Leopard, National, Fleetline, Olympian etc are all far more comfortable ( and probably quieter) than a Clapped out MPD/SPD Or screeching SB200 and they also had a LOT more legroom!!!!!

[sconehead85]

bob- Looks like they're confined to Stoke-on-Trent area school buses!

Have there been any 2013 sightings of 2038 and 3415/7/9/68/89/91?

sconehead85

[Tony]

Im not referring to minibus routes Tony! But a Metrobus, Leyland Tiger, Leopard, National, Fleetline, Olympian etc are all far more comfortable ( and probably quieter) than a Clapped out MPD/SPD Or screeching SB200 and they also had a LOT more legroom!!!!!

But that is not comparing like for like, MPDs are replacements for Mercs, A B9TL or an Enviro 400 is a successor to a fleetline/Olympian/Metrobus.

I personally would never put fleetlines or standard National in the category as comfortable either! Fleetlines had rock hard suspension, and WMPTE ones had rock hard seats, some literally, that made you all sweaty in the summer. Nationals had the same horrible seats just with less legroom!

[Bob]

Hit the nail on the head there Tony MPDs are a replacement for Mercs, but Arriva Cannock use them in all day service on interurban routes (1,2,70,etc) that were big bus routes! So the passengers have to endure all the noise rattle lack of legroom on a bus that was designed for minibus routes! Just another example of how crap they are....

[Discodave]

Hit the nail on the head there Tony MPDs are a replacement for Mercs, but Arriva Cannock use them in all day service on interurban routes (1,2,70,etc) that were big bus routes! So the passengers have to endure all the noise rattle lack of legroom on a bus that was designed for minibus routes! Just another example of how crap they are....

Some step buses were good some were bad but most older buses did have good seating and legroom compared to most modern buses.  Its just how the buses are allocated and I am afraid Cannock are using the small buses on what you would call big bus routes just look at the 70 which then does a 560 (mpd maybe ok for that) but then the 76 to Stafford an hour trip on a MPD is a joke screaming at full chat on the A449 then a 70 back to Cannock no wonder the buses are shot, it was a nightmare doing a 70 with a merc espically 4 hours (2 trips) and usually one of the trips was a rush hour one felt really sorry for the folks whom stood all the way no wonder the 70 has lost a lot of custom NX only really need to extend the 11 to featherstone and that would kill off the 70 as that is where most of the custom was never really had that many do the full route it was a hit and miss route sometimes good sometimes bad.

[sconehead85]

This is fascinatimous but I would like to know if 2038 or any step Scanias have been sighted this year! Cheers!

sconehead85

[derningtona]

I was in Shrewsbury yesterday without any step entry sightings but I was possibly on the wrong day of the week, wrong times, wrong places!

[sconehead85]

As I have stated before the last steps , barring 3468/89/91 are at Wardle and possibly limited to schools services.  By Easter, 4545-7 will be the Arriva groups last closed-top Leyland Olympians when eight F/G/H reg LOs running for Shires are replaced.

sconehead85