Last step entry buses

[the trainbasher]

They must have been parked up later in the day as I photographed 4562 on the 26.

[arrivaaston]

3415 parked up in Cannock this morning, not sure if its withdrawn, on hire or in for repair

[sconehead85]

The retention of these Scanias is odd  given the DDA requirements for single decke buses are get ting closer (31/12/2014) and the small number of new vehicles should be enough to see off 3415/7/9/68/89/91.

Anyone seen 2038, the last Arriva step Dennis Dart of late?

sconehead85

[covlad27]

3415 parked up in Cannock this morning, not sure if its withdrawn, on hire or in for repair

I would think 3415 will be withdrawn now its been in an accident and is all smashrd up on the drivers side front dont look repairable

[Bob]

The retention of these Scanias is odd  given the DDA requirements for single decke buses are get ting closer (31/12/2014) and the small number of new vehicles should be enough to see off 3415/7/9/68/89/91.

Anyone seen 2038, the last Arriva step Dennis Dart of late?

sconehead85

Maybe theyre in better nick than some of the earlier low floor darts etc so these have been withdrawn first? Id rather go on a nice beefy sounding Scania or Olympian anyday than a clapped out Dart lol *****

[James3694]

Sconehead85, I Saw 2038 In Newcastle the other day, it sounded fine so its still going :)

[sconehead85]

james-robertson-  Thanks for the sighting!

bob- Arriva are 99% DDA compliant, they might as well go the whole  hog - indeed they are. As for "bugger the DDA" that comes across as "bugger the disabled/infirm" which I think is an unacceptable tone to take on this forum.

sconehead85

[Bob]

I didnt mean it in that respect. 

[arrivadays]

I didnt mean it in that respect.

You're just too scared to admit it, in fear of being removed from the forum.

[Bob]

No im not my point is why should perfectly good ( and in some cases better ie scanias/ olympians) be withdrawn in favour of keeping clapped out and inferior low floor buses like darts in service just to satisfy something that hasnt yet come in to effect?????

[sconehead85]

bob- Fair enough. There is another reason those buses are going - they're also 15-16 years old, although in the light of the present fleet I was perplexed by  Arriva Midlands swapping Volvo Olympians for SLF Darts of the same age.

sconehead85

[Bob]

Swapping olympians for darts? I dont follow? Although lets face it the darts are pretty p##s poor, and older examples are known to suffer from chassis rot

[Tony]

Swapping olympians for darts? I dont follow? Although lets face it the darts are pretty p##s poor, and older examples are known to suffer from chassis rot

Later Olympians are also very prone to chassis rot

[Bob]

On the whole I would still say theyre a better bus than a Dart though Tony? I always thought it odd that wmpte as it was tgen only purchased metrobuses throughout the 80s, didnt they plan to dual source with some more ailsas in early 80s and then with olympians a couple of years later but for some or other reason it didnt happen?

[arrivadays]

No im not my point is why should perfectly good ( and in some cases better ie scanias/ olympians) be withdrawn in favour of keeping clapped out and inferior low floor buses like darts in service just to satisfy something that hasnt yet come in to effect?????

OK, I believe (only cos I'm a softy), but I would agree with the clapped out Darts. 52-plate Dart MPDs and 55-plate Darts shake like hell when stationery. However, much older Scanias and W-reg MPds are very comfortable and less clapped out. I'm glad I don't live in Cannock, seeing how many complaints are made on twitter and Facebook about the services there.