Volvo B10BLE

[Discodave]

As much as some older step buses are great its also rules which have killed some of these off

[andy]

Thats why looking at vehicle age is so misleading. These crappy MPDs are only 11 years old so sound alright but the MPD has kind of had its chips at this age and a 1998 volvo olympian is tons better-pity we never had any in WM. The problem is investors only look and think-is that low floor/relatively recent as opposed to is it a bus engineered to last 20 or 10 years

Exactly my thoughts. A lot of step entry buses from that sort of time have plenty of life left but end up getting scrapped rather than overhauled because they are not low floor. Modern low floor buses just don't seem to age as well. I've not liked many types of bus atall since low floor became standard. Arriva Derby had some 1996 - 8 Volvo Olympians and we used to borrow some when our Scanias went on V Festival duty, they were excellent buses and probably still are wherever they are, they've only just withdrawn the last couple and they are in great condition. Darts are underpowered and flimsily constructed and will never last as long.

[Tony]

Thats why looking at vehicle age is so misleading. These crappy MPDs are only 11 years old so sound alright but the MPD has kind of had its chips at this age and a 1998 volvo olympian is tons better-pity we never had any in WM. The problem is investors only look and think-is that low floor/relatively recent as opposed to is it a bus engineered to last 20 or 10 years

Exactly my thoughts. A lot of step entry buses from that sort of time have plenty of life left but end up getting scrapped rather than overhauled because they are not low floor. Modern low floor buses just don't seem to age as well. I've not liked many types of bus atall since low floor became standard. Arriva Derby had some 1996 - 8 Volvo Olympians and we used to borrow some when our Scanias went on V Festival duty, they were excellent buses and probably still are wherever they are, they've only just withdrawn the last couple and they are in great condition. Darts are underpowered and flimsily constructed and will never last as long.

A lot of late Olympians are not as good as they seem. They had/have a severe rot problem. You will notice First Group have not withdrawn Olympians in age order. Many N-reg ones went for scrap a few years back which Potteries are still running G registration for this very reason. The N-SOS batch, new to Glasgow were particularly bad

[andy]

Thats why looking at vehicle age is so misleading. These crappy MPDs are only 11 years old so sound alright but the MPD has kind of had its chips at this age and a 1998 volvo olympian is tons better-pity we never had any in WM. The problem is investors only look and think-is that low floor/relatively recent as opposed to is it a bus engineered to last 20 or 10 years

Exactly my thoughts. A lot of step entry buses from that sort of time have plenty of life left but end up getting scrapped rather than overhauled because they are not low floor. Modern low floor buses just don't seem to age as well. I've not liked many types of bus atall since low floor became standard. Arriva Derby had some 1996 - 8 Volvo Olympians and we used to borrow some when our Scanias went on V Festival duty, they were excellent buses and probably still are wherever they are, they've only just withdrawn the last couple and they are in great condition. Darts are underpowered and flimsily constructed and will never last as long.

A lot of late Olympians are not as good as they seem. They had/have a severe rot problem. You will notice First Group have not withdrawn Olympians in age order. Many N-reg ones went for scrap a few years back which Potteries are still running G registration for this very reason. The N-SOS batch, new to Glasgow were particularly bad

It's true that Olympians had rot issues, the Leyland only versions prior to Volvo were always having replacement floors and I think this became accepted. The ones at Arriva just withdrawn were the S - KJU batch and I think they were still in pretty good nick. If you compare them to the Presidents and Tridents that are being refurbished right now, I would suspect many of those are having replacement floors too? But in terms of durability, comfort, ride quality and maintenance cost all round I would be surprised if the Olympians didn't win.

[PM]

Me too, tho I didnt know about the rot problem. Surely the northern counties and alexander ones that stagecoach and lothian etc have cant have rotted? Theyve surely been reliable and long-lasting buses

[Discodave]

3607 gone as well for scrap see buses mag Tony may have provided the info

[Tony]

3607 gone as well for scrap see buses mag Tony may have provided the info

Was still in Cannock last time I visited (after Buses reported it for scrap), although it has disappeared off the company fleetlist. I nearly popped in today, but the decker was trapped in the middle unphotographable when I went past so didn't bother

[Bob]

V605 DBC sounds absolutely s*****d! engine is really clattery! Why are the fans always on on these buses? they sound like an air raid siren when they go past

[arrivaaston]

I've never really been a fan of these, can't these go back to leicester and swap them for the 3900-3912?

[Bob]

Prob wont happen why would Leicester want to have clapped out tat?

[arrivaaston]

What's happened to these? Not that its a great loss from cannock but I've not seen them around.....

[Bob]

V605 DBC is the absolutely knackered sounding one lol sure it was on the 70 a couple of weeks back :) on a sat

[arrivaaston]

I've never liked these, I'm hoping I never see them again lol just curious to know where they've dissapeard to and when the others are going, I thought when 3611 went the others would follow and why is 3607 still in the yard? Surely its time it went now

[Bob]

Nobody knows if they are going, the rumour started on the Leicester Changes subject thing on here. Doubt theyll go tbf i think theyll finish their lives at Cannock garage

[arrivaaston]

I hope not but then again its cannock.... Home of shit lol