Potteries Double Deckers

[Bob]

theres been 4 low floor Gemini's transferred in to Newcastle, are they just going to be used on Schools like the Olympians? Cos thats a waste. They should go on the 20 to Crewe thats a really busy route. Also how many Volvo Olympians have transferred in? I saw a P-TGD R type and a P reg Royale. Are the G-XRE 's history now? and the M-DUS ones?

[Tony]

theres been 4 low floor Gemini's transferred in to Newcastle, are they just going to be used on Schools like the Olympians? Cos thats a waste. They should go on the 20 to Crewe thats a really busy route. Also how many Volvo Olympians have transferred in? I saw a P-TGD R type and a P reg Royale. Are the G-XRE 's history now? and the M-DUS ones?

No, they are on the 25 route which goes out to the University.

The G-XRE are still in use at the moment, the Geminis have so far just replaced single deck B7s which have passed to Leicester

[Bob]

what are the P reg ones used on

[sconehead85]

Volvo Olympians SHOULD be replacing the G-XREs which are 23 years old. One should be preserved, the rest scrapped.

sconehead85

[Bob]

oh right so the P regs are mainly going to be confined to Schools work

[sconehead85]

No bob-  With bus operators there is a difference between WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN and what actually does!  First have got to get out of the habit of hanging on to geriatric buses if theyve any hope of complying with the DDA in 2017.

sconehead85

[Bob]

The 101 stafford to hanley definately needs Deckers ! well, on a Sat at least! been on it today and people were standing all the way to the back ! the driver had to keep checking whether he could allow any more on! Awful! the Omnicitys arent big enough! All the other 101s we passed had standees as well!

[Bruce_LOA400X]

No bob-  With bus operators there is a difference between WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN and what actually does!  First have got to get out of the habit of hanging on to geriatric buses if theyve any hope of complying with the DDA in 2017.

sconehead85

There's a few years yet!! cut them some slack! Arriva have gone low floor mad here in Leicester and due to that and expenditure, it is one of the reasons why we have a current shortage of vehicles....

[sconehead85]

Im not actually suggesting low floor double deckers replace the G-XRE Olympians just perhaps a handful of Volvo Olympians from the late 1990s in the interim.  What I was saying is if First are to meet the DDA deadline they wont do it by hanging on to vehicles well into their twenties. Its not just in Stoke, theeyre dotted all over the First empire.  For example, seven of the LFDDs loaned to Weymouth for the Olympic sailing events could have stayed there and the seven Leyland Olympians of 1990 withdrawn.   First not only have 400 step entry double decks to get rid of, they have Volvo B10Ms, Dennis Darts and Lances to remove.  Add to that the bubble of late 1990s LF single decks ageing too, which arent going to wait until 2016/7 to conk out.

Sorry Bruce, First need the lead TIGHTENING not loosening!

[Bruce_LOA400X]

I didn't know it was that bad!!!

in that case we need to give them one of those electrical shock dog training collars I think...  ;)

[sconehead85]

Ive just discovered First in Weymouth have only four Leyland Olympians now 34342/4/5 and 34623. Still, its time they were retired.

sconehead85

[Bob]

do they use them in normal service or just schools? it makes me laugh how first call the 25 to keele 'Gold Service'! whats gold standard about an 8 yr old decker even if it is more modern than the rest of the fleet?

[sconehead85]

I suspect schools, bob, as they are the oldest in Weymouth. 

sconehead85

[Bob]

Do the p reg potteries ones appear in normal service? cos the G-XREs always did

[Ashley]

Do any of the Olympians appear in normal service or is it just school work?