trentbarton discussion

[Davidsb3]

Shame to see the Wrights will be leaving The Villager routes, I always quite liked them, I'll have to have one last ride I guess.

Suppose they are getting on a bit now.

I love the the current volvos in the TB fleet but the villager ones are really starting to show their age with the breakdowns and other issues. I will say though, the comet ones I drive most of the time are better in the sense of reliability most of the time (Plus nicer to drive ) but could really do with a nice refurb of the interior as they don't have USBs or any under seat lighting either.
But I will miss the villager Volvos once they are gone, especially 740 being my personal favourite out the five.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jun 2024 ==

Your comment about one of the new Enviro 200MMCs being in Mango livery, makes sense. I was told there was six orders. The four branded services, then red spares (at least two) and Mango spares would match that.

As far as im concerned Derby is set to get 2 of the spares (one red and one mango would do nicely.) But i will say when they arrive i see 2 Volvo spares we have going and out of all of them i see 712 & 717 transfering depots.

 

[Trainman40083]

I love the the current volvos in the TB fleet but the villager ones are really starting to show there age with the breakdowns and other issues. I will say though the comet ones I drive most of the time are better in the sense of Relibality most of the time (Plus nicer to drive ) but could really do wit a nice refurb of the interoir as they dont have USBs or any under seat lighting either.
But i will miss the villager volvos once they are gone espcailly 740 being my personal favourite out the five.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jun 2024 ==


As far as im concerned Derby is set to get 2 of the spares (one red and one mango would do nicely.) But i will say when they arrive i see 2 Volvo spares we have going and out of all of them i see 712 & 717 transfering depots.

Yes, the Volvo single deckers will be missed. They look like they need a little refurb/repaint. Whoops nearly used TLC there, but people might not know what it means

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jun 2024 ==

Shame to see the Wrights will be leaving The Villager routes, I always quite liked them, I'll have to have one last ride I guess.

Suppose they are getting on a bit now.

Yes, the first 25 of the Wright bodied Volvos were delivered in 2008 (08 plated) and re-registered as 58 plates entering service post August. For the most part, a very reliable bus.

 

[Davidsb3]

Yes, the Volvo single deckers will be missed. They look like they need a little refurb/repaint. Whoops nearly used TLC there, but people might not know what it means

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jun 2024 ==


Yes, the first 25 of the Wright bodied Volvos were delivered in 2008 (08 plated) and re-registered as 58 plates entering service post August. For the most part, a very reliable bus.

In my opinion the Comet-branded Volvos are the ones are in desperate need of a refurb. I do believe they are not due to be replaced at present, which I'm not complaining about at all

 

[Hyebone]

In my opinion the Comet volvos are the ones are in desperate need of a refurb as i do believe they are not due to be replaced at present. Which im not complaining about at all

I’m a regular Comet passenger being a resident of Chesterfield, how often does the aircon work on the Volvos? Relatively recently I had a nice cool trip down to Alfreton in the sunny weather, something I hadn’t experienced on those particular vehicles.

 

[Davidsb3]

I’m a regular Comet passenger being a resident of Chesterfield, how often does the aircon work on the Volvos? Relatively recently I had a nice cool trip down to Alfreton in the sunny weather, something I hadn’t experienced on those particular vehicles.

Hit and miss it seems but at the moment all 3 seem to be working for how long that will last i have no idea

 

[Russel]

In my opinion the Comet-branded Volvos are the ones are in desperate need of a refurb. I do believe they are not due to be replaced at present, which I'm not complaining about at all

I thought the same when I used the Comet last year, they were looking tired inside and out.

That said, I've noticed all black buses tend to look tired and scruffy fairly quickly, same goes for black cars too.

 

[Trainman40083]

In my opinion the Comet-branded Volvos are the ones are in desperate need of a refurb. I do believe they are not due to be replaced at present, which I'm not complaining about at all

I was fascinated to note that Comet branded Volvo 748 had its latest MOT test at Arriva Midlands and that bus had clocked up over 1 million miles . No wonder it is "tired". But do you really want Enviro 200MMCs on it? But as you drive them, did they ever fix those roof panels near the front, that looked like they were going to fall off and hit someone?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

Hit and miss it seems but at the moment all 3 seem to be working for how long that will last i have no idea

Maybe it depends upon how many times someone opens the windows. Aircon doesn't work too well with windows open....

 

[Hyebone]

did they ever fix those roof panels near the front, that looked like they were going to fall off and hit someone?

I've wondered that too! Especially down the rough section of Baden-Powell road coming out of Chesterfield. Giving me ADL rattle vibes...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

The Mickleover is currently running 5/6 branded vehicles! When is 102 due to re-enter service?

 

[adrianjohnson]

Do we know what fleet numbers the new Enviros will be? In terms of spec, don't they follow on from the 100 series, though they're run out of numbers as the Indigos start in 200 and have different engines? Will they follow on in the 200s or start at 300?

 

[Hyebone]

Do we know what fleet numbers the new Enviros will be? In terms of spec, don't they follow on from the 100 series, though they're run out of numbers as the Indigos start in 200 and have different engines? Will they follow on in the 200s or start at 300?

My prediction is that the 4 Cylinder ADLs (Indigo, Nines, Allestree and the unibus pair) will be renumbered to 30x+, 35x+ and 371/372 respectively. (I have nothing to base this on, it's just the one that makes the most sense to me)

 

[cnjb8]

My prediction is that the 4 Cylinder ADLs (Indigo, Nines and Allestree) will be renumbered to 30x+ and 35x+ respectively. (I have nothing to base this on, it's just the one that makes the most sense to me)

These have already been renumbered though, I think it's more likely the new buses will use 3xx

 

[Trainman40083]

I've wondered that too! Especially down the rough section of Baden-Powell road coming out of Chesterfield. Giving me ADL rattle vibes...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

The Mickleover is currently running 5/6 branded vehicles! When is 102 due to re-enter service?

Maybe when they find a pink emergency door to put back. Maybe it rattled off. It went to Cummins without it, it came back without it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

These have already been renumbered though, I think it's more likely the new buses will use 3xx

Oh I think so too. 301 upwards.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

My prediction is that the 4 Cylinder ADLs (Indigo, Nines and Allestree) will be renumbered to 30x+ and 35x+ respectively. (I have nothing to base this on, it's just the one that makes the most sense to me)

Now I would say that would incur cost by doing so, changing all the fleet numbers over, at a time when they are less than reliable. By the way, you missed the Unibus pair, 270 and 271 in your 4 cylinder list

 

[Hyebone]

By the way, you missed the Unibus pair, 270 and 271 in your 4 cylinder list

I always do! What is the consensus with the 4 cylinder ADLs? I'm assuming they aren't going to bother with any 11.8m ADLs, perhaps when(if) the Rushcliffe Villager and Harlequin routes get upgraded? (Saying this, they'll probably be looking at EVs by the time they need upgrading!)

Which reminds me; what is happening regarding the unfortunate departure of vehicle 207? Is there any information floating about regarding 216 or 217 being redone or is that a myth?

 

[Trainman40083]

I always do! What is the consensus with the 4 cylinder ADLs? I'm assuming they aren't going to bother with any 11.8m ADLs, perhaps when(if) the Rushcliffe Villager and Harlequin routes get upgraded? (Saying this, they'll probably be looking at EVs by the time they need upgrading!)

Which reminds me; what is happening regarding the unfortunate departure of vehicle 207? Is there any information floating about regarding 216 or 217 being redone or is that a myth?

Maybe all the Solos will be replaced by ex Threes (route) Optare Versas, by 2026.

 

[joieman]

Which reminds me; what is happening regarding the unfortunate departure of vehicle 207? Is there any information floating about regarding 216 or 217 being redone or is that a myth?

207 wound up in Looms scrapyard:
(not my photo)

Trent Barton 207 & 654, Albert Looms, Derby, 2024

Trent Barton 207 & 654 were two of four buses awaiting breaking in this yard on Saturday 04th May 2024. The 2018 registered 207 was prematurely withdrawn after it suffered an engine compartment fire in September 2023. The bus in front of 654 is 673. I don't know the identity of the yellow...

www.flickr.com

 

[bringiton]

Is there any information floating about regarding 216 or 217 being redone or is that a myth?

Might get redone when they get some of the new mmc's since there will be more spares to cover while its being sorted

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[joieman]

These have already been renumbered though, I think it's more likely the new buses will use 3xx

I never knew 251-75 were renumbered! That's not to say it can't happen again, as Kinchbus's Citaros are on their third numbers.

 

[Trainman40083]

I never knew 251-75 were renumbered! That's not to say it can't happen again, as Kinchbus's Citaros are on their third numbers.

Fleet numbers 251 to 269 were new as 151 to 169. 270/271 always been so. In addition, 270 and 271 were registered from 22 plated to 72 plated before delivery, as they were ready in June, but not wanted until September.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jun 2024 ==

I never knew 251-75 were renumbered! That's not to say it can't happen again, as Kinchbus's Citaros are on their third numbers.

I'll also add that two of the former Skylink Plaxton Centros have also carried three fleet numbers. Originally delivered as 505 and 506, they became 506 and 505, before ending up with Notts and Derby and numbered in the 760 series.

 

[joieman]

Originally delivered as 505 and 506, they became 506 and 505

Oh, now that is even more confusing than I thought!
The final renumber into the 7xx series seems to have occurred around 2011, when the Centros were still with Kinchbus in the pre-2012 Skylink livery.

 

[Trainman40083]

Oh, now that is even more confusing than I thought!
The final renumber into the 7xx series seems to have occurred around 2011, when the Centros were still with Kinchbus in the pre-2012 Skylink livery.

Yes, true. They were still with Kinchbus when renumbered. If you notice, the registrations are YN08 CWY, then YN08 CWX. At one point, someone kept trying to change Bustimes to show CWZ instead of CWX.

 

[tram21]

This is an absolute disgrace- to put it lightly.

Who at trentbarton doesn't know the routes well, when it's their job to know them? Well, most of them apparently.

The Villager goes Derby- Burton, The Rushcliffe Villager goes Nottingham- Bingham.

Its been shown multiple times that the customer service team have no idea about the things they are trying to post about!

 

[bringiton]

This is an absolute disgrace- to put it lightly.

Who at trentbarton doesn't know the routes well, when it's their job to know them? Well, most of them apparently.

The Villager goes Derby- Burton, The Rushcliffe Villager goes Nottingham- Bingham.

Its been shown multiple times that the customer service team have no idea about the things they are trying to post about!

Yeah sometimes they don't know what they are on about. However the two routes can get confusing, i still sometimes get confused. Not so much about them two anymore, however a quick look on the trentbarton website, bustimes or even a route sheet which I am fairly sure they have, i know the customer service's at derby bus station do, then they could easily find it. Also they could just of clicked on the wrong thing when creating the alert.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah sometimes they don't know what they are on about. However the two routes can get confusing, i still sometimes get confused. Not so much about them two anymore, however a quick look on the trentbarton website, bustimes or even a route sheet which I am fairly sure they have, i know the customer service's at derby bus station do, then they could easily find it. Also they could just of clicked on the wrong thing when creating the alert.

Maybe it is a sign of staff on minimum wage

This is an absolute disgrace- to put it lightly.

Who at trentbarton doesn't know the routes well, when it's their job to know them? Well, most of them apparently.

The Villager goes Derby- Burton, The Rushcliffe Villager goes Nottingham- Bingham.

Its been shown multiple times that the customer service team have no idea about the things they are trying to post about!

Maybe staff on minimum wage, disengaged, frequent staff changes, fed up of complaints leading to such being rushed. No sign of proof reading or even a sense check . Bet James didn't do it

 

[tram21]

Bet James didn't do it

Of course, he's great!

 

[joieman]

This is an absolute disgrace- to put it lightly.

Who at trentbarton doesn't know the routes well, when it's their job to know them? Well, most of them apparently.

The Villager goes Derby- Burton, The Rushcliffe Villager goes Nottingham- Bingham.

Its been shown multiple times that the customer service team have no idea about the things they are trying to post about!

I think the names are rather similar, just that one has "Rushcliffe" added to the front. Maybe they'll want to rename the latter in the near future.
To be fair, the buses that go out of Nottingham towards Bingham have gone through a fair few names already, such as the Radcliffe Line (not to be confused with the name of the border between India and Pakistan), xprss and the Rushcliffe Greens.

 

[Simon75]

The Swift (Derby to Uttoxeter) buses are starting to look tired. Also, it's a route that often needs double deckers (between Derby and Ashbourne) as it gets busy, or additional buses between Ashbourne and Derby.

 

[Russel]

The Swift (Derby to Uttoxeter) buses are starting to look tired. Also, it's a route that often needs double deckers (between Derby and Ashbourne) as it gets busy, or additional buses between Ashbourne and Derby.

Are Trent Barton still anti double decker?

 

[m79900]

Are Trent Barton still anti double decker?

Where did this 'anti decker' policy even come from anyway? What's their justification for it?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Where did this 'anti decker' policy even come from anyway? What's their justification for it?

That deckers are more expensive to buy, to operate, more prone to vandalism, have longer dwell times at stops and that passenger growth should be accommodated by better service frequencies. That has been their reasoning.

 

[43055]

The Swift (Derby to Uttoxeter) buses are starting to look tired. Also, it's a route that often needs double deckers (between Derby and Ashbourne) as it gets busy, or additional buses between Ashbourne and Derby.

They did try a few years back. Originally run by Notts and Derby off the JCB academy school runs but then changed to a branded Volvo running extras between Ashbourne and Derby on weekdays.