Bus Manufacturer News & Discussion

[Bornin1980s]

Red would be better than blue.

 

[MCR247]

Personally I despise that - NCT have it on their new EV's and it's annoying as hell and ensures you end a trip wide awake (and triggering my Garmin warning of high stress - which is triggered by an increase in Heartrate) instead of ready for bed - when they are on permeant full brightness it ends up being less irritating. Makes taking the taxi home in the late evening more appealing TBH.

I find it worse on the Enviro 200 MMCs and the Enviro 400 CBGs as its a more sudden change

 

[WibbleWobble]

I've never known people stand less than a foot away, staring at saloon lights on a bus for lengthy periods of time... I think ambient back lighting is abit different to looking at a phone or computer screen.

You don't have to. Just being in its presence is enough - I should know, it happened to me (thankfully the operator removed the offending plastic film). As Bornin1980s has said, red (or pink) is much better.

 

[Leyland Bus]

You don't have to. Just being in its presence is enough - I should know, it happened to me (thankfully the operator removed the offending plastic film). As Bornin1980s has said, red (or pink) is much better.

Surely this is known to the manufacturers, operators, governing bodies etc? Or is it a case of shrugged shoulders and not bothered as usual??

 

[Mikey C]

Personally I despise that - NCT have it on their new EV's and it's annoying as hell and ensures you end a trip wide awake (and triggering my Garmin warning of high stress - which is triggered by an increase in Heartrate) instead of ready for bed - when they are on permeant full brightness it ends up being less irritating. Makes taking the taxi home in the late evening more appealing TBH.

Surely most people want to end their journey wide awake? Unless you literally live next to a bus stop, most people will face a walk at the end of the journey.

 

[citybus2500]

Mr Bamford launched a "new company" today, at Mrs Bamfords organic farm.

Repowering Buses & Trucks from Diesel to Electric | NewPower

NewPower by Wrightbus offers electric conversions for diesel buses & trucks. Repowering buses & trucks with zero-emission technology for a sustainable future.

rightech.eco

Discover Rightech – Rightech

rightech.eco

The initial buses are King Longs. It looks like they will built in China and shipped to the UK for "finishing". Maybe at the Wrights repower unit at Bicester.

 

[PG]

Bamford teaming up with a dodgy company that has a history of financial irregularities? Who'd have thought it...

Hasn't even got his  mates in No.10 any longer either...

 

[37114]

Mr Bamford launched a "new company" today, at Mrs Bamfords organic farm.

Repowering Buses & Trucks from Diesel to Electric | NewPower

NewPower by Wrightbus offers electric conversions for diesel buses & trucks. Repowering buses & trucks with zero-emission technology for a sustainable future.

rightech.eco

Discover Rightech – Rightech

rightech.eco

The initial buses are King Longs. It looks like they will built in China and shipped to the UK for "finishing". Maybe at the Wrights repower unit at Bicester.

7.5tonne truck launched as well which is strange for 2 reasons:
- Very different product and customers to their existing business launched into a busy market
- 7.5t trucks are a shrinking segment due to the low carry capacity as the unladen weight of the trucks has got higher and there are less and less drivers who are old enough to have the entitlement to drive them without taking a class 2 driving test.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2025 ==

Mr Bamford launched a "new company" today, at Mrs Bamfords organic farm.

Repowering Buses & Trucks from Diesel to Electric | NewPower

NewPower by Wrightbus offers electric conversions for diesel buses & trucks. Repowering buses & trucks with zero-emission technology for a sustainable future.

rightech.eco

Discover Rightech – Rightech

rightech.eco

The initial buses are King Longs. It looks like they will built in China and shipped to the UK for "finishing". Maybe at the Wrights repower unit at Bicester.

7.5tonne truck launched as well which is strange for 2 reasons:
- Very different product and customers to their existing business launched into a busy market
- 7.5t trucks are a shrinking segment due to the low carry capacity as the unladen weight of the trucks has got higher and there are less and less drivers who are old enough to have the entitlement to drive them without taking a class 2 driving test.

 

[Delenn]

Red would be better than blue.

Red is an awful choice. Makes your average person feel more aggressive. Better to choose blue. Better still to just dim the white light.

 

[Class450/4DES]

Bamford teaming up with a dodgy company that has a history of financial irregularities? Who'd have thought it...

Their lorry looks like a fake Isuzu lorry. I am not good with lorries but I can tell its a copycat vehicle. I think its a JAC model which is known for its off brand Scania lorries.

 

[Bornin1980s]

I thought Wrightbus was going all out on its own, unless the chassis makers refuse to work with it? Why is it now working on imports again?

 

[GusB]

I thought Wrightbus was going all out on its own, unless the chassis makers refuse to work with it? Why is it now working on imports again?

I'm guessing that Wrightbus has identified a gap in the market that it cannot instantly fill with its own products. Mellor had quite a few orders for its Sigma range, but that all fell flat when its parent company went belly-up; maybe that gap stilll needs to be filled.

 

[citybus2500]

I'm guessing that Wrightbus has identified a gap in the market that it cannot instantly fill with its own products. Mellor had quite a few orders for its Sigma range, but that all fell flat when its parent company went belly-up; maybe that gap stilll needs to be filled.

and they have allegedly received their first order. A batch of RB6 by a local authority for a DRT operation.

 

[joieman]

and they have allegedly received their first order. A batch of RB6 by a local authority for a DRT operation.

That was fast!

 

[Edvid]

^ Certainly quicker than trade/local press were in publicising GTe14 demo YD24EUB having a stint on the Greenline 757. When they did it was a week after the trial finished.

Arriva is to trial a Yutong GTe14 battery-electric tri-axle coach on the Greenline 757 service between Central London and Luton Airport. It forms part of an exploration of the opportunities and practical considerations around deploying such vehicles.

Quicker off the mark with regard to today's announcement of the second-gen StreetDeck Hydroliner, though.

Second-generation Wrightbus StreetDeck Hydroliner is detailed​

routeone Team
Published February 20, 2025

Wrightbus has detailed a second-generation model of its StreetDeck Hydroliner hydrogen fuel cell-electric double-decker that will bring a “significant saving” on purchase price when compared to the existing variant.

The second-generation model will also deliver greater fuel efficiency and thus a longer range and easier servicing and maintenance. A 5% uplift in passenger capacity is also promised.

It is the fruit of a four-year project that was part-funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) UK. A consortium of partners including Wrightbus, Grayson Thermal Systems, Queen’s University Belfast, HYGEN and Northern Ireland transport operator Translink have worked together with an aim to produce the new vehicle at scale.

Wrightbus says that the second-generation StreetDeck Hydroliner will act as a like-for-like replacement for a diesel bus with a range of over 300 miles and an eight-minute fuelling time.

Included is a new fuel cell from Ballard and what is described as “a highly efficient electric traction system.” Wrightbus adds that accessibility and safety features are enhanced, including a redesigned front to protect vulnerable road users.

Speaking about the model, Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales says: “We are delighted to unveil our next-generation hydrogen bus, which really showcases the breadth of knowledge and innovation we have here in Northern Ireland at Wrightbus and in our UK supply chain partners.

“Our development team has ensured that this flagship bus is more efficient, travels further, costs less and is easier to service and maintain, and we are grateful to APC and the Department for Business and Trade for their assistance with funding half of this project.

“Alongside our market-leading [battery-electric] bus, 95% of all buses produced by Wrightbus at our Ballymena factory are now zero-emission – a marked change on 2019, when 95% of all orders were for diesels.”
APC Stakeholder Engagement Director Philippa Oldham adds that the second-generation StreetDeck Hydroliner represents “the opportunity to commercialise this technology.”

She continues: “Buses around the globe have to operate within a variety of constraints, whether it be related to topography or loading demands. This means that there needs to be a variety of options for this sector and the success from this project shows that hydrogen fuel cell technology is a great solution.”

A second-generation StreetDeck Hydroliner from Wrightbus follows a similar evolution of the diesel StreetDeck Ultroliner. It was revealed in late 2024 and includes the addition of Cummins power to the Ultroliner for the first time.

 

[Haribolover06]

^ Certainly quicker than trade/local press were in publicising GTe14 demo YD24EUB having a stint on the Greenline 757. When they did it was a week after the trial finished.



Quicker off the mark with regard to today's announcement of the second-gen StreetDeck Hydroliner, though.

Hopefully it is more successful than the current iteration of the H2 Streetdeck, with all 25 buses long term out of use due refueling issues in Aberdeen, and the cost of hydrogen being much more than diesel compared to electric. Makes more sense for EV's with rapid charging at mid-points or termini to top up charge for longer distance routes.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Hopefully it is more successful than the current iteration of the H2 Streetdeck, with all 25 buses long term out of use due refueling issues in Aberdeen, and the cost of hydrogen being much more than diesel compared to electric. Makes more sense for EV's with rapid charging at mid-points or termini to top up charge for longer distance routes.

That's not the fault of Wrightbus though.

 

[borage]

Wrightbus has announced a new diesel coach, the Contour:

Introducing the Wright Contour Diesel Coach, where luxury, innovation, and performance come together. Since 1946, Wright has been at the forefront of transportation innovation, shaping the future with its unwavering commitment to excellence. Today, as UK’s No.1 zero-emission bus manufacturer and one of Europe’s fastest growing brands, Wright is making a bold return to the luxury coach market with the all-new Contour Diesel Coach (available in UK and Europe). In the 1980s, Wright revolutionised the luxury coach industry with its innovative, high-end Contour models, setting new standards in design and comfort. On 5th March 2025, Wright makes a bold return to the coach market with the all-new Contour Diesel Coach, redefining performance, style, and efficiency, offering spacious interiors, advanced safety features, and a high-performance Cummins X11 Euro 6 engine delivering 400hp. With competitive pricing, reduced lead times, and full service support to ‘complete Vehicle OEM and operator support’ from Wright’s All Service One Network, the Contour is built to exceed expectations. Plus, with a 2-year or 200,000km warranty backed fully by Wright, it ensures reliability and peace of mind.

Experience the Wright Contour Difference | WrightBus

A new era of luxury, comfort and performance - The return of an icon!Introducing the Wright Contour Diesel Coach, where luxury, innovation, and performance come together. Since 1946, Wright has been at the forefront of transportation innovation, shaping the future with its unwavering commitment...

wrightbus.com

 

[cnjb8]

Wrightbus has announced a new diesel coach, the Contour:

Experience the Wright Contour Difference | WrightBus

A new era of luxury, comfort and performance - The return of an icon!Introducing the Wright Contour Diesel Coach, where luxury, innovation, and performance come together. Since 1946, Wright has been at the forefront of transportation innovation, shaping the future with its unwavering commitment...

wrightbus.com

Isn't that a King Long coach just with Wright badges?

 

[m79900]

Where is it built?

 

[MCR247]

Where is it built?

China I’d imagine

 

[Edvid]

ADL have added the E100EV to their stock programme.

Alexander Dennis confirms stock availability for 2025 - Bus & Coach Buyer

Alexander Dennis says it will again have a comprehensive range of stock-built buses throughout 2025. The Alexander Dennis stock programme now includes the electric Enviro100EV ‘big small bus’ as well as the Enviro200 single-decker and the Enviro400 double-decker. The manufacturer’s stock...

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Enviro100EV​

Alexander Dennis will also offer zero-emission stock for the first time with a number of Enviro100EV available in 2025. Its electric ‘big small bus’ has passenger capacity including 25 seats and up to 20 standees. Provision is made for accessible information. 354kWh batteries and the Voith Electrical Drive System give the Enviro100EV range on a single charge.

Stock Enviro200, Enviro400 and Enviro100EV will be built throughout the year with some vehicles available immediately and further to be completed throughout the coming months.

 

[Stan Drews]

Wrightbus has announced a new diesel coach, the Contour:

Experience the Wright Contour Difference | WrightBus

A new era of luxury, comfort and performance - The return of an icon!Introducing the Wright Contour Diesel Coach, where luxury, innovation, and performance come together. Since 1946, Wright has been at the forefront of transportation innovation, shaping the future with its unwavering commitment...

wrightbus.com

It would appear that I missed the Wright revolution in the luxury coach market back in the 80s!

 

[m79900]

Is there any reason why the GB Hawk has been so unsuccessful? I think the only ones to be built so far are for Ulsterbus. It seems a shame to me.

 

[PG]

It would appear that I missed the Wright revolution in the luxury coach market back in the 80s!

I think the whole industry missed it; and the publicity writers think their target audience weren't yet born!!

 

[MCR247]

Is there any reason why the GB Hawk has been so unsuccessful? I think the only ones to be built so far are for Ulsterbus. It seems a shame to me.

I’d guess it’s because the single decker market is quite different to the double decker one, and Wrightbus was a ‘victim’ of a somewhat rapid change in trends which led them to focus on double deckers.
It seems to me like SD wise, Wrightbus were at their peak in the Scania L94/Solar and Volvo B7RLE/Eclipse Urban era when operators were still buying heavyweights and even adding things like aircon.
Around that same time, ADL and Optare stretched their E200s and Versas to compete (one more successfully than the other) and fuel prices were also suddenly more of a concern. Wrightbus did have the Streetlite of course, but it never really had rave reviews in my opinion.
The B8RLE Eclipse as therefore less popular, and also seemed to suffer with more reliability issues than the previous generation from what I hear.
They also seemed to focus on their double deck range, which got an extra short lived facelift I believe when the Streetdeck was first introduced. They they scrapped this and ‘stealthed’ everything

 

[ClydeCoaster]

Route One has more detail on it, confirming it is a King Long, built in China with only pre-delivery checks carried out by Wright. Intriguingly though it also gives more detail on the hydrogen integral set to debut next year, which initially is going to be offered as an overdecker with 69 seated upstairs and up to 15 and 2 wheelchairs downstairs...

Wrightbus back to coach with Contour diesel and hydrogen future - routeone

Wrightbus has returned to coach with the Contour, a new diesel-powered two-axle model built in partnership with King Long.

www.route-one.net

Wrightbus back to coach with Contour diesel and hydrogen future​

Wrightbus has announced details of its return to the coach sector with the launch of the Contour, a new diesel-powered two-axle model built in partnership with Chinese OEM King Long.
Alongside the Contour, the company has spoken in more detail of its plans to introduce a tri-axle integral hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach, due for debut in 2026.

Contour name returns on Wrightbus diesel coach product​

Reviving the Contour name from the 1980s, Wrightbus has developed a 12.2m coach with 55 seats plus toilet. It is powered by the Cummins X11 Euro VI engine producing 400bhp, driven through a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox.
PSVAR compliant or PSVAR ready variants will be available to meet accessibility regulations, while left- and right-hand drive variants will be available. Luggage space is nine cubic metres, reducing to seven cubic metres with a passenger lift fitted.
With manufacturing handled by King Long in China, Wrightbus will conduct pre-delivery inspections before vehicles reach customers. The Contour’s “competitive price” and lead time of six months promises an edge over some current industry norms, the business says.
Aftersales backup will be provided through AllServiceOne, Wrightbus’s fleet support business, which boasts a UK and Ireland-wide network of over 70 mobile technicians. A two-year/200,000-mile warranty and a 12-year structural warranty are standard.

Hydrogen coach in development for 2026​

While revealing the Contour diesel, Wrightbus has also spoken publicly for the first time of its plans for a hydrogen fuel cell-electric Hydroliner coach.
That vehicle will be its first fully integral coach model, developed entirely in-house. The initial variant will be a 15m overdecker capable of accommodating 69 passengers on the upper deck and up to 15 passengers and two wheelchair users on the lower deck, with 10 cubic metres of luggage space. Wrightbus has not confirmed yet whether it will carry the Contour name, nor where the body will be built.
With a claimed range of up to 1,000 miles, the Hydroliner is intended to help to address the limited number of current zero-emission coach models for the long-distance scheduled market.
A single-deck version is being considered for later, while the coach’s modular construction will make it suited to a number of different drivetrain options, depending on demand.

Coach renaissance comes at ‘the right time’ for Wrightbus​

Wrightbus plans to showcase the Contour across the UK and Ireland with a demonstration tour beginning in the coming months. The first Hydroliner coach is expected to be built this year ahead of its 2026 debut.
Speaking of the company’s return to coach manufacturing, Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales had repeated previous comments that the move is a long-term plan to help address a paucity of vehicle supply. “When we heard there was no coach manufacturing in the UK, we said ‘that can’t be the case’,” he explains.
“We need to bring coaches back. We brought Dave Porter into our company, and this is not a one-off programme; this is a three- or four-year, long-term strategy to become a main player for the future.”
Commenting specifically on the decision to develop a hydrogen coach product, the Wrightbus chief adds: “This is our core DNA. We are a vehicle manufacturer. This is our 80th year, and our biggest unique selling point for the last five-10 years.
“We really believe we can put a world-class zero-emission powertrain into this coach at a time when the coach industry is struggling to decarbonise. We feel the timing of this couldn’t be better and we’re looking forward to launching this product properly in 2026.”
A full report will be available in the March issue of routeone, published on Wednesday 12 March.

 

[Mikey C]

"With manufacturing handled by King Long in China"

So is there anything Wrights about this other than the badge?

 

[PG]

"With manufacturing handled by King Long in China"

So is there anything Wrights about this other than the badge?

Basically the presser could have said:

King Long are pleased to announce the new xyz coach for 2025. Blah, blah..., aftersales support will be provided through the extensive UK based Wrightbus network.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

Is there any reason why the GB Hawk has been so unsuccessful? I think the only ones to be built so far are for Ulsterbus. It seems a shame to me.

Essentially it was too late into the market and doesn't really have a clear niche, it appears to be heavier and more expensive than a Streetlite but doesn't seem to offer the capacity advantages of a true heavyweight. It appears to have effectively been designed to meet a need from Translink. I also think it got caught by the financial issues at Wrights around the time of launch meant it never really got pushed into the general market.

I’d guess it’s because the single decker market is quite different to the double decker one, and Wrightbus was a ‘victim’ of a somewhat rapid change in trends which led them to focus on double deckers.
It seems to me like SD wise, Wrightbus were at their peak in the Scania L94/Solar and Volvo B7RLE/Eclipse Urban era when operators were still buying heavyweights and even adding things like aircon.
Around that same time, ADL and Optare stretched their E200s and Versas to compete (one more successfully than the other) and fuel prices were also suddenly more of a concern. Wrightbus did have the Streetlite of course, but it never really had rave reviews in my opinion.
The B8RLE Eclipse as therefore less popular, and also seemed to suffer with more reliability issues than the previous generation from what I hear.
They also seemed to focus on their double deck range, which got an extra short lived facelift I believe when the Streetdeck was first introduced. They they scrapped this and ‘stealthed’ everything

Wrightbus have never had rave reviews for any of their diesel models, not even the Streetdeck, they have done OK from various groups at times but never been able to get the smaller operators as long term customers.
The B8RLE is proving really popular and very reliable, ours are rarely off the road, but only since the launch of the MCV EvoRa body option though that has been helped by a number of factors since 2020:
1. Optare giving up on diesel models
2. Financial issues at Wright and poor reputation of the Streetlite (the number for sale in the classifieds that never seem to move shows some of the issues)
3. Cost pressures at ADL meant the heavyweight Volvo was actually cheaper than a similarly sized E200MMC, at least for a while though that gap seems to be closing.
4. Delivery delays at ADL (never clear if due to difficulty with components or just high order volume) meant for a period as they suddenly took off a couple of years ago Volvo were quoting delivery dates in half the time of ADL. Demand for the Volvos mean that is no longer an advantage to Volvo, waiting times are pretty similar now.
5. Lack of effort by other European manufacturers. Whilst Scania & Mercedes still offered diesel models in the UK neither has really been able to get established (particularly Scania as the main competitor who had a couple of years with no model to offer before the launch of the Fencer and never really managed to recover from the ending of their relationship with Wrights).

Why Volvo & Wright fell out leading to the Eclipse disappearing has never been publicly explained, I have seen suggestion on here for why and if even slightly true would also explain why the Eclipse B8RLE's didn't sell as well as earlier B7RLE's which would have allowed others to establish their relationships which is then difficult to rebuild. The decline in the mainstream heavyweight market (Scania & Volvo) before the post 2020 renaissance did somewhat coincide with the launch of the Streetlite but also, and not obviously related to, the withdrawal of VDL from the UK bus market.