citybus2500
Member
Not quite. First (SPS) have one and there is overseas, which have also been taken off the road.
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Brighton & Hove / Metrobus Discussion
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Stephen1001
Member
This explains why my wife and I passed a convoy of them on the M40 in Oxfordshire last weekend!
LOTS (www.lots.org.uk) states that all hydrogen buses were withdrawn from service, which I assume includes the double deckers. Is this correct? If so, don't Metroline also operate Wright's hydrogen buses, so are these also withdrawn?
aswilliamsuk
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jul 2016
- Messages
- 527
It's only the single-deck GB Kites that Wright have asked to be withdrawn while they check them all.
The double-decks are unaffected and are in service as usual.
Whilst that may be true, there are diesel vehicles operating some 420 / 460 journeys, and some of the hydrogen vehicles working the 100 / 400.
aswilliamsuk
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jul 2016
- Messages
- 527
There are 29 in total - 16 then a second batch of 13. No idea what spec.
Man of Kent
Member
- Joined
- 5 Jul 2018
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- 903
Ed Wills gave a presentation to the Bus Centre of Excellence last week, and said it hadn't been possible to progress this. That means the money has been lost to the scheme here, but where this has happened before, the ZEBRA funding has been recycled elsewhere.
That's a shame, was interested to see how they would cope with the a27!
Explains why the Geminis have been cascaded and refurbished.
Is there any indication on how long that the hydrogen single deckers will be withdrawn for. It has been over a month now. You would think that by now they would have completed all of the safety checks. It makes me wonder if a more serious issue was discovered with these buses.
You would have thought it would not take long to inspect each bus - presumably they knew the area where the 'fault' occured.
The time delay may be caused by designing, then testing, the modification, before going on to manufacture or source it.
As an aside, the Go-Ahead London Metrodecker EVs were off the road for over a year whilst awaiting modifications following a fire, so it may be some time before the Metrobus vehicles are back on the road
As I understand things, the problem is battery-related in some way. If this is the case, they may need to source new batteries. Having done so, will they fit where they are needed to go. After that, as stated, some amount of testing will be required.
The Metrobus website last Friday published an apology of sorts for the ongoing problems with services, but this was not so much a mea culpa as a reaction to an article on The Argus that day listing passenger complaints regarding delays and cancellations.
The Metrobus website last Friday published an apology of sorts for the ongoing problems with services, but this was not so much a mea culpa as a reaction to an article on The Argus that day listing passenger complaints regarding delays and cancellations.
brightonbususe
Member
Looks like a few more loan buses have been parachuted in to help (apologies if this is common knowledge):
I suppose the most interesting one of these is the East Yorkshire B5TL EvoSeti
Is it the first time a a vehicle of this type entered Crawley or brighton
Yes. Will be interesting to see if it's followed by more, as Go Ahead London have quite a few.
Are there B5TLs there or just Hybrid ones?
I see MB put out a service update the other day commenting on how they are struggling to get spares for the hire in fleet and hence there are more cancellations at the moment, if the app/timetable displays are kept up to date with these (they seemed good at it yesterday) hopefully it will make the situation a little more bearable!
burns20
Member
Thinking of coming down at the weekend to explore Metrobus country.
Which route would you say are of interest be it operationally or for scenery.
Idea is to start in Sutton on Saturday and finish in Brighton, then on Sunday head from Brighton to Selsdon
Which route would you say are of interest be it operationally or for scenery.
Idea is to start in Sutton on Saturday and finish in Brighton, then on Sunday head from Brighton to Selsdon
Mark L
Member
If you start from Epsom a trip on the 460 is worth thinking about - it climbs up to Epsom Downs which gives good views (assuming the cloud base isn’t at 500 feet!). It also should give you a trip on a Streetdeck hydroliner if such things light your candle! In my opinion it’s a better run than the one from Sutton on the 420. The 21 also follows an attractive route from Epsom to Crawley.
The 291 from Crawley to Tunbridge Wells passes through some attractive countryside (at least it does east of East Grinstead) and, who knows, if South East Water restores the supply you might even be able to get a drink in TW! The 32 (Sunday only) skirts along the edge of the North Downs that’s quite a pleasant run too.
izvor
Member
For scenery, the routes south of East Grinstead are nice - 270 over Ashdown Forest, 84 and 291 through the villages.
In the west, 21 over Box Hill and through Dorking. (22 also but does not run Sat/Sun).
To the east, 594/5 are scenic through The Chart and Tatsfield.
All the above are s/d except 291 which is usually double.
It looks like Brighton & Hove are taking over some Flixbus work from their Ringmer depot:
www.busandcoachbuyer.com
I wonder which routes this will be. Flixbus already run a Brighton to London Stratford to Cambridge route but it sounds like this will be new routes rather than that one. Maybe they are planning Brighton to London Victoria or Brighton to Gatwick Airport or Brighton to Heathrow Airport services. Or even a return to coastal services. It will be interesting to see what this is.
Spirit of Sussex latest to partner with FlixBus - Bus & Coach Buyer
FlixBus is announcing a new strategic partnership with Spirit of Sussex, with long-distance coach services set to launch in spring 2026. The Lewes-based operator is part of Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company. Two new FlixBus-spec Yutong vehicles will operate services, as part of the long-term...
www.busandcoachbuyer.com
I wonder which routes this will be. Flixbus already run a Brighton to London Stratford to Cambridge route but it sounds like this will be new routes rather than that one. Maybe they are planning Brighton to London Victoria or Brighton to Gatwick Airport or Brighton to Heathrow Airport services. Or even a return to coastal services. It will be interesting to see what this is.
burns20
Member
Thank you both for your suggestions.
My planned weekend;
SATURDAY
21 Epsom-Dorking
93 Dorking-Horsham
23 Horsham-Crawley
84 Crawley-East Grinstead
291 East Grinstead-Tunbridge Wells
29 Tunbridge Wells-Uckfield
54 Uckfield-Hailsham
28 Hailsham-Eastbourne
12 Eastbourne-Rottingdean
2 Rottingdean-Woodingdean
23 Woddingdean-University
24 University-Hollingbury Asda
5B Hollingbury Asda-Brighton
SUNDAY
273 Brighton-Crawley
100/400 Crawley-Redhill
32 Redhill-Guildford
715 Guildford-Kingston
85 Kingston-Putney Bridge
74 Putney Bridge-Marble Arch
2 Marble Arch-Marylebone
izvor
Member
Looks good and I hope it all works out well - good luck!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Looks like a couple of good routes there - hope you share on the pinned Trips Reports thread.
As it is, I've done a few of those in the last 2/3 years, with the 93 (lovely run down from Dorking), 23, 291 thought I did the 400 from Crawley to EG, whilst on another day I did the 12 to Eastbourne and returned via Hailsham and Uckfield on the 29/29A before getting off at the University and doing the 24 and 5B exactly as you're planning. The 24 is a funny little route through an estate plus some turning circle (Uni flats?). Hope you have a great time - lovely scenery.
burns20
Member
I did wonder if to replace the 84 with a run from Crawley to East Grinstead via Buxshalls on the 272 and 270 for better views from the Top Deck
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It's a trip I did in Jan 2023 - I seem to recall the run out through Crawley and Copthorne to EG on the 400 was quite wooded. Need a local to advise
Rest of your trips (that I've done) would benefit from a top deck seat, even the 5B!
Yes, it is fairly wooded, but I've only done it on the lower deck.It's a trip I did in Jan 2023 - I seem to recall the run out through Crawley and Copthorne to EG on the 400 was quite wooded. Need a local to advise
Rest of your trips (that I've done) would benefit from a top deck seat, even the 5B!
Shame the 13 is Sunday only(IIRC) As I would do that via Beachy Head instead of the 12. Otherwise you have a good plan in place!