Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

[Lx008]

I’ve heard Summer now. The new Airlink stock should hopefully be around then too - and they are diesels.

Ooh interesting, so the electric wrights doubles are more than likely for city service, will be interesting to see if they are 2 or 3 axles.

I don’t think there would be much of a downside to have some 3-axle electrics and there’s plenty a service that could use them considering pretty much every 2 axle electric is a capacity downgrade compared to the 09,10,11 plate B9TL’s they are likely to replace

 

[computerSaysNo]

I’ve heard Summer now. The new Airlink stock should hopefully be around then too - and they are diesels.

Hopefully early summer then before the festival starts. From the comments on here it sounds like the Airlink wouldn't really cope with the airport being any busier than it is just now, and Lothian won't really be able to increase the timetable either without taking buses off City routes.

 

[Lothianbus703]

Hopefully early summer then before the festival starts. From the comments on here it sounds like the Airlink wouldn't really cope with the airport being any busier than it is just now, and Lothian won't really be able to increase the timetable either without taking buses off City routes.

Reserve has enough buses for any problem up to that size.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Reserve has enough buses for any problem up to that size.

i thought there wasnt any slack in the fleet and that the we’d need to pull withdrawn buses back out into service if we were short

 

[SilentWatcher]

1139's continued absence doesn't help matters

 

[stevenedin]

i thought there wasnt any slack in the fleet and that the we’d need to pull withdrawn buses back out into service if we were short

I think that they were meaning that

 

[Mrwerdna1]

I’ve heard Summer now. The new Airlink stock should hopefully be around then too - and they are diesels.

What type? Will the XLBs still be cascaded onto the city network or sold? Interesting, once again, that Lothian opted for 20 Wright Electroliners and 40 ADL/Volvo EVs for their city network. If the Electroliners (or possibly ADL/BZLs) aren't tri-axle, I'm not quite sure I see the reasoning behind splitting the order.

 

[NorthEastern]

former plates LB13 BUS, HY13 BUS probably want to keep the plates they paid extra for.

Fair

 

[buslad1988]

What type? Will the XLBs still be cascaded onto the city network or sold? Interesting, once again, that Lothian opted for 20 Wright Electroliners and 40 ADL/Volvo EVs for their city network. If the Electroliners (or possibly ADL/BZLs) aren't tri-axle, I'm not quite sure I see the reasoning behind splitting the order.

Sorry, unable to say anymore for now (type etc) but they’ll be worth the wait. The XLB’s will be refurbished and cascaded onto city work, there’s plenty of life left in them yet despite being punished on 100’s.

In terms of electrics, the current BZL’s don’t have the capacity required for many city routes. You also need to factor in some versions of electric vehicles are more gutsy than others (for hills etc) and Lothian did trial a wide range of types. There’s no harm trying something else!

 

[Mrwerdna1]

(...) The XLB’s will be refurbished and cascaded onto city work, there’s plenty of life left in them yet despite being punished on 100’s.

That is excellent news. A significant capacity upgrade, no doubt.

In terms of electrics, the current BZL’s don’t have the capacity required for many city routes. You also need to factor in some versions of electric vehicles are more gutsy than others (for hills etc) and Lothian did trial a wide range of types. There’s no harm trying something else!

True, I suppose. Do I detect by implication then that we may see some tri-axle EVs after all? Actually, I'm sorry, I've pestered you enough for one day, I think. Please forget what I just wrote.

In any case, many thanks for your response, much appreciated!

 

[Lx008]

I suppose there will have to be a few more large orders before the end of the year if they are to keep up on replacements.

Assuming that by the end of 27, the following fleets will be gone:
All 7900H
09 plate B9TL
10 plate B9TL
11 plate B9TL
Ex London B9TL

That’s a total of 41 singles and 126 deckers to be retired. Currently there are orders for 60 deckers, 9 singles and 13 tri-axles freed up from Airlink.

 

[stevenedin]

1, 2, 3, 4, 8 & 193 now removed from bus times so assuming they have all now been sold.

Fleet list – Lothian Buses – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

 

[AWCook]

572 has been involved in an RTC at Ratho. Bad gash in the side.

 

[150249]

1139's continued absence doesn't help matters

Seems to be back as of today

 

[Lx008]

Having taken 1126 for the first time today on the Airlink, I have to say they are probably actually a better fit for the Airlink service than 1128-1140.
The few extra seats in the top deck do actually make quite a difference when it’s really full and I find them almost more comfortable and less claustrophobic.

Sorry should have clarified, 1126,27 have the Airlink luggage racks but normal city bus seats

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Having taken 1126 for the first time today on the Airlink, I have to say they are probably actually a better fit for the Airlink service than 1128-1140.
The few extra seats in the top deck do actually make quite a difference when it’s really full and I find them almost more comfortable and less claustrophobic.

Sorry should have clarified, 1126,27 have the Airlink luggage racks but normal city bus seats

1126 & 1127 where originally Airlink buses but refitted with standard seats and now reverted back to Airlink work

 

[Lx008]

Seems to be back as of today

But now it’s 1134 that’s out of service.

On a separate note (and sorry if this has already been asked), are 1004-1020 withdrawn properly or just stored for summer peak?

 

[ScotRail158725]

But now it’s 1134 that’s out of service.

On a separate note (and sorry if this has already been asked), are 1004-1020 withdrawn properly or just stored for summer peak?

what summer peak? PVR doesnt go up during the summer

 

[SilentWatcher]

what summer peak? PVR doesnt go up during the summer

Events at Ingliston over the summer and other things like cruiselink push up the number of buses needed

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Events at Ingliston over the summer and other things like cruiselink push up the number of buses needed

It doesn’t change the allocations. It just means less spares. The stuff in reserve stays in reserve.

 

[alexf380]

191, 192 and 193 will shortly be returning to use at East coast buses. 193 is already sitting in Musselburgh depot this morning.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

191, 192 and 193 will shortly be returning to use at East coast buses. 193 is already sitting in Musselburgh depot this morning.

Any idea as to why? Unless they are planning to remove 942, 947 and 948 I can’t really see the point. Nothing needs painted either.

Theory being that displaces enough single decks for X5 to revert to single decks.

 

[alexf380]

Too many accidents. The bigger singles can't make it round the turning circle at Glenkinchie on the 123 without reversing, which upper management don't like, and there have been a lot of accidents particularly around Kingston and Drem so the smaller buses are definitely needed.

 

[Lothian285]

191, 192 and 193 will shortly be returning to use at East coast buses. 193 is already sitting in Musselburgh depot this morning.

I thought 193 had already been sold?

 

[Lothianbus703]

Any idea as to why? Unless they are planning to remove 942, 947 and 948 I can’t really see the point. Nothing needs painted either.

Theory being that displaces enough single decks for X5 to revert to single decks.

Why would they do that?

Too many accidents. The bigger singles can't make it round the turning circle at Glenkinchie on the 123 without reversing, which upper management don't like, and there have been a lot of accidents particularly around Kingston and Drem so the smaller buses are definitely needed.

Finally this has been noticed

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Why would they do that?

Because ECB does not need any extra vehicles. So if 191-193 are returning, some stuff will need to make way.

 

[Resuwen]

Will they be repainted into livery?

 

[computerSaysNo]

Because ECB does not need any extra vehicles. So if 191-193 are returning, some stuff will need to make way.

ECB I thought were short on single decks hence using deckers on the X5. If more single decks arrive then the X5 can go back to Eclipses and potentially some deckers get withdrawn.
I was also going to ask whether East Coast run any duplicates during the summer? I'm thinking mostly about the 124 and/or X5 during the Edinburgh and North Berwick festivals. If so then the excess deckers may be kept until then before being withdrawn.

 

[Lothianbus703]

Because ECB does not need any extra vehicles. So if 191-193 are returning, some stuff will need to make way.

Why would they replace deckers with midi mmc's?

 

[Graeme Duncan]

Regarding single deckers does anybody have a rough idea when the 9 buses allocated for service 36 are due.