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

[stevenedin]

Has 496 moved to Longstone or are the runs on the 25, 35 and 12 run by Marine?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Has 496 moved to Longstone or are the runs on the 25, 35 and 12 run by Marine?

It hasn’t no. That’s all Marine boards it’s been on.

 

[stevenedin]

It hasn’t no. That’s all Marine boards it’s been on.

Thanks

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

Hello. Does anyone know what is allocated for the Doors open day at marine depot tomorrow?

 

[jacoblikesbus]

9e Is the Kite what has went to Doors Open Day

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

9e Is the Kite what has went to Doors Open Day

Thanks

 

[jacoblikesbus]

No problem

 

[scosutsut]

Great day as ever, and appreciate the effort that goes into it.

 

[jacoblikesbus]

Yeah and fleet 51 is being repainted to Lothian with the evoras due this year and the XLBs due January

 

[danielhogg2005]

Yeah and fleet 51 is being repainted to Lothian with the evoras due this year and the XLBs due January

Is the new stock coming just to replace older stock, or will some be used for service increases next year?

 

[Bus9120UK]

Is the new stock coming just to replace older stock, or will some be used for service increases next year?

It looks on track to be majority fleet renewal. However there is always room, as has happened previously, to keep buses longer and sell them at a later time.
The eVoRa's are likely replacing most of the remaining 7900s. The order, as far as I am aware, consists of 15 new buses for East Coast Buses which will move 51-65 to city, and a further five new buses for Longstone. All of the 09 plates, 10 plates and ex-Londons are looking like they will be replaced by the XLBs. 1126-1140 will be moved to regular service and a number of B5TLs across East Coast (1051-1062) and Country (some of the 66 plates) will also move back to Lothian to make that work. There will be some room left over, so we could see some 11 plates going into reserve, or indeed service increases as you suggest.

 

[alexf380]

Yeah and fleet 51 is being repainted to Lothian with the evoras due this year and the XLBs due January

I do wonder if any interior work is being done at this time, or if that will come later once there's a bit more slack in the fleet.

It looks on track to be majority fleet renewal. However there is always room, as has happened previously, to keep buses longer and sell them at a later time.
The eVoRa's are likely replacing most of the remaining 7900s. The order, as far as I am aware, consists of 15 new buses for East Coast Buses which will move 51-65 to city, and a further five new buses for Longstone. All of the 09 plates, 10 plates and ex-Londons are looking like they will be replaced by the XLBs. 1126-1140 will be moved to regular service and a number of B5TLs across East Coast (1051-1062) and Country (some of the 66 plates) will also move back to Lothian to make that work. There will be some room left over, so we could see some 11 plates going into reserve, or indeed service increases as you suggest.

That would suggest there are currently no plans to replace the Enviro200 single decks at Dunbar, which would surprise me as they are rather problematic.

 

[Resuwen]

Once the ex Londons are gone, they should take the opportunity to reumber the XLBs into the 800s. The new ones can be 900s. There’s not actually a need for four digit numbers in the fleet.

 

[Bus9120UK]

I do wonder if any interior work is being done at this time, or if that will come later once there's a bit more slack in the fleet.

That would suggest there are currently no plans to replace the Enviro200 single decks at Dunbar, which would surprise me as they are rather problematic.

51 was on display at the tour, the majority of seats were removed. You would have thought they would swap them to the regular highback seating but that's not the case, they will be keeping the existing ones but with the regular Lothian fabric instead. I can only assume the fact they've taken out the seats means they will be repainting all the green panels maroon similar to the work completed on 497-510.

 

[jacoblikesbus]

Does anyone know when the new ECB evoras are due

 

[Bus9120UK]

Once the ex Londons are gone, they should take the opportunity to reumber the XLBs into the 800s. The new ones can be 900s. There’s not actually a need for four digit numbers in the fleet.

Ideally that and 1051-1062 would become 519-530. I doubt it'll happen though.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Sep 2026 ==

51 was on display at the tour, the majority of seats were removed. You would have thought they would swap them to the regular highback seating but that's not the case, they will be keeping the existing ones but with the regular Lothian fabric instead. I can only assume the fact they've taken out the seats means they will be repainting all the green panels maroon similar to the work completed on 497-510.

An image from Noah Nicholson on Flickr which shows one of the retrimmed seats: https://www.flickr.com/photos/146661030@N04/55551468347/in/photostream/

 

[slee]

A more random question, but does anyone know why buses 291-294 seem to always be on service 24 every time. And even specifically on those journeys that run on the 24 all day and don’t switch over to the 7 in the afternoon. Is there a specific reason they always send them on it?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

A more random question, but does anyone know why buses 291-294 seem to always be on service 24 every time. And even specifically on those journeys that run on the 24 all day and don’t switch over to the 7 in the afternoon. Is there a specific reason they always send them on it?

The ones in question must have an acceptable range for the BYD’s. Their range is slightly weaker than that of the BZL’s, so they tend to be allocated to specific ones.

Hardly any of Central’s electrics stay on one route all day now in order to balance out mileage.

 

[slee]

The ones in question must have an acceptable range for the BYD’s. Their range is slightly weaker than that of the BZL’s, so they tend to be allocated to specific ones.

Hardly any of Central’s electrics stay on one route all day now in order to balance out mileage.

Perhaps it just looks especially deliberate with those four

 

[Lothianbus703]

Perhaps it just looks especially deliberate with those four

They are specifically allocated to it.
Perhaps due to their battery capacity as its smaller than the bzl.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

They are specifically allocated to it.
Perhaps due to their capacity as its smaller than the bzl.

That’s not why they’re allocated that way though.

Those blocks they do have less mileage on them and finish earlier which is why they are usually put on them.

 

[DunsBus]

23 is being broken up for spares at Seafield.

 

[AilsaBus]

That’s not why they’re allocated that way though.

Those blocks they do have less mileage on them and finish earlier which is why they are usually put on them.

He probably meant capacity as in battery capacity, not seated capacity.

 

[Lothianbus703]

He probably meant capacity as in battery capacity, not seated capacity.

Yes I should of been more clear and stated this originally.

 

[jacoblikesbus]

936 has ended at Lothian country do we know if it’s gonna head to another Lothian company like Lothian or east coast or head to trainer or being sold

 

[H00V3R]

936 has ended at Lothian country do we know if it’s gonna head to another Lothian company like Lothian or east coast or head to trainer or being sold

I’d be surprised if they sell anything from what’s left of the 09/10 plates, they’re 16/17 years old. One can hope however.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I’d be surprised if they sell anything from what’s left of the 09/10 plates, they’re 16/17 years old. One can hope however.

They will, the age doesn’t really matter. If they can sell some of the obscure 7900s then they can sell deckers that are commonplace in every region of the UK

 

[DesDobramento]

Indeed, after 16 or 17 years in a coastal environment, potential buyers are likely to be very wary of purchasing used B9s, because of corrosion issues. Not to mention poor mpg, and very expensive Volvo spare part prices.

 

[318266]

Indeed, after 16 or 17 years in a coastal environment, potential buyers are likely to be very wary of purchasing used B9s, because of corrosion issues. Not to mention poor mpg, and very expensive Volvo spare part prices.

I disagree - given their above-average maintenance regime, Lothian buses are actually worth a fair bit on the used market. Also, the geography of Edinburgh doesn't help rust as much as one expects (given the very hilly area)

 

[DesDobramento]

I disagree - given their above-average maintenance regime, Lothian buses are actually worth a fair bit on the used market. Also, the geography of Edinburgh doesn't help rust as much as one expects (given the very hilly area)

Corrosion worsens with age and older vehicles in a fleet tend to see less spend on such matters. Caveat emptor!