Arriva The Shires Electric Bus Query

[simple simon]

Arriva Shires have a fleet of induction charged electric buses running between Wolverton and Bletchley via Milton Keynes.

Where is the best place to see them and their electric charging facilities?

I ask because I suspect that the charging facilities at the two termini are in bus stations where people taking photos are not welcome. But there is supposed to be a charging point in Milton Keynes - so is this also inside a bus station or is it in the street?

Or should I not bother trying to photo them whilst charging their batteries and just photograph them somewhere enroute / whilst they are in the street?

Thanks,

Simon

ps: at least one of the photos will be shared on Wikipedia, Flickr and also used on an electric buses page of my website.

 

[westcoaster]

Iirc the wolverton stop is on a public road outside the agora centre, so is easily photable.

Lots of info here with charging info http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/induction-charged-electric-streetlites-launched-milton-keynes/2/

 

[simple simon]

Thanks Westcoaster.

This seems to be a better place to see the buses than Milton Keynes.

Regards,

Simon

 

[Bletchleyite]

Look here for timetables and maps. It's route 7 (my local route!)

http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/str...ing/bus-travel/bus-timetables-and-information

Neil
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I ask because I suspect that the charging facilities at the two termini are in bus stations where people taking photos are not welcome.

MK's bus stations (Wolverton Agora is really just a set of on-street stops, by the way) are not staffed so you will not have issues with photography, and even if you did at Bletchley the stop with the charging facility is on the end so you could photograph easily from the street. They are treated the same as on-street stops (indeed, Bletchley bus station is basically a sawtooth bus station with a very large on-street-type bus shelter).

The Point is also a collection of on-street stops on public land. The railway station (Station Square) is a sort of bus station but is similarly not "managed" in the way a TfL bus station is.

(Must admit I'm not sure where the central MK charging point is - probably the railway station but I've not seen it)

Neil

 

[radamfi]

I took a ride on the 7 soon after the electric buses started and I don't remember any charging point in the centre. So I assumed that the short journeys that didn't go to Bletchley only charged when arriving at Wolverton.

 

[simple simon]

Thanks folks, I looked at the timetable and used streetview. It seems that I'd have to use the buses to reach the Agora shopping centre, so thats where Plusbus will come in handy.

The timetable suggests that its better to go to Wolverton than Bletchley, as the buses are more frequent in Wolverton.

Simon

 

[radamfi]

I remember there being more opportunities for faster running on the route to Bletchley so if you want to see how fast they can go I would go on that bit. There are a lot of speed bumps on the way to Bletchley but I was impressed by how little discomfort there was on those Optares.

The ride on the H98 battery Optares in west London is similarly smooth and quiet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Except they are Streetlites Doesn't detract from your point, though. The quality of the journey is far better than a rattly diesel bus.

They only just clear some of the worst speedbumps, a few had to be lowered before they could be introduced.

As for the CMK charging point, there was said to be one in the publicity, perhaps it was cut.

There is also a silver diesel Streetlite with a slogan on it about its friends being on charge - I think it is the Wrightbus demonstrator.

Neil

 

[gordonthemoron]

I think there are only 2 charging points, Wolverton Agora and Bletchley Bus Station. There's certainly nothing in the Station. However Terminating services there do sometimes wait in a layby opposite so it's a possibility. I doubt there's any necessity for a central charging point

 

[radamfi]

Except they are Streetlites

Oh yeah, lol

 

[Busaholic]

Except they are Streetlites Doesn't detract from your point, though. The quality of the journey is far better than a rattly diesel bus.

They only just clear some of the worst speedbumps, a few had to be lowered before they could be introduced.



Neil

Hope it was the speedbumps that were lowered rather than the buses.AS Chubby Checker used to sing 'how low can you go?'. Who CC ? 0 That's another story

 

[gage75]

The ride on the H98 battery Optares in west London is similarly smooth and quiet.

The H98's are charged via a plug in cable , located at the entrance of Hounslow Bus Garage on the right hand side

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hope it was the speedbumps that were lowered rather than the buses.

Yep

 

[simple simon]

Just preventing this thread from being locked because of little use.

All being well I will be travelling this month.

Simon

 

[simple simon]

Well I got there in the end...

I also saw a silver liveried diesel bus which acts as a stand-in when necessary.

I've uplifted 16 images to my Flickr account at this link...
https://www.Flickr.com/photos/citytransportinfo/sets/72157652102806545/

All photographs were taken in Wolverton, mostly near the Agora bus stop.

One of them was a speculative peek looking under the bus when the induction plate was in the lowered position. The sun was so bright that I could not see the camera display, so I just pointed the camera in the right direction and hoped for the best!

Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice and comments.

Simon

 

[507021]

Nice photos Simon

The two diesel StreetLites were originally new to Bus Vannin as 121 (KMN-121-H) and 122 (KMN-122-H) respectively in late 2010 - but they and the rest of the batch were traded in for door forward examples in 2013