Behold the Borismaster

[jopsuk]

try not to vomit at the sight.

Most buses are ugly, but some are uglier than others. Though, of course, the look are only half the problem. The biger problems include:
The cost of the damn things
The design flaws- not a chance of that "open platform" being open. Doors will inevitably close when it is in motion.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Don't you just love innovative design...

(from the 1970s)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Apart from the ugly black paint swoosh on the front, it looks OK to me?

 

[Greenback]

I don't think it looks too bad!

 

[455driver]

Wouldnt fancy buying a new windscreen for it, looks a bit expensive!

 

[deltic]

A scandalous waste of money - 5 buses by 2012 what are they going to do with them

Presumably TfL are hoping for a new mayor at the 2012 elections so they can consign them to the London Transport museum

At a time of cost cutting why is Boris introducing a new bus which needs to be double crewed when its rear door is open - which suggests it rarely will be - and that crew member will not collect fares or check tickets.

 

[gordonthemoron]

They have some nice new double decker buses in Copenhagen, run by Arriva I think.

 

[Mojo]

Wow, looks really nice.

 

[Pumbaa]

This is just a vanity fair for Boris; a scandalous waste of money and missing the point entirely of what the Routemaster is. The Routemaster gave London buses cheap, well-working and easily-remedied buses. They were revolutionary, and the rear-deck platform was just one aspect of that. By trying to create a 'new' Routemaster, they've become fixated on the rear-deck platform, which is missing the point entirely.

If you want a new Routemaster Boris, create a new modular bus design that will carry mass transportation in London into the future.

 

[37401]

Oh its a great life on the busses

 

[flymo]

It's not April 1st again is it?

 

[Snapper]

It's not April 1st again is it?

Sort of:

http://www.paulbigland.fotopic.net/p64880432.html

 

[Oswyntail]

Now come on. It's a good-looking bus (as far as any is), and is still at the design stage. Any flaws can be ironed out, and most will be. If the design brief was created by the right people (big if, but there is no evidence otherwise), and the producers keep to it (another big if) then there is no reason why it should not be a good product. I do get the feeling that a number of responses here are based in Boris-bashing rather than a rigorous assessment of what has been presented.

 

[Andy]

TBH, im not that into busses, and the only bus that i think i ever have been a fan of is the RM.

I have to say, why change something that isn't broken, and most of the RMs were/are great condition.

But then again, dont think these are bad, and they could of done worse.

 

[generalvegitable]

really and truly they should have taken the original design and modernised it, not what they have done because it looks horrible

 

[deltic]

Now come on. It's a good-looking bus (as far as any is), and is still at the design stage. Any flaws can be ironed out, and most will be. If the design brief was created by the right people (big if, but there is no evidence otherwise), and the producers keep to it (another big if) then there is no reason why it should not be a good product. I do get the feeling that a number of responses here are based in Boris-bashing rather than a rigorous assessment of what has been presented.

Perhaps the following rigourous assessment of the finances shows why I think it is a disaster

http://www.channel4.com/news/articl...itics/factcheck+boriss+bus+black+hole/1879847

 

[williamn]

I'm not Boris fan, far from it, but I think it looks good. It'll be great to have a bus that has had a lot of thought put into it, and is not just merely functional.

That said, I think the policy of getting rid of bendy buses is misguided. From a users point of view they have a lot of capacity, are comfortable and are fast to load/unload. This new bus has less capacity than a current double decker and a bendy bus - about 100 less than a bendy bus in fact, so where it replaces to bendies frequency will have to be doubled, and that also means doubling costs of drivers etc.

 

[gordonthemoron]

really and truly they should have taken the original design and modernised it, not what they have done because it looks horrible

They should have just got an existing design of double decker to replace the bendy busses, such as the ones in Berlin or Copenhagen, or for that matter in Nottingham.

This design is way too expensive

 

[jopsuk]

I'm sure I've heard mention that some of the bendy bus routes can't go double decker due to low bridges? That they have to go back to "normal" single deckers?

As for the Borismaster, I really don't get why it is needed. There's plenty of choice in the bus market as it is, the hybrid/"green" technology is both well established and rapidly developing, and Wright Bus must be absolutely loving that TfL have paid them to do design and development work that they would normally have funded themselves anyway,

 

[starrymarkb]

They should have just got an existing design of double decker to replace the bendy busses, such as the ones in Berlin or Copenhagen, or for that matter in Nottingham.

This design is way too expensive

The Nottingham ones are East Lancs/Optare Omnidekkas, there are a few of them (and their successors the Olympus) in London.

 

[Ivo]

really and truly they should have taken the original design and modernised it, not what they have done because it looks horrible

Spot on.

 

[Pumbaa]

Perhaps the following rigourous assessment of the finances shows why I think it is a disaster

http://www.channel4.com/news/articl...itics/factcheck+boriss+bus+black+hole/1879847

This is my problem, and the reason for my mini-rant on the previous page. Far too much money, TfL not even sure if they'll get more than the 5 prototypes due to the prohibitive cost, which they 'think' will come down to £300k, when a regular off-the-shelf double-decker is available at under half that.

Coupled with the fact that the double staircases mean a stupid reduction in capacity, the whole project is just farcical and not worth it at all! I cannot see the point in developing this new bus for London (why London isn't good enough for standard buses I don't know) if you're going to leave punters behind on the pavement. Ridiculous!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Keep an eye on BorisWatch - Tom keeps very close tabs on the Borismaster and other Boris related acts.

 

[jonesy3001]

They should of designed it on an Enviro 400 body.

 

[90019]

I think it looks horrible, because of the asymmetrical design.

I don't think asymmetrical design works on vehicles in general, and especially not buses - Quaylink buses anyone?

 

[Ivo]

I think it looks horrible, because of the asymmetrical design.

I don't think asymmetrical design works on vehicles in general, and especially not buses - Quaylink buses anyone?

(vomit)

 

[TrainBrain185]

Complete and utter expensive folly! Whilst worldwide City Transit Systems move forward in more ways than one, London goes backwards.
The RT and RM have been and gone and let them be gone. It is a hideous Frankenstein creation of a bus. But.....this is London, so say no more.

 

[ivanhoe]

Major reason why this Bus will not be successful is that there is no Market for them outside of London. One man operation has been around for 40 years now and Conductors will not be making a comeback in the Provinces.I like the design though!

 

[TrainBrain185]

Major reason why this Bus will not be successful is that there is no Market for them outside of London. One man operation has been around for 40 years now and Conductors will not be making a comeback in the Provinces.

Exceptionally good point indeed....

 

[Greenback]

Conductors have made a comeback on the new Swansea bendy buses, but they are called Customer Hosts!

 

[Ivo]

Conductors have made a comeback on the new Swansea bendy buses, but they are called Customer Hosts!

Isn't that an ftr route though? It's a bit different to the average bendy bus. I can't imagine our bendys having any extra staff on, even at 2am when crowd control can become an issue!

Do like the look of your route 4 (have suggested similar to Death about route 1 in his area); must try it sometime.