Bendy Buses in the UK

[Waldgrun]

Meant to post sooner but time ran away, yesterday at roughly midday, whilst driving on the Whitchurch Road in Shrewsbury as I neared Tesco's at Harlescott, l was interested to observe a large bus in what seemed to be Like London bus livery and it was branded across the front "Arriva". As it passed me so it prove to be a bendy bus, can anyone tell me what it was doing in this neck of the wood?

 

[transportphoto]

Meant to post sooner but time ran away, yesterday at roughly midday, whilst driving on the Whitchurch Road in Shrewsbury as I neared Tesco's at Harlescott, l was interested to observe a large bus in what seemed to be Like London bus livery and it was branded across the front "Arriva". As it passed me so it prove to be a bendy bus, can anyone tell me what it was doing in this neck of the wood?

Arriva usually draft in bendy-buses for their Shrewsbury services (or specific services in the area, such as Park and Ride which there is one at Harlescott Tesco) for the Shewsbury Flower Show IIRC.

TP

 

[Waldgrun]

True it is the Shrewsbury flower show this weekend, but I wouldn't like to see how they cope with the town centre roads in the loop area!

 

[Robertj21a]

True it is the Shrewsbury flower show this weekend, but I wouldn't like to see how they cope with the town centre roads in the loop area!

Artics will get around easier than any 12m rigids.

 

[Antman]

Artics will get around easier than any 12m rigids.

An artic is basically a 12m rigid with a 6m bit stuck on the back

 

[Robertj21a]

An artic is basically a 12m rigid with a 6m bit stuck on the back

It may well be, but it's only the wheelbase of the front section that matters, the 'trailer' follows it (bar a 'sweep' of about 20cms). As a result, the key front section acts more like a 11m rigid.

 

[Goldfish62]

It may well be, but it's only the wheelbase of the front section that matters, the 'trailer' follows it (bar a 'sweep' of about 20cms). As a result, the key front section acts more like a 11m rigid.

The wheelbase of the Citaro artic is identical to that of the 12m rigid version.

 

[Robertj21a]

The wheelbase of the Citaro artic is identical to that of the 12m rigid version.

Thanks - yes, I suddenly realised that they were actually the same wheelbase !

Apparently, it's the fact that the articulated 'bellows' starts well before the end of what would be a 12m rigid that enables it to drive more like a 11m (i.e no lengthy rigid rear overhang)

 

[Tetchytyke]

Given that artics are used throughout the world wherever big numbers of people need to be moved quickly, and given that the only other dual-staircase deckers are tourist buses in Berlin, it's easy to see which bus has a wider practical use.

As for the Streetlites on the x66, they're a nightmare and GNE are going to have to increase the PVR on Saturdays and in the run up to Christmas. That should more than offset the fuel savings.

 

[Antman]

Given that artics are used throughout the world wherever big numbers of people need to be moved quickly, and given that the only other dual-staircase deckers are tourist buses in Berlin, it's easy to see which bus has a wider practical use.

As for the Streetlites on the x66, they're a nightmare and GNE are going to have to increase the PVR on Saturdays and in the run up to Christmas. That should more than offset the fuel savings.

Well I think most operators in the UK know what they're doing and clearly they don't consider artics to be a viable option, with one or two exceptions of course.