TRIVIA - Robust ("bombproof") modern-ish buses

[GusB]

When I lived in Sheffield up to 2020, First had several seemingly bombproof Renowns. I believe two were R-reg and one was W-reg. Covid service reductions and subsequent cascades basically saw them off.

I think the B10BLE is probably the last vehicle type that I'd describe in such a way. When I lived there for a couple of years in the early 2000s, Aberdeen had more or less standardised on that model with either Wright Renown or ALX300 bodywork. There were a few "native" examples with X- and Y-plates, but these were augmented with R- and W-plate examples from Glasgow. I don't ever recall there being any issues from a passenger perspective.

I did miss the Mercedes O.405s when they were transferred elsewhere - they always felt fairly solid.

On the few occasions when I had to use Stagecoach, it was a B10M with either the Alexander PS body, or the Plaxton Premier Interurban - again fairly solid vehicles.

Unfortunately, when I moved back up north it was back to Dennis Drat land...

 

[DunsBus]

If I could perhaps go back to the past, I'd like to nominate Lothian's batches of Leyland Olympians with Alexander R-type bodies, Cummins L10 engines and ZF gearboxes. Simply indestructible. The later Volvo ones, including the two batches with Volvo D10A engines and Alexander Royale bodies, would also have been nominated had chassis rot not led Lothian to dispose of them prematurely.

 

[PG]

Probably a bit old for the OPs scenario, but Bristol VRs and REs appeared to have been carved out of the finest marble by renaissance master craftsmen, miles ahead of much of the modern rubbish we get now.

Mention of the RE makes me think of a certain Werner Heubeck, erstwhile MD of Ulsterbus/Citybus who doubtless would have been delighted to have a fleet of bombproof buses during his tenure!

 

[satisnek]

Surely the Optare Solo should be on the list. Stagecoach have quite a few 20 yr old examples in Devon, Kent and Cumbria.

Can't beat you for age (the oldest is an 09 reg) but they're also still going strong on the trentbarton V3. They would've had mid-life refurbishments but the mileages must be phenomenal!

 

[JD2168]

Can't beat you for age (the oldest is an 09 reg) but they're also still going strong on the trentbarton V3. They would've had mid-life refurbishments but the mileages must be phenomenal!

TM Travel have 2 on 04 plates still running in daily service & a 21 year old Scania Solar on 03 plate.

 

[richw]

Can't beat you for age (the oldest is an 09 reg) but they're also still going strong on the trentbarton V3. They would've had mid-life refurbishments but the mileages must be phenomenal!

Our 04 plates in Devon have had a refurb at some point and look fairly new inside, drive nice too for a solo. Showing 600-800,000 miles on most of them.

 

[joieman]

Can't beat you for age (the oldest is an 09 reg) but they're also still going strong on the trentbarton V3. They would've had mid-life refurbishments but the mileages must be phenomenal!

Kinchbus's 458 narrowly made it to twenty years before being withdrawn and scrapped two years ago.
Trentbarton's oldest buses are a pair of 54-plate Wright Solars, 662 and 663, which are in use on the Skylink Express between Nottingham and East Midlands Airport via the A453.

 

[RELL6L]

Probably a bit old for the OPs scenario, but Bristol VRs and REs appeared to have been carved out of the finest marble by renaissance master craftsmen, miles ahead of much of the modern rubbish we get now.

Absolutely!!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Aren’t Scania Omnicities, both in single and double deck form seen as pretty robust?

I think it depends on the operators, but Arriva and Go both had the single decker version in significant numbers in the north east. The Wright Renown bodied B10BLE at those operators were older but outlived them all. The similar Scania Omnilink was noted for just how unreliable it was.

For ‘modern’ buses I’d say the B10BLE is bomb-proof, especially with Renown bodywork, with the last ones only now being withdrawn from Transdev. Similar story with the B7TL Geminis to be fair, First in West Yorkshire have only just stopped using 05 plate versions.

 

[Hyebone]

Kinchbus's 458 narrowly made it to twenty years before being withdrawn and scrapped two years ago.
Trentbarton's oldest buses are a pair of 54-plate Wright Solars, 662 and 663, which are in use on the Skylink Express between Nottingham and East Midlands Airport via the A453.

I travelled on 662 yesterday, still holding 60+MPH along the A453. (Pulling away from stops with haste too!). Brilliant workhorses are those Scania L94UBs, I know TM Travel like theirs.

 

[Jordan Adam]

A controversial one i accept, but the earlier Mercedes powered Optare Solos seem to just go on for ever. Stagecoach still have examples in use that are now almost 23 years old.

Also already mentioned but the Volvo B10BLE Wright Renown easily ticks the box.

I think the B10BLE is probably the last vehicle type that I'd describe in such a way. When I lived there for a couple of years in the early 2000s, Aberdeen had more or less standardised on that model with either Wright Renown or ALX300 bodywork. There were a few "native" examples with X- and Y-plates, but these were augmented with R- and W-plate examples from Glasgow. I don't ever recall there being any issues from a passenger perspective.

One thing i think is even more impressive is that until as late as December 2015 almost 15 years after their introduction the B10BLE was still by far the most common type in the Aberdeen fleet. The last were withdrawn from service at the start of the pandemic in 2020, although two (Y623RSA & Y636RSA) were later sold to Aldermaston Coach Lines in 2020 and saw further use. Three of the native examples still exist in Aberdeenshire although unfortunately none of those three are currently roadworthy. When First moved out of East Lothian and sold the Borders business Aberdeen which still has its own management team at the time were offered newer vehicles to replace the B10BLEs but on both occasions declined on the basis that the B10BLEs were vehicles they knew to be dependable and still had plenty more years service in them. X623NSS was preserved but has sat in a decaying state for a number of years with the chassis badly corroded, floor rotten and the electrics water damaged. Unfortunately the owner has no interest in the vehicle having not even seen it personally since 2020 and is unwilling to sell it for a reasonable price that reflects the condition its in so it'll probably end up scrapped eventually.

 

[Towers]

One thing i think is even more impressive is that until as late as December 2015 almost 15 years after their introduction the B10BLE was still by far the most common type in the Aberdeen fleet. The last were withdrawn from service at the start of the pandemic in 2020, although two (Y623RSA & Y636RSA) were later sold to Aldermaston Coach Lines in 2020 and saw further use. Three of the native examples still exist in Aberdeenshire although unfortunately none of those three are currently roadworthy. When First moved out of East Lothian and sold the Borders business Aberdeen which still has its own management team at the time were offered newer vehicles to replace the B10BLEs but on both occasions declined on the basis that the B10BLEs were vehicles they knew to be dependable and still had plenty more years service in them. X623NSS was preserved but has sat in a decaying state for a number of years with the chassis badly corroded, floor rotten and the electrics water damaged. Unfortunately the owner has no interest in the vehicle having not even seen it personally since 2020 and is unwilling to sell it for a reasonable price that reflects the condition its in so it'll probably end up scrapped eventually.

That’s a sad tale, these machines were pretty much the high point of First’s “Barbie” era and really do deserve to be represented in preservation.