Wellglade Group

[43055]

A solo with the reg K13CTN has arrived at meadow road in Notts and Derby livery.

 

[trentbartonfan]

117 was on the i4 today, also seemed to track on the keyworth earlier

 

[StavBered]

View attachment 213303
117 was on the i4 today, also seemed to track on the keyworth earlier

I believe 119 did a couple of trips on the i4 yesterday as well. Looks to be a slightly shortage of spare vehicles as all of them seem to be out and there are at least 3 skylink Notts and 2 indigos off the road, and an i4. I do wonder why 107/8 weren't repainted as spares as odd allocations like this are frowned upon. (At least 10 years ago that was, may not be now)

 

[cnjb8]

I believe 119 did a couple of trips on the i4 yesterday as well. Looks to be a slightly shortage of spare vehicles as all of them seem to be out and there are at least 3 skylink Notts and 2 indigos off the road, and an i4. I do wonder why 107/8 weren't repainted as spares as odd allocations like this are frowned upon. (At least 10 years ago that was, may not be now)

I wouldn’t be surprised if the plan is to repaint two of 111-119 into Rushcliffe Villager or spare livery when all the mainline buses have been refurbed. It also makes sense they are using mainline branded buses on other routes when they have two extra buses to cover the PVR while refurbs are happening, though I do agree that a decade ago it would have been very rare to see this!

 

[Trainman40083]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the plan is to repaint two of 111-119 into Rushcliffe Villager or spare livery when all the mainline buses have been refurbed. It also makes sense they are using mainline branded buses on other routes when they have two extra buses to cover the PVR while refurbs are happening, though I do agree that a decade ago it would have been very rare to see this!

Maybe even 107/108 if the paint has dried.

 

[callum3490]

I thought the plan was for 107/108 to be rebranded for the villager once the mainlines refurbs have been completed?

 

[YX73OUB]

I thought the plan was for 107/108 to be rebranded for the villager once the mainlines refurbs have been completed?

This was indeed what I had heard the plan was - with 107/8 acting as paint floats in the meantime

 

[derbybusdepot]

This was indeed what I had heard the plan was - with 107/8 acting as paint floats in the meantime

I guess if they have two branded spares in the short term, and only one away for repaint there is a chance there will be a branded spare available for use on another route, if the others are so reliable that they are all out on the road. At least the i4 ran instead of dropping the service.

I hear ADL are building bodies for Volvo B8RLE buses again next year, will be interesting to see if Trent order any of these.

 

[callum3490]

I guess if they have two branded spares in the short term, and only one away for repaint there is a chance there will be a branded spare available for use on another route, if the others are so reliable that they are all out on the road. At least the i4 ran instead of dropping the service.

I hear ADL are building bodies for Volvo B8RLE buses again next year, will be interesting to see if Trent order any of these.

It seemed like they were impressed with and open to ordering the Evora so I would imagine it will depend on if any have already been ordered and if not whether or not ADL will actually be building on Volvo chassis again and if so when they plan to open orders and begin deliveries

Aren’t they building some new E400 XLBs on Volvo chassis for Lothian on a custom order?

 

[YX73OUB]

It seemed like they were impressed with and open to ordering the Evora so I would imagine it will depend on if any have already been ordered and if not whether or not ADL will actually be building on Volvo chassis again and if so when they plan to open orders and begin deliveries

Aren’t they building some new E400 XLBs on Volvo chassis for Lothian on a custom order?

Yes they are. I've said for a long time that a B8 and ADL combination would be a good choice for the single decker market, pity they can't work with Scania on a new product too.

 

[m79900]

Please can someone provide a link to the ADL/Volvo tieup announcement?

 

[YX73OUB]

Please can someone provide a link to the ADL/Volvo tieup announcement?

I haven't seen it announced anywhere but it can only be a good thing if true and would restart a long 'tradition' of Volvo / Alexander / plaxton combinations stemming back years, obviously it's well known about the Lothian order.

 

[station_road]

Please can someone provide a link to the ADL/Volvo tieup announcement?

https://www.alexander-dennis.com/lo...-enviro400xlb-tri-axles-on-volvo-b8l-chassis/

This is the announcement about the order for Lothian, but it does include a quote:

"We’re looking forward to partnering with Volvo to expand our range across the UK market and working closely with them on future opportunities.”

 

[m79900]

So its not a definite?

 

[callum3490]

So its not a definite?

The Lothian order is confirmed but any other potential opportunities not announced yet, although that quoted line would clearly suggest they are wanting to partner up with Volvo again

A single deck alternative to the Evora on the B8 chassis would certainly be interesting

 

[citybus2500]

https://www.alexander-dennis.com/lo...-enviro400xlb-tri-axles-on-volvo-b8l-chassis/

This is the announcement about the order for Lothian, but it does include a quote:

"Lothian Buses also plans to order 40 zero-emission double-deckers from the two manufacturers, with Alexander Dennis placing its next-generation Enviro400EV body on the Volvo BZL electric chassis. Procurement of these vehicles is subject to confirmation of grant funding allocation to Lothian Buses from the Scottish Government’s third-round Scottish Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB3)."

Obviously, the funding is currently held up.

 

[joieman]

The Lothian order is confirmed but any other potential opportunities not announced yet, although that quoted line would clearly suggest they are wanting to partner up with Volvo again

A single deck alternative to the Evora on the B8 chassis would certainly be interesting

I wonder if Wrightbus might be interested in bodying the B8RLE again.

 

[derbybusdepot]

So its not a definite?

There are only 3 certainties in life, death, taxes and Meadow Road being short of buses. That said, have things improved lately?

 

[StavBered]

There are only 3 certainties in life, death, taxes and Meadow Road being short of buses. That said, have things improved lately?

Last time I visited Derby, I witnessed an Allestree MMC with mismatching headrests, one red and I believe one yellow in a sea of blue, so things don't seem bright.

 

[SSmith2009]

Last time I visited Derby, I witnessed an Allestree MMC with mismatching headrests, one red and I believe one yellow in a sea of blue, so things don't seem bright.

I suppose it's a catch 22, either use spare hheadrets in a different colour or have the bus off road to await matching colours.

 

[YX73OUB]

An interesting read

Trentbarton seeks £28.7m for 82 electric buses and three depot upgrades | West Bridgford Wire

Trentbarton is seeking £28.7 million in public funding towards a £55.6 million programme to replace 82 diesel buses with electric vehicles and upgrade three

westbridgfordwire.com

 

[Trainman40083]

An interesting read

Trentbarton seeks £28.7m for 82 electric buses and three depot upgrades | West Bridgford Wire

Trentbarton is seeking £28.7 million in public funding towards a £55.6 million programme to replace 82 diesel buses with electric vehicles and upgrade three

westbridgfordwire.com

Indeed it is.

 

[m79900]

Hopefully they'll be ADLs or Wrights rather than more bloody Yutongs.

 

[Trainman40083]

Hopefully they'll be ADLs or Wrights rather than more bloody Yutongs.

Personally, I'd prefer the Yutong having ridden on the ADL product.

 

[psmith2023]

Suprized suttons not included

 

[BULLSAREMAGIC]

Hopefully they'll be ADLs or Wrights rather than more bloody Yutongs.

I would agree that we need to be supporting British manufacturers but only if the product is up to scratch. At present Yutong appears to be the market leader

 

[Trainman40083]

I would agree that we need to be supporting British manufacturers but only if the product is up to scratch. At present Yutong appears to be the market leader

The product really has to be attractive, not turn non bus users off. I went to Loughborough a while back to try out the Yutongs. I went back again. I even rode on them, Loughborough to Nottingham twice, rather than use the train. At least electric buses won't have a sun roof.

 

[Andyh82]

The golden rule for enthusiasts up and down the country is that they are never happy and the operator should have bought the type they didn’t buy

If they buy wright it’s junk they should have bought ADL
If they buy ADL it’s junk they should have bought wright
If they buy either they should have bought Yutong or BYD
If they buy those they should have bought british

Tell me I’m wrong

 

[m79900]

The golden rule for enthusiasts up and down the country is that they are never happy and the operator should have bought the type they didn’t buy

If they buy wright it’s junk they should have bought ADL
If they buy ADL it’s junk they should have bought wright
If they buy either they should have bought Yutong or BYD
If they buy those they should have bought british

Tell me I’m wrong

What would you have then? Because from my perspective, we have two bus manufacturers with their own quite decent offerings supporting British jobs and industry, or we could go down the mentality of 'everything we do must be crap, we'll buy other countries products', which in this day and age basically means Chinese. And I'd argue that there's security risks associated with buying any technology from there, and in these volatile times it makes sense to be as self sufficient as we can.

 

[Trainman40083]

What would you have then? Because from my perspective, we have two bus manufacturers with their own quite decent offerings supporting British jobs and industry, or we could go down the mentality of 'everything we do must be crap, we'll buy other countries products', which in this day and age basically means Chinese. And I'd argue that there's security risks associated with buying any technology from there, and in these volatile times it makes sense to be as self sufficient as we can.

But we have the highest energy prices in Europe (so they say).. I've forgotten what the cost difference is between products is, but if you could get the best product that best met or exceeded their needs, for say £50,000, well. I'd say you just can't ignore it.. Wellglade has already bought 51 Yutongs.... Will they go elsewhere even if there is a big cost difference? Then again, will be Mayor come up with £28 million.