What's this thing mounted over a bus stop?

[najaB]

And no, it's not a datum plate!

Saw this yesterday when passing through Birmingham Airport. It's mounted over one of the bus stops, though it obviously wasn't in use at the time.


My first thought is a charging point, but wondering if someone could confirm.


Thanks!

 

[ainsworth74]

My first thought is a charging point, but wondering if someone could confirm.

Pretty certain it is, looks identical to the installation at Harrogate bus station:

There's also some photo's on this Transdev press release:

The buses are powered by a revolutionary ‘opportunity charging’ system, with power collected from an overhead charging point at Harrogate Bus Station using a pantograph fitted to the roof of each bus. This supplements overnight charging at our depot in Starbeck, to ensure each Harrogate Electrics bus can efficiently and reliably power its way through a full day.

Transdev’s zero emission electric buses in Harrogate run 400,000 miles

The Harrogate Bus Company is marking the nation’s Clean Air Day by digging deep for a tree-mendous celebration of all-electric buses!

www.transdev.com

 

[skyhigh]

Looks very similar to the overhead chargers Transdev use at Harrogate (not my photo)

Charging Up!

Transdev Harrogate new fleet of fully electric buses are now in operation across the town network. Here are two at Harrogate Bus Station charging up on stand. 18th February 2019.

www.flickr.com

 

[najaB]

Thanks both!

 

[EnviroExplorer]

Just to show what’s been previously mentioned, here’s one of them charging up back in 2019 (my photo). Since the pandemic they seem to only use the odd one on car park shuttles instead of airside use though.

 

[najaB]

Just to show what’s been previously mentioned, here’s one of them charging up back in 2019 (my photo). Since the pandemic they seem to only use the odd one on car park shuttles instead of landside use though.

View attachment 132608

Thanks! I had assumed that it was new or in the process of being installed, but I guess it was just broken.

 

[P Binnersley]

The buses are currently re-charging by plugging in at the Coach Park, near the access road to International station.

Its been broken for quite a while.

 

[py_megapixel]

Hadn't realised the pantograph-like thing was part of the charger. I thought it was on the bus!