New Buses for Arriva North West and Wales

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: New Buses for Arriva North West and Wales

(16/06/2012 21:33)MX59 JZJ Wrote:  Having sampled the 33 recently, it was quite quiet, and the bus on the service (1057 before it got withdrawn) was struggling with Sutton Manor turns on the estate.

The 33 is a service that can get very busy. Particularly, on the peak Widnes runs. All it takes is one missed service (which is not in the slightest unusual on the 33/A due to tight timings and traffic through Thatto Heath) and you've got a Dart fully seated and standing. Admittedly, yes, it can be quiet at times but then so can any other route. I just wonder if St Helens are making the same mistake they did with the 37/38 when that transferred here from Skem last summer - bringing in smaller than standard vehicles and only realising that they're totally unsuitable once they're actually here. Don't get me wrong, there will certainly be positives to these vehicles, such as manoeuvrability, how economical they are and not forgetting that they're new vehicles full stop, but the capacity is my one and only concern but having said that, we'll see if that's an unnecessary concern soon enough. Whilst it's only a 2 seat loss over most of the Darts and the Cadets (it's actually an extra seat compared to some Darts), the standing capacity is usually quite low on a Solo with notices requesting no standing past around 3/4 of the way down the bus.

(16/06/2012 21:33)MX59 JZJ Wrote:  The 35A - 676 was on this service and was an absolute pleasure down the tighter back streets towards the junction station - very little fuss and it was quite nimble.

I absolutely love the characteristics of the current Solos (although I know some drivers really do dislike that wheel forward design) and they absolutely fly. In fact they were a pleasure running the 356 of an evening through Crank but with 676, 677, 678 and 680 size really is an issue. They were totally unsuitable for day time use on what they were brought in for and, arguably, the 35/A is the only route they're actually suitable for all day.

(16/06/2012 21:33)MX59 JZJ Wrote:  ...rather than running something larger like a Renown on one, then they're winners in my book.

It's actually not often that a Renown runs a local route now. They're usually allocated to the longer 352 and 89 runs with the occasional run on some of the other longer routes. The biggest thing on the locals tends to be the Pulsars which are currently allocated to most of the late boards from first thing in the morning which is why you see them on the locals of a day. The only exception to this I can think of is some of the 89 boards which get a Renown with the expectation that the driver on lates will run it in to Jackson Street for a Pulsar and the 37/38/356 board which takes a Cadet and usually stays out all night.