Survey Time

It has long been a bone of contention with me that companies do not consider passenger comfort when choosing seats for their vehicles. Even the seats on the new X1's will come under scrutiny next summer to see how hot they are for passengers wearing shorts after sitting in the Lowestoft sun for half hour. So I thought it might be fun to have a survey as to what you think are the best and worst seats on our buses today. So using the comments section let's see what wins your votes. If you don't want to comment you can email me and I'll add your vote for you.

For me the best, or certainly the ones I like the best are on Anglian's gas buses. It is a three way tie for the worst between First's W reg ALX 400's, First's 51 reg Scania Solars (6567*) and Anglian's Omindeckers 550-3. It is possible to have to travel for an hour and a half on any of those for which the companies should have to pay us to endure, not the other way round.

Answer To Below

Since no one rose to yesterday's challenge I have done some research myself. The Shorelink service 44 is operated by Centrebus on behalf of Rutland County Council. The vehicle used is Dennis Enviro 200 YX13 EJA, new in June 2013, reduced to 34 seats to accommodate bikes, and given fleet number 501. As yet I'm not sure which depot she is based at or what used to operate the service.

I also found a video promoting the bus on the Rutland Council website, which can be viewed by clicking the link below.

http://www.rutland.gov.uk/transport_and_streets/public_transport/shorelink_tourist_bus.aspx


 

Random Pics

Due to my sight probs which mean I find driving after dark almost impossible and not living on a bus route (plus I'm allergic to the cold) the next two or three months are going to clip my wings so to speak. So I will be going through my archives to find things of interest and I'll start today with a challenge to you clever people out there.

In the Summer I managed to go from Beccles to Rutland Water and back in a day by bus. For reasons even I can't work out I only have one picture from that day, but it is of the bus operated by Rutland Council that basically circumnavigates Rutland Water linking to bus and rail services in Oakham, which is where I took this pic. The bus still smelt new when I travelled on it so any info on it and it's operator, and even what it replaced will be gratefully received.

The bus operating the Rutland Water Link at Oakham Station

Ipswich News

Clive Nixon from Ipswich Bus Blog has kindly informed me that Scanias 65550 P550 RNG and 65128 R116 GSF were withdrawn at the weekend. I travelled on 65550 last week and knew it was on borrowed time. A shame that those seats can't be salvaged! Clive also tells me it has been reported elsewhere that Ipswich are to receive Lowestoft X2 B7's 32655/6 to replace 32652/30887 which are going to Essex. I'll believe it when I see it, personally. Thanks, Clive for the information and for letting me use it.

Withdrawn Scania 65128 seen a couple of weeks ago in Ipswich

No apologies for reposting this - the final Superoute Scania to be withdrawn 65550 before I boarded it in Saxmundham last week

This brings the total number of Scanias withdrawn or transferred from Ipswich in the last fortnight to 8. So far 65128/65528/29/40/42/50/65628 have been withdrawn and 65632 has transferred to Clacton and is still in service. One of the ex Basildon Scanias was also withdrawn after constant engine probs so that now accounts for the 9 ex P&R Volvos. It remains to be seen what else appears at Ipswich over the next few months. As a side note the withdrawal of 65550 means that First Ipswich no longer have any buses with roller blinds - another era ends.

30 Mins in Beccles

After a weekend spent recharging my batteries I decided to check out reports of Anglian now using deckers on the 60 between Beccles and Pleasurewood Hills. Well they are using a right pot pourri of vehicles, which I always like. I caught Trident 713 from Lowestoft to Beccles and a decent ride it gave too. I also saw 712, two unidentified Solos, and either 450 or 451 - which I can't be sure but it was an 07 plated Scania Omnicity!

Anglian Trident 713 T813RFG at Beccles

I decided to carry on to Norwich on the X2 but hung around in decidedly cold weather to see what else I could see. The problem with Beccles is that you can't see the buses go in both directins at the same time so I think it may well be a spotting destination for warmer times.

One for you, Cameron! Enviro 200 45119 RT09 JPT on the X22

Former Konect Optare Excel 216 W216PRB on the 81. Interestingly the fleet number is above the door like Konect and not on the front like most Anglian vehicles

Trident 715 T715RFG in use as a staff shelter at Beccles

Streetlite 351 MX60 BWK on local Beccles town service 82A

After a particularly uncomfortable journey to Norwich on First's Volvo B7tl 30889 W744DWX - whoever decided on those seats never gets on a bus - I had a much nicer return journey on former X1 Volvo B9 37566 AU58 ECE. Of all the B9's I've been on so far 566 is by far the best - no rattles, fast and quiet. A shame they are all not quite up to that standard. At Lowestoft I got the chance to take a pic of her next to one of her replacements before heading home to some much needed heating!

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Former X1 Volvo B9 37566 AU58 ECE next to one of its replacements 33824 YX63 LKO. One looking decidedly grubbier than the other