Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
I make it 15 Pulsars of the new batch which are due for Bootle: 3107-3121. This will give some leeway for use beyond the 53/53A as this route has a PVR of 12.

With luck, as MPTE says we will indeed lose some Marshalls. All things being equal, with the five T-PNBs very likely goners, that leaves 10 Marshalls able to depart the Bootle fleet. This will be a massive improvement for everyone, not least the 53 users.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(13/09/2012 21:28)507009 Wrote:  I make it 15 Pulsars of the new batch which are due for Bootle: 3107-3121. This will give some leeway for use beyond the 53/53A as this route has a PVR of 12.

With luck, as MPTE says we will indeed lose some Marshalls. All things being equal, with the five T-PNBs very likely goners, that leaves 10 Marshalls able to depart the Bootle fleet. This will be a massive improvement for everyone, not least the 53 users.

I'm hoping that these allocations will benefit the 311 - somehow. If 10 Marshalls are withdrawn, that'd be excellent news! As a passenger, though, I'd prefer 15 Marshalls to be withdrawn and the 5 T-PNBs to stay on the road. After all, they're a bit older than them, but they're completely different.

Just to sum-up what I've had on the 311 recently:
I've had Cadet 2519 - comfortable and suited for the service. I had Pulsar 2 2942 once - this was a bit rattly, but comfortable!

I've had Marshalls 7638, 7646, 7648, 7660 and 7661 - I actually had 7646 today and this has been the best Marshall that I've had on this service for a while (excellent ride-quality, compared to the others). On the other hand, 7638, 7648 and 7660 all offered backache and a headache within the hour - things that I had no choice in receiving... 7661 was OK.

I've had Plaxton Pointer 2 2228 three times. Interestingly, it'd decreased in quality when I rode on it for the third time. Its engine sounded tired and it rattled and clanged badly underneath. I'm not surprised - this bus has always performed well on this service (and on the Skelmersdale 345 journeys). On the other hand, I've had 2224 (sluggish), 2233 (horrible brakes) and 2322 (broke down) - despite their problems, though, they were comfortable and they didn't feature bad ride-quality (well, don't count 2322 in that statement because it didn't exactly perform well...).

So - going off my report... The more Marshalls that go, the better!

[mathias]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(13/09/2012 21:54)27701 Wrote:  

(13/09/2012 21:28)507009 Wrote:  I make it 15 Pulsars of the new batch which are due for Bootle: 3107-3121. This will give some leeway for use beyond the 53/53A as this route has a PVR of 12.

With luck, as MPTE says we will indeed lose some Marshalls. All things being equal, with the five T-PNBs very likely goners, that leaves 10 Marshalls able to depart the Bootle fleet. This will be a massive improvement for everyone, not least the 53 users.

I'm hoping that these allocations will benefit the 311 - somehow. If 10 Marshalls are withdrawn, that'd be excellent news! As a passenger, though, I'd prefer 15 Marshalls to be withdrawn and the 5 T-PNBs to stay on the road. After all, they're a bit older than them, but they're completely different.

Just to sum-up what I've had on the 311 recently:
I've had Cadet 2519 - comfortable and suited for the service. I had Pulsar 2 2942 once - this was a bit rattly, but comfortable!

I've had Marshalls 7638, 7646, 7648, 7660 and 7661 - I actually had 7646 today and this has been the best Marshall that I've had on this service for a while (excellent ride-quality, compared to the others). On the other hand, 7638, 7648 and 7660 all offered backache and a headache within the hour - things that I had no choice in receiving... 7661 was OK.

So - going off my report... The more Marshalls that go, the better!

The Marshalls that have had P&P seem to be of a better quality than 'untouched' ones (yellow roller blinds, standard livery, red MTL moquette) like 7662, 7663 etc.
When they get Interurban paint etc, the Bodyshop boys seem to tighten them up, so they don't rattle as much.

Either way, some of the standard livery ones remind me of the worst of the Ultralows and Pathfinders

[mathias]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(13/09/2012 19:44)P450 SWX Wrote:  Just heard that there a couple of new pulsars on 55's and 53's tonight

3109 (MX12 KWY) is another fresh-from-London Olympics Shuttle Bus now based at Bootle.

Noticed these new Pulsars have an increased standing capacity over the usual 44 seat/28 standing configuration. They've actually got a standing capacity of 33 (44/33), giving a Max Cap of 77. Haven't a clue where they've managed to find the extra space though! Even so, they're the lightest Pulsars I've seen, along with the highest passenger capacity.
Can't be bad

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(14/09/2012 13:49)mathias Wrote:  The Marshalls that have had P&P seem to be of a better quality than 'untouched' ones (yellow roller blinds, standard livery, red MTL moquette) like 7662, 7663 etc.
When they get Interurban paint etc, the Bodyshop boys seem to tighten them up, so they don't rattle as much.

As a regular user of Bootle's Marshalls, I'm afraid that I don't agree with that statement.

"Original Marshalls"
I had 7659 today on the 59 and, despite it sounding odd after gear two, its ride-quality was fine. Interestingly, this bus is the only "Interurban" Bootle-based bus that features manual destination equipment. I also had 7667 today on the 59 and somebody has definitely improved this bus - apart from its dodgy suspension! 7663 was a bit rattly when I had it a month or two ago on the 58, however it managed to travel on Great Homer Street without forcing me to commit suicide...! 7626 was fine when I had it a month or two ago on the 56A, too - only its back-end window was a problem. 7662 - well, I enjoyed my ride on it a few months ago but it seems that it's downgraded itself in quality since then...!

"Interurban Marshalls"
I had 7669 on the 53A during the week and this was fine - as was 7646 on the 311 yesterday. Both of them felt a bit sluggish, but were comfortable. 7661 was OK on the 311 during the week, too - quite rattly, but it sounded great and it was quite comfortable. 7638, 7648 and 7660 have been the worst buses on my 311 during the past two weeks - as was 7645 on the 53A today. All four of them have offered unbearable ride-quality - uncomfortable seats and banging and clanging on-board... Both 7633 and 7639 have been OK when I've rode on them during the past few months on the 311 and the 345 respectively. Despite 7643 and 7649's fast speed, they were both unbearable to ride on when I last had them - again, a while ago. Finally, 7675 was sluggish and quite rattly when I had it on the 345 a while ago.

If you've been reading closely, you may have noticed that I haven't mentioned 7674. There's a fire-damaged "Interurban" Marshall in one of the garaged bays in Bootle depot at the moment. I've seen all of the "Interurban" Marshalls recently, apart from 7674. The question is - will this one be replaced by one of the new Pulsar 2s or will it be repaired and put back onto the road? I'm thinking that the five T-PNBs will be withdrawn (sadly), along with the five "Original Marshalls". The five ALX200s could also be replaced and sent elsewhere - possibly to Green Lane to replace 2103, 2310, 2313 and 2133 and maybe a T-registered Marshall...? Either way, there will be some interesting movements in the near-future.

Of interest... 3107 is on the 62 today. 3108 and 3109 are on the 52/52A. 3114 is parked in Bootle depot. 2315 is on the 53, along with 2324 (I've forgotten whether the latter was on the 53 or the 53A, though). 2263 is on the 58 again today. 2265 and 2268 are on the 59/61, along with 7626, 7659, 7662 and 7667.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(14/09/2012 14:35)27701 Wrote:  Of interest... 3107 is on the 62 today. 3108 and 3109 are on the 52/52A. 3114 is parked in Bootle depot. 2315 is on the 53, along with 2324 (I've forgotten whether the latter was on the 53 or the 53A, though). 2263 is on the 58 again today. 2265 and 2268 are on the 59/61, along with 7626, 7659, 7662 and 7667.

I forgot to mention that DAF/ALX400 4093 is on the 58 today. Also, 2323 was in the depot this afternoon and now it's on the 59 - I think that it's replaced 7667 because 7662 was the bus in-front of it (as it was this afternoon). If so, it seems that 7667 doesn't like completing full days in service!

[MPTE1955]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
I had 7662 on the 61 on my way home tonight, this heap is getting worse and is very jerky through the gears, the next bus I got was 7620 and the contrast between the two was very noticeable with 7620 being very smooth. 7662 belongs in one place and that is Barnsley.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(14/09/2012 14:35)27701 Wrote:  Of interest... 3107 is on the 62 today. 3108 and 3109 are on the 52/52A. 3114 is parked in Bootle depot. 2315 is on the 53, along with 2324 (I've forgotten whether the latter was on the 53 or the 53A, though). 2263 is on the 58 again today. 2265 and 2268 are on the 59/61, along with 7626, 7659, 7662 and 7667.

3107 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...1536651215
3108 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...1536651215
4093 on the 58 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...1536651215
Various other photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...986435909/

[P450 SWX]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
3011 on 311

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(15/09/2012 09:08)P450 SWX Wrote:  3011 on 311

We don't have 3011. Do you mean 3021?