Arriva North West - Southport Depot

[Scania1996]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot
That's due to B7TLs having issues, more often than not one has a problem so is put on locals so it can easily be pulled in if a problem does arise.

[Gillmoss 0324]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot
Thanks for the info 507009, Busser and Scania 1996.

[Busser]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 15:06)Scania1996 Wrote:  That's due to B7TLs having issues, more often than not one has a problem so is put on locals so it can easily be pulled in if a problem does arise.

The ADL B7TL's are that unreliable? Good job new Enviro 400's are on order then.

[wirralbus]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 15:06)Scania1996 Wrote:  That's due to B7TLs having issues, more often than not one has a problem so is put on locals so it can easily be pulled in if a problem does arise.

Something similar occurs like that to vehicles usually put on the 492/495 at Birkenhead. Some buses are just lemmings and others will go on forever without any faults.

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 15:14)Busser Wrote:  The ADL B7TL's are that unreliable? Good job new Enviro 400's are on order then.

I've never noticed a problem with Speke's. It wasn't unusual at all to see all 30 out of a daytime when they were all based there. Bootle's Enviro400s, especially the 12 it received from new, seem to have a very good availability rate also. I'd expect the new Enviro400s to be fine at Speke once bedded in, but with Southport, who knows? The 375/385 has had problems with N-CKBs, problems with DLAs and now problems with B7TLs.

[wirralbus]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 15:29)507009 Wrote:  I've never noticed a problem with Speke's. It wasn't unusual at all to see all 30 out of a daytime when they were all based there. Bootle's Enviro400s, especially the 12 it received from new, seem to have a very good availability rate also. I'd expect the new Enviro400s to be fine at Speke once bedded in, but with Southport, who knows? The 375/385 has had problems with N-CKBs, problems with DLAs and now problems with B7TLs.

Im just wondering why this particular route is knocking the stuffing out of every bus type that Southport seem to put on this route , its a question that seems to be perplexing to say the least.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 16:29)wirralbus Wrote:  Im just wondering why this particular route is knocking the stuffing out of every bus type that Southport seem to put on this route , its a question that seems to be perplexing to say the least.

The main problem that i've noticed as a passenger for the Volvos and DLA's seems to be overheating, which isn't hard when you consider the route as a whole. The route takes almost two hours, some of the route is on reasonably fast country roads, other areas its hills, other parts is constantly stopping or going around roundabouts, and in other areas you can be stuck in traffic for quite some time on a bus full of people.

With the DLA's, although Skem's set were quite good runners speed wise, many were slow pulling off, so when the buses because late and there was a five minute turn around at Southport, they would be pushed to the limit and run for just over 3.5 hours non stop, with reasonable loads and frequent stopping

I will imagine that once the enviro 400's arrive, the problems with the 375/385 will still ocour as they will be light-weight city models designed for city travel and not cross-county. Arriva should take a leaf from Stagecoaches book and buy vehicles with engines capable of such services such as the Scania range.

[Busser]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(09/04/2014 22:08)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  I will imagine that once the enviro 400's arrive, the problems with the 375/385 will still ocour as they will be light-weight city models designed for city travel and not cross-county. Arriva should take a leaf from Stagecoaches book and buy vehicles with engines capable of such services such as the Scania range.

Actually Scania Enviro 400's would be more interesting and if they work well on the X2/2X for Stagecoach then its something to consider for Arriva. However i guess its more likely to just be Cummins examples.

[skemnational]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot
Ive Said it Before The 375/385 should only run to Skelmersdale and be made a 15 minute service,Then the 395 should run Wigan to Skelmersdale,Every 15 mins saves the buses this and it wouldnt take fitters 2 hrs to get to Wigan for a breakdown...

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Southport Depot

(10/04/2014 20:56)skemnational Wrote:  Ive Said it Before The 375/385 should only run to Skelmersdale and be made a 15 minute service,Then the 395 should run Wigan to Skelmersdale,Every 15 mins saves the buses this and it wouldnt take fitters 2 hrs to get to Wigan for a breakdown...

A problem with this is that a 15-minute frequency on the Southport to Ormskirk corridor would probably be a bit of an overkill. The demand on that corridor isn't the same as the demand on the Ormskirk to Wigan corridor. Furthermore, a decent-sized network covers the route between the town centre and hospital areas in Southport - a more-frequent 375/385 could affect their viability.

If I remember correctly, a summer limited-stop X85 was trialled a few years ago between Skelmersdale, Ormskirk and Southport. Obviously, that wasn't successful - thus ruling-out an express service option.