Interestingly during the 1970s Liverpool and Birkenhead Corporations and Crosville and I suspect a number of other local Municipal operators used dual door vehicles, but Union concerns over safety generally took the middle doors out of action, but in today's operating environment there really is no need.
I imagine that 17745 could be for Gillmoss. Gillmoss paintshop is quite busy at the moment getting all the MAN Enviro300s repainted, and with Gillmoss due more Tridents, it could just be that its been sent to Rock Ferry to be painted. 17839 could be going over next.
There is 5 dual door deckers being used in Liverpool at the moment. The 3 Magicbus ones amd 17448/9. There latter 2 have been up north for quite some time now so I cant see that Stagecoach have any plans to convert dual door deckers that are coming north.
17448/9 are fully depreciated though, so unlikely to justify the cost of single door conversion.
17745/839 still have 2 years to run depreciation wise, and are also DDA certified which I don't think 17448/9 are.
(15/09/2015 18:58)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Totally agree. I've monitored the time buses aren't on the move whilst in service along Hyde Road, M'cr and they spend far more time at red lights or trying to get back in to traffic from bus stops, than they do loading passengers. The only exception being Mon/Tue morning peak when passengers are buying MegaRiders with Twenty pound notes. As regards dual-doors, GMPTE (1980s version) phased them out because three times as many platform accidents occured at the exit door than at the side of the driver.
Wirral Borough Council recently did some bus stop infrastructure improvements on New Chester Road and there is now numerous bus stops that was previously in bus bays which are now in the main running lane , some examples are New Chester/ Bridle Road (Birkenhead Bound) , New Chester Road/ Bolton Road (Both Directions).
34599 SF04VSZ in the yard at Rock Ferry this morning
(15/09/2015 21:50)mbonwick Wrote: [ -> ]17448/9 are fully depreciated though, so unlikely to justify the cost of single door conversion.
17745/839 still have 2 years to run depreciation wise, and are also DDA certified which I don't think 17448/9 are.
If 17448/49 are fully depreciated, ('Y' Reg - early 2001 delivery), - so now 14 years old, does this mean that from a 'book' perspective, that Stagecoach considers all (full-size) vehicles that have reached their 14th birthday to be 'fully depreciated"??
Do Coaches, (if owned rather than leased) have a different depreciation profile?
Generally Stagecoach depreciate over 15 years, except Solos which are 10 years.
Some of the London stuff however will be fully depreciated by now because of their being sold/reaquired.
Not sure about coaches but I would imagine they're similar if not the same.
The dart is apparently for service.
It was mentioned a while back 21117s replacement was the MAN, 24125.
Since 21116,21119 and 21122 have been withdrawn also (although mentioned possibly the latter 2 are in use at GM?),and 3 darts are here, I assume the darts are temporary replacements to cover until the Gold fleet arrives in October.
21116 & 21122 are parked in the corner of Gillmoss with the withdrawn Solos. Doesnt look like they are for service.