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Looks like these 16 new(ish) Pulsars 3107-3122 will be officially launched next Monday (1st October).

Keep an eye out for press releases

This evening, DAF/ALX400 S259 JUA (4089) was unusually on the 311:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...033464559/

Also, Enviro400 MX09 LXM (4430) was unusually on the 345 journey that travels via the M58 to Skelmersdale!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

Pulsar 2 MX12 KXE (3115) was on the 53A:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

Pulsar 2 MX12 KXN (3120) was on the 55:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

(28/09/2012 22:57)27701 Wrote: [ -> ]This evening, DAF/ALX400 S259 JUA (4089) was unusually on the 311:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...033464559/

Also, Enviro400 MX09 LXM (4430) was unusually on the 345 journey that travels via the M58 to Skelmersdale!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

Pulsar 2 MX12 KXE (3115) was on the 53A:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

Pulsar 2 MX12 KXN (3120) was on the 55:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

Also, unusually on the 311 today was "slow" Pulsar CX58 EXL (2919) - can not imagine that performing well on the hills in Skelmersdale:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...034096989/

Yesterday, "slow" Pulsar CX58 FZA (2920) was on the 311 with Pulsar 2s MX12 KXC (3113) and MX12 KXD (3114).
2920 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/
3114 (note the side lights) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/

On the 345 was Pulsar 2 MX59 FFV (3017) and Cadet CX07 CSO (2638). DK55 FXD (2519) was on the 58 - not a common sight these days.

On all the latest batch of Pulsars I have ridden upon, there seems to be a buzzer that sounds when the door is open, even when the bus has stopped. Do they all have that irritating feature ? Fortunately I am not a bus driver, forced to endure it all day.

Happens when the handbrake isn't engaged and the doors are open. I'm sure it's preferable to the actual lock some of the VDL Cadets have whereby the doors won't open unless the handbrake is engaged; drivers hate that!

(30/09/2012 22:46)CX54 DKD Wrote: [ -> ]Happens when the handbrake isn't engaged and the doors are open. I'm sure it's preferable to the actual lock some of the VDL Cadets have whereby the doors won't open unless the handbrake is engaged; drivers hate that!

They should do their job properly - handbrake on, doors open, passengers seated, doors closed and then handbrake off! Simple.

Its not about doing the job properly at all, its about also keeping to the set timetable, drivers get more criticism for running late because of that time consuming procedure than they would if they started pulling off just as a passenger nears their seat. There are obviously exceptions, if for example little old Doris gets on with her trolley, then of course you should wait until she sits down, but any able bodied individual should be able to easily get to their seat while the bus is moving.

(01/10/2012 09:21)K853 MTJ Wrote: [ -> ]Its not about doing the job properly at all, its about also keeping to the set timetable, drivers get more criticism for running late because of that time consuming procedure than they would if they started pulling off just as a passenger nears their seat. There are obviously exceptions, if for example little old Doris gets on with her trolley, then of course you should wait until she sits down, but any able bodied individual should be able to easily get to their seat while the bus is moving.

This. When they have to pull the handbrake on before opening the doors at every stop it actually slows them down a hell of a lot over the entire length of the route.

This is true but officially, you are meant to have the handbrake on before opening the doors, just in case you foot slips off the brake, someone tries to jump on/off bus somehow or other.

Admittedly very low risk of any problem but to drive 'by the book' a driver would need to have the hand brake if the doors aren't completely closed.

As you say, not sure how schedules would work if this was actually done every time mind!