(14/03/2013 14:38)507009 Wrote: [ -> ]According to the Arriva North West Facebook page, there will be 12 Enviro400s due here from Birkenhead imminently. These I expect are a straight replacement for Bootle's DLAs.
No word of a lie - in my dream last night was 4400 on the 58 on Park Lane in Netherton! Strange or what...
Good move, theyll be put to good use at Bootle. Then begins the merry go round of buses once again should the DLAs be cascaded to replace any step deckers!
On Monday, Cadet CX07 CSO (2638) was unusually on the 52/52A in the afternoon! I managed to get something of it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...otostream/
Also, Plaxton Pointer 2 X234 ANC (2234) was on the 53A on Monday afternoon and it started its day today on a 52/52A board!
There were two Enviro400s out on unusual routes today.
4426 on the 311:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
4432 on the 54:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
Personally, I'd prefer the upcoming 12 Enviro400s from Birkenhead to be used on the 52/52A. The 61 does get busy around school chuck-out but for me, the 52 corridor would benefit a lot more. It would make sense to lose the Marshalls once and for all and keep the DLAs a little longer. Naturally it isn't going to happen but it would be the common sense option.
(16/03/2013 22:09)507009 Wrote: [ -> ]There were two Enviro400s out on unusual routes today.
4426 on the 311: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
4432 on the 54: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
Personally, I'd prefer the upcoming 12 Enviro400s from Birkenhead to be used on the 52/52A. The 61 does get busy around school chuck-out but for me, the 52 corridor would benefit a lot more. It would make sense to lose the Marshalls once and for all and keep the DLAs a little longer. Naturally it isn't going to happen but it would be the common sense option.
Nice photos! :-)
Regarding the forthcoming Enviro400s, I agree that they should be used on the 52/52A and the 56/56A, whilst the 60 and the 61 should have a double-then-single formation (or whatever formation that's available so that two single-deckers don't always run after each-other) using the redundant Pulsars and remaining double-deckers.
(16/03/2013 22:23)3111 Wrote: [ -> ] (16/03/2013 22:09)507009 Wrote: [ -> ]There were two Enviro400s out on unusual routes today.
4426 on the 311: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
4432 on the 54: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prodpep/856...hotostream
Personally, I'd prefer the upcoming 12 Enviro400s from Birkenhead to be used on the 52/52A. The 61 does get busy around school chuck-out but for me, the 52 corridor would benefit a lot more. It would make sense to lose the Marshalls once and for all and keep the DLAs a little longer. Naturally it isn't going to happen but it would be the common sense option.
Nice photos! :-)
Regarding the forthcoming Enviro400s, I agree that they should be used on the 52/52A and the 56/56A, whilst the 60 and the 61 should have a double-then-single formation (or whatever formation that's available so that two single-deckers don't always run after each-other) using the redundant Pulsars and remaining double-deckers.
Also, I wonder if, with these newer 'deckers arriving, we'll see an increase of the type out on weekends as, as far as I know, the reason why many DAF/ALX400s don't go out on the weekend is because of their poor fuel consumption.
Unfortunately the afternoon loads on the 60 make an alternating double-single pattern impractical. Bus after bus will run nearly or completely full from around 3 pm until at least 4.30 pm, especially in the Clubmoor - Wavertree section of route. In my opinion the 60 is a very busy route at certain times of the day and requires a full allocation of double deckers, whereas the 61 doesn't. I'm just not sure the 60 requires such new deckers on it. The DLAs could be used both here and on the 61's busier runs while the 52 goes over to a full allocation of deckers alongside the 56.
The last few Saturdays I've used the 61 have seen a fair few of the DLAs out (around seven or eight). Sundays though you very rarely see one.
As a regular user of the both these services I would say the 60 is nearly always a busy route between 3-6.00 I would say, through the school finishing times and rush hour, the 61 can be a bit hit and miss, sometimes you wold say a dart is perfectly adequate, but then another time using exactly the same time bus you would say a decker should be used, its just one of them funny routes.
(17/03/2013 18:23)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]As a regular user of the both these services I would say the 60 is nearly always a busy route between 3-6.00 I would say, through the school finishing times and rush hour, the 61 can be a bit hit and miss, sometimes you wold say a dart is perfectly adequate, but then another time using exactly the same time bus you would say a decker should be used, its just one of them funny routes.
Well, one less service to worry about is the 59, which is withdrawn from the end of April. Therefore, up to two less 'deckers will escape from the 61 per hour.
(17/03/2013 19:15)3111 Wrote: [ -> ] (17/03/2013 18:23)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]As a regular user of the both these services I would say the 60 is nearly always a busy route between 3-6.00 I would say, through the school finishing times and rush hour, the 61 can be a bit hit and miss, sometimes you wold say a dart is perfectly adequate, but then another time using exactly the same time bus you would say a decker should be used, its just one of them funny routes.
Well, one less service to worry about is the 59, which is withdrawn from the end of April. Therefore, up to two less 'deckers will escape from the 61 per hour.
Well two less buses anyway, didnt know about the 59 but this really has been like a slow death of the old 61A, being reduced in route to Broadway, then having the route number change to the 59 and finally ending up in withdrawal.