(18/07/2012 21:01)Nicholas Wrote: [ -> ]TBH, older Tridents aren't the best buses for the terrain. That's why Busways got rid of theirs rather quickly, turning up in Manchester instead.
Not to nitpick (and take the thread off topic too much), but the main reason Busways got rid of their Tridents was due to the regular vandalisim that occurred on the upper decker on a evening.
(18/07/2012 22:12)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ] (18/07/2012 21:01)Nicholas Wrote: [ -> ]TBH, older Tridents aren't the best buses for the terrain. That's why Busways got rid of theirs rather quickly, turning up in Manchester instead.
Not to nitpick (and take the thread off topic too much), but the main reason Busways got rid of their Tridents was due to the regular vandalisim that occurred on the upper decker on a evening.
So Manchester bought them and put them on the Oxford Road and Curry Mile corridor to solve the problem
(18/07/2012 22:12)kuyoyo Wrote: [ -> ] (18/07/2012 21:01)Nicholas Wrote: [ -> ]TBH, older Tridents aren't the best buses for the terrain. That's why Busways got rid of theirs rather quickly, turning up in Manchester instead.
Not to nitpick (and take the thread off topic too much), but the main reason Busways got rid of their Tridents was due to the regular vandalisim that occurred on the upper decker on a evening.
I remember when 17629 was new in Manchester it got set on fire by vandals, over the Christmas period in 2000. It was during the time of the livery change when the buses were being painted from the previous all White to the now Blue, Red and White colours. It came back about 4 months later in the new colours.
So vandalism can happen anywhere if people are determined. There's CCTV on buses now though so that should help to reduce it.
17017: Old 3-speed Voith. Has had 4 (?) engine replacements/rebuilds in the 2 years it has been in Cumbria (about half of those 2 years off the road for repairs). Had a new engine fitted at great cost very recently while at Carlisle, and has still been having regular problems since (gearbox related, but they won't replace the gearbox). Recently it has been "breaking down" most times it is allocated to service 104, which is what it was transferred to Carlisle to work.
17217: Old 3-speed Voith. Had a few problems after initially entering service as an open top, but it has settled down now, still rather tired though.
17277: Old 3-speed Voith. Had a good few problems since being converted to open top, usually 2nd choice vehicle. Very underpowered, sounds awful.
18357: Better Voith gearbox, but since coming out of Manchester it has been worked solid on long distance service 555 Keswick - Central Lakes - Lancaster, which they're not built or designed for (they're designed for city services), now in a very tired condition and its reliability shows it.
All 4 of them struggle with most hills in the area, quickly losing power, not ideal when the services they're for involve hills and/or speed. In an ideal world, 104 would have Scania Enviro 400's, and something stronger for open tops on 78, but Stagecoach is just full of Tridents.
Going back a few years now, I travelled on one of Manchesters W reg Tridents on service 250 before they went on Magic Bus, with the 4 speed ZF gearbox. That was one good bus despite its age. The ZF gearbox lets through more power than the 3 speed Voith 'boxes do, but with the better speed handling you lose the smooth ride you get with a Voith (notably the classic bang into 2nd on the ZF). 2 of those would probably be better for open tops, but there's no chance now we have the V and X reg from London just converted over winter.
I plan to ride route X35 (Kendal-Barrow) the week after next. I hope it still operates Tridents-East Lancs as these are to Cumbria CC rather than Stagecoach spec. Nothing wrong with Stagecoach spec but it makes a refreshing change and is probably a scenic route anyway.
Last I checked, only one of them was on the road. They're very unreliable, with one being off the road for about 4 months now. You'll most likely find the route will have 1 council Trident, 1 Stagecoach Trident, and 2 Volvo Olympians, or maybe 2 Stagecoach Tridents and 1 Volvo Olympian.
The Council Tridents are being replaced at the start of September. Good riddance too. Only good thing about them is the coach style seating.
(22/07/2012 21:00)cumbria0902150 Wrote: [ -> ]Last I checked, only one of them was on the road. They're very unreliable, with one being off the road for about 4 months now. You'll most likely find the route will have 1 council Trident, 1 Stagecoach Trident, and 2 Volvo Olympians, or maybe 2 Stagecoach Tridents and 1 Volvo Olympian.
The Council Tridents are being replaced at the start of September. Good riddance too. Only good thing about them is the coach style seating.
I shall bear that in mind thanks. I am getting another bus in from Kirkby Stephen (admittedly not Stagecoach) and have plenty of time before my train back to Manchester. So I can gauge whether to shun a Stagecoach-owned bus on the offchance.
More Trident trouble....
Dennis Dart SLF 34715 was on the 78 Keswick-Seatoller service so the open-top Trident 17217 must be having bother again. 17277 was on the summer holiday only 78 which I think comes from Carlisle.
17017 was on the 61 Carlisle city service again and was followed into Carlisle this morning by 18357 on the 104 from Penrith so both closed-top Tridents were together and working!
Olympian 16336 was on the other 104 double-deck working.
B10Ms 20128 and 20133 are now both in daily service at Carlisle. I also saw 20219 in Carlisle bus station this morning - this was previously at Kendal depot.
Enviro400 SN56 AWM (19040) was on the 2X2 this afternoon.
(24/07/2012 19:28)enrag2000 Wrote: [ -> ]More Trident trouble....
Dennis Dart SLF 34715 was on the 78 Keswick-Seatoller service so the open-top Trident 17217 must be having bother again. 17277 was on the summer holiday only 78 which I think comes from Carlisle.
17017 was on the 61 Carlisle city service again and was followed into Carlisle this morning by 18357 on the 104 from Penrith so both closed-top Tridents were together and working!
Olympian 16336 was on the other 104 double-deck working.
B10Ms 20128 and 20133 are now both in daily service at Carlisle. I also saw 20219 in Carlisle bus station this morning - this was previously at Kendal depot.
20219 has been replaced at Kendal by 20945, so tacho'd 20219 can be used here for the Sainsbury's contract. 20965 is the other loan-in, but that doesn't have a tacho either. Coaches are being used as well for their tacho's, and B10M's.
17017 should be on 61/A every day now. It is too useless for 104. I'm told it won't have long left here, due for transfer shortly.