As many of you will be aware, Arriva Leicester's 31/31a services are next in line for the Sapphire treatment. Refurbished 56 plate Volvo Wrightbus Geminis are to be used and have been reregistered as follows:
4001: TUI 7931
4002: TUI 7932
4003: TUI 7933
4004: TUI 7934
4005: TUI 7935
4006: TUI 7936
4007: TUI 7937
4008: TUI 7938
4009: TUI 7939
4010: TUI 7940
The Sapphire upgrades seem excellent, but I don't like these fancy registrations. They just about make sense for buses whose bodies were built in Nortern Ireland though.
(11/05/2013 22:35)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]The Sapphire upgrades seem excellent, but I don't like these fancy registrations. They just about make sense for buses whose bodies were built in Nortern Ireland though.
I think they're done to hide the age of the vehicle, so those who can read number plates but are not familiar with bus bodies (seeing as the Gemini has been replaced with the Gemini II) would consider them to be new buses. It's a practice utilised by Transdev in Harrogate with the buses on their 36 route.
(12/05/2013 12:02)tbone Wrote: [ -> ] (11/05/2013 22:35)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]The Sapphire upgrades seem excellent, but I don't like these fancy registrations. They just about make sense for buses whose bodies were built in Nortern Ireland though.
I think they're done to hide the age of the vehicle, so those who can read number plates but are not familiar with bus bodies (seeing as the Gemini has been replaced with the Gemini II) would consider them to be new buses. It's a practice utilised by Transdev in Harrogate with the buses on their 36 route.
wonder if Arrivas geminis will get the upgraded front end like Transdev ones
Arriva launched their latest Sapphire route in Leicester today. They had a bus on promotion in the city centre on Friday, see
Michael Meyerstein's photostream which has a number of photos of the bus.
What's notable is that the standard isn't as high as the buses in North Wales, the seats upstairs are simply reupholstered Estaben Civic V2 seats, not the coach style ones. The livery also seems a little bland to me on the front of the bus, and to answer a previous poster's question, the old style Gemini front remains
I just happened to be in Leicester yesterday and while the reason I was there wasn't for the Sapphire route, I did take a little detour out of my day to try the buses out.
I imagine the difference in seats is that the Sapphire service in Leicester is only a local service, where as in North Wales, it's a town-to-town service. However, they are comfy enough and there is good leg room too. Wi-fi quality is pretty good too.
The only annoyance is that the information screen announces every stop name, which could become irritating if there are a lot of stops close together. But overall, pretty good and from what I heard from the locals, they seem pretty pleased with the refurbished buses.
4502 noted on delivery today, due to go to Wigston depot.
Thank you for sharing news of the above delivery Pete.
I was thinking of a day out in Leicester late in July to do Sapphire Volvo double-deckers and some First stock. It will be brilliant if these Enviro 400-MMCs are in service by then.
(18/06/2016 21:23)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]Thank you for sharing news of the above delivery Pete.
I was thinking of a day out in Leicester late in July to do Sapphire Volvo double-deckers and some First stock. It will be brilliant if these Enviro 400-MMCs are in service by then.
I live in North Leicestershire & when I learn of other deliveries I will post them here.
You can also get up to date news from the facebook Leicester Bus Page.
Cheers