There are a few things to bear in mind: Arriva often retain deckers well beyond the so-called "15 year rule" - just look at the H-GEVs, well over 19 by the time they were finally withdrawn. Also, it's still over a year until you'd expect any DLAs to be coming off, so this would be an early withdrawal if these Presidents were to see off DLAs. They also have the advantage over the R-WVRs of being low floor. The DLAs are generally down to just schools and university routes now, at least in the North West, so even less reason to withdraw them ahead of time.
The 15 year old limit is an agreeement that arriva came too with merseytravel is what im led to believe.
One thing that may see the DLA's disappear a bit earlier is the fuel consumption, I'm not even going to start on that 15 year rule.
(15/05/2013 19:52)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not even going to start on that 15 year rule.
Indeed! We'll see, but common sense would be to prioritise capacity improvements on the busiest routes and both Speke and Bootle depots would benefit hugely from these.
(15/05/2013 19:55)507009 Wrote: [ -> ] (15/05/2013 19:52)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not even going to start on that 15 year rule.
Indeed! We'll see, but common sense would be to prioritise capacity improvements on the busiest routes and both Speke and Bootle depots would benefit hugely from these.
I wouldn't disagree with that.
(15/05/2013 19:31)507009 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure Southport will receive anything else any time soon. Their DLAs are ostensibly there for school services, so there is no need to replace them with refurbished and newer deckers.
Purely based upon reports from member DEM777Y that the DLAs at Southport are only a stop gap measure, even for schools, until other stock arrived. I would tend to agree with yourself that there's no need for their replacement based upon their intended work though.
(15/05/2013 19:36)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]Time will tell won't it, remember though the DLA's will be 15 years old by the end of the year and the beginning of next, so if arriva stick to that rule that will be that, although they do seem to be letting the deckers last a bit longer than the single deckers.
Although the '15 year rule' is supposedly in place, they do seem to be retaining deckers for longer, like you say. I suspect in the case of the Olympians, it's due to lack of on the road replacements of a similar size but in the case of the DLAs, I would suspect quite a number will go on well past 15 due to what I would expect to be a relatively high book value following all the conversion work.
Whilst having more seats than the DLA's, 10 of these are sideways facing wheel arch ones for that "DLA" authentic London feel, usually picked up on by most passengers, and then stereotyped for poor quality.
Also if Im not mistaken there are 15 seats in the "Raised" section of the lower deck, 6 standard forward facing, and a backrest bringing the total downstairs seating to 21 rather than 24 due to the London Transport rule about folding seats being removed or replaced with bum perches.
Ok, I have been speaking with my friend in London and he says that the DLPs are being phased out and that 2 have left the London fleet. These being DLP75 and another one of DLP60-65. These are APPARENTLY for service up here in Merseyside. But this isn't 100% yet
If they are for DLA replacements, doesn’t it seem a bit of a pointless exercise to keep spending money on replacing buses after only a handful of years? Seems like a lot of money and effort which could be useful for other things. As replacements for DLAs, I cannot see it, additional vehicles yes.
Seen 3 of these in convoy heading north on the M6 just after J27 at Standish this afternoon, I presume that they were heading to Blackburn.