DartSLF Bus Awards 2012

[M113 YKC]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
Just thinking... I remember posting for feedback regarding the questions at the end of the previous "Bus Awards", however they went down with that forum, sadly! I remember that there was a lot of feedback - such as improved and new questions - but I didn't record them, I'm afraid. Hopefully, feedback can be posted in here at the end of the process, which will be recorded, stored and considered to improve future "Bus Awards", such as this one.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Best company of the year?
Peoplebus, new livery, new moderner buses with refurbishmen, and new routes no operator has yet to try!

2) Best effort of the year?
Ace Travel, for their fleet renewal and new contract gains

3) Best delivery of the year?
Stagecoach 12' reg enviro 300's replacing most of the renowns

4) Hardest goodbye of the year?
North Western Scania Paladins

5) Smartest-looking bus/buses of the year?
Possibly the rented A2B/Ace Travel Enviro 200s

6) Rarest sighting of the year?
ANW 2297 on the 89?
Not really seen much rare sightings tbh

7) Surprise of the year?
The amount of Arriva NW fleet burnt off by fire!

8) Disappointment of the year?
HTL buying 23 seater Optare Solo's instead of slightly bigger models

9) Shed of the year?
I'm going to go with ANW 2310/2313 on this one!

[MX12CFE]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1 Ace travel Aces services are always very reliable and drivers and depot staff are professional polite and friendly
2 Ace travel for fleet renewal and recent contract gains
3 Ace travel Arriva and Stagecoach for deliveries of Enviro 200s 300s & Pulsar2s
4 The just reported tragic loss of Arriva spekes B7TL 4118
5 Ace travels Enviro 200s
6 A solo SR on the 89
7 Ace travel gaining the 130/210/241/250 contracts
8 Impera going wrong on liverpool contracts
9 X reg Arriva DAF Cadets they always seem to break down.

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Best company of the year?
I'm not sure any company has been outstanding, but I'll plump for Arriva.

2) Best effort of the year?
Again, Arriva, for their continuing fleet modernisation.

3) Best delivery of the year?
This has been the toughest question to answer. Probably the Peoplesbus Tridents because they offer more of what Liverpool needs to desperately - double deckers.

4) Hardest goodbye of the year?
By a country mile the recent loss of 4118 to fire. Couldn't miss the Ultralows and Paladins much less, being totally honest.

5) Smartest-looking bus/buses of the year?
In general, most of Arriva Southport's fleet. They seem to keep their buses cleaner than most other depots both inside and out. Their 10-plate Pulsars put other, newer, examples at other depots to shame.

6) Rarest sighting of the year?
Manchester Airport Pulsar YJ10DJX standing at the Pier Head on the night of 20/10/12. A long way from home.

7) Surprise of the year?
Stagecoach Merseyside's 33030 (P330AYJ), which is simply the best Plaxton-bodied DartSLF I've ever ridden. It has kept remarkably well with a pleasant and warm interior, riding just as well. Another recent surprise was Versa 998 at Chester, whose ride might have been lacklustre, but that was offset somewhat by a very bright and comfortable interior.

8) Disappointment of the year?
Impera winning the Liverpool contracts probably. Always seemed a strange decision and we've seen the effects.

9) Shed of the year?
There have been a few, but I'm going to plump for 4202 (LJ51DJF). Had an awful trip last winter on it - ice cold inside and extremely rough riding. This batch of Geminis is absolutely terrible.

[MPTE1955]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Company of the year, not sure I can give an award as nobody has really grabbed it for me.
2) Best Effort of the year - Just about arriva for investment even though Pulsars arent the best.
3) Best Delivery - Stagecoach new Enviro300's, nice buses and more legroom than the 11 platers, in my opinion much better buses than pulsars.
4) Hardest Goodbye of the year - The withdrawal of the stagecoach BLE's
5) Smartest Looking Bus - Has to be the arriva Solo SR's.
6) Rarest sighting - tough one as nothing really springs to mind
7) Surprise of the year - Seeing solo's appear on the 10c regularly.
8) Biggest Disappointment - Has to be Impera's early withdrawal from Liverpool contracts, they should really have foreseen potential problems when bidding for the work.
9) Shed of the year, well where do you start as there has been so many to choose from, but for me it has to be arriva 7662 for being the first bus to give me a headache given that I never get headaches.

[mathias]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
BEST COMPANY?
Arriva for their continued investment in new fleet. How many brand-new buses have they bought over the last few years?

BEST EFFORT?
Again, Arriva. They seem committed to keeping to time lately. No doubt GPS technology helps though!

BEST DELIVERY?
Probably Arriva's E-Leather clad X1 Runcorn Pulsars. Beautiful-looking seats, just a pity they're nicer to look at than to use...

HARDEST GOODBYE?
Normally I'd say the MTL heavyweight stuff like Scanias and Palatines (but they'd gone by the start of the year anyhow), so I'd say the withdrawal of Peoplesbus' Volvo B10M/Alexander PS buses; powerful, cheap-to-run, ultra-reliable machines.
Remember, Brian Souter made his £millions from these things, and even the boss of Peoplesbus said he'd buy 25 of them if he could. Granted, appalling three-step entry, but beautiful buses to drive.

SMARTEST-LOOKING BUS?
That'd be NWVRT's MTL 0302 (N302 CKB) Olympian LWB/Palatine2 decker. That MTL livery really sharpens-up the lines, graceful, elegant, classy.

RAREST SIGHTING?
Seeing GO Transit of Canada's ADL Enviro500 deckers heading towards Seaforth Docks.

SURPRISE OF THE YEAR?
The reliability issues with Stagecoach's German and Swedish chassis.
From unreliable M.A.N. buses to X2 Scania deckers with brakes that catch fire.
German engineering? Pah! Stick with ADL!

DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR?
The closure of Liverline in Bootle. I used to love tresp.. err.. browsing BROWSING. I used to love browsing round that yard. Let the good work continue in St Helens.

SHED OF THE YEAR?
Without a doubt, Bootle's ArrNW 4028 (S268 JUA) DB250/ALX400 decker. Quite simply a terrible bus! Foot-to-the-floor-and-nothing-happens acceleration, top speed of 30mph, and the doors won't open til the damn thing is stationary. PLEASE SCRAP THIS SHED!

[Neoplan N4009]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Company of the year. Arriva came close along with Cumfy but for me it's ACE.
2) Best Effort of the year - I think Probably Peoplesbus. The fleet is tidy , nice colour along with refurb , I just wish they would do more public services money can definitely be made around these "QBP" routes with the amount of passengers at bus stops along with the fact they have a good amount of deckers.
3) Best Delivery - probably ACE Travel with the MKII Enviro's , much better than the older Enviro version & surprisingly Stagecoach get credit for the new Enviro 300's seat padding is really comfortable .
4) Hardest Goodbye of the year - I too also agree about the Ex GTL/CMT B10L&B10B's had much more life in them, larger capacity and overall good chassis. Along with that the Palatine II's Alexander PS B10M's & the Mercedes Prismas(when working) the last of te proper buses IMO, Also as much as this was last year I miss Supertravel as well.
5) Smartest Looking Bus - I would say the Olympic stock of 12 plate Pulsar II's delivered to Lairds & Bootle along with Peoplesbus Optare Solo SR.
6) Rarest sighting - probably seeing a Stagecoach Solo appear on the 82 in the morning
7) Surprise of the year - There has not been too many but Stagecoach Solos on the 10C & the amount of DAF SB220's that have came from Lairds to Green Lane & Speke.
8) Biggest Disappointment - Has to be the change in how good & reliable the 500 service once was now it's just a thought that company & owner don't seem to be bothered about some things & Impera given in the contracts so soon nice to see another operator over this side of the water for the time being.
9) Shed of the year, Quite a few in this category for me mainly all of them are Darts but Impera's S364 ONL is a bone shaker to say the least.

[M113 YKC]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Best company of the year?
I reckon that PeoplesBus have shone this year. As the boss of that company has told me, anybody could put 10 buses on the 52/52A in competiton with Arriva North West, however he likes to be different and offer extraordinary, and useful, services. Also, their new livery has definitely positively freshened their image without being too different!
2) Best effort of the year?
Again, I reckon that PeoplesBus has made the most effort this year - with extraordinary services and a new livery.
3) Best delivery of the year?
I reckon that the arrival of 16 VDL SB200CS/Wright Pulsar 2s at Arriva North West's Bootle depot was the best delivery of this year - certainly "brightened" the 53/53A corridor.
4) Hardest goodbye of the year?
Equally, the arrival of the above seen-off a few quality Dennis Dart SLF 10.7m/Plaxton Pointer 2s - the T-PNB batch. I was very disappointed to see a few of them in the reserve/disposal fleet whilst sheds such as Dennis Dart SLF 10.7m/Marshall Capital V675 DVU (7675) are still around, although age is the system that Arriva use...
5) Smartest-looking bus/buses of the year?
Again, PeoplesBus' new livery is really nice and has freshened their image nicely!
6) Rarest sighting of the year?
The rarest sighting of the year for me was definitely Alexander Dennis Trident 2/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MX09 LXM (4430) on the 345 (namely the evening Skelmersdale duty - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael2770...3518576/)!
7) Surprise of the year?
Again, the arrival of 16 Pulsar 2s at Arriva North West's Bootle depot - definitely unexpected and a nice sight!
8) Disappointment of the year?
MERSEYTRAVEL... I've been with Impera on the 130/210/250 for a few weeks and the timings are unrealistic for the majority of the journeys - Ace Travel will definitely suffer with the unreliable times! They need their own bus to go out there and time these services properly - and realistically! Also, I trialled the Walrus card and it was poor. Support was, to be fair, close-to-terrible and they weren't interested in the negative feedback about the damn embarrassing card...
9) Shed of the year?
This has to go to either HTL Buses' Mercedes Benz Sprinter/Koch BX12 DZG, for an absolutely awful ride on the 236 due to the bus' hell-like suspension, or Marshall V675 DVU (7675) for its lack of speed and heating!

[J654UHN]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
1) Best company of the year?
Arriva NW
2) Best effort of the year?
Howards Travel Group as their fleet is smart and all registered with related plates
3) Best delivery of the year?
Runcorns Pulsar 2s
4) Hardest goodbye of the year?
Volvo B10s and Scanias
5) Smartest-looking bus/buses of the year?
Again Howards as thier new livery is spot on
6) Rarest sighting of the year?
Palatine 2 on the 501
7) Surprise of the year?
Scania/Ultralow 5309
8) Disappointment of the year?
DLAs
9) Shed of the year?
Not rode too many buses this year so cant comment on this one

[R311 WVR]

RE: DartSLF Bus Awards 2012
When are the winners being announced?