New Dublin Bus GT Class

joegriffinjnr · 30-07-2012 9:07pm #1

Looking very well. Photos on Tony Murrays site. Note the centre plug type doors.

http://www.dublinbus.cc/gt1.htm

foggy_lad · 30-07-2012 9:50pm

Are the centre doors going to be used in buses in service or is it required as an emergency exit due to the removal of the rear emergency exit?

bk · 30-07-2012 10:50pm

foggy_lad wrote: »

Are the centre doors going to be used in buses in service or is it required as an emergency exit due to the removal of the rear emergency exit?

I would assume they removed the emergency exit door due to no longer been needed due to the presence of the center doors. However that doesn't mean they will use the center doors in normal service.

The position of the CCTV screen to show space upstairs is weird. It is a great idea, however I wonder if it's low position will mean it is easily vandalised.

No sign of screens for bus stop information unfortunately.

miller50841 · 30-07-2012 11:00pm

Why are they still using an over 12 year front design with normal lights.

Its about time they upgraded to led and bi-xenon as all rear lights are led.

Don't see the monitors lasting very long either people will just wreck them.

The double door system is great and was used for many many years before but the major safety problem is there is not enough space at bus stops to let the bus in parallel with the path e.g Ilegal parking, traffic, obstructions(light poles, traffic polesand so on)

I hope there will be better mirrors attached to the outside as the ones used now are big but don't give any good indication as to how close the back is to something.

CIE · 30-07-2012 11:19pm

joegriffinjnr wrote: »

Looking very well. Photos on Tony Murrays site. Note the centre plug type doors.

http://www.dublinbus.cc/gt1.htm

More small-diametre wheels (rims and tyres)? Those scared me on the KD-class (especially when I was once on a route 86 bus that skidded across the intersection of Johnstown Road and Bray Road in Cabinteely). I would feel safer with a bigger foot print.

Are the centre doors going to be used? Or is it just the new "Éalú"?

miller50841 · 30-07-2012 11:38pm

CIE wrote: »

More small-diametre wheels (rims and tyres)? Those scared me on the KD-class (especially when I was once on a route 86 bus that skidded across the intersection of Johnstown Road and Bray Road in Cabinteely). I would feel safer with a bigger foot print.

Are the centre doors going to be used? Or is it just the new "Éalú"?

Wheels and tyres are same size just body design puts you off a bit.

Centre doors will be used as an exit only its to try and speed up the loading and unloading just a shame they didn't do this on the try axle (vt) as it takes ages to unload and then load

CIE · 31-07-2012 1:55am

miller50841 wrote: »

Wheels and tyres are same size just body design puts you off a bit.

Centre doors will be used as an exit only its to try and speed up the loading and unloading; just a shame they didn't do this on the try axle (vt) as it takes ages to unload and then load

I thought it was a shame that they didn't do this on the centre-door Atlanteans myself. Back then though (60s/70s/early 80s), loading was a bit faster due to having conductors. The only time the centre door got used was at the city centre set-down stops. But then they refrained from doing it on the KD-class too, even after instituting one-person operation (after ages of false starts) and even on the centre-door Olympians.

The VT class is long enough to warrant a centre and rear door, really.

Rock of Gibraltar · 31-07-2012 4:27am

joegriffinjnr wrote: »

Looking very well. Photos on Tony Murrays site. Note the centre plug type doors.

http://www.dublinbus.cc/gt1.htm

Ah centre doors that's great news, a prelude to tag-on tag-off leap cards perhaps? Here's hoping.

Edit: From http://www.irishbuses.com/GT.html

*Pre-wired for smart card readers both sides of the middle doors.

Savage

markpb · 31-07-2012 8:01am

miller50841 wrote: »

Centre doors will be used as an exit only its to try and speed up the loading and unloading just a shame they didn't do this on the try axle (vt) as it takes ages to unload and then load

So they've somehow managed to overcome the Labour court ruling saying that drivers could not be compelled to operate the middle doors? I'd love to see it happen but the cynic in me says they'll never be used. (Except maybe by Alex

)

miller50841 wrote: »

Don't see the monitors lasting very long either people will just wreck them.

Why are people in Dublin so pessimistic about their own city? It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Even the glass etching that used to make DBs buses look so worn has been more or less entirely solved. Monitors can be made very resilient these days, I think they'll be okay.

foggy_lad · 31-07-2012 10:21am

miller50841 wrote: »

Wheels and tyres are same size just body design puts you off a bit.

Centre doors will be used as an exit only its to try and speed up the loading and unloading just a shame they didn't do this on the try axle (vt) as it takes ages to unload and then load

Have you some information that all drivers on these buses will definitely be using the centre doors?

markpb wrote: »

So they've somehow managed to overcome the Labour court ruling saying that drivers could not be compelled to operate the middle doors? I'd love to see it happen but the cynic in me says they'll never be used. (Except maybe by Alex )

Ah yes it's the fault of the Labour Court not the drivers who decided en mass to not use the centre doors.

Why are people in Dublin so pessimistic about their own city? It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Even the glass etching that used to make DBs buses look so worn has been more or less entirely solved. Monitors can be made very resilient these days, I think they'll be okay.

It wont be long till some skanger puts their head into one of those monitors while falling down the stairs and claims for hundreds of thousands in damages for the ensueing brain damage.

AngryLips · 31-07-2012 10:27am

markpb wrote: »

Why are people in Dublin so pessimistic about their own city? It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Even the glass etching that used to make DBs buses look so worn has been more or less entirely solved. Monitors can be made very resilient these days, I think they'll be okay.

I remember the doomsayers on here crying that, Dublin being the exception to every other European city, the RTPI boards would be vandalised the moment they went up (because Boombridge is a kip and the Red Line is full of scumbags) :rolleyes:

monument · 31-07-2012 10:49am

AngryLips wrote: »

markpb wrote: »

Why are people in Dublin so pessimistic about their own city? It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Even the glass etching that used to make DBs buses look so worn has been more or less entirely solved. Monitors can be made very resilient these days, I think they'll be okay.

I remember the doomsayers on here crying that, Dublin being the exception to every other European city, the RTPI boards would be vandalised the moment they went up (because Boombridge is a kip and the Red Line is full of scumbags) :rolleyes:

And every Dublin Bike is now in a canal or river!

carlmango11 · 31-07-2012 1:20pm

Don't suppose there's any LED screens to display the upcoming stop? I thought they trialed this a few years back - I assume it's not going ahead on all routes?

coylemj · 31-07-2012 1:28pm

I notice on that website that there is mention of the Dublin Bus S.I.P.T.U. bus design committee who went to 'inspect' the new vehicles - have DB given over the job of designing the new generation bus to Jack O'Connor and the lads down in Liberty Hall?

What about a Dublin Bus users design committee - there's more commuters than drivers or doesn't anyone in DB realise this or care what their customers think?

AlekSmart · 31-07-2012 2:16pm

markpb wrote: »

So they've somehow managed to overcome the Labour court ruling saying that drivers could not be compelled to operate the middle doors? I'd love to see it happen but the cynic in me says they'll never be used. (Except maybe by Alex )

No need to chant the words of "We shall overcome" at all....:)

The Labour Court's long standing judgement still stands,with,if anything,somewhat more importance attached to it given the marked deterioration in Bus Stop/Roadside infrastructure in the decades since the original hearings.

Wrongly positioned Bus Stops,incorrectly or unmarked Bus Bays,insufficient manouvering space....

(Pop along to Stop 847 outbound at Leeson St Bridge any busy evening,and observe what happens when more than a single bus attempts to operate here...plenty of Kassel Kerb space,plenty of marked Bus bay...plus a row of bicycle racks directly outside where the door of any subsequent bus is.....wildly dangerous as it is and most certainly a total NO-NO for Centre Door use on a 46A :rolleyes: )

Centre Door operation itself was not the issue,but rather,compulsion to use them at all times.

Since the decision to specify the Centre Door in the VG is an NTA one,this has now committed the same authority to taking the necessary steps to allow for the SAFE operation of the new vehicles.

No operator,public or private,is,in todays litigious climate,going to introduce a system of operation which can not safely be sustained over the totality of the route.

If,However,the NTA are prepared to sign off on a blanket assurance of Safety and freedom from being held responsible for mishaps involving Centre Door use,then Dublin Bus drivers will be queuing up outside the NTA's HQ to demonstrate their prowess.

Personally I think the Dual Door is a fantastic system and it's lack of use in Dublin stands as mute testimony to successive City Administrations which could not give a shytte about Public Transport operators OR customers.

It's TOTALLY up to the NTA/DCC now......lets see if they've thought this one through a little better than they did with Taxi Rank space

AlekSmart · 31-07-2012 2:22pm

coylemj wrote: »

I notice on that website that there is mention of the Dublin Bus S.I.P.T.U. bus design committee who went to 'inspect' the new vehicles - have DB given over the job of designing the new generation bus to Jack O'Connor and the lads down in Liberty Hall?

What about a Dublin Bus users design committee - there's more commuters than drivers or doesn't anyone in DB realise this or care what their customers think?

It's worthwhile noting that although the photography appears to have been SIPTU based,the actual Bus Design SubCommittee is comprised of Driver Reps from Both Unions and Dublin Bus Senior Engineering Executives.

Sadly,the actual broad strokes of PSV design are quite strongly restricted by EU Design & Construction guidelines as well as the ever present Health N Safety regulations,which ensures that Bus Body Manufacturers offer broadly similar products with limited opportunity to install hammocks or reclining leather vibrating armchairs down the back upstairs...:cool:

Joshycat · 31-07-2012 2:39pm

Do the centre doors have a wheelchair ramp or do wheelchairs still exit from the front doors?

Terrontress · 31-07-2012 4:20pm

Surely the centre doors cannot be a replacement emergency exit as they are on the same side as the front door. If the bus were to tip on to that side, run up against a wall or there to be a fire to the left then both emergency exits would be impassible.

L1011 · 31-07-2012 4:37pm

Is there still only a single staircase?

LXFlyer · 31-07-2012 4:46pm

Yes.

markpb · 31-07-2012 4:47pm

Terrontress wrote: »

Surely the centre doors cannot be a replacement emergency exit as they are on the same side as the front door. If the bus were to tip on to that side, run up against a wall or there to be a fire to the left then both emergency exits would be impassible.

I assume the windows can be used as alternate emergency exits.

joegriffinjnr · 31-07-2012 4:48pm

Shatter hammers to escape on off side. Buses have one staircase yes. Bear in mind that The NTA own these buses and not Dublin bus. Part of the deal is that centre doors MUST be used or the NTA can take the buses back and give them to another company.

L1011 · 31-07-2012 6:13pm

lxflyer wrote: »

Yes.

Why?? Bus that size should have two stairs. Presumably Wright would be capable of doing it seeing as they do other dual-stair buses.

LXFlyer · 31-07-2012 6:15pm

I'd ask you why?

The new GT class is no bigger than the existing VG class bus - it is not a tri-axle, it's a standard sized double deck bus.

Putting in a second set of stairs would just use up much needed seating capacity.

The only dual staired double deck bus in operation is the limited number "borismaster". DB, rightly in my view, tend to stick with proven designs.

monument · 31-07-2012 6:33pm

As others have said, this is an NTA bus on NTA spec.

LXFlyer · 31-07-2012 6:48pm

monument wrote: »

As others have said, this is an NTA bus on NTA spec.

That may be so but I think that you'll find that the DB Chief Engineer will have the major input into the design spec given that there aren't very many mechanical engineers on the staff of the NTA.

parsi · 31-07-2012 7:26pm

foggy_lad wrote: »

It wont be long till some skanger puts their head into one of those monitors while falling down the stairs and claims for hundreds of thousands in damages for the ensueing brain damage.

Ah yes, I can see it now - some Golden Ticket holder upset at being asked for their signature decides to take it out on the monitor (once they've reached their destination of course after all their business is their priority).

Losty Dublin · 31-07-2012 7:43pm

parsi wrote: »

Ah yes, I can see it now - some Golden Ticket holder upset at being asked for their signature decides to take it out on the monitor (once they've reached their destination of course after all their business is their priority).

Don't forget, their assisted spouse can also lay in with a few digs over the day when they were stopped unaided by the driver on their way to collect their disability allowance after work.

monument · 31-07-2012 8:25pm

lxflyer wrote: »

monument wrote: »

As others have said, this is an NTA bus on NTA spec.

That may be so but I think that you'll find that the DB Chief Engineer will have the major input into the design spec given that there aren't very many mechanical engineers on the staff of the NTA.

But still: NTA buses with the final say down to the NTA.

honru · 31-07-2012 8:27pm

Anyone know how many are being assigned to Donnybrook?

joegriffinjnr · 31-07-2012 8:33pm

From dublinbus.cc

Garage allocations are as follows -
Conyngham Road - 10, Harristown - 18, Summerhill - 10, Clontarf - 12, Ringsend - 9. Donnybrook - 21

New Dublin Bus GT Class

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