Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

GT89

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Roll on autonomous buses and trains

Not coming anytime soon. Judging by your attitude I'd nearly hope AI takes over your job long before it takes over the job of bus and train drivers but I wouldn't wish that on your co workers. Joke would be well and truly on you if that happens.

dublinman1990

NI's Department for Infrastructure are to invest £66 million by purchasing 145 new zero & low emission buses for Ulsterbus/Translink.

100 of these Zero emission buses are to be used on city bus services in Belfast & Derry. 80 buses in this new order will have battery electric technology. The remaining 20 of them will be hydrogen fuel cell buses. The remaining 45 buses are low emissions vehicles for Ulsterbus (14 single deck & 31 double deck).

All vehicles will be provided with external cameras, usb ports, wifi & leather seating.

They have been ordered from Wrights. They are due to be delivered sometime between 2021/22.

The tweet below is one of their 3 new hydrogen streetdecks recently delivered from Wrights. It has a combined pink & blue Metro livery.

https://twitter.com/CEOTranslink_NI/status/1334057583410372619

There is also an upcoming order of 20 Micro Hybrid Streetdecks due to be delivered for Translink sometime in early 2021.

punisher5112

The pink in Belfast is pure sh1te... Looks terrible.

Why does the CEO have a mask on for a photo, that's pure insane....
Hate people doing it.

It's not normal and I never want to wear one again.....

Citrus_8

punisher5112 wrote: »

The pink in Belfast is pure sh1te... Looks terrible.

Why does the CEO have a mask on for a photo, that's pure insane....
Hate people doing it.

It's not normal and I never want to wear one again.....

My opinion is opposite - love this livery. Looks much better than NTA blue-green-white or DB current, or new yellow-green. I'd love to see bright blue with light green livery. Yellow looks old school.

d51984

I like the purple strip light above upper windows, however the last bit of it seems to be faulty.

Agree on livery... Looks ****e! Why is there a wrights logo on front of bus.... Thought they are owned by a new company now?

punisher5112

Citrus_8 wrote: »

My opinion is opposite - love this livery. Looks much better than NTA blue-green-white or DB current, or new yellow-green. I'd love to see bright blue with light green livery. Yellow looks old school.

I'm talking about the pink, it's vile.

punisher5112

d51984 wrote: »

I like the purple strip light above upper windows, however the last bit of it seems to be faulty.

Agree on livery... Looks ****e! Why is there a wrights logo on front of bus.... Thought they are owned by a new company now?

They are but keeping the name to run with as it has a strong following or just to fit in as many are still on the road. Not sure if they plan on change

GT89

I wonder how fuel efficient the new hybrids will actually be. The GT class and possibly even the VGs and EVs are more fuel efficient than the SG class but the SGs main advantage is it pollutes less as it's Euro IV. I wonder will be the same with the hybrids.

GT89

dublinman1990 wrote: »

NI's Department for Infrastructure are to invest £66 million by purchasing 145 new zero & low emission buses for Ulsterbus/Translink.

100 of these Zero emission buses are to be used on city bus services in Belfast & Derry. 80 buses in this new order will have battery electric technology. The remaining 20 of them will be hydrogen fuel cell buses. The remaining 45 buses are low emissions vehicles for Ulsterbus (14 single deck & 31 double deck).

All vehicles will be provided with external cameras, usb ports, wifi & leather seating.

They have been ordered from Wrights. They are due to be delivered sometime between 2021/22.

The tweet below is one of their 3 new hydrogen streetdecks recently delivered from Wrights. It has a combined pink & blue Metro livery.

There is also an upcoming order of 20 Micro Hybrid Streetdecks due to be delivered for Translink sometime in early 2021.

See it has cameras for mirrors. Not great if there's a technical issue meaning a bus will have to be taken from the road at least our deliveries look like they'll have actual mirrors.

p_haugh

Official launch of the new buses happened today: https://amp.rte.ie/amp/1183580/?__twitter_impression=true

https://twitter.com/JoshCrosbie3/status/1337002242625376258?s=19

d51984

The front of the bus needs a logo or something, looks too plain.

Will wait for more interior photos before making a comment, however nice to see the green priority seats.

punisher5112

GT89 wrote: »

See it has cameras for mirrors. Not great if there's a technical issue meaning a bus will have to be taken from the road at least our deliveries look like they'll have actual mirrors.

I've noticed with the truckers that have them they pull out causing numerous near collisions....
The ones coming to Dublin will have mirror, can't see them doing camera and mirrors as it will be too much as difference in fleet.

GT89

Think they look very well especially the interior. Think it's a good idea to have the priority seats clearly marked in a different colour to distinguish them clearly from other seats. Overall I'm looking forward to travelling on these buses and hopefully eventually getting to drive one.

p_haugh

d51984 wrote: »

The front of the bus needs a logo or something, looks too plain.

Will wait for more interior photos before making a comment, however nice to see the green priority seats.

On either the Rte or virgin news coverage, they show some of the downstairs in a clip. Still not sure what the upstairs looks like however.

Edit: See from around the 30 second mark in this clip: [URL]

https://twitter.com/rtenews/status/1337025158767316994?s=09[/URL]

GT89

d51984 wrote: »

The front of the bus needs a logo or something, looks too plain.

Will wait for more interior photos before making a comment, however nice to see the green priority seats.

Maybe they could put a TFI logo and an operators logo on the front. I think they have a continental look to them that wouldn't look out of place in somewhere like Germany or Sweden despite being a double decker.

devnull

As others have said, it really needs a TFI logo on the front.

Also, are they really using old style yellow/green displays? Would have thought they'd have gone with white or if not white Orange, as they're far more visible.

GT89

devnull wrote: »

As others have said, it really needs a TFI logo on the front.

Also, are they really using old style yellow/green displays? Would have thought they'd have gone with white or if not white Orange, as they're far more visible.

The displays are white

Atlantic Dawn

Do these buses really have no air conditioning? Someone posted this previously when I asked the question.

d51984

They are white displays. From that video the interior looks well. Im liking the use of green on some poles. Theres a photo of the rear on Irish Transport yuku site. Full size rear destionation display and no lower rear window.

Also funny how they can stick a logo on the rear yet miss the front.

All in all it looks well.

bk

From the video, it looks like these don't have any of the operator branding, so I'd assume that will be added later. Probably just wanted to focus on the TFI branding for this reveal as these buses will be headed to both DB and BE.

BTW Does this mean BE are shifting to dual door operations too? Or will the BE ones come with a separate single door spec?

I like the different colour and symbols for the priority seats. But I think this missed a trick here not also doing the same for the two "buggy" seats. I think they should have made those blue (to match the colour on the ground and differentiate from the standard priority seats), with a buggy symbol and they could do the same with the wheelchair seat.

I think the lack of colour for the buggy seats will cause issues and confusion.

GT89

d51984 wrote: »

They are white displays. From that video the interior looks well. Im liking the use of green on some poles. Theres a photo of the rear on Irish Transport yuku site. Full size rear destionation display and no lower rear window.

Also funny how they can stick a logo on the rear yet miss the front.

All in all it looks well.

Wouldn't surprise if the NTA wanted to make the livery as visible as is possible after the last debacle with the livery. Maybe a certain prominent disability campaigner will start complaining now that the new livery is too bright and will hurt people's eyes now.

d51984

bk wrote: »

From the video, it looks like these don't have any of the operator branding, so I'd assume that will be added later. Probably just wanted to focus on the TFI branding for this reveal as these buses will be headed to both DB and BE.

BTW Does this mean BE are shifting to dual door operations too? Or will the BE ones come with a separate single door spec?

I like the different colour and symbols for the priority seats. But I think this missed a trick here not also doing the same for the two "buggy" seats. I think they should have made those blue (to match the colour on the ground and differentiate from the standard priority seats), with a buggy symbol and they could do the same with the wheelchair seat.

I think the lack of colour for the buggy seats will cause issues and confusion.

They will all be dual door. Theres a decal on the side saying "operated by Dublin Bus" and "Operated by Bus Eireann" on their ones.

d51984

GT89 wrote: »

Wouldn't surprise if the NTA wanted to make the livery as visible as is possible after the last debacle with the livery. Maybe a certain prominent disability campaigner will start complaining now that the new livery is too bright and hurt people's eyes now.

He will probably go mad over the green poles and fabric on seats been to dark watch....

devnull

GT89 wrote: »

The displays are white

That's what I'd assume but they look a touch green/yellow in the photos/videos.

d51984

devnull wrote: »

That's what I'd assume but they look a touch green/yellow in the photos/videos.

Had another look there and your right. They look like an off white. Its hard to tell until we see one set up.

bk

devnull wrote: »

That's what I'd assume but they look a touch green/yellow in the photos/videos.

Yes, in the video it looks white at a distance, but then looks yellow in the close up shot of the sign. I'd assume it just looks that way on camera due to the very yellow front of the bus.

Thanks d51984, I just saw the company decals on the pics over on the other site. Over there someone is saying that the company decal will be added to the front of the bus too.

Glad to hear BE will be going dual door too.

GT89

bk wrote: »

From the video, it looks like these don't have any of the operator branding, so I'd assume that will be added later. Probably just wanted to focus on the TFI branding for this reveal as these buses will be headed to both DB and BE.

BTW Does this mean BE are shifting to dual door operations too? Or will the BE ones come with a separate single door spec?

I like the different colour and symbols for the priority seats. But I think this missed a trick here not also doing the same for the two "buggy" seats. I think they should have made those blue (to match the colour on the ground and differentiate from the standard priority seats), with a buggy symbol and they could do the same with the wheelchair seat.

I think the lack of colour for the buggy seats will cause issues and confusion.

They do have operator branding on the passenger side of the bus which it appears to be quite small similar to what is on the Go-Ahead and some Bus Eireann vehicles in the old blue TFI livery.

The 2018 onward Bus Eireann VWDs all have dual doors and have the same wheelbase and layout as the Dublin Bus SG class. Used in Galway, Limerick, Cork and on the 101. I wonder will Broadstone get any of these in the coming years for Dublin commuter routes if so I think that may cause confusion having regional buses looking the exact same as Dublin city services.

I think current flip down seats on the GT and SG in the buggy area cause confusion anyway as many think they are priority seats which they are not.

GT89

devnull wrote: »

That's what I'd assume but they look a touch green/yellow in the photos/videos.

They are not dot matrix if that's what you are thinking.

AlekSmart

GT89 wrote: »

See it has cameras for mirrors. Not great if there's a technical issue meaning a bus will have to be taken from the road at least our deliveries look like they'll have actual mirrors.

Largely a non-issue,as a smashed mirror will lie you by the roadside quite as easily.

The RVC systems currently on offer are constructed and wired to Military standards.
The quality and fields of view offered by the systems are far better than mirror,and largely eliminate blind spots currently caused by large mirror frames.
In addition the systems compensate for poor lighting,and importantly,rainfall to give a sharp,clear image.

From a drivers perspective it really is a positive development,and from my own experience,a spin of 15 minutes had me very comfortable with driving such a vehicle.

Th UK Construction & Use regulations,since last October have allowed for the operation of these systems without backup glass mirrors,as had been required under previous regs.

The Bus Engineering world is VERY traditionally minded,something often carried on into the operational sector,with long ingrained resistance to any deviation from the good'ol days.

Much of the debate is now largely irrelevant as all of the major bodybuilders are now offering these systems,something which has already seen the unit cost reducing.

In addition,TfL's newest Bus Safety Standards mandate the Camera Systems for all new London Bus deliveries from 2021,along with a series of other measures which will quite quickly start to appear on our vehicles too.

https://www.smmt.co.uk/2019/12/tfl-recognises-alexander-dennis-for-work-on-londons-bus-safety-standard/

Daimler-Benz were probably the first Manufacturer to offer the units as standard options in Ireland,fitted to their Actros Tractor Units,since late 2019.

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/12/20191214-mirrorcam.html

For me,at any rate,it was disappointing to see the NTA not being prepared to broaden their focus when specifying the new fleet.

bk

GT89 wrote: »

The 2018 onward Bus Eireann VWDs all have dual doors and have the same wheelbase and layout as the Dublin Bus SG class. Used in Galway, Limerick, Cork and on the 101.

Ah, I hadn't come across any dual door in Cork yet! But I haven't been down much in the past year.

GT89 wrote: »

I think current flip down seats on the GT and SG in the buggy area cause confusion anyway as many think they are priority seats which they are not.

Well they would be priority for a buggy user. The sign next to them says that the buggy user most stay with the buggy as far as I remember.

I'd assume most people wouldn't appreciate you parking the buggy there and then leaving your child there and going upstairs while the people sitting there get to stare at your child

Part of the confusion about them being priority or not stems from the older bus models where the seats directly behind the stairs weren't a buggy bay, but they were priority seats. When they introduced the behind the stairs buggy bay, it caused issues as elderly people continued to use it as a priority seats, which caused issues for buggy users.

I think that is why they are trying to make it more clear which seats are actually priority now with the colours and symbols. But I think they should also have done the same with the buggy seats and the wheelchair seats, just a different colour to show the difference.