RV334 into Ensign’s own fleet

Ex Dublin Bus RV334 is now 195 in the Ensignbus fleet

UK dealer Ensignbus, who have handled the disposal of large numbers of Leyland and Volvo  Olympians for Dublin Bus have just added one of the most recent sales, RV334 into their own operational fleet.

Converted to single-door, with LED display and looking stunning in the operator’s blue and silver livery, RV334 (now No.195) will work a variety of services including rail replacement work in central and outer London, as well as local services in Essex.

Ballinteer to Ilfracombe (via Palmerston Park)

Earlier this month I needed to travel to the North Devon town of Ilfracombe for a part-business part-pleasure weekend, and as is my normal preference, I elected to do this entirely by public transport, including the airport leg in Dublin.

For the first part of the journey I would be accompanied by “Donnybrook Observer” who was also flying that morning, while for the final leg of the tip I would be guided by an old friend and former Ensignbus colleague, John Burch, now Deputy Director of the Confederation of Passenger Transport in the UK, who had invited me to stay in his charming Ilfracome property, itself the former station master’s house of the long abandoned Ilfracombe branch line.

Taking the absolute minimum of baggage with me, and using only a Nokia camera-phone, I aimed to record as much of the trip and the various modes of transport seen and used as possible.

All these photos are available in fullsize mode – just click on the picture for the bigger view!

Setting off from Ballinteer on the 0900 14A

With our flights due to depart Dublin around midday, Donnybrook Observer and I decided to leave Ballinteer at around 9am, choosing the 0900 14A departure, so that we could get to sample the “via Palmerston Park” special working.

This diversion is less needed now that the 128 provides a regular service in the area, but when we arrived at Palmerston Park, the 128 at the stop was not yet loading, and so we took on around 15 of its potential passengers. Our bus was Volvo Olympian RV483, and was quite full by the time it reached Rathmines.

The diversion via Palmerston Park allowed us to steal some customers from a waiting 128

RV483 drops off at O'Connell Street, stage 1 of the journey over.

The early morning sun made photography of both the 14A, and the next leg of our trip on the Airlink Express difficult, as it was both bright and directly behind the buses in O’Connell Street. The shot of RV483 is interesting, in the the Spire is visible over the bus, but not through the windows, making it look as if the entire weight is being supported by the roof of the bus. This optical effect is caused by a high level of reflection on the condensation on the inside of the bus windows.

Arriving at Dublin Airport on the Airlink Express. 8 year old AV125 and its sisters will be replaced on this service by new Wright Geminis in the new year.

Arriving at Dublin Airport in good time, DO’s flight was without problems, but I was faced with a long wait for the FlyBe Exeter service, as the plane had been delayed for 3 hours earlier in the day due to a security alert at Paris.

The FlyBe Bombardier finally arrives at Dublin

The FlyBe Bombardier eventually arrived, and the flight to Exeter was uneventful. The arrival in Exeter International was in the middle of a downpour, and I sheltered in the tiny terminal building for 20 minutes until the Stagecoach service arrived to take me to the city centre. Bus waiting facilities are poor, and boarding involved a dash across windswept roadways in the pouring rain.

Arriving at Exeter International in a torrential downpour, it's time to make a dash for the Stagecoach

The Airport service seems to be worked by ALX200 bodied Dennis Darts.

Stagecoach service 56 arrives into Exeter Bus Station

In Exeter, a selection of buses in the bus station and city centre.

Stagecoach Enviro 400s can be seen working a number of Devon service

Olympians are also still in evidence, retrofitted with modern LED display

Independents Western Greyhound and Dartline add variety at Exeter

Amongst the earliest lowfloor double-deckers into service, a batch of S-reg Trident ALX400s new to East London, now working on park and ride services in Exeter. The yellow and blue livery looks attractive

In Exeter city centre, buses on local town services. Routes are lettered rather than numbered, a practice dating back many decades to the long vanished municipal operator.

The next part of the journey was by rail – a walk to Exeter Central station to meet John Burch, who was arriving in from London on a Stagecoach SouthWest Trains service, and then we would take the local “Tarka Line” First service to Barnstaple.

I was amazed to see that there were lots of Leyland-National derived class 142 units still in service – the last time I encountered one of these strange beasts was at Goole in Yorkshire, almost 14 years ago!

Exeter Central station, with a class 142 unit heading west

142067 at Barnstaple, showing the Leyland National body styling and bus-type doors and seating.

Arriving in Barnstaple, we had a walk to the town centre and time for a drink before boarding the bus for the final leg to Ilfracombe. John used his local knowledge to ensure that the bus trip was interesting – instead of taking the main Ilfracombe service on route 3, we took the Fridays Only 30E service, which takes a more direct but remote routing along tiny hilly laneways eventually approaching Ilfracombe and the Bristol Channel over the crest of a dramatic hill, giving a view of the lights of Wales far across the dark waters.

Heading along dark country lanes on the 30E.

We arrived at John’s house at 2100 – 12 hours exactly sice the 14A started my journey.

Also included below are a couple of shots taken the following day around Ilfracombe. I did try to get the local independent Filers, but they were elusive on the day! However the holiday camp buses were a real find, with thanks to John for his local knowledge!

Ilfracombe Bus Station with a Firstgroup Olympian on the main Barnstaple service

Two vanishing bus types, a Bristol VRT and a very elderly E-reg Atlantean PDR1A at the local holiday camp.

Northern Irish built hybrid joins London fleet

Photo by TfL/Geoff Caddick

PRESS RELEASE – WRIGHT BUS

The first production series hybrid vehicle was launched into service today (Tuesday December 2^nd) by David Brown, Managing Director of Surface Transport, Transport for London (TfL).

The double deck, unveiled at Horse Guards Parade, demonstrates Mayor Boris Johnson and TfL’s commitment to cleaner, more fuel-efficient public transport.

The Gemini 2 HEV unveiled today is one of five going into service for FirstGroup with another five also due to enter service with Arriva in London this winter.

The Wrightbus Gemini 2 HEV, which made its debut last month at Euro Bus Expo, has been developed following a long-term in-service evaluation with Arriva in London. Also available in conventional diesel form, the Series Hybrid Electric variant features Siemens ELFA^® traction components, with energy provided by a Ford Puma 2.4 litre diesel engine with Lithium Ion batteries.

The other new London hybrid vehicle to feature Wrightbus bodywork is the Volvo B5L Hybrid Double Deck, which sports the original Wrightbus Gemini body. The Volvo B5L Hybrid is specified with a driveline comprising Volvo’s D5E 5 litre, Euro 5 compliant, diesel engine and Volvo’s ISAM (Integrated Starter Alternator Motor) which provides parallel operation of diesel and electric power, coupled to the Volvo     I-Shift 12-speed gearbox.

The new double decks are not the first Wrightbus hybrids to go into service in London. The company supplied their first Electrocity single deck hybrids to TfL in 2006 and there are currently 12 of these, plus one Gemini HEV, already in operation in the capital.

Today’s launch was attended by the Wright Group’s Business Development Director, Jonathan Poynton and William Wright, Director and Co-founder of the group, who commented, “We’re proud to be leading the way in the development of hybrid vehicles for public transport and are delighted that Transport for London sees hybrid technology as playing a key role in the future of London’s public transport. We’re confident that our experience gained in operating this technology in London over the past couple of years means that the new vehicles will deliver even more in terms of improved fuel consumption, air quality and passenger satisfaction.”

Dempsey – new bus licencing legislation in 2009

 

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has said that legislation to reform bus licencing throughout the Republic of Ireland will be brought forward in 2009.

Responding to a Dail question by Sean McEntee, suggesting the reform be brought forward to allow private operators access to the market in order to reduce the CIE group subsidy, Mr Dempsey said that the existing system under the 1932 Act would continue to facilitate licence applications until new legislation was introduced.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey (photo: AllAboutBuses.com)

Noel Dempsey Dail Reply

“The Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment to improving bus services under Transport 21 by reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932, to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants, both public and private. 

The legislative framework to support the authorisation and provision of improved public bus services in the Greater Dublin Area has already been updated through the passage of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, which establishes a new contractual structure relating to the provision of subvented bus services in the Greater Dublin Area.

It is my intention that proposals for a new bus licensing regime will be contained in a Public Transport Regulation Bill which will deal with the replacement of the Road Transport Act 1932 and the provisions of the Transport Act 1958 that relate to the provision of bus services by the State bus companies. It is envisaged that the new licensing structure will apply in respect of all commercial bus services, including those provided by Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, and will encompass provisions relating to the subvented bus market outside the Greater Dublin Area in a manner consistent with EU Regulation No. 1370/2007 on public service obligations and similar to the contractual framework used in the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008.

Until the proposed legislation is enacted, applications for new bus licences and notifications from State bus operators will continue to be processed under the provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932, as amended, and the notification system with reference to the Transport Act 1958, as appropriate.  

The Government has committed to examining the need for a National Transport Regulator in the context of the overall review of the economic regulatory environment.  As part of the public transport regulatory reform programme, consideration is being given to the establishment of a national transport authority.  

The Public Transport Regulation Bill is included in the Government Legislative Programme in the list of Bills that have yet to be approved by Government.  It is my intention to seek Government approval to a General Scheme of the Bill before the end of the year with a view to publication in 2009″.