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+---- Thread: Spirit Buses (/showthread.php?tid=465)
RE: Spirit Buses - mb134 - 18 Jun 2015
(17 Jun 2015, 10:27 pm)Jimmi Renown's would probably be too big for Spirit Buses I would have thought.Aye I suppose, but would a Solo be big enough, definitely smaller than what they have at the moment?
Not really sure what else they could get that is small but reliable enough, I can only really think of Solos, MPDs or Enviro 200s although the last one would probably be too new and expensive.
(18 Jun 2015, 4:14 am)tyresmoke B10BLEs are quite expensive to run as they drink fuel tooAhh okay, think they need something bigger than a Solo or MPD though, they look far smaller than what they currently have.
(18 Jun 2015, 4:21 am)Davie What about the Streetlite Gateshead Central Taxis have/had, surely that would be affordable?
Would imagine that would be too expensive, as they'd need two?
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 7:08 am)Tommy_1581 Driver familiarisation. They'd have to have someone from Wright or something to train them on the vehicle.
actually it wouldnt take long to train the staff on the buses because on of the drivers used to work for arriva and he drove renowns a lot because v504 dft was on the x15 quite a lot
RE: Spirit Buses - omnicity4659 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 8:22 am)buss14 actually it wouldnt take long to train the staff on the buses because on of the drivers used to work for arriva and he drove renowns a lot because v504 dft was on the x15 quite a lot
They would still need to train drivers on how to change the silly gears and that, I've rode StreetLites with some of the older drivers and trust me, everytime that I went around the Pegswood roundabout I'd always get jolted forward along with everyone else due to the drivers having no training.
RE: Spirit Buses - Greg in Weardale - 18 Jun 2015
All buses are automatic now and much the same; a competent driver could drive anything. You just need to know where master switch is, how to open engine cover to check oil and water, position of light switches etc. which doesn't really need training as you can find out for yourself within a couple of minutes. Often the most difficult thing is finding how the heating works. However it does take time and effort to master the crash gearbox of old buses (50's and earlier) - I've tried on a preserved vehicle and it's bloody difficult - but once semi-automatics came in, easy peasy.
RE: Spirit Buses - Jimmi - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 8:07 am)mb134 Aye I suppose, but would a Solo be big enough, definitely smaller than what they have at the moment?
Solos and MPD's are smaller than what they have at the moment but they may not actually need a bus that has the seating capacity that they currently have. Not seen what the numbers are like on their services but they would probably be big enough for them.
You can get Solos that can seat around 33 passengers dependent on the layout of the seats etc. rather than the usual of around 28.
RE: Spirit Buses - mb134 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 9:27 am)Jimmi Solos and MPD's are smaller than what they have at the moment but they may not actually need a bus that has the seating capacity that they currently have. Not seen what the numbers are like on their services but they would probably be big enough for them.
You can get Solos that can seat around 33 passengers dependent on the layout of the seats etc. rather than the usual of around 28.
I've seen photos on Facebook (on their page) of full bus loads, and I imagine this will be a frequent occurance due to the nature of certain routes, looking at the amount of people that use them for group walks etc.
Just wondering, but if they showed how well they have done over the past year, would they be able to apply for a grant of some sort to get a much newer vehicle?
RE: Spirit Buses - omnicity4659 - 18 Jun 2015
From their website
COMING SOON! Guided Commentary...
In partnership with Northumberland National Park we will shortly be launching recorded and live commentary on some of our services - follow us for updates!
RE: Spirit Buses - mb134 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 12:45 pm)Tommy_1581 From their website
COMING SOON! Guided Commentary...
In partnership with Northumberland National Park we will shortly be launching recorded and live commentary on some of our services - follow us for updates!
How embarrassing will it be for Arriva if a small independent like Spirit (no offence intended there by the way) manage to get theirs working perfectly, and Arriva's are still not working...
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 9:27 am)Jimmi Solos and MPD's are smaller than what they have at the moment but they may not actually need a bus that has the seating capacity that they currently have. Not seen what the numbers are like on their services but they would probably be big enough for them.
You can get Solos that can seat around 33 passengers dependent on the layout of the seats etc. rather than the usual of around 28.
wouldnt it be more easier to put a vehicle like a vw bluebird on and atleast they are reliable.
RE: Spirit Buses - omnicity4659 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 6:36 pm)buss14 wouldnt it be more easier to put a vehicle like a vw bluebird on and atleast they are reliable.
Eh?
We've just mentioned loadings????
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 18 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 6:56 pm)Tommy_1581 Eh?
We've just mentioned loadings????
yes i know but previous posts have mentioned the buses they have already are big enough then i suggested why not use a vw bluebird minibus?
RE: Spirit Buses - Rapidsnap - 19 Jun 2015
You cannot get 33 passengers onto a VW Bluebird, well least not in a comfortable way.
RE: Spirit Buses - omnicity4659 - 19 Jun 2015
(18 Jun 2015, 7:05 pm)buss14 yes i know but previous posts have mentioned the buses they have already are big enough then i suggested why not use a vw bluebird minibus?
The passenger seating levels on a Volkswagen Bluebird is B20F. I'm not sure on standing levels but I'll guess that's about 2 or 3 people from the last time that I was on a Bluebird.
From the loadings on Spirit Buses' Facebook photos, that's about 35-40 people. Double the capacity of a Bluebird.
On services like Spirit, leaving people behind is not an option due to the very limited frequency of around two journeys a day on routes other than the 15.
Using a Bluebird on a bus service like this is like a taxi company turning up to a supermarket with a Smart Fortwo. It's ridiculous and it's ain't going to happen.
RE: Spirit Buses - Cock Robin - 19 Jun 2015
(19 Jun 2015, 10:32 am)Tommy_1581 The passenger seating levels on a Volkswagen Bluebird is B20F. I'm not sure on standing levels but I'll guess that's about 2 or 3 people from the last time that I was on a Bluebird.
From the loadings on Spirit Buses' Facebook photos, that's about 35-40 people. Double the capacity of a Bluebird.
On services like Spirit, leaving people behind is not an option due to the very limited frequency of around two journeys a day on routes other than the 15.
Using a Bluebird on a bus service like this is like a taxi company turning up to a supermarket with a Smart Fortwo. It's ridiculous and it's ain't going to happen.
It would if it was Arriva.
RE: Spirit Buses - omnicity4659 - 19 Jun 2015
(19 Jun 2015, 10:45 am)Cock Robin It would if it was Arriva.
Arriva won't buy VW Bluebirds.
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 19 Jun 2015
(19 Jun 2015, 11:03 am)Tommy_1581 Arriva won't buy VW Bluebirds.
the only reason why arriva dont buy them is because they dont have a route suitable because arriva's routes are quite a distances but for spirit buses they have long routes but little usage sometimes.
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 01 Jul 2015
just to tell you spirit bus had an offer to take over a howard snaith route but they had to do the sensible thing and back out because of their limitation of vehicles. it is a shame as they could of made a little bit more money
RE: Spirit Buses - G-CPTN - 01 Jul 2015
(01 Jul 2015, 11:38 am)buss14 just to tell you spirit bus had an offer to take over a howard snaith route but they had to do the sensible thing and back out because of their limitation of vehicles. it is a shame as they could of made a little bit more money
When you are a small operator (like Spirit), increasing your fleet (and staff) can be a considerable overhead.
Snaith started small, but has grown to the extent that adding a route (and, redeploying or acquiring a vehicle) is less of a strain on resources.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, there is an opportunity for an operator to take over the Snaith business, but it requires investment (in vehicles, staff, and depots).
RE: Spirit Buses - eezypeazy - 01 Jul 2015
I wouldn't get too excited, G-CPTN - buss14 tends to post rubbish of all kinds all over this forum. Also today (apparently) GNE is to run a bus in Morpeth starting on Thursday 22 October. Last month he said someone told him a bus caught fire on the Tyne Bridge; and that Arriva would be acquiring Snaiths E200s...
RE: Spirit Buses - buss14 - 01 Jul 2015
(01 Jul 2015, 1:51 pm)eezypeazy I wouldn't get too excited, G-CPTN - buss14 tends to post rubbish of all kinds all over this forum. Also today (apparently) GNE is to run a bus in Morpeth starting on Thursday 22 October. Last month he said someone told him a bus caught fire on the Tyne Bridge; and that Arriva would be acquiring Snaiths E200s...
thanks for that but this was true because i know the driver who used to work for arriva and i usually talk to him quite often as i get the bus to coquetdale so my source of info are true and i do know what i am talking about plus you have never met me so how do you know if i am lying.
not being agressive just a bit shocked