Euro Bus Expo 2018

The European BusExpo event returned to the NEC in Birmingham this year. The 2018 event continued on from 2016's focus on varying forms of electric and gas powered vehicles. There was, however, a greater visible shift towards the technology side for passenger information, as well as bus safety.

As follows beneath is my pictorial journey around the Bus Expo arena, enjoy!

Citaro Hybrid
© Tommy Cooling

Mancunian with the Omnibus stand.
© Tommy Cooling

Former Midland Red BMMO D9 5242.
© Tommy Cooling

Yutong Pelican.
© Tommy Cooling

ADL E400 MMC 1235 for Bluestar of Southampton.
© Tommy Cooling

ADL E400 MMC.
© Tommy Cooling

ADL E400 MMC 6687 for Xplore Dundee
© Tommy Cooling

ADL Scania, with Lego little brother.
© Tommy Cooling

Transport for Ireland Wrightbus Streetlite
© Tommy Cooling

Wrightbus for Translink.
© Tommy Cooling

Wrightbus Hydrogen-fuelled StreetDeck FCEV, with Metroline interior.
A fleet of Hydrogen buses [similar to this] are due for Metroline in the not-too-distant future.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44930701194/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

Look familiar?
Optare Slim line Solo formerly OS1476 with Metroline.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/45655765061/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

Slim line Optare Solo xFE
© Tommy Cooling

Optare Versa xFE
© Tommy Cooling

All electric Optare MetroDecker EV.
A brand new fleet are the 134 at Potters Bar next summer.
© Tommy Cooling

All electric Optare MetroCity EV, MC1.
Go-Ahead have announced that one should be on trial on the 360 this winter.
© Tommy Cooling

New Optares for London both due to enter service within the next year.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44930702014/in/photostream/
© Tommy Cooling

Post by Tommy Cooling
Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission

Electric Metroline

On Saturday 20th October 2018, after much delay, the first electric E200 BYD 'BELs' for the 46 were introduced into service at Holloway. The first out was BEL2513, followed by BELs2506, 2508, 2512, 2514, 2515, 2516, 2517, 2520, 2523, 2524, 2525, 2526 & 2527 later that day. Two weeks later, and at time of writing, BELs2507, 2509, 2511, 2519, 2521, 2522 are still awaiting their introduction into service.


There had been many snags that had delayed their introduction. All 23 BELs were delivered on time during the early part of the summer and were put into store at Perivale Garage.

On a route test in June it was discovered that there was a traffic island in the Warwick Avenue area that needed to be re-sited to avoid the new vehicles clipping the pavement curb stones. It was amazing that this wasn't discovered before, however it transpired that there was a parameter here that had not been factored in during the BYD length-simulation phase. Quite what this was I do not know. One does wonder why this wasn't flagged up by TfL when the tender award with said vehicles was announced a whole year prior, similar to the failure to trim the 274s trees for over a year following the same tender award! TfL quoted the usual 'several months' for the work to take place, and duly by early October, said works had been completed.

The other limiting factor was the substation electric charging facilities at Holloway Garage. The charging points originally were to be installed on the outside lower deck, but upon drilling into the ramp down found that this was unsuitable for burying cables in, back to the drawing board with the National Grid! By this time the tender award for the 43 with electric vehicles had been announced, so when work resumed on a new site inside the garage, where the sales stalls were at the open day, the plan had to be further amended to future proof the design to cater for the 43 ADL electrics from summer 2019. Another delay! There was a slow portable charger supplied by BYD to keep buses ticking over, which also provided the charge for the two BELs at the open day. After the charging facilities were installed, work began on the substation at Holloway.

BEL2510 and BEL2516 were used as special extras on the '609' for Holloway open day. 15-Sept
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/29763100767/in/dateposted-public/
© Tommy Cooling

BEL2510s first 'passenger' service on "heritage" route 609 to Muswell Hill. 15-Sept
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/29779699007/in/dateposted-public/
© Tommy Cooling

The charging facilities are now complete, and have been future proofed to cater for the 43 from next summer. Following the completion of the highway infrastructure works at Warwick Avenue, the decision was to introduce a half-allocation of BELs onto the 46. Despite all the vehicles present and ready, the allocation is not 100% yet whilst the substation capacity at Holloway is finished and signed off. The completion of these works are at the mercy of the National Grid and UK Power although, it is hoped that this will be completed before the end of 2018, however we shall have to wait and see.



BEL2506 crosses Holborn Viaduct, in The City, on the 46 towards St. Bartholomew's Hospital, running as HT355. 03-Nov
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/44975602994/in/dateposted-public/
© Tommy Cooling

Post by Tommy Cooling
Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission

Electric Enviros for London United

The first set of buses for the newest wave of delayed electric conversions arrived today (01/10/2018) on Route 70. The BYD K9/ADL Enviro 200EV is the type of bus, meaning that London United is the first operator to co-currently have two types of production electric buses allocated to their routes. A partial allocation of production Optare Metrocity electric buses on the H98 are the other type that London United have.

BE37011 at Chiswick Business Park, starting an eastbound journey.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Intended for Routes 70 and C1, these buses are based at Shepherd's Bush Garage. As these buses contracted to run the 70/C1 were delayed, the cascade of displaced existing buses are affecting routes such as the 72/371/419 and H22 which are still pending their newer buses from the C1 and 70 respectively.

These buses are similar in length to the existing Enviro 200MMCs on the 70, and slightly longer than the Enviro 200s on the C1, thus length of the buses should not be too much of an issue. However, a combination of larger wheels and smaller overhangs (as the bus is a downsized full-size bus, rather than an up-sized midibus) has been a small issue for Route 46, partly explaining why existing buses are still on that route.


A higher point of view of BE37011 shows the driver's air conditioning pod and the large battery pack.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Iron-phosphate batteries are found on the roof, which are much cleaner to produce than most other batteries power a motor, driving the rear wheels for drive. Although electric buses do not produce emissions at the immediate vicinity of the bus, the electricity ironically is usually from non-renewable sources. The minimal space on the roof that is not taken by the battery pack means the fleet number on the roof is more forward than on other buses.


BE37010 arrives at Chiswick Business Park
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

At a rate of a maximum of 5 per day (according to staff at Shepherd's Bush), these electric buses will slowly displace the year old diesel Enviro 200MMCs that were ordered for the 70 in lieu of these electric buses being delayed. It is unknown for a certain date for the introduction of these buses on Route C1, but expect it to be in the near future.


A sight which may not last for too much longer, as ADH45004 on the soon to be curtailed 27 passes BE37011 on stand.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Route 27 has the two London United prototype Enviro 400 hybrid buses, introduced into London service on the 482 just about 10 years ago. To think that in 2018, we now have electric buses sufficiently proven to be the allocation on several routes shows how far we have developed technologically. The Anglo-Chinese partnership for the BYD/ADL bus seems to be popular with many British cities (i.e. Liverpool, Nottingham as well as London). The next step for the BYD/ADL partnership is the double decker version, which will be arriving in 2019 for Route 43 with Metroline.

Post by Aubrey Morandarte

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