Short Darts (Read 1,245 times)

[manontheinside]

Having already claimed 40977 recently to reserve (death in reality), this has now also claimed 40162 and 40979. I believe the gearbox from one of the above has been transplanted into a remaining example.

However, come the end of the week that should be the last rights for the last Merc 709Ds (50209/11/3) and Darts (40548/56/6/978). Service 6 is likely to become the sole preserve of Volvo B6s after that unless a more suitable type can be located.

[22438]

I assume this is because, with the loss of minibus work, N-JUGs are no longer needed? Also the loss of the 31 is a death omen for these Darts.

So will the 84 route become B6s too, since that often used these Darts? Although the 84 seems like a Rural Links Solo kind of route to me. Is this service tendered or commercial?

Back on topic, good riddance to these Darts, they look ugly especially in Barbie 2 livery. Although in the meantime OG will be left with no buses smaller than B6s.

[manontheinside]

Thank god for that. 84 is kind of an anything route. Perfectly capable of getting any bus type round it so not a problem. B6s are likely, but B10Ms are ok too and are often used.

It is fully commercial.

And yeah, loss of tendered work is basically the reason for the death of the OG Minibus.

[manontheinside]

What buses? If you mean Mercs and Darts i would assume they will all be scrapped (or sold). Certainly the Mercs will, and i see no reason why these Darts would survive.

No use having them as reserve as the type of work suitable for 23/26 seaters is exactly what is disappearing. Can imagine the reaction if they turned up on 52s, 75s etc.

[tango2]

cjm said:

manontheinside said:

Thank god for that. 84 is kind of an anything route. Perfectly capable of getting any bus type round it so not a problem. B6s are likely, but B10Ms are ok too and are often used.

It is fully commercial.

And yeah, loss of tendered work is basically the reason for the death of the OG Minibus.

Oh thats interesting, it must be making more money than I'd think! I mean Ringinglow's not a very big place so I wouldn't have thought there's much demand. I suppose it will pick up a lot of people on the Parkhead/Bents Green to City section though.

So what will be happening to these buses? Staying at OG as "reserve", being cascaded, or even scrapped?

EDIT: yes I meant the Mercs and Darts.

Yes the traffic between Bents green and town is still there so its an addition to the already exsisting services serving Ecclesall Rd ect,,,the Ringinglow section is not a massive loop and often picks pax up in whirlow Park Head ect........

[lapike]

Shame about the darts, think they are a funky looking bus, would have been better in B1.

[manontheinside]

Mmm, i think they'd look better as tin cans!

It has to be said, they look wierd, they're funny to drive but hey - when all is said and done - as YTC will testify, the bodies are rock solid.

[donnytom]

So would any passenger who's tried one of the xDZ Darts and a Spud. No contest! They also feel like they 'dart' more than the Spuds, probably because they're smaller.

A photo of three of them- all with different versions of the same livery!

chrisbusphotos.fotopic.net/p30999367.html

[manontheinside]

Aaah, thats nothing (familiar photo by the way - that seems a bit like a Dominator farewell event about 1am!).

The best has to be 40548 with the funny front lights. Somehow it got round lights (look like they were knicked from a mini) adding yet more variety.

[donnytom]

I'd always assumed that they were pinched from a Dominator, but looking more closely, it seems not:

www.atlantean.fotopic.net/p35825658.html

[Tom B]

To me a "dart" does what it says on the tin - it "darts" around, normally little backstreets where other buses wont fit.

It *doesnt* plod slowly down a massively wide road pretending to be a real bus. IMO operators took the Dart too far, earlier ones were OK but when it tried to be a big bus it fell flat on its face. But they still use them, for now at least.

[donnytom]

I remember UB saying that engineers don't like the long Solos either. Maybe they should leave short buses as short buses! Apart from anything else, it means that the manufacturer is competing against itself: there's a choice of 10.2m Solo, 10.3m Versa, 11m Versa and 10.6m Tempo!

[manontheinside]

Horses for courses. I guess that in operating terms issues like capacity and wheelbase are important, but equally - and i'm sure this was an issue for Veolia! - price is likely to be a deciding factor.

"Ay up Guv, yeah we can do you a 37-seater Solo at £100k, or a 38-seater Tempo at £120k". Erm, decision made!

[Tom B]

You would think people thought before they bought - much as the first bus might be cheaper initially, will it be cheaper to run and more reliable?

[manontheinside]

Well yes, great point. Operating costs etc are very important in the equation. That is certainly one reason why First insists on buying 'premium' products from suppliers like Volvo & Wrightbus. Even though the purchase price is high (part due to specifications like double glazing) it is likely to be considered that construction techniques will cost less time to repair and therefore have less downtime etc. Important factors in service delivery and work efficiency.