Enviro 400 | OnThisBus

Peak Hopping

Who doesn’t love open-top buses? Well, you could argue that the great British weather can create variations on the responses to that question. Stagecoach, however, hit upon a bit of a gem last summer. Using a wad of Bus Service Improvement Plan cash innovatively, they created an open-top service around parts of the Peak District, with the laudable aim of allowing car-free access into this beautiful part of Britain. Chatsworth House and Bakewell were hubs of this excellent offering. I sampled it – it was wonderful.

This year, those wily Stagecoach folk are back – with something even better: a second route, adding even more to see, accompanied by a stunning Stenning livery (that sent my spell-check into overtime) and a beautifully-designed leaflet to whet your appetite.

*The attractive leaflet design by Best Impressions*

Three of us ventured north, including my bus driving pal Mark (thankfully not wearing his shorts) and our other friend Paul – more of a tram/rail guy but can be tempted by the odd bus. It’s a bit of a “Last Of The Summer Wine” combo.

We gather at the giant monolith that is Birmingham New Street station. There are STILL people having selfies in front of the giant bull. I think the entire world population has now visited this thing at least twice. Our first port of call is Burton on Trent. I fumble with the self-service ticket machines and grumble like a typical 50-something man of my age about how much of a rigmarole buying a ticket has now become and how much easier it could have been if only I could have bought a ticket from a human sat behind a desk. Which of course I could have done if I’d just glanced left….

We’re heading to Burton as this is where the validity of the Derbyshire Wayfarer rover ticket begins – a marvellous product that covers the whole of Derbyshire as well as extensions down to Burton and up to Sheffield. Mark has previously discovered this product as a bargain compared to buying a CrossCountry rail ticket on the day from Brum to Sheffield. Split ticketing may of course reduce this cost, but who wants to faff? I need to max-out my bus-loving life before the King sends me his telegram.

So a Burton return from the city leads us to this part of Staffordshire, once famous for it’s brewing. Info on Derbyshire County Council’s website lists where you can buy this ticket, although my old mate Charles in the ticket office back at Stourbridge Town tells me he could issue it there – a trick for the future….

Burton station is a spartan, although perfectly functional, affair. Me and Mark obtain a family ticket for £27.70 (£15.40 for 1 adult), Paul going for the bargain £7.70 concessionary pass holder version. These are valid all day on virtually all buses and trains in Derbyshire. There is also a bus-only version. I am delighted to grab some attractive paper timetables for local Diamond bus services. Buses in Burton are now predominantly provided by this Rotala-owned company, having purchased the Midland Classic operation from owner James Boddice – a truly superb independent operation in it’s day.

We have 40 minutes before our train to Derby. I ponder the quirky fact that Burton station is operated by East Midlands Railway although none of their services stop here. I also lament the seemingly permanent switching off of the real-time bus information screen within the station. As Mick Jagger once warbled, “you can’t always get what you want”…… We wander down to Sainsburys for snacks and observe the mix of old red/yellow Midland Classic livery and the ever-increasing Diamond blue. TrentBarton also come here with their “Villager” service to Derby.

Now we’re on the short-hop to Derby on CrossCountry. Here we change to a Sheffield-bound service we’re soon in the steel city. A quick hop across the road to the large Sheffield Interchange leads us to Hulleys 272 for an hour’s jolly romp down to Castleton. Mark has an inkling that this wonderfully-scenic bus service has a double decker on it, but we are a tad disappointed when a single deck Enviro 200 rolls into play. Only a handful board here, but significantly more at stops leaving the city, so as we climb out of the urban sprawl into the Derbyshire countryside, our bus is pretty much full. Young American accents fill the air as visitors from across the pond eventually leave the service in the greenery.

*Hulley’s 272 route in Sheffield Interchange*

*Hulley’s 272 route from Sheffield to Castleton has some impressive scenery of it’s own*

The journey through Hathersage, Bamford and Hope grows increasingly spectacular. Just over an hour later, we arrive into Castleton “Bus Station”. These are my inverted commas. Castleton’s “Bus Station” is possibly the smallest I have ever seen! We pull in behind an open-top Peak Sightseer and the two vehicles render the facility full!

We don’t immediately board the open-topper as we have eyes on both the pub and the bakery. I take pics of the quirky bus station before heading to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn, where the excellent selection of 80s tunes playing discreetly in the background in no way compensates for the second mortgage required for three pints of ale. The bakery up the road barely copes with the three of us ordering various savoury delights and clotted cream ice creams. A queue has formed behind us, possibly for the first time since the mid-80s. The locals must wonder what is going on….

And now the main event of the day: The Peak Sightseer! The service is a couple of minutes late. Our driver doesn’t attempt the awkward turn into the tiny bus station (due to awkwardly-placed roadworks) but instead beckons us to the side of the road. He seems impossibly happy. And who wouldn’t be, driving buses in this beautiful part of the world? All day tickets have gone up in price this year, but there are two routes to enjoy and it is still great value at £9.50. We even obtain a discount by flashing our Derbyshire Wayfarer, which brings the price down to £5.50, which is the same amount Paul pays with his concessionary discount. Incredible value.

We’re off! It’s blustery up top but wonderfully panoramic as our “Blue” route initially retraces our steps on the 272 through Hope and Hathersage, before dropping down to Padley Gorge, Grindleford, Froggatt Wood, Baslow (home of the aforementioned Hulleys) and Nether End, constantly hugging the River Derwent before the dramatic and spectacular arrival at Chatsworth House.

It’s a busy day and the car parks appear full. There is a small bus terminus here (this can’t be considered a bus “station” – it’s even smaller than Castleton!). We bail out and our friendly driver disappears with his trusty steed. Within moments, another Peak Sightseer appears – this time in full impressive livery. This is the original “Red” route towards Bakewell. There’s a few minutes before departure, so whilst the masses head for their stately home fix, we head towards a line up of private hire vehicles parked up. That’s what bus enthusiasts do! Notts & Derby are here with two deckers and there’s another Peak Sightseer lurking.

*Plenty of private hire activity going on at Chatsworth House*

*Some of the vehicles carry standard Stagecoach livery*

Pictures obtained, we board the newer open-top Enviro 400. Our driver here is also super-friendly and looks as if he’s thoroughly enjoying himself. This service also has a recorded commentary, pointing out places of interest along the way. We pass through Pilsley, home of the Chatsworth Estate farm shop, then bear left at Hassop station, where the old Midland Railway London to Manchester line has been transformed into the Monsal Trail – an 8.5 mile scenic walk – before heading into the town of Bakewell. We bail out here, although the route then becomes a circular back to Hassop station via Ashford in the Water and Thornbridge Hall.

*Peak Sightseer “Red” route in Bakewell – wearing the Best Impressions-designed livery*

When in Bakewell, you have to eat Bakewell Pudding! It’s the law! I get embroiled in a Twitter pile-on after apparently mistaking my Pudding for a Tart. Hey – it’s an easy assumption to make. I’ve probably been cancelled forever by the historians of Bakewell for that faux pas. Mark decides to supplement his Pudding with fish and chips.

Now we’re Derby-bound. Our agreed next step will be the TrentBarton 6.1 route – the only company I know of to number their services with a decimal point. There is some confusion at the stop, as TrentBarton’s information is different to the Council’s and bustimes online. It is all irrelevant as the supposed departure doesn’t appear and the real time information is stubbornly stuck on “24 minutes”. It briefly drops down a minute, then adds two. The ever-growing queue quietly tuts. I decide to tweet TrentBarton, but my mobile signal is very poor. I eventually get a message out and they reply after a few minutes to helpful tell me that the vehicle has had an overheating problem. Although the countdown begins to fall, we decide on another option – the incoming Hulleys 172 to Matlock. This is a round-the-villages offering but only has a handful of departures per day, so being the bus nerds that we are, decide that it is nevertheless worth the punt.

It’s full of school kids. Paul manages to find a seat, but me and Mark initially stand, although two kids heroically offer us seats – maybe I’m looking increasingly in need of one…..

This is an unexpected jolly romp around country lanes and chocolate-box villages, although our driver narrowly avoids disaster with a truck at one stage. Experience surely counts!

We finally arrive into Matlock bus station. I shudder. This lovely part of the world deserves far better than what looks like some sort of dingy lorry park for bin waggons. We’re a bit pressed for time, so don’t hang around, but I intend to return to explore just how unappealing this facility is.

*Matlock’s less than salubrious bus station*

Matlock has scary memories for me. Myself and a friend came here around six years ago and decided to take a ride on the Heights of Abraham – a spectacular cable car ride. However, I appeared to have forgotten my fear of heights until ensconced in one….

Matlock railway station is far more appealing. It hosts the preserved Peak Railway, as well as the National Rail service to Nottingham via Derby, which we hop on. The unit is an “old friend” – the green seats reveal its former life in the West Midlands as a class 170. It is now living out it’s operational life in more picturesque surroundings. The journey back to Derby calls at Whatstandwell – another horror story for myself, with memories of the time I decided to visit Crich Tramway Museum and climb the hill from Whatstandwell on what was a particularly warm day! Let’s just say never again! It did provoke a discussion about how a bus link from Whaststandwell station up and down to Crich would possibly encourage more rail-based visits to this outstanding museum. Bus access is infrequent, so you really have to visit by car.

Back in Derby we observe another law – if time allows, you MUST have a pint in the Brunswick near to the station. Which we did. And a chip butty off the menu.

Finally, a trip from Derby back to the bright lights of Birmingham – aboard a CrossCountry 170 with the usual cramped legroom and my impression of a baby giraffe performing yoga – brought to an end an excellent day exploring the Peak District in the only way one should – aboard the Peak Sightseer!

Peak Thoughts

Stagecoach’s Peak Sightseer is excellent. The views are spectacular, the drivers really excellent and the frequency good enough to hop on and off all day on both routes.

It is also excellent value for money, as is the Derbyshire Wayfarer rover ticket – an inexpensive day out.

Ray Stenning’s Best Impressions agency has also excelled itself here. The livery on the bus is super-attractive, as is the promotional leaflet.

The gorgeous livery for Peak Sightseer is a real head-turner

You can find out more about the Peak Sightseer here:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/yorkshire/peak-sightseer

Short Trip: North Wales Musings…

Posted on November 4 by philtonks

Normally around the end of October / early November, I make the pilgrimage to Llandudno to ride one of the last Great Orme Tramway operating days before it closes for the winter. The fact that this cable-hauled 3ft 6in gauge operation began in 1902/3 and the same cars on the same sections are still doing their thing endlessly fascinates and delights me. It is a true thing of beauty in a beautiful town.

Another quirk is that I like to get off the train in Rhyl and then catch the bus down to Llandudno. The wide-platformed Rhyl station evokes memories of thousands of Midlands holidaymakers pouring off the trains for a week’s sun and relaxation in this seaside town, which today feels like it has probably seen better days. I’m also very fond of fish and chips in a restaurant here that manages to provide a generous portion, plus bread & butter, mushy peas and a pot of tea for only £6.50! (The Town Fryer on Wellington Street, if ever you fancy it yourself).

Arriva Wales’ 12 from Rhyl to Llandudno is a jolly hour-and-half romp between the two legendary North Wales resorts. Where once Crosville Bristol Lodekkas roamed, today’s service – on a 12-minute daytime frequency – is provided by ADL Enviro 400 deckers.

I was here around 9 years ago, excited to see the corridor boosted by the then new Enviros, resplendent in their “Sapphire” branding, featuring top quality 2+1 seating, Wi-Fi, USB charging and an eye-catching Best Impressions livery. Nearly a decade on, those vehicles are mostly still trundling around, supplemented by similar vehicles moved in from elsewhere on the Arriva empire.

But if Sapphire made your “everyday journey sparkle” back then, someone today has lost the polish. “Sapphire” as a brand has all but disappeared, and with it the USP of these once fine vehicles. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of life in these buses yet, but a bit of TLC in the sparkle department is sorely needed.

Accompanied by a similarly Llandudno-loving friend, we didn’t have long to wait outside Rhyl’s railway station for a 12. The now-corporate aquamarine decker on stand, I was curious to understand if, when I asked for a “Llandudno return” (I know such a thing doesn’t exist), what I would be offered. The “1-Bws” all-operator ticket is a fairly recent phenomenon, although Arriva apparently still sell their own day ticket. What advice would our driver give?

Instead of one or the other, our man at the helm is more than helpful. Spying my travel companion, he asks if the two of us will be travelling together today and suggest a “Duo” ticket, which saves us a bit of cash compared to two separate day tickets. Indeed, it’s just paid for the ice cream we managed to scoff, even after the aforementioned fish and chips. (Dieticians look away now). I’m not sure if the “Duo” is an Arriva product or “all operator” product, but all I want is a “there and back” product and this will do very nicely.

So 10/10 for our helpful and friendly driver. Not such a high score for the appearance of our double decker. We assume upstairs front seats, where it appears that several years worth of feet-on-ledges haven’t ever been addressed. e look is filthy. Some spilt Coke rolls around the upper deck floor. The whole look of the bus is that it is unloved and has seen better days.

The journey itself is, of course, a delight. We pass through the bridge seen on the iconic 1973 “Holiday On The Buses” film, observe static caravans as far as the eye can see, gaze out to sea, glide through Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea and then past the huge “Llandudno Welcomes You” sign as we descend the Little Orme into the town of Llandudno itself, our driver depositing us outside “The Palladium” – a grandly-named Wetherspoons establishment that was, in it’s day, a grand affair itself.

Our raison d’etre in Llandudno complete, we return to the stops opposite The Palladium for our return to Rhyl. We have a few minutes before a 12 appears and I lurk around the stops looking for information.

*What is this all about? “Welcome to Llandudno’s bus service”?*

Conwy Council used to be ace at information. One of the delights of summer excursions to Llandudno was the visit to the Tourist Information Centre to acquire the latest edition of the timetable booklet – an excellent publication which also contained great maps, even if you had sometimes forcefully demand it from deep within a locked cupboard behind the counter.

Today, the booklet no longer exists. Friends also tell me that Conwy took an extraordinarily long time after Covid to restore at-stop information and what I am greeted with isn’t exactly inspiring.

There are two shelters here and for the uninitiated, it isn’t immediately clear what stops where. Indeed, one of the shelters contains an information board that attempts to warn of something in Welsh, although Arriva have managed to get a notice in there advising that the 12 does indeed leave from this stand. No timetable though. Gazing upwards, there is an electronic display, but this appears not to show real-time departures. It is only when I pop my head around the side of the shelter that I notice some departure times attached to a pole. Who would notice that? I contemplate whether one day logic might prevail and the information might make it’s way to the information case within the shelter – and whether real-time information might also be a thing.

*At least there’s real-time information….except that it isn’t….*

*The information lurks behind the shelter. Who knew….?*

*It’s actually quite comprehensive – once you’ve found it….*

*why not put the information inside the shelter? And a map might be nice….*

Another Arriva Enviro 400 has arrived, seemingly on time. Half a dozen of us jump aboard, scanning our tickets. We assume a similar position upstairs at the front. My friend is accompanied by a mostly-drunk can of abandoned vodka, whilst I am greeted by something originated from Subway, complete with straw.

The two front seats are well-worn and more items roll around the upper deck. The weather is abysmal. Rainwater begins to leak and drip from the rubber window surround and I am forced to move seats. I consider reviving my campaign for double decker buses to have upper front window wipers. If it’s good enough for Berliners, it’s good enough for us Brits. And surely now that we’ve achieved Brexit, there’s nothing to stop it.

*My once-Sapphire journey certainly isn’t sparking….*

It’s an uneventful journey back to Rhyl and a short connection to our train back to Wolverhampton – which is an uncomfortable experience, given that it’s a 2-car effort.

The Muse

It feels like a missing jigsaw piece. There are clearly some good things going on here. Helpful driver, excellent driving experience, useful ticketing. And yet…..unloved vehicles, information in illogical places and lack of real-time. I wonder if I Squared’s takeover of Arriva will inject new life into this often-slumbering giant? Might Conwy Council reconsider it’s information provision in a town that is thronged with tourists for many months of the year and yet may well be bemused with what’s on offer with regards to local bus provision?

It seems that it wouldn’t actually take all that much to really improve things here.

Is This Bus “Slimmer of the Year?”

Posted on February 11, 2016 by philtonks

The Optare Metrodecker is a long-awaited product that hopes to gain inroads into a market dominated by Alexander-Dennis’s Enviro 400 and Wrightbus’s Streetdeck/Gemini 3. Is this going to be a real challenger to the establishment? I went hunting around Reading, where it is on trial with Reading Buses, to have a go myself….

I haven’t been to Reading for quite a few years, but I remember it was a colourful scene back then, with the municipal operator – under the then guidance of James Freeman – colour-coding many of their routes, and leading the way in all sorts of quirky gas-powered buses and the like. So it’s long-been an interesting area with regard to bus operation.

Fast-forward to now, and Reading Buses are the current UK Bus Awards operator of the year – actually scooping 5 trophies in all. This is a seriously good operator. James Freeman is now waving his magic wand at First in Bristol, but his successor is Martijn Gilbert. I met up with him at Reading Buses depot in the town and his enthusiasm for the operation shines through. It isn’t surprising that the trial Metrodecker has found it’s way here.

What’s getting the bus industry all excited is fuel economy. That isn’t always the first thing that bus users think about (in fact, it probably doesn’t cross our minds at all), but, behind the scenes, it’s increasingly the buzz-phrase. The more fuel-efficient a bus is, the more money can be saved – and with so many routes now marginal in their operational costs, every penny saved means a greater chance of some routes continuing to operate.

But I’m no technical expert. When Clarkson used to grumble about miles-per-gallon on Top Gear, I used to stick my head into a good bus book. What’s it like for those of us at the bus stop?

Luckily, Martijn has printed a copy of the bus’s running board for the day, so rather than my usual stance of lurking suspiciously around bus stops hoping something might turn up, I know exactly where the Metrodecker is today. It’s doing routes 13/14 from Reading town centre to Woodley. And – bang on time – it appears onto stand EM opposite the railway station. There’s a brief driver changeover and a few people pile on, clutching bags of shopping. To them, a bus is a bus is a bus.

To me though, this isn’t any old bus. But actually, it might have been. Perhaps what is slightly surprising – to me at least – is a lack of a bit of “wow” factor of the Metrodecker. It’s more “functional” than “fwoooaa”. When I first saw an ADL Enviro 400, it looked like significant thought had been put into the look of the vehicle. Further back in time, Wright’s Gemini body – quickly nicknamed “The Nokia bus” because of it’s resemblance to the mobile phone fascia of the day – turned heads. Likewise the “New Routemaster” in London. Wrights Streetdeck / Gemini 3 is such a striking design, it creates a “marmite” feel – you either love it or hate it! Optare used to do this sort of thing. Remember the Solo midibus? When that first appeared it won awards for it’s design. Likewise I recall attending the launch of Optare’s Spectra double decker back in the late 1990s – the first low-floor double deckers for Travel West Midlands. It was a filthy wet day, but they stood out a mile against the square workhorses of the day – the MCW Metrobus.

The Metrodecker lacks a look that might create a double-take from passers by on the street. Perhaps that’s the point. Beneath it’s modest exterior lurks the fuel-efficiency that is getting bus folk hot under the collar. But I suspect that the likes of Ray Stenning will eventually get to work on the lines of the bus and create a livery to excite mere mortals like me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s smart and perfectly presentable, but it doesn’t scream at you.

It’s orange. Which fits in nicely on routes 13/14 as they too are orange. Which is probably why no one really bats an eyelid at the vehicle as they get on. I snap a few pictures and bring up the rear of the queue with my “Easysaver 10” smartcard. It bleeps happily, I’m thanked by the driver and I scurry off upstairs.

The staircase looks as if it might offer an option of a glazed look. This one had a frosted appearance, but it could offer a London-esque appearance, as the Boris Buses do, and the new ADL Enviro400 City variant – the Boris Bus lookalike.

could the Metrodecker offer a glazed staircase appearance like the New Routemaster?

Sitting on the front offside seats, the legroom is acceptable – even for a 6’7″ guy like me. Martijn was keen to stress that, should Reading Buses order any of these in the future, the internal specification might well be very different to what is on offer here. For me, legroom is an increasing aspect of may people’s bus journey. I accept I’m at the outer extremities of human height (I’ve been told I’m 1 inch off being an official “giant” – hey, what’s 1 inch? Size really does make a difference…) but I’m also aware that there are an awful lot of folk who hover around the 5’10” size – and they too seem to struggle with legroom. My local operator National Express West Midlands has really made a difference by adding extra legroom to it’s premium “Platinum” offering, so much so, that I look forward to any seat on a Platinum bus, rather than trying to dive for the one by the emergency exit. It’s all about little things…

There’s a decent view from my front seat. Both the ADL Enviro 400MMC and Wright Streetdeck/Gemini 3 have large corner units between the front and side windows. This isn’t really a huge issue, but the Metrodecker has hardly any in comparison. The best model of all for this is the New Routemaster. The glass is angled to wrap right around from front to side.

decent view from front to side

But then I come across my first downside. The large panel under the front windscreen (which generations of kids have tried tampering with to try and gain access to the destination blinds) is usually flat on most buses I’ve ridden on. This one is gently curved, like a slight bubble effect. But it is obviously encouraged some people to put their dirty shoes on it, like a giant foot rest. Result: mud. It looks unsightly.

the angled front panel appears to encourage people to use it as a footrest….

The grab rail below the front windscreen is angled in a way I haven’t seen before. It adds a nice touch.

angled grab-rail

Other scribes have described the bus as “rattle free”. So of course I’m listening intently for any such misdemeanours. There come none. Reading’s roads are trying at times, with plenty of bumps and potholes observed, so it’ll be interesting to see if the bus continues to perform with out a squeak or rattle. It’s how buses should be anyway.

upper deck….

Ride quality of any vehicle is subjective. I know car enthusiasts who argue about hard or soft suspension and the relative merits of both. I guess most bus passengers don’t naturally think too much about the actual ride quality, so long as their bus turns up in the first place, but it could also be a subconscious thing. A smooth bus ride isn’t something you’d necessarily talk about down the pub on a Saturday night (unless you’re me) but it could linger deep in the psyche…

For me, the best current smooth ride offering is ADL’s Enviro 400 MMC. In comparison, I find Wright’s Streetdeck integral more bumpy and jerky in comparison. I’ve even taken myself off for rides on examples in Worcester and Derby on several occasions to challenge my own preconceptions, but I end up with those same thoughts. The Wright body on a Volvo chassis (“Gemini 3”) in another comparison is a much smoother ride, in my view. But others may disagree. A friend actually prefers the Streetdeck as it “hugs the road better”, he says. Subjective, the topic is. Where does the Metrodecker rank? Actually, I think, in between the two! It isn’t the smooth sophisticated ride of the Enviro 400 MMC, but it isn’t the sharpness of the Streetdeck either.

As mentioned, I’m no technical expert, but I’ve read suggestions elsewhere that both the Metrodecker and the Streetdeck appear to struggle for power on gradients. They share the same fuel-efficient Mercedes engine. I haven’t seen much evidence for this on the admittedly limited experience I have riding both vehicle types. The run from Reading to Woodley was pretty much on the flat, and the bus seemed perfectly capable of handling the route OK.

At what I assumed was the outer terminus (Our driver sat at a bus stop on an unassuming estate street for a few minutes), I ventured downstairs and sat at the rear. I expected it to be a bit quieter than it was. OK, I was sitting right over the engine, but it still seemed a tad noisier than I was expecting for a new bus. I wondered what it might be like to hold a conversation with someone, but as I was travelling on my own, I decided to avoid strange looks by not talking to myself.

Inevitably, I still got the funny looks though, when I started photographing the mud on the rear-facing seats.This is something I wish bus designers would find a way to factor out. I don’t know many people that actually use these seats, and in many cases, they are rendered unusable due to people using them as footrests and depositing mud and dirt all over them.

the dreaded rear-facing seats / unofficial footrest….

Although the vehicle is a demonstrator, and Martijn was at pains to tell me that any future Metrodeckers may well look different internally to this one, I felt the blue plastic moulded panels around the seats and walls didn’t do it any favours. It gave it a very basic feel, compared to a more premium look on alternative vehicles.

the moulded blue plastic doesn’t give the inside a “premium” feel….

The nearside emergency exit is quirky (it’s normally on the other side) and the front doors did actually sqeak – so my job of finding something that required a bit of WD40 is complete. The rear window or “porthole” I guess is a bit of a design feature, but it scarily reminded me of when I once had a hospital scan!

rear window? Or hospital body scanner?

the nearside emergency exit

Ultimately, in an age where “design” and aesthetics seem to have come back to external bus design, the Metrodecker has an almost “plain Jane” look to it. Whatever the Streetdeck’s ride quality, it is still a “head turner” in the street. Likewise, the ADL E400 & MMC have the look of class/quality about them. I’m not saying the Metrodecker doesn’t have potential as a lightweight bus with decent ride quality, but I’m just a little surprised that Optare – who once led the field in head-turning bus designs – has produced something that doesn’t make you think “wow” when it goes past you. Riding on it has a similar effect. Competent, decent, yes. But did my fellow passengers think they were on something mightily different to other orange buses on the route? I’m not sure they did. I suppose it’s all subjective, as ever. A bit of a better kit-out inside and a touch of the Stenning magic on the outside might well transform the product.

Optare reports that they have around 20 operators ready to trial the Metrodecker, and fuel efficiency is the big draw. Can it muscle in on the established players? If the industry is convinced that this bus is the “slimmer of the year” in weight loss terms, it could well appear on many more roads than Reading’s…

rear view of the Optare Metrodecker

	A Nony Mouse on Peak Hopping
	philtonks on Peak Hopping
	A Nony Mouse on Peak Hopping
	philtonks on Dudley’s Buzz Station
	Stuart Johnson on Dudley’s Buzz Station