06 July 2011

Numb Bums on 420

I had a pleasant surprise on Monday when the 'new' 420 arrived at Derriford Hospital as my ride home on the 50. This is an extra run which is nearly always a double decker as it comes off a school run and then runs as a 50 into the City. 420 has been on this duty on both Monday and Tuesday this week so that's two chances to try her out and see how she goes.
As far as the ride is concerned she is a nice bus. Plenty of power to get up Keswick Crescent too which is a bonus as some of the Darts struggle up that hill. Inside, its not quite such a good story. The main seats are comfortable enough. The real problem is the back seats upstairs. These are rock hard seats and very uncomfortable. I believe it was an anti vandalism feature of these buses in London. I guess as these buses will be used on school runs it was decided to keep them. It probably saved a few quid too.
The photos below were taken on my new smart phone and I am quite happy with how well them came out. Its a lot easier to take quick photos like this with a phone than to get my much bulkier camera out!


Elsewhere on the net

  • Just a tenth of the money they are spending on High Speed Rail could totally reinvigorate transport in the South West.' Peoples Republic South Devon
  • Now anyone who says that First don't go down narrow roads anymore only has to look at this photo to be proven wrong. PTOTPA
  • After my trip to the Peak Park Rally I headed through Matlock to Crich, a place where I spent most of my bank holidays in my teens in the seventies but it had been three years since I'd last visited. Nonetheless it is very much 'home territory' for me. Transport Illustrated
  • As afore mentioned, 420, the first of the newly painted Volvo B7s is now out and about earning her keep on the streets of Plymouth PTOTPA
  • Help! Where the Heck is Hackenthorpe? A Travel South Yorkshire Identity Crisis Public Transport Experience

6 comments:

  1. Have they even been cleaned inside?!

    ReplyDelete
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  3. See the replies in this thread:-

    http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=11828686&postID=2262093903475383694

    As has been said, Go North East have done a superb job on their buses recently acquired from London General, so why can't Citybus do the same?

    Incidentally, have the Citybus B7TLs had the middle doors removed?

    ReplyDelete
  4. No! They still have the centre doors

    ReplyDelete
  5. The ones remaining in London that are being refurbished are having all their seats, including these hard ones, replaced by completely new seating. It's disappointing that the Plymouth ones have just had a repaint.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The staff are so busy with the london contracts that getting the outside done is a challenge at the moment let alone doing the inside. I know that isn't an excuse but these are primarily going to be used for schools anyway.

    ReplyDelete

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