LDN- new volvo hybrid d/d enter service,

Hello,
the second batch of hybrid buses have now entered service:
those are 5 hybrid volvo buses - with First at X garage and route 328.
They are classified as VNH39001-005.
4 more Gemini 2 bodied volvo B9 with diesel engines are also due - those would be known as VN35001-4- and route 23.

I show here VNH39004 on route 328 at Golders Green;

Please note the rear of the bus- see the comaprison between the batch of volvo B7 with gemini bodies already in service, and the hybrid buses.

Regards

Yoram- and a happy new 2009 to everyone!

Those buses are not the first hybrid products involving Wrights:

in april 2007, this vehicle, coded HEV1 was delivered to Arriva- wood green garage as the prototype hybrid d/d. It was based on a Daf/vdf modified chasis and an 1.7 litre car engine.
This bus is still owned by Wrights,and is due to be returned to them when the volvo B5 wright gemini 2 diesel bus is delivered to wood green for route 141.

so, HEV1 is a bus owned by Wright, on a modified daf chassis and a car engine.
WNH 39001-5 are wright bodied volvo hybrid buses.

Here is a photo of HEV1 taken in april 2007- see the differences?

regards

Yoram

原帖由 yblumann 於 2009-1-9 04:49 發表
Those buses are not the first hybrid products involving Wrights:

in april 2007, this vehicle, coded HEV1 was delivered to Arriva- wood green garage as the prototype hybrid d/d. It was based on a Daf/ ...

A bus run on a car engine?
It should be quite a heavy burden on the engine...

Gemini 2 looks cute. It seems like there's a laughing face on the rear side of the bus...

Thank you for your photos.

But I doubt that it is a Volvo or not. Compare with the one in Bus and Coach Expo 2008 in NEC, the wheelbase, the rear overhang and the engine compartment are different from the one in your photos, would it be another chassis type(not B5L hybrid) from Volvo or it is a Wright HEV?

Thanks

原帖由 sutrak 於 2009-1-9 11:05 發表
Thank you for your photos.

But I doubt that it is a Volvo or not. Compare with the one in Bus and Coach Expo 2008 in NEC, the wheelbase, the rear overhang and the engine compartment are different fro ...

I think so...I can see the fleet number is WNH39004 in the picture.

原帖由 sutrak 於 2009-1-9 03:05 發表
Thank you for your photos.

But I doubt that it is a Volvo or not. Compare with the one in Bus and Coach Expo 2008 in NEC, the wheelbase, the rear overhang and the engine compartment are different fro ...

Yoram got it wrong - These are not Volvos, but Wright's integral Gemini 2 HEV hybrid.

The diesels due with first are also Wright's own integral Gemini 2 using VDL's underframe. At the moment only Arriva has got the Volvo hybrids on order, which are built on the Gemini "Mk.1" body.

Ah, my own eyesight! must get a new pair of reading glasses! lol : lol

Those are indeed the Wright's own modification of a DAF chassis - I just looked at my photos- and it clearly says WNH39004 and not VNH39004!

similarly, the reference to the diesel VN35001 should read WN35001.

Apologies...

BTW, riding on this bus, I was less than impressed; it was sluggish, and it was very slow coming downhill;
when the bus starts or pulls out of the stop, it used the diesel engine power, this is slow, and the switch to the hybrid facility is slow as well; the riding is not smooth either.

and the volvo B5 are going to arriva and route 141. when those arrive, HEV1 will go back to Wright.

regards

Yoram

During 2009/2010, quite a few hybrid buses would be delivered to London, to test various designs etc.
A few of those were on show in the bus expo in November, with more to come.
So, actually, this coming year promises to be very interesting for bus fans here in London.
By the summer [we hope] we will see E200 & E400 hybrid ADLs, hybrid Volvos bodied by Wright, Wright's own attempt at hybrid and diesel buses, Tempos s/d with allision hybrid equipment,  with more to come in 2010.

So, here is  a summary- correct as today:
In Service:
========
-Routes 129 [Travel London- 5 buses] and 360 [London General 7 buses] operate hybrid Wright bodied singe deck buses.
-Route 141 [Arriva]has [mon-fri only] HEV1 on loan from Wright
-Route 16[ Metroline] has 4 out of the 5 E400 ADL buses [TEH916-9] in service [TEH915 has not been delivered yet to Metroline]
-Route 328 has 5 Wright's own hybrid d/d buses WNH39001-5 in service.

Delivered to the bus companies, but not yet in Service:
===========================================
1. Wright's Gemini 2 Diesel bus- WHD1- for service with London General on route 196 [SW]
2. E400 hybrid [EH1-5] for route 24[SW]- first bus delivered
3. 2 Tempo optare hybrids for route 276 mentioned above [out of the 5 for East London ]

Regards

Yoram

原帖由 yblumann 於 2009-1-9 20:04 發表
... BTW, riding on this bus, I was less than impressed; ...

So compared with Wright's own product, how would you comment the hybrid product from ADL or even the previous generation: HEV1 on loan?

[ 本帖最後由 ATE24 於 2009-1-9 22:01 編輯 ]

Ah! since I wrote the msg above, I heard that the 5 Wright Hybrids [39001-5] have been withdrawn from service- after 1 day of full service- for modifications!
So, I will have to ride on them again when they come back and enter service again.

The E400 hybrids? they seem to be doing well; they have appeared in service on route 16 every day since Mid Dec 2008- 3-4 buses every day, and seem to be giving smooth quiet ride.
Route 16 is an easy route- straight road, flat land and it is a frequent start/stop service pattern. So, under those conditions, so far- so good.

To be fair, all of those hybrids are experimental, so we have to expect some problems- especially during the first few days/weeks of service...

regards

Yoram