First Glasgow Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC
The best of First....The newest double-deckers in the First Glasgow fleet at the moment remain the batch of 25 of these buses delivered in 2015. Some have been branded up for Express Services to Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch and Lanarkshire but 33993HB (SN65OGJ) remains in standard livery albeit altered at the rear to highlight the operator accepting Contactless payments. It’s seen here doing a rare turn on the 61 service, not a usual haunt for these buses.
The Enviro 400MMC is currently Britain’s best selling double-decker and these buses demonstrate why that is. They’re smart, stylish, well built and well specified. However these buses do have one slight issue. As modern buses they’re fitted with the latest technology to reduce emissions and this includes a stop-start system. When the buses pull into a stop and open the doors, the engine cuts out. It then restarts once the doors are closed. It’s similar to systems in cars.
However having experienced this on a 38 journey once I can see flaws in it. The problem is the the time taken to do it. The doors have to close before the engine re-starts, all of which takes additional seconds. Now that may not sound much but on a busy city journey coupled to SPT’s love of closely spaced bus stops means delays on the journeys can build up rapidly.
I did however experience the same system on a Blackpool Transport Enviro 400 City. However here the engine started again as the doors closed - so it might just be down to how the system is set up. A further 25 of these buses - albeit on Scania chassis apparently - are due later this year.
First Glasgow Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC
The best of First....The newest double-deckers in the First Glasgow fleet at the moment remain the batch of 25 of these buses delivered in 2015. Some have been branded up for Express Services to Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch and Lanarkshire but 33993HB (SN65OGJ) remains in standard livery albeit altered at the rear to highlight the operator accepting Contactless payments. It’s seen here doing a rare turn on the 61 service, not a usual haunt for these buses.
The Enviro 400MMC is currently Britain’s best selling double-decker and these buses demonstrate why that is. They’re smart, stylish, well built and well specified. However these buses do have one slight issue. As modern buses they’re fitted with the latest technology to reduce emissions and this includes a stop-start system. When the buses pull into a stop and open the doors, the engine cuts out. It then restarts once the doors are closed. It’s similar to systems in cars.
However having experienced this on a 38 journey once I can see flaws in it. The problem is the the time taken to do it. The doors have to close before the engine re-starts, all of which takes additional seconds. Now that may not sound much but on a busy city journey coupled to SPT’s love of closely spaced bus stops means delays on the journeys can build up rapidly.
I did however experience the same system on a Blackpool Transport Enviro 400 City. However here the engine started again as the doors closed - so it might just be down to how the system is set up. A further 25 of these buses - albeit on Scania chassis apparently - are due later this year.