Newcastle Transport

[Swift]

7 and a half minutes is exactly 8 per hour - that is the reasoning behind it.

Oh yeah, 1/2 again of 15 minute frequency. I was thinking of it as a number of minutes pulled out of the air.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Okay so it's been pretty dead in here in terms of activity, I might add I don't have much to add as I've been caught up in a lot of other things and haven't had much of a chance to head back down to Newcastle but want to ask something

Now that we know the possible if not real date of the Light-rail opening and I'm not sure whether this plays into this or not but what's doing with the BCI Citirider 12's? Last I heard they were loaners from BCI from somewhere in the country and would be due to go at some point but not sure exactly when. So what's the deal with the BCI Citirider 12's at the moment, does anyone know?

If the BCI Citiriders go, will their be any new buses to replace their spots?

Did Anymore MAN Ansair Midis go (as in withdrawn) over the Christmas period?

Can we expect to see Keolis Downer run emergency replacement shuttles if the Light-rail needs to go out of operation temporary?

[Newcastle Flyer]

Can we expect to see Keolis Downer run emergency replacement shuttles if the Light-rail needs to go out of operation temporary?

What about any maintenance on the tracks outside Newcastle Station? They'd have to divert the traffic, and I doubt they'd have a shuttle bus just for 515 metres.

It's a combined tram & road vehicle lane. And before anyone comments they will just terminate at Market St & use the crossover just west of Market St, that has a "longish" wrong road. By the looks of it, their is not even a dedicated cycle to deal with such an issue if/or when trams terminate at Market St.

[LB608]

Did Anymore MAN Ansair Midis go (as in withdrawn) over the Christmas period?

You should look at the fleet List

[ScaniaGrenda]

Well looks like Newcastle Transports On Demand service now supports Opal Pay

https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5885 ... s/?cs=7573

[mandonov]

Not really worth a whole new thread: https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5892 ... 0/?cs=7573

Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen announces three extra train services for Singleton to begin in 2020
Max McKinney
February 7 2019 - 4:00PM

Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen has announced new services for the Hunter line starting early next year.

“As the local member of parliament my job was to listen to our Singleton community and represent their needs to the Minister of Transport and the government,” Mr Johnsen said.

“As a result of my lobbying, and the efforts of many in our local community, the [NSW government] have listened to the community and will be introducing these services.

“The NSW government has had very productive talks with Singleton council and the Two More Trains for Singleton group. These relationships are a fantastic example of what can happen when we all work together to get a positive outcome.”

A commitment has also been made to implement a late night service from Newcastle back to Singleton.

Currently, the last Monday to Friday service from Newcastle departs at 5.59pm, arriving to Singleton at 7.04pm.

“A later evening service to Singleton will also enable customers returning to Singleton from Sydney to leave Sydney later in the afternoon,” Mr Johnsen said.

Only four return services depart Singleton for Newcastle each weekday, two in the morning and two at night.

There is a large eight-hour gap in between, which is what the action group had been campaigning to fill.

“It’s about the frequency of trains,” Martin Falldings, of Two More Trains for Singleton, told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday.

[LB608]

All the MAN withdrawn midi's and Scania 3698 have been sold maybe "ScaniaGrenda" will find them in the Maitland Area

[ScaniaGrenda]

Heh I'll keep an eye out for her (ex m/o 5515) but doubt I'm going to come across it anytime soon. Just hope she stays in good condition and isn't left to rot in a backyard somewhere.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if there is a chance it will show up at the Newcastle Truck show this year, perhaps maybe even Steamfest (Show & Shine but that's more so for cars) but I doubt it, I have no idea who the owner is and whether they plan to store it somewhere or bring it out at said events. I can only hope it'll make an appearance again at some point.

now I wonder if ex m/o 5515 got to keep it's TNSW Livery or got re-done done into a basic paint job before being sold off, I have no idea what the policy is regarding buses with the TNSW livery once their sold off.

As for ex m/o 3683,hope to see it appear again at some point since according to the ATDB it's being preserved but who knows what'll happen.

I just hope when it comes time to withdraw the two 0405N's they get preserved too, I feel the uniqueness of them being on the 0405N chassis (of which are the only two low floor 0405N Mercedes I'm aware of that are low floor on an Ansair Orana body) would really add to the factor to preserve them. They do have some history behind them.

[kypros1992]

Newcastle Transport will run dedicated bus services to McDonald Jones Stadium during NRL matches
https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/new ... s-in-2019/

No word if it will be the same routes as during the A-league final
https://www.newcastletransport.info/upl ... _A3_v3.pdf

[mandonov]

A nice map that's at Newcastle Interchange now:

[Glen]

That's a clever and clear map with thick lines presumably indicating higher frequency.

It's better than the website map where the lines disappear through the busiest area insets:

https://www.newcastletransport.info/upl ... de_MAP.pdf

[mandonov]

Newcastle Transport has been fantastic in using their maps to not only show individual routes, but also frequency shown through line thickness. Miles ahead of any other region map, and is actually what the Rapid, Suburban and Local services should look like on all maps.

[tonyp]

That's a clever and clear map with thick lines presumably indicating higher frequency.

It's better than the website map where the lines disappear through the busiest area insets:

https://www.newcastletransport.info/upl ... de_MAP.pdf

Yes it's excellent. First time I've had a clear picture of the current Newcastle transport system.

[Mr OC Benz]

The new TfNSW initiated maps like the Newcastle one above are available online now: https://transportnsw.info/document/3954 ... rt-map.pdf

[ScaniaGrenda]

Looks like Newcastle Transports on Demand service is here to stay with extensions maybe happening in the future

https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5942 ... bQ#slide=4

[LB608]

m/o 6970 and m/o 6973 BCI's have been transferred to the Adalaide operation,( Elizabeth Depot )m/o 6970 is fleet 2624 rereg XS64AN,m/o 6973 is fleet 2625,still m/o 6973,there are 4 all together,m/o 6971,is 2622 ,m/o6972 is 2623 rereg XS64AN

[Daniel]

m/o 6970 and m/o 6973 BCI's have been transferred to the Adalaide operation,( Elizabeth Depot )m/o 6970 is fleet 2624 rereg XS64AN,m/o 6973 is fleet 2625,still m/o 6973,there are 4 all together,m/o 6971 plus one,fleet numbers,2622 and 2623 not known at this stage, which is which

Yes thanks, I’ve noted those SA posts. As I understand it a total of 12 BCIs have been earmarked to be transferred over from Newcastle, the balance will head over once vehicle shortage issues are resolved and additional new B8RLE Bustechs are delivered around May.

[ScaniaGrenda]

I'm curious but is it part of some contract or whatever that KD / Newcastle Transport have to have Volvo buses? I thought with the operations being privatised we'd eventually see more bus makes over Volvo. I mean nothing against Volvo buses I love them but at the same time I'd love to see more variety.

Got zilch complaints with Bustech except for the way I feel the seats are "sloped" but would've loved to have seen CB80's get a chance up here.

Now it may be early days Daniel (or anyone else with information) but are these Bustechs going to be built to STA specs (which I found odd since STA hasn't had control of the operations for over 2 years now) or General specification?

[Daniel]

Keolis Donwer spec and order the buses. Makes sense to carry on with the similar spec for parts stocks.

[boronia]

SG is lucky he is not in Perth. I see they just signed a 10 year supply deal with Volvo.

[tonyp]

SG is lucky he is not in Perth. I see they just signed a 10 year supply deal with Volvo.

In that case, later in that decade Transperth may well be the only major city operator in the developed world still buying diesel buses - unless the contract has some flexibility that enables new technology to be introduced. For a fixed price, that may be interesting, considering that electric and hybrid buses presently cost about 50% more than diesel buses (but then save heaps in operating costs, but that is not part of the purchase contract).

[ScaniaGrenda]

as mention in my original post, I've got noting against Volvo buses so please don't spin it any other way around, but was just wanting to see if there was any room for other vehicle makes at Newcastle Transport and see if they'll break the chain of just having Volvo buses (I don't count BCI). Daniel does actually make a good point with saying it makes more sense to have buses of the one brand that way parts can be interchanged around if needed.

[tonyp]

Nothing wrong with a single manufacturer as long as they stay in the forefront of all the technogical changes happening across the industry. Like the Germans, the Swedes have clung to diesel a little too long (big profits from a successful product that they're world leaders in) but the signs are that they're now rapidly adapting to keep up with the rest of the industry.

[Swift]

Daniel does actually make a good point with saying it makes more sense to have buses of the one brand that way parts can be interchanged around if needed.

If you like to encourage them to name their parts prices as Leyland and Mercedes did to the P.T.C and UTA. Rumour is that is why they ordered M.A.Ns in 1989 to arrest this and Mercedes missed out on enjoying the distinction being the exclusive brand of the STA for a time. Don't we learn anything from history?

[tonyp]

Good point, but they won't have very many parts at all to name their prices for in relation to electric buses (batteries will be an external supplier). That's why they're holding out for diesels as long as possible. The Custer's Last Stand of bus engines!