New Bustech for Lonsdale

Adelaide / South Australia Transport Discussion
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

Daniel wrote: Yes, the window line is still high, but it has been modified from the original VST window line and is an improvement. It is a hard thing to balance. Glazing is heavy, adding tare weight which is already increased over the diesel XDi. Also more glazing means greater heat penetration, a big challenge particularly on electric buses given A/C demands are a real drain on battery performance.
I was referring to the window-line of the diesel bus for Adelaide:

Image

I don't know why Bustech seems to struggle with these things when other manufacturers like Volgren carry it off with aplomb.
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

The Phonj wrote:Dare I say it; would an option be to bring the top of the windows down, keeping the glazing at a similar height. Depending on the design of the rear end of the bus it might end up in a similar style to the ex-Harris Park Mercedes O405NH's operated by Torrens Transit (1320-1324)
It does occur to me that the need for a window line with both great height and depth on Australian buses is because of the high-floor aisle in the rear of the bus. The windows have to be low enough for seated passengers on the low-floor section and high enough for standees throughout the bus to see out - including those standing on the high-floor.

If those standing in the rear of the bus were standing at low-floor level, would the top of the window-line need to be as high and in fact could save glazing weight by being lower?
Skexis
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by Skexis »

tonyp wrote: Image
Wonder how long it will be before we start getting complaints from people who have missed their stop because they can't see where they are. That really is a ridiculous design flaw and clearly illustrates the fact that the incompetents who design these things and the ignoramuses who order them sit behind desks all day and have no clue whatsoever about the day to day running of bus services.
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

tonyp wrote: [The Bustech electric bus:]
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 5603747970

..... It has been brought to my attention that almost all of the footage in that video is of their diesel buses and only glimpses of the electric bus can be seen. It may possibly have a low floor after all, we still have to wait to find out. It seems a pointless waste of time to produce a news video about a new bus and then film everything except that bus!
It does seem that somebody at that announcement actually had the wits to photograph the electric bus after all, though not inside - it's the one at rear left:

Image
(From: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/sout ... bus-2017-6)

Any news on where it's up to?
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nscaler69
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by nscaler69 »

Re the Electric bus:

It was reported in one of these topics that the bus was being shown at the Australasia Bus & Coach Exhibition being held at the Convention Centre on the Gold Coast in late September.
Look for the September 24th post: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Bustech.Pty ... e_internal.

A quick google search have found these two photo's of it:
http://www.pictaram.life/post/160654901 ... _183186300 & http://www.pictaram.life/post/157176931 ... 3520376220

Given the Darwin to Adelaide solar car challenge is about to start I wonder if the bus will be on display in Victoria Square the weekend of the race finish, October 14 / 15.
Anagram: Timetable - bet I'm late
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

It will be interesting to get a look/photos inside. From the windows stopping short at the back there, I wonder if some seats have been sacrificed for battery space?
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MrNicoster
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by MrNicoster »

I've seen the interior pictures, The seats stop at the end of the windows, so I assume the rest is Electrical Systems including Batteries.

One thing to note, the bus looks to be entirely Low-Floor until the last two or three seats, so that's quite good!
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Mr Nicoster.

KickingDown around the suburbs with an NL202 and speeding down the O-Bahn in a Merc!
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

It is fully low-floor (gangway that is - there is a step up to the back row). It looks like the window-line might be yet another that's set so high that seated passengers can't see out. Reports from anybody who boards the bus will be interesting to read.
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MrNicoster
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by MrNicoster »

I will say, a few weeks back I got several messages from friends of mine. They all boarded the same bus and were amazed at the design, even though they were not bus enthusiasts, they thought it was the best thing they'd ever seen.
This bus just happened to be 1906, and all I heard from them were complaints that other buses weren't like it!
To quote one, "Like every bus should be like this to be honest".
Now I've been on it a couple times, including once when meeting up with my father, and even he was impressed. I haven't ever heard negative comments in person, only positive.

I agree the window line isn't perfect, but if it saves weight and makes the bus more economical I'm all for it!.
Thats just my 2 cents :)
Regards,
Mr Nicoster.

KickingDown around the suburbs with an NL202 and speeding down the O-Bahn in a Merc!
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

The acid test is that somebody needs to sit in the low-floor seats in both buses, look to the left or right and see if they can see out the window. If they can't, the bus is a design failure, period.
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by busrider »

The electric buses are yet to be delivered, so you'll have to wait a while for that. As for the diesel buses, I've sat in the low floor section of one of them, and sure enough, I couldn't see out the window, unless I poked my head up like a meerkat.
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

Any news on the Bustech electric bus(es) returning to Adelaide yet?
tonyp
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by tonyp »

tonyp wrote:Any news on the Bustech electric bus(es) returning to Adelaide yet?
I might just put this on a loop as an annual repeat of the same question! So what's the go with these electric buses that seem to have died after much initial political fanfare?

Also, any recent interior photos of the new Bustechs since the seat heights vs window line was adjusted?
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by Bus Suggestions »

Anything yet? It really has become a waiting game for these two buses.
I'd post any important, bus-related links I had, but they're outdated anyways.
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Re: New Bustech for Lonsdale

Post by busrider »

One of them entered service for about 2 days a few months ago, hasn't done anything since.
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