STA Observations - September 2017

[Stu]

Routes 343 & m20 do operate through Waterloo:
343 - Elizabeth St.
M20 - Elizabeth St, Philip St & Bourke St.

Routes m20 & 301 had operating time updates due to the growth area of Zetland hence why the short workings are between the City & Zetland only.

Route 348 has undergone the same treatment twice in recent years, the hours of operation on both occasions hours were extended, mostly for the residents of Wolli Creek although also supplementing the Zetland area.

Route m54 also had two upgrades to its hours of operation in recent years and the m41 has an increase in hours of operation in November last year. Now both services operate until midnight due to Macquarie Park and surrounds being growth areas.

[Frosty]

Waterloo isn't a small suburb it stretching from Botany Rd at one end to South Dowling St. Generally people break Waterloo up into the new redeveloped part Danks St Waterloo along South Dowling & the rest of it. 305/309/310 run through Waterloo as well.

The 348 I find is most busy between Bondi Jn & Zetland particularly from UNSW. A lot of the foreign students at UNSW live in Zetland. The 370 has had its operations extended & more weekend trips.

[Swift]

Saw 2790ST on Anzac Pde at about 2am this morning and there were two surprises. 1. It was still in the yellow Be Bus Aware AOA after I first saw it in the beginning of the year. http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... passengers.
2. It was doing a 396 to Maroubra Beach!! Must be Friday nights into Saturday mornings only.

[J_Busworth]

1215 from P broke down on Bent Street at the Express set down stop, led to a queue of buses back into the ED tunnel waiting to set down.

[Daniel]

No surprise why those things are being withdrawn and scrapped ahead of time...

[Jurassic_Joke]

It is indeed funny to think the Ansair Orana buses from the 90's have aged better than gassies, although some of the former are looking in an increasingly poor state

[Swift]

No surprise why those things are being withdrawn and scrapped ahead of time...

Just when I'm starting to like them..

[Frosty]

The state of the Ansair Orana's are bizarre this morning I was aboard a fairly recently refurbished one quite clean & nice but on Saturday onboard a long orana bits were dangling off, many vibrations looked like it was ready for the scrapheap. Though the Ansair Orana's during summer the AC fails so often and it becomes a sauna inside.

I often see nearly on a daily basis some O405 merc gassie break down on Anzac Parade. Though I prefer the seats on these models unlike the Bustech VSTs that have replaced many at P.

[Swift]

The state of the Ansair Orana's are bizarre this morning I was aboard a fairly recently refurbished one quite clean & nice.

Yes, low floors can vary greatly. I travelled in 3723 recently and the dim lighting made the bus feel vintage, like a mark V felt in 2014.

but on Saturday onboard a long orana bits were dangling off, many vibrations looked like it was ready for the scrapheap..

You have just described their 1993 condition! They have never been a quality bus to ride. Dreadful quickly conceived bodywork on a rubbish chassis.

Though the Ansair Orana's during summer the AC fails so often and it becomes a sauna inside. .

Drivers have to turn it off when it's most needed because the engine overheats otherwise. Scanias from this era are not made for hot weather climates.

I often see nearly on a daily basis some O405 merc gassie break down on Anzac Parade. Though I prefer the seats on these models unlike the Bustech VSTs that have replaced many at P.

Again, only a government operator would persist with running this unreliable junk for decades once they made the daft decision to order so many.

[Stu]

The gas Scanias have excellent air-con unit compared to the vintage low floors which have less fan power and do not produce cool enough air for summer conditions. The older low floor Scanias rarely overheat as the diesel engine does not suffer from heat-soak like the cng engines and takes much longer for the engine block to accumulate excess heat. On a hot day this type of bus has to be heavily flogged on a route that requires a constant stop/start scenario and operating all day (driver relief) for the temperature to rise above 80 degrees into the 90 degree temperature area.

[Jurassic_Joke]

What's the one called Volvo B10 APG Orana? From NextThere. From the entire lot, that type is my favourite. Fast, seating has a bit more pitch, good heating (not sure about airco in summer though), and is the current (vintage!) Mark V of State Transit for me. All the others, low floor or high floor, can go to the scrapheap for all I care.

Coming back from Randwick in the early hours last night, on route 373, was very pleased and surprised to get a Volvo CB60 - I thought this territory after hours (especially buses from Port Botany depot) was more or less Bustech only. Was nice being able to see out the window. I also realised how much character the bus has in comparison to a Bustech but anyways

Again, only a government operator would persist with running this unreliable junk for decades once they made the daft decision to order so many.

I'm gunna miss them, but there's no doubt they (Mercedes Gassies) are slowly becoming end of life. When sitting in the middle (not back) of one and can hear the engine loudly roaring when accelerating, I think it says a lot about the age and condition of the bus. That and I actually think they may have the slowest acceleration of all the current STA fleet. As said earlier in this thread, they've already seemingly excluded them almost completely from service after hours - if you find one out and about late night, nowadays, it's really a bit of a phenomenon (that being said, I did see one on route 311 at 11pm last night, which at that time is truely more or less Bustech only)

[J_Busworth]

Coming back from Randwick in the early hours last night, on route 373, was very pleased and surprised to get a Volvo CB60 - I thought this territory after hours (especially buses from Port Botany depot) was more or less Bustech only. Was nice being able to see out the window. I also realised how much character the bus has in comparison to a Bustech but anyways

Apart from during peak hour the 373 is almost exclusively run by R, particularly on late night services. Seeing that R escaped the Bustech infiltration unharmed it is unsurprising that a CB60 would be on the route. 394/380 would see mostly Bustechs but not the 373

[Swift]

On a hot day this type of bus has to be heavily flogged on a route that requires a constant stop/start scenario and operating all day (driver relief) for the temperature to rise above 80 degrees into the 90 degree temperature area.

Glad to hear about this because it was not my experience when I used to throw them around. Would usually have to periodically switch off the climate control ( )
when the temp started to rise above 90 on a scorcher, when stopped at traffic lights and give the lump a moderate rev to get that needle down!

What's the one called Volvo B10 APG Orana? From NextThere. From the entire lot, that type is my favourite. Fast, seating has a bit more pitch, good heating (not sure about airco in summer though), and is the current (vintage!) Mark V of State Transit for me. All the others, low floor or high floor, can go to the scrapheap for all I care.)

I forgot to mention that I have always had a totally different feeling on the B10BLEs with this body. They feel sturdy and, of course ride way better than their Scania chassis counterparts and are smoother and quieter as well. Brilliant bus really.
Scania L113s are getting like the old Bedfords now, though. Used to loath them, but now becoming a novelty to get one.

Coming back from Randwick in the early hours last night, on route 373, was very pleased and surprised to get a Volvo CB60 - I thought this territory after hours (especially buses from Port Botany depot) was more or less Bustech only. Was nice being able to see out the window. I also realised how much character the bus has in comparison to a Bustech but anyways

I drove around Coogee and Randwick in the wee hours this morning (between 1:30 and 2:00am) and was surprised to see a Euro III B12BLE finishing up a 373 at the beach and then later observed Euro V 4841ST doing a 373 into the city on Belmore Rd. I'm glad I went for the drive (couldn't sleep). You never know what you will see in those hours. (Not just buses lol).

Again, only a government operator would persist with running this unreliable junk for decades once they made the daft decision to order so many.

I'm gunna miss them, but there's no doubt they (Mercedes Gassies) are slowly becoming end of life. When sitting in the middle (not back) of one and can hear the engine loudly roaring when accelerating, I think it says a lot about the age and condition of the bus. That and I actually think they may have the slowest acceleration of all the current STA fleet. As said earlier in this thread, they've already seemingly excluded them almost completely from service after hours - if you find one out and about late night, nowadays, it's really a bit of a phenomenon (that being said, I did see one on route 311 at 11pm last night, which at that time is truely more or less Bustech only)

I have been hearing them running special in Maroubra with their engines in full song, and I feel the same way. I haven't appreciated how much character they really have until recently, especially with the saturation of Bustechs. I heard a gassie taking off up hill on Maroubra Rd one night and I thought what is that?!? it sounded like a six cylinder car with the meanest sports exhaust fitted!

[Jurassic_Joke]

I have been hearing them running special in Maroubra with their engines in full song, and I feel the same way. I haven't appreciated how much character they really have until recently, especially with the saturation of Bustechs. I heard a gassie taking off up hill on Maroubra Rd one night and I thought what is that?!? it sounded like a six cylinder car with the meanest sports exhaust fitted!

Unless I'm mistaken, I think Port Botany's Gassies, or rather, whats left of them, are the oldest in circulation. Even during the daytime, they're uncommon on the respective routes; whereas in contrast, during the daytime on a typical Leichardt route, they're extremely common. Ryde a little bit less so with the recent CB80 deliveries, but still more than Port Botany.

I got a Waverley Gassie this morning. Got up + left for work quite a bit earlier, and one of the first few runs on 200 towards Bondi Junction was operated with one of those. In contrast to more recent occasions, the engine was very smooth and clean-sounding, then its a really pleasant bus. The aircon is also about as strong as an M set too. And the unique , individual seating (looks like its from Europe) is definitely a point in its favour.

200 is one of my favourite routes because it has a relatively wide variety of fleet (seemingly unpredictable), only normal passenger bus on Macquarie Street and also, for nostalgic purposes, one of the very few buses in the CBD that retained it's entire route unchanged after October 2015.

Coming back from Randwick in the early hours last night, on route 373, was very pleased and surprised to get a Volvo CB60 - I thought this territory after hours (especially buses from Port Botany depot) was more or less Bustech only. Was nice being able to see out the window. I also realised how much character the bus has in comparison to a Bustech but anyways

Apart from during peak hour the 373 is almost exclusively run by R, particularly on late night services. Seeing that R escaped the Bustech infiltration unharmed it is unsurprising that a CB60 would be on the route. 394/380 would see mostly Bustechs but not the 373

Ahh thanks for clarifying. Yeah 380 I see is another one of those routes that sees Mercedes Gas buses from both generations during the daytime, but as soon as the sun sets, they all convert into Bustechs..not even normal, Bustechs, but still insist on the baby variant. I know Waverley doesn't have any normal sized Bustechs but its still not a good excuse in my opinion. Capacity is just not enough for Bondi Beach partygoers at those hours and I wish they'd adapt. I get its a newer bus. But its just not appropriate at night 9 months out of 12.

Well, I seem to like those buses (Volvo CB60) a bit more now. They're a bit like the MF67 of Sydney - so many of them, yet also, so many variants with slight visual differences. My personal favourite is actually the oldest, the 15__ series. Very dim, often broken, lighting for a dark interior. Some even have blue lights. And the elevated front seat is a very roomy double one, instead of the paper-thin single seat that came on later series (bad move).

[Swift]

I was mildly astonished to see a 14.5 3416 I think, commencing a 393 at Maroubra Junction on Monday night 10:30pm. If they can run the oldest bus which is also higher capacity than a regular bus, on such a relatively quiet run so late at night, why put on Bus-yech! midis on the 380?!? In saying that, I gots to confess, I like the reassuring sound of the Scania's now familiar and distinct engine idle sound when stopped and picking up consumers.

[Frosty]

I see the 393 outbounds around 9pm do have quite a good patronage hence use of 14.5m buses sometimes bendies. This morning did see a B12 bendy substitute a usual 14.5m X93 trip. What’s more rare even during the off-peak from P bendy buses on non metrobus routes & only a couple of 14.5m on the L94. What I don’t understand is on Saturday P uses the 14.5m buses on the L94 instead of the newer bendies.

You do also the 400 gets the Bustech VSTm after dark often. The option for W for those late night 380 services could be using the regular gas fleet. It’s not like Ryde which quite a extensive variety of buses.

[Sydney_Buses_CB60]

Well, I seem to like those buses (Volvo CB60) a bit more now. They're a bit like the MF67 of Sydney - so many of them, yet also, so many variants with slight visual differences. My personal favourite is actually the oldest, the 15__ series. Very dim, often broken, lighting for a dark interior. Some even have blue lights. And the elevated front seat is a very roomy double one, instead of the paper-thin single seat that came on later series (bad move).

They are my personal favourite in the STA Fleet. 1504 that is currently based at F along with 1503 is my favourite of them all though. There's just something about it that's... I don't know... magical or wonderful, I can't exactly explain it, but you just get that feeling when you get on it, that feeling that's like "Ohhhh yessss! This is the one!" that makes it so great. Nice ZF as well as a nice Volvo DH12D up back too. It's also still in Corporate V.1 but usually has advertising on it, not AOA thankfully. The CB60's are just nice and cosy. They just have this nice feeling about them.

The first one I got was 1516 from M on a 555 (R.I.P. FCBDS555) when it was still in Free CBD Shuttle AOA and I remember it sounded amazing and felt so cosy and snug and had a warm feeling to it (No, the heater wasn't on ) as well as, interestingly to myself at the time, blue interior lighting which pretty much was the icing on the cake at that point. I reckon that when the CB60's are eventually retired, I'm going to Preserve one.

As well, V seems like it's is getting the majority of M's CB60's while F only got 1503 & 1504, but the two most recent transfers were 1514 from M to V and 1599 (Surprisingly for me) from Newcastle to V. Seems to me like V is being crowned the new hub for State Transit CB60's and M is losing that title because they're being bombarded with Scania's...

[J_Busworth]

1273 from P was really struggling on an inbound 374 this afternoon. Stalled twice going up Alison Road into Randwick from Coogee plus we had to sit at Central for a couple of minutes to let the engine cool. Managed to be nearly 15 minutes late through the city not due to traffic but because the bus was struggling so much. As much as I love the Citaro bodywork, it is time for these buses to go.

[Swift]

As well, V seems like it's is getting the majority of M's CB60's while F only got 1503 & 1504, but the two most recent transfers were 1514 from M to V and 1599 (Surprisingly for me) from Newcastle to V. Seems to me like V is being crowned the new hub for State Transit CB60's and M is losing that title because they're being bombarded with Scania's...

Ugh, another "depot of Scanias".
I remember when I used to get the first service of the day from Epping Station a few years ago, they would always put on an Orana Scania. Just what I needed when I was feeling depressed at having to start work so early (5am). I can only recall the rare treat of getting the 11 tonne Prozac pill on wheels, a B12BLE, once! Smooth ,compliant suspension, solid rattle free feel, everything the Scania wasn't!

[Stu]

3825 from K has had v2 livery applied as the v1 livery was looking terrible. I noticed this two weeks ago although I have not seen the interior yet so I cannot confirm if it is an entire refurbishment, it would most probably just be an exterior cosmetic touch up.

[Swift]

^Speaking of those rattle traps, I saw a K one this morning at Maroubra sporting an AOA for Budget insurance. Been a while since I have seen AOA one one of those.

[Frosty]

The Tempe & Randwick ones have had a repaint into v2 I could tell they haven't been refurbed they still have the older luminator destination equipment & the insides look a bit tattered. These buses look better in v2 then TfNSW livery after a few years.
I don't mind the O405 gassies just damn slow to accelerate going up Barker St in one of those is so painfully slow but the Scania gassies they do pretty well albeit a bit rattly & loud. It has its advantages over the Bustech VSTs better seating & not that annoying stop button request noise.

[stajourneyman]

Word off the street is that the STA is about to receive an order of CB80 bodied Scanias.

No destination known at this time.

[Stu]

^ I wouldn't be surprised if any new Scania units were to be delivered to Tempe to standardise the fleet - ie. Scania only at Kingsgrove.
There is a broad selection of Volvo models yet only a small number of units at T (Euro 3 Mk I & Mk II, Euro 4 and Euro 5 - ZF and Voith) that can be transferred elsewhere.
- potentially more M-B O405NH cng units may be retired (Y).
- more buses may be needed in the Northern region for when B-Line becomes active.

[Frosty]

Wouldn't be weird giving Tempe Scania CB80s considering the current Scania K series are VSTs. What was weird is how Tempe & Leichhardt got some Euro 5 B12s while R ended up with the 42xx ex Y units. That just made it less standardised.

Did notice 1313 has just been repainted into corportate v2 and is carrying Port Botany accreditation.

Would these new Scania units be K310UBs Euro 5s or the newer K280UB/320UB Euro 6s similar to ACTION buses. Been wanting a Volgren order at least it ain't Bustech. I guess these buses would be growth buses and maybe Scania 14.5m replacements. I can only see a 12.5m replace a 14.5m bus if its in a high density standing configuration.