Grenda Group news July - December 2011

[BroadGauge]

The 840 doesn't run on Sundays?

Yeah, I think he means that bus normally only comes out to do the 840 and not any other runs? Making it unusual to see it doing the 831.

[1115]

I am interested to know how many different versions of roller desto blinds would be in the older Volvo B10Ms, including those being sold to Veolia Sydney. I have the one out of #81, which seems to have all sorts of routes potentially across several depots, except Portsea PS.
Broad question, but any thoughts?

[Andy O]

Sighted the Iveco Hybrid coming off the frankston fwy at thompson Road Patterson lakes around 245 this arvo (friday).

[Volvo_B9R]

I also sighted 287 yesterday afternoon around 4:45pm on the 800 corner Dandenong & Huntingdale rd heading for Chadstone.

[Desto Dave]

I am interested to know how many different versions of roller desto blinds would be in the older Volvo B10Ms, including those being sold to Veolia Sydney. I have the one out of #81, which seems to have all sorts of routes potentially across several depots, except Portsea PS.
Broad question, but any thoughts?

That blind would have been a Grenda Dandenong depot blind. Remebering that some of their runs spread quite widely. Eg orig from Pakenham to Hampton to Frankston. Also remember that some runs are shared between depots.

Depending from which depot the vehicle was based would determine which roll it had,
- Grenda Dandenong/Keysborough
- Peninsula Frankston
- Portsea Pass Rosebud
- Moorabbin Transit
- Cardinia Transit
- Invicta Lilydale

Most of these were seperate name and seperate route number, however with some vehicles that had been taken over etc, one piece blinds with name and route number do exist but are not the norm.
Also some one piece rolls have been re-used in other buses with the route number cut off from the side, hence we get 'SPECI' and 'SCHOOL' on some Moorabbin buses for instance.

[B10BLE]

are there any more new buses coming Grenda's way? the other night on the 828, a driver told me that he thinks the next batch of newbies may be Mercedes OH1830LEs or Volvo B12RLEs. but he told me he's not sure, just have to wait & see what happens.

[B7RLE]

I pretty sure Volvo don't make the 12 litre any more and seeing as volvo and grenda have just made a new contract I'd say if there were any newbies which I doubt there is they will be of the 7 litre variety and not from the Mercedes but with new owners it's possible they could start buying Scanias

[scott]

Could it possibly be B11R? , as there is mention in this month's ABC mag about there being the Aussie launch of the B11R at the BIC conference in October. But logic suggests unless the B7RLE has been superseded, which I don't think it has , the latest order could be for more B7RLEs.

[Desto Dave]

Moorabbin, Nuline and Grenda called out this arvo for an rail 'incident' just before 13.00 at McKinnon station, replacements between Moorabbin and Caulfield til about 15.30.

[B10BLE]

was Grenda's #148 involved in an accident? snapped this not long ago when waiting for the bus home

30092011709.jpg (30.1 KiB) Viewed 1052 times

this CR221L looks really wierd with the decal placed on that position knowing that all CR221L B12BLEs have the slash badge

[CB80]

I'm not sure what the difference is?

[Apollo]

G (148).jpg (257.47 KiB) Viewed 946 times

[Trolley Bus Racer]

Nice pic there Apollo, Welcome back also.

[Andy O]

Not sure if this is unusual or not, but noticed a route 901 driver changeover at kananook station near peninsulas depot this afternoon. Seemed quite odd especially considering there is already a decent layover at frankston between services.

[scott]

Spotted today at Ringwood was Invicta 799 fitted with a new looking Trac Sutrak air conditioning unit.

[The Cap a tan]

Spotted today at Ringwood was Invicta 799 fitted with a new looking Trac Sutrak air conditioning unit.

Not sure if you remember, 799 was the one fitted with the 415 volt a/c with a large alternator in the engine bay instead of the usual a/c compressor. After many expensive repairs to said alternator it was decided to replace it with the conventional type of a/c with pod on the roof and compressor in the engine bay.
Now that Carrier have sold out of the bus and coach a/c scene 'Tracs' is the new supplier, see http://www.tracs.com.au/

[josh01]

Today i caught G28 on route 814 to dandenong . From Springvale Station all the way down to dandenong station there was an annoying alarm going off coming from the front off the bus . Did the driver do the right thing and kept going

[scott]

Spotted today at Ringwood was Invicta 799 fitted with a new looking Trac Sutrak air conditioning unit.

Not sure if you remember, 799 was the one fitted with the 415 volt a/c with a large alternator in the engine bay instead of the usual a/c compressor. After many expensive repairs to said alternator it was decided to replace it with the conventional type of a/c with pod on the roof and compressor in the engine bay.
Now that Carrier have sold out of the bus and coach a/c scene 'Tracs' is the new supplier, see http://www.tracs.com.au/

Thanks for that, I vaguely remember in the Invicta Fleet fotopic album that it was mentioned that 799 did have the 415 volt job, obviously Fotopic is not longer and I could not go there to refresh my memory. I never knew there was a conventional Carrier Avantac unit with the compressor (thought they were all electric) until I did some research on the net and found that they in fact there is, by the name of Avantac Classic. From a passenger point of view they seem to work very well.

Did not know about Carrier no longer being in the Bus A/C game, you learn something every day. There was an article to that effect in one of this year's ABC Mags but must of not read it properly.

[B7RLE]

Two of the Fuji artics at Cardinia were driven to a police training ground to be used in training so RIP 122 and 125

[CB80]

Not sure if this is unusual or not, but noticed a route 901 driver changeover at kananook station near peninsulas depot this afternoon. Seemed quite odd especially considering there is already a decent layover at frankston between services.

I would imagine they have meal breaks at the depot?

[B10BLE]

... it's possible they could start buying Scanias

If Scania's, my guess is that they would be K320UB 14.5s or K280UBs - which some would be allocated to a depot who has no Scania's. ie. Moorabbin Transit or Cardinia. Time will tell.

[Bwufer]

Bwufer thinks If Grendas brought some scanias firstly they will be the same spec as the rest. Why would Grendas go to 14.5s there is only one depot that uses them. firstly they will be artics like the rest and secondly Grendas still have some more b7rles coming. The scanias will go to where ever they are Needed which is most likely Grendas to replace the high floors.
Just use some common sence.

[Craig]

Saw 396 looking not so good any more today at Dandenong depot and its like that all the way up the Near side

The Metlink AOA livery on the near-side is yet to be fixed, as seen at Mentone earlier tonight:


Surprised it's still going around like that after 6 weeks, hardly a professional look.

Kind Regards


Craig

[Bwufer]

Bwufer thinks that is a good shot as always Craig.

[712M]

Is it supposed to be in Grenda or Metlink AOA livery?