Transport for Brisbane Observations 2020

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As of late July it looks like at least up to 1663 are at Eagle Farm and about half were in a blue livery.

Higher numbers than that now. 1666 has been delivered. If they are starting up rigids again I’d say all of them (until 1670) have been manufactured at least.

[385BUZ]

I have heard the same thing!

[385BUZ]

Have confirmed we are now up to at least1666 in artics (ABC bus sales data)

I’m sure BT Enthusiast (and myself of course) are looking forward to the recommencement of the delivery of rigid B8s!!

[BT Enthusiast]

Just saw 100 (im guessing MAN sl202) on a special route. Good to see they're putting them on the roads again, presumably for a charter

[385BUZ]

BT Entusiast, There was a tour

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=91149

[daveeyh]

Have confirmed we are now up to at least1666 in artics (ABC bus sales data)

I’m sure BT Enthusiast (and myself of course) are looking forward to the recommencement of the delivery of rigid B8s!!

I am too - like to ride on each new bus - pity that the QUT buses 2880, 2881 and 2882 are never on normal routes to be able to ride them.

[385BUZ]

Yeah! Pity isnt it... hope they'll be back to normal service sometime in their ttime with BT!

[daveeyh]

T2895 parked at Volgren today - with decals but no rego plates.

T2895, T2896 (rego XQ 11 NQ) and T2897 (rego XQ 14 NQ) at Volgren today.

Artic XQ 04 NQ also there without decals.

[WBE-01]

Just saw 100 (im guessing MAN sl202) on a special route. Good to see they're putting them on the roads again, presumably for a charter

Bus 100 is a MAN SL200.
It belongs to the Queensland Omnibus & Coach Society (QOCS)

[TLK]

T2895 parked at Volgren today - with decals but no rego plates.

T2895, T2896 (rego XQ 11 NQ) and T2897 (rego XQ 14 NQ) at Volgren today.

Artic XQ 04 NQ also there without decals.

B8 rigids are starting to be made again? Guess that means MAN 18.310 CNG withdrawals will be starting up again soon, most likely around the time the new B8s are put into service.

[385BUZ]

Correct TLK

[TheDragonFire123]

Can anyone guess whether the diesel 18.310s are also being culled? AFAIK they don't have the same drive to retire them due to them lacking the ticking time bomb that is the CNG fuel tanks, but they might try to retire the diesels too. Personally, it's sad to see the 18.310s go so soon.

[daveeyh]

2072 has returned to Eagle Farm - E2072 on my outbound 306 tonight. Means all Optimus rigid buses are now north of the river.

[385BUZ]

Can anyone guess whether the diesel 18.310s are also being culled? AFAIK they don't have the same drive to retire them due to them lacking the ticking time bomb that is the CNG fuel tanks, but they might try to retire the diesels too. Personally, it's sad to see the 18.310s go so soon.

TheDragonFire123, they will more than likely get rid of ALL of the CNG buses first as they only ended production a couple of months later than the Diesel ones and with the gas buses, they don’t actually meet the new CNG standards. It would be a priority to get rid of them first. Don’t worry about them disappearing though, they’ll still have a few good years left in em’!

[TheDragonFire123]

Can't say I'm surprised. Hopefully W's newer fleet live on for a good few more years, though now that I know of the new regs, I guess it's understandable. Can't imagine a BT fleet with mostly Volvos, so hopefully either some different buses like the MAN 19.320s get delivered in the next contract or the diesel 18.310s are kept. Then again, the K310UBs are still around, so the 18.310 diesels should also be too.

[daveeyh]

T2898 (rego XQ24NQ) and T2899 (unregistered) parked at Volgren today.

[viccii]

Can't say I'm surprised. Hopefully W's newer fleet live on for a good few more years, though now that I know of the new regs, I guess it's understandable. Can't imagine a BT fleet with mostly Volvos, so hopefully either some different buses like the MAN 19.320s get delivered in the next contract or the diesel 18.310s are kept. Then again, the K310UBs are still around, so the 18.310 diesels should also be too.

Well that’s nice if you live in Willawong’s service area TheDragonFire123 because you’ll get the gassies around the longest!

[TheDragonFire123]

As a matter of fact, yes, I do! We get all the late 2008-2009 gas buses.

[385BUZ]

Meanwhile here in Ashgrove... (Toowong, Virginia, Eagle Farm, Sherwood and Carina territory)


A gas bus is never seen out of peak hour

[Megumi]

Meanwhile here in Ashgrove... (Toowong, Virginia, Eagle Farm, Sherwood and Carina territory)


A gas bus is never seen out of peak hour

I like MAN buses due to the ride comfort, but the CNG engine does feel a little bit of weak.Probably because they are old, but they usually get refreshed after a couple of months and be back with full of energy.

[BT Enthusiast]

Do the gas artics at G meet the new CNG requirements or not? They're quite new tho so even if they didn't I wouldn't expect to see them go anytime soon

[Merc1107]

What are these 'new requirements', exactly? They don't seem to have cropped up as an issue for gas fleets elsewhere - obviously gas tanks have a finite lifespan (somewhat more than what some have told me) but that doesn't seem to be the issue here.

[385BUZ]

Do the gas artics at G meet the new CNG requirements or not? They're quite new tho so even if they didn't I wouldn't expect to see them go anytime soon

No, from what I have heard and a bit of quick research, I'm pretty sure the artics at G dont meet the new(ish) CNG requirements, but I can not confirm that.

What are these 'new requirements', exactly? They don't seem to have cropped up as an issue for gas fleets elsewhere - obviously gas tanks have a finite lifespan (somewhat more than what some have told me) but that doesn't seem to be the issue here.

I believe that its not so much about the requirements themselves, its more about BT being anxious about those requirements and what has happened to gas buses elsewhere (such as ST bus 4878). And yes, as you mentioned Gas bus tanks do certainly have a limited life to them!

[daveeyh]

T2898 (rego XQ24NQ) and T2899 (unregistered) parked at Volgren today.

Volgren update - parked today were T2896, T2897, T2898, T2899 (rego XQ28NQ) and T2901 (unregistered).

[385BUZ]

T2895 out and about at Kenmore yesterday. (I think )