Volgren Discussion / Observations

[Linto63]

CDC - isn't that Hellsbus, the company that won't let you out the back door when you want to get out?

CDC is the parent of Forest and Hillsbus and formerly Westbus. Another back door rant.

Why do they have a depot in St Marys which is way out of their operating region? Or was it deliberately built as a factory?

The St Marys depot was formerly operated by Westbus and retained for use by CDC Charter after region 1 was taken over by Busways in 2013. It has also been used by CDC to store withdrawn buses from its various NSW operations.

Interesting that they're in the same industrial estate as the other major electric bus manufacturer.

Same suburb, but a few kilometres apart.

[tonyp]

Same suburb, but a few kilometres apart.

1.3 km apart to be exact.

[Linto63]

2.9km by road, the former rail corridor requiring a circuitous route to be taken, either way definitely not on the same industrial estate.

[tonyp]

2.9km by road, the former rail corridor requiring a circuitous route to be taken, either way definitely not on the same industrial estate.

There you go again, setting yourself up as the expert on things you know little about. Both areas on either side of the former Dunheved Station are the St Marys Industrial Estate which was established with the munitions factory in WW2, acquiring much further industry postwar, as well as an integrated housing estate for workers, on the east side of Forrester Rd, designed by Walter Bunning as likely the first Australian example of Radburn housing. The 1947 aerial mapping shows the broad outline of the whole estate with its housing basically close to its present form and street layout, with a number of additional factories already having been established on subdivisions within the perimeter roads by then. The Ropes Ck railway was built to serve the munitions factory and defence land near St Marys and continued to serve the industrial area and its housing, in which it was centrally located, until 1986. It's about a 1.7 km walk from the gate of Custom Denning to the gate of CDC, not much more than the straight line. Add another km for the road link via Forrester Rd.

[Linto63]

Ouch! Pot calling the kettle black?

It's down to interpretation. By the modern definition of an industrial estate, they are clearly separate. If I were a tenant and asked a property broker to find some more premises on the same estate so I could expand my business and he came back with something over one kilometre away, I would tell him that wasn't what I had in mind.

If you want to classify the former commonwealth owned land as one estate then yes they are, but I would classify that as an industrial zone rather than an industrial estate. An estate is multiple units all on one piece of land with one landlord. Unless the deal fell over, the site was sold in 2004.

Anyway it is more of a coincidence than by design that both are in St Marys, the two organisations, to the best of my knowledge, have had few if any dealings since Customs moved in 2018, at least in terms of new buses with CDC largely placing much of its new bus business with Volgren, although it may have purchased spares for its existing Custom bodied fleet.

[Fleet Lists]

CDC - isn't that Hellsbus, the company that won't let you out the back door when you want to get out?

Why do they have a depot in St Marys which is way out of their operating region? Or was it deliberately built as a factory?

Interesting that they're in the same industrial estate as the other major electric bus manufacturer.

The St Marys depot shows as operating 57 buses/coaches https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/cdc ... epotreq=CS but only 7 are on m/o plates nearing the 25 year ago so are also now used for charter operation.

So this depot is totally separate from their contracted route operation.

[tonyp]

It's down to interpretation.

This industrial estate was created as one, named as one and had a railway through the middle of it serving it. On your definition we would call Chatswood, or many other suburbs, two different suburbs because it has a railway line through the middle of it. An industrial estate is an area within an industrial zone under a planning instrument, dedicated for the purpose of factories and commercial offices. I don't think that definition has changed in a century of modern planning practice. St Marys has been there since 1840 and is still there. It's probably called St Marys Industrial Estate because it's in St Marys, who'd have thunk? I've owned industrial property. If I asked an agent to look for a property for me in the St Marys Industrial Estate I'd give him or her the sack if they only looked in one half of the estate.

Westbus probably bought their site because it was in its operational area and the land deal was good. Custom Denning likewise would have found it the best buy, balancing the various factors. It's a very popular estate, obviously in demand and probably a little cheaper because it's further out.

Thanks for the clarification Fleet Lists.

[Linto63]

On your definition we would call Chatswood, or many other suburbs, two different suburbs because it has a railway line through the middle of it.

At what point did I suggest that because a railway line ran through the middle that either side be considered separate suburbs? Fact remains that CDC and Custom Denning are on two separate properties, some distance apart with separate title deeds and separate owners.

If I asked an agent to look for a property for me in the St Marys Industrial Estate I'd give him or her the sack if they only looked in one half of the estate.

But why would you want a property three kilometres away? The whole point of seeking a nearby site to expand is to minimise transit time between the two. Otherwise you would be better off moving entirely.

Custom Denning likewise would have found it the best buy, balancing the various factors.

Custom Denning's factory is leased, not owned. Moved from Villawood because the rent was cheaper.

[Bus Suggestions]

VOLGREN AND WRIGHTBUS TO DELIVER HYDROGEN BUSES INTO BRISBANE
Date: 15.09.2022

Volgren and Wrightbus have combined again to produce hydrogen buses for a Transdev Brisbane depot.

Following their recent landmark partnership, Volgren and Wrightbus will build and deliver two hydrogen powered fuel cell buses to Transdev’s Capalaba depot in Brisbane. The Queensland Deputy Premier Dr Steven Miles announced a $1.5 million commitment for the buses under the state government’s Hydrogen Industry Development Fund. Transdev will match the $1.5m investment to purchase the two hydrogen fuel cell buses to service the eastern suburbs of Brisbane.

Yuri Tessari, Volgren’s Chief Commercial Officer, says the buses will be one of the first hydrogen bus bodies in Australia to be built locally, and the first to be powered using European chassis technology.

"The partnership between Volgren and Wrightbus combines Europe's leading hydrogen chassis manufacturer with Australia's largest bus body builder," Tessari says.

"It's an exciting time for both companies, working to create the best possible hydrogen bus for local conditions."

Tessari says that hydrogen buses should play an important part in decarbonising Australia's public transport system and was grateful for the early support shown from Transdev and the leadership from the Queensland government towards zero-emission transport.

"Volgren has always been at the forefront of adopting new technologies and we’ll continue to invest in partnerships that accelerate Australia’s push towards zero-emission transport," Tessari says.

Joerg Hofmann, Wrightbus Chief Executive, says: "We are immensely proud of our partnership with Volgren to supply our hydrogen fuel cell powertrain technology for the manufacture of two hydrogen buses for Australian bus operator, Transdev."

"This is an extremely exciting development for sustainable public transport in Australia. We know from our vast expertise and experience the significant part hydrogen can play in the decarbonisation of public transport and we believe the scope for uptake across the Australian market is huge as the country makes the vital switch to zero-emission vehicles.

"Our hydrogen technology has a number of cutting-edge advantages - our Wrightbus Hydroliner bus has a 300-mile range, takes eight minutes to refuel and journeys are zero-emission due to it emitting only water vapour."

Transdev Queensland Managing Director Mark McKenzie says he’s proud of securing the funding and the government’s commitment to growing the hydrogen industry and its opportunities.

"The state government has already backed zero emission vehicles and now we look forward to what hydrogen has to offer," McKenzie says.

"Transdev is not only investing in the buses but also working with suppliers in building the necessary hydrogen supply infrastructure at our depot and the upskilling of our staff.

"The buses will be built by Volgren using a Wrightbus hydrogen chassis and we look forward to testing these buses on city roads, providing valuable data to Translink and the Queensland government about their performance."

Australasian Bus & Coach Magazine, 15th September 2022

[tonyp]

If this is the relevant chassis, there's some unusual initiative from a UK manufacturer.

https://www.route-one.net/features/wrig ... -ze-range/
https://www.route-one.net/wp-content/up ... 60x420.jpg

A fully stepless gangway with two-door access in RHD, but with proovision for 3 doors in LHD for the European market. This suggests that they have a European drivetrain that's on the European offside, but nearside on the RHD version, so a back door isn't possible in RHD, only a centre door. Getting there one step at a time and better than the Volvo BZL.

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

If this is the relevant chassis, there's some unusual initiative from a UK manufacturer.

Makes sense, Wrightbus is struggling in its home market largely having potential customers stolen by Alexander Dennis which has a near total monopoly of the British bus market. Yutong is also doing quite well for an overseas manufacturer.

Didn't the last Volgren Wrightbus partnership end abruptly?

[tonyp]

Volgren has a new web site that includes brochures on various models.

https://volgren.com.au/

[BanksfielderIdiot823]

Don’t mind me, I just want to get a personal thought of mine out here, as a massive Volgren gunzel, just because I’m loving every second of what’s been happening lately…

”Get an Optimus to Region 3!”

Bloody hell, 2023…

I’m nervous now. First it’s the anticipation following the grouse announcement last year of Volgren and CDC’s joint contract on repurposing Westbus St Marys into Volgren’s second NSW manufacturing plant (RIP Tomago) to allow for Optimus/BZLs to be made there, then Collingwood’s top form as of late, and now this.

If the recent word on the street in the Sydney thread eventually reigns true that the third-batch CDC Optimus B7RLEs that were dispatched to TSA R6 Tempe have indeed been put into storage at Leichhardt to be prepped for service in the new-merge contract region 3, and I’m able to take the above off of my signature, then I will seriously hail 2023 as one of the best years of my life. This Fairfielder gunzel has been waiting 10 long years for this to happen.

Unbelievable.