NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Sydney / New South Wales Transport Discussion
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Swift
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Swift »

The KMB bus looks like a different bus. It needs the headlight surrounds and garnish panel under the windscreen left black to highlight their design cues. Also, an exception is needed with that front bumper to be painted matching light blue.
It would be so simple to remedy. It just doesn't work the way they've got it.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Fleet Lists »

I think the front bumper also in light blue would be a total disaster. I would prefer the front above the bumper to be in white like the KMB bus.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Tim Williams »

Here is a photo of a 2013 built Volvo B9TL/Gemilang purchased by SBS Transit Singapore, as a demonstrator, it spent a few years in service but being non-standard it has spent quite a number of years as a trainer. It remained the only one with large orders going to Wrights of Ballymena (Northern Ireland) - an amazing 1,606 B9TL's were ordered and delivered from Wright, plus a further 200 (preceding them from CDGE (in house).

The lower front, again has the strong family resemblance to both the KMB and TfNSW buses, and I do think that it looks good in that livery.
SBS7777Y_7_1.jpg
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The photo is from the 593 Gallery taken from the Net - I didn't want to trawl through my many photos from numerous visits to Singapore!!
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Swift
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Swift »

Again looks perfectly fine.
TNSW is already disastrous! Something has to be done. It looks like trash.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Linto63 wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:38 pm Reasonable to assume that the manufacturer or distributor intend on making more than one sale.
Reasoning why I said that in the first place is we have a horrendous history of trying things and then always deciding it isn't good enough and going back to the same old ancient junk (Some of which isn't helped by our ancient restrictions and laws but I don't believe I need to repeat what others have already said numerous times in the past).

So yes I am skeptical when it comes to these kinds of situations however on the other hand, this isn't the first Gemilang product nor DD from Gemilang in Australia. If we can pull through more than 10 of these, I'll drop my skepticism a level.
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Tim Williams
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Tim Williams »

THe Adelaide Scania/Gemilang DD is going very well, with what seems like, high use. The body appears to be taught and free from rattles, similarly I wish we had many more of them!!
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Fleet Lists »

https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=11563
Here is a photo of it. After 7 years is it still on trial?
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by LB608 »

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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Tim Williams »

The Adelaide Scania DD has been working consistantly over the 7 (or how ever many) years it has been in service - it seems to be a popular bus,however the enthusiasm for DD's has definately waned in Adelaide. It's main problem has been with trees and other overhanging objects in the Adelaide Hills. In its original form the large one piece top windscreen was obviously vulnerable and after several replacements a split screen layout was fitted along with
extensive tree guards - some photos and explanatory notes of the AD Enviro 400's of NLB HK that I sent to the transport authorities may have influenced the setup, I hope!!

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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Stonesourscotty »

Highfloors back in service in the west.

Penriths 343 has been reinstated first time a high floor bus has been seen atleast this year (few have dot matrix set to driver training at the depot but I assume this was Ryde or the other new depot based) was out on the 779 bit unusual to get anything but a Scania Volgren on there lately.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Fleet Lists »

I cant see how the 343 would be related to Ryde or Willoughby.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Stonesourscotty »

Might have rabbited there but a few of the High floor Mercedes at Penrith where spotted driver training in the city and surrounding areas mainly the 31* and 32* Mercedes at Penrith most still have driver training as there display.still on depot but none have seen service with customers before today this year.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by LB608 »

Here in N Z news travells fast or slow, some , rumors are are true some are very twisted.
Can someone confirm that Picton Buslines have split from the Buslines Group,about 6 months ago?
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Fleet Lists »

https://pictonbuslines.com.au/ seems to be a separate website from the Buslines group which would tend to confirm it. First i had heard of it. Buses shown are in a new livery.

And in the history it contains this
In September 2021, following the passing of Peter Simpson in May 2020, the shareholdings were restructured and full ownership was transferred to the Ferris Family.
which is a bit confusing as Peter Ferris is part of the Buslines group. So it happened four months ago.

And https://www.buslinesgroup.com.au/ no longer links to the Picton websiite.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by gilberations »

It has a new logo and everything? But the website layout is similar? Perhaps a slow rebranding of the company?
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by 1whoknows »

The sale/ transfer of Picton depot to the Ferris family occurred back at the end of July according to fleet lists but is quoted elsewhere at September but either way it received almost no publicity at the time. Some minor changes to the signage colours are being implemented.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022

Post by Linto63 »

According to its ASIC record, there were changes to Picton Buslines' shareholdings in July, November and December, details available at $17 a throw if anybody is really interested.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022

Post by Linto63 »

I did previously suggest that Busways probably had better things to do than reinvent the wheel, but seemingly I was wrong. It continues to experiment with fonts and text sizes in its region 7 destination displays, so far all have ranged from inferior to what State Transit used (and the other operators have stuck with) to down right awful. There is a theory that private operators know better than their government equivalents but not so here. Busways would be better off sticking with something that works well and focus its efforts to improve the service in other areas.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Swift »

I thought Busways had a pragmatic style of operations.
Obviously not here. Totally needless meddling. Is It a pride thing?
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022

Post by boronia »

Linto63 wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:28 am I did previously suggest that Busways probably had better things to do than reinvent the wheel, but seemingly I was wrong. It continues to experiment with fonts and text sizes in its region 7 destination displays, so far all have ranged from inferior to what State Transit used (and the other operators have stuck with) to down right awful. There is a theory that private operators know better than their government equivalents but not so here. Busways would be better off sticking with something that works well and focus its efforts to improve the service in other areas.
I thought I read somewhere some time ago that TfNSW had put out specifications for desto displays?
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by gilberations »

You guys must be new to Busways ways :)

Every time they have done a software update on their desktops since they switched to Flip dot from scrolls, they always, ALWAYS mess it up somehow. I can remember the day the T Way opened for 2 days the destination board for the then 741 to Castle Hill via Kellyville said:
CASTL. That was it. And even that wasn’t fully readable haha. Now they have to update their format to board types they haven’t had before. It’s a normal teething trouble.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Merc1107 »

... in which case, leave the old program alone, and use one of the depot's spare buses to experiment with in the yard, until they get it right. Keep the old desto file handy in case the new program is a dud, and the bus is needed in service.

How hard do electronic destos have to be!? Seriously.
If there are different board sizes, label each bus.
If you need new programs, don't reinvent the wheel.
Test before sending into traffic.
It's absolutely disappointing how often silly mistakes like this happen. Too much rushing about, and oftentimes too little care/pride goes into these things.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Special_K »

Interesting to see people rolling out the desto topic. It will wind up in time when it is handled correctly.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by swtt »

gilberations wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:13 pm You guys must be new to Busways ways :)

Every time they have done a software update on their desktops since they switched to Flip dot from scrolls, they always, ALWAYS mess it up somehow. I can remember the day the T Way opened for 2 days the destination board for the then 741 to Castle Hill via Kellyville said:
CASTL. That was it. And even that wasn’t fully readable haha. Now they have to update their format to board types they haven’t had before. It’s a normal teething trouble.
Around 2006, Busways actually had STA style destos and was the only operator in the west that had them. Back then, CDC and Region 3 had some of the worst in terms of consistency.

Don't know when Busways ditched their nice destos for the currently crap ones, and also trying to infiltrate Y and M with the customer non-friendly destos as well with all sorts of inconsistency.

I notice some buses have already reverted back to STA style destos - but not sure whether it's only applicable to some routes, or the entire old file had been reloaded. For example, Routes 533 and the routes around Eastwood (545/515/544) all seem to be carrying rubbish destos still from most of my observations, but it could be those buses observed still had a dodgy file.
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Re: NSW Bus Observations 2022.

Post by Glen »

Special_K wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 9:17 pm Interesting to see people rolling out the desto topic. It will wind up in time when it is handled correctly.
No puns intended of course.
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