I'm old enough to remember the old Routemasters and RTs that had destinations on the back. I really missed them when they introduced buses with only numbers on the back!
Non opening window air-conditioned buses have been running since at least 2006, 18 years the Fastrack A Buses were introduced then between Dartford and Gravesend. Issue was that that weren't taken out of service when the Aircon malfunctioned. They ended up retrofitting drop down windows at the top of many of the windows.
Little note on the camera's as mirrors. I'm a bus driver up in Carlisle, and there is a driver here who used to drive buses in Leeds not long ago where they have buses that had camera's as mirrors. He told me the other week that when they were introduced, if a driver drove a bus that had the camera mirrors on their first stint, they weren't aloud to use a bus that had normal mirrors on their second (and third if they had) stint because drivers were forgetting they actually had mirrors when they drove a bus that didn't have the camera's and kept hitting things with their mirrors.
i drive in glasgow where we also have camera mirrors on some of our busses. I wish we had that rule here. The bigger problem with them is you forget where you are looking and you end up looking at your passenger mirror instead of your kerbside mirror for the first part of your shift
@@JoesCallingAt... Mirrors are better because they work both ways- not only can the driver see you, but you can see that the driver has seen you. Very important if you're on a bicycle, useful even if you're in a car.
As a recently retired bus driver and having driven buses with mirrors and cameras overall I prefer mirrors. Cameras do have advantages, the side projection is smaller, and you get a better view in dull conditions and at night. But, if you have the sun directly on them you can’t see a thing, and as I drove a coastal east/west route that did happen, similarly if the sun is on one side of the vehicle then the sheltered side can be very dark, harder to spot cyclists etc. Cameras do not give the depth perception a mirror does, in town traffic speeds are low enough for that not to be an issue, but on faster roads it has to be factored in. In rain they are overall better than mirrors, but water can still set on the lens distorting the image, and you can’t just wipe it off like you can a mirror. Overall I preferred mirrors, although I am sure that camera technology will improve over time.
1:38 Roger is correct with the meaning of i.e., Latin "id est" or "that is", and e.g. standing for "exempli gratia", or "for example". In previous posts on his blog, Roger has noted the front door seems rather narrow. Hopefully that's not an issue. And yes, electric buses are very quiet. We have them in New York now, and there is a world of difference even between our hybrids and the new electrivs.
These look great but it does make me smile when they keep saying innovative when i traveled on a bus charged by a pantograph in the bus station in Moscow 5 years ago
Well London has had pantograph buses in garages since 2022. What's innovative about this is that there are 'top up' charging stations at the bus route's two termini which only requires a 6 minute charge. This is a far more efficient way of operating EV busses.
@ballyhigh11 i dont see how that is different to the system moscow was running, there the bus comes into the bus stop the pantograph lowers and charges whilst the bus is waiting and then the bus goes on its way?
In Kiel they have these type of charging since 2019 too. But don't forget that Moscow only got the pantographs because they literally pulled down tenthousand of them when this awful major destroyed the biggest trolley bus network of the world...
Hi Geoff it’s Paul with the London buses computer bag it was lovely to talk to you on the new 358 about the new bus and my TFL bus challenge and the 969 bus I did on Tuesday. Video is great Paul in Orpington
By far the better bus for London, bring the originals back, regardless of 'health and safety rubbish'. They were London, get on off when you apparently shouldn't, kept London moving, not the snail 🐌 pace of today.
I still love Geoff's incredible enthusiasm, especially when he's got Roger as his side-kick, assistant or, perhaps, more politely, his bus expert advisor. Great video, thanks to both.
Nice to see other areas getting electric buses. In Coventry we now on our full third year with all routes inside Coventry been electric and with double deckers.
If only nxbus could introduce them on more routes around their patch - Birmingham's fleet are a mixture of diesel and diesel-electric hybrids (which only use the battery when setting off from stop for a few seconds). They're noisy, they vibrate a lot and may not have the best reliability, given how often you see 2-3 following each other around a route...
It's hard to appreciate how quiet those new electric tram busses are when you still have the loud diesel busses driving around you. A bus depot with all electric buses will be something else. Like a preschool during naptime I would think.
And the RTs had the route number plate on the side as well. The trolleybuses were brilliant with their fast acceleration and very long routes. They should never have gone.
@@johnjephcote7636 The route plate (later just a small number blind on the RMs) I think was discontinued as people ran accross the road to try to catch a bus
The different bells on ADL buses are to signify where in the bus the bell has been pressed. The upper deck seats have a different 'ding noise/pattern' to the lower deck ones so the driver is aware where passenger wishing to leave the bus is coming from!
This video is perfect, these buses are quite beautiful and especially futuristic, It really changes from the other buses. It was a pleasure to watch this video from France.
IE Tram has such a small corridor compared to eCitaro, because they don't use the maximum legal size. I'm glad that they aren't used in Germany. Overhead pantographs were tested here, but they have contact issues when it's snowing and they shut the whole line down if it breaks. So they installed pantographs on the buses.
A pantograph that comes 'down', is a new one on me. At first, I was just listening and heard the word "pantograph"; I assumed it had short sections of catenary along the route. 15 miles?! Call that a 'longest' bus route?
In my country some regional busses are electric and they are charged overhead at the bigger bus stops, or bus stations like we call them. At these stops there is an overhead charger and the pantograph on the bus connects with the overhead charger only for a few minutes before the bus resumes its route. It is the opposite of what’s shown in the video where the pantograph comes down on the bus to charge.
Great video as always Geoff, I've been excited about these 358s for a while so I'm pleased their in service, definitely need to get on one and experience it 😁
Nice to see electric busses coming in, although it is bad for these things to be called "trams". Words like "bus", "tram" or "metro" have specific meanings and transport providers should not be allowed to "upsell" their products with misleading names. I hope that this trial on a busy London route shakes out the problems, so there can be more electric busses rolled out to other parts of the UK. Given what one of the other commenters said about overhead pantographs having operational problems in Germany, this system should also be trailed in Aberdeen, so that we can see if it breaks down for several weeks during the coldest part of winter. If it can handle Aberdeen's winter and can handle London traffic jams, it might be OK.
What must people have thought when the Leyland Lynx was launched when it looked nothing like an actual Lynx. They are just model names. My parents used to have a Citroen Picasso which had no relevance to Picasso at all, it was just a name. At least the model name with Irizar takes some styling from a tram, but that's all it is, a model name. I don't understand why so many people are getting irate about it. My new nephew has just been named Barry, I hate the name personally and think he'll probably be bullied at school, but I just have to live with it as it wasn't my choice 😂
@@jacksebsmith Beat me to it. Plus the styling of the bus will make people notice them (just like Geoff's non bus/train fan friend did) and possibly persuade them to try it out.
The destination was displayed on the rear of LT's RT's RF's and RM's, loved pointing out to the conductor when coming up behind another bus that he'd forgotten to change the blind. 15 miles was not a long route in my day, the 77c when on the full route during peak hours, Wallington to Euston/Kings X, the 155 peak hours circular Wimbledon to Blackfriars via Embankment and back, one direction via Waterloo and Westminster Bridge, the way back via Blackfriars and the Elephant, circular with no stand time at Blackfriars. Also the full length of the 93, Sutton to Putney Bridge Station. Some were longer before, the 77c running on to Chessington Zoo on a Sunday.
RFs had a "lazy" kind of blind showing route rather than ultimate destination at rear or were they changed at end of route - some just got numbers as the years went by.
@@highpath4776 Yes, were changed over the years, the early RF's before the doors were fitted and they had conductors the rear blind could be wound from inside, they also had a middle back seat later removed as hindered exit through the tiny emergency exit the backrest attached to the door. Without the doors they were bloody cold in winter and the conductor often had to stand outside to let passengers on and of if a bit portly. The door less ones lasted till 1955, three years after introduction and first overhaul at Aldenham. Although one survived at Kingston until well into 56.
Great video Geoff. I must say the buses on the 358 have changed since I used to drive them. I used to drive the wonderful scania Omni city. I do think that non opening windows is a very bad idea.
We have had electric busses in Helsinki for some years. You notice two things straight away. No vibration rattles and how quiet and comfortable the ride is. Good wheelchair and pushchair access.
Great video, Geoff. Having lived in Beckenham for a while, I'm surprised to discover that the 358 has an actual destination. Every time I caught one I concluded it was more of a journey... 😉
I only just saw these were a thing. I was going to look them up but thought Geoff will have a video soon no doubt. and here it is the same day. Splendid. I follow a lot of electric vehicle channels and not seen anything till today.
1:07 I believe the first buses with the destination shown on the back of the bus were the ones procured for route 63, as part of tfl's bus improvement plan (though I may be a bit wrong)
Amazing. A superb step forward in bus design. 6 minute top up time is excellent. Would be interesting to hear the opinions of the drivers. Your enthusiasm just bubbles!
Back in the day, before they chopped all the routes up, Route 21 used to run from Moorgate in the city to Sidcup, but actually the route was licensed to West Kingsdown, near Brands Hatch. 1 bus early morning used to run from West Kingsdown, and a couple started from Swanley, but the rest of the day it was Sidcup.
Not London, but there used to be a long bus route from North Kent (Gravesend) all the way to Brighton, 122, joint Maidstone&District/Southdown Motor Services, IIRC? Most of these long routes just slowly were allowed to die as car travel took over.
Fantastic tram buses I’ve not seen these before. It was great to see my mother’s old home town the Crystal Palace, somewhere I have great affection for as my grandparents lived there also just off Anerley Rd. I must come down to London sometime and ride this route, I now live in Norfolk.
01:10 - Geoff, there are other buses routes that use a new variant of buses, for example on the 63 bus route, and the 295 from Clapham junction to Ladbroke grove
These buses were introduced when I was living in Aix-en-Provence back when I was living there in 2019! They served the university where I was studying in at the time and were the best uni busses I've ever used!
Here in Finland i only started using buses much at all in the past few years, at which point most in city buses are electric. Its not only the silence that's a comfort benefit but it's the vibration for me. When diesel buses occasionally substitute, even if they're just as new they make me travel sick due to the constant vibration.
So funny story so I was travelling on the ie tram bus to Orpington and a go ahead staf broke a part of the bus by the doors and his coworker said I told you it was fragile 😂😂😂😂😂 we smiled at laughed and it was was a quite a nice bus to be fair ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Another fabulous video Geoff - thank you. In the video, you mentioned the tram buses in Spain that are comprised of two vehicles. Here in Australia, three car tram-buses have just been introduced in Brisbane. They've been named 'Brisbane Metro'. I haven't had chance to ride and film them yet, but I hope to get down there soon to try them out.
Good video Geoff. These were originally planned to be in service "before the end of the summer" this year. Glad they're finally in service. I look forward to going out of my to get a ride on these soon. I note in this video at Orpington Bus Station there are still "Please keep your distance" floor stickers!! These should have long been taken down now!
Two Ahs! 1, the 132 that got me to my primary school 1946-1951, except one day in freezing 1947 when it didn’t arrive. Too icy; it couldn’t get up and down Gravel Hill. 2. Rear blinds: one of the biggest losses enforced by rear-engined buses. Much missed.
Was that something to do with Conductor's duty was to change front and rear ultimate destinations , OMO said only the front ( as part of productivity extra pay for drivers ?)
1:20 the high spec E400EVs that first appeared on the 63 with the sky roofs have them, and maybe some new high spec electroliners, not sure though 3:10 also the usb c and a charging points are on a few routes, SL5 definitely has it, SL7 and SL1 may have it but im not sure.
CT transit has a similar system called fastrak. certain bus routes use it. if possible TFL should run express services where their 358 is. the express can stop at every 5th or 6th stop.
Very interesting nice bus indeed! Our electric busses here in the southeast of the Netherlands have the panto-graph on the bus themselves. And they raise it at the charging pole.
I do always find it a shame with naming busses something related to trams - They're so very different, it'd be like calling a car for a train. Imo they should be called opportunistic trolly busses 😄 Or battery driven trolly busses if you want to be boring about it 😉
Yes. This isn't a tram, it's a bus. Sure, it's a very nice bus, but it's still a bus. All you're doing by calling it a tram is downgrading people's expectations for both trams and buses, because it reinforces the message that buses _aren't_ fancy like this.
Nice to see electric public transport being rolled out. We have some electric buses in Cambridge, with very quiet and smooth rides. Whippet (with Cambridge University) have single deck Sigma 12 buses (12 metre variant of the Sigma) on the U1 & U2 routes since ~July 2023. And Stagecoach East have been operating nearly all of their Park and Ride journeys with double decker Volvo BZL vehicles since about the same time. ⚡🚌 (Edited to fix typo of BZL.)
Thank you for another wonderful video. Personally I do not really like the look of these new buses, but that's a matter of taste and that does not make a bus good or bad. Electric buses always have a smooth ride, especially when you compare them with diesel buses. I have worked as a busdriver on Mercedes Citaro buses, both 12 meter as the 18 meter bendy-bus in Utrecht (NL). I find them both ok. For passengers they are not the best, but then: the costumers are getting for what they pay for and good comfort costs money. So for the hard seats Mercedes is not to blame; the buscompany (and vandals as well) is to blame for that. And you say destinationblends at the back are a novelty in London? The good old RM / RMT (and I think their predecessors as well) used to have them.... So I would say it is a reintroduction of a feature which was very common in London in the past.
As a customer on the U buses you are never on them for a long time so do they need to have plush comfy seats and often they are full when i travel, yet i do like the double bendy buses. as a tourist it was a bit weird to hear a bell like a tram when someone gets in the way.
Seen loads of them today.they look weird. If you done the whole route you deserve a medal. Done it a few times from beckenham to Bromley…it’s a long route..nearly through myself under the bus
We have had electric busses in Helsinki for some years. You notice two things straight away. No vibration rattles and how quiet and comfortable the ride is. Good wheelchair and pushchair access. We use the pentagram system to charge them.
1:10 Remember when they were wondering if the ieTram was the first TfL bus to have a destination display on the back? I saw a double decker in the background with the destination display on the back at 12:08. Did this come before or after the ieTram?
I'm no so interested in buses but I have to say this does look worth a trip over to Orpington to ride this route. Personally I'd rather see more actual trams on rails in London but I'm not saying this route would be appropriate to be a tram route.
Short memory Geoff? Routmasters and RTs showed the destination on the back of the bus too, as did previous electric buses at Crystal Palace (Trolley buses, of course). It's good to see that pantograph finally being used too, it's been there for a couple of years. One question does the bell ring when you press the button or when you release it? I think the A.D. buses' bell ring when on release.
As always, this is the appreciation thread for Roger's boots ...
I am always reminded of The Three Musketeers when I see Roger in your videos, Geoff!
They are legimently wonderful, and great to see the knowledgeable Roger adorn them as always!
I always remember Roger
I always wonder where he ties up his horse when you meet up.
Rear destination displays were introduced when route 63 went electric with Abellio now transport uk
Some of the new busses up here in Manchester have the destination on the back. It's handy when you miss it and know where you're no longer going lol.
😂 Yes indeed!
lmaooo
We do on the routemasters but it’s not common in London
I'm old enough to remember the old Routemasters and RTs that had destinations on the back. I really missed them when they introduced buses with only numbers on the back!
Haha occasionally knowing you are not going is a good thing.
“Its a different ding!” I love your sheer childlike enthusiasm!
Non opening window air-conditioned buses have been running since at least 2006, 18 years the Fastrack A Buses were introduced then between Dartford and Gravesend. Issue was that that weren't taken out of service when the Aircon malfunctioned. They ended up retrofitting drop down windows at the top of many of the windows.
i.e. stands for id est, which is Latin for “that is", i.e., that is
lovely, thank you! ( what about e.g. )
@@geofftech2 That would be exampli gratia, literally for example.
@@yterbiumpick7752 exempli gratia
@@yterbiumpick7752 ipso facto indeed it is
an easier way to remember it in a non-latin way is: i.e. is "in essence" (to clarify) whereas e.g. is "example given" (to give an example)
Little note on the camera's as mirrors. I'm a bus driver up in Carlisle, and there is a driver here who used to drive buses in Leeds not long ago where they have buses that had camera's as mirrors. He told me the other week that when they were introduced, if a driver drove a bus that had the camera mirrors on their first stint, they weren't aloud to use a bus that had normal mirrors on their second (and third if they had) stint because drivers were forgetting they actually had mirrors when they drove a bus that didn't have the camera's and kept hitting things with their mirrors.
i drive in glasgow where we also have camera mirrors on some of our busses. I wish we had that rule here. The bigger problem with them is you forget where you are looking and you end up looking at your passenger mirror instead of your kerbside mirror for the first part of your shift
And in London they don’t care and have drivers interchange between mirrorless and mirrored buses
@@JoesCallingAt... Mirrors are better because they work both ways- not only can the driver see you, but you can see that the driver has seen you. Very important if you're on a bicycle, useful even if you're in a car.
As a recently retired bus driver and having driven buses with mirrors and cameras overall I prefer mirrors. Cameras do have advantages, the side projection is smaller, and you get a better view in dull conditions and at night. But, if you have the sun directly on them you can’t see a thing, and as I drove a coastal east/west route that did happen, similarly if the sun is on one side of the vehicle then the sheltered side can be very dark, harder to spot cyclists etc. Cameras do not give the depth perception a mirror does, in town traffic speeds are low enough for that not to be an issue, but on faster roads it has to be factored in. In rain they are overall better than mirrors, but water can still set on the lens distorting the image, and you can’t just wipe it off like you can a mirror. Overall I preferred mirrors, although I am sure that camera technology will improve over time.
Interesting! Small note - you don't need to add the apostrophe for the plural of camera... 😅
1:38 Roger is correct with the meaning of i.e., Latin "id est" or "that is", and e.g. standing for "exempli gratia", or "for example".
In previous posts on his blog, Roger has noted the front door seems rather narrow. Hopefully that's not an issue.
And yes, electric buses are very quiet. We have them in New York now, and there is a world of difference even between our hybrids and the new electrivs.
q.e.d. quod erat demonstrandum
Al the buses from irizar are “i”: i3, i4, i6, i8, iebus (former i2e) and ietram [i + electric]
These look great but it does make me smile when they keep saying innovative when i traveled on a bus charged by a pantograph in the bus station in Moscow 5 years ago
Well London has had pantograph buses in garages since 2022. What's innovative about this is that there are 'top up' charging stations at the bus route's two termini which only requires a 6 minute charge. This is a far more efficient way of operating EV busses.
@ballyhigh11 i dont see how that is different to the system moscow was running, there the bus comes into the bus stop the pantograph lowers and charges whilst the bus is waiting and then the bus goes on its way?
In Kiel they have these type of charging since 2019 too. But don't forget that Moscow only got the pantographs because they literally pulled down tenthousand of them when this awful major destroyed the biggest trolley bus network of the world...
Warsaw has had exactly this system with a charger at both ends, for a few years now.
Why does it matter if someone else got them first?
Geoffonthebus !! Always good to see Roger again, he is so bus knowledgeable.
Hi Geoff it’s Paul with the London buses computer bag it was lovely to talk to you on the new 358 about the new bus and my TFL bus challenge and the 969 bus I did on Tuesday.
Video is great
Paul in Orpington
The old Routemasters used to have destinations at the back! (For obvious reasons when you think about where people might be boarding from)
RTs on the sides too.
By far the better bus for London, bring the originals back, regardless of 'health and safety rubbish'. They were London, get on off when you apparently shouldn't, kept London moving, not the snail 🐌 pace of today.
Thanks for an electrifying video Geoff
I still love Geoff's incredible enthusiasm, especially when he's got Roger as his side-kick, assistant or, perhaps, more politely, his bus expert advisor. Great video, thanks to both.
Nice to see other areas getting electric buses. In Coventry we now on our full third year with all routes inside Coventry been electric and with double deckers.
If only nxbus could introduce them on more routes around their patch - Birmingham's fleet are a mixture of diesel and diesel-electric hybrids (which only use the battery when setting off from stop for a few seconds). They're noisy, they vibrate a lot and may not have the best reliability, given how often you see 2-3 following each other around a route...
It's hard to appreciate how quiet those new electric tram busses are when you still have the loud diesel busses driving around you. A bus depot with all electric buses will be something else. Like a preschool during naptime I would think.
Actually, the depot can be quite noisy, especially in hot weather, with all the cooling fans for the chargers.
Still has the same noisy suspension and rattly interior!
Loud air system as well. Diesel buses sound interesting.
@@IIVQ No real difference to the fans required to keep diesel engines cool
It is a normal battery bus.
Looks like a 1950s vision of the future. Not that that's a bad thing, I do like a bit of retrofuturism.
The front is actually an efficient use of materials compared to a "cube" and also more aero efficient.
In the 1950s I remember they nearly always had destinations on the back of the bus as well! Philip Heselton
The heritage routemasters do to. Some of the LED number boxes at the back now have scrolling destinations mainly saying "railway replacement service"
Nottingham buses have had full size displays on the back for years
And the RTs had the route number plate on the side as well. The trolleybuses were brilliant with their fast acceleration and very long routes. They should never have gone.
@@johnjephcote7636 The route plate (later just a small number blind on the RMs) I think was discontinued as people ran accross the road to try to catch a bus
I love seeing Geoff’s excitement about the different ding! His enthusiasm in general is lovely to see.
Alright I know what I'm riding on this weekend
Lucky lady 😳
me?
The different bells on ADL buses are to signify where in the bus the bell has been pressed. The upper deck seats have a different 'ding noise/pattern' to the lower deck ones so the driver is aware where passenger wishing to leave the bus is coming from!
I never knew this very interesting! And now come to think of it I do recall hearing different ding dings on the E400EV’s !
This video is perfect, these buses are quite beautiful and especially futuristic, It really changes from the other buses. It was a pleasure to watch this video from France.
Live in Anerley/Penge this is one of my local buses cant wait to use one!
We've been waiting for this for so long! Welcome to the future of long-distance bus routes...
IE Tram has such a small corridor compared to eCitaro, because they don't use the maximum legal size. I'm glad that they aren't used in Germany. Overhead pantographs were tested here, but they have contact issues when it's snowing and they shut the whole line down if it breaks. So they installed pantographs on the buses.
It should be pretty trivial to convert to something like CCS in the future if necessary... 😅
A pantograph that comes 'down', is a new one on me. At first, I was just listening and heard the word "pantograph"; I assumed it had short sections of catenary along the route.
15 miles?! Call that a 'longest' bus route?
The SL7 laughs at it.
I think it’s the fifth longest TfL bus route. I’ve got a list somewhere ….
He did say *one* of the longest bus routes in London.
In my country some regional busses are electric and they are charged overhead at the bigger bus stops, or bus stations like we call them. At these stops there is an overhead charger and the pantograph on the bus connects with the overhead charger only for a few minutes before the bus resumes its route. It is the opposite of what’s shown in the video where the pantograph comes down on the bus to charge.
I think you made it to the family group chat when that guy saw you sitting in the floor 😂
You know it's a proper bus video when Roger takes part
Your collaboration is so refreshingly nerdy, thank you!
Great video as always Geoff, I've been excited about these 358s for a while so I'm pleased their in service, definitely need to get on one and experience it 😁
Nice to see electric busses coming in, although it is bad for these things to be called "trams". Words like "bus", "tram" or "metro" have specific meanings and transport providers should not be allowed to "upsell" their products with misleading names.
I hope that this trial on a busy London route shakes out the problems, so there can be more electric busses rolled out to other parts of the UK.
Given what one of the other commenters said about overhead pantographs having operational problems in Germany, this system should also be trailed in Aberdeen, so that we can see if it breaks down for several weeks during the coldest part of winter. If it can handle Aberdeen's winter and can handle London traffic jams, it might be OK.
What must people have thought when the Leyland Lynx was launched when it looked nothing like an actual Lynx. They are just model names. My parents used to have a Citroen Picasso which had no relevance to Picasso at all, it was just a name. At least the model name with Irizar takes some styling from a tram, but that's all it is, a model name. I don't understand why so many people are getting irate about it. My new nephew has just been named Barry, I hate the name personally and think he'll probably be bullied at school, but I just have to live with it as it wasn't my choice 😂
@@jacksebsmith Beat me to it. Plus the styling of the bus will make people notice them (just like Geoff's non bus/train fan friend did) and possibly persuade them to try it out.
Trams run on rails this is correctly a Trolley bus.
@@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH don't trolley buses run with overhead lines?
You two work so well together and another really informative video again Geoff. Especially like the Star Trek sounding doors too
Always a pleasure to see the Geoff and Roger combo on the buses
Very impressive. Great looks and finish.
The destination was displayed on the rear of LT's RT's RF's and RM's, loved pointing out to the conductor when coming up behind another bus that he'd forgotten to change the blind.
15 miles was not a long route in my day, the 77c when on the full route during peak hours, Wallington to Euston/Kings X, the 155 peak hours circular Wimbledon to Blackfriars via Embankment and back, one direction via Waterloo and Westminster Bridge, the way back via Blackfriars and the Elephant, circular with no stand time at Blackfriars. Also the full length of the 93, Sutton to Putney Bridge Station. Some were longer before, the 77c running on to Chessington Zoo on a Sunday.
The old 107 route ran from Enfield Lock RSA factory to Queensbury via Barnet and Borehamwood.
How about the 9 Mortlake to Becontree, or in the 1930s, the 21 Farningham to Wood Green!
@@Bruce-h8w was there Waltham Abbey to Dulwich Plough at one time ?
RFs had a "lazy" kind of blind showing route rather than ultimate destination at rear or were they changed at end of route - some just got numbers as the years went by.
@@highpath4776 Yes, were changed over the years, the early RF's before the doors were fitted and they had conductors the rear blind could be wound from inside, they also had a middle back seat later removed as hindered exit through the tiny emergency exit the backrest attached to the door. Without the doors they were bloody cold in winter and the conductor often had to stand outside to let passengers on and of if a bit portly. The door less ones lasted till 1955, three years after introduction and first overhaul at Aldenham. Although one survived at Kingston until well into 56.
Wonderful! Always enjoy your vids but living on the 358 route made this extra special and fascinating.
I am glad they are in service now they have been stored in our depot for ages
I'm sure I saw one, months ago near Peckham Rye Park.
Hey Geoff, it’s such good content when Roger is onboard as he’s very knowledgeable on Buaes. The Star Wars style boots are the added bonus.
Great video Geoff. I must say the buses on the 358 have changed since I used to drive them. I used to drive the wonderful scania Omni city. I do think that non opening windows is a very bad idea.
Ah the YN53 Omnicity buses. Genuinely miss those on the route, they were great fun
Nice to see the Bromley borough finally getting the relevance that it deserves! 🥳🌳💚
A big borough, London's largest, that covers 15.75 miles.
@@Eurobazzthe London Borough equivalent of flying over Canada.
We have had electric busses in Helsinki for some years. You notice two things straight away.
No vibration rattles and how quiet and comfortable the ride is. Good wheelchair and pushchair access.
Great video, Geoff.
Having lived in Beckenham for a while, I'm surprised to discover that the 358 has an actual destination. Every time I caught one I concluded it was more of a journey... 😉
Nice presentation as usual from Geoff and nice to see my old boss Roger still so enthusiastic.
One of his biggest fans and hopefully want to meet him 😢. Love all his videos
Goosebumps when u meet him I luckily saw him and had photo with him at Acton depot
I only just saw these were a thing. I was going to look them up but thought Geoff will have a video soon no doubt. and here it is the same day. Splendid. I follow a lot of electric vehicle channels and not seen anything till today.
It's pretty rainy now and with a lot of rain water and leaves on the floor, I can confirm it feels pretty grippy
Seen these bus trams in France for a few years now. They are really good :) glad the UK is starting to catch up
Great one Geoff! The interior is good
wow the information panel showing the underground service status is an excellent addition to total travel
1:07 I believe the first buses with the destination shown on the back of the bus were the ones procured for route 63, as part of tfl's bus improvement plan (though I may be a bit wrong)
Amazing. A superb step forward in bus design. 6 minute top up time is excellent. Would be interesting to hear the opinions of the drivers.
Your enthusiasm just bubbles!
Back in the day, before they chopped all the routes up, Route 21 used to run from Moorgate in the city to Sidcup, but actually the route was licensed to West Kingsdown, near Brands Hatch. 1 bus early morning used to run from West Kingsdown, and a couple started from Swanley, but the rest of the day it was Sidcup.
Not London, but there used to be a long bus route from North Kent (Gravesend) all the way to Brighton, 122, joint Maidstone&District/Southdown Motor Services, IIRC? Most of these long routes just slowly were allowed to die as car travel took over.
So much glass in the windows! Wonderful to bring in the light and views
Great video Geoff!
Thanks, Geoff - great video. Would that we had buses of any kind in rural Norfolk, let alone the beautiful tram-bus. Keep up the good work!
Great video Geoff
Fantastic tram buses I’ve not seen these before. It was great to see my mother’s old home town the Crystal Palace, somewhere I have great affection for as my grandparents lived there also just off Anerley Rd. I must come down to London sometime and ride this route, I now live in Norfolk.
01:10 - Geoff, there are other buses routes that use a new variant of buses, for example on the 63 bus route, and the 295 from Clapham junction to Ladbroke grove
Also the U5 with both the E400 & Wrightbus
These buses were introduced when I was living in Aix-en-Provence back when I was living there in 2019! They served the university where I was studying in at the time and were the best uni busses I've ever used!
Love a bus video! ‘I.e’ means ‘id est’ (‘that is’). Another interpretation is ‘in equivalence’.
P.S. Slay the boots house down, Roger.
Dear Geoff,
Canny video as always👍
Always glad 2 c Roger👍👏🤘😎😁
Regards,
Here in Finland i only started using buses much at all in the past few years, at which point most in city buses are electric. Its not only the silence that's a comfort benefit but it's the vibration for me. When diesel buses occasionally substitute, even if they're just as new they make me travel sick due to the constant vibration.
Swede here. My local bus operator has a mix of diesel and electric buses, and the vibration is the biggest comfort issue. Very noticable indeed.
Thank you for the video Geoff it was very interesting and great information. ❤
So funny story so I was travelling on the ie tram bus to Orpington and a go ahead staf broke a part of the bus by the doors and his coworker said I told you it was fragile 😂😂😂😂😂 we smiled at laughed and it was was a quite a nice bus to be fair ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Another fabulous video Geoff - thank you. In the video, you mentioned the tram buses in Spain that are comprised of two vehicles. Here in Australia, three car tram-buses have just been introduced in Brisbane. They've been named 'Brisbane Metro'. I haven't had chance to ride and film them yet, but I hope to get down there soon to try them out.
i have been on a ton of irizar buses when i was in spain. they are okay.
I rode this bus it was amazing very smooth and relaxing. Well done to TFL 👏
Geoff you should do a spin-off Choo Choo chat with Roger called Broom-Broom chat about buses
THAT IS BRILLIANT NAME !!!
God I love a video with Roger in it. He knows buses so well.
Portsmouth first bus have got new electric buses on the number 1 and 3 are quiet quick and i enjoy travelling on them
So good to see USB-C sockets at long last (other providers, including new providers still installing the old fashioned USB-A sockets !!) 👏🏽
This is turning into the Roger Channel. Now. 😂😂 But regardless. One word for this video. Amazing.👍
Good video Geoff. These were originally planned to be in service "before the end of the summer" this year. Glad they're finally in service. I look forward to going out of my to get a ride on these soon.
I note in this video at Orpington Bus Station there are still "Please keep your distance" floor stickers!! These should have long been taken down now!
Two Ahs! 1, the 132 that got me to my primary school 1946-1951, except one day in freezing 1947 when it didn’t arrive. Too icy; it couldn’t get up and down Gravel Hill. 2. Rear blinds: one of the biggest losses enforced by rear-engined buses. Much missed.
Was that something to do with Conductor's duty was to change front and rear ultimate destinations , OMO said only the front ( as part of productivity extra pay for drivers ?)
thanks highly likely. and there was the nearside blind to remember as well!@@highpath4776
I was lucky to have seen these on a test run way before these even went into service
1:20 the high spec E400EVs that first appeared on the 63 with the sky roofs have them, and maybe some new high spec electroliners, not sure though
3:10 also the usb c and a charging points are on a few routes, SL5 definitely has it, SL7 and SL1 may have it but im not sure.
Even ratps latest batch of e400evs have rear destination sign
@ yh ik the 72 ones innit
@@Ron_TTE no those are 2018, im talking about the 295 ones
@@LJ07EBP 72 plates i meant
@@Ron_TTE ohh yeah
thanks for the video
Look at those emojis !!! 😅
CT transit has a similar system called fastrak. certain bus routes use it.
if possible TFL should run express services where their 358 is. the express can stop at every 5th or 6th stop.
Absolutely ADORE Roger
It is good to see brand new trambuses on route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington bus station with USB charging on every seat
Very interesting nice bus indeed! Our electric busses here in the southeast of the Netherlands have the panto-graph on the bus themselves. And they raise it at the charging pole.
I do always find it a shame with naming busses something related to trams - They're so very different, it'd be like calling a car for a train. Imo they should be called opportunistic trolly busses 😄 Or battery driven trolly busses if you want to be boring about it 😉
Yes. This isn't a tram, it's a bus. Sure, it's a very nice bus, but it's still a bus. All you're doing by calling it a tram is downgrading people's expectations for both trams and buses, because it reinforces the message that buses _aren't_ fancy like this.
They are called ieTrams because they try to mimic they're appearance, but obviously they are not trams (and they don't pretend to be)
@@stevieinselbywere peoples expectation being downgraded when a Leyland Lynx turned up and it wasn’t actually a Lynx? It’s just the model name
@@stevieinselby The vast majority of bus users will have no idea what the model name of the bus they're using is.
Been a long time coming but look great, looking forward to trying them out.
Fantastic video Geoff, but I have to say that I'm not sold on that fake wood finish - it looks rather cheap to me.
Nice to see electric public transport being rolled out.
We have some electric buses in Cambridge, with very quiet and smooth rides. Whippet (with Cambridge University) have single deck Sigma 12 buses (12 metre variant of the Sigma) on the U1 & U2 routes since ~July 2023. And Stagecoach East have been operating nearly all of their Park and Ride journeys with double decker Volvo BZL vehicles since about the same time. ⚡🚌
(Edited to fix typo of BZL.)
These new busses look rather good to me and I hope they have a long service.
I loved seeing that guy on the bus discretely taking a photo of you on the floor. 😎😎
8:18 “358 to Penge” Yet another curtailment ruining Geoffs plan 😂
ha ha, good spot! we had to switch buses! yes ...
Nah, means you can pop into the Wetherspoons while you wait for the next bus 😊
I guess that's another consideration in serious congestion. Make sure you don't curtail the same vehicle too many times.
The 227 used to alternate its western destination between C. Palace up the hill and Penge Crooked Billet down the bottom, so just like old times.
I'm going to miss those old busses, they where my favourite
Can't beat the Routemaster.
@@pete6645honestly, I disagree.
Thank you for another wonderful video. Personally I do not really like the look of these new buses, but that's a matter of taste and that does not make a bus good or bad. Electric buses always have a smooth ride, especially when you compare them with diesel buses.
I have worked as a busdriver on Mercedes Citaro buses, both 12 meter as the 18 meter bendy-bus in Utrecht (NL). I find them both ok. For passengers they are not the best, but then: the costumers are getting for what they pay for and good comfort costs money. So for the hard seats Mercedes is not to blame; the buscompany (and vandals as well) is to blame for that.
And you say destinationblends at the back are a novelty in London? The good old RM / RMT (and I think their predecessors as well) used to have them.... So I would say it is a reintroduction of a feature which was very common in London in the past.
As a customer on the U buses you are never on them for a long time so do they need to have plush comfy seats and often they are full when i travel, yet i do like the double bendy buses. as a tourist it was a bit weird to hear a bell like a tram when someone gets in the way.
Seen loads of them today.they look weird. If you done the whole route you deserve a medal. Done it a few times from beckenham to Bromley…it’s a long route..nearly through myself under the bus
3:07 On the refurbished E400 MMC Hybrid {Battersea Garage} They have USB-C with it.
woow - look very 'space age' - look forward to riding them soon
0:27 3-5-vape??
We have had electric busses in Helsinki for some years. You notice two things straight away.
No vibration rattles and how quiet and comfortable the ride is. Good wheelchair and pushchair access.
We use the pentagram system to charge them.
1:10 Remember when they were wondering if the ieTram was the first TfL bus to have a destination display on the back?
I saw a double decker in the background with the destination display on the back at 12:08. Did this come before or after the ieTram?
That’s my local station. (Orpington)
I saw one of these for the first time a couple of weeks ago and was so confused at what I was looking at!
There is absolutely nothing about this bus that makes it deserving of the lable "tram". Just call it an electric bus
I'm no so interested in buses but I have to say this does look worth a trip over to Orpington to ride this route. Personally I'd rather see more actual trams on rails in London but I'm not saying this route would be appropriate to be a tram route.
The old 132! I remember that being circular back in the late 70s early 80s
Short memory Geoff? Routmasters and RTs showed the destination on the back of the bus too, as did previous electric buses at Crystal Palace (Trolley buses, of course). It's good to see that pantograph finally being used too, it's been there for a couple of years.
One question does the bell ring when you press the button or when you release it? I think the A.D. buses' bell ring when on release.
Not to mention RFs, Ts, TDs, RTLs, RTWs, RFWs - and probably a heap more I would have ridden on but have forgotten.
I saw one of these a few days ago when I was in Beckenham.