Think you’ve already seen this post? We apologise that we took this down after it’s very brief appearance on 29th December, owing to the potential sale of Ipswich Buses...
Optare celebrates 25 years this month. Optare owes much to the Optare Solo. Some dislike it. In spite of its “big bus” feel, it’s still a minibus and more than anything else, it’s perhaps this inherent mistrust of anything other than a conventional bus that counts against the humble Solo. Some feel it’s sluggish, others externally noisy. Yet others throw opprobrium in its direction for its bulbous looks.
From both a passengers’ and operators’ perspective, Solo actually performs its duties well and is England’s best selling minibus. Though it comes in many flavours (widths & lengths), its one draw back in the free travel era is now its size.
Its success is in no small part due to the role the bus industry—and especially Wilts & Dorset—played in Solo’s development.
W&D was announced as late arrivals at the Minibus Ball, forced into action by competitors, especially Badger Vectis. Sidelining the slightly flawed though nonetheless phenomenally successful Transit & its ilk, W&D chose the MCW Metrorider purpose built vehicle. This became an Optare product and is something only in 2009 has faded from W&D’s fleet.
In the mid-1990s, W&D looked for a replacement but found nothing it liked. It set about dialogue with a reluctant Optare. W&D had already bought a significant order for Spectra double decks and its relationship at that time with Optare might be described as “close”. W&D, then, wanted a minibus that offered:
- Low floor easy access, a concept by then taken seriously within the industry but only for single and (almost, by then) double deck conventionals.
- A wide passenger entrance not dissimilar to conventional buses.
- A clear wheelchair/buggy & passenger reservoir space at and around the entrance and no intruding wheel arches, to maximise the accessible seating capacity
- A wider than accepted body, especially when compared to Gen1 minis.
- A destination display that would look like a conventional bus.
It’s interesting that the W&D vision wasn’t initially matched by Optare. Although W&D bought significant numbers, it soon abandoned the Solo (aside from the occasional recent purchase for specific reasons). Optare couldn’t’ve predicted this and neither did it quite predict the sales the Solo might generate. For in the years since first delivery at W&D’s Salisbury garage, Solo has been the most consistent seller of the Optare order book. Forgetting the recent hiccup with Solo+, there’s still nothing to challenge Solo in terms of practicality and appeal.
9 comments:
Yes the significance of that proper destination display should not be under-rated in assessing the success of W&D and other operators in persuading their passengers (or is it customers these days?) that the Solo is a 'real' bus!
The Solo is still unrivalled in my view primarily because of the large unobstructed low floor area.
One cannot forget though how it was initially likened to the big red phone then used in the Direct Line insurance TV ad's.
The Solo was another of Optares trend setters, and still hasn't been beaten. Although the Dart MPD sold thousands, its "kerb appeal" really doesn't match the Solo- even if in my experience of working with a batch of 8 S-reg Solos showed they weren't the most reliable of vehicles.
After operating 709's for many years the Solo was a welcome change for our customers and drivers. There the welcome ended.
They have proved to be the most unreliable bus I have ever operated. They were to be our chassis of choice but unhelpful executives with 'How lucky you are that we have let you have a Solo!' attitudes have dropped the number in my fleet from a potential ten to three.
Other buses we inspect and maintain. We have an Intensive Care Unit for the remaining three Solos.
A great shame but they have blown it as far as I am concerned.
By now it should be at its peak but it's potential has never been realised after all these years.
The Solo really is a very clever design. Having seats just inside the door is of great benefit to the less mobile passengers. It's a surprise no one else has attempted to copy it - Enviro 100 perhaps?
Yes, the styling isn't Optare's finest but it's neat and functional and, as the Solo+ has shown, it's not easy to improve upon. However, what about a retro version
http://www.padbus.co.uk/gallery/g412.html
or even a double decker
http://www.padbus.co.uk/gallery/g289.html .
In terms of manoeuvrability, MPDs win hands down.
My local route's terminus is in a supermarket car park with a turning circle. At Christmas, people park on one side of the turning circle. The Mini Pointer Darts normally used on the route can fly round and turn really easily. One day a similar length Solo turned up - not a chance! It had to reverse and block cars etc.
Not a fan! Blind spots caused by the window pillars. The drivers seat seems offset and always felt not fully in control! The Mercedes engine lacks power, and seems like it was out of a second world war German army truck! Unreliable, always overheating! However they do look nice, and there is plenty of room for the punters to sit and wait for the breakdown team!
An interesting mixed bag of comments - early Solo's are expensive to operate and MPDs certainly feel nippier, but I stand by my original point that the passenger area of the Solo is unrivalled (certainly when compared to the low floor are of an MPD).
What are peoples views on the best Solo? Are Cummins engined examples the best - my only real experience of driving Solos is a eight hour Sunday duty in a narrow bodied MAN example, and I must admit that when I got used to the driving position being so far to the right and to the steering wheels being ahead of the door I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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