18 months ago, we asked Yellow Buses’ head of marketing whether we might in future see brand new double decks at Yeoman’s Way. The official view before the interview was that double decks weren’t a popular choice among increasing numbers of older people who had fewer lower deck seats from which to choose. And there was always the prospect of anti-social behavioural one floor up.
But Jenni Wilkinson did reply “never say never”. And so it is that, later today, Yellow Buses will officially launch its five brand new Volvo B9TL/Wrightbus Gemini 2s, on the road from Monday. And what a splendid line up they make, with their detail changes beneath the windscreen that mark the vehicles out from the six Geminis taken into stock between 2003/04. Indeed, not only do the 2s look less fussy, the yellow really brings out the black across the lamp cluster. But the original Geminis have dated not one bit.
It’s not just about the outside. Within, we see the now de rigueur Yellow Buses attention to detail, with leather seating and wood-effect flooring up and down.
The Gemini 2s will operate on the 1B/1Cs between Somerford, Christchurch, Boscombe, Bournemouth & Poole, alongside the newly refurbished Geminis and Myllenniums (Myllennia?) that also gain leather interiors. Expect Yellow Buses’ sole ALX400 to make up the quota on these services.
Note the absence of the leafy swirl first adopted by the former Transdev Yellow Buses in 2006 plus the new seashell motif on the bus’ side, as the new Route 1 sub-brand
From 15th May, with additional Mondays to Fridays morning journeys last month towards Poole at every 10 rather than every 15 minutes; and now with four buses an hour on the 1B/1Cs between Bournemouth & Poole during evenings & Sundays, Yellow Buses has upped the ante in its competition along the coastal strip. Twixt Poole & Bournemouth, Yellow Buses has the capacity and arguably the internal comfort but Wilts & Dorset outflanks on frequency. W&D also offers an admirable level of comfort with 2+1 seating and has refurbished, at least externally, its More Eclipses. And between Bournemouth & Boscombe including the 1A, Yellow Buses has a superb all-leather offer of double & single decks.
The Gemini order doesn’t, however, signal a return to the mainstream, as more Tempos (Tempi?) are expected. But by my calculations, with Geminis, Gemini 2s, Myllennia, Versas (Versæ?) & Tempi, Yellow Buses now has 46 leather-seated buses or nearly 40 per cent of its fleet. Unless you know differently.
16 comments:
Oh dear, what have they ruined the livery for, I liked the old swoop thing.
PS Busing, I think you meant to say their sole Enviro400, not ALX400!!
Interesting to see that offer regarding being a Gemini. A shame that on the full poster on the website they've made a glaring apostrophe blooper: "2011 will be a landmark year for Gemini's"...!
They certainly have smart looking interiors but I'm not sure that I agree with Busing's assertion that the exteriors "have dated not one bit". I think the bodies have dated terribly, it is after all, a design that goes back ten years. Perhaps I see too many of them!
Shouldn't this article have been in the Dorset Bus Blog?
But agree with 0913 that it doesn't improve their livery (-:
Livery is a breath of fresh air over the last one
I disagree with Anon 1806 - these don't have a livery. They are all over yellow with a random splodge on the side. That's not really what I'd all a uniform livery scheme.
The swoop at least had some style to it.
Everyone, remember that Yellow Buses used always to be just yellow so this version is no different to that time. The leafy, swooshy thingy was dated before it even began
Is this a different shade of yellow, more akin to the previous version rather than the lighter yellow used in Transdev days?
Anon at 0420 - but in those days buses weren't a bare expanse of metal.
They are these days, and like like all over London red, any modern buses painted solely one colour look awful.
"The Gemini order doesn’t, however, signal a return to the mainstream, as more Tempos (Tempi?) are expected."
I'm given to understand that the order for Tempos has been cancelled.
Anon @ 1855 wrote - I disagree with Anon 1806 - these don't have a livery. They are all over yellow with a random splodge on the side. That's not really what I'd all a uniform livery scheme
So what is a "livery" to you then? Pretty much any livery could have that description applied - its a base colour with a logo/swirl/stripe/graphic applied to make it individual in the same way that First has its "Barbie" and Stagecoach has its "beach balls" Its not a random splodge - its a graphic design of a seashell as was stated in the original article to link to the fact that YB is the main operator in a seaside town. As for the "uniform" part, this is the first showing of it, what makes you think this isn't to be applied to all the fleet in due course? Can't get much more "uniform" than that!!
Anon at 1024 - well of course it is techincally a livery, it's just not very imaginiative is it? There doesn't seem to be any design to it other than base colour + sploge.
Of course most liveries are base colour with other stuff applied, but in all honesty, how many liveries across the country can you think of where the bus is painted one base colour and there is simply one thing on the side, I can't think of any. (I'm discounting the small seashell by the driver's cab as that's more a logo than part of the livery design).
The seashell also looks a bloated Ace of Spades.
"As for the "uniform" part, this is the first showing of it, what makes you think this isn't to be applied to all the fleet in due course? Can't get much more "uniform" than that!!" - well, as was stated in the original article, it's a new sub-brand for route 1, and if that's right they'd be pretty stupid to apply it to the whole fleet...........
Rumourmill suggests that these Geminis were actually bought for the 31 (Weymouth-Axminster) won on tender but now to be retained commercially by First, and a use has had to be found for them.
Quite why in the current economic environment, a tendered route should receive brand new double-deckers at all, is another matter.
"as was stated in the original article, it's a new sub-brand for route 1, and if that's right they'd be pretty stupid to apply it to the whole fleet..........."
It may have been stated in the original article but that doesn't mean that its correct - my understanding is that Mr Busing has misunderstood what was said to him and that its being launched on the route 1 vehicles initially and that if received well then will possible go fleetwide. It is not a sub brand at all.
"Rumourmill suggests that these Geminis were actually bought for the 31 (Weymouth-Axminster) won on tender but now to be retained commercially by First, and a use has had to be found for them"
Complete rubbish and proves you shouldn't listen to rumours. These five were always to upgrade routes 1b and 1c. There were another five speculatively on order with Wrights for the 31, which was then subsequently not taken up.
I was not aware of any more Tempos being ordered. And I am always in full support of Yellow Buses RATP Group whatever their decision. Unless I really strongly disagree.
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