New Coaster Buses launch

You always want to see brand new buses at a launch if you can get to one. That was me last Saturday I went to the launch in Eastbourne of Brighton and Hove's new Coaster Buses for the 12,12A and 12X. The bus is a Wright Streetdeck with a new style front end.

The bus that was at the launch was a Streetdeck that hadn't entered service yet. The Bus featured was 941 ( BX15 ONT ) and was named Eric Ravilious. 

My main highlight was me sitting in the Drivers seat to test it out. They were even giving out free Ice Cream and Cupcakes as well. The event was well packed with loads of people trying out the new bus.

Now onto my photos of it:

My first photo is of BX15 ONT'S rear like some Wrights I tend to photo the rear as well as the front

Catch a Coaster for Culture is the saying on the rear of BX15 ONT

 My next couple of photos are of the front and the side of the bus the first one is showing the wheel chair ramp and the second photo isn't.

Accessibility for the wheel chair users is shown  

941 is attached to the bunting on the Ice cream Van

 I also tested out the passenger seats as well and I had to say that when I tried them they were so Comfortable I tested seats on both the bottom deck and the top deck.

941's superb interior

 The next couple of photos are of the body work and the lights. They are painted in a special blue and green livery to blend in with some of the stunning scenic views which are just beautiful.

Coaster written in blue on the green part of the livery.

The destinations the Coaster goes to on its trip

The lights on a standard Streetdeck with the new front

 Another rear view this time it wasn't of all the bus it was only of part of it this is the blue part of their livery.

Another rear of BX15 ONT 

 The last pic i'm going to show you is of the interior on the top deck as you can see a couple of the seats are arranged around a table quite a few new buses have a table on the top deck. 

Not seen a table on a bus before  

All in all it was a great afternoon and I would like to thank the team at Brighton and Hove for bringing this bus down to the launch they did a really good job and the bus grabbed loads of photo attention.

Compass Bus 126 and 143 services

Compass Bus is a fleet made up of mainly Single Deckers ranging from Optare Solos to Enviro200s they are regulars on the 126 and 143 which run into Eastbourne. I shared some of these photos on one of my last posts paying Tribute to their 62 and 13 plate Enviro200s. 

This post is just on the 126 and 143 which is getting reduced to only 1 day a week like the EB1 which runs on Thursdays. The first couple of photos are of Enviro200s working the 126 these pictures were taken by me. The last 2 are of Optare Solos on the 143 which I have permission to publish from my Contributors who live in Hastings credit will go to them. Thank u guys.

Now onto pics of the 126:

Enviro200 GX13 FSV leaves Eastbourne on the 126

This September 2014 shot is of GX13 FSO on the 126

GX13 FSV loads for another trip on the 126

A rear shot of GX13 FSP on the 126 behind a Stagecoach Pointer Dart

 Now onto pics of the 143:

Optare Solo YJ12 PMV on the 143 pic by Alex  Fairweather

YJ12 PMV on the 143 pic by Harry Harrison

A Tribute to Compass Buses 62 and 13 plate Enviro200s

I'm not normally good at paying Tribute to certain Buses I like because I will easily get really upset, but I am. Due to Bus Cuts coming in this week or next week Compass Bus might be getting rid of all their 62 and 13 plate Enviro200s because they are owned by East Sussex County Council. I would like to give a really good send off for their lives elsewhere. I have not just used my photos of them I have used some of my Contributors photos as well with credit to him.

Now onto the photos:

Enviro200 GX13 FSV departing on the 126

GX13 FSV loading for a Trip on the 126 

The rear of GX13 FSP on the 126

GX13 FSL on the 261 pic by Harry P

GX62 CMY on their 56 photo by Harry P

Posed alongside a Scania is GX13 FSU  photo by Harry P

GX13 FSU again on a RRBS at Eastbourne in February posed alongside a Wright with Go Ahead London

One of my very first photos of an Compass Enviro200

GX13 FSO out off service photo by Harry P

GX13 FSL on the 261 next to a similar 09 plate Enviro200 Photo by Harry P

I kindly would like to thank you for the photos and I would like to give these a great send off.

New Coaster Buses for Brighton and Hove

What are my first impressions of brand new buses. Well for Brighton and Hove their new Buses for the Coaster 12 are disgusting. They are awful looking Wright Streetdecks with the hideous new front and are shocking to look at. This has brought an upgrade for the Coaster 12 which has been operated by Scania Omnidekkas.

They have this green and blue livery with green seats and Yellow bits on top of them like their second addition Wrights which I like they also have a table in them. I don't like them at all. They all have 15 plates which is what you will see on new buses.

I didn't know until I picked up an issue of Buses last year that they were getting new Buses for the Coaster 12. In this post I have my first and only photos of them to share and the demonstrator that was with Brighton and Hove during February and March. 

The rear view of this Streetdeck shows that it was on the 12A

Disgusting looking Buses one is seen on the 12

Another rear view of a new Coaster Bus

I would also like to bring you a photo of Silver Demonstrator SN64 CTU. It had a fleetnumber of 8888 and was with Brighton and Hove for a couple of months getting tested on the Coaster services it was a Streetdeck with the Gemini 3 body I wouldn't call it a Streetdeck I would call it a Gemini 3.

Demonstrator SN64 CTU  on the 12X in March

EB1 Sighting and LX51 FON

Thursday the 9th saw me see a few buses I have not seen before a recently Transferred Former London Trident and a sighting of Sussex Buses new Thursday only route the EB1. First sighting i'm going to talk about is Former Stagecoach London Trident 17529 ( LX51 FON ). This was withdrawn from London service late last year and it joined the South East Fleet in January. They were converted to single door, Painted into normal Stagecoach colours , were upgraded to DDA and have been fitted with new LED destination displays. Last week saw Eastbournes latest Double Deck addition 17529 ( LX51 FON ) enter service one of the first of the former London Tridents to enter service. 

In the photographs below 17529 is seen working the 54 service the route which a Dart broke on later on in the day.

The beautiful 17529 now my favourite Trident is pictured working the 54 service.

Later on in the day 17529 returns to do another trip on the 54

 The same day also saw Sussex Bus do the newly introduced Thursday only service the EB1 it was worked by early Enviro300 KX54 NKE which is in Crawley Reds livery I got  a few photos of it but I only showing my best photos of it.

Sussex Bus KX54 NKE on the EB1

 I will finish this post with a rear view of the EB1.

A rear shot of KX54 NKE 

Another Bus departure from Eastbourne

I always feel sad when a Bus I like leaves Eastbourne to start a new life elsewhere. This has happened for the second time this year the first being 19053 leaving for a new life in Hastings. It was confirmed today that former Triangle Bus Trident 18529 ( GX06 DYT ) has left Eastbourne to start a new life in Ashford Kent. This leaves sister 18530 ( GX06 DYU ) still in Eastbourne but is currently off the road because it is broken so no 06 plate Tridents at the moment in Eastbourne service the Tridents we have in service at present are the 54 plates and the recently Transferred 17529 ( LX51 FON ). It was only Tuesday that I saw GX06 DYT work the 99 so it got transferred not long ago.

The reason behind the Transfer was similar to the reason why 19053 ( MX56 FSC ) left Eastbourne for Hastings. It was because one of Ashfords Olympians got withdrawn not long ago and it was sent up there to replace it. 

The photos I have put on this post were of it working the 51 and the 56 routes.

The first 3 photos are shots from February and March this year of it working the 51 service to Heathfield ( For Tunbridge Wells ) and Eastbourne's South Harbour 

My final photo of GX06 DYT

GX06 DYT working the 51 in March

GX06 DYT working the 51 in February 

 The next couple of photos are off 18529 working the 56 this was a really rare working done in January this year and I was very lucky to see it do the 56 and get some photos of it working the 56.

Working a rare working on the 56 in January 2015

Here she comes GX06 DYT arrives at Terminus Road on the 56 in January 2015

I would like to wish 18529 ( GX06 DYT ) a good future in Ashford same with 19053 ( MX56 FSC ) Eastbourne won't be the same without it.

Watching Buses On A Smaller Scale

How was everyone's Easter hope everyone got loads of chocolate but it has been plainly boring for me. The Bus industry doesn't stop at Easter it just continues.

Last Monday and Tuesday I was bored and had nothing to do so on the Monday I spent a bit of the morning doing Bus watching on a smaller scale on the Tuesday I went to Maths at school but came away at about 13:20 so I went down to do Small Scale Bus Watching after. On both days I went down Lindfield Road which is really close to where I live. I spent the time watching all the Single Decker Buses on the Loop and 1A.

Something a bit odd Enviro200 36901 ( GN13 HHS ) did a rare working on the 1/1A but came back a couple of hours still displaying the 1 when it was supposed to be on the 1A.

Enviro200 36901 GN13 HHS was meant to be on the 1A it was still showing the 1 on it

There is a mixture of Enviro200s and Enviro300s in the photos as well as a Pointer Dart doing an odd working on the Loop.

Enviro300 27578 GX58 GKK worked the 1A 

Enviro200 36899 GN13 HHP was seen working the Loop 

Enviro200 36907 GN13 HHY working the Eastbourne Loop service

 There is also an Enviro300 with a ugly looking additional white bit on the front of which is one of 2 that has the white bit added the one I photographed is 27582 GX58 GKP.

Enviro300 27582 GX58 GKP displaying a horrible white bit on the front

Enviro300 27573 GX58 GKD on the 1A

 Rare workings were also spotted as well Pointer Dart 34493 KV53 NHK on the Loop on the Monday and MAN 22192 NDZ 3022 was on the Loop and 1A both days.

A rather messy Pointer Dart doing the Loop a route normally worked by Enviro200s

Still in UNO branding at time of photo Enviro300 28609 GN61 EVP works the 1A this bus was involved in an accident back in November whilst working the 1A it suffered damage on the bottom left it was repaired and was Sighted a week later in service on the 1/1A service. This is what small scale bus watching is like.

Still in UNO branding at time of photo is Enviro300 28609 GN61 EVP working the 1A

Could Fleetnames be disappearing off Stagecoach Buses

I have heard that the fleetnames on all Stagecoach Buses might be removed. The fleetnames are Stagecoach in Eastbourne,Stagecoach in Hastings and Stagecoach in East Kent as well as other fleetnames all over the country.

This post shows an image of part of a Bus with the Stagecoach in Eastbourne fleetname and one without the Stagecoach in Eastbourne fleetname.

The examples are Alexander Dennis Trident 2/Enviro400 19019 ( MX06 XAU ) and TransBus Trident/ALX400 18174 ( GX54 DVT )

In my first image it shows the fleetname on MX06 XAU ( 19019 ) the bus was new to Stagecoach Manchester and Transferred over to East Sussex from there you can't see the route number but when I got a shot of part of the bus it was working route 51.

The fleetname on Enviro400 19019 ( MX06 XAU )

 My next example of a bus without the fleetname is Trident 18172 ( GX54 DVT ) it is thought to be the only ALX400 bodied Trident in Eastbourne not to have the Stagecoach in Eastbourne fleetname all the others do. In the photo the bus is seen doing a rare working on the 1A I managed to get a ride on it the day I took this photo, this is what the buses will look like without the fleetname on them.

Without the fleetname is Trident 18174 ( GX54 DVT )

If they do lose their fleetnames then they will just have Stagecoach on them.