Europe Expedition

Technically take two in my career, or in my life up to roughly 6 six times, mostly Norway and Italy.

I needed another change of atmosphere so back to the colder temperature, though slightly different, I even ventured to across the border to Göteborg (Sweden's second most populated city with less than half that of Stockholm), visiting my uncle there. I was reunited with articulated single deckers, this time not Mercedes Benz's Citaro Gs or MAN's Lion City Gs....a type I didn't get a chance to analyse...the Solaris Urbino 18.

Keolis 2738 (WTE 248) at it's stop in Angered centrum though with engine off, which automatically turns off LEDs.
Serving 76 to Rannebergen, prior to departure.

I already had a ride or two in a Euro 6 equivalent in Oslo on the 54 (Tjuvholmen - Kjelsås), but they were brief.

If I were to summarise the Urbino 18 that Keolis had in large numbers in the area, it would be this:
DAF DB250s with an upgraded engine to 360 horsepower, a Europe version of ADL's acceptable and rigid yet somewhat cheap feeling bodywork (basing off pre-E200/E400 types).
Hearing the engine you can tell the similarities to the DB250, especially of the Euro2 kind. That's due to both types sharing one similarity. A DAF engine.

Partial photo but a photo nonetheless.
An Urbino 15 CNG on the last stop waiting for people to cross.

I have nothing else to praise about the Urbino 18, so now the route I had to bear with in the few days I was in Göteborg.

73A (clockwise): Angered centrum circular via Peppargatan and Gårdsten centrum
73B (a/clockwise): Angered centrum circular via Gårdsten centrum and Peppargatan

Combined known as the 73, the routes runs every 15 minutes off-peak Monday-Friday, 10 minutes peak hours, and in the evenings it widens from every 10 to every 40 by 10PM.
Saturday/Sundays the routes are every 30 minutes. The 73B doesn't run until 9AM whereas the 73A provides an every half hour service continuing from it's every 80 minute weekend night service. 73B also has a weekend night service at the same frequency.
Both routes have a gap in operation, about 3 or 4 hours (73A/B respectively) from the last weekday buses (roughly 2AM) and first weekday buses (4AM and 5AM respectively).

Keolis 2735 (RRW 778) at the terminus stop in Angered centrum opening all doors having just finished a 75 from Lövgärdet, with the LEDs automatically switching to a 73B circular via Gårdsten centrum.

So in TfL terms, a 24 hour weeknight service. Though unlike TfL, you need to read the timetable provided at bus stops, or read from leaflets on board the buses which contain other routes like 75/76/77/173. Out of the mentioned I didn't get the chance to get one of 76.

Keolis 2236, an MAN Lion City G on CNG instead of diesel, on route 40 to Hjalmar Brantingsplatsen,
passing the new clinic opposite the bus station.

Whilst I didn't get to have more photos of the routes, especially of the 73A as I never got the opportunity to and rarely used it compared to 73B, having used it twice only, as a 73B left. I also didn't get the opportunity to ride any other bus route for the matter, not the other local 173 which serves the same circular path 73A does but instead of going Angered centrum, it delves deeper into central Göteborg, to the main terminal, Nils Ericson terminalen. Very useful to those who don't want to connect to the already busy tram you have to pay for.

Tram 464 at Hjallbo on the 4 to Mölndal, one of the few termini south of Göteborg in the tram network.

I forgot to mention, all the buses are free for anyone (subject to area limitations), and also, open boarding. This allows buses to just absorb people in meaning for a faster dwell time, which aids the schedule and helps reduce as many buses needed as possible.

A Solaris Urbino 18 on a 73B

Tagging back to the 73, it takes no longer than 18 or so minutes end to end but on timetable is 20 minutes. I'm inclined to believe the driver's schedule and passenger timetable don't correlate on the journey time, nor when the bus arrives at certain stops I noticed.

A tri-axle MAN Lion City L on the CNG, on stand beside the last stop.
Generally used by routes like this who's first stop shares with another route.

Usually in London, whenever we think of bendy routes, we think that's due to it being busy, whilst that is the case generally, as proven with former bendy routes, it can also work in another situation. As I mentioned, the 73 is a short route, but it's also a busy route.

Is it better to have a rigid single decker at a higher frequency.

Or is it better to have an articulated single decker at a lower frequency to pick up more people than the former?

Both can be the answer but when checking up costs, it's easier for the latter to be the better option. People generally know when their bus should arrive as the timetables exist for that purpose. In other words, passengers come in groups at bus stops. As a Londoner, there exist some double decker routes with low frequency that do that exact purpose, or can be operated using single deckers at a higher frequency. However, I mentioned it boils down to costs and efficiency. Thus requires the right balance.

Fun fact: the 73/75/76/77 all have a linked schedule. Example, a 75 turns into a 73B, a 73A turns into 73B, 76 turns into 73A, etc.

Trams.

M31 rolling stock car 358 on the 8 at Hjallbo towards Angered.
The design of these trams allow to maximise capacity by only having doors
on the right, which means driver cabin only at the front.

Indeed I've only ever used 73 in the city as a bus route...but I used the trams to get from Nils Ericson terminalen (173 is a rush hour only service). From Angered to Gamlestadstorget, there'd be 4 to Mölndal, 8 to Frölunda and 9 to Kungssten. The 8 would deviate from there where as the other two would serve Centralstationen which is a short walk from Nils Ericson terminalen. The tram network map can be seen here.

Aside the above and my then lack of knowledge for the tram types, the older (M31 type) models generally stuck to the 4 and 9, newer (M32 type) models more on the 8, but the allocation is flexible so I can't base on a few days' observation alone. The M31 type, previously known as M21 type, was rebuilt with a new fully wheelchair-accessible low-floor middle section and thus renamed M31, though not visible, the middle section has lower positioned windows which gives away it's low-floor. The front and rear sections left untouched from their step-floor upon-refurbishment.

Furthermore, I observed something rather different, unique to Europe, or specifically just Germany and Sweden. The brand new Volvo 7900E electrics which proved to be a success, had a batch ordered for I believe route 55, or other routes.

M31 type cars 322 on the left and car 343 on the right at Hjällbo.
Left one northbound to Angered. Right one southbound to Frölunda

The first and last time I set foot at Nils Ericson terminalen, I'd spot Volvo 7900s with a different, striking cream and black livery which contemplate the wheel-arcs, as opposed to the London-style all-over blue which is generic in this part of Sweden. Sadly I could never even fathom to take a picture of one as I'd see on it a flyover, as good as 70 metres away from where I'd be standing waiting to board or get off my coach.

Bad photo of 2739 (WSF 592) besides the Lidl, at Angered centrum.

Fun fact: The tram routes were to be extended past Angered Centrum to Rannebergen Centrum (a large residential area like Gårdsten but east of Angered) but was abandoned during construction. Bus route 76 already existed and goes to Rannebergen at the same frequency 73 does, 76 also being a circular but in one direction only.

Back to Norway and I did little to take photos, for starters I finally accomplished a much better photo of the 60 (Tonsenhagen to Vippetangen via Jernbanetorget)

Norgesbuss 8072 (BS 98603) on 60 on Tøyengata
A new Euro6 Solaris Urbino 12 on the Voith gearbox.

I also discovered upon return the 12 was diverted to it's original routeing via Aker Brygge instead of paralleling the 13. At the same time, many bus routes (32/70/74/80E/81A/81B/83) restored to serving the same Rådhuset stop the 30/31/31E/54 do., as an obstruction to these routes were lifted.

Tram 124 at Aker Brygge on the 12 to Kjelsås.

At the same time, the 13 which was strictly using the longer quad-articulated trams has loosened up it's allocation with shorter-two cars in use. The 17/18 cut at Jernbanetorget from the northern/eastern end, with some journeys on 17 diverted somewhere. The 11 running only from Kjelsås to Jernbanetorget. The reason for this was due to a certain track being closed off, so for the time being spare articulated MAN Lion City Gs (diesel) were on the temporary route 17B which would shuttle between the halves of 17 and northern/eastern-end-only 11/18.

Bad photo of tram 119 on the 11 to Jernbanetorget at Brugata.

I've since then returned to London on the 19th September, though the delay of this post has mostly been of internet absence and slow internet, as it was fairly quick for me to get the post all written up and the decent photos to be featured in. Anyways, thank you for reading this post, and until the next one, stay safe.

Before you leave...why not look at these photos?

M31 type car 334 on the 4 to Angered, at Hjällbo.

NSB 75515 on the L13 (Lokaltog/Local train) to Dal
I don't know if NSB have anything against photography like TfL do with their stations/tubes, so I'll proudly upload this with risk.

(Unibuss?) 1294 (GA 11087) at Rådhuset, 70's first stop towards Skullerud Metro station.
I believe I saw 2012 labels but it still feels pretty new after 5 years!

Nobina 1250 (DN 97182), one of the few diesel allocated MAN Lion City G routes in the city, approaching Rådhuset northbound.

M31 type car 334 & M32 type car 416 side by side at Angered centrum on stand.

Distant shot of M32 type car 460 at Hjällbo on the 4 to Mölndal.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post as well as strolling through my photos here, stay safe and peace out.

Fun fact: The M32 type tram is the AnsaldoBreda Sirio which have been known for issues, damaging the tram tracks, having major reliability issues to the point not all of the large batch of 65 not entering service. Three sent for repair, but were cancelled due to the costs. In the end, when Swedish media publicised the facts, the manufacturer threatened Gothenburg Municipality for 10 million euros. You can wikipedia search this.
Fun fact #2: The M31 type tram is by ASEA/MGB, produced from 1998-2003.

Note: Usage of any photos on this blog isn't permitted where no name is present (meaning it's mine, ©Unorm), or an All Rights Reserved symbol © is present. If you desire to use a photo, you must contact the original author. In my case, you should contact my Flickr.


Sources:
Angered (Wikipedia)
Gothenburg tram network (Wikipedia)
73A timetable PDF
73B timetable PDF

Posted 11 October 2017
Updated 15 December 2017