The 360 SEe's a great future

SEe63 (LJ67DKF) at the start of the route on Newington Causeway, Elephant & Castle

Maybe, though I'm the type of guy that prefers diesels mostly over anything. SEe's are one exception, which I would have over say... a centre-staircase DAF DB250 as they're uselessly underpowered in my opinion, bit harsh but the truth can't be denied, they were slow.

On the other hand, this batch of BYD Enviro200EV's, SEe52-65, they provide more than just speed.

Just like the humongous batch (SEe1-51) before it, they both have overhead batteries, similar chassis make and the same body to go with.

However...

What you don't see in SEe1-51
Interior facing rear

What you have in SEe1-51
Interior facing rear

Get it?

If you don't then no worries as I'm here to explain. The Red Arrow routes, well, what's left of the series (507/521) are routes which spawn a swarm of workers from the hubs that are London Bridge, Victoria and Waterloo. Thus they require as much capacity as possible, however these routes are not only short but the worker's may only need a few stops. Thus makes double deckers inconvenient. These routes did have articulated single deckers though, of course.....every route was ripped off them.

The main focus isn't SEe1-65 as a whole, more just the 360 and it's new batch of all-electric BYD D9UR Enviro200 MMCs.

The answer to the difference in photos reflects on the difference between SEe1-51 and SEe52-65.
There's only standing room and few seats on the former batch for majority of the bus due to, as I mentioned, cram in as many workers as possible.
However the 360 isn't for that purpose so needs more seats than standing room, as it's your regular commuter service.

SEe57 (LJ67DJU) at Vauxhall Bus Station

These are of 10.8m length, 3.38m height and 2.47m width. They contain 31 seats with the ability to hold 49 standing people, though I feel the space doesn't match that number, in my opinion anyways.
Whereas the Red Arrow's equivalents only have 21 seats and can have up to 70 standees.

Interior facing front

 I'd prefer to stop with these comparisons but I can't refrain from doing so. Why? Just like SEe1-51, SEe52-65 also contain USB ports. So get chargers if you intend on doing them, as I forgot, even then my phone was at 64% anyway so no big deal.

The last row of seats, the left one.

So, how are they in terms of ride?
I can reply with "possibly better than the Red Arrow's batch". For a number of reasons.
- 507/521 are short routes and are worker routes so less convenient, especially in peak hour runs
- Surplus seats on 360's lots, 10 more seats but still
- More "refined" than the previous batch

Allow me to elaborate on what I mean. If you've boarded a Red Arrow one then you'll know that they get to speed fast enough, am I wrong? However these can reach the same speeds faster, not only that but they don't feel speed limited to 20mph unlike the Red Arrow's batch. The sound of it, to my ear at least, is that it's slightly rougher than the previous batch which is more high-pitch.

All in all, wonderful set of electric buses both batches are, but I'd prefer the Wright StreetAir do get some shine of it's own, having only two demonstrators, one with Go-Ahead as trialled on the 360.

WHY3 (LX55EAE) departing from the stands for 156/452, to start service

Where would I put these in comparison to the Wright Electrocity hybrid, WHY1-13?
Whilst those hybrids were certainly unique and the only batch to survive, they're outmatched by the superior SEe52-65 in my opinion. Not only are the WHYs shorter (at 10.2m), or carry less, but don't manage the same feat an SEe would. Which is the sudden burst of speed which makes you think the bus would jerk if it had gears.

Rear of WHY13 (LX11DVH), in Vauxhall Bus Station, towards Elephant

The 360 went from being a diesel route which started in February 2003 as Congestion Charge new bus route, to being a hybrid testing-ground to the third route to have All-Electric buses as it's full allocation, covering it's Peak Vehicle Requirement and spares. Whilst the 360 does have a history it's mainly route changes in South Kensington and the introduction of hybrids, more hybrids (full allocation), now full allocation of electrics.

Hope you enjoyed this relatively short post and, stay safe!

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.

45, 176, 188

It was nonetheless expected the 176 would be lost, it was questionable if Go-Ahead would gain the 188 off of Abellio at Walworth (WL), though they existed it wasn't highly expected I'd say, at least from me, that they'd gain the 45. Out of these three Arriva have been booted out of Camberwell area until March when they reappear with the 468. 197's existence making up for the lack of Arriva in Dulwich.

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.

Wandering, part 2

Continuing from my previous Wandering, part 1 post, I started off the next day...

28th September:
Unlike the previous day which I had most stuff planned out prior and practically on the spot, covering many things in a day as humanly possible without getting drenched into evening rush hour.
Thus, I decided to only focus on one route.

Wandering, part 1

I have returned from my stay in Oslo for the duration of 4 weeks and in Göteborg (though for a few days), I had nothing to do on the 27th or 28th and I happened to wake up in the morning, and with no internet to procrastinate so I decided to waste time by doing stuff I haven't and stuff that will go. So on this post I'll express the trips I've made on the 27th and 28th, not to diary format of course as clearly I'm the best when it comes to that...

27th September:
I have returned from my stay in Oslo for the duration of 4 weeks and in Göteborg (though for a few days), I had nothing to do on the 27th and I happened to wake up in the morning, and with no internet to procrastinate so I decided to waste time by doing stuff I haven't and stuff that will go.

A transitless 266...

I'll be honest, I noticed my last post was at the end of April and was not quite happy that I didn't make more posts (well, I don't have a quota, self-employed pay-less job), so I decided to rush something in rather than nothing in. I have an upcoming post and possibly another, just that I need to gather more time to execute it efficiently into a reasonable, readable post that's not that much of a bore.

VN37975 (BG61SXK) at it's stop in the Lower Bus Station of Hammersmith.

Easter Break

This post was supposed to be published a week back but due to complications I couldn't find the time to do so, but I've finally compiled, finished and proofread my post and here it is, it also explains my two week absence. Hope you enjoy reading this post, and stay tuned for possibly more!

Nobina 2056 (BD91713) ?

I took the chance to finally escape London which I wanted to escape for such a long time, but specifically to Europe, such as Rome which I've been before twice and got used to it's atmosphere, but this time instead of Rome or other places in Europe which I haven't visited except for the one I shall mention, I visited my aunt and my cousins up in Oslo (Norway).

Fools of April

On the 1st of April, the day of April Fools, we've had service changes on lots of route, mainly relating to their contracts and routings, let's first start of numerically.

Route 2/N2:

HV306 (LK17AHD) in Marble Arch

To be former look
VLA44 (LJ53BCX) at the start of route

The daytime route had a contract renewal retaining the same PVR of 24 with frequency reduced to every 7-8 minutes in peak hours from every 6-7 towards Marylebone AM and 7 otherwise. The daytime and nighttime variants both were retained with brand new Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse Gemini 3's, also joint bid with 249 meaning both routes got the same time, however 2/N2 being a central route had it's ones, HV295-323, with gold ad frames. Nighttime N2 was rerouted at Victoria via daytime N2 to Marylebone Station as part of the central London consultation schemes.