Comments left about this photograph:
From Chris at 2009-01-23 22:15:15 : SN56 AYG looks absoutely packed. Having, what, 29 seats doesn't appear to be enough and this photo was taken at 3 o clock and amagine this at peak afternoon and morning runs. That problem could be solved by a higher frequency but i would suggest that it would be far cheaper sending out higher capacity coaches. Maybe its just the fact that I was hoping they were going to be going to Cumnock as I would most certainly have got a go in one and the old Volvo B6LE's like P383 DSA and P378 DSA are frankly worse for wear now and could really be better if they were to be sold of or disposed of as they do nothing to enhance Cumnock's appeal.
From Gallery Owner at 2009-02-07 22:20:09 : Western soon realised they made a mistake putting 36071/2 onto the 2 with the very high loadings and were within 2/3 weeks being replaced by Darts/B6LE's. The B6LE's arent the best vehicles in the fleet by any standard. They are the oldest low floor vehicles in the fleet at approximetly 14/15 years old and given the fact that they are low floor will probably mean they will stay until they mechanically give up the ghost although i must admit that i think Cumnock prefer their B6LE's to their V MVX Darts which are proving more troublesome with B6LE's, particulary 31383, becoming a regular sight on the 347.
From Adam at 2009-03-26 21:40:45 : I've heard that there is a law supposed to come into force that says that by 31st December 2014 all passenger buses have got to be wheelchair accsesable. I'm not sure whether it includes buses in reserve fleets but if it does i'd imagine these buses and some early dart SLF's would go into the reserve fleet. So there might be some more enviro 200's in the fleet soon.
From Gallery Owner at 2009-04-02 07:51:16 : Yes you are true that their is a date whereby all bus services must be wheelchair friendly but cant remember the date of the top of my head.. Unfortuneately in some cases i cant see the B6LE's going too soon, they are still classed as low floor vehicles and giev the amount of high floor vehicles still in service with Western although it will probably be considerably reduced by the end of this mont when the 22 new E300's enter service.
From Adam at 2009-04-19 00:05:56 : I've just found out that McIndless have some P Reg ex-Stagecoach Manchester B6LE's. I think because they are low floor that they might have a high resale value as they are low floor and the likes of City Sprinter, Colchri, McKindless etc. still have a lot of high floor verhicles and they can't really afford to buy lots of brand new verhicles.
From Christopher at 2009-07-10 21:59:53 : SN56AYG/F would be better suited to the cumnock 347. This route very rarely ever gets very full, infact I've never seen more that 20 people on a bus and I sometimes wonder how the company make any money from them. I would agree that the V reg Darts aren't great and a mate of mine who drives at Cumnock and often on the 347 says he hates the darts, thinks they are s**t (HIS WORDS) and likes the B6LE's better. He doesn't think much of the B6LE's either refering to them as "horrible little peices of crap that need the crusher.". He says although he ain't a fan of em, he prefers them more the Darts but can't explain why. However, he does like the Enviro 300's they have though.
From David Walker at 2009-08-01 22:03:54 : As far as i know the 347 is run on a completely finacially supported service hence the use of the SPT liveried Darts most of the time. I dont really understrand how the Darts can be so bad, I know they are ex London and will have done alot of Miles but the ex London R plate Darts dont have any problems and are older.