Renault artic withdrawals

Started by smitho, July 06, 2012, 11:05:23 PM

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Bus 400

The little Scania mould at the compound pharmacy was a millimetre too small so I refuse to take the medication.

Only joking.

smitho

Better you stick with the cigars!!

This will leave just one roller blind bus @ Tuggy....trainer bus 860.

714 was doing a school bus wash tour earlier in the week but I haven't seen it (or 722) doing much revenue service for a while now. The Renault Mark 2 artics are still popular though with some drivers.

But even those artic drivers with a soft spot for the Renault artics realise that they can do better times with the Scania artics.

532 was on the Tuggy bricks over last few days.

Buzz Killington

Is 716 still in service at Belconnen?

Barry Drive

716 was parked in A shed today, so it is still in service.

belcodriver


The Love Guru

I'll take a guess that 716 will probably remain at B until the NXTBUS fitout is done as B depot can't afford to be an artic short whilst they are fitting them out.

Buzz Killington

716 was out on concession today - MyWay troubles.

Gadgets

spotted one of the ex ACTION artics parked up on the Barton Highway today in the parking bay on the border surrounded by red cones pickles lot 54 sticker on the front of it and the rear bumper trim under the front step and a lot of oil under the engine bay, It appears that it has had a conniption and refused to leave the ACT and died  :(

Bus 400

Apparently there are two ex-ACTION artics on the Barton Highway. One on the side of the road, presumably the Hall bus. Another one is on a property along there.
A third artic is apparently also out at Googong area.

Gadgets

i've been informed the broken one at Hall has been there over a week.

smitho

Was curious to see 716 operating on Athllon Drive, Greenway this morning, just outside the Tuggeranong Depot.

Loaded with a group of young school children on what may have been a bus wash tour - well away from its new home.

Barry Drive

Looks like one was missed: 987 is being decommissioned at B depot. It appears to have been out of service since September, but must have been hiding somewhere since its withdrawal was not noticed.

That leaves 3 in service at Tuggeranong: 983 986 & 988 and 716 at Belconnen.

smitho

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on November 28, 2013, 01:17:13 PM
Looks like one was missed: 987 is being decommissioned at B depot. It appears to have been out of service since September, but must have been hiding somewhere since its withdrawal was not noticed.

That leaves 3 in service at Tuggeranong: 983 986 & 988 and 716 at Belconnen.

Yes, one of the Mark 2s was sitting on the bricks @ Tuggeranong for quite a while....I guess that was 987.

smitho

One of the practical reasons for retaining Renault artics in the fleet is that a proportion of artic drivers have yet to be trained on the Scania artics (especially among the more recent recruits and floaters).

There were at least two Renault artics in service for the recent "Voices in the Forest" charters.

smitho

Another two artic Mark 2s have been sitting in the 'despatch' area outside Tuggy workshops today, apparently en route to Woden Depot or beyond.

smitho

The artic which was had its numbers and rego plates removed is 987 and was still parked outside of the workshop yesterday, while the other artic has gone.

Barry Drive

#166
983 & 988 have arrived at Woden Depot recently. Which leaves 986 at T depot and 716 at B (subject to confirmation).

smitho

987 remains parked outside the Tuggeranong Workshop (northern side) awaiting collection by its new Tasmanian owners, the same school bus operator which acquired three Tuggy based Renault artics early on this year.

smitho

Saw un-numbered 984 being driven south along Athllon Drive this afternoon; has joined 987 outside northern side of Tuggeranong Workshop.

ajw373

Any reason why, if all 33 of the new artics are in service two Renaults are still out? Though reckon the way 716 was being driven yesterday morning, turning off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard Drive) the driver was doing his best to ensure a car drove into the side of the bus, thus seeing to it's withdrawal. The driver just pulled out despite having a row of cars coming at him at 80km/h, all of whom, including myself as 2nd car had to slow to about 40km/h to avoid hitting the trailer. Quite common on this intersection. It really needs lights.

smitho

Quote from: ajw373 on December 11, 2013, 08:51:31 PM
Any reason why, if all 33 of the new artics are in service two Renaults are still out? quote

Because not all artic drivers have been trained on the new artics....

Lachie

I've seen 716 a couple times over the last few days. It hasn't been driving well....

Buzz Killington

It was going fine when I caught it this week.

smitho

I'd be interested if any regular Scania artic riders have so far detected much in the way of individual riding or performance characteristics of specific Scania artics.

As I driver, I've found they vary quite a bit (more so than the MAN diesels, for example) in riding characteristics and to some extent, performance.

520 for example, has quite a hard suspension, at least where the driver sits.

King of Buses

Quote from: smitho on December 12, 2013, 10:00:34 PM
I'd be interested if any regular Scania artic riders have so far detected much in the way of individual riding or performance characteristics of specific Scania artics.

As I driver, I've found they vary quite a bit (more so than the MAN diesels, for example) in riding characteristics and to some extent, performance.

520 for example, has quite a hard suspension, at least where the driver sits.

528 seems to have a rather annoying buzzing sort of noise when it reaches 3rd gear and above. Always annoying.
530 also seems to be very sluggish most of the time and 513 is very loud (but good all the same).
Other than that and the fact that the first 20 Scania's sound a bit different to the other 13, not much individualises each artic in terms of on board performance and other stuff.

King of Buses

Does anyone know if there is a certain route/service that has a higher chance of 716 turning up than a Scania artic from Belconnen or is is just pot luck whether I get a Scania or Renault? I know the 703 from Barton at 4.40 usually is run by an artic from Belco (was last time I checked). Thanks.

Barry Drive

No pattern. Sometimes 716 may go out on a non-artic shift. Will depend on the driver and the supervisor allocating buses.

Buzz Killington

I've had 716 on a non artic shift before. I've seen it a few times on both the morning and afternoon 703s that get an artic (during the school term). I guess in terms of those shifts you could look at it as being a 1 in 11 chance of being 716.

smitho

Had assumed that Tuggy had retired all of its Renault artics at the end of the 2013 school year, but today Bus 986 made a reappearance in the shed line-up.

(During latter part of 2013, there was/were one or more artic shift drivers who were designated to drive Renault artics).

The Love Guru

They will be retired one the artic fitout of NXTBUS occurs and 517 makes its return

King of Buses

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on January 07, 2014, 11:41:35 AM
No pattern. Sometimes 716 may go out on a non-artic shift. Will depend on the driver and the supervisor allocating buses.

Thanks. unfortunately I wound up with 506 rather than 716 (which I was aiming for yesterday).


Bus 986 has being sitting on the front row in front of a couple of PR100.2's for a while. Yesterday arvo all Tuggers artic except 986 were out of the shed. Some were in the workshops though.

743

I just saw a Mark 1 PR180.2 heading north on Northbourne at Dickson. I was standing all the way down at Antill & Cowper so while I assume it was 716 I've no way of actually knowing...perhaps on the slightest chance, it was privately owned!

Buzz Killington

716 is still in service. I spotted it on a 44 on Belconnen Way just before 6pm on Monday, and around the same time on a southbound Route 2 in City Interchange on Tuesday

smitho

Renault artic 986 was out on Manuka-Woden loop charter work on Tuesday night in connection with the Prime Minister's XI cricket match at Manuka Oval.

On Wednesday afternoon, 986 worked the 17h 16 Xpresso departure ex-City West on route 787 to Lanyon; departure from Civic delayed due to bus overheating concerns in the extremely hot weather.

smitho

716 was out doing peak period Intertown work this morning then a local (No. 17?) ex-Kippax Centre.

Barry Drive

Quote from: smitho on December 11, 2013, 12:00:30 AM
Saw un-numbered 984 being driven south along Athllon Drive this afternoon; has joined 987 outside northern side of Tuggeranong Workshop.
So, does this mean 984 & 987 went to Tasmania? Might need to check what's still at Woden to be sure.

Bus 400

Bus 986 was spotted heading towards Belconnen with a mechanic behind the wheel this afternoon.
But for all we know it could of just been a swap over.

smitho

yes, I saw a mechanic driving it around Tuggeranong a few times this morning....

Buzz Killington

716 still in service this week - I saw it on a 703 Tuesday morning, a 4 or 5 on Tuesday arvo, and a 10 this afternoon.

King of Buses

716 was in A Shed this morning along with most of Belco's artics (508 appeared to be missing its list of 100 things at the front and I'm not sure about the rest of the AOA and whether its still there or not).

986 was not at Tuggers Depot yesterday afternoon or this morning though. Couldn't see it at Belconnen (might be in the workshops).

375 and 379 were parked next to Belconnens darts for some reason too.

smitho


Barry Drive

Unsubstantiated rumour is that 986 will be retained, but possibly only as an addition to the Heritage Fleet.

smitho

716 was back at Tuggy this morning, probably due to a wayward Belco driver visiting in search of Tugg Depot's top grade coffee....

King of Buses

Quote from: smitho on January 31, 2014, 03:25:38 PM
716 was back at Tuggy this morning, probably due to a wayward Belco driver visiting in search of Tugg Depot's top grade coffee....

716 and 986 next to each other in the Tuggy Depot shed this arvo. Said 704 when it arrived there yesterday. But the driver probably volunteered to take it down to Tuggy just for the coffee.

Buzz Killington

Quote from: King of Buses on February 01, 2014, 05:16:37 PM
716 and 986 next to each other in the Tuggy Depot shed this arvo. Said 704 when it arrived there yesterday. But the driver probably volunteered to take it down to Tuggy just for the coffee.

I spotted it heading back to Belconnen on Thursday or Friday morning after completing its 704. Perhaps its final run?

Barry Drive

Does appear as though 716 has left Belconnen Depot. This confirms it. Possibly on loan until 517 is repaired, and then that might be the end.

King of Buses

A MkI Renault Artic going along Isabella Dr on Tuesday. I presume it was 716. About 0850

Buzz Killington

716 was laying over in Woden after morning peak. Had 2 on the desto.

Spotted 986 on a northbound 315 this morning. It has also operated a northbound 200 each day this week (passes through the city at around 1740)

smitho

Artics on shed at Woden Transport Depot as at 20 Feb 14:-

700, 704 (maked 'parts only'), 705, 706, 709

711, 712, 713, 714, 715

720, 723, 724, 726.

Buzz Killington

Thanks for the update Smitho.

Did some more sell or go to Pickles?