IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE OVERHEA(r)D 3 UNDER THE WIRES IN VANCOUVER 4 RECENTLY OBSERVED 5 TRYING OUT AN ELECTRIC DOUBLE-DECKER 8 ODDS AND ENDS OF INTEREST 9 READERS’ SEGMENT 11 A FOCUS ON 345 12 TIMETABLE CHANGES 14 BUSES IN THE MEDIA 15 AIRPORT MEMORIES 22 SWITCH 465 REMEMBERED 23 WCCL CASTINGS AND PATTERNS REGISTER 25 7, 8 AND 9 – THEY ALL WENT TO ARO STREET 27 VOLVO 208 – FIRST INTO SERVICE 28 361 AND 362 – TWO DIFFERENT PROPULSION UNITS – TWO RESULTS 29 THEN AND NOW AT KILBIRNIE 31 AUCKLAND MEMORIES 33 LATE ITEMS 35 WELLINGTON’S DOUBLE-DECKER FLEET EXPANDS 37 PILSEN FAREWELLS ITS 21Tr SKODAS 38 VOLVO 205 39 TAILPIECE 40 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Left: Front cover feature bus 249 at Lyall Bay terminus on 8 August 2008 just prior to it being withdrawn. Photo: Graeme Inwood. Front Cover: Volvo 249 glides down Ferry Street on 15 April 2004, having just passed through the Seatoun tunnel. These were the heady days when the route number was 11 and the main mode of transport on the route a trolleybus. Today the route has been changed to 2 and diesel buses reign supreme. Other than the wires being removed, a couple of traction poles replaced and the aforementioned comments, little has changed at this location. 249 remained in service another four years before it was withdrawn and dismantled in October 2008. Please Note: Under the Wires contains facts, views, opinions, statements and other content and links to external websites. Reasonable efforts are made to include accurate and current information but the Editor makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy, value or safety of the published items. No liability or responsibility can be taken for errors or omissions. ❸ Having stepped off the train and arriving outside the Interchange on 4 February, the day following the changes to bus timetables, the first things that greeted me were two Route 1 double-deckers keeping close company arriving on northbound services. (See page 6) Later in the morning I decided to try out an electric double- decker to Brooklyn (See page 8). Arriving at the stop in Victoria Street I noticed that FOUR services would be arriving within 25 minutes. The buses at that time of day are timetabled to run every fifteen minutes. Last month’s edition featured photographs of the Hataitai tunnel with the new additions of white lines through the bore. Since then the large speed humps have been removed. The humps were no doubt originally installed to deter traffic other than buses from considering using the tunnel. With them gone it will be interesting to see if drivers start taking a short cut under Mt Victoria between Pirie Street and Waitoa Road, Hataitai. See page 5. NZ Bus services were again disrupted on 7 and 8 February when members of the Tramways Union attended stop work meetings to discuss proposed changes to wages and conditions. On Thursday 7 February, routes 81, 83 and 91 (Airport Flyer) together with a small number of Route 3 services were cancelled during the off-peak, however, on Friday 8 February Routes 2, 3, 12, 14, 18, 18e, 20, 21, 22, 30x, 31x, were affected mainly between 9am and 3pm. As a result of the meetings the dispute was settled and a new offer was tabled that saw NZ Bus drivers’ terms and conditions retained, and included a 2% wage increase backdated to October 2018. The drivers will also receive a further 2% increase in October this year. As a follow-up to the “Advertising on Buses” feature on page 33 of last month’s issue, I decided to enquire with Metlink as to who benefitted from the revenue from advertising – was it the operating company or the Regional Council? Presuming that the recipients would be either NZ Bus or Tranzurban, as they actually owned the buses, I was surprised by Metlink’s response: “It is the Greater Wellington Regional Council that primarily benefits from advertising revenue.” No actual percentages were given but it comes as no surprise then for the proliferation of ads we are now seeing. Now the first Tranzurban double-decker has received “the full treatment”. See page 7. Recently it was Wellington and now it is Tauranga’s turn to face bus woes. NZ Bus took over the contract to operate public transport in the Bay of Plenty city back in December 2018 and it would appear another “bustastrophe” has occurred there. I am aware that Tauranga would not usually be part of the remit of this magazine but it is interesting to see the similarities in the shambles that both cities have endured. Reports on pages 16-18. In this day and age of instant information and the wonders of the internet you would think if a company has a website presence it would be up-to-date. Not so as far as aspects of NZ Bus site (www.nzbus.co.nz) go. The most recent piece of news from the company is dated 24 April 2018. It neither mentions its forthcoming sale to Next Capital or that it is now running Tauranga’s bus services. Surprisingly, its photo gallery is missing the inclusion of the ADLs 200 single-deckers and 500 series double-deckers and the BCI double-deckers. The most up-to- date photograph appears to be the Scania 2500s used on Wellington’s Airport Flyer introduced ten years ago. Tranzurban’s site, (www.tranzurban.co.nz) on the other hand is much more up to the minute, although even some sections of their site need refreshing. Have a look and see what you think. There has been no official word to say that the Wrightspeed project is over, but one could be forgiven for thinking that could be the case. First announced on Stuff on 21 April 2016, NZ Bus signed a $43m deal with American firm Wrightspeed “that will see "a significant number" of its 1100 buses in Auckland and Wellington converted to electric. The Wrightspeed motors will be fitted into existing buses and will operate mostly on rechargeable electric batteries, topped up by a small conventionally-powered motor if needed on the road.” The full report can be read at: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/79167527/wellingtons-trolley- buses-saved-by-43m-deal-to-fit-them-with-electric-motors What appeared at the time to be a great proposal has disappointingly not eventuated thus far. On 13 February 2019 the bus was seen being towed away from its base in Newlands, minus the forward rear axle. Having left Kilbirnie depot 2½ years ago, minus its electronics and rooftop equipment, 362 has gone full circle and is now back there – in the same state. More on page 30. Photo: David James. On 13 February the charger in Reef Street, Island Bay had its electrical cabinets decorated with a mural. However, only one of the ten battery double-deckers is so far equipped to use the charger. See page 11. A Facebook post reported that a Tranzurban double-decker backed into the glass veranda at the Interchange on 14 February. Fortunately no-one was hurt but the bus suffered some damage to one of the upper rear windows. From Sunday 24 February, Snapper cards were no longer accepted for fare payment on NZ Bus’ Airport Flyer Route 91 service between Lower Hutt and Wellington Airport. Only cash and eftpos cards will be accepted. It will be interesting to see if the new payment regime will have any effect on timekeeping especially as Route 91 uses mainly single door Sanias. It hasn’t been the greatest months for NZ Bus judging by the column inches in the media, but a big bright spot has been the arrival of six of their new ADL double-deckers in the Capital. As UTW went to press another three were seen north of the Capital en route to Kilbirnie from Auckland. See page 35. Hope you enjoy your read. Unless otherwise stated, the photos are mine. Alan THANKS TO THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS: David James, Mike Mellor, Michael Jarka, D.L.A. Turner, Henry Brittain, David Donald, Graeme Inwood, Michael McKeon, David James, Graham Stewart, Andrew Cresswell, Gunter Mackinger and all who provided feedback. ❹ UNDER THE WIRES IN VANCOUVER Michael Jarka visited Vancouver in October 2018 Left: 2143 on the Granville Street bridge on 8 October 2018 heading towards downtown Vancouver. Note the four sets of wires. Being a rather gloomy damp day 2143 has attracted the attention of a cyclist whose bike can just be seen on the rack at the front of the bus. Below: What a difference a day makes. The following day 2165 is entering the Nanaimo Station forecourt which is the terminus of route 16 via Arbutus Street. Below: With the good weather continuing a 2007-built New Flyer E40LFR 2208 was photographed on Route 19 at the corner of Fraser and East 16th Streets. Michael considered this is a great spot for morning photos. The Vancouver trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network serving Metro Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. In operation since 1948, the system presently comprises 13 routes, and is managed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, a subsidiary of TransLink. It uses a fleet of 262 trolleybuses, of which 74 are articulated vehicles. Source: Wikipedia. Photos and text: Michael Jarka. Right: On 10 October 2018 New Flyer E60LFR 2524 is on Fraser Street passing road works. Note the trolley-poles are most likely stretched to their maximum from the line of the overhead. ❺ RECENTLY OBSERVED..