| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Stepping Out
Reading Buses has taken to the Hybrid high life by
introducing over 30 of the type into service in the past
year. This remarkable number of vehicles
makes it one of the biggest operators of such technology
in the country. The first route to receive
these diesel/electric vehicles was the trunk 26 route to
Calcot with bright yellow branding being adopted.
Next on the list was the fast expanding 20/21 routes
that serve the university. These are
finished in smart claret livery reminiscent of the
traditional colours associated with the town fleet.
Top of the Town
Finally the top route
in the town, the 17 from Wokingham Rd to Tilehurst, was
converted using purple branding. This high
profile route has seen three new batches of vehicles in
the last seven years. It was the first
service to get East Lancs bodied Scanias,
many of which have now been sold on, and then striking
Scania OmniDekkas which have now been cascaded to other
town routes. Reading has staked its future
on hybrids - let's hope the investment pays off. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Photo Facts (Top to Bottom) |
- A Reading hybrid at the Three Tuns terminus of
the 17 route. All Reading's hybrids are manufactured by
AlexanderDennis (ADL) at their plant in Falkirk.
- Reading 209 (SN11BVP) in
generic Reading Buses livery in Earley in August 2011.
-
Reading
216
(SN11BVX) at Reading
University in October 2011.
- Reading
219 (SN61BAA) at the
Wokingham Rd terminus of the 17 in October 2011.
- Reading
206 (SN60EDK)
in Calcot in its first week in service in April 2011.
- Reading 207 (SN11BVM), from the
second batch of hybrids delivered, at the Calcot terminus in October
2011.
-
Reading
216
(SN11BVX) about to lift
a full load of students from the university in October 2011.
- Reading 217 (SN11BVY) on
the new route 21a through Earley in October 2011.
-
Reading 1107 (YN08MKZ), a Scania
OmniDekka, in Caversham in October 2011
- Reading 1112 (YN08MMK), a
Scania OmniDekka, at Thames Valley Park in October 2011
- Marchwood Motorways YN06MWJ,
an East Lancs bodied Scania, in Hook in October 2011.
|
|
| |
| |
| Links |
|
|
|
|
|
Pastures New
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The OmniDekkas that formerly operated on
the 17 route have been cascaded to other routes such as the
23/24 to Caversham.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The OmniDekkas originally ran on
bio-ethanol in an unsuccessful trial and have since been
converted to normal diesel. After life on the 17
some have found a new home on the service to Thames Valley Park.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Many mid-life East Lancs bodied Scanias
are now surplus to requirements and a sizeable batch has been
sold to Marchwood Motorways who have won the contract to serve
Alton college in Hampshire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Click to enlarge] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
