The Anonymous Widower

The New Bus for London and the Standard Wright Bus Compared

I travelled today from Victoria to Piccadilly on a New Bus for London or NBfL and then an hour or so later, I went from Bank to my home on a 2009-vintage standard Wright Bus or SWB.

So how do they compare and are there any features of the new bus could be fitted in the next generation of buses?

1. The sculptured seats of the NBfL are a lot more comfortable and after a quick look under the seats of both buses, it would appear that something similar could be fitted to the SWB.  I suspect though that they are a bit more expensive.
2. The stairs seem to the top deck easier on the NBfL than the SWB and because there are two sets it gives you a choice when you get on and off.  Remember that the two staircases on the NBfL are used to hide the engine and the batteries. Hybrid bus designers will get more and more ingenious about where they hide the drive train, which will reduce weight and make the buses more fuel efficient.
3. The ride is much better in the NBfL in my opinion as I said here and lessons learned in the design, might well be able to be employed to improve the ride of the SWB.
4. Everybody seems to like the conductor or are they now a Bus Captain? I’ll always remember the look on the faces of an elderly couple as they got on a NBfL at the rear in the Balls Pond Road.
5. I think too, that the Bus Captains enjoy their new role.  But then responsibility is always a great motivator to everybody.
6. I also like the colours of the NBfL better, as they are calming and seem to bring out the best in everybody. You can definitely have too much yellow.

But I suppose the biggest difference, is that a NBfL has a presence, that makes it stand out from the crowd. I thought today with its curved front and the TfL roundel on the front, that it reminded me of the trolleybuses of my childhood.  The SWB may be a nice bus, but they don’t stand out.

The only definite thing we can say, is that in ten years time, buses will be more stylish, passenger and crew-friendly and of course more fuel-efficent and quieter than they are today. Let’s hope that those buses are still designed and made in the UK.

April 3, 2012 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Buses, Design, New Bus for London