The Anonymous Widower

UK Among Tri-Axle Zero-Emission Wrightbus StreetDeck Prospects

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on routeone.

This is the sub-heading.

Orders for new product ‘already lined up’ in Europe and the Far East, the manufacturer has said

These are the first two paragraphs.

Wrightbus sees UK sales opportunity for its new tri-axle zero-emission StreetDeck double-deck bus platform in addition to core Far Eastern markets for that class of vehicle, it says.

That was noted by CEO Jean-Marc Gales (pictured) when debuting prototype examples of the 6×2 bus that it says are “simultaneously” coming off production lines in Northern Ireland and Malaysia. The manufacturer adds that orders are “already lined up” for the product in Europe and the Far East.

I seem to remember that London’s electric trolleybuses used to have three axles.

So I asked Google AI if London’s trolleybuses did have three axles and got this reply.

Yes, London’s trolleybuses were predominantly three-axle vehicles. To accommodate their length and the power of their electric motors, most London trolleybuses, designed to replace trams, were built with three axles. This design allowed them to be larger and carry more passengers, similar to the trams they replaced.

So my memory was correct.

Where I live in De Beauvoir Town, the main North-South bus route is the 141 between London Bridge and Palmers Green.

• They are ten-year-old diesel hybrid buses.
• The route is busy and the buses are far too small.
• During my childhood, the route was the 641 trolleybus, which I used regularly.
• Southgate Road, where the trolleybuses ran is wider than most roads in London.

It would be ironic, if our inadequate 141 buses were to be replaced by new three-axle buses following some of the design rules of trolleybuses.

Is A Three-Axle Bus Better At Climbing Hills Than A Two-Axle?

In the UK, Bradford, Brighton and Sheffield are cities with hills.

If a three-axle bus is better at climbing hills, then this could be a big selling point.

The Chinese Won’t Be Pleased

This is said in the article.

The manufacturer adds that orders are “already lined up” for the product in Europe and the Far East

The Chinese won’t like Wrightbus stealing their markets.

July 20, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Design, Transport/Travel | Bradford, Brighton, China, De Beauvoir Town, Hong Kong, London Bus 141, Malaysia, Sheffield, Transport for London, Tri-Axle Zero-Emission Wrightbus StreetDeck Bus, Trolleybuses, Wrightbus