Just read this on twitter...

20 First buses out of action in Sheffield due to overheating affecting nearly every route. Trying to ensure each route has at least one bus

really?

And this is when it's just a bit warm- before the summer heat arrives!

Just read this on twitter...

20 First buses out of action in Sheffield due to overheating affecting nearly every route. Trying to ensure each route has at least one bus

really?

Because when First took over from Mainline they made half the engineering team redundant. Consequently the buses are no longer maintained enough to operate properly (they're just patched up enough to make them legal)

also most of the Sheffield fleet has come second hand from less hilly parts of the UK....

Ah well, extra business for Stagecoach Sheffield and Stagecoach Supertram...

My daughter burnt her leg on a radiator on the bus today. It was one of those that run at bottom of bus, I felt it after it was red hot. I tried to ring them today to complain, but no answer.

I really don't understand why the buses have heating on all year round. Last summer was horrible, and I burnt my leg too! Any idea why they don't switch it off?

I really don't understand why the buses have heating on all year round. Last summer was horrible, and I burnt my leg too! Any idea why they don't switch it off?

Bus heating is supplied by hot engine coolant. Leaving the heating on during summer provides the bus with an extra avenue of cooling for the coolant before it returns back to the engine, where it'd be heated back up again.

Given the state of the buses, turning off the heating would lead to more buses overheating.

So if these buses had been bought for Sheffield, would they have been fitted with bigger engine radiators or a beefed up cooling system, then?

Is it the wrong bus specification, or poor maintenance?

I remember the good old days when the buses ran on time, were reasonable clean but very very cheap to use.
They could also run in warm weather without overheating.

I remember the good old days when the buses ran on time, were reasonable clean but very very cheap to use.
They could also run in warm weather without overheating.

Was that when they were still drawn by horses?

Bus heating is supplied by hot engine coolant. Leaving the heating on during summer provides the bus with an extra avenue of cooling for the coolant before it returns back to the engine, where it'd be heated back up again.

Given the state of the buses, turning off the heating would lead to more buses overheating.

It's funny you should say that over the last 2 years I have had occasion to complain to First 3 times, concerning heating on during the summer, I was told on each occasion "all the driver has to do is take to bus to the garage, and it has a switch located in the engine all it needs is it will be switched over so the heating does not come on".

In addition I've caught buses in winter when its been colder on the bus, than outside. To my train of thought first just seem intent on making the journey for their passengers as uncomfortable as possible, and in the interim screw as much money out of them, for a bus service that on some routes truly is shocking.

Some of the bus routes have 2 buses an hour (30) is one, and often this is 1 due to the other not showing up. On the other side of the coin three are more 120's than you could ever imagine, just stand on the top of the moor for 10 minutes, trust me you'll see 4-6 of them not just from first I add.

No doubt most of these buses will have been on the 52 route!

So if these buses had been bought for Sheffield, would they have been fitted with bigger engine radiators or a beefed up cooling system, then?

Is it the wrong bus specification, or poor maintenance?

IMO poor maintainence. Without looking I bet the fins on the radiators are battered/clogged/broken fans.

You only have to look at some of the bodge-job repairs done to some buses to work out that there's skimping done on repair costs.

IMO poor maintainence. Without looking I bet the fins on the radiators are battered/clogged/broken fans.

You only have to look at some of the bodge-job repairs done to some buses to work out that there's skimping done on repair costs.

Just following on from SYPTE / mainline. They got caught out frequently by VOSA for shoddy maintenance so nothing new there. Take your rose tinted glasses off mate they are no worse now than before, in fact they are much better. No brake failures, no buses going into swimming pools, no visits from vosa putting half the fleet off the road as they were totally unfit for service and could not even be driven to repairers. These are buses that had just come off service!!!!

Just following on from SYPTE / mainline. They got caught out frequently by VOSA for shoddy maintenance so nothing new there. Take your rose tinted glasses off mate they are no worse now than before, in fact they are much better. No brake failures, no buses going into swimming pools, no visits from vosa putting half the fleet off the road as they were totally unfit for service and could not even be driven to repairers. These are buses that had just come off service!!!!

You accuse me of wearing rose-tinted glasses.

I used the bus to go into city centre as it's not worth the hassle with the car. In the last 6 months I've seen light fittings with no end cap, exposing bare wiring, Window seals that have just had a bit of rubber melted in to gaps because the window seal wasn't big enough, P38 fiberglass resin (the stuff you buy from Halfords slapped in various places, both internal and external without proper finishing, failed or failing lighting (in and out). I've heard and seen several warning bells and indicators on the dash board, one even saying in clear english NOT to move the vehicle.

As for saying that First have had less accidents since they took over, I haven't seen any official figures but I doubt it's not close.

But then again, we only have to look at your username to show that regardless of what is said, you're never going to be objective.

over heating buses on First is nothing new, its been like that for years now. They use old, poorly maintained buses on several routes. The 30 route used very old and decrepit buses for a long time, which overheated all the time,but it has improved slightly of late

Ah this is what probably happened yesterday. We had to get to Sheffield for a 2pm appointment yesterday so went for the 1:06pm bus, which never turned up. The X15 is hourly as it is. I wouldn't mind but my mum has chronic pain and anxiety, with bad panic attacks and it took her all morning just to psyche herself up to go out.

Ru not in a position to walk to where u need to get to?

Some of the bus routes have 2 buses an hour (30) is one, and often this is 1 due to the other not showing up. On the other side of the coin three are more 120's than you could ever imagine, just stand on the top of the moor for 10 minutes, trust me you'll see 4-6 of them not just from first I add.


Couldn't agree more about the 120's, completely farcical! I catch the x78 at castle markets and you can stand there waiting in the morning and watch three 120's in convoy, each with a single passenger and then two minutes later the next will come past, followed by the stagecoach 120 a minute after that and then the whole cycle will repeat its self several minutes later :loopy:

Ru not in a position to walk to where u need to get to?

No, we're at Treeton and my mum wouldn't be able to walk that far. Come to think of it, neither would I these days :D

You accuse me of wearing rose-tinted glasses.
YES.



As for saying that First have had less accidents since they took over, I haven't seen any official figures but I doubt it's not close.

Not what I said. Breakdowns and accidents are not the same thing.


But then again, we only have to look at your username to show that regardless of what is said, you're never going to be objective.

Realy? try reading the first line again. Buses are not now and never will be perfect. If you want an example of superb buses try looking at the brand new deisel electric buses being run by stagecoach. More of these get towed than any other bus type. The point I am making and you carefully avoid is the they are without a doubt a lot safer now than under council control.
Buses these days have several protection systems to ensure that they do not self destruct. This means they do "break down" or go into self protect mode and give a false impression of breakdown figures. Then these same systems sometimes fail and after checking it is found that the bus can be safely used in service despite a warning going off to the contrary. If you only know half the story you can get a wrong impression.

over heating buses on First is nothing new, its been like that for years now. They use old, poorly maintained buses on several routes. The 30 route used very old and decrepit buses for a long time, which overheated all the time,but it has improved slightly of late
Are First the only operator to have overheating buses? I guess not.

And the comments about bus heaters - not all buses have the heating switched on, if they did then they would be less likely to overheat.

also most of the Sheffield fleet has come second hand from less hilly parts of the UK....

Ah well, extra business for Stagecoach Sheffield and Stagecoach Supertram...
What's that got to do with bus heaters? Whether the vehicles were new to Sheffield or not. You seem to just be a Stagecoach fan looking for the opportunity to have a pop at First.

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Its not just a First problem.

Last year Stagecoach Sheffields MAN Single deckers were always overheating. So much so that when I kept having to ring them to see where the hourly bus was I was informed the original service bus has broken down and overheated and the replacement was sent but that overheated too! A third one is on its way!

Does not seem to effect the smaller Dart vechiles they have though.

Could it actually be specific vechile makes rathe than operators?

Funnily enough there is a first 52 broke down this morning at the lights @ Handsworth going towards Woodhouse, not sure if over heated but poor guy is bang at lights, do sympathise with him today.

Also on the question of overheating, please also remember I have got on buses on days like today, & everyone was sat with the bloody windows shut, god we've just had 8 weeks of terrible weather at least enjoy this small crumb of comfort in the way of sunshine.

I think most of the problems are coming from the Ex First London Buses which were built to run on the flat most of the time. Was speaking to a bus driver with first who is a personal friend of mine and he was explaining these buses can't cope with the hills and will overheat etc. Not like the old days late 70's early 80's when SYPTE ordered buses that were specificity for Sheffield and its hills, I think they had Rolls Royce engines and a special gearbox

They should get some air conditioning

They should get some air conditioning

Air conditioning increases the load on the engine making it more likely the bus will overheat.

I think most of the problems are coming from the Ex First London Buses which were built to run on the flat most of the time. Was speaking to a bus driver with first who is a personal friend of mine and he was explaining these buses can't cope with the hills and will overheat etc. Not like the old days late 70's early 80's when SYPTE ordered buses that were specificity for Sheffield and its hills, I think they had Rolls Royce engines and a special gearbox
Yes: Voith or Gardner.

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thankyou moderator, I can`t stand it being used when one is not actually texting

oooooooo,hot, hot, hot,

I think most of the problems are coming from the Ex First London Buses which were built to run on the flat most of the time. Was speaking to a bus driver with first who is a personal friend of mine and he was explaining these buses can't cope with the hills and will overheat etc. Not like the old days late 70's early 80's when SYPTE ordered buses that were specificity for Sheffield and its hills, I think they had Rolls Royce engines and a special gearbox
Most buses will overheat in this weather. The ex London stock does yes, but some of it is limited to 35mph which will not help.

Most buses will overheat in this weather. The ex London stock does yes, but some of it is limited to 35mph which will not help.

So you are telling me that the buses which the SYPTE was so grateful to First to bring from London are totally unsuitable for Sheffield. Time for SYPTE and the traffic commissioners to show some backbone I think.

And on the 120s - there may be convoys of three in town. Out beyond the Hallamshire where only First run there is supposed to be a bus every 8 minutes, but its more like 12 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 2 together, then another 13 minutes..... And the satellite tracking only works on half the buses too (or do they turn it off when they are not delivering the service).

Diabolical maintenance. No wonder nobody uses the 76 and everybody uses the 87. Stagecoach can walk allover First

Most buses will overheat in this weather. The ex London stock does yes, but some of it is limited to 35mph which will not help.

That is surely nonsense.

There are plenty of places in the world that are hot and hilly, and the buses run fine.

It can only be one or both of poor maintenance or buses with the wrong technical specification. Neither of these is acceptable from a company that charges me more to get the bus the work than it costs me to drive.

(I'm from Manchester, and one operator there used to run old Welsh buses up and down Wilmslow Road, which is long, straight and flat, and has a bus lane. Evidently these had the lower range gearboxes too as they used to bounce off the rev limiter)

Anyone fancy a pint?

So you are telling me that the buses which the SYPTE was so grateful to First to bring from London are totally unsuitable for Sheffield. Time for SYPTE and the traffic commissioners to show some backbone I think.

And on the 120s - there may be convoys of three in town. Out beyond the Hallamshire where only First run there is supposed to be a bus every 8 minutes, but its more like 12 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 2 together, then another 13 minutes..... And the satellite tracking only works on half the buses too (or do they turn it off when they are not delivering the service).

nothing to do with sypte or traffic commisioners if the buses overheat. The tracking system is the responsibilty of sypte wich explains why it does not work. It can not be turned on or off by the operator.

not looking forward to the bus journey home tonight in this heat - :cool: - wish it was cool.

not looking forward to the bus journey home tonight in this heat - wish it was cool.
Try a bus to Greenland Road
[a bus depot that closed some years ago, you see].

Also on the question of overheating, please also remember I have got on buses on days like today, & everyone was sat with the bloody windows shut, god we've just had 8 weeks of terrible weather at least enjoy this small crumb of comfort in the way of sunshine.

I've had that before, except if you open a window some miserable biddy gets up and shuts it again.
For those of us that don't heat our houses like the fires of hell, a bus on a hot day is almost unbearable.

I've never noticed before, but I have now, they're quite literally littering the roads lol.

I've had that before, except if you open a window some miserable biddy gets up and shuts it again.
For those of us that don't heat our houses like the fires of hell, a bus on a hot day is almost unbearable.

I can't stand it, the 52, which I sometimes catch up West Street, can be really bad and the 120 sometimes.:gag: Sometimes I will miss a bus if its crowded, and wait for another to come along.

I have been catching the Stagecoach 78, since I have recently moved house, and its not been too bad, but when my monthly ticket runs out I will try the 48, as it looks emptier and more comfy - but, we will see.

Anyone fancy a pint?

That's very kind of you. I'll have a Guinness.