76-586: The MCW Metrobus is a two and three-axle double-decker bus manufactured by Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) between 1977 and 1989, with over 4,000 built. The original MkI was superseded by the MkII which had a symmetrical windscreen with an arched top in 1981, although production of the original MkI continued for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and London Regional Transport until 1983 and 1985 respectively. The Metrobus
152-589: A National Bus Company subsidiary. These Metrobuses were unique in that they were built to a low height specification. In Scotland, the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive and its successor Strathclyde Buses purchased 70 MkI, MkII and Alexander-bodied Metrobuses over from 1979 to the end of production in 1989. Metrobuses with Alexander bodywork proved popular with the Scottish Bus Group , with Midland Scottish taking on
228-684: A national symbol of England. Most buses in London, as in the rest of the UK, are double-deckers. A particular example was the AEC Routemaster bus, which had been a staple of the public transport network in London for nearly half a century following its introduction in 1956. The remaining Routemasters in use were finally retired from general service in 2005 because of cited difficulties accommodating disabled passengers. Transport for London kept these vintage buses in operation on heritage route 15H until 2020, when it
304-461: A capacity of 132 passengers - 80 seated and fifty standing. Sweden bought in 1965 50 Leyland Atlantean double-decker buses with Park Royal bodies. Leyland claimed they were the first double-decker buses with one man operation. They had two staircases and two pairs of doors. The Atlanteans were not replaced at the end of their revenue service life in 1974. However, in 2011 double-deckers returned to Sweden on revenue duties with VDL Synergy on in
380-608: A feature of Alexandria 's bus network. In 2017, as part of a larger order of 850 new buses, the city of Addis Ababa purchased a fleet of 50 double-decker buses to operate routes on its public transportation system. Of these, 25 are operated by the Anbessa City Bus Service Enterprise and 25 are part of the Sheger bus company's fleet; both are government-owned. A fleet of double-decker buses operate in Mombasa , running
456-543: A further 82 (ML3-84) between 1983 and 1988, while KMB purchased 80 2-axle Metrobuses (M1-M80, with MkII bodies) between 1983 and 1985. While KMB was not interested in the 12-metre version Super-Metrobuses, they did express their interest in an 11-metre 3-axle version (the CMB 11-metre version Metrobuses were 2-axle) with 254 11-metre 3-axle Metrobuses (S3M1-254) purchased between 1986 and 1989. Fifty of these buses were fitted with Cummins engines, and another one (later numbered S3M145)
532-497: A maximum length of 18.65 metres (61 ft 2 in). Double-deckers operate in Jersey. In the territory of Gibraltar , Calypso Transport operates using double deckers in red livery. Notably, this is the only British territory in Europe that drives on the right and hence the buses are left-hand drive. Bus Vannin operates about 24 double-deckers on routes all across the island. In
608-500: A preserved 'Timesaver' example (D957 NDA, 2957) to add to its vintage hire fleet. National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands) had previously sold this bus to a dealer in 2003. As a result, National Express West Midlands now owns a Metrobus for events and hire. The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) initially ordered 190 MkI MCW Metrobuses which were delivered between 1979 and 1983, alongside an unfulfilled order of 15 out of 190 Leyland Titans . Five of
684-591: A ready resale market. The kerb-guided system maintains a narrow track while still enabling buses to pass one another at speed. Consequently, kerb-guided track can be fitted into former double-track rail alignments without the requirement for additional land-take that might have been necessary were a disused railway to be converted into a public highway. Examples include the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit ; in both schemes, it has proved possible to provide space for
760-402: A regulated maximum size in order to freely navigate public roads. The kerb-guided bus (KGB) guidance mechanism is a development of the early flangeways , pre-dating railways. The Gloucester and Cheltenham Tramroad of 1809 therefore has a claim to be the earliest guided busway. There were earlier flangeways, but they did not carry passengers. There are a few examples of guided buses around
836-599: A roadway. The ART system is frequently referred to as a "trackless tram" and occasionally as an "optically-guided bus". Other experimental systems have non-mechanical guidance, such as sensors or magnets buried in the roadway. In 2004, Stagecoach Group signed a deal with Siemens to develop an optical guidance system for use in the United Kingdom. Two bus lines in Eindhoven , Netherlands, are used by Phileas vehicles. Line 401 from Eindhoven station to Eindhoven Airport
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#1732870068666912-548: A route aimed at tourists. The buses are open top , and run on a hop-on hop-off sightseein route around the city; they are manufactured by Yaxing Coach . Since 2014, a double-decker bus owned by the City Shguttle Bus Company also provides public transportation in Nairobi . In Malawi , multiple companies utilize fleets of double-decker buses for intercity bus services . Modern Marcopolo buses run direct routes between
988-701: A total of 109 by 1986. Most of these would be transferred to Kelvin Scottish following the reorganisation of the SBG. The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive bought five Metrobuses on evaluation in 1979. These were sold to London Buses in 1988, where they would become M1481-M1485; these would be the final Metrobuses to be acquired by London Transport before the privatisation of London Buses . Merseybus purchased 25 MkII Metrobuses in 1989 while also acquiring many second hand from privatised London operators. Fifteen Metrobuses, some with Alexander bodywork, were purchased new by
1064-647: A triple standard for the double-decker bus: highbridge bus (urban Britain), lowbridge bus (countryside Britain) and 4 metres height coach such as the Neoplan Skyliner that can traverse Europe. Outside the British Isles in Europe double-decker buses are most prominent in Skopje and Berlin. The first commercial horse-drawn double-decker omnibuses were introduced in England in 1847 by Adams & Co. of Fairfield, Bow ; it
1140-470: Is 9 km (5.6 mi) long, consists largely of concrete bus lanes and has about 30 Phileas stop platforms. Line 402 from Eindhoven station to Veldhoven branches off from line 401 and adds another 6 km (3.7 mi) of bus lanes and about 13 stops. Some years ago, the regional authority for urban transport in the Eindhoven region (SRE) decided to discontinue the use of magnetic guidance system. In 2014
1216-447: Is a means of approaching light rail performance with a fast and economical set-up. It enables buses to have precision-docking capabilities as efficient as those of light rail and reduces dwell times, making it possible to drive the vehicle to a precise point on a platform according to an accurate and reliable trajectory. The distance between the door steps and the platform is optimized not to exceed 5 centimetres (2 in). Level boarding
1292-616: Is the red London bus , namely the AEC Routemaster . Double-deckers in urban transport were also in common use in other places, such as major cities of India , but were mostly diminished or phased out by the end of the 20th century. However it has been maintained and remains common in Britain as well as Ireland and Hong Kong, while in Singapore and Dhaka they have been introduced and expanded into large numbers after British colonial rule. There are several types of double-decker buses as shown in
1368-618: Is then possible, and there is no need to use a mobile ramp for people with mobility impairments. The Optiguide system, an optical guidance device developed by Siemens Transportation Systems , has been in revenue service since 2001 in Rouen and Nîmes (only at stations), France, and has been fitted to trolleybuses in Castellon (Spain) since June 2008. Another system was introduced in 2017. Called Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) and developed by CRRC , it uses optical systems to follow markers on
1444-798: The New Territories for many years. For example, they were serving on route 61A (which connected Tuen Mun and Yuen Long new towns) right before the KCR Light Rail took over the services. After that, they were seen on route 36A (which connected a public housing estate in Kwai Chung to a ferry pier) until the route's decline in the mid-1990s. They spent a few further years as spare buses before being withdrawn from passenger service in 1996 and converted to training buses. They were finally sold and scrapped in 2001. KMB started to withdraw its 2-axle Metrobuses in 1997. Some of them had their chassis damaged due to
1520-633: The Republic of Ireland , the majority of the buses operated in and around the Greater Dublin area are double-deckers, operated by Dublin Bus . There are 1,000 double-decker buses (second largest in Europe after London ) in the company's fleet of 1,008 (October 2019). The private operator Go-Ahead Ireland also operate a mixed fleet consisting of both double and single deck vehicles. Bus Éireann also utilises double-decker buses on some of its commuter routes, such as
1596-516: The Southern District, Hong Kong , as well as route 13 serving the " Mid-levels ". Although CMB was the first to introduce Metrobuses, it withdrew only 3 of them (all were accident victims) before the end of its franchise in August 1998. Its earliest Metrobuses were 20 years old at that time. New World First Bus purchased all the remaining CMB Metrobuses and Super-Metrobuses when it took over most of
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#17328700686661672-819: The fatigue caused during their service on the Tai Mo Shan KMB Route 51 , which climbed to the highest altitude achievable by buses in Hong Kong. These were withdrawn by 2003. The 11-metre 3-axle Metrobuses in KMB were not withdrawn until summer 2002. KCRC also started to withdraw their Mark II Metrobuses in the early 2000s. The last 2-axle Metrobus in Hong Kong (KCRC 134) was withdrawn in October 2005. The last Metrobus in Hong Kong (fleet number S3M233, license no. EH8559) ceased operation on 8 May 2007. As of mid-2011, no more Metrobuses were licensed and in use in Hong Kong. Production of
1748-638: The 1950s when buses in general started to be used in the main cities such as Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Setúbal. The types used were the AEC Regent and later the Daimler Fleetline and the Leyland Atlantean, with Portuguese-built bodies. There was also one Leyland Olympian as a demonstration vehicle in Lisbon. In Porto, there were double-decker trolleybuses, produced by Lancia and with Dalfa bodywork, in use from
1824-495: The 1960s and 1970s, major cities like Turin, Milan, Rome, Florence, Verona, Bologna, Rimini, Naples, Bari and Palermo adopted Fiat double decker buses. The most common model was the Fiat 412 Aerfer , and in 1961 it was replaced by Fiat 413 Viberti Monotral CV61. Liemobil operates four double decker MAN A39 buses on service 11 between Sargans , Switzerland and Feldkirch, Vorarlberg , Austria and on other services 12, 13 and 14 in
1900-686: The Alternative Vehicle Evaluation (AVE) programme in 1984, M1441 with a Gardner engine and Voith transmission and M1442 with a Cummins engine and Maxwell transmission, but no orders resulted. In 1987/88, due to a vehicle shortage, 14 were purchased secondhand from the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive , West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Busways Travel and allocated to Potters Bar garage. London Transport's low-cost subsidiary Harrow Buses leased 29 new MkII Metrobuses in 1987, but returned them to their lessor three years later. London Transport's Metrobuses were
1976-462: The CMB routes, and converted 3 MC-class Metrobuses to training buses. In 2000, the last of the MCW Metrobuses were de-registered, briefly exported to The Original Tour , Big Bus Tours or to Australia . Some of the MCW Metrobuses were brought back to The Original Tour in the year 2006. As of 2013, the last of the examples from United Kingdom were withdrawn. KMB allocated its 3 Super-Metrobuses to
2052-936: The Dublin to Wicklow service. Double-deckers are also common on some of the company's city routes in Cork , Galway and Limerick . More luxurious double-deckers are used on inter-city routes, such as the X1 Dublin-Belfast or X3/X4 Dublin-Derry routes. Double decker buses were in use on city services in Vienna between 1960 and 1991. They are used on services between Vienna and its airport, and also operated by Ötztaler Verkehrsgesellschaft (ÖVG) under contract to ÖBB-Postbus on service 4420 between Innsbruck and Lienz . Since 2020, two Scania UNVI Urbis DD CNG buses have been running on public transport lines in Ostrava . During working days on line 78. Over
2128-529: The Metrobus ceased in 1989 with the financial collapse of MCW. The last Metrobus built was West Midlands Travel 3124(G124FJW), it had a message from the builders stating that it was the last one built by MCW and signed by the staff on the inside of the roof. The Metrobus design was purchased by Optare in 1990, which had recently joined the United Bus group with DAF Bus . Despite owning design and production rights,
2204-592: The PTE's early Metrobuses would be sold to London Buses in 1987. Around 1986, Northern Counties delivered 30 more MCW Metrobuses built with Manchester standard bodywork, intended for the 'Trans Lancs' 400 express service linking Bolton with Stockport. The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and its successor Yorkshire Rider purchased over 100 Metrobuses, a majority of these being MkIIs. Some were bodied with Walter Alexander bodywork. Two MkIIs and two Alexander Metrobuses were sold to London Buses. One MkII Metrobus
2280-682: The SL 676 Stockholm Östra - Norrtälje line. Norrtälje is located around 70 km north of Stockholm . In Switzerland Postauto operate double decker buses on a route between Engelburg – St Gallen – Heiden routes and in the Obertoggenburg region and in the regions of Rorschach and Goldach . 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro500 have been ordered to operate on these services, which seat 80 passengers and can carry 48 standing. Four double deckers are also operated in Graubünden which are due to be replaced within
2356-474: The UK are between 9.5 metres (31 ft 2 in) and 11.1 metres (36 ft 5 in) long, the latter being more common since the mid-1990s, though there are three- axle 12-metre (39-foot-4-inch) models in service with some operators. Double-decker coaches in the UK have traditionally been 12 metres (39 feet 4 inches) in length, though many newer models are about 13.75 metres (45 ft 1 in). The red double-decker buses in London have become
MCW Metrobus - Misplaced Pages Continue
2432-399: The UK, although the experiment only lasted a couple of years. All of the 14 guided buses were converted for conventional use. However they were distinguishable by their dot matrix destination display and gap in the front wheel arch where the guidewheels had been fitted. In early 1995 Marshall Bus of Cambridge were contracted to overhaul all of West Midland Travel's Metrobus fleet. This was
2508-571: The autumn of 2019, Public Transport of Turku , also known as Föli , was the first city to officially incorporate double-decker buses into local traffic. The first French double-decker bus was brought into service in Paris in 1853; it was a horse-drawn omnibus . The upper floor was cheaper and often uncovered. The first double-decker motor bus in Paris, the Schneider Brillié P2, appeared in 1906. It
2584-403: The bands of paint on the ground representing the reference path. The signals obtained by the camera are sent to an onboard computer, which combines them with dynamic parameters of the vehicle (speed, yaw rate, wheel angle). The calculator transmits commands to the guidance motor located on the steering column of the vehicle to control its path in line with that of the reference. Optical guidance
2660-428: The bus engage vertical kerbs on either side of the guideway. These guide wheels push the steering mechanism of the bus, keeping it centralised on the track. Away from the guideway, the bus is steered in the normal way. The start of the guideway is funnelled from a wide track to guideway width. This system permits high-speed operation on a narrow guideway and precise positioning at boarding platforms, facilitating access for
2736-730: The capital, built in China 's Zhengzhou Yutong factory. The buses were put into operation on 8 September 2011, coinciding with the day of Macedonian independence. This model of bus has capacity for 80 passengers. They represent most of the 312 buses currently in operation by the Skopje public transport company. In June 2008 Boreal Transport on contract with Kolumbus introduced three double-decker buses to provide more seating for certain high-traffic departures in Stavanger . PKS Szczecin since 2021. Double-decker buses were introduced in Portugal during
2812-557: The country. It is only very recently that double-decker buses have started to be used in the Netherlands. On 10 December 2017 Connexxion put 18 three-axle double-deckers into service on route 346 between Haarlem and Amsterdam Zuid , a heavily used commuter route not served by rail. They are Futura FDD2s built by VDL Bus & Coach in Valkenswaard , are 14.1 metres (46 feet) long, and carry 86 seated passengers. Their introduction
2888-401: The elderly and disabled. As guide wheels can be inexpensively attached to, and removed from, almost any standard model of bus, kerb guided busway systems are not tied to particular specialised vehicles or equipment suppliers. Characteristically, operators contracted to run services on kerb-guided busways will purchase or lease the vehicles, as second-hand vehicles (with guide wheels removed) have
2964-858: The end with Metrobuses in normal service in 2003. Arriva London also continued using Metrobuses until these were finally displaced in 2002/03; however Arriva would operate the final Metrobus in London service (M1332) on the 121 in January 2006. Some of the MCW Metrobuses were converted to open-top for use by The Original Tour . The last were withdrawn by December 2007. London Pride Sightseeing also had MCW Metrobuses, but these were sold to Ensignbus . By 2014, there were no MCW Metrobuses licensed for use in London . The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive and its successor, West Midlands Travel , also purchased significant numbers of Metrobuses (over 1,100), both MkI and MkII examples. The first order for five MCW Metrobuses
3040-615: The experience in Essen, in 1986 the Government of South Australia opened the O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide . This is a 12-kilometre guided busway. In Mannheim , Germany, from May 1992 to September 2005 a guided busway shared the tram alignment for a few hundred metres, which allowed buses to avoid a congested stretch of road where there was no space for an extra traffic lane. It was discontinued, as
3116-605: The final three examples based at Potters Bar garage being the last Metrobuses in regular London service at the time. London General reached the end with Metrobuses in normal service in February 2003, when Stockwell Garage 's last were withdrawn. This left a handful of Metrobuses for special purposes; M1440 and open-top OM171 from the private hire fleet at Sutton and M1435 painted into a "spotted cow" livery for an art exhibition. Some were also retained as driver trainers. First CentreWest , First Capital and London United also reached
MCW Metrobus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3192-479: The hilly route. The MkI second-hand Metrobuses were the first to be withdrawn, and all of them have since been scrapped. Many of the KCRC Metrobuses were loaned to Citybus for few years before final withdrawal. CMB removed its MC-class Metrobuses from the luxury routes after introducing Dennis Darts for the service in 1991, preserving the seating layout. These Metrobuses were allocated to non-luxury routes in
3268-427: The imagebox below: Early double-deckers put the driver in a separate cab. Passenger access was via an open platform at the rear and a bus conductor collected fares. Modern double-deckers have a main entrance door at the front and the driver takes fares, thus halving the number of workers aboard, but slowing the boarding process. The rear open platform, popular with passengers, was abandoned for safety reasons, as there
3344-561: The largest double-decker fleet on continental Europe with 197 vehicles operating as of 2023 (compared to 484 single-deckers and 928 articulated buses). However it used to be higher: 1,000 in 1992, reduced to 450 in 2002. The city originally had double-decker buses at least since the 1920s. The models in operation in 2004 were 13.5 metres (44 ft 3 in) long and held around 95 passengers. The replacements, which are supplied by Neoman Bus , are 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) longer. The new buses are able to hold 128 passengers. During
3420-488: The largest used bus overhaul programme in Europe at the time and Marshalls set up a dedicated business division and staff to handle it. Many unavailable parts had to be sourced and made to original patterns by the Marshall procurement team. A production line was established in one of Marshall's aircraft hangars and anything up to 30 Metrobuses could be found in work at some stage along the line. Duration of refurbishment of each bus
3496-741: The mainstay of the double decker fleet between 1987 and privatisation in 1994, when most of them passed to seven of the new operators. MTL bought the London Northern company, with a host of 179 Metrobuses. It acquired more when it took over London Suburban Buses, and including some ex-London examples from its Merseyside operation. Garages were at North Acton, Holloway and Potters Bar. Metroline Northern operations in London dwindled during 2002, with Ms replaced by low-floor buses on most routes. Some were retained through 2003 to deputise on AEC Routemaster routes, but operation on TfL services ceased in July 2004,
3572-522: The majority of buses fitted with guide wheels were withdrawn for age reasons. There are no plans to convert newer buses. The Nagoya Guideway Bus opened in March 2001 and is the only guided bus line in Japan. The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway between Cambridge and St Ives , at 25 kilometres (16 miles), is the world's longest guided busway. Between 2004 and 2008, a 1-mile (1.5 km) section of guided busway
3648-482: The manufacturer, APTS, was declared bankrupt. The Douai region in France is developing a public transport network with dedicated infrastructure. The length of the lines will be 34 km (21 mi). The first stage is a line of 12 km (7.5 mi) from Douai via Guesnain to Lewarde, passing close to Waziers, Sin-le-Noble, Dechy and Lambres-lez-Douai. 39 stop platforms will be provided with an average distance between
3724-631: The mid-1960s until the mid-1990s. Double-decker buses were not in widespread use for normal service but were mainly used for sightseeing purposes. They were most commonly Portuguese-produced vehicles, including rebodies of regular service buses (for example, the Volvo B10R from Carristur), as well as some from former companies, such as the MAN SD202 from BVG Berlin, many of them still in circulation. The absence of double-decker buses on regular service lasted until 2011, when STCP acquired 15 double-decker buses, of
3800-575: The mid-1990s, some double-deckers were operated briefly in Saint Petersburg . Double-decker buses were introduced in 2014 in Bilbao by the city bus operator Bilbobus . They are not the first double deck vehicles in the city as ex-London Transport Q1 trolleybuses were sold to Bilbao after the end of London trolleybus operations in 1962 and were operated until the system's closure in 1978. Initially, six vehicles are operating on Bilbobus route 56. They have
3876-918: The nation's two largest cities, Lilongwe and Blantyre . New double-decker buses are also in use on more regional routes, including those connecting cities like Mangochi , Mzimba , and Mzuzu . Guided bus Guided buses are buses capable of being steered by external means, usually on a dedicated track or roll way that excludes other traffic, permitting the maintenance of schedules even during rush hours . Unlike railbuses , trolleybuses or rubber-tyred trams , for part of their routes guided buses are able to share road space with general traffic along conventional roads, or with conventional buses on standard bus lanes . Guidance systems can be physical, such as kerbs or guide bars , or remote , such as optical or radio guidance. Guided buses may be Articulated bus , allowing more passengers, but not as many as light rail or trams , which are not constrained to
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#17328700686663952-991: The next two years. In Turkey , the Istanbul public transit system ( IETT ) runs 89 double-decker buses on longer-distance routes, most notably commuter buses crossing the Bosphorus Bridge linking the European and the Asiatic sides of the city. Double-decker buses are also used on routes to and from Taksim Square to far-flung western suburbs such as Büyükçekmece and Bahçeşehir . Several cities in Egypt use double-decker buses as part of their public transportation systems, including Cairo. The MAN Lion's City buses, manufactured in Egypt in 2018, were introduced in Cairo to address provide greater capacity on its bus network. Red double-decker buses are also
4028-598: The predecessor of Merseybus, Merseyside PTE. Other municipal bus operators who bought Metrobuses included Kingston upon Hull City Transport , Leicester City Transport , Newport Transport and Reading Transport . The Metrobus also found sales to National Bus Company subsidiaries Maidstone & District and Northern General , with the former ordering two pairs of MkI Metrobuses with MCW and Rolls-Royce engines as part of NBC comparative trials in 1980. In Hong Kong, China Motor Bus (CMB) introduced 12 Metrobuses (MC1-MC12) in 1978 for its luxury coach services (which covered
4104-636: The routes between Repulse Bay , Stanley and the Central District ). Within a year, MCW produced an 11-metre 2-axle version of Metrobus. Only 40 were produced for CMB in 1978/79, where they would be classified as MB1-MB40. They were used mostly on express and cross-harbour services. Both batches of CMB Metrobuses had MkI bodies. In 1981, MCW produced prototypes of 3-axle, 12-metre long "Super-Metrobuses". Two were purchased by CMB as ML1-ML2 and three by Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) as M1-M3, later renumbered 3M1-3M3. All were bodied with MCW MkII bodies. CMB purchased
4180-459: The same batch as those bought second-hand by KCRC. KMB purchased eight further 2-axle Metrobuses (M81-M88) in 1989. These buses were fitted with Cummins LTA10-B282 (282 hp) engines and Voith D864G 4-speed gearbox, and were used on the hilly KMB Route 51 (between Tsuen Wan and Kam Tin , climbing Tai Mo Shan along its way). Later KMB fitted some of its older Metrobuses with Cummins engines, in order to avoid excess damage to buses running
4256-516: The stops of 400 m (440 yd). A number of stops will be placed on the right-hand side of each lane. Central stops between both lanes will be placed at locations with limited space at the right side. This requires vehicle to have doors on both sides. On 3 November 2005, a licence and technology transfer agreement was signed between Advanced Public Transport Systems (APTS) and the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI). KRRI
4332-622: The two companies heavily reworked the design to produce a new vehicle, the DAF DB250 based Optare Spectra , which was launched in 1991 and ceased production in late 2006. [REDACTED] Media related to MCW Metrobus at Wikimedia Commons Double-decker bus A double-decker bus or double-deck bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sight-seeing buses for tourists, and there are coaches too for long-distance travel. They appear in many places around
4408-514: The type MAN A39 (as used in Berlin). They were introduced at an event by the company, named "Duplex Tour", on 26 February 2011 and put into normal service on the 28th of that month. These buses can be seen usually on route 500. Until 2011 double-decker buses were operating in the city of Barnaul . The double-decker fleet consisted of seven MAN SD200 and MAN SD202 second hand buses imported from Berlin. Those buses were used on routes 3, 10 and 17. In
4484-789: The weekend and holidays during the summer season on line 88. Since 1970, various operators of Copenhagen city transport were using double-deckers—originally Leyland , in the 1980s–1990s MAN and in the 2000s Volvo , derivates of model B7. Double-decker buses are relatively rare in Finland, but there are known to be at least four Routemasters in Finland: one in Helsinki , one in Heinola , one in summer tourist charter in Espoo and one in summer tourist traffic in Kuopio . In
4560-401: The world but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in cities of Britain , in Ireland , in Hong Kong , Berlin and in Singapore . The earliest double-decker horse-drawn omnibus appeared in Paris in 1853 and such vehicles were motorised in the 1900s. Double-decker buses were popularised in Great Britain at the start of the 20th century and today the best-known example
4636-401: The world constructed since 1980. The first modern guided busway system was opened in 1980 in Essen , Germany. This was initially a demonstration track, but it was periodically expanded and is still in operation as of 2019. The first guided busway in the United Kingdom was in Birmingham , the Tracline 65 , 1,968 feet (600 m) long, experimentally in 1984. It closed in 1987. Based on
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#17328700686664712-645: Was a risk of passengers falling when running and jumping onto the bus. Cities listed here have double-decker buses as part of their regular mass transit fleet. Cities with only tourist and sightseeing double-decker buses are excluded. In the European Union , the maximum height for any vehicle is 4 metres, for motor vehicles in categories M2 and M3 and their trailers in category 0 and motor vehicles in categories N2 and N3 and their trailers in categories 03 and 04, in national and international traffic according to Council directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 and in continuity of council directive 85/3/CEE. The United Kingdom has
4788-532: Was conceived as an integral product manufactured completely by MCW, but Alexander and Northern Counties also bodied some examples. MCW planned to produce a single-decker version but this was not to come into production. In the United Kingdom, the Metrobus was mainly used in the metropolitan areas, especially London , West Midlands and Greater Manchester . London Transport purchased 1,440 MkI examples between 1978 and 1985, numbering them M1 to M1440. Two MkII prototypes were delivered to London Transport for
4864-683: Was converted by Yorkshire Rider to operate as a demonstrator for a guided busway in Leeds. This made use of parts supplied from West Midlands Travel's guided busway Metrobuses. South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) purchased a total of 170 MkI and MkII Metrobuses following comparative trials in 1979. These were delivered in five batches from 1980 to 1985, with some being specified with dual doors. These were joined by ten MkII Metrobuses in 1986 that were delivered with coach seats for 'Fastline' express work. Also in South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Traction took delivery of twelve Metrobuses in 1986, an order initially placed when Yorkshire Traction were
4940-419: Was designed to carry more passengers and to replace the horse-drawn double-decker omnibus. Like trams and omnibuses, double-decker motor buses included two classes of travel: first class inside the car and second class outdoors on top. But this type of vehicle was withdrawn in 1911 because one of them overturned at place de l'Étoile ; following this incident the P2s lost their upper deck and were renamed P3s. It
5016-682: Was developed that year and entered service on 20 February 2012. In October 2015, London added five all-electric double-decker buses - the world's first - made by Chinese firm BYD . The maximum permissible length of a rigid double-decker bus and coach in the UK is 15 metres (49 ft 3 in) with 3 axles and 13.5 metres (44 ft 3 in) metres with two. However, the total maximum dimensions, including trailer or articulated section, in normal circumstances are: Coaches are normally built to 4.38 metres (14 ft 4 in) high, while 'highbridge' buses are normally about 20 centimetres (8 in) taller. Articulated double-deckers are also allowed at
5092-515: Was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The contract expired in November 2020 and was not renewed; in 2021 it was announced that the service would no longer continue. There was formerly a second heritage route ( 9H ) but this ceased operation in 2014 due to low patronage and increased operation costs. In 2007, a hybrid-powered double-decker entered service on London Buses route 141 . By late 2008, more hybrid double-deckers from three manufacturers entered service in London. A New Routemaster
5168-420: Was found to be poorly suited to the structure of the Paris network, the stops being too close to each other, preventing people from going upstairs. Consequently, there are no Parisian bus routes using double-deckers. SITAC operates a service 5 between Calais and Sangatte using a double decker bus. In Germany , double-decker buses in Berlin are operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). Berlin has had
5244-409: Was in operation between Stenhouse and Broomhouse in the west of Edinburgh .The route was later converted for use by Edinburgh trams . Guided buses are to be distinguished from rubber-tyred systems that cannot run other than along a dedicated trackway, or under fixed overhead power lines. Optical guidance relies on the principles of image processing . A camera in the front of the vehicle scans
5320-504: Was not entirely without issues since their route initially had to be diverted to avoid passing under a dangerously low tram overhead wire near the VU Medical Centre stop. Also in December 2017, Qbuzz introduced five double-deckers on its route 300 between Groningen and Emmen . These are Van Hool TDX27 Astromegas, also 14.1 metres (46 feet) long and carrying 85 passengers. The Macedonian government bought 217 Yutong City Master double-decker city buses for local transport in Skopje ,
5396-500: Was not until 1966 that the RATP re-tried double-deckers on two lines in Paris. A prototype built by Berliet (type E-PCMR), was put into service in 1966, with an order being placed for 25 vehicles. The first production car was commissioned on 19 June 1968 for line 94, Gare Montparnasse - Levallois. On 17 February 1969, line 53, Opera - Porte d'Asnieres was in turn equipped with this model. But traffic problems caused RATP to definitively abandon this vehicle in 1977, because this type of bus
5472-613: Was originally fitted with a prototype Sutrak air-conditioning system on delivery in 1987, but this proved unreliable and was subsequently removed a year later. Between 1987 and 1989, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) also purchased 59 2-axle Metrobuses for their feeder bus services. 39 of them (101-139) were brand new with MkII bodies, while another 20 (140-159) were second-hand buses purchased from South Yorkshire PTE with MkI bodies, some of them with dual-doors. Argos Bus purchased 6 Metrobuses for their non-franchised routes and private hire services between 1988 and 1989. They were from
5548-411: Was placed in 1977, with the first delivered in January 1978. Fifty dual-purpose Metrobuses with high-back seats, were purchased in 1986. Many of these buses were converted to normal seated buses and continued in service until November 2008. They were mainly used on limited-stop services. Fourteen guided buses were delivered for route 65 (branded Tracline 65 ), which was the first guided bus system in
5624-639: Was then improved upon by John Greenwood, who introduced a new double-decker in 1852. William Gladstone , speaking of London 's double-deck horse-drawn omnibuses , once observed that "...the best way to see London is from the top of a bus". Double-decker buses are in common use throughout the United Kingdom and have been favoured over articulated buses by many operators because of the shorter length of double-deckers and larger seating capacity ; they also may be safer to operate through narrow streets and round tight corners. The majority of double-decker buses in
5700-583: Was to develop the Korean version of Phileas vehicle by May 2011. Since June 2013, 3 miles (1.5 miles each way) of the Emerald Express (EmX) BRT in Eugene, Oregon, has used magnetic guidance in revenue service on an especially curvy section of the route that also entails small radius S-curves required for docking. The driver controls braking and acceleration. On kerb-guided buses (KGB) small guide wheels attached to
5776-891: Was usually 2-3 per week. No powerline items were included with the result that original engines were simply put back in the overhauled buses as they were. This had the effect that as the vehicles were driven from the West Midlands to Marshalls at Cambridge and driven back once completed and frequently broke down. Over 600, mainly MkII, Metrobuses were overhauled with the contract terminated abruptly in 1999 due to lack of confidence in Marshall Bus over delays with WMT orders for new single deck buses. The last Metrobuses were withdrawn from regular service in March 2010, being reduced to school services before their final withdrawal on 24 July 2010. A few were retained as driver training vehicles until 2017, however. In 2017 National Express West Midlands purchased
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