70-450: The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a low-floor double-decker bus body that was built by Wrightbus since 2001, based on the single-decker Wright Eclipse design. The second-generation Eclipse Gemini 2 was launched in 2009, followed by the third-generation Gemini 3 in 2013. Additionally, the body was available on Volvo Super Olympian chassis in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, marketed as
140-542: A double decker version of the existing Wright Eclipse body. The original Eclipse Gemini, and all versions up until the facelifted Gemini 3, have both the upper and lower deck front windscreens forming part of a single oval shape, with the destination blind in between. The interior of the Eclipse Gemini features curves similar to its exterior, and continues the modern feel. In 2006, the Volvo B7TL chassis, which had been
210-558: A comprehensive night bus network, three routes to Edinburgh Airport , and owns the subsidiary companies Lothian Country, East Coast Buses, Edinburgh Bus Tours, Lothian Motorcoaches and Eve Coaches. The company can trace its history back to the Edinburgh Street Tramways Company of 1871, also involving at various times the tramway companies of Leith , Musselburgh and Edinburgh North . The City Council ( Edinburgh Corporation Tramways Department) took over operation of
280-588: A few years. Over the years, the service has used the Leyland Olympian , Scania Omnicity , Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 and the Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 . Between June 2017 and August 2019 the Airlink service used a light blue and grey version of the standard angular livery. These vehicles have since moved onto Skylink, still with the light blue livery. other Skylink services use a medium blue and white version of
350-470: A large number of facelift Wright Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5TL and B5LH chassis from 2015 until 2019, many of which were ordered through a four-year agreement signed in 2016 with Wrightbus to supply new buses to Lothian's fleet. A majority of these Gemini 3s were delivered for the standard fleet to replace older buses, however some were also delivered for use on Airlink and Skylink services, the latter of which
420-530: A minor adjustment when a fleet of new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLBs were put into service in 2019, with smoother curves and a lack of a smaller 'cheatline' on the bus's lower sides. While the Enviro400 XLBs carried the coat of arms of the city of Edinburgh on each side, every batch of vehicles bought thereafter have not had the same coat of arms added. Lothian directly operates three services to Edinburgh Airport ; Airlink 100, Skylink 200 and Skylink 400. This
490-427: A route-branded livery. East Yorkshire Motor Services took delivery of twenty Gemini 2s in two batches in 2009. Six more were delivered to the company in 2014, followed by three acquired from Volvo dealer stock in 2015. Delaine Buses took delivery of seven Wright Gemini 2s on Volvo B9TL chassis between 2011 and 2015, with Delaine's final example also being the last Volvo B9TL chassis and Wright Gemini 2 body built for
560-715: Is a major bus operator based in Edinburgh , Scotland. It is the largest municipal bus company in the United Kingdom: the City of Edinburgh Council (through Transport for Edinburgh ) owns 91%, Midlothian Council 5%, East Lothian Council 3% and West Lothian Council 1%. Lothian operates the majority of bus services in Edinburgh, and is a significant operator in East Lothian , Midlothian and most recently West Lothian . It operates
630-663: Is a zonal system with East Coast Buses having six zones. Lothian-branded services are the core of the Lothian Buses group. There are some core services in the Lothian network that have followed more or less the same route since they were operated by trams in the 1950s, like services 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 16. However, the routes and timetables of most services are frequently modified in minor ways. For example, in recent years several confusing details such as letter suffixed routes and clockwise/anticlockwise circular services have been removed from
700-472: Is being built for Lothian Country and Lothian Motorcoaches in the Newbridge area. The design of the livery used by Lothian Motorcoaches is not related to the other brands of the group, being entirely dark grey with silver lettering. In February 2024, Lothian announced that it had purchased East Lothian coach operator, Eve Coaches. The company said that it intended to continue operating the existing services under
770-500: Is currently preserved at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum . Almost 600 buses were added to the fleet over the next 17 years. Following local government reorganisation, Edinburgh Corporation Transport was renamed Lothian Region Transport on 16 May 1975. In January 2000, it was again renamed as Lothian Buses . Lothian Buses have won several bus awards for their services to the Lothian region including Bus Operator of
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#1732869854524840-626: Is in addition to the service provided by Edinburgh Trams, which has one of its termini at the airport. All Lothian airport services use special airport fare zones, meaning a single ticket to the airport costs significantly more than the standard single ticket. However, a journey that does not include the airport zone is charged at the standard fare. Airlink 100 runs to St Andrew Square along Corstorphine Road. Since 30 July 2017, Airlink has accepted contactless card payments as well as cash and ridacard fares. Skylink Services also accept Contactless, beginning with purchase of normal tickets but now works with
910-641: Is purchased initially from a Transport for Edinburgh Travelshop, where the owner's picture is incorporated on the card to prevent misuse. Once purchased, the card can be placed onto an on-board reader, which reads the contactless chip in the smartcard. Cards can be credited for a weekly, 4 weekly or annual period. A warning is displayed on the last five days of validity. The card can then be topped up at Transport for Edinburgh Travelshops or PayPoint equipped retailers. Lothian Buses launched contactless payment on their normal day network in 2019. Passengers can tap their contactless card to be able to travel when they board
980-589: The 2012 Summer Olympics . Six were also delivered across two batches for First Berkshire 's Green Line service 702 between 2011 and 2013, while First Eastern Counties took delivery of 15 Gemini 2s for services in Norwich in 2012. Lothian Buses were a continuing customer for the Gemini body on Volvo B9TL chassis, purchasing 145 Gemini 2s from 2009 to 2011. 14 of these were delivered in 2010 for Lothian's Airlink services, specified with luggage racks, free WiFi, tables and
1050-675: The Eclipse 2 single-decker, as part of Wrightbus' new design philosophy. A low-roof version was introduced in 2012. After having been a significant customer for Wright Eclipse Geminis, outside London, the FirstGroup ordered comparatively fewer Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s on the Volvo B9TL chassis. First West Yorkshire took the largest delivery of Gemini 2s in the group, with 47 delivered to the operator in 2012 following their use in London on shuttle services for
1120-548: The Oxford Bus Company , who had nineteen low-roof examples delivered in 2013, and National Express West Midlands , who had eighteen in two batches delivered between 2011 and 2013. 22 were delivered to First West Yorkshire in 2011 for use on the Leeds guided busway , while 14 were delivered to First Greater Manchester , where four were also purchased that year by Bullocks Coaches for use on shuttle services along Oxford Road to
1190-571: The Scania K410EB . Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied buses were mass-introduced on London Buses services from 2001. It has also been popular with FirstGroup , who from 2003 onwards have purchased over 1,200 into service. Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann have also acquired many Volvo B9TLs with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork. The Wright Eclipse Gemini was launched in 2001, initially on the Volvo B7TL chassis, as
1260-608: The University of Manchester . Smaller operators include Brighton & Hove , who had eleven delivered in 2012, Preston Bus , who had eight delivered in 2013, and Ensignbus , who had five delivered in 2012. Like the Explorer, the Eclipse Gemini 2 was sold in Hong Kong, including a tri-axle variant that replaced the Explorer. Citybus , Kowloon Motor Bus, MTR Bus and New World First Bus purchasing examples. In 2013, Kowloon Motor Bus purchased two extended 12.8 metre long demonstrators. and
1330-614: The Wright Explorer . The original Eclipse Gemini was launched in 2001 on Volvo B7TL chassis; from 2006, the body was also built on the replacement Volvo B9TL chassis and, from 2013, on the B9TL's replacement, the Volvo B5TL . From 2008, the body was also available on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis. Eclipse Gemini's exported to the Asian market have been offered a choice of the tri-axle Volvo B8L and
1400-420: The "Tap Tap Cap..." scheme. Skylink 200 commenced on 23 April 2017, running from the airport to the north of Edinburgh, terminating at Ocean Terminal . It was initially operated by single decker buses, but double deckers have been used since 1 October 2017. Skylink 400 commenced on 29 July 2018 operating to Fort Kinnaird via Gracemount , Fairmilehead , Oxgangs and Colinton . It replaced and upgraded
1470-612: The '20 Days Of Summer' bus tour, serving destinations around Edinburgh such as the Braid Hills , Colinton , Fettes College , the Ocean Terminal and Portobello using a fleet of refurbished former Mac Tours AEC Routemasters. In June 2018, Lothian returned to the coach charter market after a 19-year absence through a new subsidiary named Lothian Motorcoaches that commenced with five Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B11Rs and three-second-hand Van Hool bodied Volvo B12M Ts. A new depot
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#17328698545241540-549: The B7TL's discontinuation in 2007. The first examples on the following Volvo B9TL chassis entered service with First South Yorkshire and First Glasgow in 2007, subsequently followed by a large order from First Greater Manchester , who ordered over 200 of the type from 2007 to 2010. In London, the Wright Eclipse Gemini on the Volvo B7TL chassis was also highly popular with Transport for London operators, although these buses were
1610-519: The Classic Tour identity. From 2002 to 2016, a sightseeing operation named MacTours operated across Edinburgh between March and October, using a fleet of 12 AEC Routemaster buses painted in a dark red and cream livery. These were withdrawn in November 2016 due to changing environmental standards and disabled access requirements. On 2 April 2022, Edinburgh Bus Tours launched Cobbles' Tour, named after
1680-705: The Edinburgh Tour and the Regal Tour. The City Sightseeing tour is operated as a franchise of the City Sightseeing brand. City Sightseeing and the Edinburgh Tour visit the Old Town , New Town , Calton Hill, Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle , albeit on slightly differing routes. The Regal Tour operates a long loop from Holyrood and New Town, via the Royal Botanic Garden , to the coast at Ocean Terminal ,
1750-628: The Edinburgh Tour's Scottish Terrier mascot 'Cobbles'. The service, which operates using five Volvo B5TL Wright Gemini 3s cascaded from the other open-top operations, serves the Grassmarket , Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile at a fifteen-minute frequency. This tour did not return in 2023, with buses being moved onto City Sightseeing and Edinburgh Tour tours allowing for summer frequency increases. Today's open-top services are operated by Edinburgh Bus Tours under three distinct brands: City Sightseeing,
1820-473: The Gemini 3, was launched in 2013 for the new Volvo B5TL chassis, the eventual replacement of the B9TL. The Gemini 3 also remained available on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis. Some design features were taken from the New Routemaster , another Wrightbus design. The two most noticeable aesthetic changes were a substantial redesign of the rear end and the introduction of smaller upper deck windows to save weight;
1890-590: The New Town that are served by as many as a dozen different routes, such as Nicolson Street and Leith Walk . Some of these services, like services 3, 26 and 37, extend into outlying towns in East Lothian and Midlothian. There are also some more orbital routes, such as service 38. Traditionally, Edinburgh Corporation, LRT and Lothian Buses had been generally painted in a madder (a dark red) and cream (or white) livery. When low floor disabled access vehicles were introduced in
1960-740: The UK market. Dublin Bus purchased 160 during 2012 and 2013. The Volvo B5LH with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork was popular with Arriva UK Bus , with 77 examples delivered to group subsidiaries between 2012 and 2013. 44 were delivered to Arriva North West , 33 of which were for use in Merseyside and the remaining eleven delivered for use in Manchester, 12 were delivered to Arriva Yorkshire , eleven were delivered to Arriva Southern Counties and ten were delivered to Arriva North East . Elsewhere, operators of Volvo B5LHs with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork include
2030-554: The Volvo B5LH chassis between 2016 and 2017. Smaller orders for the facelift Gemini 3 on the Volvo B5TL chassis, meanwhile, include the University of Wolverhampton , who took delivery of five Gemini 3s for shuttle services between the university's campuses in 2017, and Sanders Services , who took delivery of two of the type in 2021. The first three-axle Volvo B8L delivered to SBS Transit in Singapore in 2017 received Gemini 3 bodywork and
2100-870: The Volvo B5TL chassis for use on the operator's Lakesider sightseeing service in the Lake District in 2017, and Stagecoach East received six B5TL Gemini 3 open-toppers in 2018 for its City Sightseeing operations in Cambridge . Translink, who were a launch customer for the facelift Wright Gemini 3, standardised on both pre and post-facelift Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5TL chassis, with a majority being delivered to Metro for use in Belfast . Ten facelift Gemini 3s were also delivered in May 2017 for Airport Express services serving Belfast International Airport . Transdev Blazefield first took delivery of 14 high-specification facelift Gemini 3s on
2170-477: The Volvo B5TL chassis in 2014, and Yellow Buses took delivery of eight Gemini 3s on Volvo B5TL chassis in 2015. Delaine Buses purchased three Wright Gemini 3-bodied B5TLs between 2015 and 2017. In 2014, to coincide with the launch of the integral Wright StreetDeck , the Gemini 3 underwent a facelift. Both the front and rear ends were substantially redesigned to match the StreetDeck. Lothian Buses took delivery of
Wright Eclipse Gemini - Misplaced Pages Continue
2240-751: The Volvo B5TL chassis to upgrade their 36 service in 2016, which was followed by the purchase of ten similar buses for the Yorkshire Coastliner service in 2016. Both services received three more Gemini 3s in 2017. First Greater Manchester purchased 20 facelift Gemini 3s on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis in 2015 for use on Transport for Greater Manchester -contracted Vantage services on the Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit scheme, with five more acquired in 2016 to cope with increasing demand. Arriva Merseyside also received 51 facelift Gemini 3s built with low-height bodies on
2310-866: The Volvo B7TL chassis in 2005, which were used on the X10 express service connecting Newcastle upon Tyne and Middlesbrough ; this was followed in 2006 by an order for five B7TL Geminis for use on the 724 service connecting Newcastle and Chester-le-Street . East Yorkshire Motor Services purchased a total of 60 Wright Eclipse Geminis on both the Volvo B7TL and B9TL chassis between 2005 and 2009, including four for its Manchester-based Finglands Coachways operation, and Lincolnshire RoadCar took delivery of six Wright Eclipse Geminis on Volvo B7TL chassis for Lincolnshire InterConnect services in 2006. The Blazefield Group first ordered Wright Eclipse Geminis in 2003, ordering twelve Volvo B7TLs with high-specification interiors for use on The 36 , serving Ripon , Harrogate and Leeds . This
2380-408: The Volvo B7TL chassis was similarly popular with Travel West Midlands , taking delivery of 150 of the type between 2004 and 2006, as well as Translink of Northern Ireland, who took delivery of 125 Geminis on Volvo B9TL chassis during 2007 for use by both its Metro and Ulsterbus companies. Go North East initially took delivery of three Wright Eclipse Geminis with high specification interiors on
2450-587: The X18 on 2 December 2018, serving Edinburgh and Armadale via Broxburn and Bathgate, and night service N28, replicating the existing X27 route as far as Deans South. In May 2023 a new N18 night service was introduced, with one journey per night between Edinburgh and Bathgate via Broxburn, and with an additional journey per night on weekends. Lothian Buses have operated city tours using white liveried coaches. Later, Leyland Atlanteans were employed in this same livery, with blinds for City Tour. These wore an updated version of
2520-477: The Year in the 2007 UK Bus Awards, and has subsequently been voted Public Transport Operator of the Year (Bus) at the 2008 National Transport Awards, at which the company was cited for its substantial route development, 32% growth in passenger numbers since 1998 and £100 million investment in low-floor buses since 2000. Lothian Buses was voted Best UK Bus Company in 2002 and 2003. Vehicles previously carried
2590-636: The angular livery. From August 2019, Enviro400 XLBs have been introduced on the Airlink Service, with a dark blue plain livery with a large gold Airlink logo on both sides. In summer 2012, First Scotland East withdrew route 44B from Edinburgh to Pencaitland . This prompted Lothian Buses to expand into East Lothian much further than they had for years; far past the Tranent terminus of the service 26. Operations were initially branded as East Lothian Buses, and service 113 launched on 12 June 2012. A second service
2660-431: The body shapes of more modern buses. The last harlequin bus was repainted in 2016. In late 2016 a new livery, known as the fleet of the future livery, was unveiled on a batch of new Wright Gemini 3 Streetdeck style buses, for route 22. The angular shape and style of this livery was a complete departure from anything Lothian had designed before, and as of 2021 is the standard livery for all new vehicles. The livery underwent
2730-439: The bus. Daily capping is provided so that the passenger is only charged the maximum value of a day ticket if they make three or more journeys in one day. Otherwise they will be charged an adult single. Passengers can view their journey history by going to Lothian's website. Regular Lothian Bus services running within Edinburgh and the west of East Lothian operate a flat fare, but from Longniddry , Macmerry and Ormiston there
2800-472: The chassis. Deliveries commenced in 2006 with an initial batch of 64 Wright-bodied B9TLs. After the introduction of Euro IV-engined Volvo B9TL, this bodywork became known as the Eclipse Gemini tri-axle, but no bodywork carrying this name were known to have been built. The second generation Wright Eclipse Gemini, called the Eclipse Gemini 2, was launched in 2008 on Volvo B9TL and B5LH chassis. The Eclipse Gemini 2 features front and rear ends facelifted to match
2870-428: The creation of a wholly owned subsidiary company, East Coast Buses, to again fill the gap left by First. The new company also took over the former First depots at North Berwick and Musselburgh, and took on many former First staff. From 23 April 2017, the two Lothian Country Buses routes were integrated into East Coast Buses. East Lothian Buses services were initially operated by existing Lothian vehicles. The service
Wright Eclipse Gemini - Misplaced Pages Continue
2940-454: The fleet of the future livery, the angular Lothian design, in green and grey (though the ECB green is slightly bluer than that formerly used by LCB). In November 2021, Lothian Buses announced a new joint livery for subsidiaries Lothian Country and East Coast Buses. They were similar liveries with the only differences being the vinyls (logos) being put on the buses to signify which company was operating
3010-415: The front light clusters were also slightly redesigned, in order to incorporate separate LED daytime running lights for the first time. The majority of orders for the pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3 were placed by Dublin Bus , who have taken over 600 of the type on from 2014 onwards, the majority of which were built on the Volvo B5TL chassis. Some of these have since transferred to Go-Ahead Ireland following
3080-456: The late 1990s, they were given their own distinguishing "harlequin" livery, moquette covered seating and brightly coloured floors and walls. The last high step bus was removed from service by Lothian in the late 2000s, making the distinction irrelevant. Lothian began to phase out the harlequin livery in May 2010, replacing it with a version of the traditional madder and white colour scheme. This had sweeping curved lines, having been updated to suit
3150-544: The map. In the last ten years, there have been many temporary and permanent diversions in the New Town, including the closure at various times of Princes Street for tram works, George Street for pedestrianisation and Leith Street for the reconstruction of the St James Centre . The majority of current routes pass through the city centre from opposing termini, either crossing or following Princes Street in full or in part. This means that there are some arteries in and out of
3220-429: The old service 18. Skylink 300 commenced on 1 October 2017, as an upgrade and renumbering of the old service 35, which ran from the airport to the Ocean Terminal via Slateford , Longstone and South Gyle . The 35 had been a way of getting to the airport while only paying the standard Lothian fare, and usually used repainted ex-Airlink vehicles with extra luggage racks. The route was amended on 29 July 2018, shortening
3290-403: The opposite direction out of the city. On 19 August 2018, three new Lothian Country services to West Lothian commenced, creating new links between Edinburgh and Bathgate , and Edinburgh Park station and Whitburn . On 17 November 2019 service X38 was launched connecting Edinburgh to Linlithgow (now withdrawn), rivalling First Scotland East's service with the same number. This was followed by
3360-467: The relocation of the rear number plate from its integrated position with the upper rear window to a more conventional siting at the bottom of the bus. The first-generation Wright Eclipse Gemini was highly popular with the FirstGroup , with the group ordering examples from 2004 onwards. Wright Eclipse Geminis on the Volvo B7TL chassis entered service with First Glasgow , First West and South Yorkshire , and First Leicester , among others, between 2004 and
3430-475: The rest of Scotland. As of April 2023 , an adult single fare is £2 and a child fare costs £1. An adult day ticket costs £5 and a child day ticket £2.50. Fares are paid into a hopper, which automatically dumps the money into a vault to which the driver has no access; change is not given. The Lothian 'Ridacard' bus pass is a pre-paid plastic smartcard giving unlimited travel on regular daytime and night bus services, as well as Edinburgh Trams services. It
3500-682: The retendering of Dublin Bus services to the new company by the National Transport Authority . In London, pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5LH chassis were delivered to Stagecoach London , who took delivery of 32 of the type in 2014 for service on route 53 ; these were subsequently disposed of to Arriva London in 2018. Metroline, meanwhile, took delivery of 95 B5LHs with pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3 bodies, and in 2015, London United took delivery of 28 Gemini 3s, with Tower Transit also taking delivery of eleven Gemini 3s. Lothian Buses purchased 25 pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3s on
3570-496: The route considerably and introducing a new terminal at Cameron Toll. At the same time, a modified 35 was reintroduced, but this service terminated at Heriot-Watt University rather than the airport. Skylink 300 was withdrawn from the timetable change on 11 September 2022 due to low passenger demand. Between June 2021 and March 2022, Skylink services 200, 300, and 400 were adjusted to call at the Royal Highland Centre , which
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#17328698545243640-401: The service. As of November 2023, the repainting process has been completed. In June 2017, a new subsidiary named Lothian Country commenced operating route 43 to South Queensferry after the previous operator Stagecoach East Scotland deemed the service not economically viable. This new operation re-used the then-recently defunct Lothian Country Buses brand, for unrelated services travelling
3710-488: The site of the former Royal Yacht Britannia . All sightseeing services are operated with 30 purpose-built Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL open top buses , which replaced Plaxton President bodied Dennis Tridents in 2016. For the City Sightseeing tours, the livery is red, for Edinburgh Tours the livery green, and Regal Tours use blue coloured vehicles. Between 4 and 26 August 2018, Edinburgh Bus Tours operated
3780-817: The subject of criticism for noise from their cooling fans. Arriva London were the launch customer for the Wright Eclipse Gemini, taking on its first two of the type in July 2001, one of which was displayed at the 2001 International Association of Public Transport conference at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre . Arriva London would go on to operate a total 179 Wright Eclipse Geminis on the Volvo B7TL chassis, while 273 B7TL Geminis were delivered to Go-Ahead London Central and London General , 209 to First Capital , 73 to Travel London , 44 to East Thames Buses and three delivered to London United . A single Euro IV Volvo B9TL demonstrator with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork
3850-501: The subject of noise complaints, was superseded by the Volvo B9TL , with Wrightbus launching a facelifted version of the Wright Eclipse Gemini to fit the new chassis. The updated styling was largely confined to the rear of the body, where it has a more rounded appearance compared to the original and a central LED route number panel, housed within a smoked glass effect panel underneath the upper rear window. Other external modifications included
3920-536: The tramways in 1919, at which time most of the system was cable operated . Electrification of the tram network was completed in 1923, but the first motor buses had arrived in 1919. The city's trams ceased operation between 1950 and 1956, after which the operation became the Edinburgh Corporation Transport Department. In 1965, it purchased its first rear-engined double-decker bus, a Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 (registration ESF 801C). This bus
3990-690: The twin-axle Scania K410EB chassis. These were delivered sometime in 2020 and were unveiled in 2021. Competitors: [REDACTED] Media related to Wright Eclipse Gemini at Wikimedia Commons Low-floor bus Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 491203179 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:44:14 GMT Lothian Buses https://edinburghtour.com https://lothianmotorcoaches.com Lothian Buses
4060-591: The white livery with blue detailing after a short period. An Edinburgh Classic Tour was set up in 1989 using open top Leyland Atlanteans, and later Leyland Olympians , which competed with Guide Friday. This was as a result of Guide Friday introducing competition on the city centre to Airport route. The buses wore a blue and white livery, each carrying a name e.g. Scottish Star , Lothian Star and Highland Star . Lothian Buses also operated open top tours in Oxford (in conjunction with local operator Tappins) and Cambridge under
4130-754: The wording Voted Scotland's Best Bus Company 2006 in a laurel wreath type logo near the fleetname. In November 2011, the company won the Top City Operator of the Year award at the UK Bus Awards. In June 2023, Lothian Buses received the Excellence in Transport Accessibility award and the Excellence in Innovation and Technology award at the Scottish Transport Awards. In 2024, the company
4200-537: Was added in September 2014 (the 104 to Haddington ). The brand name was changed to Lothian Country Buses. One reason for launching as a separate brand was to make it easier to introduce a zonal fare system, rather than the flat fare of Lothian Buses. First Scotland East announced in June 2016 that they would be withdrawing entirely from East Lothian by 14 August, believing the county to be unprofitable. Lothian later announced
4270-475: Was also made available on the hybrid Volvo B5LH chassis in 2008. The first six hybrid Eclipse Geminis were delivered to Arriva London in 2009. Between 2003 and 2005, Wrightbus bodied 100 Volvo Super Olympian chassis for Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong; these received a modified version of the Eclipse Gemini body, initially marketed as The Wright Bus but later being renamed the Wright Explorer. The bodywork
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#17328698545244340-758: Was delivered in mid-2014. Citybus took an example of the 12.8 metres long as well and was delivered in late-2013, with build quality issues delaying the registration process and eventually put into service in March 2015. In 2017, the first demonstrator Volvo B8L for Kowloon Motor Bus was fitted with an Eclipse Gemini 2 body. Between 2010 and 2017, SBS Transit and Land Transport Authority took delivery of 1,606 Eclipse Gemini 2s, being delivered as knock-down kits and locally assembled by ComfortDelGro Engineering . As of 2017, they are operated by Go-Ahead Singapore , SBS Transit , SMRT Buses and Tower Transit Singapore . The third generation Wright Eclipse Gemini, now called simply
4410-564: Was delivered to London Central in July 2006, however orders did not materialise. Lothian Buses were another popular customer of the Wright Eclipse Gemini, initially ordering 125 on the Volvo B7TL chassis between 2005 and 2006, having previously standardised with the Plaxton President on the Dennis Trident chassis. The company moved onto the Volvo B9TL chassis in 2007, taking on a first batch of 50 that year. The Wright Eclipse Gemini on
4480-457: Was followed by a delivery of 16 Geminis on B7TL chassis in 2005 for use on The Witch Way , serving Burnley and Manchester . Ten Wright Eclipse Geminis on Volvo B9TL chassis were later delivered to Yorkshire Coastliner in 2008. Smaller operators of Wright Eclipse Geminis included Yellow Buses , who took delivery of six B7TL Wright Eclipse Geminis, and Wessex Bus , who took delivery of seven B9TL Geminis during 2007. The Wright Eclipse Gemini
4550-450: Was in use as a vaccination centre during the COVID-19 pandemic . These services were reverted to their original routings when the centre closed in March 2022. Airlink 100 was originally branded as "Airline", and has used many different liveries and logos, though all have been primarily blue. Airlink buses are always new when they start on the service, and are cascaded to other services after
4620-406: Was later operated by five Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLEs and two Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident 2s . The East Lothian Buses/Lothian Country Buses livery was a version of the standard Lothian design featuring sweeping curved lines in bright green and cream, similar to the livery of the former Scottish Motor Traction / Eastern Scottish buses. East Coast Buses then used a version of
4690-462: Was modified to fit the Super Olympian chassis, with the most noticeable difference being the tri-axle layout. The last Volvo Super Olympian to roll off the production line received Wright Explorer bodywork. Subsequently, the Super Olympian was replaced by a tri-axle variant of the Volvo B9TL . Wrightbus offered similar tri-axle bodywork, which was unnamed and had slightly different rear styling, to
4760-820: Was named Bus Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards. Lothian Buses was also awarded the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award from the Ministry of Defence and the silver award in the Employer of the Year category at the Scottish Veteran Awards. Lothian Buses have operated a flat-fare system since March 2006. Adult and child singles and day tickets, pre-paid multiple singles and 'Ridacards' are also available, with senior citizens travelling on free travel passes in line with
4830-592: Was registered as SG4003D. It failed trials in Singapore as a demonstrator and was subsequently bought over by A&S Transit (now registered as PD169L). Hong Kong's franchised bus operators have also placed orders for Volvo B8Ls with Gemini 3 bodywork – 200 for Kowloon Motor Bus, 10 for Long Win Bus, 46 for Citybus and 7 for New World First Bus. KMB's vehicles entered service in March 2018, with Citybus and New World First Bus's examples entering service in December 2019. Hato Bus ordered 5 sightseeing buses in December 2018 on
4900-404: Was specified to operate B5LH hybrids. The facelift Wright Gemini 3 also can be configured as a purpose-built open top bus . The biggest customer for the open-top Gemini 3 is Lothian Buses, who took 30 examples for use on the company's City Sightseeing , Edinburgh Tour and Majestic Tour operations in 2016. Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire , meanwhile, received seven open-top Gemini 3s on
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