New in January 2024, YX73 XUC is part of a massive fleet renewal for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue. These new Emergency One bodied Scania P320s are replacing the lighter Volvo FL series and are the first Scanias at least in a while bought by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue who have been a keen Volvo customer since 1987 and since then no other makes have been bought by them until now.

Sadly the switch from Volvo to Scania is because a new 'clean cab' policy to 'protect personnel from harmful toxins which can contaminate firefighting PPE and equipment and reduce exposure to firefighters.

Currently these new Scanias are being rolled out across West Yorkshire with YK73 XUC being part of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue's Hunslet based fleet in Leeds which is actually my local fire station which I thought was fitting for my first fire and rescue vehicle project. And yes there's more on the way at some point!

On a personal note though a fire and rescue vehicle was long overdue with my late uncle in Austria taking me to the fire station he worked at, with me having a go in some cabs in each fire engine as I've had a few photos taken. This was when I was about six years old. So do expect more fire engines at some point, but as I thought I was in for an easy challenge with hardly no interior, the complex lining and ladders proved to be a very big challenge indeed. This actual blank canvas might not ever be used again for further uploads however is subject to further edits to make more.

Here's my Facebook page for more content! www.facebook.com/MetroRiderTransportGraphics/

Tags:   West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

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New in August 2024, 36637 is part of a growing fleet of Wright StreetDeck Electroliners for First West Yorkshire's Bramley depot. So far, Bramley depot are the only garage to have these buses out of the Leeds area along with the similar single decker Wright GB Kite Electroliners.

36637's first day in service was 5/8/24 whilst working my local route 65 as I found out as that was the bus I was on that day twice.

This most recent batch is actually the first StreetDeck Electroliners to be fitted with guidewheels although 36637 hasn't gained them yet but will do soon as the guidearms are already fitted since new. These are also the first StreetDecks of any kind to be fitted with such, the diesel ones had guidearms fitted but in the end guidewheels weren't despite some of those being branded for the York/Selby Road services whilst carrying yellow branding on their green Leeds City livery. There are different reasons circulating online, one being that the diesel StreetDecks were too light meanwhile another reason is that the front wheels protruded out too much and would have rubbed against the guidewheels, the latter reason seems correct as the wheels don't protrude out as much on the electrics including the GB Kites.

These electric StreetDecks are mainly for the York/Selby Road services whilst they replace some ageing Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs. Ironically, some of Hunslet's very own Volvo B9TLs are subject to being refurbished with similar seating to the electric fleet, these are also guided for the Scott Hall Road services after the newer hybrids have all been withdrawn and scrapped or earmarked for transfer elsewhere.

So for the time being, the to-be guided electric double deckers would be seen on any route which isn't guided as the 65 is a low frequency route operating once every hour between Gildersome and Leeds City Centre via Morley, White Rose Centre and Beeston. Normally the route will be worked by any StreetDecks powered by either electric or diesel however GB Kites can also be seen on the route now and again, very rarely is it anything else although mainly guided buses work early mornings including Volvo B9TLs.

The Wright StreetDeck Electroliner was launched in 2021 as Wrightbus' first electric double decker. The bus features no lower deck rear window as that's where some batteries and electrics are stored. First are the largest buyer of the type with a large batch already working with London-based operators, some of which have the new facelifted front end, like those in Oxford but are built with lowheight bodies.

The StreetDeck Electroliner also seems like the most popular out of the three double deck models from Wrightbus even more so than the Ultraliner diesels which seem to only trickle now with some for the Bee Network with the facelifted front end. Speaking of the new front end, the facelift was done in response to TfL's new ruling for lower windscreens to reduce fatalities, ADL's own new electric series has similar features. Also, a big interior difference is the absence of a middle rear seat on both decks, in their place is a grab pole as this is again another safety feature to TfL spec which can be seen on buses across the UK, presumably to prevent passengers getting thrusted down the isle if the bus has to brake hard or in an RTC.

Tags:   #ThinkElectric

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New in August 2008, 69369 was new to First York and was one of a few Wright Eclipse Urbans for the Park & Ride services. The buses differed from the usual Wright Eclipse Urbans which were in production at the time for First Group, these featured air-conditioning hence the presence of roof pods, one seat over the front wheels with a luggage rack on the right (normally two seats), and finally a Euro 5 engine as Euro 4 was still standard at that time I believe. Now however the buses have had Euro 6 upgrades as per most if not all of First West Yorkshire's Wright Eclipse Urbans new in 2007 and onwards so not as unique as they once were.

69369 originally carried the silver P&R livery which replaced the First 'Express' livery seen on the old fleet. In more recent times 69369's livery was slightly revised to accommodate advertisement boards on the nearside thus moving the 'Park & Ride' fleetname above the doors.

Later, 69369 along with a few other P&R buses had the P&R branding removed as the P&R fleet was being renewed with new battery-electric Optare MetroDeckers to boost capacity across the P&R network.

In 2021, 69369 was repainted into the First Urban livery which caused a stir among enthusiasts as the First York version is displaying correct Olympia-esque colours but the lilac line ends on the rear wheel and not ahead of it. Three years on, the bus still wears the livery but in early January 2024 has seen its first transfer outside York to Hunslet Park where she joins a few other ex-York Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs which wear a similar livery only with the York skyline fleet names replaced with Leeds ones, as seen in the drawing. Some of these Wright Eclipse Urbans can be found in Halifax and First South Yorkshire too as 69369 is still the only one of the batch in Leeds.

Although First Leeds has seen its fair few new buses over the years, its still played homage to York's old P&R fleet, including N plated Wright Axcess Ultralows, six articulated Wright Eclipse Fusions in 2009 with quite possibly some rigid Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7Ls in the late 2010s and 69369 is no exception. Some of York's Citaros have also been seen here in Leeds but not for service work as they've been here mainly for MOT work. Its not known if the Versas will be seen here at some point although I doubt the MetroDeckers will ever be seen here with their dual door layout.

The reason for 69369's transfer is because there is currently a huge influx of electric buses replacing diesels as its likely that most if not all First York's fleet will be fully electric by the end of this year if all goes well. However 69369 might not even spend long here either as First Leeds' electric fleet are due soon as some have already been built and are awaiting service.

69369's time at Hunslet Park isn't the first time one of these P&R Wright Eclipse Urbans saw service here, in 2009 two of that batch were on loan on the Dewsbury Road services with the 757. On 69369's first day, she was on the Dewsbury Roads as I found out first hand without warning whilst on the way back home from a shopping trip so took me by surprise really.

Route 12 meanwhile has in more recent years been worked by mainly Wright StreetDecks but sometimes the Dewsbury Road services along with the 12 as they are the 2, 3, 3A, 13 and 13A can often have some surprises in single deck form however some other double deckers can wind up on there from time to time, as two occasions has there been battery-electric Enviro400EVs from the PR3 on these routes, I have two photos of them on my Facebook page if you want to see. www.facebook.com/MetroRider30

**Notice about copyright** - Please don't use any of my drawings without permission, feel free to share but no copying and pasting for your own gain, which includes parts. All my work is done using MS Paint and some help with Paint.NET with my latest pieces.

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37450 was new to First Manchester in January 2009 and was one of many Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs for Oldham Depot. The bus was initially painted into the Barbie livery and was often working the 59 service.

Later in 2012, the bus was repainted into the Olympia livery with text which reads 'We believe in improving your buses' under the lower deck only to be replaced with skyline branding for the 58 and 59. Eventually, the branding was removed and was replaced by Greater Manchester skyline fleet names. All that happened within or around a year!

11 years gone by and the bus had no change until its time in Manchester came to an end when it fell out of favour with First Manchester downsizing their fleet as a number of their Volvo B9TLs were transferred over the Pennines and got transferred to Leeds' Hunslet Park depot.

With 37450, this batch replaced the Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B5LH hybrids for the 7/7A/7S/X7 services as the buses were becoming unreliable. These Volvo B9TLs were the only viable replacements for the hybrids as the buses had to use the guided busway and the diesel StreetDecks could not unless it was the X7.

For its time in Leeds, 37450 was repainted into the two-tone green Leeds City livery and was of course fitted with guide wheels as the bus still to this day works from Hunslet Park working the 7/7A/7S/X7 routes whilst often escaping onto the other services.

The 7A was part of the 7 Series routes launched in 2011 upon the hybrid fleet's arrival along with the 7, 7S and X7. The routes were previously numbered as 35, 45, 47, X35 and 71 and were once under the Superbus brand from the Yorkshire Rider era using Alexander Strider bodied Scania N113s. The only chance from then was the choice of vehicle with Wright Axcess Ultralows new in 1997 then Wright Eclipse Urbans new in 2008 but by this time the Superbus brand was discontinued in favour of the Overground Peach Lines.

With the hybrid buses gone the replacements we see now are actually around three years older and there's no new buses coming in at the moment. Instead the now 17 year old buses are gradually being repainted and refurbished into the new 'Ultraviolet' livery and interior same as the electric fleet. This means these 7 services will be using 100% old fleet with the choice of vehicle most likely being worked by a Wright Eclipse Gemini unless a loaner comes in from Bramley.

These services should not be confused with Transdev's existing route 7 which links Harrogate to Leeds using a fresh fleet of new Mercedes-Benz eCitaros. When will see see new buses for the Scott Hall Road services? Only time will tell!

Tags:   First West Yorkshire First Leeds Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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New in November 2018, YX68 UKY was the first Enviro200 MMC bought new for SquarePeg and was the only one of the fleet for five years. Infact all of SquarePeg's fleet are Enviro200s with classic and MMC style body with the only MCV Evolution. This Enviro200 MMC helped replace ageing ex-Transdev Wright Renowns which were bought second hand for the route 9 in 2017 which SquarePeg partially took over from First. First still carried on operating the White Rose Centre - Pudsey stretch for a few more years.

The bus initially entered service in all-white colours for a few months only to be repainted into SquarePeg's standard livery later on as the bus was most likely sourced from dealer stock.

Fast forward to now, route 9 had its fair share of big changes. First's White Rose - Pudsey route 9 was later taken on by another independent company Yorkshire Buses for a few months only for the route to be handed to SquarePeg but to avoid confusion with SquarePeg now doing the two stretches that route SquarePeg took over was renumbered as route 10.

Only months later, route 9 reverted as a circular route with a 'new' 9C added which goes the other way to the 9. This prompted SquarePeg to order brand new Enviro200 MMCs presumably to replace the ex-Dundee fleet which are around nine years old and are looking quite tired. Among the new fleet some 8.9m versions are in the small order with longer versions like YX68 UKY. It is strange seeing diesel buses with rear view mirrors instead of electrics with rear view cameras which First and Transdev are rolling out this year.

Contrary to being marketed as a new superloop service, its not new at all because if anything it is just like route 8 and 9 from the Yorkshire Rider era in the late 80s to early 90s when that company used Leyland Nationals and Optare Deltas, however the routes now are very different covering different areas like Garforth. Even more ironic to those times is that SquarePeg's cream/green livery is fairly reminiscent of Yorkshire Rider's although the colour shades are completely different to the actual green and cream Yorkshire Rider adapted but the style is quite similar.

Tags:   SquarePeg

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