X3 SCANIAS ARRIVE AT RINGWOOD

26th September 2008 to 11th October 2008

On Friday 26th September the first Wilts & Dorset Scania OmniCity vehicles arrived. They have transverse 9000cc engines (a larger cubic-capacity than the Optare Spectras but with 5 cylinders) and they will be equipped with a device onboard to monitor fuel efficiency. The driver's seat can be heated. The X3 branding transfers have been applied to fleet number 1119 as can be seen. I understand that the fleet number follow on from the recent Southern Vectis Scania delivery. Driver training started on Monday 29th September. I apologize for the quality of the photos as the sun glare was strong and the paintwork on the buses was very, very clean and shiny!

Top speed: 55mph
ZF Automatic Gearbox
Height: 14.5m
Seating Capacity Upper Deck: 45
Lower Deck: 31 or 29 & 1 wheelchair
10 Standing
Total Passengers: 86

Bristol VR's 4431 & 4432 were suddenly taken off the road at Ringwood Depot after their last trips Friday 10th October 2008. 4431 returned after it's pm school run on service 750 (Twynham School-Hurn, Moors Close); I drove 4432 on the pm service 778 (St. Peters, Southboune-Burton). On arriving back at the depot the ticket machines were removed and the Operator's Licence Disc taken out from 4432. The Ł160,000 new vehicles commenced service on the X3's, Saturday 11th October. There are three variations of livery to look for at present: one has the Salisbury Graphic on the rear; one has Bournemouth; the third is plain (no X3 transfers) with Wilts & Dorset on the lower panels.

wFollowing pictures taken late March 09 Buy Print	x Buy Print	y Buy Print	z Buy Print
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aFirst one in Buy Print	bFirst with transfers on, more-or-less just arrived Buy Print	c Buy Print	dIt is thought that one Scania may not have any X3 branding so as to operate on other routes Buy Print