WA Transport General Discussion & Questions

[Mr OC Benz]

Please check back to the 2017 thread to see if your topic or question has already been discussed.

[the c man]

Has the trial ended on asets 43&44 bsets 115&116 for the USB charging points, now that most of the recent delivered buses have them?

[TP1462]

Has the trial ended on asets 43&44 bsets 115&116 for the USB charging points, now that most of the recent delivered buses have them?

Aah yeah the trial was deemed a success but it’s never been officially mentioned by the Minister or PTA, set 049 should be getting charging ports whilst in refurb sets 117 and up should come with them or have them fitted at Nowergup, the A sets probably won’t get charging ports as they’re due for withdrawal starting from 2024

[Shoudy Chen]

Yesterday, I noticed TP0107 (ex-CAT Bus) operating the 362F at the Perth Busport. I noticed that there were air vents being placed at the back of the OC500LE CNG bus. I believe that a few ex-CAT OC500LE buses have been retrofitted with the air vents at the back.

[busdriver12]

Yesterday, I noticed TP0107 (ex-CAT Bus) operating the 362F at the Perth Busport. I noticed that there were air vents being placed at the back of the OC500LE CNG bus. I believe that a few ex-CAT OC500LE buses have been retrofitted with the air vents at the back.

I think that's a Path thing. When I worked for them, some of the O405NH's (gas and diesel) were fitted with them as well. There were also extra air vents installed in the driver's cab for better circulation.

[Bus Suggestions]

Hi all, just something quick to ask. Is it normal for late trains to skip stations? (The 7:51 AM from Butler skipped Warwick due to late-running)

[pasha241]

hi just want to ask why Thornlie line is made for not stopping at beckenham

[Squiddy]

Hi all, just something quick to ask. Is it normal for late trains to skip stations? (The 7:51 AM from Butler skipped Warwick due to late-running)

It doesn't happen often, but in my years of catching the Mandurah line I've seen it happen a few times. Usually they keep repeating it over the loudspeaker every 30 seconds til the train leaves.

I remember one case when I was leaving Mandurah, the train must have had some pretty severe technical issues. They were like 'The next train will not stop at Warnbro Station'... then two minutes later they said 'The next train will not be stopping at Warnbro or Rockingham, it will run express to Wellard'... Then after another couple minutes they were saying 'The next train will be running express from Mandurah to Cockburn Central Stations...' At that point they must have given up because the next announcement was 'The next service has been cancelled, the next departure is from platform 2 in X minutes.'

I've seen them skip one station a few times though, only that one time above have I ever seen a late-running train skip more than one. It seems pretty normal, but infrequent due to how on-time the trains usually are (plus it's not worth skipping a station if a train is only a couple of minutes late)

[Perth Jaywalker]

Crossing Beaufort St Bridge northbound this evening I noticed orange-taped square signs on the traffic light posts at Roe St. I suspect these are No Right Turn signs soon to be uncovered. If so this is a much needed change, since the two northbound lanes are filled up quite easily in the pm peak, and also buses entering the city rarely make it through both lights (Roe St and Wellington St) at this time (or any time other than the am peak) due to the split phasing favouring northbound traffic.

[Perth Jaywalker]

Confirmed No Right Turn (northbound) and removal of protected turn (southbound) today.

Beaufort St looking north before Roe St

Beaufort nb Roe.jpg (72.52 KiB) Viewed 11192 times

For the first time since 2013, a To Perth bus and a From Perth bus can pass Roe St simultaneously.

Beaufort St looking south before Roe St

Beaufort sb Roe.jpg (77.91 KiB) Viewed 11192 times

Full size images here.

[Squiddy]

So, for my own curiosity (And for practical reasons since I require them a lot when out and about), does anyone have a detailed list of the buses with USB charging ports installed?

From my own observations I know of:

2391 - 2398
2540 onwards
2612
2645 onwards (including all of the CATs in this number range as far as I'm aware)
2725 onwards
3072 onwards

However I'm sure my list is missing some. I don't know if any of the earlier 25xx, 26xx (edit: I now know a few 26xxs have them after seeing 2612 with them installed) or 30xx buses had them trialed in early 2016 along with the 2300s, and I also don't know with which recent deliveries they resumed adding them again, other than it was in late 2016. From my research I get the newer ones as 2538+, 2645+ and 3067+ but I don't have the observations to back them up. Does anyone know for sure?

Cheers!

[os91]

Hi there. I have a few random questions:

What actually happens to a bus when it is refurbished (i.e. what is replaced/fixed/added etc)? All I know is that the bus gets re-painted differently...

Will the current fleet of B7RLEs need to be refurbished at some point in the future, and if so when will this start?

How many more Volvo B7RLEs are going to be delivered? I remember reading somewhere that the PTA signed a contract for 650 Volvo buses, but I believe that there have been more than that delivered already if you include the new CAT buses and bendy buses.

When the last new articulated bus is delivered, will all of the remaining non-accessible Renault buses be withdrawn? If they are, would that mean that the whole TransPerth fleet would be wheelchair accessible?

Is there a bus network map of the Forrestfield/High Wycombe/Kalamunda area after the new Forrestfield Airport Link opens? / Are the routes in the area even going to be changed when the line opens?

Apologies if my questions have really obvious answers.

[Merc1107]

Have answered a couple of your points. The other points, I simply have no idea. They are good questions!

What actually happens to a bus when it is refurbished (i.e. what is replaced/fixed/added etc)? All I know is that the bus gets re-painted differently...

The repaint is definitely a major part of it, but other works include replacement seat handles and upholstery, cleaned (or replaced?) A/C ductwork. Varies between buses but you may also find the floor in the rear portion of the bus gets painted, not sure if this due to replacement of the floorboards underneath or just to improve the aesthetics of worn out floor material.
As for the driver's cab area, not sure what is replaced in this area. Others have stated in the past that any mechanical works that occur are at the discretion of the operator.

When the last new articulated bus is delivered, will all of the remaining non-accessible Renault buses be withdrawn? If they are, would that mean that the whole TransPerth fleet would be wheelchair accessible?

The last Renault articulated bus (Mandurah's 722) was withdrawn several months ago now, and the fleet has been 100% wheelchair accessible since. 3102 is supposed to be the final B8 articulated bus as part of the Volvo contract.

[Squiddy]

Will the current fleet of B7RLEs need to be refurbished at some point in the future, and if so when will this start?

Again I don't know the answers to some of these, but based on the other models (O405NHs were done around 2010-14, O405 CNGs were done around 2013-15, OC500LE CNGs started being done in 2015 and are still being done now) it appears that they aim to refurb buses around the 11-12 year old mark. Which suggests they'll start doing the earliest B7s around 2022 (There are still a LOT of OC500s that haven't been refurbed yet).

But with that said, a few B7s (the early 22xx and 23xx in particular) are in pretty terrible condition already so it wouldn't surprise me if they went in a little earlier, but probably not before 2020 since there are still ~250 OC500s left to go.

[Zidanehartono]

I notice that Thornlie Line services are TA on the platform display although the train itself indicates T.

So does TA mean Thornlie All Stops?

[the c man]

I notice that Thornlie Line services are TA on the platform display although the train itself indicates T.

So does TA mean Thornlie All Stops?

It's the normal Thornlie T pattern all stations except beckenham. I've also noticed it to

[shinjiman]

I notice that Thornlie Line services are TA on the platform display although the train itself indicates T.

So does TA mean Thornlie All Stops?

I reckon this was the normal trip to Perth Station in T stopping pattern, then continues to Fremantle in A stopping pattern.
In the timetable one of the morning peak trip was marked as AT.

[Merc1107]

I notice that Thornlie Line services are TA on the platform display although the train itself indicates T.

So does TA mean Thornlie All Stops?

I reckon this was the normal trip to Perth Station in T stopping pattern, then continues to Fremantle in A stopping pattern.
In the timetable one of the morning peak trip was marked as AT.

I've seen off-peak Thornlie-bound services docked at their usual terminating platform displaying "Thornie TA," there's no way the service originated from Fremantle when at Platform 4.

[Shoudy Chen]

I noticed that older O405NH diesel powered buses have left Transperth fleet. The thing about it was the Transregional buses remaning in the fleet (e.g. TP1155-65, 1166-68, 1173-77, 1203-09, 1231-33 (left TP in 2005), 1300-01,1356-62, 1500-09, 1573-90, 1770-71. Will these Regional buses be replaced with Volvo buses?

[os91]

I noticed that older O405NH diesel powered buses have left Transperth fleet. The thing about it was the Transregional buses remaning in the fleet (e.g. TP1155-65, 1166-68, 1173-77, 1203-09, 1231-33 (left TP in 2005), 1300-01,1356-62, 1500-09, 1573-90, 1770-71. Will these Regional buses be replaced with Volvo buses?

If the diesel 0405NH buses are going to be withdrawn, I believe they would be replaced with some of the older B7RLEs. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think they must be diesel buses because the TransRegional areas don’t have the ability to refuel gas buses. My guess would be that some of the older 1400s, 2200s and 2300s B7RLEs would be sent out to regional areas in the future.

By the way, why were 4 B8 rigids delivered to each operator earlier this year (Path: 2753-2756, Swan: 2586-2589, Transdev: 2677-2680)? Is it some sort of trial? Because I thought that the B8RLEs were going to be used on CAT services.

[the c man]

I noticed that older O405NH diesel powered buses have left Transperth fleet. The thing about it was the Transregional buses remaning in the fleet (e.g. TP1155-65, 1166-68, 1173-77, 1203-09, 1231-33 (left TP in 2005), 1300-01,1356-62, 1500-09, 1573-90, 1770-71. Will these Regional buses be replaced with Volvo buses?

If the diesel 0405NH buses are going to be withdrawn, I believe they would be replaced with some of the older B7RLEs. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think they must be diesel buses because the TransRegional areas don’t have the ability to refuel gas buses. My guess would be that some of the older 1400s, 2200s and 2300s B7RLEs would be sent out to regional areas in the future.

By the way, why were 4 B8 rigids delivered to each operator earlier this year (Path: 2753-2756, Swan: 2586-2589, Transdev: 2677-2680)? Is it some sort of trial? Because I thought that the B8RLEs were going to be used on CAT services.

Paths b8 2753-2756
Swans b8 2586-2589
Transdevs b8 2677-2680 are trials.

[Shoudy Chen]

But with that said, a few B7s (the early 22xx and 23xx in particular) are in pretty terrible condition already so it wouldn't surprise me if they went in a little earlier, but probably not before 2020 since there are still ~250 OC500s left to go.

I noticed that there were Mercedes Benz Oc500LE Diesel powered buses (TP1440-1461, 1463-1466, 2098-2123, 2201-2215 were in Regional areas) were delivered in late 2010 through to early 2011. All of these rigid buses have left the Transperth fleet to replace the older buses in Regional areas. The seats Will the Oc500LE diesel units be refurbished any time soon? If yes, which facility will these buses be refurbished?

[Merc1107]

Will the Oc500LE diesel units be refurbished any time soon? If yes, which facility will these buses be refurbished?

Another member will have to correct me, but (I think) there are still the odd un-refurbished TransRegional O405NH vehicles getting about. A couple have been sighted in recent times visiting Perth for refurbishment.

As for who carries out the refurbishment, it boils down to whoever has the contract to do so at the time. I would guess all three operators send their buses to the same place, but have never put any real thought or investigation into the matter.

[Bus Suggestions]

Omnibus Services seem to do the refurbishments.

[Bus Suggestions]

Question: Can anyone tell me what route the 1979-1983 LincLine buses took?