Wright Gemini 2 | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Wrightbus |
Production | 2007 - 2013 |
Assembly | Ballymena, Northern Ireland |
Body and chassis | |
Doors | 1 or 2 |
Floor type | Low floor |
Chassis | VDL DB300 |
Powertrain | |
Engine | Gemini 2 DL: Cummins ISBe 6-cylinder Gemini 2 HEV: Ford Puma |
Transmission | Gemini 2 DL: Voith / ZF Friedrichshafen |
Dimensions | |
Length | 10.4 metres |
Width | 2.52 metres |
Height | 4.23 or 4.40 metres |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Wright Pulsar Gemini Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV |
Successor | Wright StreetDeck |
The Wright Gemini 2 is a double-decker bus built by Wrightbus between 2008 and 2013. It was announced in December 2007 but was not named until 2008. It was constructed as a semi-integral vehicle, with chassis modules provided by VDL. The bodywork utilised some lighter materials so that the vehicle was lighter than the Eclipse Gemini and Pulsar Gemini bodied buses. It was available in two versions; the Gemini 2 DL diesel-powered version, and the Gemini 2 HEV diesel-electric hybrid version.
In 2014, the Gemini 2 was superseded by the StreetDeck.
The Gemini 2 was launched in 2007 as the replacement for the Pulsar Gemini and one-off Pulsar Gemini HEV. [1] It was semi-integral, being based on the updated VDL DB300 chassis. The first two were produced with identical bodywork to the original Pulsar Gemini, however, on subsequent production models, the front and rear ends of the body were facelifted to match the Volvo based Eclipse Gemini 2. It was unveiled at the National Exhibition Centre in November 2008, with a First London Gemini 2 HEV appearing at the show. [2] [3]
The Gemini 2 DL was offered with Cummins ISBe 6-cylinder engines with Voith or ZF Friedrichshafen gearboxes. A total of 462 Gemini 2 DLs were built between 2009 and 2013, mainly for Arriva, including 322 for its Arriva London subsidiary. First London and London General were the only other customers, taking four and one respectively. [4] [5] A low height version with a flat roof was introduced in 2009 with Arriva North East and Arriva Yorkshire the first customers. [3] [6]
The Gemini 2 HEV was offered with a Siemens series hybrid drive system with a 2.4 litre 4-cylinder Ford Puma engine for power generation. [7]
Ten Gemini 2 HEVs were built, Arriva London and First London each purchased five for use on routes 141 and 328. [3] [4] [8] [9] Arriva's being sold to Ensignbus and later to Crosville Motor Services for use as open top buses in Weston-super-Mare while First's were transferred to First West of England and First York. [10]
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo from 2002 until 2018. It superseded the Volvo Super Olympian and the Volvo B7TL. The 2-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B5TL in 2014 and the 3-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B8L in 2018.
Wrightbus is a Northern Irish bus manufacturer and a pioneer of the low-floor bus. The company was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and was later run by his son William Wright, until it was acquired in 2019 by British businessman Jo Bamford.
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The Wright Pulsar Gemini was a design of double-decker bus bodywork built onto VDL DB250LF chassis by Wrightbus between 2003 and 2006. It was visually almost identical to the Wright Eclipse Gemini that was mounted on the Volvo B7TL and later Volvo B9TL chassis.
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Wright Gemini, a generic name for a style of low-floor double-deck bus bodywork built by Wright may refer to:
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The Volvo B5LH is a low-floor hybrid electric bus chassis for both single-decker buses and double-decker buses manufactured by Volvo since 2008. It is the basis for Volvo's integral 7700 Hybrid full low floor city bus and its successor, the 7900 Hybrid from 2011. In 2008, pre-production batches of both types of chassis were manufactured. Serial production started in June 2010. From 2013 it is also available as an articulated bus chassis. First entering service in London, the B5LH is the only current double decker type in service in the United Kingdom that uses a parallel hybrid drive system.
The Wright StreetLite is a low-floor midibus introduced by Wrightbus in 2010. It was originally available in only one body style before the door forward and StreetLite Max variants were introduced in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Production of all variants of the StreetLite was briefly suspended due to Wrightbus entering administration in September 2019, with complete removal from the product line in 2024.
The East Lancs OmniDekka is a double-decker bus built for sale in the UK market, introduced by East Lancashire Coachbuilders in 2003. Originally built on Scania N94UD chassis at Euro 3, and later Scania N230UD and N270UD at Euro 4 and Euro 5, the bodywork consists of a modified East Lancs Myllennium double decker, but with the standard front end cowl and windscreen replaced with that of Scania's own integral OmniCity. Through takeovers of East Lancs, production of the OmniDekka was latterly carried out by the Darwen Group and finally Optare before ceasing in 2011.
The Wright StreetDeck is an integral double-decker bus manufactured by Wrightbus since 2014, originally delivered as standard with a Daimler OM934 diesel engine. Hybrid-electric, full-electric and hydrogen-powered variants have subsequently been produced. Production of the StreetDeck range was briefly suspended when Wrightbus entered administration in September 2019.
Media related to Wright Gemini 2 DL at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Wright Gemini 2 HEV at Wikimedia Commons
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