Wright Pulsar

Last updated

Wright Pulsar
ArrivaWrightPulsar.png
Arriva North West Wright Pulsar bodied VDL SB200 in Bolton in May 2013
Overview
Manufacturer Wrightbus
Production2006 - 2014
Assembly Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2
Floor type Low floor
Low entry
Chassis VDL SB200
Related Wright Pulsar Gemini
Powertrain
Engine Cummins ISBe
Hydrogen fuel cell
Dimensions
Length11.90 metres
Width2.50 metres
Height3.00 metres
Chronology
Predecessor Wright Commander

The Wright Pulsar was a single-decker bus body built on the VDL SB200 single-decker bus chassis by Wrightbus between 2006 and 2014.

Contents

A total of 639 Pulsars were built. Arriva was the main customer, with large numbers entering service at its Kent Thameside, North West, Midlands and Yorkshire divisions. First London purchased eight hydrogen-powered Pulsars. Additionally a number of independent operators also purchased Pulsars. A double-decker version of the Pulsar was also produced as the Pulsar Gemini.

First generation (2006–2013)

First London Wright Pulsar 2 hydrogen-powered bodied VDL SB200 HyFLEETCUTE-HydrogenBus-London3.JPG
First London Wright Pulsar 2 hydrogen-powered bodied VDL SB200

The Pulsar was launched at the 2006 Euro Bus Expo as the replacement for the Commander. It was also intended to replace the VDL SB120 based Cadet midibus; however, no shorter Pulsars were built. Of the 114 produced, all bar eight entered service with Arriva. [1]

First London purchased eight hydrogen-powered Pulsar bodied VDL SB200s for use on route RV1 between 2010 and 2013. The hydrogen fuel pods are fitted to the whole length of the roof on top of the buses. [2]

Second generation (2009–2014)

The second generation Pulsar, known as the Pulsar 2, was launched in 2009. The Pulsar 2 features facelifted front and rear ends to match the new Eclipse 2.

The first examples were delivered to Arriva's North East and North West divisions in 2009. Of the 525 produced, Arriva purchased 462. The final two Pulsar 2s were delivered to Claribels Coaches of Birmingham in April 2014. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrightbus</span> Northern Irish bus manufacturer

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B7TL</span> Low-floor longitudinal double-decker bus chassis

The Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus chassis which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of the Volvo Olympian. It was built as the British bus operators seemed hesitant to purchase the B7L double decker with a long rear overhang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VDL SB200</span> Motor vehicle

The VDL SB200 is a 12 m light-weight, low floor single decker bus chassis that was produced from 2001 to 2014 by VDL Bus & Coach. It superseded the SB220.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VDL DB250</span> Twin-axle double-decker bus chassis

The VDL DB250 is a twin-axle double-decker bus chassis manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Eclipse Gemini</span> Low-floor double-decker bus body

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 the Wright Explorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VDL SB120</span> Motor vehicle

The VDL SB120 was a low floor light-weight midibus produced from 1999 by VDL Bus & Coach of the Netherlands primarily for the United Kingdom market.

Operation Overdrive is the name of a series of improvement programmes carried out by Arriva in their UK bus operations. The original Operation Overdrive was done by Arriva Southern Counties in the Medway Towns (Kent) in 2004, with further operations occurring in Maidstone (Kent), Merseyside, Leicestershire, County Durham, and Southend-on-Sea (Essex).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Pulsar Gemini</span> Double decker bus body

The Wright Pulsar Gemini is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Commander</span> Low-floor bus body on VDL SB200 chassis

The Wright Commander was a low-floor single-decker bus body built on the DAF/VDL SB200 chassis by Wrightbus between 2002 and 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Optare Olympus</span> Double-decker bus

The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare, East Lancs and Darwen. It could be built as a body available on Alexander Dennis Enviro400, Volvo B9TL or Scania N230UD/N270UD chassis with the 2-axle and 3-axle variants. It is the double-decker equivalent of the Optare Esteem. Some 3-axle Olympus buses were built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MCV Evolution</span> Single-deck bus bodywork

The MCV Evolution is a low floor and low entry single-decker bus body built by Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles. It was unveiled in 2003 as the successor to the MCV Stirling. The MCV Evolution 2 was launched, initially on Mercedes-Benz chassis in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arriva Buses Wales</span> Bus operator in North Wales and Chester

Arriva Buses Wales is a bus operator providing services in northern Wales and Chester in northern England. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Gemini 2</span> Motor vehicle

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B5LH</span> Motor vehicle

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arriva Sapphire</span> Brand of bus services

Arriva Sapphire is a luxury brand used by various Arriva bus subsidiaries in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright StreetDeck</span> Low-floor double-decker bus on integral chassis

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arriva Max</span> Premium brand used by various Arriva bus subsidiaries in the United Kingdom

Arriva Max is a premium brand used by various Arriva bus subsidiaries in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC</span> Low-floor double-decker bus

The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC is a low-floor double-decker bus produced by the British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis since 2014, replacing the Alexander Dennis Enviro400. The Enviro400 MMC is produced at Alexander Dennis' Falkirk and Scarborough factories in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright GB Kite</span> Zero emissions single-decker bus range

The Wright GB Kite is a range of full-size zero-emission single-deck buses manufactured by Wrightbus since 2022. Similar in body style to the diesel powered Wright GB Hawk, the GB Kite is an integral design that can be built as a battery electric vehicle, the Electroliner BEV, and as a fuel cell electric vehicle, the Hydroliner FCEV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caetano City Gold</span> Low-floor single-decker bus bodywork produced since 1997

The Caetano City Gold is a series of low-floor, single-decker bus bodywork designs produced by Salvador Caetano since 1997. As of 2022, the City Gold has been launched with diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen fuel cell and full electric powertrains.

References

  1. Wright Pulsar Bus Lists on the Web
  2. Mayor of London unveils hydrogen bus fleet for the Capital Transport for London 10 December 2010
  3. Wright Pulsar 2 Bus Lists on the Web

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Wright Pulsar at Wikimedia Commons