Wright Pulsar Gemini

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Wright Pulsar Gemini
Arriva London South - DW69 - LJ04LDU.JPG
An Arriva London Wright Pulsar Gemini in Brixton, December 2013
Overview
Manufacturer Wrightbus
Production2003–2006
Assembly Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2
Floor type Low-entry
Chassis VDL DB250LF
Related Wright Pulsar
Powertrain
Engine DAF ATi RS 8.6 litre
DAF Paccar PS 9.2 litre
Ford Puma 2.4l I4 diesel (HEV) [1]
Capacity56–70 seated
Transmission Voith DIWA
ZF Ecomat
Dimensions
Length9.6–10.5 m (31–34 ft)
Width2.55 m (8.4 ft)
Height4.4 m (14 ft)
Chronology
Successor Wright Gemini 2

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.

Contents

In 2007, Wrightbus launched the Wright Gemini 2 integral double-decker with VDL DB300 chassis modules as the successor to the Pulsar Gemini in both diesel and hybrid-electric forms.

Features

As with the Wright Eclipse Gemini, this bus has both the upper and lower deck front windscreens forming part of a single oval shape, with the destination display in between. In London, they have two doors for passenger loading, one at the front and one in the centre. The staircase is situated between the front and centre entrances.

Operators

The Pulsar Gemini was ordered almost exclusively by Arriva UK Bus, with its Arriva London subsidiary purchasing 133 examples between 2003 and 2005, numbered in the DW series, and Arriva Midlands purchasing 32 for use in Leicester in 2006, which were numbered 4746–77, sharing the 47xx series numbers in the Midlands fleet with other DAF DB250s (with East Lancs Mylennium Lowlanders being numbered 4701-45 and ex-Arriva London Alexander ALX400s being numbered 4778 onwards). [2] [3]

Konectbus purchased five Wright Pulsar Geminis in 2005.

Pulsar Gemini HEV

Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV with First Somerset & Avon in Bath. Bath hybrid double deck bus.JPG
Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV with First Somerset & Avon in Bath.

The Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV was the hybrid-electric variant of the Pulsar Gemini, introduced in 2006. It was the first hybrid double-decker to be built in the United Kingdom. It was based on the same VDL DB250 chassis as the diesel Pulsar Gemini, but with the DAF engine removed and replaced with a smaller Ford Duratorq engine coupled to a hybrid-electric driveline. Only three Pulsar Gemini HEVs were built – as detailed below – before the model was superseded by the introduction of the Wright Gemini 2 HEV in 2007.

Production vehicles

The first Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV was unveiled by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone in October 2006. [4] After being exhibited at the Euro Bus Expo at the National Exhibition Centre, in March 2007 it entered service with Arriva London on route 141 for evaluation. [5] [6] [7] In 2008 it moved to East Thames Buses' Mandela Way garage for six months, mainly being used on route 1. From August 2010 until February 2012, it operated for First Somerset & Avon in Bath after having its centre door removed. [8] [9]

The second production Pulsar Gemini HEV was delivered to Dublin Bus of Ireland in late 2008. [10] [11] [12] It was withdrawn in January 2012 and sold to Ensignbus, where it caught fire on June 9, 2012, due to an electrical fault.[ citation needed ]

The third and final Pulsar Gemini HEV to be completed was delivered to London General and entered service in 2009. It left the fleet in early 2012 and its current whereabouts are unknown.

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References

  1. ↑ "A hybrid bus that cuts fuel consumption in half".
  2. ↑ Show debut for Pulsar Gemini Wrightbus 29 October 2003
  3. ↑ "Inward-facing rear seats go with disappearing DLAs" Buses issue 720 May 2015 page 22
  4. ↑ Hybrid-double-decker bus unveiled BBC News 31 October 2006
  5. ↑ Arriva trials world's first double decker hybrid bus Arriva 16 March 2007
  6. ↑ Hybrid double-decker bus launched BBC News 16 March 2007
  7. ↑ Competition hots up on hybrids Bus & Coach Professional 21 November 2008
  8. ↑ Wrightbus double deck hybrid makes a big impression in Bath Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership 10 November 2010
  9. ↑ Civitas case study: Hybrid bus is better for Bath Clean & Better Transport in Cities
  10. ↑ New direction as first hybrid bus works cross-city The Herald 1 October 2008
  11. ↑ Dublin Bus puts hybrid-electric vehicle into service for test period Irish Times 16 December 2008
  12. ↑ "Dublin to get hybrid double-decker". Bus & Coach Professional. 11 April 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

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