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Description
The 2023 influx of new vehicles have started to appear at Go South Coast subsidiary "morebus". A total of forty-nine Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC double-deckers (Nos.1713-62) are expected before next spring, the first entering service on September 1st, making them some of the first 73-plate buses to enter service in Britain. The complete order of vehicles is divided between those for the M1/M2, former Yellow Buses routes 5/5A (Bournemouth - Kinson) and the remainder taking up generic positions in the fleet.

First being drip-fed into service are those for M1/M2 routes. They wear another variation of "morebus" fleet livery with suitable branding for the shared Poole-Bournemouth corridor section with the respective end destinations at the eastern end shown separately. Only those for the M1/M2 are expected to feature a dedicated brand/livery style. They replace Enviro200 MMC saloons on these routes. No.1714 (HJ73 JJX) is seen having just passed St Michael's Church at the top of Poole Hill in Bournemouth.

The new order feature some specification changes compared to previous incarnations of this type with the operator. These include bonded glazing opposed to QRG, "Smart Seats" and new wood-effect floors that are dementia friendly. All aside from the last feature are arguable unnecessary. Mechanically it seems "morebus" are finally starting to understand their operating terrain as these buses are fitted with 6.7-litre 6-cylinder Cummins straight-diesel engines coupled to a 4-speed Voith DIWA gearbox, the same combination as on 2022's "Unibus" fleet of buses and better suited to the area than the previous Cummins/ZF combination.

The new buses have been a long time coming. Since Yellow Buses collapsed in August 2022, "Morebus" has had to fill a huge void in the area with whatever it could spare and get its hands on. The balls-up that will be the start of the "Bee Network" in Manchester has poached buses from this and several other GSC operations leaving many desperately short at a time they were just getting back to some form of normality. The introduction of the new stock on the streets of Bournemouth and Poole will provide a sense of relief and hopefully re-establish a trust bond between operator and the travelling public.

It's been a complicated, hectic and emotional year since Yellow Buses departed the scene. By my own admission I am grateful for the way "morebus" stepped up to keep the routes going. There's been much chopping and changing with the combined network but it was inevitable that it would eventually succumb to full "morebus" control and practices. However, the network "morebus" now calls its own is a fine one and offers plenty of scope for the bus users in the area. It's a hard pill to swallow but that's now how it is. It's a new chapter and a new start for Bournemouth. An opportunity for "morebus" to show us what it can do now it's gained free reign. We (begrudgingly) accept the new age.

As the band "Madness" once stated:

"I can't be happy 'til it's understood.
I'll make my own way.
Give me something that I can call my own.
I'll nail down the days."

Description
The 2023 influx of new vehicles have started to appear at Go South Coast subsidiary "morebus". A total of forty-nine Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC double-deckers (Nos.1713-62) are expected before next spring, the first entering service on September 1st, making them some of the first 73-plate buses to enter service in Britain. The complete order of vehicles is divided between those for the M1/M2, former Yellow Buses routes 5/5A (Bournemouth - Kinson) and the remainder taking up generic positions in the fleet.

First being drip-fed into service are those for M1/M2 routes. They wear another variation of "morebus" fleet livery with suitable branding for the shared Poole-Bournemouth corridor section with the respective end destinations at the eastern end shown separately. Only those for the M1/M2 are expected to feature a dedicated brand/livery style. They replace Enviro200 MMC saloons on these routes. No.1714 (HJ73 JJX) is seen having just passed St Michael's Church at the top of Poole Hill in Bournemouth.

The new order feature some specification changes compared to previous incarnations of this type with the operator. These include bonded glazing opposed to QRG, "Smart Seats" and new wood-effect floors that are dementia friendly. All aside from the last feature are arguable unnecessary. Mechanically it seems "morebus" are finally starting to understand their operating terrain as these buses are fitted with 6.7-litre 6-cylinder Cummins straight-diesel engines coupled to a 4-speed Voith DIWA gearbox, the same combination as on 2022's "Unibus" fleet of buses and better suited to the area than the previous Cummins/ZF combination.

The new buses have been a long time coming. Since Yellow Buses collapsed in August 2022, "Morebus" has had to fill a huge void in the area with whatever it could spare and get its hands on. The balls-up that will be the start of the "Bee Network" in Manchester has poached buses from this and several other GSC operations leaving many desperately short at a time they were just getting back to some form of normality. The introduction of the new stock on the streets of Bournemouth and Poole will provide a sense of relief and hopefully re-establish a trust bond between operator and the travelling public.

It's been a complicated, hectic and emotional year since Yellow Buses departed the scene. By my own admission I am grateful for the way "morebus" stepped up to keep the routes going. There's been much chopping and changing with the combined network but it was inevitable that it would eventually succumb to full "morebus" control and practices. However, the network "morebus" now calls its own is a fine one and offers plenty of scope for the bus users in the area. It's a hard pill to swallow but that's now how it is. It's a new chapter and a new start for Bournemouth. An opportunity for "morebus" to show us what it can do now it's gained free reign. We (begrudgingly) accept the new age.

As the band "Madness" once stated:

"I can't be happy 'til it's understood.
I'll make my own way.
Give me something that I can call my own.
I'll nail down the days."