Scania OmniCity Double Deck
Reading have a total of 14 OmniCity double deckers, which are based on the Scania CN270UD chassis with ethanol powered engines. Ethanol is a by-product of the sugar refining process, and Reading's supply is to be sourced from sugar beet grown in Britain and refined at a factory in Norfolk. Carbon emissions are 40 per cent lower than a Euro 5 diesel engine, and smell slightly different.
The vehicles are finished to a high internal specification to make them stand out from similar looking diesel powered vehicles in the fleet, as otherwise the vehicles would look and sound like any other. They feature full colour Hanover LED destination displays, leather seats stitched with the Reading Buses logo and an air chill system on the top deck.
The buses are being introduced onto route 17, which from 26 May 2008 became a 24-hour service, operating every hour all night (and half-hourly on Friday/Saturday nights).
The vehicles were originally due to arrive for launch at the end of April 2008, but over optimistic scheduling by Scania meant that in the end delivery dates were as follows: 1101 on 23rd April, 1102/3 on 15th May, 1104/5 on 20th May, 1106/7 on 22nd May, 1108 by 27th May, 1109/10 on 6th June, 1112 on 11th June, 1111/13 on 12th June and 1114 on 25th June.
The first vehicle, 1101, was used to shuttle approx 100 delegates attending the Bus Users AGM from the Station to the Wesley Methodist Centre in Queens Road on 26th April 2008. The proceedings were opened in fine style by Reading Transport's Chairman, Tony Jones, and all the participants were given a complementary Busabout for the day. It is seen below on one of its return trips:
The top deck of 1101 prior to the application of its internal route branding. The air chill system can just about be seen at the left above the stairs:
The following week 1101 went to the Scania dealership at Thatcham for work on various technical issues, returning on 13th May. 1101 is seen below on 27th May 2008, it's first day in revenue earning service, and now with full branding:
1103 is seen below in Broad Street on 30th May 2008 as part of Reading Town Centre Day, held during the school half term:
The rear branding on 1101, 1102, 1103, 1105, 1110 and 1114 was altered by 4th August from "I'm powered by sugar waste!" to "next stop: helping you tackle climate change" as illustrated by 1114 below on 26th August 2008:
YN07 LHD arrived on demonstration from 29 September 2007 as part of an evaluation of ethanol powered vehicles. It was fitted with a mk2 ethanol engine, whilst 1101-14 have more modern mk3 engines. Numbered 599, it is seen below on 10th October 2007:
More information about the trial was featured on the October 2007 news page.
