Wright Eclipse Gemini

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Wright Eclipse Gemini
File:First Somerset & Avon 36166 BD11 CFK 2.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Wrightbus
Body and chassis
Doors Single or dual door
Floor type Low floor
Chassis Volvo B7TL
Volvo B9TL
Volvo B5LH Hybrid
Volvo B5TL
Powertrain
Engine Volvo D7C (Volvo B7TL)
Volvo D9B (Volvo B9TL)
Volvo D5E (Volvo B5LH Hybrid)
Volvo D5F (Volvo B5LH Hybrid)
Volvo D5K (Volvo B5LH Hybrid/B5TL)
Transmission ZF
Voith
Volvo I-SAM
Dimensions
Length 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) dual-axle or
12 m (39 ft 4 in) triple-axle
Width 2.52 m (8 ft 3 in)
Height 4.23 m (13 ft 11 in) or 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Chronology

The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a type of double-decker bus body built on the Volvo B7TL, B9TL, B5LH and B5TL chassis. The body was introduced in 2001.

Wright launched the facelifted version of the Eclipse Gemini in 2006, soon after the introduction of the 2-axle Volvo B9TL chassis in the same year. Six of these bodies were built on the Volvo B5LH chassis and delivered to Arriva London in 2008.

The Eclipse Gemini 2, with front and rear ends facelifted to match the Gemini 2 integral, was first built in 2009. The low-height version was introduced in 2012. The last Eclipse Gemini 2 for the UK and Ireland entered service with Delaine Buses in March 2015.[1]

The Eclipse Gemini 3, for the new Volvo B5TL chassis, was launched in 2013 with modified side windows and rear end to fit the new chassis, and will be sharing the same front end design with the StreetDeck in 2014.[2] Some styling details were taken from the New Routemaster, another Wrightbus product. In late 2014, the WrightBus had renamed as Gemini 3 for further redesigned as well as shared the same front end design with the StreetDeck.

Wright Eclipse Gemini-bodied buses have been mass-introduced into London since 2001, where they replaced types such as the AEC Routemaster and Leyland Titan. It is also popular with FirstGroup, with over 1,000 buses being put into service with the group. Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann have also acquired a large number of Volvo B9TLs with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork.

The Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied buses had also been sold to Kowloon Motor Bus and Citybus of Hong Kong and SBS Transit of Singapore, where bodywork for the latter are locally assembled.

Features

The Gemini has both the upper and lower deck front windows forming part of a single oval shape, with the destination blind in between. In London, they often have two doors for passenger loading, one at the front and one in the centre. The staircase is situated across from the centre entrance. The staircase itself differs from other modern buses as rather than simply having a banister, the Gemini features a glass panel underneath the handrail, giving a stylish appearance. All Eclipse Geminis are fitted with LED rear lights, and although London and Lothian models retain "power blinds" (electrically operated traditional destination boards), most have LED destination screens (as is common with most buses nowadays). As is common on most new buses, stop request buttons appear on both floors and should these be pressed, the word "Stopping" appears in green on a black glass effect panel, much more streamlined than the traditional box housing. The interior of the Gemini features curves similar to its exterior, and continues the modern feel.

The facelift on the facelifted version of the Eclipse Gemini is largely confined to the rear of the body, where it has a more rounded appearance and centralised LED route number panel, housed within a smoked glass effect panel underneath the upper rear window. Other external modifications include the relocation of the rear number plate from its integrated position with the upper rear window to a more conventional siting at the bottom of the bus.

Internally, the facelift consists of an extension of the driver guard panel to include the on-bus vault (passengers now must put their hand through a gap in the panel to reach the vault) and a slightly modified staircase separation wall, which now features a glass panel, presumably to improve the view of passengers sitting in the seat directly in front of the wall.

Gallery

Eclipse Gemini
Eclipse Gemini 2

See also

Competitors

References

  1. ↑ "Last Gemini 2 enters service with Delaine" Buses issue 721 April 2015 page 11
  2. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohanb9tl/10227940843/in/photostream/

External links

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