Wright Eclipse

The first generation Wright Eclipse was launched in 2000 by Wrightbus on Volvo B7L chassis as the replacement for the Wright Renown bodywork on the older Volvo B10BLE chassis. A majority of these were purchased by FirstGroup.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} Both a bi-axle and tri-axle variant were offered, however only the former was ever built.{{Cite web |title=Full Size |url=http://www.wrightbus.com/bus_produc_full.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060311202713/http://www.wrightbus.com/bus_produc_full.htm |archive-date=11 March 2006 |access-date=26 November 2022 |publisher=Wrightbus}}

However, sales of the B7L were lower than anticipated in the United Kingdom, owing to its unusual engine layout; as a result, the Eclipse Urban was launched on Volvo B7RLE chassis in 2003, at which time the original B7L bodywork was renamed to the Eclipse Metro.{{cite press release |url=http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=97 |title=Eclipse Urban – A Compliment to the Wrightbus Eclipse |publisher=Wrightbus |date=April 2003 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109120659/http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=97 |archive-date=9 November 2006}} The Eclipse Urban proved to be far more successful in terms of sales and remained in production until 2009, while the Eclipse Metro was withdrawn from sale several years after introduction of the Eclipse Urban.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

File:Arriva The Shires 3890 LF02 PVA 3.JPG|alt=|Arriva Shires & Essex Wright Eclipse Metro bodied Volvo B7L in July 2009

File:First Wright Eclipse 01.jpg|alt=|First Calderdale & Huddersfield Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLE in July 2007

Wrightbus also offered the Eclipse Commuter for a time, which was built on a version of the B7RLE chassis with the higher floor section extended to the front axle of the bus. It was intended for longer distance and intercity work. The design included all of the features of a standard coach, such as under-floor storage and a high seating position, while maintaining a small low floor section for passengers in wheelchairs.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cbwnet.co.uk/editorial/psvnews.asp?s=ed&ss=psvn&article_id=5064 |date=30 January 2003 |title=Wheelchair access: a Wright solution |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=561 |page= |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=14 July 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030313080634/http://www.cbwnet.co.uk/editorial/psvnews.asp?s=ed&ss=psvn&article_id=5064 |archive-date=13 March 2003}} The first entered service with Ulsterbus in April 2004 while Yorkshire Coastliner ordered six (which never entered service) and Stagecoach West Scotland ordered two, supplied with funding with Dumfries and Galloway Council.{{cite news |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/blazefield-orders-six-eclipse-commuters/ |title=Blazefield orders six Eclipse Commuters |work=Bus & Coach Professional |date=28 May 2004 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429181106/http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/blazefield-orders-six-eclipse-commuters/ |archive-date=29 April 2018}}{{cite news |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/eclipse-commuters-to-enter-service/ |title=Eclipse Commuters to enter service |work=Bus & Coach Professional |date=9 December 2005 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429181417/http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/eclipse-commuters-to-enter-service/ |archive-date=29 April 2018}}

File:Ulsterbus bus 247 (NEZ 9247) 2007 Volvo B7R Wright Eclipse SchoolRun, 4 September 2007.jpg first batch Wright Eclipse SchoolRun bodied Volvo B7R in Derry in September 2007]]

In 2006, Wrightbus launched the Eclipse SchoolRun; effectively an entirely high floor version of the Eclipse Commuter, bodied on Volvo B7R coach chassis. The Eclipse SchoolRun was mainly intended for school bus work. Northern Ireland bus operator Ulsterbus were the only customer to order the Eclipse SchoolRun, initially taking delivery of 160 of the type in their first batch order between 2007 and 2008,{{cite news |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/translink-places-school-bus-order/ |title=Translink places school bus order |work=Bus & Coach Professional |date=15 November 2006 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429182150/http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/translink-places-school-bus-order/ |archive-date=29 April 2018}}{{cite news |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newsstory.aspx?id=1374 |title=New SchoolRun unveiled by Wrightbus |work=Bus & Coach Professional |date=23 May 2007 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007014401/http://www.busandcoach.com/newsstory.aspx?id=1374 |archive-date=7 October 2007}} with an additional batch of 61 Eclipse SchoolRuns delivered to the operator between 2009 and 2010.

The first 110 Eclipse SchoolRuns delivered between 2007 and 2008 were equipped with 66 cyan seats in a high-density 2+3 layout and orange handrails, featuring several seats at the front of the bus that could be removed to make room for wheelchair spaces; the latter 50 buses were delivered with 62 seats and a permanent wheelchair area to save time reconfiguring the seating arrangement. The head directional indicators were LED instead of using Halogen light bulb.{{cite news |last1=McCreary |first1=Matthew |title=Translink's new fleet to hit the road with style |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/translinks-new-fleet-to-hit-the-road-with-style/28070975.html |access-date=11 October 2024 |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=18 December 2007 |quote=The first 30 of the 62 seater single decker buses will have a dedicated space for a wheelchair passenger which will be accessed by a powered side lift. The remainder of this order will facilitate additional wheelchair passengers if necessary.}} The second batch of 61 buses were delivered to Ulsterbus in this latter configuration between 2009 and 2010. With a new style of interior of having blue seats and pink handrails.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

File:Plymouth Citybus 106 WA12ACZ (9592343891).jpg Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE in December 2012]]

{{See also|Wright Pulsar 2}}

The second generation Wright Eclipse, known as the Eclipse Urban 2, was launched at the 2008 Euro Bus Expo as the successor to the Eclipse Urban, although the two designs were produced concurrently until 2009.

The Eclipse 2 features a facelifted front fascia and rear end, and was available exclusively on the Volvo B7RLE chassis.

The Burnley Bus Company were the first customer to take delivery of the Wright Eclipse Urban 2, with nineteen delivered for the operator's 'Mainline' services in 2009.{{cite news |author= |date=10 December 2012 |title=Raising the bar for bus refurbishment |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/featurepage.aspx?id=5807&categoryid=0 |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |issue=266 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916205251/http://www.busandcoach.com/featurepage.aspx?id=5807&categoryid=0 |archive-date=16 September 2012 |access-date=16 August 2023}}{{cite press release |title=Nineteen new Volvos for Transdev Burnley and Pendle |date=18 February 2009 |url=https://www.volvobuses.com/gb/news/2009/feb/news-58286.html |access-date=18 August 2024 |publisher=Volvo Buses United Kingdom and Ireland |language=en-GB}}

A batch of Urban 2s with air conditioning were leased to Malta Public Transport in 2014.{{cite news |author= |date=12 January 2015|title=Malta's new contractor starts |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/maltas-new-contractor-starts/ |work=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |access-date=16 August 2023}}

File:East Coast Buses 10060 and 10059, seen in Edinburgh.jpg Wright Eclipse 3 bodied Volvo B8RLE in July 2018]]

The third generation Eclipse, known as the Eclipse 3, was launched in 2015. The Eclipse 3 was only available on Volvo B8RLE chassis, the successor to the B7RLE.{{cite magazine |title=Wrightbus launches Eclipse 3 |magazine=Buses |location=Stamford |publisher=Key Publishing |issue=727 |page=8 |date=October 2015}} As well as the difference in chassis, the front and rear ends initially underwent a minor facelift, incorporating design features from the Wright StreetLite integral design. The first Eclipse 3s entered service with Trentbarton in October 2015 and the second batch by Stagecoach in the Fens for the Cambridgeshire Busway. The front design was revised further in spring 2017 with the first (and only) {{convert|13.2|m}} examples being purchased by East Coast Buses.{{cite news |last=Champan |first=Jessamy |url=http://www.route-one.net/articles/Bus_routes/15_single_decks_for_East_Lothian |title=15 single-decks for East Lothian |work=routeone |date=19 April 2017 |access-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429182923/http://www.route-one.net/articles/Bus_routes/15_single_decks_for_East_Lothian |archive-date=29 April 2018}} The first {{convert|11.8|m}} variant with the revised bodywork has since entered service with Delaine Buses.{{Cite news|url=https://www.route-one.net/articles/Bus_routes/Delaine_upgrades_fleet_and_goes_contactless|title=Delaine upgrades fleet and goes contactless|work=routeone|date=19 September 2018|access-date=23 September 2018}}

• {{Portal-inline|Buses}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071130034908/http://www.wrightbus.com/site/default.asp?CatID=47 Wright Eclipse Commuter product description]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071020045056/http://www.wrightbus.com/site/default.asp?CATID=48 Wright Eclipse SchoolRun product description]

{{Wrightbus|state=collapsed}}

Category:Low-floor buses

Category:Vehicles introduced in 1999

Eclipse