Wright StreetCar
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Wright StreetCar
| image = York ftr.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = First York Wright StreetCar in York in April 2007
| interiorimage =
| interiorcaption =
| manufacturer = Wrightbus
| production = 2006–2009
| assembly = Ballymena, Northern Ireland
| capacity =
| floortype = Low floor
| doors = 2 or 3
| chassis = {{ubli|Volvo B7LA|Volvo B9LA|Carrosserie Hess}}
| engine = {{ubli|Volvo (Volvo B7LA/B9LA)|Cummins ISL 330 (Carrosserie Hess)}}
| powerout =
| transmission = {{ubli|ZF Friedrichshafen (Volvo B7LA)|Allison Transmission (Carrosserie Hess)}}
| wheelbase = {{convert|252+1/2|in|mm|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}} (F){{cite report |url=http://apps.altoonabustest.psu.edu/buses/342 |title=STURAA Test: 12 Year / 500,000 mile bus from Wright Group Ltd., Model Streetcar RTV (PTI-BT-R0906) |date=October 2009 |publisher=Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, Bus Testing and Research Center |accessdate=20 November 2020}}
{{convert|280|in|mm|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}} (R)
| length = {{convert|61|ft|1|in|mm|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| width = {{convert|99.5|in|mm|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| height = {{convert|134|in|mm|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| weight = {{convert|48600|lb|kg|-2|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| predecessor = Wright Eclipse Fusion
| successor =
}}
The Wright StreetCar is an articulated bus developed by Wrightbus and Volvo for FirstGroup. It was built on the Volvo B7LA chassis, featuring a separate driver compartment at the front, resembling to some extent similar designs in Europe.
It features wrap-around seating arrangement at the rear. They were designed to mimic trams and used on FirstGroup's FTR services with high frequencies and dedicated stops to further enforce the impression of a premium service.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061109121136/http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=135 "StreetCar from the Wright Group"]. Wrightbus. 23 September 2004.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061109121547/http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=147 "StreetCar creates Desire"]. Wrightbus. 10 March 2005.[https://web.archive.org/web/20071215134554/http://www.busandcoach.com/newsstory.aspx?id=236 "First confirms orders for 39 Streetcars"]. Bus & Coach Professional. 22 July 2005.
Operations
= United Kingdom =
The StreetCar's only UK customer was First Bus, where they were introduced on First York's route 4 between Acomb and the University of York on 8 May 2006, after the City of York Council had made significant alterations to the road layout to accommodate the new vehicles.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/4739844.stm City first to use new bus fleet] BBC News 22 February 2006[https://web.archive.org/web/20160310133110/http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/7982007.It_s_the_ftr_of_city_travel/?ref=arc It's the ftr of city travel] The Press 24 April 2006[https://web.archive.org/web/20141021160947/http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/archive/2006/05/08/7982602.The_ftr_of_city_travel_arrives/?ref=arcThe_ftr_of_city_travel_arrives%2F The ftr of city travel arrives] The Press 8 May 2006 Further examples entered service with First Leeds,{{cite news |last=Jagdev |first=Rav |date=29 August 2007 |title=Leeds partnership: Spirit of Leeds |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/featureStory.aspx?id=1543 |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911082453/http://www.busandcoach.com/featureStory.aspx?id=1543 |archive-date=11 September 2007 |access-date=16 October 2022}} on First Capital Connect's Luton Airport Parkway railway station to Luton Airport shuttle and with First Cymru in Swansea.{{cite news |author= |date=30 January 2008 |title=StreetCars upgrade Luton airport link |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/streetcars-upgrade-luton-airport-link/ |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116015146/http://www.busandcoach.com/newsStory.aspx?id=1788 |archive-date=16 January 2009 |access-date=5 August 2018}}{{cite news |author= |date=16 September 2009 |title=First's Swansea Metro service launched |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/first-s-swansea-metro-service-launched/ |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805233817/http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/first-s-swansea-metro-service-launched/ |archive-date=5 August 2018 |access-date=5 August 2018}}
York's StreetCars were withdrawn in 2012, following the end of a five-year contract which the city council refused to renew.{{cite news |author= |date=5 January 2012 |title=Row over York StreetCars |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=6304&categoryid=0 |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108213322/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=6304&categoryid=0 |archive-date=8 January 2012 |access-date=2 October 2021}} These StreetCars were transferred over to Leeds to operate on the Leeds-Bradford bus corridor,{{cite news |author= |date=15 June 2012 |title=First to redeploy York ftr's to Leeds-Bradford corridor in local authority backed project |url=https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/31056/first-to-redeploy-york-ftr-s-to-leeds-bradford-corridor-in-local-authority-backed-project/ |work=TransportXtra |access-date=2 October 2021}}{{subscription required}}{{cite news |author= |title=First to launch new StreetCar buses in Bradford |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/10004733.first-to-launch-new-streetcar-buses-in-bradford/ |work=Telegraph & Argus |location=Bradford |date=24 October 2012 |access-date=2 October 2021}} but StreetCars there were later withdrawn in 2016. Swansea's StreetCars, which caused major road layout changes around the city centre to fit the buses, of which would later be blamed as a cause for two fatal accidents, were withdrawn in 2015 due to them proving too expensive to run.[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-33254289 Bendy buses in Swansea to be scrapped over cost] BBC News 24 June 2015
= United States =
In 2008/09, 50 StreetCar Rapid Transit Vehicles were built for Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada in the United States for use on the RTC Transit.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061109120306/http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=195 StreetCar Breaks New Ground For The Wright Group] Wrightbus 12 June 2006[https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/wrightbus-celebrates-31m-deal-for-its-new-streetcar-28449628.html Wrightbus celebrates £31m deal for its new StreetCar] Belfast Telegraph 8 October 2008[https://www.busworld.org/articles/detail/362 Fifty Wrightbus New StreetCar RTV Vehicles for Southern Nevada] Bus World 19 October 2008 Developed from the Wright StreetCar, they were built on Carrosserie Hess chassis. They first arrived in December 2008.
Gallery
File:Ftr bus in Singleton Campus square, Swansea University, 19038 (S70 FTR), 9 September 2009 cropped.jpg|A Wright StreetCar in Swansea.
File:FTR Leeds bus 19017 (YJ56 EAF), 19 July 2009 (1).jpg|A Wright StreetCar in use on FirstGroup's ftr service in Leeds city centre.
File:RTC Wrightbus Streetcar.JPG|Las Vegas RTC Transit Wrightbus Streetcar
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline|Wright StreetCar}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090228111822/http://www.wrightbus.com:80/site/default.asp?CATID=32 Wrightbus product description of Volvo B9LA model]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090228111842/http://www.wrightbus.com:80/site/default.asp?CATID=49 Wrightbus product description of Hybrid model]
{{Portal-inline|Buses}}
{{Wrightbus|state=collapsed}}