Don't get me started on Streetlite's - unreliable, underpowered, ugly.
Reading buses regret buying the Streetlites and are giving them to Newbury or selling them and replacing them with 04/05-plate Optare Solo's
I know I am pretty late to this thread, but I was looking for a Streetlite thread and luckily, I came across this one.
The Streetlite is a pretty controversial bus, given its looks, and underpowered engine, but I travel on them all the time and they don't seem to have any reliability issues.
The London spec 9.5m variants on Arriva's 410 and 450 buses, being SK17 for the 410 and LX66 regs on the 450 are alright atleast. Anerley Hill in Crystal Palace is a fairly steep hill the 410 traverses, but it copes better than the equivalent double decker (Wright Gemini3) on route 249, but not as well as equally as frequent LJ12 reg Enviro 200's (Citybus 200's) as there's a significantly larger gap between gears and sound increase when reaching the peak.
Like the Gemini3 (at least for its original design from 2013-15) the looks are odd to say the least and when first seeing ether bus, they looked quite ugly to say the least, but the designs have grown on me. The E400 MMC's have a similar black outline of the headlights, seen on the Streetlite and Gemini3 and people seem fine about it.
An important issue I've found, only occurring with the LX66 reg buses on route 450, is the gas like smell coming from the engine, evident when you're at the back of the bus. Its the first time I've come across any bus having this strange issue. Not even rarer, older buses produce a gassy smell in the bus.
I atleast believe that this generation of Wright buses are pretty poor when compared to the efforts of Alexander Dennis. The E400 MMC's, despite some featuring the infamous Volvo I-Shift gearbox, is a quicker, more refined bus inside, whereas I can't help thinking that the designs of the Gemini3 are more refined. Overall, it is a better bus, but I believe its price, (unknown) may have a factor to the Gemini3's milder success.
I've rarely travelled on a E200 MMC, but even the original E200 is better than the Streetlite, but, specifically the LJ12 or 2011/12 models feel cheaper than the later 2014/15 models.
It's hard to explain, but in my opinion the Streetlite is a below average bus with a couple of redeeming factors, such as the design, but its shaky ride, especially in lower gears, is irritating, as well as the cramped seats and the terrible engine's smoky smell.
If I was to rate the bus, I'd give it a 5.7/10. A bit specific, but I don't know why but the bus, despite its shortcomings, is an interesting and likable model, especially since I've never ridden a single decker Wrightbus, as Gemini1 and Gemini2 single decker versions (I don't know what they're called)
I have to agree with Rhys Stirling's point of the bus being fun. It atleast seems this way when riding them compared to the 2011/12 Enviro 200's.
What is anyone else's thoughts?