Why do London buses use Roller-blind displays? (3 Viewers)

Of course they have been around for years and years and us Londoners love them! I think they could be here for many many more years (I hope). You are right though it is about opinions at the end of it of course!
@TFVL Team @Rhys Given the benefit of the doubt, Rollblinds are what we as Londoner's have grown up to, ad are used to. Others may prefer LED's and OLED's due to growing up and are used to them. Whatever people opinions, Rollblinds are here and there hereto stay :tongueout:
 

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QLRBX

⚧ LGBT Member
Oct 24, 2016
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There were a few early experiments in the 90's and 00's with LED and Dot Matrix boards, as seen below:
95f2291f9a.jpg


https://i.imgsafe.org/95f2291f9a.jpg
 

Rhys

Add-on London Team
Mar 20, 2016
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There were a few early experiments in the 90's and 00's with LED and Dot Matrix boards, as seen below:
95f2291f9a.jpg


https://i.imgsafe.org/95f2291f9a.jpg
I'm certain that bus in the picture you linked is being used on a Non London/regional service. London does have a Citaro K (currently with Quality Line) that utilises LED Destinations however.
upload_2017-1-13_23-44-38.png


However I do remember back in the 90's London Central had some Leyland Titans with a Flip Dot matrix unit


upload_2017-1-13_23-48-54.png


Not my photos :)
 
May 24, 2016
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TravelLondon tried LED signs a while back I believe on one of their routes and it wasn't well received. People didn't think it was a London bus and avoided using it as they were unsure of the costs and how tickets work, etc. LED sign's are quite messy in my opinion. I mean, sure they do a good enough job but when you take a step back and think for a second, each dot being so easily seen, it really is messy. They are also slightly harder to see from angles, have issues in certain types of light and don't react well to cameras (which isn't exactly a deal breaker, but what ever). They also suffer from issues quite regularly. While they can be treated, I think many issues that develop over prolonged use require the whole unit to be replaced, and way to frequent.

Now, while I am saying these things, they could all happen to roller signs also in different ways, but I still feel LED's have something about them that doesn't feel right. They are too boring and basic. They don't look uniform in the busses and do not suit the London style at all. It would also stop TfL being able to use their signature font as well as they do now. The roller blind is a trademark if you would like to say for London Busses. When fresh, they are a much neater alternative. They also can't be reprogrammed to say something incorrect or inappropriate, which has happened before (while I agree not to regularly). For me LED signs have too much customisation meaning companies get carried around and slap every bit of information they can on there which makes it hard for me to work out tbh. I would be extremely upset if the Rollerblinds were to go, it just removes a large bit of character from the busses. I was even upset when they started making the blinds white, it just didn't feel right to me.
 

HJALMAR

Add-on London Team
Dec 19, 2016
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Considering the past history of this thread I will refrain myself from going too far into this but there seems to be a lot of presumption and opinions stated about LED signs. Now modern day LED signs are more reliable than blinds, they are energy efficient, flexible and easily re-programmable - therefore cheaper - and in case of the Moblied displays from Mobitec they are also better to spot than blinds. Now of course vehicle glass design takes a part in the equation but stating that they are harder to read is just not the case these days anymore.
 

0118999

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Oct 24, 2016
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@TFVL Team @RhysRollblinds are what we as Londoner's have grown up to, ad are used to. Others may prefer LED's and OLED's due to growing up and are used to them.
Because I'm old and decrepit I grew up with everything: blinds, early hanover matrix, hanover flip dots, LEDs in various colours, bits of paper in the window, only thing we never had was LCDs; so I'm neutral in terms of what I'm use to. And I think high res LEDs are best readability. Also blinds were better in dayglo green!

It would also stop TfL being able to use their signature font as well as they do now.
There's a photo in a post above showing it's perfectly possible to have the Johnstone typeface on LED. As regards companies going customisation crazy they can do that with any system but they don't because TfL sets rules, otherwise I'm sure iBus would be saying "the next stop is sponsored by Ladbrokes, alight here for a cheeky punt"!

Blinds seem an expensive backwards hassle just for some nostalgia/image, if only other regions of the UK had the luxury of funding to burn on their blinds and borisbuses, instead we're having major cuts to rural lifeline routes! It just serves to illustrate the disparity in public transport investment per capita between the capital and rest of the country. I'll get off me soapbox now as I've gone rather off topic!
 
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@Rhys That Citaro K, was some kind of demonstrator. It did operate out of Stagecoach London's Bromley garage for about 2 weeks, on London services. It also went to Stagecoach's Catford garage, used for a small period of time on London services.

It also did some time at GAL Metrobus' Orpington garage, and ironically, the only proof I can find of this is a streetview image :P
Google Maps
 
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Kyle Clemenkucc

The one, the only
Jul 10, 2017
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Well as a dirty South Westerner I have only ever seen 3 different types of display, the one on the old Palatines (God rest their souls), the old green unlit hanover things on the first ALX400s that were shipped down here and finally the bright orange hanovers I've come to love. Trust me seeing the bright orange glow beaming down the road at you at 11 at night when all you want to do is get home is a beautiful sight.
 

iomex

UKDT
Dec 10, 2015
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Well as a dirty South Westerner I have only ever seen 3 different types of display, the one on the old Palatines (God rest their souls), the old green unlit hanover things on the first ALX400s that were shipped down here and finally the bright orange hanovers I've come to love. Trust me seeing the bright orange glow beaming down the road at you at 11 at night when all you want to do is get home is a beautiful sight.

Kyle Clemenkucc said:
Bayline for the win :D

Bayline used rollerblinds right up until they were bought out by Stagey lol. Usually moldy, often torn, almost always crumpled up and sitting at an angle.
 

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