Wright SRM

The Wright SRM (Son of Route Master[1]) is a twin-axle double-decker bus body manufactured by Wrightbus in 2016, designed for the Volvo B5LH and Volvo B5LHC hybrid chassis.

Wright SRM
London Sovereign Wright SRM bodied Volvo B5LH at Golders Green station in December 2016
Overview
ManufacturerWrightbus
Production2016
AssemblyBallymena, Northern Ireland
Body and chassis
Doors2
Floor typeLow floor
ChassisVolvo B5LH
Volvo B5LHC
RelatedNew Routemaster
Dimensions
Length10.6 to 11.3 m (34 ft 9+3⁄8 in to 37 ft 7⁄8 in)
Width2.5 m (8 ft 2+3⁄8 in)
Height4.2 m (13 ft 9+3⁄8 in)

The design is based on the New Routemaster, sharing the majority of body panels up to the rear quarter section but having no second staircase or third door. It was designed with provincial bus operators in mind, rather than being exclusively for bus operators in London.[2][1][3][4] Despite this, all those produced have only been used in London.

Design
A Wright SRM at the Euro Bus Expo in 2016

The Wright SRM is styled like the New Routemaster with a tall wrap-around windscreen, a separately mounted destination display, an upper deck double-curvature windscreen and an arched roof - however Transport for London (TfL) have had no involvement with designing the Wright SRM.[5]

Orders

The first six Volvo B5LHs entered service with London Sovereign on route 13 in September 2016.[2][1][4] They were transferred to route 183 in April 2017 owing to a boarding problem.[6]

A further two were completed to TfL specifications on Volvo B5LHC chassis in 2016.[7][8] One was sent to Volvo in Sweden.[9] Both commenced a trial with London Central on route 37 in 2018.[10][11]

The only SRMs produced were built in 2016, at the time of the model's launch. The model remained available for order right up until Wrightbus entered administration in 2019, although no further examples were built.

References
  1. Son of Routemaster Bus & Coach Buyer 22 March 2016
  2. London launch for new Wrightbus SRM on Volvo B5LH Bus & Coach Professional 18 March 2016
  3. "Son of the Routemaster is born" Coach & Bus Week issue 1232 22 March 2016 pages 16-22
  4. Volvo B5LH Wrightbus SRM: SRM appears wright on cue Route One 23 March 2016
  5. "Questions about the SRM and Enviro400H City – a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London". WhatDoTheyKnow. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  6. "Short Hops" Buses issue 748 July 2017 page 23
  7. World premiere for Volvo B5LHC Double Deck Hybrid in Birmingham Volvo 1 November 2016
  8. World premiere for Volvo B5LHC Electric Hybrid double-deck Bus & Coach Professional 7 November 2016
  9. "Volvo plugs electrification" Buses issue 750 September 2017 page 36
  10. "Volvo electric arrive for south London trial" Buses issue 761 August 2018 page 23
  11. Go-Ahead starts using opp-charged Volvos in London Buses issue 762 September 2018 page 7

Media related to Wright SRM at Wikimedia Commons

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