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Another 10 out of 10 for the VWDs, although they could do with better seating they are otherwise the perfect bus for Cork. If they had the seats in either the 00 or 08 VWLs they would be an unbeatable bus. They are the best bus to have come to Cork since the 00 VWLs and that really is saying something because they are a fantastic bus.

I just hope that whenever the next time buses have to be replaced in Cork that more of these beauties are ordered.

As for the SLs, the less said the better, I hope they are transferred out of Cork at the earliest possible opportunity to a depot that will put them under less pressure because they are not at all suitable for Cork. They are incredibly brittle and cheap feeling inside, more like a DPC than the same people who supply the chassis of the amazing SPs.

I have always been a big fan of the VWLs, and their predecessor the VWs too. The only thing wrong with the best of the lot, 101-119 is the fact that they were under capacity for a lot of Cork routes but it is not their fault BÉ bought something too small for the job, in fact it makes it all the more remarkable that they are still going as well as they are going.

The 99s and the VWs were brilliant too, only problems there(apart from capacity) was the 99s look very dated inside and the VWs obviously were not wheelchair accessable, other than that those types were great buses as well. The 01s and 02s are far too underpowered and they sound rather past it at this stage(because of the lack of power from the tiny 7.3 litre engine) but the 03s are much better in spite of being practically the same bus(but with a more powerful engine). The 07s and 08s are much better for power but feel too brittle inside, nothing like what Wrights used to be like for build quality, but far less bad than an SL in this regard. The VWDs show that Wrightbus are still well capable of producing buses that live up to their reputation for high quality durable bodies, which makes it all the more disappointing that the 08s are built to a low standard.

They just feel cheap and nasty inside, rather like a DPC really(well not that bad, that would be some achievement but you get my drift), nothing like the high quality feel you get from a good Wrightbus body like the VW/99/00 VWL/VWD. There are numerous other issues that I have detailed before here, and would rather not regurgitate everything I've alreay said.

The engine is 8.9 litres which about the only positive thing in them because they are as good as a 99/00 VWL for power. With the 6 speed gearbox I think they have potential on commuter runs, if they weren't so cramped and cheap feeling. They are much better VWL120-134 for speed, and also usefully better than 135-144. But VWL145+ have a fair bit more power than 135-144(never mind 120-134) and are also well able for the higher speed runs, so there is very little between the 2 types here. The larger engine should mean that in the long run they will be better equipped to deal with the steep hills on the 7 and 8 than the 7.1 litre 07/08 VWL, but some of 120-134 were put on the 7&8 for over 7 years continually and are still going ok(but sounding rather tired) but had only 215 hp to the 07/08 290 hp so it is hard to know.

As for SLs being transferred out of Cork, who would have thought a year ago that VWL169-177 were destined to have such a short life here, especially as they have a Cork reg and everything(and were a much better bus)?

In the past VWL2-5 weren't very long in Galway and they are a terriffic bus, and similarly VW8&9 didn't last very long in Limerick either. Some of the 00D DPCs didn't stay very long in Waterford either, being replaced by DPC101-111. All I'm saying is it is not completely strange for BÉ to transfer its city buses no more than it is for them to transfer their coaches(though it must be said that city buses are far more likely to stay in their original depot for most of their lifetime than coaches are).

I think we can all agree that what Cork needs is more VWDs the next time there are fleet replacements in the Cork city service. The VWDs are 9.4 litre FWIW.