A reminder of yesteryear on the 127

 

This photo was taken at Fennel Street/Lemyngton Street. An unidentified Wright Pulsar Gemini-bodied VDL DB250 in service with Arriva Midlands heads in the opposite direction for Leicester, while another Pulsar Gemini, Arriva 4762 (FJ06 ZSK), directly in front of my bus on its way to Shepshed. I was on another 127 right behind (as you can see, I was upstairs, on what was almost certainly yet another Pulsar Gemini.)

Thirty two Wright Pulsar Geminis were purchased by Arriva Midlands in 2006; the Pulsar Gemini's other main buyer was Arriva London, who bought about one hundred and thirty. While many of the London buses have gone on to pastures new, the Midlands Pulsar Geminis have all (mostly) remained in service in the Leicester area for the past 15 years, being operated from Arriva's Thurmaston depot.

At present only one Pulsar Gemini has been permanently withdrawn (due to damage in an accident near Loughborough); however, their days could be numbered. Passing fifteen years in service, they will become increasingly subject to stricter emissions regulations, as well as demand for newer, more advanced buses.

The Pulsar Geminis, and other Wrightbus products during the noughties, with their simple, stylish and iconic bodywork (I've called it stylish for almost as long as I can remember), have made themselves a legacy, and buses with the Wrightbus bodywork are still used in marketing and publicity for many bus companies and local authorities to the present day.