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Wright Eclipse
Wright Eclipse
	East Coast Buses Wright Eclipse 3 bodied Volvo B8RLE in September 2018
Overview
Manufacturer	Wrightbus
Production	2000–2019
Assembly	Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Body and chassis
Doors	1 or 2
Floor type	Low floor/low entry; Step-entrance (Eclipse SchoolRun)
Chassis	Volvo B7L; Volvo B7RLE; Volvo B7R; Volvo B8RLE
Related	Wright Eclipse Fusion; Wright Eclipse Gemini
Powertrain
Engine	B7L: D7C; B7R: D7C; B7RLE: D7C/D7E; B8RLE: D8K
Transmission	Voith; ZF Friedrichshafen
Dimensions
Length	11.8 m (38 ft 9 in); 12.2 m (40 ft 0 in); 12.4 m (40 ft 8 in); 13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
Width	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Height	3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Wright Renown
Successor	Wright GB Hawk

The Wright Eclipse is a low-floor single-deck bus body that was built by Wrightbus between 2000 and 2019. The second-generation Eclipse 2 was launched in 2008, followed by the third-generation Eclipse 3 in 2015. The Eclipse, and its sister design the Solar, were named for a solar eclipse which was visible in the UK in 1999, the year of its introduction.

The Eclipse was launched in 2000 on Volvo B7L chassis and, in 2003, the body was made available on the more popular Volvo B7RLE chassis. A coach version, the Eclipse SchoolRun, was later launched on high floor Volvo B7R chassis. In November 2008, Wright unveiled the Eclipse 2 at that year's Euro Bus Expo, with front and rear ends facelifted to match the Wright StreetCar. In 2015, the Eclipse 3 was launched on Volvo B8RLE chassis, the successor to the B7RLE.

A double-decker version of the Eclipse was also available, known as the Wright Eclipse Gemini, as well as an articulated version known as the Wright Eclipse Fusion.

First generation (2000–2010)

The first generation Wright Eclipse was launched in 2000 by Wrightbus on Volvo B7L chassis as the replacement for the Wright Renown bodywork on the older Volvo B10BLE chassis. A majority of these were purchased by FirstGroup.^{[citation needed]} Both a bi-axle and tri-axle variant were offered, however only the former was ever built.^[1]

However, sales of the B7L were lower than anticipated in the United Kingdom, owing to its unusual engine layout; as a result, the Eclipse Urban was launched on Volvo B7RLE chassis in 2003, at which time the original B7L bodywork was renamed to the Eclipse Metro.^[2] The Eclipse Urban proved to be far more successful in terms of sales and remained in production until 2009, while the Eclipse Metro was withdrawn from sale several years after introduction of the Eclipse Urban.^{[citation needed]}

Arriva Shires & Essex Wright Eclipse Metro bodied Volvo B7L in July 2009
First Calderdale & Huddersfield Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLE in July 2007

Eclipse Commuter

Wrightbus also offered the Eclipse Commuter for a time, which was built on a version of the B7RLE chassis with the higher floor section extended to the front axle of the bus. It was intended for longer distance and intercity work. The design included all of the features of a standard coach, such as under-floor storage and a high seating position, while maintaining a small low floor section for passengers in wheelchairs.^[3] The first entered service with Ulsterbus in April 2004 while Yorkshire Coastliner ordered six (which never entered service) and Stagecoach West Scotland ordered two, supplied with funding with Dumfries and Galloway Council.^[4]^[5]

Eclipse SchoolRun

In 2006, Wrightbus launched the Eclipse SchoolRun; effectively an entirely high floor version of the Eclipse Commuter, bodied on Volvo B7R coach chassis. The Eclipse SchoolRun was mainly intended for school bus work. Northern Ireland bus operator Ulsterbus were the only customer to order the Eclipse SchoolRun, initially taking delivery of 160 of the type in their first batch order between 2007 and 2008,^[6]^[7] with an additional batch of 61 Eclipse SchoolRuns delivered to the operator between 2009 and 2010.

The first 110 Eclipse SchoolRuns delivered between 2007 and 2008 were equipped with 66 cyan seats in a high-density 2+3 layout and orange handrails, featuring several seats at the front of the bus that could be removed to make room for wheelchair spaces; the latter 50 buses were delivered with 62 seats and a permanent wheelchair area to save time reconfiguring the seating arrangement. The head directional indicators were LED instead of using Halogen light bulb.^[8] The second batch of 61 buses were delivered to Ulsterbus in this latter configuration between 2009 and 2010. With a new style of interior of having blue seats and pink handrails.^{[citation needed]}

Second generation (2008–2015)

The second generation Wright Eclipse, known as the Eclipse Urban 2, was launched at the 2008 Euro Bus Expo as the successor to the Eclipse Urban, although the two designs were produced concurrently until 2009.

The Eclipse 2 features a facelifted front fascia and rear end, and was available exclusively on the Volvo B7RLE chassis.

The Burnley Bus Company were the first customer to take delivery of the Wright Eclipse Urban 2, with nineteen delivered for the operator's 'Mainline' services in 2009.^[9]^[10]

A batch of Urban 2s with air conditioning were leased to Malta Public Transport in 2014.^[11]

Third generation (2015–2019)

The third generation Eclipse, known as the Eclipse 3, was launched in 2015. The Eclipse 3 was only available on Volvo B8RLE chassis, the successor to the B7RLE.^[12] As well as the difference in chassis, the front and rear ends initially underwent a minor facelift, incorporating design features from the Wright StreetLite integral design. The first Eclipse 3s entered service with Trentbarton in October 2015 and the second batch by Stagecoach in the Fens for the Cambridgeshire Busway. The front design was revised further in spring 2017 with the first (and only) 13.2 metres (43 ft) examples being purchased by East Coast Buses.^[13] The first 11.8 metres (39 ft) variant with the revised bodywork has since entered service with Delaine Buses.^[14]

References

^ "Full Size". Wrightbus. Archived from the original on 11 March 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
^ "Eclipse Urban – A Compliment to the Wrightbus Eclipse" (Press release). Wrightbus. April 2003. Archived from the original on 9 November 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ "Wheelchair access: a Wright solution". Coach & Bus Week. No. 561. Peterborough: Emap. 30 January 2003. Archived from the original on 13 March 2003. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
^ "Blazefield orders six Eclipse Commuters". Bus & Coach Professional. 28 May 2004. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ "Eclipse Commuters to enter service". Bus & Coach Professional. 9 December 2005. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ "Translink places school bus order". Bus & Coach Professional. 15 November 2006. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ "New SchoolRun unveiled by Wrightbus". Bus & Coach Professional. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ McCreary, Matthew (18 December 2007). "Translink's new fleet to hit the road with style". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2024. The first 30 of the 62 seater single decker buses will have a dedicated space for a wheelchair passenger which will be accessed by a powered side lift. The remainder of this order will facilitate additional wheelchair passengers if necessary.
^ "Raising the bar for bus refurbishment". Bus & Coach Professional. No. 266. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
^ "Nineteen new Volvos for Transdev Burnley and Pendle" (Press release). Volvo Buses United Kingdom and Ireland. 18 February 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Malta's new contractor starts". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
^ "Wrightbus launches Eclipse 3". Buses. No. 727. Stamford: Key Publishing. October 2015. p. 8.
^ Champan, Jessamy (19 April 2017). "15 single-decks for East Lothian". routeone. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ "Delaine upgrades fleet and goes contactless". routeone. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.