The second phase of electrification of First’s Leicester depot is now fully operational following the installation of overhead gantry charging infrastructure, which using Heliox Flex 180 chargers at ground level, feeding electric cable reels suspended above each bus at high level. The reels provide remote lowering of power leads adjacent to the charging port of each bus, reducing trailing cables and intermediate islands which reduce parking space.
The gantries have been designed to allow safe personnel access for maintenance without the need for specialist access equipment. They provide additional benefits of keeping the yard free from obstructions which increases driver car parking capacities and allows for bus driver training functions, whilst also providing localised task lighting between high vehicles for safer night operation.
According to architects Janus Architecture, the concept has initially proved successful and will be monitored by First before being rolled out to other depots across the country.
