Optare Share Discussion Threads

[kimoldfield] 07/7/2016 11:12

Well, I don't think Ashok will pull the plug yet, not until Mr Fickling has had his slice of the £4m orders!

[jsbach123] 02/7/2016 18:24

Results should be published soon, and I seem to recollect that some finance/renewals were due in July (but may be mistaken about this). Yes, underwhelming is the term I would use for the metrodecker. On reflection I think it is the inevitable result of what I suspect was the driving consideration in the approach to design, not to seek to design the best bus possible, or the most passenger friendly, but the 'lightest in class'. That seems from the company's PR to have been the most important consideration. The outcome (though I am confident it conforms to all necessary safety standards and regulations) gave me the impression of riding within an insubstantial box. Others too have noted that it is under-powered to take on even modest gradients (there aren't many hills in Norfolk but going up one not to steep and not very long gradient we seemed to be slow). Sadly I repeat my observation that it is IMHO most unlikely to be the model that saves the company. My question is once again when will Ashok 'pull the plug'? Still, it's not all negative - the company has provided Fickling with a steady income over the years.

[kimoldfield] 28/6/2016 23:25

The decker sounds very underwhelming JSB! At least Optare have sold 1 each of their more successful buses to D&G buses, hardly an excuse to break open the champers though!
hxxp://www.optare.com/news/

[jsbach123] 23/5/2016 14:34

News on company website of the Metrodecker demonstrator on trial in Wales.

Two years on from launch and no sales announced.

[jsbach123] 08/5/2016 14:45

Not announced to date by Optare as far as I can find out but on Youtube video of a new Metrodecker demonstrator (YJ16 DFG) Service X78 First South Yorkshire.

No news of the promised London demonstrator yet?

No news on any orders yet?

21st May will be the second anniversary of Metrodecker launch. Is this the longest time in the UK that a new vehicle has been announced without entering production?

I wonder how much money Optare lost on the last just-closed financial year 2015-2016? Only a few weeks until we find out. I 'pencil in' my guesstimate of £3 million.

Will Fickling resign before Ashok 'pull the plug' (rhetorical)?

[jsbach123] 03/5/2016 08:36

Well one point grabster may be that as far as is known, the metrodecker is not (yet?) in production. Second anniversary of the London launch for it on My 21st.

[grabster] 03/5/2016 08:10

Are bus buyers repeatedly stating any specific reason for not wanting Optare products? Any specific point that rival salesmen are able to convincingly make against Optare?

[jsbach123] 29/4/2016 20:53

First spends £70 million on 305 new buses for 2016-2017, including a large number of double deckers. Guess which bus manufacturing company located in the UK did NOT, as reported by the trade press, secure any part of the order?

[jsbach123] 22/4/2016 16:51

itv news Reading buses have ordered five new scania 'gas' double decker buses.

[jsbach123] 19/4/2016 17:27

Past shareholders who saw their investment value in Optare destroyed under the 'leadership' of Jim Sumner, Fickling, and Ashok Leyland before delisting may be interested to read in the trade press that of Stagecoach's latest order value £97 million they have chosen to buy only six Optare buses. It is gratifying to some to know that Ashok Leyland is not succeeding with Optare - 'what goes around...'.

[kimoldfield] 08/4/2016 14:57

38 new registrations in March but no sign of a Metrodecker despite the good review in Route One magazine. I see that Graham Belgum is now President of Optare; does he have the power to get rid of the Non-Executive Chairman then?! :o)

[grabster] 25/3/2016 11:55

How many lossmaking or declining companies has Fickling continued collecting a salary and expenses from? Am I in the wrong job?

[jsbach123] 24/3/2016 21:45

Will Optare make a single sale of the Metrodecker before the second anniversary of its 'launch' on May 21st 2014?

Has the London trial of a demonstrator Metrodecker begun as was predicted?

What will be the size of the financial loss of the company to be declared for 2015-2016?

Will Fickling resign? (Rhetorical).

[steve517499] 18/3/2016 10:52

Despite the Reading Buses MD bigging up the Optare Metrodecker in the trade press, they obviously are not that impressed as they have recently announced an order for Wright StreetDecks, albeit small, just 6 vehicles.

[grabster] 17/3/2016 07:03

But it's by chinese maker BYD, not Optare.

[reximill] 07/3/2016 07:29

So what does everyone think will eventually happen to shareholders here then?

Will they pull the plug down the line? Or buy them out?

[jsbach123] 02/2/2016 16:01

Well, the Reading bus trial of the Metrodecker should by now have been completed as in Mid-December of last year it was announced to be for one month. I wonder has anybody any news about it? Readers may also wish to read a recent 'promo' piece in Route One magazine by an in-house journalist focusing on the company's claim that along with a new senior management team it has now fixed the previous problems of poor after sales care.

Why is Fickling still non-exec Chairman? Why was he paid more tha £500,000 over the years while shareholder value was destroyed? (Rhetorical).

[jsbach123] 15/1/2016 19:22

Good to see you Steve and hope that you enjoyed your visit to Australia. Looking at recent SMMT numbers (but not knowing of course how many they exported) Optare I guesstimate are still likely to be losing about £200,000+ per month. It will be interesting to see what numbers they sell into the big fleet orders this year.

But of course I suspect the chief topic of interest for shareholders and industry observers is how the industry reacts to the availability (at last!) of the Metrodecker this year. Tfl trial due to start this month I seem to recall reading somewhere and Reading currently trialling.

[steve517499] 11/1/2016 09:48

Wow ... there is more life in this board than an Optare share.

Hope all is well and you had a good Xmas and New Year.

Just got back from a spell in Australia, and was amazed to see the odd Optare out there. No I did not see the elusive and unique Bonito, but did see a solitory Solo on tours of Rottnest Island and a few Tempos at Perth Airport, very rare bread in the UK.

[jsbach123] 24/12/2015 15:16

Merry Christmas Kim and all optarares!

[kimoldfield] 21/12/2015 14:13

Reading will start the trials next year, which is not far away! Merry Christmas to all!

[jsbach123] 17/12/2015 18:11

Update on Metrodecker - for details see the latest Route One magazine. It states that Tiger Yorkshire did not in fact take the Metrodecker for trials in October as they had previously announced and that reading Bus is the first company to take it for trials.

[jsbach123] 15/12/2015 18:58

News on company website that Reading have taken over the Metrodecker demonstrator from Tiger in Yorkshire (though the company news section does not spell it out that it is the same vehicle which I think it is on photographic evidence of the number plate). Will Tiger place a large order?