Produced 1999 to date (GX117), 2001 to date (GX117L)
The GX117 is a rear-engined low-floor midibus introduced to replace the GX77H, and looks a lot like a smaller version of Heuliez' established GX217/317/417 range. With the engine mounted at the rear the GX117 has a central exit, and is rather larger than its predecessor (9.3m as opposed to 8.9m). The engine used is a Renault 6-cylinder unit.
SEMURVAL, Valenciennes no. 016
(110 ZW 59) - May 2000
I make no apologies for including yet another photo of a member of the
SEMURVAL fleet - the livery alone is enough to warrant their inclusion! SEMURVAL
016 was the first GX117 I photographed. It was only three months old when I
found it working the 'Amandine' local service in St. Amand-les-Eaux, a small
town a few miles outside Valenciennes.
TRAM,
Mulhouse no. 141 (580 XL 68) - September 2001
No chance of missing the route branding on TRAM 141! Mulhouse have two
GX117s so far for 'Tramette' Park & Ride work, but more are due to oust rare
Van Hool AU138 midibuses. The rear-engined layout of the GX117 is apparent from
this shot, as is the rather larger size of the bus when compared with its
predecessor the GX77H.
By the end of 2000 nearly 100 GX117s had been delivered, a far better rate of production than earlier small buses ever managed (for example, only 367 GX77Hs were produced in its ten year run). As with the GX77H, many have been sold to small towns looking for an economical small bus with which to provide a town service. However, they have also appeared in larger fleets such as RATP in order to operate services with light loadings or physical restrictions. Like the GX77H before it, most sales are of one or two buses, however RATP already have 13 buses and a batch of 10 operate in the Antibes area.
At the outset, The GX117's direct competitors were the Oréos 55, the Mercedes Cito and the Van Hool A308. Of these, the diesel version of the Oréos has since disappeared from the sales catalogues. The Mercedes Cito has also proved not to be everybody's cup of tea - its poor use of interior space and unconventional (and sometimes troublesome) transmission system probably contributed to Mercedes' decision to withdraw the type from production.
A stretched version of the GX117 (known as the GX117L) was introduced in 2001. This version is quite a bit larger, being 10.5m in length. While vehicles of this size are very common in the UK the stretched version of the GX117 has yet to take off in a big way in France. Nevertheless, the GX117L is a very well-proportioned little bus which deserves to do well - it's an ideal tool for suburban work and since the GX117 seems already to have built itself a reputation for being a dependable little bus I expect sales of the longer version to pick up in due course.
STAS, St.
Etienne no. 622 (4708 YA 42) - September 2000
STAS have two GX117s - they operate alongside GX77Hs, a Renault R212 and CBM
220Bs. From most angles the GX117 resembles a miniaturised version of a GX217 or
GX317, however (as can be seen here) the rear view is rather different with its
round rear lights and curved rear screen surround. Somehow it doesn't seem to
quite fit with the angular appearance of rest of the bus...
SVTU (Phébus),
Versailles
no. 245 (773 CJN 78) - October 2002
The big version of the GX117 seems not to have taken off quite yet, which is
a puzzle to me as I would have thought it was an ideal vehicle with which to
operate bus services in small- to medium-sized towns. Versailles operator Phébus
seems to have caught on to the idea though. There are now 14 GX117Ls in the
fleet which have been used to replace elderly full-sized buses on lightly-loaded
services, the sort of job to which this type of bus is ideally suited. This one
was however found working a staff shuttle service to and from the Phébus
depot.
SVTU (Phébus),
Versailles
no. 245 (773 CJN 78) - October 2002
The same bus again from the nearside, showing the extra length when compared
with the standard GX117. This one has an air-conditioning pack mounted on the
roof.