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Elliot advisors, the activist hedge fund & NX Groups largest shareholder has announced plans to sell nearly a 10% stake in NX group worth £120 million

Elliot bought in to NX group when the group was strangled by high levels of debt & took part in the rights issue back in 2009. They have up to last year caused NX group numerous headaches through attempted shareholder revolts, pushing for the group to be broken up & sold off in pieces, merging with another UK or European transport group & even having its own nominated non exec directors on the NX board of directors. This latest announcement appear to show that Elliot are finally losing interest & setting its sights elsewhere

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/marketforceslive/2013/mar/06/national-express-elliott-share-sale

Dean Finch/NX group 1 - Elliot Advisors 0

In addition to those for NXWM, a few have now appeared for Arriva:

PD0000478/309 - ARRIVA MIDLANDS NORTH LTD T/A ARRIVA MIDLANDS, THURMASTON GARAGE, 4 WESTMORELAND AVENUE, THURMASTON, LEICESTER, LE4 8PH

Variation Accepted: Operating between Wolverhampton and Dudley given service number 82 effective from 28-Apr-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

PD0000478/337 - ARRIVA MIDLANDS NORTH LTD T/A ARRIVA MIDLANDS, THURMASTON GARAGE, 4 WESTMORELAND AVENUE, THURMASTON, LEICESTER, LE4 8PH

Variation Accepted: Operating between Bilston and Moxley given service number 80 effective from 28-Apr-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

PD0000478/348 - ARRIVA MIDLANDS NORTH LTD T/A ARRIVA MIDLANDS, THURMASTON GARAGE, 4 WESTMORELAND AVENUE, THURMASTON, LEICESTER, LE4 8PH

Variation Accepted: Operating between Lichfield and Boley Park given service number 29 effective from 28-Apr-2013. To amend Timetable.

PD0000478/349 - ARRIVA MIDLANDS NORTH LTD T/A ARRIVA MIDLANDS, THURMASTON GARAGE, 4 WESTMORELAND AVENUE, THURMASTON, LEICESTER, LE4 8PH

Variation Accepted: Operating between Wolverhampton and Cannock given service number 810 effective from 28-Apr-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

NX Group full year financial results highlights:

Year ended 31 December                       2012    2011
           
Revenue (£m)   Non-rail                           1,636.1    1,549.7
                   Rail                                   195.1    688.3
                   Group                           1,831.2    2,238.0
           
Group operating profit (£m) Non-rail   185.2   181.8
                                       Rail           26.7           43.4
                                       Group           211.9   225.2

Share of results from associates (£m)   1.4           1.4
Net finance costs (£m)                       (49.2)   (46.4)
Profit before taxation (£m)               164.1   180.2
           
Statutory profit for the period (£m)       61.3           102.6
Group operating margin                       11.6%   10.1%
Net debt (£m)                                       828.2   633.7
           
Basic EPS (pence)   Non-rail                   21.6           20.7
                           Rail                           3.9           6.3
                           Group                   25.5           27.0
           
Total dividend per share (pence)       9.75           9.50

Profit performance in non rail divisions is improving & the company statement indicates that they are intending to build a high quality operation with best in class margins across the divisions, so investment levels should hopefully be maintained for the foreseeable
NX UK bus average age of the fleet is now less than 9 years - it doesn't hint if they are looking to expand UK bus / would be interested in anything First Group may be wishing to dispose of
Net debt has increased by £194.5 Million
Despite improving performance, it's noticeable that NX group still haven't recovered profit levels back to what they were prior to the loss of the East Anglia rail franchise to Abellio, they are still £13.3 Million short. I think they could with making another acquisition similar in size to Petermann or if First London operations were for sale that would help bridge the gap or maybe fill it entirely.
It also suggests NX are setting up coach operations in Germany from this April under the 'city2city' brand

It's reported on the Yourbus Yahoo group that their Tuxford depot is due to close during March, with the 6 x Trident/Plaxton Presidents 2501-4, 2506 & 2507 (X---EGK) surplus to requirement transferring to Wessex Connect!?!

I still think that there is more than meets they eye between the Rotala & Yourbus relationship........

Dundee's 9 new ADL E400H are also due in service during March and are destined to operate / be branded for route 5, article on NXD website including an artists impression showing the livery/branding

http://nxbus.co.uk/dundee/news/dundee-hearts-hybrids




Xplore Dundee (formerly Travel Dundee and National Express Dundee) was acquired from National Express by the McGills Group at the end of 2020.
Info later in this topic: http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1377.msg286722#msg286722

NX group have this morning announced that they have been awarded two regional commuter rail contracts in Germany from Dec 2015 for 15 years. Both contracts are currently operated by Arriva's parent company Deutsche Bahn. NX have also pre-qualified for a further 3 rail bids in the country.

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=11481827

There were a load of variations recorded on VOSA today (5/2/13), all of which start from 11/2/13 & every single one is for a route change which seems a little odd. It covers areas such as Stafford, Tamworth, Shrewsbury & West Midlands routes

Now that the Enviro 200s are starting to arrive at NXWM Pensnett garage for upgrading route 222, has anyone seen/heard of any updates on when they plan to start the re-development of the existing Merry Hill bus station?

There were also the bus only priorities / bus lanes at certain junctions which were going to follow the 222 upgrade / bus station improvements as part of the BBA bid

According to VOSA today, Black Diamond routes 16 & 50 will move to Blue Diamond from 4th Dec, no doubt as a result of the reduced workload following the withdrawal from the 37 & 97 services

Does anyone knows if the 100 new coaches that E&S quotes are due includes those already delivered during 2012 to date? Or is this a new order?

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport-news/2012/09/29/new-25m-fleet-of-coaches-to-hit-road/

Does anyone know if the order has now been placed for the 30 x new midi's due in Dec? And what type we can expect? I would have thought that an order should have been placed by now bearing in mind manufacturing lead times etc and the fact that some will need to be in service prior to the January emission rules coming in to force in B'ham City Centre.

I'm also intrigued to know where the extra buses will be coming from for the increased Pvr's following the Sandwell Review, as this all takes place well before any of the new midi's are due

For anyone interested Rotala Plc half year results:

Growth in Turnover of 7 per cent. to GBP28.5 million (2011: GBP26.6 million)
   --    Interest expense down 18% to GBP0.65 million (2011: GBP0.8 million)
   --    Profit before tax up 4% to GBP0.96 million (2011: GBP0.92 million)
   --    Net Debt down 20% to GBP16.1 million (2011: GBP20.1 million)
   --    Net Debt to EBITDA ratio: 2.2, down 18% period on period
   --    Interim dividend up by 25% to 0.50 pence per share (2011: 0.40 pence)

Net assets reached GBP21.4 million at the period end (2011: GBP20.4 million), equivalent to 61 pence per share.

A couple of things that stand out are that net assets are worth GBP21.4 million, but Rotala still owe GBP16.1 million in net debt
Profit margins are only 3.37% and have actually fallen slightly from the same period last year even on increased turnover of nearly GBP2 million, the current margins / debt levels leave little room for fleet investment or any further expansion through acquisitions

Also of note, reported on WMBus yahoo group, Rotala Group currently have 21 vehicles advertised for sale due to the withdrawal of further commercial service / Centro tender losses, these are reported to include 13 x DAF / Wright Cadets (Does anyone know where they are advertised? There is nothing in the latest Route one / Bus & Coach buyer.

Looks as though First Group is set to be awarded the new 12 year franchise for the WMCL, after submitting a superior bid over incumbent Virgin Trains

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d9db0dd4-e473-11e1-affe-00144feab49a.html#axzz23Mvh6sqc

Arriva have recently expanded in to patient transport and acquired Birmingham based Ambuline

http://www.arriva.co.uk/arriva/en/media_centre/press_releases/2012/2012-06-26/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/transport_photos/

Does anyone know if R.Deloyde has re-located his photo collection elsewhere on another photo site? He used to make regular visits to Miller Street and built a large collection of various TWM/NXWM reserve/withdrawn vehicle collections. It say's he's no longer active on Flickr anymore on the above link.

If anyone know's of an alternative web address, could they post a link please

Will FMR not need additional low floor buses from within FMR/the group to operate the 143 & 146 from Redditch depot in to Birmingham from 22nd July? The 144 is already compliant from Worcester garage

Tony,

Do you have any idea what WN's 2070 was doing parked up at Walsall garage?

4320 has had that accident damage to its offside for weeks now, it looks even worse close up. Something red has scraped along it, whether its another NXWM bus in the depot or not I don't know

The biggest thing we are all up against is time...... know one wants to be sat on a bus for up to an hour for a journey which would take 15-20 mins by car. In order for the bus to attract potential new passengers i.e. shoppers & commuters, bus journeys times need to be speeded up. As many of the local councils are cash strapped & don't seem be so keen on providing bus priorities at present, I think the way forward may be for NXWM to roll out / expand further as has been tried & tested successfully on the Walsall Road corridor i.e. by introducing limited stop variants of the main stopping services. Passengers that are then travelling from end to end / or between main stops / shopping centres will have the choice of either the stopping service or the limited stop service with a reduced journey time, if successful, over time vehicles operating the express services could either be refurbished with high spec interiors (i.e. leather coach seats, WIFI) or replaced by new vehicles with similar spec interiors. The limited stop services also seem to attract fewer issues with vandalism / anti social behaviour due to the scumbags preferring to use the stopping services, this is another major problem that puts people off using public transport. This could potentially work on many of the main corridors for example the 9 / X9 (the X9 could use the Quinton Expressway), as has been mentioned another one could be 126 / X126 (with the limited stop variants just stopping at main bus stops / main centres on the route).

With the money now being invested in improving Merry Hill bus station and on bus priorities around the centre, I think the concept of limited stop services may also work at Merry Hill. Existing routes / any new services introduced are always going to be going head to head with the car due to amount of parking that is provided and the fact it is still free. May be Westfield could start charging for parking and use the revenue to invest in better public transport links. If those which currently travel by car see another alternative option with journey times not too much longer than a typical car journey and buses flying past them down bus lanes / though bus gates whilst they are sat in traffic jams, they might give the bus a go on their next visit.

Does anyone know if there is still any interest in NXWM in acquiring / developing the derelict plot of landing at the end of the Pensnett garage yard & possibly expanding Pensnett garage? Part of the land was formally occupied by Broadwell Buildings, that building has since been demolished & new palisade fencing was erected to contain the plot summer last year, but nothing has happened with it since. Some of Pensnett staff use it for additional parking that's about it.

I would imagine that Pensnett garage must also be pretty much full to capacity since withdrawing shorter B6LE is favour of retaining full size Merc's, also there are a number of port cabins on site which appear to be being used as stores / additional office etc, seems to indicate as though the engineering / office block is also now too small to house all the functions