national express contract

[bwsau cymru]

De courcey are gaining 2X 06 plate volvo b12 levantes from national express sipson road for theor nx work

[notepanel]

A bit different to what they're used to! Are these for the 538 service, changes to the 210 or just extra spare vehicles?

[bwsau cymru]

I would imagine the 538 services as 2 levantes will be used on it not md29 or anything from cov. I also imagine that with the extra 387 and 662 service extra is required but both of these was run by cov on monday.

Be told that de courcey are loosing a 210 to travelstars and that sipson road may be dropping one of there 210 im sure we will all soon see

[winston]

De courcey are gaining 2X 06 plate volvo b12 levantes from national express sipson road for theor nx work

You'd have though that DeCourcey may have bought 2 ex Rotala Levantes for the extra work.

I'd be surprised if NX ops or Yourbus don't but the batch of 14 x 11 reg Levantes, they would may ideal replacements for some older stock

[bwsau cymru]

Indeed, as ive said before ive been told by de courcey that all of the flights ones were going to yourbus.

[notepanel]

I would imagine the 538 services as 2 levantes will be used on it not md29 or anything from cov. I also imagine that with the extra 387 and 662 service extra is required but both of these was run by cov on monday.

Be told that de courcey are loosing a 210 to travelstars and that sipson road may be dropping one of there 210 im sure we will all soon see

Looking at the timetables I have worked out that (in my opinion) the current 210 and new 210 both require 10 vehicles.

All the new workings start/end at BCS or Wolves, so I imagine Sipson Road will come off completely (there 2 current journeys are on the same working). This leaves 1 working up for grabs and may possibly be what is going to Travelstar, maybe in place of a current similar working with DeCourcey.

Currently, both Travelstar journeys operate Wolves - Heathrow, with a long break at Heathrow. The similar timed journeys from Wolverhampton now operate through to Gatwick, but arrive back in Wolverhampton only 1 hour later than currently. Alternatively, Travelstar would have to operate at different times to present on a shorter diagram between BCS & Heathrow only.

[winston]

I would imagine the 538 services as 2 levantes will be used on it not md29 or anything from cov. I also imagine that with the extra 387 and 662 service extra is required but both of these was run by cov on monday.

Be told that de courcey are loosing a 210 to travelstars and that sipson road may be dropping one of there 210 im sure we will all soon see

Looking at the timetables I have worked out that (in my opinion) the current 210 and new 210 both require 10 vehicles.

All the new workings start/end at BCS or Wolves, so I imagine Sipson Road will come off completely (there 2 current journeys are on the same working). This leaves 1 working up for grabs and may possibly be what is going to Travelstar, maybe in place of a current similar working with DeCourcey.

Currently, both Travelstar journeys operate Wolves - Heathrow, with a long break at Heathrow. The similar timed journeys from Wolverhampton now operate through to Gatwick, but arrive back in Wolverhampton only 1 hour later than currently. Alternatively, Travelstar would have to operate at different times to present on a shorter diagram between BCS & Heathrow only.

I sure I read somewhere on the net that Sipson Road were coming off the 210 & 410 due to driver shortages, can't remember where I saw it

[Tony]

De courcey are gaining 2X 06 plate volvo b12 levantes from national express sipson road for theor nx work

One has now turned up, ex Crawley CY63

[bwsau cymru]

Cv09cov md29 on 777 today! Looks strange in all white!

[Valandil]

De Courcey has won the award for Network Operator of the Year (11-15 vehicles) in the National Express Operator Awards!

[notepanel]

De Courcey has won the award for Network Operator of the Year (11-15 vehicles) in the National Express Operator Awards!

Sipson Road also won an award, and Yourbus won one last year! It doesn't mean too much!

[bwsau cymru]

Personally I cant see de courcey winning next year, there fleet is now into the large fleet catorgory and there are some class operators in there. De courcey seem to be going downwards on there nx work lately sadly, but im sure that this isn't helped by the lack of staff! and another thing which doesn't help is certain staff taking the safety CD's out of the coaches too!!!

Really glad Parks of Hamilton won and award I honestly think they are the best operator on the network! Drivers are fantastic and some great motors too!

[bwsau cymru]

so the sipson road/crawley motors will be returning to national express very shortly sadly as the De Courcey 538 service will be finishing next month. both of these coaches have been nothing but problem after problem due to regular breakdowns and small stupid faults. But as I use the 210/777 very often to get to Coventry its been nice to be going a lot fast than a B9R!!!


De courcey at the moment are struggling due to driver shortage with a quite a few drivers going to Megabus (and proberly even more due to new services starting there), this has meant to poor service reliability from De Courcey lately!
Also with all of the extra work they have been doing over the summer this has meant that vehicle availability for spare is zero which has meant that both of the 06 plate levantes have been out virtually daily and even cv09cov has been out most days.


Sadly today though Cv09Cov caused a problem due to it having a different type of wheelchair lift and drivers not being trained on how to use it which meant the vehicle had to be swapped on the 15:00 210 to Heathrow (which was MD3)

MD3 has to ben the worst coach at miller street! and it is always nice to see some stunning motors out at Birmingham, cv06cov was out on the seasonal 387 service. I would imagine there will be a lot of other de courcey coaches through biurmingham tomorrow due to bank holiday and festivals!! so be on the look out at Birmingham.



Cv0cov to finish has a stunning looking crew seat and drivers seat!! but I know a lot of the driver hate the marco polo coaches as they have an automatic parking break!.


De courcey update complete!!!

[Valandil]

At least they haven't had much schools and university work to do recently!
Their only saving grace.

[bwsau cymru]

MJI2369, PN06KTG, CV08COV, CV06COV all out today on Reading/leeds festival duties. Many dupe services today from many different operators. Sadly however De Courcey did hand back 2 services today 662 and 687 (Coventry runs), but with them doing that many festival coaches I can kind of understand why!