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For anyone complaining about NXWM's current vehicle presentation, take a look at the latest Ronnie photos! Did the garages ever wash the Metroriders? Almost every photo of one uploaded is either filthy or battered! What unpleasant little buses they were, loosely based on the Sherpa's weren't they?

Certainly make the ADL Enviro 200's look like quality products, and that's certainly an achievement

Looks fantastic, the Mercs look much better with a bit of colour on them and with matching wing mirrors! Maybe thats just my OCD but it makes any bus look much smarter!

But any ideas what its actually going to be used for in the fleet?

Just to let you know in Dudley yesterday and possibly today Commbus where using a Fleetline UNA 77S as a promotional vehicle, I just wondered if anyone had a list of buses they actually own/use as on their website are a lot of photos of MK1 and MK2 Metrobuses but can't find a fleetlist and just wondered if any where from the Midlands

Seems to be a lot of activity with advertising buses lately, a Fleetline advertising Barclays bank in the Waterfront carpark, clearly visible on the X96 route, any information? Will try and investigate later

Just seen the following article of the Queen riding a very posh looking Stagecoach B7RLE, might be of interest to someone, I don't mind saying I'm quite a fan of the monarchy and the B7 looks pretty comfortable!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2329631/The-Queen-hops-single-decker-tours-Cambridge-Nobel-Peace-Factory-true-form-turned-15-minutes-late.html

Does anyone know anything about this?

Just off the Ring Road in Wolverhampton there's an indoor carpark on Grove Street and from going past on the 1 there seems to be a few Darts parked up in there, can anyone shed any light into what the building is and who owns the buses?

This thought just came across me and wondered what others thought...

If Alex Salmond was to get his way and Scotland became an independent company what would happen, if anything to National Express Dundee?

Personally, A) Alex Salmond will loose, Scotland will stay part of Great Britain so B) things will stay the same but nonetheless its an interesting thought.

Have never heard of them or seen them, and no idea which routes they run, but just came across this image on the Site

http://wmbusphotos.com/MidlandBusCo/l155ukb.html

Is it me or is there a Bus Stopping sign attatched to the front of this bus by the doors?
Seems ever so strange, anyone any idea if it actually displays anything or serves a purpose or can enligthen me on the operator

Was on PE 502 today and it really was in excellent condition, the engine was running sweetly, no squeaks or rattles and the interior was spotleslly clean and tidy with all the seats in the same refurb livery showing little signs of wear and tear. It also seems very practical with the seats over the wheelarch and a very good disabled/buggy area. Am I right in saying that this is NXWM's oldest bus left in service? Entering service in September 1996 with the B10's not arriving to 1997 even though they are both on P plates.

Anyway will be sad to see the B6's go from PE but they really do need replacing with something just as small as the 222 route is an absolute nightmare, with speedhumps, parked cars, mini roundabouts, speed calming measures etc....

Just a quick question and a point:
Does 1743 the replacement Merc have a different engine or gearbox or something to the rest of the Merc's in the fleet, it certainly sounds very different indeed and doesn't feel as quick and as smooth.

Also 2092 has recieved a dedication to Mary Steven's in the last couple of days

On BBC2 now instead of the Snooker as it finished early is a repeat of a program I watched last year following the story of a London Bus Driver who goes to do his job in the country of Manila, the most densely populated place in the world. Its a very sad, moving, interesting story, with a light scattering of humour throughout and gives an insight into buses in a completely different part of the world. People complaining about the age of NXWM buses need a reality check as people over their are regularly using buses that date from the Second World War. Anyone tune in folks, it is really really really worth a watch, forget BGT, watch BBC2 now!

Over the past couple of weeks George on the guestbook has recorded both these Spectra's as being at Carlyle both with Front End accident damage, any news anyone on these for me anyway two beloved Spectra's? I do hope they are repaired and brought back into service, especially with the 2013 21 new hybrid DD order... They are in better condition than a lot of Merc's out there and practically all of PE's Mercs. It would be a great shame if any Spectra was to go before a good many more Merc's and would love to see a direct swap with some. Surely in my mind for a passenger seeing a new livery, clean, tidy, LED blind, Double Decker not crammed full like a lot of Merc's with no awful black mouldy remains of branding stickers on that a lot of Merc's have along the top is a far better advertisement. Bring Spectra's to PE I say! Whose with me? Remembering that the Spectra's came joint first in a poll on here not long ago for everyone's favourite bus. Not bad for a 14 year old bus. Have that ADL with your Enviro's! West Midlands Bus Photo's members prefer Spectra's!

Saw NXWM 1672 from the WN garage in Dudley today on the 82, WN's only Merc still in the old TWM Livery with the larger white gap between the front wheel and the red stripe and I have to say the paint had worn very well indeed. The Blue was more vibrant than on other repainted Merc's at WN and PE and the white was most definetly white, something that can't be said for a lot of NXWM buses. Where these buses painted in the factory before delivery, perhaps with better paint? Hence the quality after 13 years hard service at 3 different garages. Or was the paint used by NXWM higher quality years ago? Or is 1672 just an exception to the rule