Messages

I think that First Midlands is an enigma,it was cobbled together for administrative reasons purely geographically.
There is absolutely no correlation between Wyvern and Leicester,and not much more between Leicester and Northampton.
Unless things have recently changed,Leicester,Worcester and Hereford (City Services ) are quite good,with the rest probably a drag.
Any disposal would likely be piecemeal,not as a block.Places like Northampton and Kidderminster will perhaps be simply deregistered,not sold.
The rest would surely be attractive to neighbours Arriva and Stagecoach,but MMC andOFT may not agree.

I live in Sutton and use the 168.
Today,the bus due to arrive in Sutton at 1400 failed to turn up.leaving my Wife and me ,(and doubtless others ) standing.This is by no means an isolated incident.The general impression I get is that Blue Diamond is rather a tatty and unreliable Company and has been for some considerable time.
You can rebrand as much as you like (Central Connect,Blue Diamond,or whatever ) but it is just a gimmick and cannot replace reliability.

That probably explains the Manchester MX registrations.

Thank goodness some others share my views on the wanton vandalising of bus liveries with so called branding.
In the case of NXWM in particular,keeping the buses on the correct routes will require a degree of discipline
far beyond anything so far shown.
I imagine that the whole concept of branding will eventually prove to have been just a passing fad and we may
return to an era of dignified liveries and information shown on destination screens.TrentBarton have a lot to answer for.

I am sure I am (becoming) a miserable old git,but I think this branding or any branding is awful.
Carrying this to a logical conclusion,why not do away completely with destination blinds (or LED )
and plaster the buses with coloured stickers with route details?
Destinations are meant to be shown on destination blinds (or LED to the pedantic ),the clue being
in the word.
If Birmingham City Transport ,whose like we may never see again,survived without multicoloured
graffiti over the livery,then so can any operator.