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I went to Telford yesterday via the X5 from Shrewsbury. I saw all of the 28 Streetlites in about 2 hours at the Bus Station. There were 10 on the 11/22, 13 on the 44, 3 on the 12 ( coincidentally these three were the original allocation 3310-12 - are these three different from the others in any way, such that they have to be allocated to the 12? ). The other two were 3326 which was a late change on the 33 and 3341 which spent the entire time I was there on The Tesco shuttle. 3489 was still sounding strong on the staff shuttle to Stafford Park depot.

They don't have leather seats.

Unsure if they are mirco hybrids too

What operates on 647?

Long acere

Which Depot operate the 647??
Thanks

Midland didn't seem to do that well, but I reckon maybe Diamond will do better if the service is added to Diamond Value which I'm sure it will. Its an excellent benefit to the fine people of Walsall to now have such a large rapidly growing competitive network. However I think some decent condition darts will be fine for the route. Good luck to them!

Ive never seen a full B7Lre on the Diamond 301 & 302 anyway.

Those should have been decent MPDs at least, putting the longer single deckers where needed most.

The 301&302 to have Mini Pointers???

Good to see the Diamond brand introduced straight away. I have also seem pics of the EX DG omnicitys in service, they should look good in Blue!! They are absolutely cracking vehicles really enjoyed a ride on them when they were on 35

Midland didn't seem to do that well, but I reckon maybe Diamond will do better if the service is added to Diamond Value which I'm sure it will. Its an excellent benefit to the fine people of Walsall to now have such a large rapidly growing competitive network. However I think some decent condition darts will be fine for the route. Good luck to them!

PD0001374/358 - DIAMOND BUS LTD, HALLBRIDGE WAY, TIPTON ROAD, TIVIDALE, WARLEY, B69 3HW
    Variation Accepted: Operating between Birmingham and Druids Heath given service number 50 effective from 26-Apr-2015. To amend Timetable.

PD0001374/375 - DIAMOND BUS LTD, HALLBRIDGE WAY, TIPTON ROAD, TIVIDALE, WARLEY, B69 3HW
    Registration Accepted
    Starting Point: Walsall Bus Station (Stand N)
    Finish Point: Blakenhall, Blakenhall Church
    Via:
    Service Number: 29
    Service Type: Normal Stopping
    Effective Date: 26-APR-2015
    Other Details: Monday to Saturday, excluding bank holidays

DVSA have published those quickly, they are still 54 days away

is the 29 going to be a daytime commercial service?

Good to see Diamond finally gain off WMSNT!!

Absoutely brilliant great to see Rotala expand and hopefully see the Diamond brand expand into the north west. I think it will be an excellent opportunity for expansion into the Manchester market!!
Seem to have a good fleet for me personally nice to see scanias and optare tempo's hopefully some of the tempos and wright bodied buses move to other parts of Rotala and maybe some darts send to SLT!!

they are 11.5? half a metre shorter? My statistic is in the passenger carrying capability. Using the 44 service since I was 12 years old I have seen how many get on it and you could turn away people on a commander, so yes I really think that over a 10& reduction will make a difference.
Don't get me wrong I think for the average normal passenger they are great but I still would have a versa. I think on routes 11&22 they are the perfect vehicle.
But for the 44 as I said 10% is a big reduction

So something I haven't done for soooo long Is actually go for a ride on a local bus. I wanted to try out Arriva Midlands West​ new Wright Streetlites which they have just introduced 25 of them.

First they are Micro hybrids which is very good the system costs in the region of £10,000 which gives them an understandable £5,000 high price tag than a Wright Pulsar (which they are replacing).
They also have Leather Seats (always a winner with me) and are generally quite comfortable. Also like the LED lighting on board and they were quiet walm.

But they don't have radiators on board which is a negative as I find Wrights air system isn't the best.

A few people have said about the gear box. It made a "jerk" only once in the 2 hours I spent on a number of them.
Underpowered another point. Well underpowered compared to what? compared to a Volvo B7 id say about the same, to a Mercedes powered id say about the same. But yes it would be underpowered if you compared it to a much larger cummins engine or a Citaro.


From the outside I don't think they look great. I don't like the front end and I don't like the side with the windows, but it is bonded glazing which I think looks smarts.

The leather seats are smart and comfortable and something which I think should no be a feature on every bus  so that's a real winner for me!

The biggest negative for me is that they are much smaller than what they are replacing!!! The 44 in Telford is one of Arriva Midlands busiest routes (quoting them). So the Wright Pulsars could carry 75 where the streetlites is 67 so that is a reduction in capacity of over 10%. Surely you should be increasing capacity on a main route? The 44 in Telford needs either a low height decker or a heavyduty bus like a Wright Volvo with a 100 people capacity. One of the buses I was on at 15:00 was turning people away at its 7th bus stop out of wellington.


So to summarise the appeal to the normal punter yes they are winner if there is room. They are very smart inside, they are warm and that's exactly what the customer wants, but if the customer cant get on them because they is no room its a massive negative!
For me though A very similar priced Optare Versa/Metrocity is a much more better choice and Id have an optare any day instead! But for the 44 they are simple no good!

For anyone who is interested Green Bus are doing rail replacement boards LM11 and LM12 on Saturday, these are booked Spectras subject to availability.

God help anyone who has to get the train Saturday then  ::)

Funny that, if Green Bus are that bad why do Cabline keep using them?

Because they are cheap?

This is the case with many sub contract business as with National Express etc that most often they go simply with the cheapest bid. Matt if you look back at a previous comment about the bidder of Gersey going to someone else because they were cheaper than Green!!

I think that answers the question

Wouldn't be surprised to see the 4, 16, 142 and 226 get branded again

Kidderminster was at one stage going to brand (and re-trim) 20658 (V658 HEC* - now sold) for the number 1 (Rifle Range) but it never materialised so I don't think they will brand the 142 if I'm honest as like I say they never branded the 1 but yet it was common knowledge they were going to

I would imagine that the 142 is mostly likely to be branded because its diamond value. So Far new Diamond branding has only been for diamond value so statically its the most likeliest 

Looks good. Route branding is always good I think to raise profile, hopefully Redditch will get some fresh branding and Kidderminster could do with some branding I think for the 3 at least and the 142!

Ill try to list a few I know

A1 National Express Levante
A6  National Express Levante
007 Stagecoach (elites)
060 Selywns
095 Peter Godward
210-Travel De Courcey & Travelstar Levante
230- Yourbus Levante
240- Yourbus Levante
304-Selwyns Levante
305-Selwyns Elite
310-Excelcior, Travel De Courcey Levante
319-Travelstar Levante
320- Edwards Coaches, Travelstars Levante
321-Edwards Coaches Levante
322-EYMS Levante
323-Selwyns Elite
324- Parks of Hamilton (Plymouth&Rochdale Depots)
325- Travel De Courcey, Selwyns (Manchester)
327-EYMS Levantes
330- SGBC Levantes
336 Bruces Coaches Scania Levante
333-Travellers Choice Levante
341-Travellers Choice Levante
380-Go Northern/Selwyns
409- NXWM Levante
410- Travel De Courcey, Epsom Coaches, NXWM, Selwyns, Go Northern Levante
419 Travel De Courcey, Selwyns Levante
420 Travel De Courcey Levante
421 Parks Rochdale tri Axle Elite Interworks with 570
422 Selwyns Elite
440 Selwyns, Silverdale, Yourbus Levante
460 Travel De Courcey, Charlfont Levante (occational Van hool)
500 Parks Plymouth Elite
501 Parks Plymouth Elite
528 Parks Plymouth/Rochdale Elite
531 Go Northern Scania Levante
538 Parks Hamilton & 1 duty is interworked by both Hamilton & Rochdale Tri Axle Elite
540 Parks Rochdale (Tri Axle Elites, Elites) , Travel De Courcey Levante (not sure if Haytons do some?)
544 Stewarts of Carluke Levante
550 Selwyns Elite/levante
561 Go Northern/Stagecoach Levante
570 Parks Hamilton, Parks Rochdale, Travellers choice. Regular dupe journeys by Hills Coaches Tri axle Elite, Levante
571 Peter Godward. Often covered by Reays Coaches Irizar Century, Scania Levante, Scania Omniexpress, Plaxton Panther Interworks with 095
588 Bruces Coaches Scania Levante
590 Bruces Coaches Scania Levante
592 Parks Hamilton Tri-Axle Elite (interworks with 570)
777 Travel De Courcey
920 Ulsterbus Irizar I6
921 Ulsterbus (meant to be a plaxton panther bus often is an Irizar (I6 or century)
922 Ulterbus
923 Plaxton (in joint operation with citylink)

Odd one may of changed.
Hope that's some help