Thandi

[sryan188]

Going off subject slightly in that old map picture there is a mention of a 402E, not been from Walsall I've never heard of this route, does anyone know where it went

The 402E was operated by Petes Travel every 30 minutes on Saturday evenings only (according to the Sept 1998 map/guide) - don't remember the service myself
It was a variant of their 401E service running Walsall to Yew Tree that ran as per the 404 (now 4) bypassing Bescot Stadium and Woodruff Way

[Lukeee]

Thanks for that, I remember the 401E but not the 402E

[l.murphy123]

Anybody know why they kept the number 334 instead of changing to 34 to match NX? If Thandi had newer vehicles the 34 and 37 would be good under the West Midlands Bus partnership brand due to their frequency and price wars.

[the trainbasher]

Anybody know why they kept the number 334 instead of changing to 34 to match NX? If Thandi had newer vehicles the 34 and 37 would be good under the West Midlands Bus partnership brand due to their frequency and price wars.

Because then they would be liable for fees for the Combined Authority to amend the roadside publicity.

[Pat]

Because then they would be liable for fees for the Combined Authority to amend the roadside publicity.

Anybody know why they kept the number 334 instead of changing to 34 to match NX? If Thandi had newer vehicles the 34 and 37 would be good under the West Midlands Bus partnership brand due to their frequency and price wars.

Also, you tend to find that independents will use the previous route number that their competitor used, such as the example you mentioned where NX changed the 334 to become the 34.  They do this as its a tactic to try and get customers on their bus, as people who didn't know of the change would be looking out for a 334, not a 34.  Obviously people nowadays will know of the number change as it happened years ago, but during the initial period of change, some people may have been unaware.  Another example is Banga who used the old 891 number that Arriva used before it became the 8.

Also, it creates a visual identifier for customers so that they know they're using the right company.  34=NX & 334=Thandi.  That way, there's no confusion between the companies for passengers.  To most people, a bus is a bus regardless of the livery its in.

[2206]

Also, it creates a visual identifier for customers so that they know they're using the right company.  34=NX & 334=Thandi.  That way, there's no confusion between the companies for passengers.  To most people, a bus is a bus regardless of the livery its in.

The vast majority of people on the 55/94 pre lockdown understood that a bus in a different livery and "Claribels" on it meant that it was a different operator. I never saw any confusion.

And with different route numbers, it would normally suggest there is some sort of difference between the routes that they take.

[Bus Man K2]

It also seams to be that they don't update their website and if you try to contact them good look doing that. As I've tried with no prevail. This is like all the other small operators apart from D&G which they are quite good at.

[Pat]

And with different route numbers, it would normally suggest there is some sort of difference between the routes that they take.

Not necessarily.  Banga had a different route number to what Arriva had on the Telford corridor but still ran the exact same route. 

[justlookingaround]

Also, it creates a visual identifier for customers so that they know they're using the right company.  34=NX & 334=Thandi.  That way, there's no confusion between the companies for passengers.  To most people, a bus is a bus regardless of the livery its in.

Yet when they had a shot at the 37 they didn't rename theirs to 337 to stick with their number range.

[Pat]

Yet when they had a shot at the 37 they didn't rename theirs to 337 to stick with their number range.

Thandi only started on the 37 3 years ago, when NX used the same 37 number.  They've been on the 334 for at least 10 years.  NX were also using the 334 number until a few years back when they changed it to become the 34.  Thandi stuck with the 334 number.  It was the same with the 311.  NX changed it to 11, Thandi stuck with 311.  They basically started out using the same numbers as NX (or TWM back then) but stuck with the originals when NX changed their numbering.  Basically, they don't name it the 337 as NX had changed it to 37 before Thandi started operating it. 

Hope that makes some sort of sense!

[DJ]

It seems that Thandi Executive have some ex-Dublin ALX400 B7TLs, as you can see them parked up in this video showing one of their Van Hools for sale, still with Irish plates. They have 13 of their B12BT Van Hool T9s up for sale via Odyssey Coach Sales.

[Busboy105]

I wonder what they will be used for?

[Pat]

I wonder what they will be used for?

Private hire most likely.  Football shuttles, rail replacements, schools etc.

[Busboy105]

Private hire most likely.  Football shuttles, rail replacements, schools etc.

Figured as much.They're too old to go on normal bus contracts.

[Tony]

Figured as much.They're too old to go on normal bus contracts.

Why are they too old? NX has 2003 Euro 6 tridents