Does anyone else agree that Cannocks fleet needs a bit of an upgrade? the BU03 HRE/J/K daf's are in an awful state! the seats are threadbare! Also the Sb200s used on the 1 need a refurb, the S reg darts need to go, swiftly followed by the 51 plate MPDs, they arent really suitable for the 32/33 anymore as theyre not big enough. The B10BLE's ( v reg) are nice buses but they need repainting/refurbishing like V603 DBC was....
Cannock needed a decent fleet for years still has some step buses I think only has new buses for some routes and gets cascaded crap from elsewhere like the number 1 sb200 buses they were knackered when they come from lecicester 3704 was the worse eventually found the turbocharger and intercooler were shot (this was a while ago) most of the other sb200's and sb120's were cast offs and some are only refurbed if been in bumps if the 825 is sent to stafford (see arriva changes posts) you can say bye bye to the new VDL buses would not be suprised if the 74/5 went there too and it would be complete all the decent buses gone ready for all the Midlands s**t
Theres only 1 step bus atm, R417 TJW, but not seen it about for a couple of weeks. Hey maybe if the 825 and 74/5 went to stafford, they could use some of the 51 plate b7 deckers on the 60 and cannock locals?
Quote from: bob on August 24, 2012, 10:45:46 PM
Theres only 1 step bus atm, R417 TJW, but not seen it about for a couple of weeks. Hey maybe if the 825 and 74/5 went to stafford, they could use some of the 51 plate b7 deckers on the 60 and cannock locals?
3417 is back at Tamworth. There must be a bit of a vehicle shortage as they have had that back, are running a Hill Top Enviro on 6's every day and there has been a B6 on 110's everyday, so a decker shortage too...I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those ex London Geminis turn up there as a spare as you can't get away with single deckers on the 110 on a regular basis...unless this is something to do with the Caetanos and the switchover. The allocation is being upped so not all of the B6's might get released.
whenever ive seen the 110 go in or out of birmingham its always half empty! theres never anyone sitting upstairs...
Quote from: bob on August 25, 2012, 12:04:56 AM
whenever ive seen the 110 go in or out of birmingham its always half empty! theres never anyone sitting upstairs...
I have to say that I did catch the 1405 service 110 from Tamworth yesterday and it was around 3/4 full upstairs where I was sitting, and due to the comings and goings it must have been virtually full downstairs too. It definitely needed the capacity of a DD.
But I did see others heading past that weren't carrying that many, I guess that like a lot of routes certain journeys need the extra capacity of a DD and others don't.
Quote from: D10 on August 25, 2012, 10:59:33 AM
Quote from: bob on August 25, 2012, 12:04:56 AM
whenever ive seen the 110 go in or out of birmingham its always half empty! theres never anyone sitting upstairs...
I have to say that I did catch the 1405 service 110 from Tamworth yesterday and it was around 3/4 full upstairs where I was sitting, and due to the comings and goings it must have been virtually full downstairs too. It definitely needed the capacity of a DD.
But I did see others heading past that weren't carrying that many, I guess that like a lot of routes certain journeys need the extra capacity of a DD and others don't.
You've hit the nail on the head D10.....you just never know which trips are going to be like that, there's no pattern to it it can be very random! If you end up with a B6 on a trip like that one you are in trouble and leaving people at stops. People always judge it by loadings in Birmingham and forget about the other end....Birmingham is very hit and miss depending on where all the NXWM vehicles are, if they've bunched for any reason you can be extremely busy on a 110.
I do sympathise with Cannock though with its current allocation, I despise Dennis Darts. Surely there will be some investment soon, they are busy recruiting drivers at the moment so there must be some vehicles due soon and I can't see them doubling the amount of Darts.
theyll probably end up with alot of the Midland darts, i hope they get some deckers though or permanently put full size singles on the pye greens , darts can be murder on there!
Quote from: andy on August 25, 2012, 11:54:11 AM
Quote from: D10 on August 25, 2012, 10:59:33 AM
Quote from: bob on August 25, 2012, 12:04:56 AM
whenever ive seen the 110 go in or out of birmingham its always half empty! theres never anyone sitting upstairs...
I have to say that I did catch the 1405 service 110 from Tamworth yesterday and it was around 3/4 full upstairs where I was sitting, and due to the comings and goings it must have been virtually full downstairs too. It definitely needed the capacity of a DD.
But I did see others heading past that weren't carrying that many, I guess that like a lot of routes certain journeys need the extra capacity of a DD and others don't.
You've hit the nail on the head D10.....you just never know which trips are going to be like that, there's no pattern to it it can be very random! If you end up with a B6 on a trip like that one you are in trouble and leaving people at stops. People always judge it by loadings in Birmingham and forget about the other end....Birmingham is very hit and miss depending on where all the NXWM vehicles are, if they've bunched for any reason you can be extremely busy on a 110.
I do sympathise with Cannock though with its current allocation, I despise Dennis Darts. Surely there will be some investment soon, they are busy recruiting drivers at the moment so there must be some vehicles due soon and I can't see them doubling the amount of Darts.
No they will just double the darts Cannock never gets investment only a few here and there new buses then they are shunted off as always Cannock will always have shit
lol cannock always had shit even in MRN days..
Just had a look through Tony's site to check whats so bad and it looks decent! A few shit MPD darts i can see but loads of newish VDL Eclipse, the new 61 plate ones, a few 57 plate Optare centro's. They seem above average i would say?
I've been told that the b6's are off to midland and that the three x31 Scania are Off to Tamworth to provide additional buses for the 112
been on x31 today theres still no passenger notices saying it ends next Sat n the bloody drivers on both trips hadnt got a clue! one said it was going, but said 'mind you there was a meeting with centro yesterday so im not 100%' the other said it might be moving to hill top!
on bus on way to wolves with mates on a night out, its one of those BU51 plate MPDS, they are absolutely HORRID things to travel on! rattly and HORRENDOUSLY noisy! i duno y Darts were so popular they are truly shit buses
Quote from: andy on August 24, 2012, 11:31:41 PM
Quote from: bob on August 24, 2012, 10:45:46 PM
Theres only 1 step bus atm, R417 TJW, but not seen it about for a couple of weeks. Hey maybe if the 825 and 74/5 went to stafford, they could use some of the 51 plate b7 deckers on the 60 and cannock locals?
3417 is back at Tamworth. There must be a bit of a vehicle shortage as they have had that back, are running a Hill Top Enviro on 6's every day and there has been a B6 on 110's everyday, so a decker shortage too...I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those ex London Geminis turn up there as a spare as you can't get away with single deckers on the 110 on a regular basis...unless this is something to do with the Caetanos and the switchover. The allocation is being upped so not all of the B6's might get released.
Tamworths Gemini deckers are B9TL not B7TL, so as much as I'd like to see some ex London deckers, I doubt well get any...
Quote from: BU07 LGO on August 25, 2012, 05:05:18 PM
Just had a look through Tony's site to check whats so bad and it looks decent! A few shit MPD darts i can see but loads of newish VDL Eclipse, the new 61 plate ones, a few 57 plate Optare centro's. They seem above average i would say?
Not being nasty but as the 825 is probberly going back to stafford that will be some of the 61 plates used on it gone and going on what arriva do at cannock more than likely the 74/5 will go there too so there goes most of the decent stuff leaving just shitty darts as no b6 buses as midland are having them and the scanias will go so only the scrap mainly will be left was there when cannock had new buses only to find they were shunted off nothing changes and crap came in return Cannock will only be Arrivas tat garage. If a competetor came in with decent buses and cheaper fares (not even a big company) Cannock would soon shut
Dave do you know which of Cannocks services make money & lose money? id imagine stafford & lichfields ( duno y tho who in cannock would want to go shopping to lichfield when theres nothing there) and poss the number 1s. The 2/2a to walsall, 68 to wolves ( brought in with the 69 to help finish off green bus service no 8 shortly before they were closed down anyway, then both 68/9 got axed until south staffs council stepped in), 72 to telford, 31 to rugeley, 560 to bloxwich, Some trips on X31 etc are all dead, and the pye greens are always full but with OAPS....
Yes but none of Staffords routes go more than about 2 miles out of town, they only go to local estates, all the interurban routes are worked with modern vehicles , cannock & lichfield, 57 & 61 plate aVDLs, Telford gets new Versas, Wolverhampton usually 03 plate SB120 or 57 plate sb200 or v reg volvos, the only exception is the uttoxeters which get older buses usually
i forgot about the 88 to perton/ wton but nobody catches it anyway
Quote from: bob on August 26, 2012, 09:24:15 AM
Dave do you know which of Cannocks services make money & lose money? id imagine stafford & lichfields ( duno y tho who in cannock would want to go shopping to lichfield when theres nothing there) and poss the number 1s. The 2/2a to walsall, 68 to wolves ( brought in with the 69 to help finish off green bus service no 8 shortly before they were closed down anyway, then both 68/9 got axed until south staffs council stepped in), 72 to telford, 31 to rugeley, 560 to bloxwich, Some trips on X31 etc are all dead, and the pye greens are always full but with OAPS....
Local routes Pye Greens even with the oaps are the best the 1 was the money maker but unsure now with the extorionate fare rises. The 2 is not that good (timed too close to 1 no even gaps ) for further stuff yes staffords and lichfields and also the 825 at the moment as long as cannock have it most interurban routes are not that good only at peaks and sats like the 76 and the 70 you have hit it on the head for the 560 and I am afraid X31 too the 560 though is alayws behind the NXWM 89 hope it gets shunted to Wednesfield and retimed infront of NXWM and runs around the town again and not turn and miss the town as it needs to go on 70 or 76 the 560 could give NXWM a bloody nose as the 89 never is on time at peaks always stuck trying to get out of walsall or in traffic on lichfield rd going into bloxwichm usually see 2 together on a half hour service pathetic with regard to stafford when a garage when i was there it had good buses and cannock had tat now an outstation just extended tat of cannock as like you said it only does local routes now unless the changes posted happen