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Was in Ross-on-Wye and saw not only a brand new E400 on the 33 to Hereford but in Cantilupe Road I saw a Alx 400 in a wrap advertising the 33 from Gloucester to Hereford via Newent & Ross-on-Wye, now both I havent seen before and as my Nan lives nr Ross on the A49 and near seen the Alx 400 before.

Also I ve noticed the 39 from Ross to Hereford via Hoarwithy is no longer the 39 its the 44 run by Stagecoach (Ross garage).

After looking on Midland Red.net I noted that their are some changes to route numbers.

A First is 144A this is the Worcester to Catshill 144 but going into Webbs of Wychbold Garden Centre and serving the Princess of Walse Community Hospital (PoWCH), this now means the 144 will only serve the main road for Webbs (no change) and PoWCH. But it is the first 4 digit number for First Midland Red. This set of timtables are only vaild from 01/06/2012 - 31/08/2013

The other changes include 41/42/43 there will be from 02/06/2013 41/42/42F/42G/43/43F and then the 362/363/364 as well.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/journey_planning/timetables/forthcoming.php

http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/2013/05/03/news-Investigation-into-Diamond-take-over-is-hampering-service-claim-bosses-70053.html

Our MP is going to feck it up big time operning her mouth. Our Council leaders have more common than our fecking egit of an MP. Anyway appologies to the Redditch MP its my own personal view of you.

So who would buy the 51 57 58 routes off of Diamond baring in mind Diamond had a plan to scrap somethings ie the 51 and 143 Webeath section and interwork it in to the 55 and 56 like they did once before and use the 50 to fill in the gaps, on higher frequency. But of course people in redditch rightly or wrongly open the traps and merry hell breaks out, it would be interesting to know what the modernised Redditch bus would look like. Besides blue before someone says "blue" which may I add isn't growing on me yet red or white maybe or even red and cream but blue no its too blue and gets lost.

Saw one of the E200s (heading to the bus station passed the hospital and Railway Station) in Hereford along with an R reg dart ( in the May Lords Centre).

First is in big trouble I think. How did I get to this conclusion well its simple really, the average age of fleets in the Midlands Essex Kernow Devon Wessex are pritty low which means First will have to spend Millions to sort it out. What is the quick soloution? Well lease the London Fleet off like Stagecoach do and then transfer all the London Buses out in to areas that need new buses.

Ok if I thought First couldn't get any more bonkers I've been proven wrong yet again.
They have bought 3 Connex Jersey Dart SLF Caetano Nimbus busese to replace some of there older buses in service, trouble is how wide are they and secondly they arent going to be that long either.
And people in Redditch are moaning, Crumbs think of what silly plans they would have come up with if they hadn't sold RH and KR off.

Ok so we know that the enviro 300's that werent sold went to Worcester and Hereford, well after looking at midlandred.net forum of the 5 that went to Hereford only 67600 is there, the rest are all at worcester and rumour also has over there that Worcester are to loose all 12 of the Volvos to Colchester. Now if that is right whats happening to some of the older buses in Lecister and Northampton or have they/are they being sold off.
And also why first havent kept them here to compete on some services for Hereford I have no idea, I mean they could do with getting more routes for both Worcester and Hereford as the route Map is looking bear to say the least.
I have a funny feeling in 12 months time WR and HR will be sold to out becuase FMR aren't making money, I say that as RH had 2 on hire ex London presidents and then 10 Ex Essex buses last year so the fuel bill for them to get here and back would have eaten some of the profits and then also does any one know which garage took the fuel bills for the MOTs and servicing at Kidderminster?
Also whats to say (and this is me sumising big time) that First didnt lump some debt of FMR onto RH and KR from WRs new buses as well, because from the route list I cant see them having as much profit as they might of had if they still had RH at least.

Ok so I have worked out what I think Diamonds problem is
It doesnt have a Dunn in charge.

If you look at Wessex and Preston the have a Dunn and new buses Diamond gets none. So unless a fourth dunn is found Diamond is going to be in a pile of scrap before long.

Yes you read that right first are spending money  :o
Looks like they cant do the maths. or just wanted rid of Kidder and Redditch  :-\

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/latest_news/?id=009151

Ok so what use is Connecta Redditch going to be from March?
I say this as Rotala will run most if not all the services in the town with only the 26 (main service), 50A, X50, 52, 59, 158, 182/3, 350, 354, 512, 517, R2. This is of course Rotala is able to buy the FMR Redditch garage of course.
For those who are thinking what the heck is he talking about, Connecta is the name Worcestershire County Council has given to its multi operator tickets. The different names are as follows
Worcester City is City Connecta
Redditch is Redditch Connecta
Kidderminster is Kiddy Connecta
and the most important on the County Connecta for County wide travel.

Ok so as Rotala are embarking on aquiring Redditch and Kidderminster from First MPSE(MR)(Midlands Potteries South East), how quickly are they going to re brand all the 36 buses they have bought. The Quickest would be paint white and viynal red as a quick short term solution then then if any transfer to blu or black over time change the viynal colour. In my view it would be a quick solution to what if not thought about could confuse people of Redditch and Kidderminster (as someone born and lived in Redditch all my life I know that it isnt difficult to confuse people in Redditch).
Using Viynal would help when moving buses around the fleet colours as they could simply be reviynaled before entering service in the new location. As for fleet number maybe put them in places where they wont get in the way ie the black window part on the back windows and the front.

Now I know what your all thinking and going to say, On the route on the blind and on time!
Or even working!

But no, I mean as in where they have been left.
I say this as last night (Tuesday) I arrived at Inkberrow Village Hall and football club car park to see a tow Truck on the lane and a First Student Bus in the football club carpark being reversed into the Village Hall car park. this wa at 19:48 so a suprise to see it. I had thought it had broken down or ran out of fuel (as i know Flyford Flavelle First school has one for its school bus) and was left there for the tow truck to pick it up.
can anyone shad any light on this please.

Whilst on the facebook in my new feed I had a note from Diamond saying
"From Saturday 24 November 2012 there will be some changes to the 70 service in Redditch.

An hourly 70A service will be introduced to serve the new childrens play centre, Imagination Street in Astwood Bank." this is at the Astwood Lane Astwood Bank Business Park just off Astwood Lane.

Now looking at a map and at the time table and knowing the roads this is going to be one enteraining ride for mums/dads as Astwood Lane does get 1 narrow 2 tight 3 tight bend at the bottom of a hill and 4 is steep ish.

Now if any one with a noddel was putting buses on the 70A they would look at either the lovely Volvos and or new/well cared for solos with the volvos in the afternoon/evening to handel the larger loads to and from Astwood Bank. But whats the betting an old on the blink Dart is given it and it conks out going up Astwood Lane.

Im now waiting for Worcestershire County Council to have the bright idea of the 70A going to Feckenham as its already going about half way there.

I know its up north but it still made me chuckle.

http://www.buteman.co.uk/news/local-headlines/stuck-bus-delays-kyles-of-bute-ferry-crossing-1-2641137

It just go to show how lucky we are not need to use ferries to get to places really.

A ferry lift is either

1 a hoist aboard a ferry to allow said ferry to berth at any pier and off load and load as long as the tide is right and a hoist ramp can sit of the pier. The two examples i know of that are still in operation are MV Hebridean Isles and MV Lord of the Isles which both are both owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd who are owned by the Scottish government and sail for State owned Operator Caledonian MacBrayne.

2. Was used by the GWR on the King class so they could change the ride height if the locomotive but were never called ferry lifts.

3 a lift for a ferry.

And finally its used in buses and coaches to change the ride height by inflatting airbags so that it can board a ferry with out grounding, or getting over speed humps so that it doesnt ground, or even to drive over mounds of snow in the winter.

(I moved it here as I miss posted it in the wrong place and moved it after thinking I'm a plank)

I was waiting on Evesham Road (Redditch) waiting for a 56/56A and the 26 came by. It was 18189 and it was making the most wierd unnerving of noises as was accelertating. Also I noticed it lacked a disabled ramp too, which i found bizzare as its a 54 plate and FMRs Dennis Tridents ALX 400 have ramps. Any way the sound of the engine was not good and if im honest i would think it lucky if it got to stratford as i thought it was going to give up the ghost; unless it had a hole in its exhaust system. If i had thought about i would have taken a vid and posted it so you could all hear it but it didnt sound right.

Anyone heard anything about Worcester new Volvo B7RLE Plaxton Centro as I saw a post on Midlandred.net about it bus nothing since. I would ask in there but for some reason the Forum is closed to new members or at least me anyway.

thanks if anyone can help.

All morning I have noticed a President working the 55/55A route. I'm unsure of which one as my bedroom window doesnt look into the main road but its something I havent noticed before. I know that the Lances have been withdraw from Redditch so I was thinking it was due to that but would like it claiffied because i have only ever seen a DD working on the 56 vehical movement to Alex to then tak up the S93 from Kingsley College. I had thought this was due to trees and the roundabout at Tesco Extra being tight to round.

Anyone able to shed any light.