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They dont operate many tridents other than the Wardles ones do they?

No, Arriva always prefered DAFs and Volvos

are the tridents staying with arriva then?

I haven't heard either way on the tridents yet

Apparently the privatised rail system actually costs the taxpayer more in subsidy than BR did tony! I think if there was a nationwide poll a majority would agree that rail privatisation hasnt worked and would back renationalisation. Even Thatcher described it as a 'privatisation too far'!

Oh true, and I wouldn't be against it either, I just don't think the fares would be any lower

6040-2, 7600/1 are all to transfer to Crewe

reinstated 3518, 3701-3, 4942 and 2382 transferred from Crewe are the replacements

I am told that 4741 was stationary and did not move forward

Tony,

Citaro's as follows

2001 BD12OVF
2002 BD12OVG
2003 BD12OVH
2004 BD12OVJ
2005 BD12OVK
2006 BD12OVL
2007 BD12OVM
2008 BD12OVN
2009 BD12OVO
2010 BD12OVP

Regards.

Thanks Rob, Ben at Coventry sent me them earlier, along with a photo of 2008 and they will appear on the main site in the next couple of minutes

yes and their customer service team havent a F****n clue whats happening! its due to end in bloody 15/16 days time and they still dont know, no announcement on the service updates on their website nothing for the 2nd Sept changes on the NWM site, apparently theres a meeting with Centro/Staffs this week, whether they'll come to an agreement i dont know. I hope its kept on, even at only the busy times it would still be handy esp with the bloody disgusting private profiteering train fare hikes announced today, if ever there was an argument for renationalisation!!!

Err haven't you noticed it is the government that decides the fare rises? somehow I don't think they would be cheaper nationalised

can you beat it then Tony?

Yes, if I stay until I am 60 I will have 44 years in

Current date for this to happen is either 21st or 28th October, but Arriva are asking the TC if they can do short notice changes and do it around 4 weeks earlier at the end of September

With the M6 shut yesterday afternoon/evening I should imagine the Coventry Road was extremely busy. May just have been heading to Solihull Station for 957s

I'm just wondering how many more seats they'll cram into a pendolino cigar tube....

The First Group premium bid is reported to be based on cutting costs during the term of the franchise, have the Dft not seen the effect of Firsts cost cutting on its Uk bus division????

Look on the bright side, at least it is not Arriva (see Cross Country!)
First Great Western still has reasonable fares compared to most franchises, I personally would prefer Virgin out of the final 4 though.

Does anyone know the fleet list for red diamond the buses that are there as 30516 for example is listed as RH and has been on black diamond service for months if not a year. Also what is the PVR for red diamond how many vehicles does it need daily and what is the PVR for its services along with the vehicles it uses.

On my fleetlist those with a red background are those I have a photograph of in red livery. Those with an RH are what the company fleetlist shows as allocated to Redditch. That does not always mean what is allocated to Redditch as vehicles regularly swop and don't always show on the fleet lists sent to me

This could have been mentioned already but why was midland sold was it due to debt or the fact the group needed to put heavy investment into the fleet as their vehicles are aging.

Or Arriva may have given them a large cheque for cash.

I would imagine you are correct. Basically Arriva have made an offer to the owners of D&G which is more than they valued keeping the operation so accepted golden shilling on offer.

Lets have all the fleet painted into red/white and leave off the brandings, they don't serve any useful purpose.

That is apart from increasing passenger numbers and we wouldn't want that would we?
Haven't you noticed, the companys that are regularly praised on here, Trent, Go-Ahead, Nottingham, Brighton & Hove, all you garish coloured branding?
The reason being every large company in the country will tell you branding increases ridership!

That was just my own opinion, and branding may appear to be doing a job, but I prefer to believe that a number of other factors are contributing to the increased passenger numbers we're seeing:

• The brand new buses
• The network reviews, that have revised and introduced routes to meet passenger demands
• The increase in real-time displays, and better timetable information at bus stops
• And of course, the rising cost of fuel which is forcing more people to give up their cars and try public transport instead

Again, just my own opinion, and after all, this thread is about 'what we'd like to see'. Route branding may be effective, but some people like it, some don't. My own observations are that people really don't pay any attention to them anyway, the same people that get on a bus with a big 'Solihull' on the front display, and then ask the driver if this bus goes to Solihull!  ;D

I appreciate it is your wish it wasn't there which is what this topic is about, I was just replying to the last sentence that it doesn't do anything. I have never worked out why it does increase ridership, as you say there is a number and destination on the front, but it does!

On routes that serve a tourist attraction I can see that painting a large 'this bus goes to.... ' on the side will help but years ago the 590 was branded at Washwood Heath, no other improvements just a big sky blue band painted up the sides of some mark one metrobuses, but apparently passenger numbers increased when it was done!

'I still have not found the place called sorry not in service'

It's twinned with a place in London just called 'Not in Service' Londoners aren't so apologetic in their town names