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Which tendered routes exactly are VIP losing to Diamond, and which ones will they continue to run?

2144(35 branded) - 604

For clarity it would help if people indicated which operator these are they are reporting.  ;)

Whilst turning the corner this evening onto the Stratford Road heading for my bus stop, at first glance I saw what looked like a President coming backwards down the road! At second glance, it was 4068 hooked up backwards to a Mansfield recovery truck. As it passed me, I could see the centre front panel was missing, so not sure if it had been involved in an accident, or whether the panel had been removed in an attempt to get the bus on the truck the other way round (which presumably had failed!)

On the Wrightbus website, it's simply called 'New Bus For London'.

I checked one of the regs in my vehicle lookup and it returned:

MAKE: WRIGHTBUS
MODEL: NEW BUS FOR LONDON NBFL (1)

Are B10s 10.3 litres then?

I personally think they're 9.6 from memory, someone will no doubt correct me if that is wrong! DVLA doesn't seem to agree with me and says 1411 is 7.5 litres, it is also saying 1406 has 0 litres and 1407/1408 are "unavailable".

According to the vehicle lookup available to me (I work in automotive parts distribution) 1411 (P411EJW) is a 9.6 litre engine. Which sounds about right being a B10  ;)
How are you looking up engine sizes of vehicles Joe?

https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/app/enquiry?execution=e1s2 but the dvla hasn't said any of our b10ls are 9.6 although I still think that they are.

And aren't the Tridents 10 litres? With the same body in the case of the B7 ALX400's? which surely accounts for their rather more stately progress

5.9 litres, according to my vehicle reg lookup

I think theyre the best deckers along with the geminis that NX have. The interiors are great, they don't rattle like the tridents and actually have heaters that work. Always liked presidents but they do have quite a small engine don't they-they never like the heat either-on the bristol road on a hot day they would sound awful.

7 litres engines aren't they, isn't that was the 7 in B7TL stands for?

7.3 litres to be precise.  ;)

But yes you're right. Likewise the B9 have a 9.3 litre engine, and the B5 have a 5 litre engine (in conjunction with the electric motor)

Was it on the 1 or the 11 at the time?

It was not in service, and was heading back to the garage. There were no passengers on board.

Birmingham Mail confirms the bus was out of service and heading back to AG garage, so no passengers were on board:
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/acocks-green-bus-bursts-flames-6264565

There were no injuries, I'm sure I read a comment on Birmingham Updates that only the driver was on board, so was probably heading back to garage. Great way to end your shift  ???

Not to mention the 3 route between Acocks Green and Gospel Oak, the Tridents can just about get around the Pool Farm Road area  ;D

Best thing I read today is Reiss' suggestion that the bendy Scanias should go to YW, so they can use them on "2 and 3 and other routes that don't have tight turns"  ;D

[1919 on YW 3]

2097 on the 222
1919 on YW 3
214* on BC 45/7 (Appeared to be on all day as i saw about 13:55 in Moor St
2130 on the 24 (Again in the daytime)

I saw it on the 3 yesterday morning also.

This evening, I saw 4745 on the 6 in Sparkbrook heading out of city, not that unusual anymore, but noted it looked much needed, as it was totally packed!  :D

4746 was also arriving in Acocks Green on the 3 just as I got to my house just now.

Guess the extra Enviro400s arriving at Yardley Wood mean we might see more of them on other services now.

Thanks John & Nathan, have shared your pics on my Facebook page  :D

Yardley Wood also appear to have finally rolled out the new Matrix programming 4333-4341 have had for the last month! I actually prefer it, never liked the old skinny numbers.

I've noticed a few like that yes, with the 'chunky' bold text on the destination line.

Also noticed on the 6 that it now says 'via Camp Hill & Sparkhill' as one of the via points now.