Messages

They are claiming to have taken Claribels over on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cityfoxtraining?ref=stream
(The photo of YJ12HJD) has been stolen from my website and Claribels have always contacted me if they want to use one so don't believe they have anything to do with Claribels.

I looked at that Facebook page, and it looks bogus to me. I might report it.

Delays on the 71E - police have closed Dansbury Avenue, buses are diverted round Snuff Square until further notice. Delays of up to 10 mins. Sorry

What?

That Facebook link takes me to Claribels? What the hell is CityFocks? Is that real? I've never heard of that before. I've heard of Rhys though...

It would appear they are copying/stealing/borrowing (delete as applicable) images and text from the yourbus website too - how flattering.

The one that was tweaked was 'Ride Me All Night' to 'Catch Me All Night' on the 31 branded Solo following 'feedback' from the University, Police and, urm, a rape support group.  We were referring to the bus - dunno what they were referring to  :o ::)

Route 56 was also branded for a while

It sure was, as Route56 - playing on the iconic US Highway sign for Route66.  Lines from the Nat King Cole song were changed as follows:

"If you ever plan to motor west" - changed to "Planning to motor Brownhills West?"
"Get your kicks on Route66" - changed to "Get your kids on Route56"

Even had the american bumper sticker too !

This was one of my favourites.

It was for the 37 in Worcester, but from memory the branding was removed when staff at the hospital complained.

The branding wasn't removed because the hospital complained - although it made headline news around the UK and Europe, Matron ran on the back of the bus until the contract came to an end.

The one that was tweaked was 'Ride Me All Night' to 'Catch Me All Night' on the 31 branded Solo following 'feedback' from the University, Police and, urm, a rape support group.  We were referring to the bus - dunno what they were referring to  :o ::)

Diamond have undertaken conversions on some of their acquired buses before but that was when the go-ahead group owned the business and the buses were the RxxxFFC ones. How much would it cost to convert a citaro to single door bus I'm guessing quite a lot being a mercedes vehicle

You can't convert them to single door as there is no offside emergency exit.

If you think logically it is likely that the vehicles are leased. The Streetlites appear to be at least, coming from Mistral (I know Mistral sell the Streetlite too).

They are not leased.

Could this be Diamond stepping up competition?

It's looking that way. You don't start advertising day returns on your best buses unless you're up for a fight. Perhaps they're thinking they can push The Green Bus off the route?

The return fare on the blinds of Diamond's 50 route has been on there for at least 2 years.

It makes you wonder if someone else is backing the Yourbus operation financially? It does seem to be expanding pretty rapidly & mostly with brand new vehicles

Very true!!! Citaro's don't come cheap!!!

yourbus is a private company backed by no-one.

Blue Diamond.

Red Diamond.

Black Diamond.

(Normal) Diamond.

Especially when vehicles are being transfered between them, and not being repainted.

Also has the one single decker advertising their long withdrawn short lived 529 service been debranded yet?

Does it not make spotting more interesting ?

I've heard the announcements so many times I can recite them.

So can I as it's my voice !

Actually diamond are not doing well according to the figures i have seen. Some 226s of Hansons make a decent profit unlike the daytime 226 of diamonds which makes a massive loss. According to several diamond 226 drivers they are coming off it anyway next month so won't be long

Always amazes me where these statements come from such as 'according to the figures I have seen' and 'make a decent profit'.  Perhaps I missed those meetings.

Thats what Diamond staff on there are saying! plus the wayfarers too.

Diamond staff (drivers) would not know if the service is making a loss - they would know how much they have taken on their duty.  Wayfarers also don't have a profit button.  There are factors within a business that determine if a route is making a profit - staff, depot, engineering, fuel and insurance overheads.

Actually diamond are not doing well according to the figures i have seen. Some 226s of Hansons make a decent profit unlike the daytime 226 of diamonds which makes a massive loss. According to several diamond 226 drivers they are coming off it anyway next month so won't be long

Always amazes me where these statements come from such as 'according to the figures I have seen' and 'make a decent profit'.  Perhaps I missed those meetings.

Didnt know if anyone was interested in this but yourbus have sold at least one ex pete's KX52..R.. darts to ensignbus.
Here's the link..
http://www.ensignbus.com/Sales_2002-DennisDart.htm

The only operational dart in the fleet now is PJ02 RHA being a driver trainer.

Yesterday everytime i saw a diamond 59/59H there were 1-3 passengers on there at most but today there were about 8-9 passengers on the first journey of the day today. At some points the diamond bus can get very busy like a few saturdays ago i saw a diamond bus on the 59 and it was absoloutley packed.

I think the best route Diamond have is the 56 - But they give ridciulous allocation at Peak Times :(. Like this morning there was a Dennis Dart on the 56 completley full. Were as there is probally a Longer bsu wasting on another route

There used to be two MPDs allocated at peak times for additional trips in and out of the City.  These would then go onto contract routes where a smaller bus is specified.  These additional vehicles gave a frequency of 15 mins at busy times.

Driving through Dudley Port at 7am this morning, I was following 31480 (R404FFC) and it was belching out blue smoke and the smell of an oily engine about to expire filled my car!

At what point would you expect engineering do something about it - it's not as if you could miss it!!!! Reminiscent of some old Thandi motors back in the day......

Dudley Port is two minutes from the depot and at 7am is probably just started it's run for the day.  Even brand new buses chuck out blue smoke if it's a cold morning and they've been standing outside.