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The MRW Lynx's could tackle Clee Hill no problems as well.

Wasn't the 004 resurrected by Hanson's for a while?

Yeah and was probably part of Hansons downfall, takings on it were terrible. Why Hansons stuck with the route as long as they did I'll never know. I've done complete round trips on the 004 in Hansons days and not put a single cash fare in the vault. The 002 used to kill it between Halesowen and Merry Hill as well.

For Diamond, it's pretty simple. The 4,4H,16/W,40,42,43, 50,226. (Again based on their high frequency.)

Not always the case, high frequency don't always mean top paying. Whilst all those routes support themselves commercially (some better than others) they are not the top payers. For years the 226 was only just about viable with 2 operators on it (Hansons and Diamond) and Saturdays on that route are awful for cash fares.

The routes that generate enough income, have modern vehicles operating on them in Kidderminster

A number of the routes in Kidderminster do not and have not for some time covered their direct costs of operation (fuel, wages, etc)

We are going to do so some service changes.  If this doesnt improve, then we will remove them. 

The Streetlites are a light weight vehicle.  A lot of the routes in Kidderminster require heavy weight vehicles.

So based upon both these facts it doesnt make sense replacing the buses we currently operate.

Kidderminster has been a poison chalice for any operator years now, I was involved with MRW right back in 1992 - 1995 and half of it was loss making even back then! Badgerline as it was at the time made a huge mistake closing the Birmingham operation and keeping Kidderminster, Birmingham/Black Country was at the time still profitable but there were other problems on the horizon (impending closure of the Bull Ring Bus Station and the impending loss of fuel/maintenance facilities at the old Digbeth coach station).

A bit like a certain person who worked at diamond in full uniform claiming to be a driver for a free ride now not at diamond  maybe arriva and still not a driver

If we're thinking of the same guy he now works for WMCA as a surveyor! He did briefly work for Diamond though as a route trainer.

There's another one that I've noticed a few times at Merry Hill in full WMCA/Network West Midlands uniform!! Don't know his name or what happened to him because the WMCA staff onsite were less than impressed when they noticed him!

Not my picture, but will give you some idea of the amount of work that'll be needed to put 30824 back on the road!

Diamond Bus (30824, BX09 SJV) (withdrawn) by Will Howes, on Flickr

Quick question time.

Does Igo have its own 4 weekly pass, as I have a friend who now lives on the Walsall 19 route(Little Bloxwich end!) & wanted to ditch her Nbus Black Country pass for cost reasons?

(I did suggest walking up to the Lichfield Road/Abbotts St / Stoney Lane area & catching the 89 & 302, then she could change to an Nx pass but for medical reasons(back apparantly!), that appears to be a non starter. Another friend of hers suggested walking into Blakenall, for a 29, which might be a starter, but depends on the back!)

No, but I know the idea was being looked at a while back, not heard anything about it since though.

30824 back before it's electrical fire was a nice bus to drive, I actually had it on the 255 route the night before the fire. Couldn't believe it when I heard it had suffered the electrical fire the following morning, it was faultless the night before and was considered one of the better ones by the drivers at that time in the B7/Plaxton fleet.

I'm impressed your putting it back on the road though, last time I was there it had been heavily cannibalised.

Wonder if the Moseley  depot of wmsnt  will.be running the
New igo   69 contract from end if April as it not far from kings heath

No chance, not enough room in that depot for a bus. It'll either be Tay Rd or North operated.

One of the 326 igo  today 136 from bilston  no shoe not sure if the bus
broke down or was running late

They're could have been one missing for a trip because YJ67FYO broke down yet again!!!!!  ::)

I think iGo are one of the few British operators that are still prepared to put up with the junk that Optare continue to produce. A 67 plate vehicle off the road with a warranty issue for almost a week - ridiculous.

I can see your point, but so far of all the ones delivered new to Igo this has been the only problematic one. Turned out to be an electrical fault with a wire that had been accidentally trapped during production/assembly that had caused a tiny break in the wire that was causing the random stalling as the bus was moving, the offending wire has now been removed and rewired/rerouted correctly.

YJ67FYO has now been repaired and expected back on the road on Monday 05/03

Brand new 18 reg Solo delivered to Wednesday depot this afternoon, should be out on the 19/326 routes on Monday.

The 52 plate dart has now been repaired and transferred back to Birmingham (North depot)

I'm puzzled. On the 26 Coventry route today was GN09 KHP.
It has high floor narrow stepped side entrance with wheelchair tail lift at rear. More like a special needs bus. How the heck can this be put on the regular service?
I cant see the tail lift being used at bus stops to get the old and less able onto the bus if they cant climb the steps at the side?

Spare bus at Coventry depot, and is wheelchair accessible via the tail lift at the rear. Tail lift has been used in service. The normal allocation for the 26 is one of the 2 Coventry based E200s.