Messages

Fantastic to see a Wright Crusder bodied Dart preserved, the shade of yellow and logo style look spot on too.

Remember travelling on them in service with Diamond, I remember the bench seat bodied examples such as the YRPs being absolutely showroom inside and very nice to travel on. The EBD and BUD batches also seemed nice and all looked in good condition when withdrawn and all rode very well.

Any idea why more Wright bodied Darts weren't purchased by operators? They seemed better built than the Plaxton bodied ones... And better looking too!

Not many left of the type at all, or even ex Pete's Travel vehicles, just some newer TransBus Darts and T441EBD as a playbus!

Have any 144 buses got full branding yet - or have HQ vetoed any further spending on the scheme?

Isn't the idea to wait until all of the batch have arrived/been liveried then brand them all?

Anyone noticed quite a few Diamond Buses with adverts on? Not seen that for a few years

What routes do they have that'd need deckers?
Though it'd be interesting to see a decker on something like the 192 and the 2L.

Interestingly, Kidderminster is just of a height that deckers cannot be incorporated on the pits, on the instruction of Mr Ken Mills, who didn't believe in deckers!

Unless the deckers are just there for storage?

Intetesting that Igo won the 19 & 530 tenders, yet Diamond have registered them from 22nd Oct

Different tenders for the same route at different times of the day/days per week I think!

Unfit at Tiv today:

20828
1550
884
924
879
888 taken away for new engine
818
882
823
602
886
489
883
922

30924? Might be easier to quote the 5 digit Rotala numbering scheme!

Seemingly the same happened on the 74 in Walsall, withdrawing, then deciding to register certain journeys commercially. In other words, messing around!

A free 701 shuttle service will operate between Smallbrook Queensway and Cannon Hill Park, every 30 minutes.
Other services to the park include the 1, 45, 47 and 35. Plus theres the 63, 144 and X61 a bit further away on the Bristol Road.
https://www.facebook.com/nxhistoric/photos/pcb.1715731048455924/1715730901789272/?type=3&theater

Should be a good event this and hoping it's well attended! Credit to all involved with organising it! There's also the On the Buses event at SVR so a busy weekend for enthusiasts! Plus Showbus the week after!

Fantastic news for GAG and high time that Dublin Bus monopoly was broken up. Maybe some opportunities for other UK transport groups in the next rounds! Don't suppose their unions are happy...

There are to new Volvos in service, not seen them yet.  A King Long was in the depot on Tuesday for viewing only. Photographed today ex Stagecoach Dart LX03 CAA fleet no. 343890. Nice and clean inside

In the next compound to Decourcey Travel are 15 ex London Enviro 200s..;.they do not belong to Travel de Courcey, but are in storage pending auction....these are some of themYX12 AGZ, YX12 AKK (DMV44223). YX12AYZ, and YX12 AZA. I could not get the camera through the fence to photograph anymore of them. They would be a good buy for de Courcey.

The building work at the de Courcey has been a standstill for nearly a fortnight. All the framework is in place and scafholding surrounds the
whole build.

Thanks for the detailed update! The E200s are ex lease Tower Transit examples of a batch of 32 recently advertised for auction in Route One. They'd be a good buy though I agree!

I must say I'm surprised too, especially seeing as Hereford was quit a year after they started to expand again with the country tendered service wins at Yeomans etc expense.

I was surprised Hereford was quit full stop, these tendered wins on the outer edge of the county do seem to make sense as they can be worked from WR if Astons bid uncompetitively and/or want to reduce bus work.

PD1093425/12 Cancellation (Short notice)
ASTONS COACHES LTD
Route: Bromyard, Pump Street to Hereford, Shire Hall
Service number: 405
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

405 lost too... interesting. I wonder who's won this. Could Astons be cutting back on stage carriage work, DRM have apparently lost work too surprisingly.

Courtesy of Adam on Midlandred.net, it's been reported that Astons Coaches have lost the 417 and 675 to First Midland Red, 417 has been run by them for 8 years! Interesting times!

Would it be unfair to comment that fleet appearance generally at iGo seems to have slipped?

I did wonder that, was it the KX57s that replaced the MX61s that went back off lease? Funny that 20530-2 have done full circle-now back to Rotala!