Travel Merry Hill National 116

[j789]

Great photo of this bus. As it is in Merry Hill livery was this still in service post 1998 - same with the your bus National 120? Also, did any others get the route branding as never knew any West mids Nationals got branded on any route?

[Tony]

Great photo of this bus. As it is in Merry Hill livery was this still in service post 1998 - same with the your bus National 120? Also, did any others get the route branding as never knew any West mids Nationals got branded on any route?

116 was withdrawn in 11/98
120 also went to Travel Merry Hill after Yourbus and was withdrawn from TMH 7/98, but then did another year an a half as Travel London's driver trainer

[j789]

Thanks for that. Do you know when the 'M' reg Dart entered service with TMH also fleet no. 116?

[Tony]

Thanks for that. Do you know when the 'M' reg Dart entered service with TMH also fleet no. 116?

December 2003

[Bob]

When was the last twm national withdrawn Tony? They started to disappear rapidlyaround the same time as the flleetlines didn't they?  Although ive got a vague memory of seeing a PTF-L example in Birmingham in late 1997 poss 1998! I remember thinking it was weird seeing one that old when a lot of the original ex Wumpty ones which were newer had already gone. I think the last twm one was an S reg Wolves based one? I never got chance to ride on a volvo powered one unfortunately.

[j789]

The 90s was such an odd time for vehicle types and allocations but 1990s Brum was certainly a National hotbed, so many companies had them eg WMT, MRW, Birmingham Coach Company, Ludlows, Cityline, Central (wmt), Your bus, Falcon Travel etc. A great time for enthusiasts but not the best for the image of bus travel with all that smoke!!!!!

Are any proper (ie not Greenways) Nationals still in service anywhere?

[Wumpty]

The 90s was such an odd time for vehicle types and allocations but 1990s Brum was certainly a National hotbed, so many companies had them eg WMT, MRW, Birmingham Coach Company, Ludlows, Cityline, Central (wmt), Your bus, Falcon Travel etc. A great time for enthusiasts but not the best for the image of bus travel with all that smoke!!!!!

Are any proper (ie not Greenways) Nationals still in service anywhere?

The Black Country had its own famous National operators fro Midland Choice, Thandi, Walsall Travel to the region's largest National operator - Chase Bus Services.

Chase had one of the largest fleets of 510 engined examples, with a couple of unique 're-engined projects. They installed a 680 into one and a dustcart engine with fully automatic gearbox in another!. They also boasted one of the largest ex London National fleets, some retaining their double door configuration.

[tc]

The 90s was such an odd time for vehicle types and allocations but 1990s Brum was certainly a National hotbed, so many companies had them eg WMT, MRW, Birmingham Coach Company, Ludlows, Cityline, Central (wmt), Your bus, Falcon Travel etc. A great time for enthusiasts but not the best for the image of bus travel with all that smoke!!!!!

Are any proper (ie not Greenways) Nationals still in service anywhere?

Go-Ahead's Konectbus operated one until May this year: http://www.konectbus.co.uk/152/