Diamond Bus - Discussion

[4504]

Couldn't the 417 use the 314** crusaders, then the 404E could use the 302** crusaders, inc. the ex-Ludlow ones

If the crusaders are returned to the 417 from the 404E which there appearing on at the moment, i wonder what vehicles the 404E would get hopefully not solo's or the shorter darts which were on the route today

[Ash]

A hybrid versa was on the 417 on the 18/4/2012, the 314** are normally seen on the 16/401/2/410, the 302** crusaders are normally on the 301 (30201/2 and 30204-7), 404E (30209-13) 007 (30214) and 404E (30216-30218) and the 417 normally sees just the royale centro's or occasionally a wright cadet (302**).

[4504]

I would use hybrid/darts off peak and centros at peaks, how does the 56 cope with hybrids at peaks?

The centro's suit the 56 better as the route can get quite busy and the extra capacity is needed, It will be interesting to see where the hybrid's will go.

[Ash]

I dont use the 56 that much as peaks but when i have or seen the buses leaving Birmingham there always very busy and they also put extra darts on in peak houses to increase capacity, ideally the centro's are better as they got full in peak hours so i guess the versa's struggle.

[4504]

Oh ok. I am yet to ride on the versas. Although I get easily mistaken with versas and solos, which do have some differences

I dont use the 56 that much as peaks but when i have or seen the buses leaving Birmingham there always very busy and they also put extra darts on in peak houses to increase capacity, ideally the centro's are better as they got full in peak hours so i guess the versa's struggle.

[PM]

Yes, definitely keep centros on the 56 as their capacity is needed. Or possibly a good idea-reduce frequency and use some ex Bristol coach seated park and ride buses in a branded livery. Just a thought diamond...

[Liberator9]

Last week on Thursday, guess what. The S2 to Dorridge didn't turn up! Had to walk and we nearly missed our train which we had to catch. We were getting close to Dorridge when a scuffy 56 reg Solo pulled up at the stop just in front of us, running about 30 minutes late. We run for the bus and someone gets off. Despite running to driver drives off and I simply put my hands up at the wreck. Luckily me and my relative made the train but only just. This route is getting terrible and is the 4th time a bus has failed to turn up but here it did but drove off without us! Anyone having the same issues on other routes?

[Ash]

How come versa 30128 got diverted to Preston and therefore has the diamond hybrid headrest, have diamond recieved another hybrid in replacement as maybe preston needed this versa before diamond.

[Liberator9]

More moaning. My S2 was 8 minutes late today and it was a SoloSR that was stuck in one gear. Could only get up to 40 max and then a cooling fan came on making it impossible to speak!

[richie]

NXWM drivers stop far too much due

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NXWM has an 82% market share and diamond has an 8% share in wm bus ops! NX 1 million passengers per day diamond about 4 passengers per day

[MW]

More moaning. My S2 was 8 minutes late today and it was a SoloSR that was stuck in one gear. Could only get up to 40 max and then a cooling fan came on making it impossible to speak!

You do realise the fastest it could go is 40. It's the highest speed limit on normal roads.

[PM]

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NXWM has an 82% market share and diamond has an 8% share in wm bus ops! NX 1 million passengers per day diamond about 4 passengers per day
[/quote]

A highly unfair comment. Many of Diamond's services are very well used think 002, 301, 404, 17, 82, 30, 10H, 56 plus other signature services, and thats forgetting even the nifty fifty or the 16. I for one would far rather catch diamond than NXWM any day of the week and the fact that NXWM have an 82% market share just shows that they should have been split up into two or more companies on deregulation. Then it would actually be fair for the smaller yet high quality independants that Birmingham has-diamond, Claribels, Johnsons. And anyway NXWM do not carry 1 million passengers a day. Close to a million passengers are carried every day on all WM services and not all of these are NXWM. No, I say Go Diamond-create more innovative brands, invest in better vehicles than NXWM, open up new links and maybe keep trying to grow services as you are trying to do!!

[Liberator9]

They do not invest in better buses. Most of their fleet is old rattly Darts and the MCV evolutions which were good have now been ridden of.

[PM]

I imagine investment will be coming soon and I encourage you to travel on one of the new versas or signature citaros/versas/solo srs-not to mention the royale centros. Anyway, I love diamond's old darts-especially the R... FFC ex Oxford Ones-theyre fantastic-comfy, incredibly fast and with recovered seating. yes, it is a shame the mcv's have gone-tho it shows that like a magazine said-RouteOne?-Rotala's policy is to get rid of vehicles that are expensive to run/unreliable etc. Better than keeping stock thats no good-tho personally I thought they were nice but what do I know. Im not a fleet engineer.

[MW]

I imagine investment will be coming soon and I encourage you to travel on one of the new versas or signature citaros/versas/solo srs-not to mention the royale centros. Anyway, I love diamond's old darts-especially the R... FFC ex Oxford Ones-theyre fantastic-comfy, incredibly fast and with recovered seating. yes, it is a shame the mcv's have gone-tho it shows that like a magazine said-RouteOne?-Rotala's policy is to get rid of vehicles that are expensive to run/unreliable etc. Better than keeping stock thats no good-tho personally I thought they were nice but what do I know. Im not a fleet engineer.

Diamond is rubbish. Black Diamond is arguably reasonable. Blue Diamond is terrible and the fact that it brought NBB to an end is worse, and absolutely trashed Y2 NBB.