Diamond Bus - Discussion

[PM]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

[winston]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

The 57/58 needs to stay full size single deckers supplemented by double deckers for schools/peak workings especially once Diamond have reduced the total Pvr. Diamond also need to use full size heavy weight single deckers on longer distance routes 142, 143, 145, 146, 247, 292, 294, 295 & 303.

[PM]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

The 57/58 needs to stay full size single deckers supplemented by double deckers for schools/peak workings especially once Diamond have reduced the total Pvr. Diamond also need to use full size heavy weight single deckers on longer distance routes 142, 143, 145, 146, 247, 292, 294, 295 & 303.

The problem being that diamond do not have sufficient heavyweight single deckers and will not have many/any deckers left which could be a problem. In the interim, leasing a few buses may be a step forward

[winston]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

The 57/58 needs to stay full size single deckers supplemented by double deckers for schools/peak workings especially once Diamond have reduced the total Pvr. Diamond also need to use full size heavy weight single deckers on longer distance routes 142, 143, 145, 146, 247, 292, 294, 295 & 303.

The problem being that diamond do not have sufficient heavyweight single deckers and will not have many/any deckers left which could be a problem. In the interim, leasing a few buses may be a step forward

Many of those routes are an hour or over in duration, I certainly wouldn't want to be sat on a Dart for that length of time of faster A-roads of winding country roads between the major towns KR & RH serve. It certainly wont attract any new passengers. Leasing some new/newer buses would certinly give them some beathing space to update the fleet, but if Rotala are planning to run the Redditch & Kidderminster services with 12 x B7RLE, various length Darts & Solos, I can only see problems ahead. I think Whittles will be watching developments closely in Kidderminster as well

[PM]

I guess redditch could have the signature buses like the citaros when these contracts finish as well  but 25 or so new or recent heavyweight buses are needed

[winston]

I guess redditch could have the signature buses like the citaros when these contracts finish as well  but 25 or so new or recent heavyweight buses are needed

They could do, but as there's only 3 its not really going to help & Rotala seem unlikely to purchase anymore. I'd be inclined to send those to Preston or retrieve the sole Preston example & re-deploy them in Redditch or Kidderminster.

Rotala should have tried to buy/offered to buy all the Enviro 300's, at least that would have bought them some time and allowed them to buy smaller batches of new buses each year. The Tividale fleet desperately needs updating with new/newer full size single deckers particularly on routes 4/4H/4M, 301 etc. All the buses are getting old & unreliable all at the same time.......

[PM]

I guess redditch could have the signature buses like the citaros when these contracts finish as well  but 25 or so new or recent heavyweight buses are needed

They could do, but as there's only 3 its not really going to help & Rotala seem unlikely to purchase anymore. I'd be inclined to send those to Preston or retrieve the sole Preston example & re-deploy them in Redditch or Kidderminster.

Rotala should have tried to buy/offered to buy all the Enviro 300's, at least that would have bought them some time and allowed them to buy smaller batches of new buses each year. The Tividale fleet desperately needs updating with new/newer full size single deckers particularly on routes 4/4H/4M, 301 etc. All the buses are getting old & unreliable all at the same time.......

I agree and although I am a big fan of diamond's darts, I can see that new buses are needed and ones that will be good, solid reliable buses-not solos, versas etc. Leasing would be a good solution I think for diamond

[winston]

I guess redditch could have the signature buses like the citaros when these contracts finish as well  but 25 or so new or recent heavyweight buses are needed

They could do, but as there's only 3 its not really going to help & Rotala seem unlikely to purchase anymore. I'd be inclined to send those to Preston or retrieve the sole Preston example & re-deploy them in Redditch or Kidderminster.

Rotala should have tried to buy/offered to buy all the Enviro 300's, at least that would have bought them some time and allowed them to buy smaller batches of new buses each year. The Tividale fleet desperately needs updating with new/newer full size single deckers particularly on routes 4/4H/4M, 301 etc. All the buses are getting old & unreliable all at the same time.......

I agree and although I am a big fan of diamond's darts, I can see that new buses are needed and ones that will be good, solid reliable buses-not solos, versas etc. Leasing would be a good solution I think for diamond

And ones which will present a higher quality image

[Ash]

The darts are struggling to cope on the 4h and 4m hence i think the use of more cadets on the
as the darts keep breaking down daily

[Ash]

There was a 57 reg solo new blue diamond livery solo on the 40 today I think it might have been one of the 57 reg ones already at Tividale but been repainted from black to the new blue livery.

[John]

AE10 KHB
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/8540076230

LG02 FFD
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/8538972757

[Discodave]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

The 57/58 needs to stay full size single deckers supplemented by double deckers for schools/peak workings especially once Diamond have reduced the total Pvr. Diamond also need to use full size heavy weight single deckers on longer distance routes 142, 143, 145, 146, 247, 292, 294, 295 & 303.

The problem being that diamond do not have sufficient heavyweight single deckers and will not have many/any deckers left which could be a problem. In the interim, leasing a few buses may be a step forward

Many of those routes are an hour or over in duration, I certainly wouldn't want to be sat on a Dart for that length of time of faster A-roads of winding country roads between the major towns KR & RH serve. It certainly wont attract any new passengers. Leasing some new/newer buses would certinly give them some beathing space to update the fleet, but if Rotala are planning to run the Redditch & Kidderminster services with 12 x B7RLE, various length Darts & Solos, I can only see problems ahead. I think Whittles will be watching developments closely in Kidderminster as well

Winston

Everyone is entitled to their opinions but when I mention about dart of some of Arrivas long routes such as the 76 people say the are efficent for that route.  I am talking not just from a passenger but from a driver whom once worked these routes.  The 76 runs on fast A roads and darts are not known for comfort and with an engine screaming at full chat must not be a pleasent exepriance for anyone.  I try to give a balanced view I am not perfect but I am sick of being slagged off by Karma etc.  I do not rate anyone but looking at the forum even if I have not commented things alter.

[winston]

Ive also thought that if rotala do not have a great deal of money then leasing buses would allow new buses where the costs are known and not excessive plus vehicles can be returned etc. Didnt pete's travel do this quite a lot?? id agree Winston tho for most of the redditch stuff darts could go on the local routes and the existing eclipses put on stuff like the X3 and 143-which needs deckers really tho!!

The 57/58 needs to stay full size single deckers supplemented by double deckers for schools/peak workings especially once Diamond have reduced the total Pvr. Diamond also need to use full size heavy weight single deckers on longer distance routes 142, 143, 145, 146, 247, 292, 294, 295 & 303.

The problem being that diamond do not have sufficient heavyweight single deckers and will not have many/any deckers left which could be a problem. In the interim, leasing a few buses may be a step forward

Many of those routes are an hour or over in duration, I certainly wouldn't want to be sat on a Dart for that length of time of faster A-roads of winding country roads between the major towns KR & RH serve. It certainly wont attract any new passengers. Leasing some new/newer buses would certinly give them some beathing space to update the fleet, but if Rotala are planning to run the Redditch & Kidderminster services with 12 x B7RLE, various length Darts & Solos, I can only see problems ahead. I think Whittles will be watching developments closely in Kidderminster as well

Winston

Everyone is entitled to their opinions but when I mention about dart of some of Arrivas long routes such as the 76 people say the are efficent for that route.  I am talking not just from a passenger but from a driver whom once worked these routes.  The 76 runs on fast A roads and darts are not known for comfort and with an engine screaming at full chat must not be a pleasent exepriance for anyone.  I try to give a balanced view I am not perfect but I am sick of being slagged off by Karma etc.  I do not rate anyone but looking at the forum even if I have not commented things alter.

Discodave,

I agree everyone is entitled to an opinion and no one is right or wrong...... I'm not really familiar with Arriva's routes outside of the West Midlands. But I'd agree with your comments, Darts are good around towns for urban work, but not really suitable for longer distance work on fast roads, they are not designed for speed and being lighter you tend to feel every bump in the road at speed. Long Darts are essentially a cheaper equivalent of full size heavy duty single deckers

[Ash]

AE10KHB on the 4M today probably not going to be unusual but good to see the type back on the 4/H/M makes a change from the darts.

[Discodave]

All Diamonds MCVs have been sold to New Zealand, just not all have left yet

As Tony said these supposed to have all gone where did this one come from.