Optare Excel

[Nathan4775]

Its a shame too see these buses go :(

[Stu]

Looks like Excels are being replaced with Mercedes O405Ns being cascaded mostly from Bordesley, who have received the surplus Omnilinks from when Birmingham Central gained their new Urban 2s, plus some older Omnilinks from Perry Barr which were replaced by newer ex-Dundee Omnilinks. There aren't any Urban 2s going spare to replace Excels.

[D10]

With all the B6's sitting in reserve perhaps it would make sense to transfer some over to Wolverhampton to replace any Excels? This would reduce the midibus fleet to two types in B6's plus the new midis.

[SMK]

Which buses will they use in the 28 when they do withdrawl the excels. I can't see why they cant use wrigh eclipse urban 2. They use excels and i've seen a spectra,trident and merc

They may go back to Solos (it's original allocation), though they were always rammed full when I saw them.
They'll prbly end up with a random allocation of WN's fleet (not including the B7s).
Hell they may get a couple of the new midis  :D
Seeing as it originally had Solos and now usually has Excels, does the length of the Mercs pose a problem somewhere along the route?

[Badger]

Definately agree on the Travel London Excels. It's a very nice design in the longer version but when you cut it down so much you have to have flat seats and even then can't fit a disabled bay and drop down seats it just doesn't work, let alone the legroom. It's amazing how little room is in the shorter excels when the longer are known for their spaciousness!

[winston]

With all the B6's sitting in reserve perhaps it would make sense to transfer some over to Wolverhampton to replace any Excels? This would reduce the midibus fleet to two types in B6's plus the new midis.

I can see your thinking, but it would be introducing a new type of midibus to WN that's unfamiliar to engineers etc. If they are going to withdraw the remaining Excels, a better option may be to replace the last few with Mercs withdrawn from PE & WN as a temporary measure, even if they are R/S reg in TWM livery, pick the best 6 of those in reserve.

[mranon]

i think the terminus in willenhall has a narrow tight right turn which would make anything longer than an excel very difficult, if not impossible to get round the corner

[Ashley]

It's also been said that the refurbished three, 687,693 and 708 will be kept for the time being or was that just rumours, all the same, it seems that there aren't enough Mercs available to oust all of the last excels so some will have to stay.

About the terminus in Willenhall, Walsalls B7RLEs can manage it so why not a similarly sized Merc on the 28

[mranon]

think you will find mercs slightly longer than walsalls b7rles. either that or they may not have the lock on the steering

[Ashley]

I just know they are both similar, but the Mercs have a smaller turning circle

[Trident 4609]

I'm sure i've seen a merc on the 28 once either late last year or some time this year

[4006]

I have heard there is no talk of replacing Solo's for the near future and some of the Excells also will be staying a while yet. As seen more often recently routes that are usually or occasionally Solo operated ie 11/26/28/62 I have seen more lately to be Excell operated, Excell operated routes i.e 11/25/27/32/33 also recently have been B7RLE operated. Although there are a couple of Solo's in the garage at the mo this shows thay could manage if they 'lost' a few. Merc hand-me-downs could replace Excell routes also and since the new B7 deliveries there does seam to be more 'spare' buses at the mo (2013 for example was parked up over a week along with 2059 recently)
Incidentally 413 is still at Wolves having work done in the garage and has been for some while. I am told it is due for removal but seams strange how it is the only one left and has been hanging about for ages!

[Nathan4775]

what routes are Excels used on ? other than 81

[Badger]

Past few weeks, the 25/25A, 28, 81. I believe that's all.

[BN]

With all the B6's sitting in reserve perhaps it would make sense to transfer some over to Wolverhampton to replace any Excels? This would reduce the midibus fleet to two types in B6's plus the new midis.

B6's, no thankyou!