Diamond Bus - Unusual Workings

[Dylan4579]

Centro on west brom 53 yestarday

[fleetline6477]

Blue Diamond MX 57 UPM on West Bromwich services 42/43.

[Ash]

Blue Diamond MX 57 UPM on West Bromwich services 42/43.

Has been on the 40 for the two days previous in the new blue diamond livery. Looks quite smart.

[Ash]

Royale centro 30821 (30830) making an appearence on the 4 not that common to see them weekdays on the service

[nitromatt1]

Royale centro 30821 (30830) making an appearence on the 4 not that common to see them weekdays on the service

I was just about to post seeing an unidentified Centro on the 4H in Halesowen this afternoon, guess that was it then

[nitromatt1]

20913 on the 4H: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nitromatt1/8553035494/in/photostream

[Ash]

There was another 57 reg diamond 'blue livery' one on the 4M aswell much prefer these to the 53 reg ones.

[tank90]

40613 (32877) on Redditch's 51 at 15:59ish. Now It didnt go under the railway bridge it went via Edward Street and Britten Street and Bridge Street.
But the funny thing was it wasnt even full but a Short wheel base Dart on the 57 left packed, me thinks someone is having fun with placing buses or Rotala are trying every bus on every route at different times to see if they need DDs in Redditch.

V541 ESC and V542 ESC where looking Smart. People did comment on the tables, which lead me to think they'd be good on the 247 146 143 as so you could do things whilst traveling on those long journeies. It'll be interesting to see if Rotala do the senseable thing and introduce the other Ex Preston DDs and then start repainting the Ex First buses into Blue or plain White before withdrawing anything. Because I reckon once all 4 are in service they could do the three E300s and one DD then put the 3 E300 at Kidder whilst the 3 54reg Darts and one dd are done then transfer any thing else from KM to be done then transfer the E300s back to RH and start on the stuff here.

[winston]

40613 (32877) on Redditch's 51 at 15:59ish. Now It didnt go under the railway bridge it went via Edward Street and Britten Street and Bridge Street.
But the funny thing was it wasnt even full but a Short wheel base Dart on the 57 left packed, me thinks someone is having fun with placing buses or Rotala are trying every bus on every route at different times to see if they need DDs in Redditch.

V541 ESC and V542 ESC where looking Smart. People did comment on the tables, which lead me to think they'd be good on the 247 146 143 as so you could do things whilst traveling on those long journeies. It'll be interesting to see if Rotala do the senseable thing and introduce the other Ex Preston DDs and then start repainting the Ex First buses into Blue or plain White before withdrawing anything. Because I reckon once all 4 are in service they could do the three E300s and one DD then put the 3 E300 at Kidder whilst the 3 54reg Darts and one dd are done then transfer any thing else from KM to be done then transfer the E300s back to RH and start on the stuff here.

Tank90,

Diamond are selling the 3 x Enviro 300's along with 10 x ex First Tridents

[tank90]

I dont think they are any more, due to complaints about over crowding and also there is a message from Simon Dunn that Tony posted somewhere last night I think saying that they werent selling the 6 54reg buses from First, and i think it said they would have bought more but First wanted more the Rotala felt they were worth for them.

[winston]

I dont think they are any more, due to complaints about over crowding and also there is a message from Simon Dunn that Tony posted somewhere last night I think saying that they werent selling the 6 54reg buses from First, and i think it said they would have bought more but First wanted more the Rotala felt they were worth for them.

Tank90,

Well spotted, saw the Simon Dunn response, but the repainting of the 6 x 54 reg buses never registered with me.... there's no Rotala advert in the latest Route one to check

[tank90]

I dont think they are any more, due to complaints about over crowding and also there is a message from Simon Dunn that Tony posted somewhere last night I think saying that they werent selling the 6 54reg buses from First, and i think it said they would have bought more but First wanted more the Rotala felt they were worth for them.

Tank90,

Well spotted, saw the Simon Dunn response, but the repainting of the 6 x 54 reg buses never registered with me.... there's no Rotala advert in the latest Route one to check

Thats ok, I thought you were making sure I had done my homework lol.
There was rumours with staff this sarvo that Rotala maybe keeping the 10 presis too, until they know what to do in Redditch.

[winston]

I dont think they are any more, due to complaints about over crowding and also there is a message from Simon Dunn that Tony posted somewhere last night I think saying that they werent selling the 6 54reg buses from First, and i think it said they would have bought more but First wanted more the Rotala felt they were worth for them.

Tank90,

Well spotted, saw the Simon Dunn response, but the repainting of the 6 x 54 reg buses never registered with me.... there's no Rotala advert in the latest Route one to check

Thats ok, I thought you were making sure I had done my homework lol.
There was rumours with staff this sarvo that Rotala maybe keeping the 10 presis too, until they know what to do in Redditch.

I don't understand why they don't know what to do, particularly as Diamond have been operating in Redditch for some years. All the loading data should have either been made available whilst Rotala were negotiating a price with First to buy the operation or would have been available after 12.01am on the day of takeover. Or you would use the knowledge of existing First Redditch management that have transferred across assuming they have? It also sounds as though a number of ex First drivers haven't transferring across despite being able to retain existing terms & conditions under TUPE.

It's noticeable that the majority of the latest second-hand intakes @ Tividale / Redditch & Kidderminster ex Wessex Connect / Yourbus & from various other sources are either MPD's or Solo's which are effectively minibuses......

[Ash]

There were two 53 reg solo's on the 4 today
Had a ride on AE10KHB on the 4 today. It sounds just like an old dart like an R or S reg one but alot more powerful I know its a dart mcv evolution. Hope a few more of these make there way to Tividale and nice to see the mcv evolution chasis back on the 4 (404E).

[nitromatt1]

Another Blue Diamond 57-reg Solo on the 4 today.