Diamond Bus - Unusual Workings

[Cedric]

Saw 31524  R76 GNW leaving Kidderminster Bus Station today with 'Sorry not in service' on the display.
Despite this, the fleet list shows it as having left the fleet, yet it had a Diamond uniformed driver!

30860 (I believe) as opposed to 30850 was also seen on the 292, so working from Kidderminster garage.

R475 CAH has joined ex 42404 and 42405 behind Kidderminster garage.

re 31524  is used on school service 833,  to wolverley and king Charles schools     saw 30850 on the 292 last Saturday evening in  red diamond livery

[nitromatt1]

Solo on the 4H

[Ash]

30825 on the 4H rare to see the royale centro's on the 4 these days.

[PM]

And also on the 4 today was T447EBD which is really rare-haven't seen one of these on the route for ages. Glad I got a picture of this and another crusader dart

[Ash]

And also on the 4 today was T447EBD which is really rare-haven't seen one of these on the route for ages. Glad I got a picture of this and another crusader dart

T443/7EBD have been appearing on the 4/4H/4M very frequently over the last week, must say there 2 of my favourite darts as there quite quick for their age and seem quite reliable and have been refurbished.

[PM]

And also on the 4 today was T447EBD which is really rare-haven't seen one of these on the route for ages. Glad I got a picture of this and another crusader dart

T443/7EBD have been appearing on the 4/4H/4M very frequently over the last week, must say there 2 of my favourite darts as there quite quick for their age and seem quite reliable and have been refurbished.

Sorry haven't been over to west brom for a while and was just really happy to see them as Id never seen them before-got lots of nice pictures from west brom. Yeah I agree I am a big fan of these wright crusader bodied darts and darts in general-way better than the cadets.

[Ash]

20538 on the 4H
30432, 20849 on the 301 (The 301 seems to get a mixed bag of buses now haven't saw a centro on there for a while mpd's and solo's are way to small for the service as I was on a mpd dart on the 301 today).

[PM]

How are loadings on the 301 at the moment as haven't got it for a while?
On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

[Dylan4579]

How are loadings on the 301 at the moment as haven't got it for a while?
On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

Saw standing loads on the 56 at 1 in town so good for diamond, it was a centro

[PM]

How are loadings on the 301 at the moment as haven't got it for a while?
On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

Saw standing loads on the 56 at 1 in town so good for diamond, it was a centro

Thats good then-personally I reckon people will choose a leather seated centro over a nx offering any day. Glad they are still doing well on a route they have worked hard on

[winston]

On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

At least NX introduce new routes and try even if some fail.....

What was the last new commercial route to be introduced by Diamond that wasn't a direct copy of someone else's? :P

[PM]

On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

At least NX introduce new routes and try even if some fail.....

What was the last new commercial route to be introduced by Diamond that wasn't a direct copy of someone else's? :P

Diamond pioneered the 4 service to Merry Hill and I would ask this-in an area with a mature transport network, is it about new routes? Or, is it about saying that existing routes meet demand and instead we should focus on improving them as opposed to introducing new routes which are a failure.

[winston]

On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

At least NX introduce new routes and try even if some fail.....

What was the last new commercial route to be introduced by Diamond that wasn't a direct copy of someone else's? :P

Diamond pioneered the 4 service to Merry Hill and I would ask this-in an area with a mature transport network, is it about new routes? Or, is it about saying that existing routes meet demand and instead we should focus on improving them as opposed to introducing new routes which are a failure.

Wasn't the original Diamond 404H to Merry Hill effectively the re-introduction/re-numbering of the 217. The problem with the end of that statement, is that you'll never know if a new route is a success or failure until you actually give it go..... no one can knock any operator for trying and failing. Additionally, for public transport to develop with ever changing travel patterns, the provision of existing routes and introducing possible new services offering new journey opportunities should be assessed a regular basis..... 

[Ash]

How are loadings on the 301 at the moment as haven't got it for a while?
On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

The loading on the 301 are still very busy saw full length dart KU52RYH 20849 leave Walsall with standing passengers and the cadet i got on from Walsall was 3/4 full, so not sure how these mpd are coping but not well i'm guessing.

I think to start a new service commercially for most bus companies except probably the large 5 is going to be financially risky. I mentioned before a new commercial service could be suggested to centro and if seen as a feasible idea money is given to subsidise the service lets say over 6 months then after that the bus company whoever it may be operates 100% commercially. Therefore less risk for the bus company but see's a growth in the number of services available.

[PM]

How are loadings on the 301 at the moment as haven't got it for a while?
On the topic, has the 936 impacted much on the 56 or is it performing as a typical national express new route? :P

The loading on the 301 are still very busy saw full length dart KU52RYH 20849 leave Walsall with standing passengers and the cadet i got on from Walsall was 3/4 full, so not sure how these mpd are coping but not well i'm guessing.

I think to start a new service commercially for most bus companies except probably the large 5 is going to be financially risky. I mentioned before a new commercial service could be suggested to centro and if seen as a feasible idea money is given to subsidise the service lets say over 6 months then after that the bus company whoever it may be operates 100% commercially. Therefore less risk for the bus company but see's a growth in the number of services available.

Glad to hear that but in the current climate, I think we should be improving existing services.