New Buses

[Ash]

The 03 reg solo's always seem like there ready to breakdown one of them might be 20538 seems to struggle from 1st to 2nd gear there like a long pause before finally finding the gear the 57 reg ones seem a lot better.

[PM]

The 03 reg solo's always seem like there ready to breakdown one of them might be 20538 seems to struggle from 1st to 2nd gear there like a long pause before finally finding the gear the 57 reg ones seem a lot better.

Yep these are especially bad having been worked hard and also being ex lease where lets face it many of these operators wont care for the buses as well as if they were their own buses/assets. Proves the point that they are badly made minibuses not suited to hard work

[Ash]

The solo's at diamond are good for the local centro tendered services for example the 24/30/54/54A but when they turn up on the 4 and 301 there useless and when the sun's comes out there lucky to last the whole day in service. 

[PM]

The solo's at diamond are good for the local centro tendered services for example the 24/30/54/54A but when they turn up on the 4 and 301 there useless and when the sun's comes out there lucky to last the whole day in service.

Really though the darts that are far older seem far more reliable, good solid buses that diamond can rely on, unlike the solos. To be honest for tendered stuff diamond would be better using MPDs.

[Liberator9]

The air systems also have serious issues; the other day I was getting off an old solo and the driver tried to open the doors. Nothing happens; so he tells me just to pull them open! Then again about last week later, funny enough the same driver, said just to press the door open button. It's ridiculous; that same week one of the Versas I saw broken down on the S2 (I was meant to catch that bus, but missed it); then another Versa lost its' air on the 82. They are pretty bad considering most are 10 reg and 61 reg!

[PM]

The air systems also have serious issues; the other day I was getting off an old solo and the driver tried to open the doors. Nothing happens; so he tells me just to pull them open! Then again about last week later, funny enough the same driver, said just to press the door open button. It's ridiculous; that same week one of the Versas I saw broken down on the S2 (I was meant to catch that bus, but missed it); then another Versa lost its' air on the 82. They are pretty bad considering most are 10 reg and 61 reg!

This is awful and I have heard many similar stories from drivers. Why anyone buys them is a mystery to me!!

[Ash]

I wonder if the hybrids will ever return to Tividale, they just seem lost originally for the 56 and 301 (according to diamond buses personnel on facebook) they have just seem to have ended up on the 16 I understand why due to the emission ruling in the city centre but with the loading on the 16 6XMPD darts would have probably provided the required capacity with the hybrids being ideal on more stop/start services may be upgrading the 40/42/43 with some of them in West Bromwich.

[PM]

I wonder if the hybrids will ever return to Tividale, they just seem lost originally for the 56 and 301 (according to diamond buses personnel on facebook) they have just seem to have ended up on the 16 I understand why due to the emission ruling in the city centre but with the loading on the 16 6XMPD darts would have probably provided the required capacity with the hybrids being ideal on more stop/start services may be upgrading the 40/42/43 with some of them in West Bromwich.

I guess rotala thought that the hybrids wouldd revive loadings on the 16 which has certainly NOT happened. To revive the 16 and the 50 as I have said before branding is required on dedicated buses and on the 50 upping the frequency as the buses on there seem to do well-they just need a few more on there as people are buying the returns. It would be good if Green Bus and Diamond could reach some sort of a deal on the 50 maybe with joint ticketing and really attack NXWM together as between them they would put up a very good fight.

[bwsau cymru]

I wonder if the hybrids will ever return to Tividale, they just seem lost originally for the 56 and 301 (according to diamond buses personnel on facebook) they have just seem to have ended up on the 16 I understand why due to the emission ruling in the city centre but with the loading on the 16 6XMPD darts would have probably provided the required capacity with the hybrids being ideal on more stop/start services may be upgrading the 40/42/43 with some of them in West Bromwich.

I guess rotala thought that the hybrids wouldd revive loadings on the 16 which has certainly NOT happened. To revive the 16 and the 50 as I have said before branding is required on dedicated buses and on the 50 upping the frequency as the buses on there seem to do well-they just need a few more on there as people are buying the returns. It would be good if Green Bus and Diamond could reach some sort of a deal on the 50 maybe with joint ticketing and really attack NXWM together as between them they would put up a very good fight.

Very good idea, and couldn't agree more with the branding issue. The 50 does need frequency increasing but not sure about the 16. The 16 just seems to have too many buses for the amount of passengers I see travelling. I really think they should of kept the 97 on too!

[Ash]

Does anyone know exactly when diamond will be getting the b7rle's i presuming the older ones will enter before the new ones as I expect they haven't been built yet. Also agree that the 50 needs to have it's frequency increased to make diamond serious competition the service I would say withdraw off the 16 and put the hybrids and centro's on the 50 making 13 vehicles on route (8 hybrids + 5 centros).

[Isle of Stroma]

I wonder if the hybrids will ever return to Tividale, they just seem lost originally for the 56 and 301 (according to diamond buses personnel on facebook)

As I've inferred before, once the original Wessex placement fell through, the Versa's were earmarked for a 24/7 operation on the 97 from City - BHX/NEC. (Sounds familiar ??  ;)  )

[Mike360]

The new buses could be used for the 002 route as part of the Merry Hill upgrade and this route having on vehicle talking display.

The 50 should have a few more buses and all hybrids on this route.

[Ash]

The new buses could be used for the 002 route as part of the Merry Hill upgrade and this route having on vehicle talking display.

The 50 should have a few more buses and all hybrids on this route.

I forgot about the upgrade so you could be right they might be for the 002 with hopefully Tividale keeping the displaced centro's and using them on other services.

[winston]

Does anyone know exactly when diamond will be getting the b7rle's i presuming the older ones will enter before the new ones as I expect they haven't been built yet. Also agree that the 50 needs to have it's frequency increased to make diamond serious competition the service I would say withdraw off the 16 and put the hybrids and centro's on the 50 making 13 vehicles on route (8 hybrids + 5 centros).

The new B7RLE could be being sourced from Volvo bus & coach stock? If that is the case, they could take delivery of them quite quickly

[PM]

There is no point in putting new buses on the 002 when the ones on there are in great nick and branded up. Yes, the B7rles could be sourced from stock it is a possibility. Yes, the frequency on the 50 should be upped and is it true about diamond planning to run the 97 24hrs a day to the airport.