Birmingham Central Garage

[Steve3229vp]

As a regular user of buses at peak time, I think every route needs more buses and not once since I went back to work 2 weeks ago have I been able to socially distance so good luck with that!

I'm not sure if the intergrating of students into University of Birmingham has been put on hold with the City's current restrictions, but are there any plans for extra Birmingham - University shorts once they're back? As, if the passenger levels get back to how they were social distancing on the X20/X21/X22 will be difficult.

The main problem is where do more buses come from, also where do more drivers come from and more capacity at garage level, it's near impossible

[Tony]

The main problem is where do more buses come from, also where do more drivers come from and more capacity at garage level, it's near impossible

Yes, despite 29 new electrics going into service since lockdown only two buses have been withdrawn, the paint programme and trap fitting programme have both been slowed to create more service buses, and nearly all long term dead buses are now up and running again

[2206]

Yes, despite 29 new electrics going into service since lockdown only two buses have been withdrawn, the paint programme and trap fitting programme have both been slowed to create more service buses, and nearly all long term dead buses are now up and running again

Would there be any chance of any withdrawn 42XX B7TL/43XX Tridents returning to service?
Or would none of them be suitable?

[Tony]

Would there be any chance of any withdrawn 42XX B7TL/43XX Tridents returning to service?
Or would none of them be suitable?

Biggest problem is MoT slots, because of the 3 month extensions issued when DVLA stopped MoTs all buses that normally expire in both June and September have got to be MoT'd in September, and DVLA haven't got enough slots for them let alone any extras

[Jack]

Would there be any chance of any withdrawn 42XX B7TL/43XX Tridents returning to service?
Or would none of them be suitable?

What about all the 'spare' single deckers? When the BY ones transfer out and the 55 going Decker they'll be more spare vehicles?

[2206]

What about all the 'spare' single deckers? When the BY ones transfer out and the 55 going Decker they'll be more spare vehicles?

They might not be becoming spare though? Double Deckers have to come from somewhere surely, so that could suggest a route somewhere will be converted to single deckers? 1/1A maybe?

[MasterPlan]

They might not be becomming spare though? Double Deckers have to come from somewhere surely, so that could suggest a route somewhere will be converted to single deckers?

That would be my guess too.

[Tony]

What about all the 'spare' single deckers? When the BY ones transfer out and the 55 going Decker they'll be more spare vehicles?

There's no service reductions so obviously no spare buses!

[Stu]

There's no service reductions so obviously no spare buses!

If I may interject here, what I think is being meant is that if the 55 is to become double-deck operated once transferred to BC, those double-decks will have to come off some other route.

I don't know how many vehicles the 55 needs, but presumably there is no 'surplus' of double-deck vehicles, so those BY OmniLinks will have to be utilised elsewhere, and some other route could end up losing double-decks as a result.

I'm sure you have a plan to take all things into consideration, and I will be interested to see how this all pans out.

[bususer28]

I have absolutely no knowledge of how services are used in Dundee but is it a possibility some double decker in particular the 06 regs could move back to the West Midlands?

[Tony]

I have absolutely no knowledge of how services are used in Dundee but is it a possibility some double decker in particular the 06 regs could move back to the West Midlands?

Don't you think if they could spare double decks they would have withdrawn their 2004 Geminis before the 2007 B7RLEs

[BBS]

They might not be becoming spare though? Double Deckers have to come from somewhere surely, so that could suggest a route somewhere will be converted to single deckers? 1/1A maybe?

Doubt that,1,1A always has Geminis and Geminis are still staying at AG aren't they.So they probably won't change the 1/1A Allocation till Geminis are reduced or etc

[monkeyjoe]

Doubt that,1,1A always has Geminis and Geminis are still staying at AG aren't they.So they probably won't change the 1/1A Allocation till Geminis are reduced or etc

Could the 72 with a slight freq increase be a contender and others being used on the 73. Understand all just speculation, but procrastinating whilst preparing for a meeting.

[2206]

Could the 72 with a slight freq increase be a contender and others being used on the 73. Understand all just speculation, but procrastinating whilst preparing for a meeting.

73 is already single decker E200 MMC operated I think.
As whenever i've seen it recently its been an E200 MMC.

Also does the training fleet need double decker vehicles 4697/4698? Or could those be returned to service and swapped for some 17XX B7RLE?

[Gareth]

73 is already single decker E200 MMC operated I think.
As whenever i've seen it recently its been an E200 MMC.

Also does the training fleet need double decker vehicles 4697/4698? Or could those be returned to service and swapped for some 17XX B7RLE?

That would be a hell of a lot of work! Remember it's not just a paint job and L plates fitted they've had. There's the instructors seat and dual controls. Raised flooring etc