Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[tank90]

Hi Simon has Diamond thought about buying gas buses ie the man eco city thingy?
If not then it could be a goer as they are greener than a standard bus. Plus I can think of routes that they would go well on too across the network.

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon has Diamond thought about buying gas buses ie the man eco city thingy?
If not then it could be a goer as they are greener than a standard bus. Plus I can think of routes that they would go well on too across the network.

When you are buying a Hybrid, gas or a new product off any manufacturer, you should be fully aware and confident they are capable, willing and able to support it.

I would not be confident MAN could support such a product and would therefore not consider it.



Simon

[tank90]

Hi Simon has Diamond thought about buying gas buses ie the man eco city thingy?
If not then it could be a goer as they are greener than a standard bus. Plus I can think of routes that they would go well on too across the network.

When you are buying a Hybrid, gas or a new product off any manufacturer, you should be fully aware and confident they are capable, willing and able to support it.

I would not be confident MAN could support such a product and would therefore not consider it.



Simon

That is a fair point, tho Arriva and Anglian bus seem to have a few.
ADL with Scania have got one on the E300 chassie that is floating around the UK, not sure of itss price tag tho.

Dan

[bwsau cymru]

Hi simon I'm really glad that the 4 has its sunday service again and I really hope people choose to use it, is there any chance that rotala would look to run a 4h on a sunday? like what you do Monday to Saturday I think every other 4/4h would be brilliant on a sunday too so every 30 mins?

Regards

Danny

[Cedric]

Simon
Have You news  of when the results of the review will   take place in Kidderminster.
  please. there are more people I talk to and when I am at the bus stops saying how
the services have got better here than moaning about them. there are certainly
more people using the 10. regard cedric

[winston]

Hi Simon,

1. Have Rotala/Wessex waited to register the 2 x DF Streetlights until after 1st March as 14 reg? As I notice they don't feature on the Feb Rotala fleetchanges

2. Did the deal to buy B7RLE that was underwritten by Rotala fall through?

3. Have the new range of value tickets on selected Diamond services had a positive effect on passenger numbers during there first month? 

4. Do you anticipate Rotala making any acquisitions during this year either bolt-on or in a new operating area?

Cheers,

Winston

[StourportSam]

Hi Simon,

Just wondering if you have any updates on the fates of..

1) 30428 - S405 JUA
2) 20851 - KU52 RYN
3) 30639 - YJ06 YPU

Are they returning to service if so when?

And also when is (20849, KU52 RYH) coming back to Kidderminster as I know you said it is and finally is when are (30445, T418 MNH / 30930, VX54 MUC / 30931, VX54 MUO) off for re-spray?

....And finally is (30439, W567 JVV) also coming back to Kidderminster?

I await your updates.

- Will

That's about the 4th time you've repeated that question Will!
I don't think Simon is going to answer it; he would have by now...
Repeating it every few days may just just look impatient?

[StourportSam]

Yes I knw! It is only because it keeps getting buried under other peoples comments & questions and as it goes I'm probably NOT the only one that repeats themselves on here unfortunatly those that do they go unoticed meanwhile I don't! And futhermore I'm only interested as to why 3 excellent vehicles with no mechanical faults (to our public knowledge) have been V.O.R. Since at least January/early Feb and haven't since returned to service I much prefer those vehicles to the 10 MPDs that Diamond have got (or rather shouldn't have) in Kidderminster I can assure you at least your not like a sardine on S405 JUA where as you would be on T71 JBA (et al)

I'd say MPDs are suitable for some Kidderminster routes, such as the 141, 133 and 4/5.
Simon has already answered why KU52 RYN is VOR - the documentation has been lost and it cannot be taxed.

I know you want to have answers to your questions (I am also interested to know the answers) but Simon chooses to contribute to this forum, doesn't have to, and could easily stop if he felt the thread was being spammed or abused.

Not meaning to be funny at all just friendly advice!

Sam, I totally agree.

Will, you should be grateful for any responses to your questions that you actually get, after all Simon is the Chief Exec of Rotala plc & I'm sure he has more pressing issues to worry about than answering all our questions!!! If you keep badgering him, he could choose to stop contributing althogether, Winston,

[the trainbasher]

Hi Simon

Is there any plans to improve reliability on the 226/W. Last few weeks I've noticed that some of the journeys (weekday peaks, Saturday off peak and Sundays) have a habit of running consistently late (Sundays it doesn't help with the 81 running same departure times from Merry hill!). Although sometimes they're coming at times anything up to 5-10 minutes early!

Also, is there any plans to renew the fleet on the 226 as surely the 2 remaining darts that are branded must be worn out near enough having to tackle the hills on the route? It's that bad even solos and B7s have appeared during the daytime!

Anyway that's it from me for a bit.

Cheers

Tom (the trainbasher)

[3030]

Hi Simon

Is there any plans to improve reliability on the 226/W. Last few weeks I've noticed that some of the journeys (weekday peaks, Saturday off peak and Sundays) have a habit of running consistently late

Tom (the trainbasher)

I can offer a bit of input regarding reliability in peak periods from a driver perspective as I've driven the 226 route before....

The occasional late running at peak periods on Monday to Friday comes from the traffic between the hospital and Pensnett and also through Wordsley at the lights by The Cat pub. It's a weird one to be honest because one day you can go straight through the hospital and not hit any traffic and get straight over the lights at Wordsley, the other day you'll hit both the traffic at the hospital and the lights. On an evening you can also hit traffic at the Five Ways junction at Brierley Hill, again though that can be very hit and miss. You can also lose time coming out of Dudley if you catch all the lights wrong at King Street, I've had it happen to me before now that I've caught every set of lights on King street, those lights can easily put you 2-3 minutes down. On the other hand I've gone straight through the lights with them all on green!

The late running on a Saturday or Sunday I don't know because I've never driven the route on either day.

As a driver I don't feel it's a reliability issue as such, because if you only hit one or 2 sets of lights at Dudley or only a little bit of traffic at the hospital it's possible to keep it on time at peak periods, the problem comes from traffic delays no one can control.

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,

Would the 6 x 55 plate ex Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner B7TL's/Wright Eclipse Gemini's (single door format with coach seats) just taken in to stock at Ensign be of interest to Rotala?

Winston

Winston,

These are not of interest.  The only requirement for double deck is fullfilled by new bus purchases sat in our yard at Long Acre


Simon

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,

Would the 6 x 55 plate ex Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner B7TL's/Wright Eclipse Gemini's (single door format with coach seats) just taken in to stock at Ensign be of interest to Rotala?

Winston

Not just those, theres at least one E200 56 plate as well, would go down a storm with our Kiddy friends and those who use the X3 at peak times as the MPDs (dinky toys) are far too small!

I don't think Simon's a fan of E200's, Ensign have had 2 x 58 plate examples for sale ex Hanson's plus another ex Kent Top Travel, which have all since been sold during Feb to others

I have spoken to Ross, and in my opinion this vehicle is too expensive for what it is

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,

Would the 6 x 55 plate ex Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner B7TL's/Wright Eclipse Gemini's (single door format with coach seats) just taken in to stock at Ensign be of interest to Rotala?

Winston

Not just those, theres at least one E200 56 plate as well, would go down a storm with our Kiddy friends and those who use the X3 at peak times as the MPDs (dinky toys) are far too small!

I don't think Simon's a fan of E200's, Ensign have had 2 x 58 plate examples for sale ex Hanson's plus another ex Kent Top Travel, which have all since been sold during Feb to others

Fan or no fan, people have had enough of standing up on the bromsgrove highway and it will hurt diamond as they are getting called by some first in blue.

We've said all along the X3 deserves/requires full size buses and MPD's aren't suitable

Yes that is true, and each and everytime we have given Rotala ideal buys they have turned there nosies up at them. I hate to say it so publicly but, sometimes I wonder why I bother even trying to explain to other passenagers that they are trying there best when clearly they are not. If I were Rotala I would look at every bus on the market even going to ADL direct to see what part ex i could get for some of the clapped out darts for new E200s. I say this as India and africa are looking at cheap low floors and refurbs are useful to them.
I wouldn't not look at anything as it can help keep the mony rolling in.

With service changes planned, will we have some long single decks come free from Wessex

[Simon Dunn]

Hi simon I'm really glad that the 4 has its sunday service again and I really hope people choose to use it, is there any chance that rotala would look to run a 4h on a sunday? like what you do Monday to Saturday I think every other 4/4h would be brilliant on a sunday too so every 30 mins?

Regards

Danny

Danny

There are no plans at present to do this



Simon

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,

1. Have Rotala/Wessex waited to register the 2 x DF Streetlights until after 1st March as 14 reg? As I notice they don't feature on the Feb Rotala fleetchanges

2. Did the deal to buy B7RLE that was underwritten by Rotala fall through?

3. Have the new range of value tickets on selected Diamond services had a positive effect on passenger numbers during there first month? 

4. Do you anticipate Rotala making any acquisitions during this year either bolt-on or in a new operating area?

Cheers,

Winston

Winston,

1.  They were registered during March. 
2.  Yes, this doesnt look like it will happen.
3.  It is too early to tell. 
4.  We have cash and desire, it depends upon what is available, our view on value, against what someone is prepared to sell for.



Simon