Diamond West Midlands - Kidderminster

[Cedric]

V463 TVV and V464 TVV are here.
Parked up at KR depot, in Diamond livery.
Interestingly, at least one has a dot-matrix destination blind, something I thought Diamond might have replaced. Perhaps it is just a coincidence or mistake, or indeed done on purpose but one of them is displaying service number 2A. When I go past later I will try to look at the destination.

A green Man Centro is also back, presumably for 002 workings.

S377 TMB was indeed back in use yesterday.

20654 has been VOR for a week or two now.

would not read  to much  it the vehicle displaying 2A  as if there is a new  2A service coming  doubt if it will be same as  current one.

[the trainbasher]

Plaxton Centros at diamond have MAN A66/A69 chassis for 30801-30806/30831 and B7RLE Chassis for 30807-30828 plus the ones that were sent to Wessex were B7RLEs.

[PM]

Plus 30704 and 30303 are also on MAN chassis

[iamwilljh92]

V463 TVV and V464 TVV are here.
Parked up at KR depot, in Diamond livery.
Interestingly, at least one has a dot-matrix destination blind, something I thought Diamond might have replaced. Perhaps it is just a coincidence or mistake, or indeed done on purpose but one of them is displaying service number 2A. When I go past later I will try to look at the destination.

A green Man Centro is also back, presumably for 002 workings.

S377 TMB was indeed back in use yesterday.

20654 has been VOR for a week or two now.

Sam,

I have been down to Kiddy depot (via the perimeter fence!) and I saw the Vxxx TVV's and you are correct in what you say one of them does display "2A" BUT it's NOT ours it says on it "2A Kidlington, via Banbury Road" (proof: http://www.stagecoachbus.com/getTimetable.ashx?code=XOBO002A&dir=INBOUND&date=06%2F11%2F2012+10%3A48%3A30) so I suggest that they both still have Oxfordshire routes programmed into them they probably will be changed to digital hanovers before they enter service

[PM]

That route rings a bell! Saw darts on there when I was in Oxford for a few days a couple of years and they were the loudest vehicles running around Oxford by quite a considerable margin!

[StourportSam]

V463 TVV and V464 TVV are here.
Parked up at KR depot, in Diamond livery.
Interestingly, at least one has a dot-matrix destination blind, something I thought Diamond might have replaced. Perhaps it is just a coincidence or mistake, or indeed done on purpose but one of them is displaying service number 2A. When I go past later I will try to look at the destination.

A green Man Centro is also back, presumably for 002 workings.

S377 TMB was indeed back in use yesterday.

20654 has been VOR for a week or two now.

Sam,

I have been down to Kiddy depot (via the perimeter fence!) and I saw the Vxxx TVV's and you are correct in what you say one of them does display "2A" BUT it's NOT ours it says on it "2A Kidlington, via Banbury Road" (proof: http://www.stagecoachbus.com/getTimetable.ashx?code=XOBO002A&dir=INBOUND&date=06%2F11%2F2012+10%3A48%3A30) so I suggest that they both still have Oxfordshire routes programmed into them they probably will be changed to digital hanovers before they enter service

Indeed, just had a look myself after work. A coincidence then! As Simon Dunn said, Diamond have registered nothing yet to compensate for loss of Whittle 2A/2C journeys.

[StourportSam]

Plaxton Centros at diamond have MAN A66/A69 chassis for 30801-30806/30831 and B7RLE Chassis for 30807-30828 plus the ones that were sent to Wessex were B7RLEs.

My mistake, glad to be corrected as I'm not very familiar with Plaxton Centros. This was a B7RLE one of 30807-10.

[PM]

Sam,

Do you think the 2 group will/would overload on just the basic 2 bph offered by Diamond's 2, taking into account the 2L and 125 journeys that also follow a similar route?

[StourportSam]

Sam,

Do you think the 2 group will/would overload on just the basic 2 bph offered by Diamond's 2, taking into account the 2L and 125 journeys that also follow a similar route?

I wouldn't have said so. As evidenced the corridor isn't able to support two operators. The services do get busy at peak times however, though this risk would be offset if large vehicles are used at these times. I would think that if Queensway and Wribbenhall are covered appropriately the current Diamond service would suffice. That said, I don't use the routes that much only on average once a fortnight if I need to go to Bewdley or Highley.

[PM]

What you're saying pretty much matches my own observations. It's a well-used corridor but large darts are perfectly fine on the current frequency. The issue I've noticed is that the 2 tends to run fairly to time, but the 2A/C seemed, admittedly when I last used them in late September/early October a bit chaotic, with buses turning up considerably late, same with the 125. If the 2 could incorporate the bits the 2A/C cover and the 2L/125 were re-timetabled to ensure they fitted in between, that would offer at least 3 and potentially 4 bph to Bewdley.

[Cedric]

What you're saying pretty much matches my own observations. It's a well-used corridor but large darts are perfectly fine on the current frequency. The issue I've noticed is that the 2 tends to run fairly to time, but the 2A/C seemed, admittedly when I last used them in late September/early October a bit chaotic, with buses turning up considerably late, same with the 125. If the 2 could incorporate the bits the 2A/C cover and the 2L/125 were re-timetabled to ensure they fitted in between, that would offer at least 3 and potentially 4 bph to Bewdley.

The 2  keeping to time was hard before the September time table changes as most of the day the 2 and the 10 was interworked  and the timing was very tight  and when there was a lot of traffic or roadworks  it was more Else impossible   to keep to time .  that stop with the changes and time keeping on both the 2 and the 10 has improved. and when the  have stopped   big  buses will be need as Mpd  or solos will not be enough capacity   and  timing on the 2  be increased to 20 mins.  the 125 route turns of before the  housing estates to other side of bewdley  so I have not include that, or the 2L as that is a long distance route in should keep to main road the same goes for a none diamond route the  goes to tenbury wells that keeps to main road

[Cedric]

had to go to Worcester today  ride up  was 30512  nice  motor for that distance   coming back it was 30905   which again  was nice for that distance  , the engines   did  not seam so noise as when they are on locals?

[iamwilljh92]

A mate of mine is working over at Long Acre tonight and he went over to the "dead pile" to have a look to see which buses are there and he told me that the following ones are still there;

20504 - V266 BNV
20548 - T468 HNH
20608 - KU52 YJY
30212 - YD02 PZM
30486 - W337 VGX
30903 - W903 JNF
30904 - W904 JNF

+4 Wessex Connect buses and a couple of Optare Solo's

[winston]

A mate of mine is working over at Long Acre tonight and he went over to the "dead pile" to have a look to see which buses are there and he told me that the following ones are still there;

20504 - V266 BNV
20548 - T468 HNH
20608 - KU52 YJY
30212 - YD02 PZM
30486 - W337 VGX
30903 - W903 JNF
30904 - W904 JNF

+4 Wessex Connect buses and a couple of Optare Solo's

Will, any idea what the 4 x Wessex Connect buses were? As there was a 62 plate Bath B7RLE there the other week.

[iamwilljh92]

A mate of mine is working over at Long Acre tonight and he went over to the "dead pile" to have a look to see which buses are there and he told me that the following ones are still there;

20504 - V266 BNV
20548 - T468 HNH
20608 - KU52 YJY
30212 - YD02 PZM
30486 - W337 VGX
30903 - W903 JNF
30904 - W904 JNF

+4 Wessex Connect buses and a couple of Optare Solo's

Will, any idea what the 4 x Wessex Connect buses were? As there was a 62 plate Bath B7RLE there the other week.

I don't know mate he only looked in the dead pile