First Bus - Wyvern

[Dylanbusboy45]

66694 (X50 branded) on 144. Seen at 15:10 at Northfield towards Birmingham

[Dylanbusboy45]

UNID X50 Centro seen just past Northfield towards at 16:00 towards Worcester on 144. Does this come off something as seen quite a few X50 Centros on 144 recently?

[Martin]

There is a streetdeck on the 144 about to leave Worcester on the next journey.  8)

[B.C Driver]

Saw a single decker and double decker '44' branded on the 144.

I find it a bit strange that they have branded singles and doubles on the same route. And the numbers on the 4s seem to have the top chopped off. Surely it's a bit confusing having a 44 and a 144 and having branded 44 buses on the 144.  ::)

[j789]

Saw a single decker and double decker '44' branded on the 144.

I find it a bit strange that they have branded singles and doubles on the same route. And the numbers on the 4s seem to have the top chopped off. Surely it's a bit confusing having a 44 and a 144 and having branded 44 buses on the 144.  ::)

It is confusing if you don't know the Worcester area. The 144 used to run to Malvern from brum but got split into the current 144 to Worcester and 44 Worcester to Malvern when the 50k distance rule game in, I think the buses would have needed tachos to run the full way to Malvern after that. Midland red must have thought it was easier to keep the two routes similar and to be fair no body really complains about it. I've never had anyone on my bus when driving either route who got on the wrong bus. As for branding, the malvern 44 route got some funding from a local council for new buses so they had to go on that route initially. Obviously with logistics of the operation sometimes buses end up on other routes, especially the streetlites on the 144. Other branded buses like the x50 are a bit more haphazard and can turn up anywhere hence why there have been a few sightings in brum area of these buses.

[B.C Driver]

It is confusing if you don't know the Worcester area. The 144 used to run to Malvern from brum but got split into the current 144 to Worcester and 44 Worcester to Malvern when the 50k distance rule game in, I think the buses would have needed tachos to run the full way to Malvern after that. Midland red must have thought it was easier to keep the two routes similar and to be fair no body really complains about it. I've never had anyone on my bus when driving either route who got on the wrong bus. As for branding, the malvern 44 route got some funding from a local council for new buses so they had to go on that route initially. Obviously with logistics of the operation sometimes buses end up on other routes, especially the streetlites on the 144. Other branded buses like the x50 are a bit more haphazard and can turn up anywhere hence why there have been a few sightings in brum area of these buses.

Ok, thanks for clarifying j789

Often I drive the 61 and 63 and feel envious of the drivers on the 144, would love to get out into the countryside!
What breaks do you get on the 144? And how long are the journey times?

[j789]

The 144 is a love it or hate it route with the drivers. I like doing them as the Worcester city routes get boring doing them repeatedly and would happily do 2 a day if I could. Doing 6 straight 35s in Worcester is a nightmare! A round trip varies in the day between 3 and 4 hours and some recent changes have meant you get quite a lot of time parked up in brum on a few journeys. It is a good route but being so long is liable to delays especially if the M5 has a problem anywhere between junction 4 and 6. It is funny you say you feel envious of us as a fair few first drivers, me included, are envious of the new buses you get to drive as we rock up in our 54 plate buses!!

[B.C Driver]

The 144 is a love it or hate it route with the drivers. I like doing them as the Worcester city routes get boring doing them repeatedly and would happily do 2 a day if I could. Doing 6 straight 35s in Worcester is a nightmare! A round trip varies in the day between 3 and 4 hours and some recent changes have meant you get quite a lot of time parked up in brum on a few journeys. It is a good route but being so long is liable to delays especially if the M5 has a problem anywhere between junction 4 and 6. It is funny you say you feel envious of us as a fair few first drivers, me included, are envious of the new buses you get to drive as we rock up in our 54 plate buses!!

You're joking! What new buses? The majority on the 61 and 63 are 12, 13 and 15 years old!
The newer ones (the enviro 400s) are quite sluggish and arnt popular with most drivers.
The 61 and 63 routes arnt too bad to drive, serving most of the Bristol Rd they are straight routes, unlike some others at our garage which twist and and turn all over the place.
I know a couple of drivers on the 144 who used to work at my garage.

[Dylanbusboy45]

63365 (44 branded) on 144 today. Seen 16:02 in Northfield towards Bham

[B61 ANDREW]

Just a quick mention that the informative MidlandRed.net forum is up and running again after a major "crash".   :)

[B61 ANDREW]

Just a quick mention that the informative MidlandRed.net forum is up and running again after a major "crash".   :)

And they report that Worcester are to lose 2 x D/D's to First Kernow.

[T840MAK]

67647 is in for repaint into Olympia at Worcester

[tank90]

And they report that Worcester are to lose 2 x D/D's to First Kernow.

Or one if you read further on.

[B61 ANDREW]

Or one if you read further on.

  Yes I read that later on and thought  "#£&@^>#$" !!  But now they are going back to saying two are going . . . . . .  As we say at work, "seeing is believing".  :-\ ;D

[Dylanbusboy45]

Plaxton Centro 66697 is on the 144 today