Rotala, Diamond Bus

[the trainbasher]

Due to roadworks in the Wordsley area, some service 226 journeys were on diversion. On my lunch break I had a little stroll to the diversion route and saw the following:

20163 SN68AJM on the 226 heading in the Dudley direction - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/20163-SN68AJM/
20164 SN68AJP on the 226 heading in the Dudley direction - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/20164-SN68AJP/
20840 YJ54BUH (tracking as 20167) on the 226 heading in the Merry Hill direction - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/20840-YJ54BUH/

[the trainbasher]

Whilst on a morning off work today:

20053 YJ60KHC on service 223 to Bilston - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/20053-yj60khc/
20178 BD20ODS about to go on a service 142 to Halesowen - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/20178-bd20ods/
30527 BX62FEM on service 42 to West Bromwich - https://www.ukbuspics.co.uk/30527-bx62fem/

[Solo1]

Redditch  1st 65 reg  streetlite repainted  https://flic.kr/p/2m7n6VD

[DJ]

30120 - B14 WTS
Tividale Depot, after returning from paint and conversion to battery electric



20989 - BL16 FZV
Tividale Depot, awaiting exterior vinyls before entering service

[the trainbasher]

30120 - B14 WTS
Tividale Depot, after returning from paint and conversion to battery electric



20989 - BL16 FZV
Tividale Depot, awaiting exterior vinyls before entering service

Greener Diamond?

[MW]

Greener Diamond?

This will be a very interesting development to watch I imagine.

The concept of essentially converting a redundant 10+ year old, otherwise compliant, vehicle to electric.

Plenty of well built Euro 3 Wrightbus single and double deckers on the market. If this conversion proves successful, perhaps we'll see a lot more vehicles recycled rather than scrapped. (The ones in good nick of course).

[DJ]

This will be a very interesting development to watch I imagine.

The concept of essentially converting a redundant 10+ year old, otherwise compliant, vehicle to electric.

Plenty of well built Euro 3 Wrightbus single and double deckers on the market. If this conversion proves successful, perhaps we'll see a lot more vehicles recycled rather than scrapped. (The ones in good nick of course).

Maybe at other companies, but as far as I know, Diamond aren't looking at converting any others. Oh, don't expect to be seeing them in service yet either, as they'll be launched once the whole batch is ready.

[Trident 4194]

30120 - B14 WTS
Tividale Depot, after returning from paint and conversion to battery electric



20989 - BL16 FZV
Tividale Depot, awaiting exterior vinyls before entering service

That's not the final livery for 30120 is it? That green is almost reminiscent of the 002 branded days when diamond put a lot of colour into their liveries.

Also anyone know what purpose 20989 will be at tividale for? I noticed Redditch equivalent don't spend much time in normal service. I was lucky to travel on 20988 on the 34 a couple of months ago.

[the trainbasher]

That's not the final livery for 30120 is it? That green is almost reminiscent of the 002 branded days when diamond put a lot of colour into their liveries.

Also anyone know what purpose 20989 will be at tividale for? I noticed Redditch equivalent don't spend much time in normal service. I was lucky to travel on 20988 on the 34 a couple of months ago.

It's probably being repainted ready to add to Bromsgrove on Demand

[DJ]

That's not the final livery for 30120 is it? That green is almost reminiscent of the 002 branded days when diamond put a lot of colour into their liveries.

Also anyone know what purpose 20989 will be at tividale for? I noticed Redditch equivalent don't spend much time in normal service. I was lucky to travel on 20988 on the 34 a couple of months ago.

It's the final colours, but it's awaiting the vinyls to finish it off. I did think it looked like the old 002 livery when I saw it from the front.

As for 20989, it's not for the Bromsgrove on demand service. It's staying at Tividale.

[Steveminor]

Courtesy of Bob Baker I have seen the design for the vinyls and I think they look rather good

[Solo1]

https://flic.kr/p/2mnmr33 20989 in Perry Barr

[DJ]

30922 in the full electric livery at Tividale - https://flic.kr/p/2mp7m58

[the trainbasher]

30922 in the full electric livery at Tividale - https://flic.kr/p/2mp7m58

It's a pity they didn't have some of the mini diamonds on the side as green

[Solo1]

30805 out in service on 40 https://flic.kr/p/2mzTsKQ