X8 Birmingham To Wolverhampton via Dudley

[don]

Yes I thought it was a bit off topic when I first mentioned it but if @karl724223 drove them when fairly new I couldn't pass on the opportunity to ask him. They ran (originally from Wolverhampton and the last few, Hartshill) and indeed there was a wrangle over warranty owing to MCWs position at the time that severely delayed their entry into service. In my mind I saw them at the time possibly as fitting replacements for 6351-57, which did the same sort of job from 1976, even if they weren't in reality!!

I have seen a photo on Lady Wulfrun's Flickr site of the inside of one of the final 30 before it entered service with at least one ceiling cove panel adrift, hanging down.

3107 wasn't operated by WMT - it was subject to Optare dismantling it and reassembling as part of its purchase and development of the model as the Spectra - it ended up as part of the Ensignbus local service fleet (they had a batch of F reg ones new).

Oh and definitely - 'Up the Villa' - great stuff.

[Tony]

Yes I thought it was a bit off topic when I first mentioned it but if @karl724223 drove them when fairly new I couldn't pass on the opportunity to ask him. They ran (originally from Wolverhampton and the last few, Hartshill) and indeed there was a wrangle over warranty owing to MCWs position at the time that severely delayed their entry into service. In my mind I saw them at the time possibly as fitting replacements for 6351-57, which did the same sort of job from 1976, even if they weren't in reality!!

I have seen a photo on Lady Wulfrun's Flickr site of the inside of one of the final 30 before it entered service with at least one ceiling cove panel adrift, hanging down.

3105 wasn't operated by WMT - it was subject to Optare dismantling it and reassembling as part of its purchase and development of the model as the Spectra - it ended up as part of the Ensignbus local service fleet (they had a batch of F reg ones new).

Oh and definitely - 'Up the Villa' - great stuff.

3107 was the one that wasn't operated, but yes, the finish was awful, and they were all stored at Miller Street before acceptance.

[don]

Sorry - I've corrected the post - I didn't realise they were stored at Miller St. That was the 'celebrity' where is it vehicle for many years until Ensign bought it. I heard it was actually delivered to WMT but went to Optare after storage - is that correct?

[Tony]

Sorry - I've corrected the post - I didn't realise they were stored at Miller St. That was the 'celebrity' where is it vehicle for many years until Ensign bought it. I heard it was actually delivered to WMT but went to Optare after storage - is that correct?

I think it did come to Miller Street, but cannot remember for definite. It was never accepted by WMT, so never officially on stock.

[2900]

Review of 06.48 X8 from Market Place:
1. The X8 arrived at The Market Place at 06.48 at the time registered with the OfTC which WMT should be congratulated on.
2. Overall Customer Service is still poor despite wishing the driver Good Morning on boarding & Thank You on alighting the driver sat transfixed like a Tussards dummy and made no attempt to acknowledge the gesture.
3. The overall driving standards were also poor as the drivers skills would be perhaps more suited to the Paris - Dakar Rally than Hagley Rd.
4. Unless someones Colostomy Bag had burst the bus had the strange aroma of poo and Woodbines which is common on the X8.
5. The bus had obviously not be cleaned from service yesterday as I was not only enjoying a copy of today's Metro but yesterdays as well however the McDonalds vouchers are always useful.
6.Conclusions:
The Customer Service side & the standard of the vehicle are still far from Plantnum and this devalues the brand compared with the standards set by PN on the X10 however the bus operated within the parameters of its statutory reqiirements to the OfTC & on this occasion WEST MIDLANDS TRAVEL LIMITED should be aplauded.
7.Overall Rating
7 out of 10.

To most drivers it's just a job that pays £60 to £80 a duty after tax so where's the incentive to go that extra mile, may be WMCA could look into better pay structure I know it's not there dept,  toilet facilities at interchanges, brum still nothing for drivers. I don't speak unless spoken to on Dudley rd the brothers on that road only care about the bus is kept rolling, we know well full people are carrying blades amongst other things . I only care about going home in one piece end of.

[don]

The unglazed vehicles were taken to Brownhills and sprayed by a contractor. A photo also appeared in a contemporary issue of Buses Magazine of 3124 and I think 3107, leaving the MCW works in Common Lane on delivery, captioned as the last to leave the factory so I guess it was. Presumably some deal was done with the administrators and/or purchaser re these vehicles, which resulted in 3107 going to Optare and the remainder being accepted by WMT. Interesting and quite unusual circumstances in the bus world though.

[2900]

The police response to incidents on buses is painfully slow , they don't have resources to deal with people smoking woodbine etc etc. I don't bother I press the anti social and substance button on the innit tablet.
What I find amusing is the passengers that do complain are the ones that have  completed there journeys and expect the driver to stop the bus and disrupt every one else's journey , I do make a point of showing the complainers the innit tablet page and I have logged there complaint, the look I get is price less.

[richardjones210368]

I can't see why they wouldn't simply receive this as a group of complaints about one service, which they would then ask the operator to provide a response on. As NXWM (and other organisations) have all the data on operations, punctuality and delays, I would have thought the operator's response would be considered along with the data provided to determine if there was a need for further action. Spending public funds on independent monitoring as a first response, without that, based on one complaint (even from a bus champion) would be a gross waste of public funds.

Well done for reporting your personal observations though.

All  concerns about services are treated equally by NXWM & TfWM when reported and investigated its is not just the X8 that was reported. Any monitoring done by the TfWM is due within a wider scope and not restricted to one specific case, in the case it would be done as regular routine Hagley Rd monitoring of the WNX8 PN9 PN10 the fact the matter has been reported to the operator brings it to its attention any monitoring would not be at additional cost to the council tax payer but part of the monitoring teams routine work which happens 52 weeks a year on corridors. They are an excellent team providing valuable data to the operators and the WMCA.

[2900]

ROM FEBRUARY 2020:
1. The future structure of bus services were agreed today.
The West Midands Bus Allliance board led by Cllr Kath Hartley and other stakeholders will oversee  West Midlands Bus Services
2. The bus operators will form a West Midlands Bus Operators Board and will report directly to the WMBA
3. Further Sub Groups will be formed to oversee:
Safer Partnership Group
Passengers Satisfaction Group
Sub Bus Operators Group
Connections Group
Community & Accessible Group
All the above will report to the WMBA Board
4. The role of the Bus Champions will be changed to work in all the other groups above
5. The Next West Midlands Bus Service run by the WMCA will be the old 410 the 40 with both NXWM & Diamond signing an Enhanced Partnership.

I am sure you will all agree a new decade and a new start for
West Midlands Bus

Didn't we have these back in the day I think they were called quangos jobs for Tory councilers wife's .
How do I apply for one these jobs, drinking coffee and biccies and discussing what happened on eastenders I could just about manage that, then rubber stamping the approval to paint bus shelters pink with purple spots.

[2900]

The unglazed vehicles were taken to Brownhills and sprayed by a contractor. A photo also appeared in a contemporary issue of Buses Magazine of 3124 and I think 3107, leaving the MCW works in Common Lane on delivery, captioned as the last to leave the factory so I guess it was. Presumably some deal was done with the administrators and/or purchaser re these vehicles, which resulted in 3107 going to Optare and the remainder being accepted by WMT. Interesting and quite unusual circumstances in the bus world though.

I do recall 3123 3124 coming to Hockley garage at some point I was really disappointed the way these drove they weren't the best by a country mile. Hockley scrapped many MK1s that were way superior to drive.

[2900]

The unglazed vehicles were taken to Brownhills and sprayed by a contractor. A photo also appeared in a contemporary issue of Buses Magazine of 3124 and I think 3107, leaving the MCW works in Common Lane on delivery, captioned as the last to leave the factory so I guess it was. Presumably some deal was done with the administrators and/or purchaser re these vehicles, which resulted in 3107 going to Optare and the remainder being accepted by WMT. Interesting and quite unusual circumstances in the bus world though.

I,m sure I read that article back in the day all very sad the demise of MCW

[richardjones210368]

Didn't we have these back in the day I think they were called quangos jobs for Tory councilers wife's .
How do I apply for one these jobs, drinking coffee and biccies and discussing what happened on eastenders I could just about manage that, then rubber stamping the approval to paint bus shelters pink with purple spots.

I can honestly say the days of jobs for the wifes in quangos are long gone as most of them like myself and including Mayor simply do not have them! I can only speak from my own experience and I was invited to join we do get nice coffee and biscuits and you are spot I spent months at meetings discussing the new bus stop plates its hard work but someone has to do it we have now moved on to maps. We are not paid but just receive simple expenses mind you I have no time for Eastenders since they trashed those two Tridents the BBC is the ultimate quango that should be abolished as the current PM is indicating who needs it anyway when you have Now Tv.

[richardjones210368]

The police response to incidents on buses is painfully slow , they don't have resources to deal with people smoking woodbine etc etc. I don't bother I press the anti social and substance button on the innit tablet.
What I find amusing is the passengers that do complain are the ones that have  completed there journeys and expect the driver to stop the bus and disrupt every one else's journey , I do make a point of showing the complainers the innit tablet page and I have logged there complaint, the look I get is price less.

Why passengers are complaining to you is wrong I will raise the matter about Say Something See Something posters at the next meeting I attend as this is preferred method of reporting anti social behaviour on board to TfWM and not to the driver if you are approached by a passenger please refer them to the scheme.

[2900]

I can honestly say the days of jobs for the wifes in quangos are long gone as most of them like myself and including Mayor simply do not have them! I can only speak from my own experience and I was invited to join we do get nice coffee and biscuits and you are spot I spent months at meetings discussing the new bus stop plates its hard work but someone has to do it we have now moved on to maps. We are not paid but just receive simple expenses mind you I have no time for Eastenders since they trashed those two Tridents the BBC is the ultimate quango that should be abolished as the current PM is indicating who needs it anyway when you have Now Tv.

So its voluntary work then that sure does explain a lot.
When the BBC made programmes like Sherlock and Luther I thought it was well worth the licence fee ,Now I would nt mind the licence fee in my back pocket , cancelled sky many moons a go, streaming the way forward.

[richardjones210368]

So its voluntary work then that sure does explain a lot.
When the BBC made programmes like Sherlock and Luther I thought it was well worth the licence fee ,Now I would nt mind the licence fee in my back pocket , cancelled sky many moons a go, streaming the way forward.

Yes fully agree streaming is the way forward I use Now Tv 100% now.