D&G/Midland 297B/X96 observations

[Tomjusttom]

Hi all

D&G and Midland are both operating the 297B & X96. Observations from this...

Sunday 297B:
Midland 1299, 1298, 1349 and 1291 were on the route with 1298/9 were sporting On Hire Stickers acting as D&G buses

Today X96:
Midland 1511 sporting On Hire Stickers acting as D&G and 1939 doing the midland service.

The D&G services are running 5 in front of the Midland, then a 55 minute wait for the D&G one.

Is there any other services that D&G/Midland are running with the same timetable style/ 5/55 minute frequency?

[cheshire exile]

I am confused by this. Midland and D&G have the same owners and surely cannot be competing with each other. Or am I also confusing the two 'Midlands'? The one owned by D&G is legally Liyell of Wednesfield.

[Tomjusttom]

From what I can gather the Midland X96 and 297B are tendered whereas the D&G (using Midland solos as "On Hire") one is commercial I believe. Maybe Jack Grove will be able to explain?

[hartshill busman 724210]

From what i can gather the operators of the centro service wanted to throw them back and centro did`nt want to play ball. So they have registered commercially in front with the assumption that centro will withdraw sponsorship.( i hope your following this)If Centro  do this  all services will then be deregisterred.Long slow and costly way to back out of a contract that presumably is already costing them money.

[D10]

From what i can gather the operators of the centro service wanted to throw them back and centro did`nt want to play ball. So they have registered commercially in front with the assumption that centro will withdraw sponsorship.( i hope your following this)If Centro  do this  all services will then be deregisterred.Long slow and costly way to back out of a contract that presumably is already costing them money.

I am pretty sure that all Contracts have a break agreement anyway, so couldn't Midland just have given notice to Centro that they wanted to terminate the Tender?

[hartshill busman 724210]

I`m sure your right will check the penalties involved.

[Tomjusttom]

From what i can gather the operators of the centro service wanted to throw them back and centro did`nt want to play ball. So they have registered commercially in front with the assumption that centro will withdraw sponsorship.( i hope your following this)If Centro  do this  all services will then be deregisterred.Long slow and costly way to back out of a contract that presumably is already costing them money.

That's what I've heard too from one of the drivers. Thing is it might just head back to tender anyway if D&G/Midland drop it commercially (if WMITA deem it Socially Necessary) so Arriva or someone stands to make gains.

Although, couldn't NXWM take the X96 on commercially as an extension of the Wrens Nest - Merrry Hill workings a la Sunday daytime

[Roy]

I must admit I don't understand this tactic, unless Liyell thought that Centro were born yesterday and would withdraw their subsidy straight away without thinking.  From Centro's point of view, it doesn't matter if the Midland subsidised service is full or empty - they are paying a fixed subsidy for a fixed period of time.  Mind you, after this, I would think that Centro would regard bids from Liyell with some suspicion.

As far as the X96 is concerned, I am guessing that the Sunday daytime service is still subsidised between Merry Hill and Wollaston Farm, with the contract taken over by NXWM from Diamond on 22 April.  The advantage of this is that the service is operated as a single through service rather than 2 X96E's, split at Merry Hill.  Like Tomjusttom, I would prefer to see NXWM take over the evening subsidised services so that they could be run Wrens Nest to Wollaston Farm.

The 297B is a dinosaur from the Dudley Bus Review, and only follows the 297 route for part of its journey these days.  When the service is next put out to tender, they should tender it as the 287 from Stourbridge to Merry Hill and the 297 from Merry Hill to Stickley.  Hopefully, NXWM would take over the latter service and run it as a through service from Halesowen.  When the 222 was extended to Halesowen, the big selling feature, which appeared prominently in the local papers, was that it provided a link from Halesowen to Russells Hall Hospital.  This is still true on Monday to Saturday daytimes, but not during the evening and on Sundays.

[Roy]

Cancellation of services X96 and 297B operated by both Midland and D&G from September 23 has been registered with VOSA and posted on the TAN website today.

PD0001157/217 - LIYELL LTD T/A MIDLAND, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Wollaston Farm and Merry Hill Centre given service number X96 effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001157/218 - LIYELL LTD T/A MIDLAND, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Stourbridge and Sedgley given service number 297B effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001665/178 - D & G COACH & BUS LTD, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Wollaston Farm and Merry Hill Centre given service number X96 effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001665/179 - D & G COACH & BUS LTD, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Sedgley and Stourbridge given service number 297B effective from 23-Sep-2012.

It will be interesting to see who takes over, and whether the services will be retendered the same as they are now.

[broma1k]

Spent some time yesterday at Stourbridge,Merry Hill & Dudley & travelled on the X96 & did not see another operator at any time on this route, but did notice a few extra NXWM at times with at one time 4 at Merry Hill.

[Tony]

Cancellation of services X96 and 297B operated by both Midland and D&G from September 23 has been registered with VOSA and posted on the TAN website today.

PD0001157/217 - LIYELL LTD T/A MIDLAND, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Wollaston Farm and Merry Hill Centre given service number X96 effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001157/218 - LIYELL LTD T/A MIDLAND, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Stourbridge and Sedgley given service number 297B effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001665/178 - D & G COACH & BUS LTD, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Wollaston Farm and Merry Hill Centre given service number X96 effective from 23-Sep-2012.
PD0001665/179 - D & G COACH & BUS LTD, 26 THE MEADOWS, KINGSTONE, UTTOXETER, ST14 8QE
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Sedgley and Stourbridge given service number 297B effective from 23-Sep-2012.

It will be interesting to see who takes over, and whether the services will be retendered the same as they are now.

I think you will find every Liyell route is deregistered from 23/9/12 as that is the date the company will stop running and Arriva take over. New registrations for Arriva on all the same routes starting on 24/9/12 should appear on VOSA soon

[John]

Spent some time yesterday at Stourbridge,Merry Hill & Dudley & travelled on the X96 & did not see another operator at any time on this route, but did notice a few extra NXWM at times with at one time 4 at Merry Hill.

I think Midland/D&G only operate on the night on the X96.

[D10]

Spent some time yesterday at Stourbridge,Merry Hill & Dudley & travelled on the X96 & did not see another operator at any time on this route, but did notice a few extra NXWM at times with at one time 4 at Merry Hill.

I think Midland/D&G only operate on the night on the X96.

Yes, Midland/D & G operate Monday to Saturday Evenings on the section between Wollaston Farm and Merry Hill.

[Ash]

Just mentioning the daytime NXWM X96 its a great direct service between Dudley and Merry Hill (limited stop) but when a merc does turn up especially from Merry Hill it always full when i have seen them shame double deckers coulnt be used more frequently or try out an X96E from Merry Hill to Dudley as additional buses at peak times as the frequecy throughout the day when i have seen them is every 20 minutes.

[s94]

Just mentioning the daytime NXWM X96 its a great direct service between Dudley and Merry Hill (limited stop) but when a merc does turn up especially from Merry Hill it always full when i have seen them shame double deckers coulnt be used more frequently or try out an X96E from Merry Hill to Dudley as additional buses at peak times as the frequecy throughout the day when i have seen them is every 20 minutes.

Same thoughts to the 276 between Merry Hill and Dudley especially. This section is usually busy all day, DD would be useful or perhaps 15 min freq at peaks needed (even if Merry Hill - Dudley Only as extra peaks). Often Merry Hill to Pedmore is busy too then it seems to quieten down, probably picking up agaain from Sbridge Bus station to Wollaston.