Carolean Coaches, Willenhall

[metrocity]

Does anyone know how long Carolean have the contract for? Is it a completely new contract or does the length include the time Chaserider have operated it?

It's a new contract until October 2026 however there is a mutual termination clause if either party wishes to terminate it sooner

[Stu]

Is there any ex nx 17xx still with the green bus available foe sale.

Yes, but they are only Euro3, so won't be suitable for use on public bus services in the West Midlands.

[Tony]

Yes, but they are only Euro3, so won't be suitable for use on public bus services in the West Midlands.

Rather Strangely 1750 & 1751 show on London ULEZ checker as acceptable hence why a London operator (Horseferry, Fulham) purchased 1751 which was quite heavily robbed at Walsall but put back together by The Bus Works.

They are both definitely still Euro 3 so don't know how that happened. The only two Euro 6 ones are 1779 & 1780 in the training fleet.

[2206]

Yes, but they are only Euro3, so won't be suitable for use on public bus services in the West Midlands.

They did have quite a large number of E400 MK1 and MK2 euro 6. Does anyone know which  ones they still have now?
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[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

They did have quite a large number of E400 MK1 and MK2 euro 6. Does anyone know which  ones they still have now?
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E400 bit overkill for the 19 the E200 they have listed may be perfect if it is Euro 6. I know Arriva used DAF DB250 on the 19 back when it ran to Wolverhampton 

[ellspurs]

If it's an e400 then there's more targets for the yoots to aim at.

[MW]

E400 bit overkill for the 19 the E200 they have listed may be perfect if it is Euro 6. I know Arriva used DAF DB250 on the 19 back when it ran to Wolverhampton

Plenty of used Enviro 200s and Optare Solos on the market. The cost of conversion to Euro 6 is about 12-15k. No reason to buy a Enviro 400 at all.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Plenty of used Enviro 200s and Optare Solos on the market. The cost of conversion to Euro 6 is about 12-15k. No reason to buy a Enviro 400 at all.

I know someone just said there is an E400 for sale the 19 with NX used mostly E200's, B7's seemed a bit overkill for it when they were used. It does get busy the 19 but the 29 is the main route through there so that is busier.

I hope Carlolean know what they have got themselves in for on the 19 and are prepared to have Veichles of the road with damage. They should have 2 actually Operating plus 2 spare.

It will be interesting to see what other work they bid for or if they start there own routes. I have heard people of Lodge Farm complain about the 41's reliability and suggested bringing back the 40 before me and someone else pointed the 37 exists. However they stated they wanted a quicker bus than the 37 to Walsall as an alternative for the 41. So they could bring back the 40 maybe only between Willenhall and Walsall. Other than that and maybe running a bus to Cannock via the old Direct X51 Route there isn't else much I can see them running on that hasn't been tried and failed. I realise Arriva failed on the Cannock to Walsall routes but that was during and before the X51 being 1 more frequent to Cannock and 2 running the same route, now it takes a different route could be worth a look. If not the 40 could be brought back. If not let's hope the 19 doesn't kill them with the Anti Social Behaviour And they can make it work to maybe run it commercially if they so wished.

[hlliwmai]

I know someone just said there is an E400 for sale the 19 with NX used mostly E200's, B7's seemed a bit overkill for it when they were used. It does get busy the 19 but the 29 is the main route through there so that is busier.

I hope Carlolean know what they have got themselves in for on the 19 and are prepared to have Veichles of the road with damage. They should have 2 actually Operating plus 2 spare.

It will be interesting to see what other work they bid for or if they start there own routes. I have heard people of Lodge Farm complain about the 41's reliability and suggested bringing back the 40 before me and someone else pointed the 37 exists. However they stated they wanted a quicker bus than the 37 to Walsall as an alternative for the 41. So they could bring back the 40 maybe only between Willenhall and Walsall. Other than that and maybe running a bus to Cannock via the old Direct X51 Route there isn't else much I can see them running on that hasn't been tried and failed. I realise Arriva failed on the Cannock to Walsall routes but that was during and before the X51 being 1 more frequent to Cannock and 2 running the same route, now it takes a different route could be worth a look. If not the 40 could be brought back. If not let's hope the 19 doesn't kill them with the Anti Social Behaviour And they can make it work to maybe run it commercially if they so wished.

See I said this the other day, if they do well and can prove they are reliable etc then maybe they will get offered routes to run by TfWM (I don't really know if that's a thing that happens – I'm sure @Tony would be able to clarify?) but anyway if it does then I can see them being offered the 35A from Chaserider, because I'm aware of an instance I think it was before Christmas now where the bus broke down on the 35A and the service did not operate for well over 2 hours because I'm led to believe Chaserider didn't have a Euro 6 bus spare and they didn't want to put a Euro 5 vehicle on there;

As I said above I don't know if that does happen with TfWM if an operater isn't doing any good on a route or has no end of breakdowns and or lost mileage it can be taken off them and given to another operator I'm sure somebody can clarify this please?  

[the trainbasher]

See I said this the other day, if they do well and can prove they are reliable etc then maybe they will get offered routes to run by TfWM (I don't really know if that's a thing that happens – I'm sure @Tony would be able to clarify?) but anyway if it does then I can see them being offered the 35A from Chaserider, because I'm aware of an instance I think it was before Christmas now where the bus broke down on the 35A and the service did not operate for well over 2 hours because I'm led to believe Chaserider didn't have a Euro 6 bus spare and they didn't want to put a Euro 5 vehicle on there;

As I said above I don't know if that does happen with TfWM if an operater isn't doing any good on a route or has no end of breakdowns and or lost mileage it can be taken off them and given to another operator I'm sure somebody can clarify this please? 

It would go to open tender if TfWM or the operator ended the contract early

[MW]

I know someone just said there is an E400 for sale the 19 with NX used mostly E200's, B7's seemed a bit overkill for it when they were used. It does get busy the 19 but the 29 is the main route through there so that is busier.

I hope Carlolean know what they have got themselves in for on the 19 and are prepared to have Veichles of the road with damage. They should have 2 actually Operating plus 2 spare. 

It sounds as if the directors have links with the management of a former Walsall operator, so I'm sure they know what they've got themselves into. In terms of 2 operating and 2 spare, they'd be running at a loss. (I'm not sure what the PVR is but I'm going by what you've said.)

Spare compliant vehicles become viable when your operating PVR is higher than 2, that's for sure. I'm sure they've got plans to become bigger in that region, rather than just stick to the 19.

What'll be interesting to see is the price they've won the tender at.

[Stu]

See I said this the other day, if they do well and can prove they are reliable etc then maybe they will get offered routes to run by TfWM (I don't really know if that's a thing that happens – I'm sure Tony would be able to clarify?)

Operators don't get 'offered' routes by TfWM, contracts go out to tender for bidding on.

[hlliwmai]

Operators don't get 'offered' routes by TfWM, contracts go out to tender for bidding on.

As I said I wasn't sure how it works 

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

It sounds as if the directors have links with the management of a former Walsall operator, so I'm sure they know what they've got themselves into. In terms of 2 operating and 2 spare, they'd be running at a loss. (I'm not sure what the PVR is but I'm going by what you've said.)

Spare compliant vehicles become viable when your operating PVR is higher than 2, that's for sure. I'm sure they've got plans to become bigger in that region, rather than just stick to the 19.

What'll be interesting to see is the price they've won the tender at.

Well they need 1 spare in case 1 veichle breaks down or being Blakenall gets smashed 

[Lukeee]

Well they need 1 spare in case 1 veichle breaks down or being Blakenall gets smashed

In theory if they already have coaches then they could use a coach as long as its PSVAR equipped (I.e wheelchair lift, LED display blinds etc).