Cannock Garage

[Bob]

The 59 route in Wolverhampton has got 15 year old buses 'rattling around it' and hasn't had any investment for years, even the branded vehicles weren't all refurbished before branding. It doesn't mean it doesn't make any money

15 yr old heavyweight buses Tony not midibuses running way over their abilities. Theyre not running knackered Darts or Solos are they?

Also compare fleet wide the level of fleet investment between Arriva Cannock between say Walsall and Wolves garage, not just new buses but repaints/refurbs. Id imagine Cannock would fall pretty much way behind in comparison.

[Trident 4194]

15 yr old heavyweight buses Tony not midibuses running way over their abilities. Theyre not running knackered Darts or Solos are they?

Also compare fleet wide the level of fleet investment between Arriva Cannock between say Walsall and Wolves garage, not just new buses but repaints/refurbs. Id imagine Cannock would fall pretty much way behind in comparison.

Cannock updated there solos I believe with leather seating, and pulsars really aren't that bad

[Westy]

Slight diversion.

Wonder what the Nx area wouldve got if Stagecoach had taken over?

If its anything like the stuff A2Z Travel bought second hand still in Stagecoach livery, we'd have been in #### street by now!

[Bob]

Cannock updated there solos I believe with leather seating, and pulsars really aren't that bad

They didnt. A handful had it already.the repainted 2008 plate remaining has its threadbare original interior.

[Depotosw]

The Stafford operation cant be making any money? Zero investment in it for years. Apart from the telford operated services youve got at best 10 year old knackers rattling about half empty

The only thing wrong with Stafford is suffering one of those B7RLE devices there from Cannock, I actively avoid them and await any of the Darts, Cadets or and more preferably a Pulsar to get there :) Stafford is one of those towns in decline, sad really as I was there in Uni in the good old days, the R-TJW Darts were very youthful back then and the 9 was quite a money spinner, the Uni has closed the Stafford site now and that certainly knocked a prime town service into decline, the town isn't as buzzing either with shoppers as it was who used the buses.

[Bob]

The only thing wrong with Stafford is suffering one of those B7RLE devices there from Cannock, I actively avoid them and await any of the Darts, Cadets or and more preferably a Pulsar to get there :) Stafford is one of those towns in decline, sad really as I was there in Uni in the good old days, the R-TJW Darts were very youthful back then and the 9 was quite a money spinner, the Uni has closed the Stafford site now and that certainly knocked a prime town service into decline, the town isn't as buzzing either with shoppers as it was who used the buses.

You reckon any SB200 is better than a B7RLE???

[TOF719S]

The only thing wrong with Stafford is suffering one of those B7RLE devices there from Cannock, I actively avoid them and await any of the Darts, Cadets or and more preferably a Pulsar to get there :) Stafford is one of those towns in decline, sad really as I was there in Uni in the good old days, the R-TJW Darts were very youthful back then and the 9 was quite a money spinner, the Uni has closed the Stafford site now and that certainly knocked a prime town service into decline, the town isn't as buzzing either with shoppers as it was who used the buses.

I worked from Stafford Garage in late 2003 and its very sad to see the decline in the town since then, My last visit was earlier this year and the town has many boarded up and empty shops and to be fair with the said closure of the uni it can't be ideal bus territory for Arriva. I would say the main reason for the decline in the shopping district has to be the massive shopping development outside the town which can't help things and also lead to massive traffic problems which lead to an unreliable bus service.
I agree regards those nasty horrible Volvo B7RLE's, they're very stuffy in the back and you sit so high up you can't see out the windows, give me a nice light and airy Pulsar anyday they're much nicer than any Volvo.

[Depotosw]

You reckon any SB200 is better than a B7RLE???

Defo! Arriva North West & Wales had the best idea with their batch of B7RLEs, convert them to Driver Training Vehicles :)

[Tony]

I worked from Stafford Garage in late 2003 and its very sad to see the decline in the town since then, My last visit was earlier this year and the town has many boarded up and empty shops and to be fair with the said closure of the uni it can't be ideal bus territory for Arriva. I would say the main reason for the decline in the shopping district has to be the massive shopping development outside the town which can't help things and also lead to massive traffic problems which lead to an unreliable bus service.
I agree regards those nasty horrible Volvo B7RLE's, they're very stuffy in the back and you sit so high up you can't see out the windows, give me a nice light and airy Pulsar anyday they're much nicer than any Volvo.

Wright bodied B7RLEs are some of the most reliable buses made in the last few years.

[TOF719S]

You reckon any SB200 is better than a B7RLE???

I would say 110% an SB200 is better

[TOF719S]

Wright bodied B7RLEs are some of the most reliable buses made in the last few years.

If the Ex Shires ones at Cannock are anything to go by I will stick to VDL's

Also if they're so good why did Midland Classic sell all theirs off so quickly??

[Tony]

If the Ex Shires ones at Cannock are anything to go by I will stick to VDL's

Also if they're so good why did Midland Classic sell all theirs off so quickly??

See Simon Dunn's comments as well.

Do you maintain them?
Do you operate them?

They are not cheap vehicles compared to others, but as I said really reliable  and Volvo back up is better than a lot of manufacturersvwhen things do go wrong

[Westy]

Prefer Nx's B7Lre's to their Scanias.

More roomy.

I suppose the bodyworks now slightly dated compared to the E200/E400's, but still workable.

[Bob]

If the Ex Shires ones at Cannock are anything to go by I will stick to VDL's

Also if they're so good why did Midland Classic sell all theirs off so quickly??

There arent any Ex Shires ones at Cannock anymore. They were pretty different beasts to the 2008 examples. At least they can pull off or indeed accelerate in any situation without over revving screaming etc like theyre going to explode

[Bob]

If the Ex Shires ones at Cannock are anything to go by I will stick to VDL's

Also if they're so good why did Midland Classic sell all theirs off so quickly??

If theyre so bad why would they massively outnumber any SB200s? Also other than a couple of independents ( Claribels Fishwicks etc ) and Arriva why did nobody else want SB200S?