First Bus - Unusual Workings

[winston]

All the late buses (approx. 7pm onwards) bar the 144 route, are scheduled to use small buses in Worcester (Solos and Enviro 200s) but as a lot of buses are parked in the bus station in the evening awaiting drivers to take them to garage, some drivers will swap over the scheduled bus and take a larger vehicle depending on preference (obviously some routes eg 382 require a small bus so that would not change).

And on Sundays too, bar the 144. Speaking of First Worcester, where are all the B7RLEs?

The Centros? They were out in full force on the 44 two Saturdays ago.

Small buses on the 44 on a Sunday? It was two E300s last time I was in the area on a Sunday

No, the Wright bodied B7s. I'm not sure about the 44 as I've never seen it on Sundays

All the Wright bodied B7RLE transferred to First Essex 12 months ago after Rotala bought RH & KR, as Rotala didn't take on the bulk of RH's E300's, those instead moved withi First to WR cascading the B7RLE out to Essex instead

[j789]

All the late buses (approx. 7pm onwards) bar the 144 route, are scheduled to use small buses in Worcester (Solos and Enviro 200s) but as a lot of buses are parked in the bus station in the evening awaiting drivers to take them to garage, some drivers will swap over the scheduled bus and take a larger vehicle depending on preference (obviously some routes eg 382 require a small bus so that would not change).

It is a shame the B7s went as they were nice to drive and far superior to the Enviros, even if they did have a tendency to overheat in the summer especially on the incline up to Rubery on the 144 route.
As for the 44 route on Sunday, most services are on the same running cards as the 144 route so should have a full sized bus on them. I think only the first and possibly last bus of the day would be an Optare or similar.

And on Sundays too, bar the 144. Speaking of First Worcester, where are all the B7RLEs?

The Centros? They were out in full force on the 44 two Saturdays ago.

Small buses on the 44 on a Sunday? It was two E300s last time I was in the area on a Sunday

No, the Wright bodied B7s. I'm not sure about the 44 as I've never seen it on Sundays

All the Wright bodied B7RLE transferred to First Essex 12 months ago after Rotala bought RH & KR, as Rotala didn't take on the bulk of RH's E300's, those instead moved withi First to WR cascading the B7RLE out to Essex instead

[j789]

Not sure what happened to my last reply as it seems to be half way up the 'quotes'. I must have put my reply in wrong.

[Trident 4609]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

[John]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

[Trident 4609]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

I had a feeling Worcester didn't have any, Took me by surprise actually. Wish I was closer so I could read the fleet number and number plate.

[winston]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

John,

They have, Worcester currently has 32645 on loan.

[PM]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

That's a good spot. To be fair, do WR or HD need any more deckers? There are the adl tridents and ex London tridents but I assume those are for school services/144 and some are no doubt used on busier WR city routes as well. Wouldn't have thought any more are needed for the 144 certainly-e300s cope fine

[John]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

John,

They have, Worcester currently has 32645 on loan.

Cheers Winston. I was going by the fleetlists, not aware of that one  :D

[Trident 4609]

I saw a Gemini bodied (most probably a B7TL) double decker leave Birmingham on a 144. Would have done the 14:17 ex City. I wasn't aware Worcester had any Gemini B7TL's?

They haven't.

Are any of the Leicester Gemini's planning to move to Worcester with more Enviro400s entering service there, or are they just going to Essex and Potteries?

John,

They have, Worcester currently has 32645 on loan.

Thanks for that Winston :)  I was aboard an 87 at the time so didn't see the fleet number

[j789]

There a couple of Tridents off the road at the moment in the garage so the Gemini is covering for them. It has been at Worcester over a week. I think there was a second one too that I saw on the patch last Friday but that may have returned to Leicester already.

[Sh4318]

There was a trident on the 44 on Thursday

[nitromatt1]

There was a trident on the 44 on Thursday

Cracking spot, very rare. Wish I'd been in the area .

[Trident 4609]

Also a few Saturday's back I saw a Plaxton Centro Bodied B7RLE (66691 I think in the current First Livery minus logo's) on the 144 going down Bristol Rd. Is this noteworthy? I do visit Birmingham every few weeks and I tend to see the usual E300's and President/ALX400 bodied Tridents.

[Sh4318]

Also a few Saturday's back I saw a Plaxton Centro Bodied B7RLE (66691 I think in the current First Livery minus logo's) on the 144 going down Bristol Rd. Is this noteworthy? I do visit Birmingham every few weeks and I tend to see the usual E300's and President/ALX400 bodied Tridents.

That's rare. The Enviros & Tridents tend to stick to the 144