Whittles

[StourportSam]

11  RUI 2116  14 T638 XNP both are Whittles coaches . have been seen in EYMS hull depot . do not think they would have been  on
tour work as    one is from 1999 and one from 2000.  think the may be up there for sale as   a least one ex finglands coaches  have come down here

I always thought they looked really old compared to the rest of the coach fleet. Glad to see they have been replaced with more newer vehicles from Finglands.

[StourportSam]

Bear in mind though that the the 7, 101 and 580 and numerous other services are all tendered. Therefore it doesn't really matter how much Whittles are taking in fares as they are getting paid by the relevant local authority to run the service. As long as they put in the right price, they can still make a profit.

the 7 always has had good loads on when I have  seen it

The 7 usually looks underused when I see it, but that's mainly at off peak times.

[iamwilljh92]

Yes Sam that's because they were both in "original" Whittle colours which I preferred tbf from they're era that livery was used on all vehicles from mid the 1970s-2004 (to my knowledge at least)

[StourportSam]

What I'm about to say is slightly off topic but go with me on it I was thinking the other day and I can't help but imagine that by August (as a rough guess) EYMS will no longer own Whittle Coach & Bus Ltd. What makes me think & say  this I hear you say well think about it people on here last November were saying that they are struggling to compete with Diamond (although that was to be expected) and also they are running services everyday that people aren't using (i.e. Not many people on a bus at any one time) for example the (101, Bridgnorth Town Circular; aka Sydney Cottage Drive and the Grove Estate), the 580 being another, 7 (et al) my grandmother who lives in Bridgnorth uses the 101 on occasions and she herself has said that on some occasions she could be the only person on it it baffles me how EYMS have kept Whittle's going for this long and also as was noted on here last year it [Whittle's] can't make a great deal of money for EYMS as if it had I am absolutely sure Whittle's would of invested in probably half-a-dozen or so brand spanking new Single deckers (similar to the one's Diamond purchased for use in Redditch in Sep/Oct last year) where as Diamond will sell off old-ish fleet Whittle won't sell any at all now to me it doesn't make sense because the 56-plated Enviros if they sold 2 of those they could probably make around £130/40,000 (if sold for between £65-70k each) they coud probably buy 2 Wright Streetlites (around 3/4 years old) for the amount of each of the Enviro's sold but anyway it may not happen but who knows...

Whittle make a loss but EYMS have said they want to persevere with it.
The 3 usually gets an average of 15 passengers on its journey Areley Kings to Kidderminster. Now the timetable has been tweaked passenger levels appear to have improved.
The 101 has always appeared very well used by all ages when I've seen it. But that's a contract route anyway.

Don't expect any fleet investment with a loss making business! Swapping a 56 plate for a 59 plate hardly seems very advantageous. The fleet of MPDs are all 14 years old this year and still going strong with apparent investment in new seat covers and LED destination displays in 2013. So I think the way forward for Whittle this year at least is to maintain the fleet and ensure it is presentable (the interiors of 162 and 163 are by far the most tired) and provide a reliable service as the company has in the past removing customer fears about buses not turning up as a happened an awful lot in 2013.

[StourportSam]

Yes Sam that's because they were both in "original" Whittle colours which I preferred tbf from they're era that livery was used on all vehicles from mid the 1970s-2004 (to my knowledge at least)

That's a good point. I've seen photos of X147 JWP, V930 EWP and an S reg dart in what is now the coach livery and they look quite good. I think I prefer it to the current livery.

[Cedric]

Bear in mind though that the the 7, 101 and 580 and numerous other services are all tendered. Therefore it doesn't really matter how much Whittles are taking in fares as they are getting paid by the relevant local authority to run the service. As long as they put in the right price, they can still make a profit.

the 7 always has had good loads on when I have  seen it

The 7 usually looks underused when I see it, but that's mainly at off peak times.

the times I have seen the 7  with good loads on have been off peak 

[StourportSam]

Bear in mind though that the the 7, 101 and 580 and numerous other services are all tendered. Therefore it doesn't really matter how much Whittles are taking in fares as they are getting paid by the relevant local authority to run the service. As long as they put in the right price, they can still make a profit.

the 7 always has had good loads on when I have  seen it

The 7 usually looks underused when I see it, but that's mainly at off peak times.

the times I have seen the 7  with good loads on have been off peak

Just goes to show that bus loading can vary a lot with no set pattern!
I'm happy to hear it is used well, but fear that may not be enough to save it, at least in its post 2011 guise...

[Cedric]

Yes Sam that's because they were both in "original" Whittle colours which I preferred tbf from they're era that livery was used on all vehicles from mid the 1970s-2004 (to my knowledge at least)

I prefer the real  original   colours of red and blue  from years gone bye (at least the 50s)when the only had  a depot in highly and mill street in Kidderminster

[iamwilljh92]

I know [Sam] me too I mean who ever decided that green & white would be a good colour scheme needs they're head testing

[StourportSam]

Yes Sam that's because they were both in "original" Whittle colours which I preferred tbf from they're era that livery was used on all vehicles from mid the 1970s-2004 (to my knowledge at least)

I prefer the real  original   colours of red and blue  from years gone bye (at least the 50s)when the only had  a depot in highly and mill street in Kidderminster

That is quite eye catching on the bus preserved in that livery.

[Cedric]

I know [Sam] me too I mean who ever decided that green & white would be a good colour scheme needs they're head testing

varation  of EYMS livery 

[iamwilljh92]

Tossers! in my opinion there was nothing wrong with the old livery it's like the old saying goes "If it ain't broke don't fix it"

[StourportSam]

Tossers! in my opinion there was nothing wrong with the old livery it's like the old saying goes "If it ain't broke don't fix it"

Exactly

[StourportSam]

Interesting photo on the Whittle Facebook page - appears the ex Finglands coach has been repainted into a new Whittle Gold livery.

[the trainbasher]

Interesting photo on the Whittle Facebook page - appears the ex Finglands coach has been repainted into a new Whittle Gold livery.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t31/1799936_674937602559032_1961618203_o.jpg?dl=1