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National Express West Midlands/National Express Coventry discussion

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ValleyLines142

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Just thought I'd create this thread for discussions regarding NXWM/NXC, one of the biggest companies in the country!

I notice there are a brand new range of Enviro 400MMCs for Birmingham Central, numbered 6701-6718, which will be used on the 900, 947 and 957. They look great, in an all grey theme with free wifi and extra legroom, however the 900 recently had some of the 13-reg Enviro 400s (4896-4902) are also branded for the 900. Is the branding for these buses being dropped, or are these new 15-reg batch of Enviro 400MMCs supporting them too. If the former, it does seem a little odd that it is being dropped when these buses are just two years old. Obviously they may still appear on the route but I wonder why after just two years there are newer buses being branded.

Furthermore, I'm disappointed to say that some of the Sutton Lines vehicles (4914-4939) are looking very sorry, with various vehicles having graffiti marks etched into the windows. A real shame, as these are nice buses and only a year and a bit old! (63-reg).

I also notice that 1787, 4045 and 4074 are off to Dundee, and that 4322 is being transferred back to Wolverhampton from Coventry, which seems like a major effort as this was repainted from NXWM to NXC colours!
 
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martinsh

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NXWM recently started services 54/154 from Wolverhampton to Stafford / Hednesford - well outside their normal operating area. Both routes hourly - including evenings. They are using route branded 64 reg Enviro 200s
 

40129

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Can't help thinking that the 54/154 is at least in part a result of increased competition from Arriva within Wolverhampton. Shame they haven't launched any routes to Telford / Shrewsbury
 

90sWereBetter

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I was in Birmingham for a day two weekends ago, and I managed to get a journey on every major type of decker run by NXWM (apart from the Wolverhampton Spectras, which I believe are being withdrawn early). I was surprised to see busy services like the Pershore Road and Bristol Road routes being run mostly by Y-registration Tridents. I'd have thought these routes, especially the Bristol Road corridor, would have been flagship routes. Not that I'm complaining, given that I quite like Tridents. :P

I also managed to get a journey on an anti-clockwise Outer Circle, and despite expecting a Wright Gemini, I instead caught a Plaxton President (V63MOA iirc), one of two Presidents I caught that day (the other being on route 1 earlier in the day). Indeed, most of the Outer Circle was being covered by Presidents, which was surprising.

Worst journey of the day wasn't a bus, but rather a Midland Metro tram, with the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat upon. A good showing for NXWM in that retrospect, I guess. Best journey would either be the V-MOA Volvo I had on route 1, or the 03-reg Trident I had on my final journey, a Bristol Road to New Steet run.
 

Antman

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I was in Birmingham for a day two weekends ago, and I managed to get a journey on every major type of decker run by NXWM (apart from the Wolverhampton Spectras, which I believe are being withdrawn early). I was surprised to see busy services like the Pershore Road and Bristol Road routes being run mostly by Y-registration Tridents. I'd have thought these routes, especially the Bristol Road corridor, would have been flagship routes. Not that I'm complaining, given that I quite like Tridents. :P

I also managed to get a journey on an anti-clockwise Outer Circle, and despite expecting a Wright Gemini, I instead caught a Plaxton President (V63MOA iirc), one of two Presidents I caught that day (the other being on route 1 earlier in the day). Indeed, most of the Outer Circle was being covered by Presidents, which was surprising.

Worst journey of the day wasn't a bus, but rather a Midland Metro tram, with the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat upon. A good showing for NXWM in that retrospect, I guess. Best journey would either be the V-MOA Volvo I had on route 1, or the 03-reg Trident I had on my final journey, a Bristol Road to New Steet run.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that older buses were being used on the outer circle as newer ones were required in the city centre to meet emission limits
 

Robertj21a

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I was in Birmingham for a day two weekends ago, and I managed to get a journey on every major type of decker run by NXWM (apart from the Wolverhampton Spectras, which I believe are being withdrawn early). I was surprised to see busy services like the Pershore Road and Bristol Road routes being run mostly by Y-registration Tridents. I'd have thought these routes, especially the Bristol Road corridor, would have been flagship routes. Not that I'm complaining, given that I quite like Tridents. :P

I also managed to get a journey on an anti-clockwise Outer Circle, and despite expecting a Wright Gemini, I instead caught a Plaxton President (V63MOA iirc), one of two Presidents I caught that day (the other being on route 1 earlier in the day). Indeed, most of the Outer Circle was being covered by Presidents, which was surprising.

Worst journey of the day wasn't a bus, but rather a Midland Metro tram, with the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat upon. A good showing for NXWM in that retrospect, I guess. Best journey would either be the V-MOA Volvo I had on route 1, or the 03-reg Trident I had on my final journey, a Bristol Road to New Steet run.

The Spectras are now easily the oldest double deck buses in the fleet, with even the 2 x R-reg still running. Not quite sure how they can now be considered to be 'withdrawn early' !
 

bussnapperwm

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Sources say that the E200MMC has been sent back as they have "build quality issues"
 

90sWereBetter

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The Spectras are now easily the oldest double deck buses in the fleet, with even the 2 x R-reg still running. Not quite sure how they can now be considered to be 'withdrawn early' !

Eh, fair enough. It's just I still consider R/S/T reg buses modern and "new", probably because when I first got interested in them, those were the newest registrations. :P
 
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