FMR Fleet Movements

[DD12]

66305 has just arrived at Padmore Street depot as the spare. Surprisingly, it's freshly painted in Urban2 livery.

That's fascinating Adam !
Worcester has never operated B7Ls before, and I'm expecting them to be withdrawn at Leicester/ Potteries over the next couple of years.

I had to recheck the engine layout - on Wikipedia, - which has it as vertically mounted on the left side of the rear overhang.

From a post on wmbusphotos, the repaint MAY be the front end only, albeit with the rest of the paintwork being fairly recent (like 42893)

[AdamH]

I only got a brief look at it, but I think they have done the whole vehicle. There aren't any fleet numbers at the back which is a good indication.

[Peter]

66305 has just arrived at Padmore Street depot as the spare. Surprisingly, it's freshly painted in Urban2 livery.

That's fascinating Adam !
Worcester has never operated B7Ls before, and I'm expecting them to be withdrawn at Leicester/ Potteries over the next couple of years.

I had to recheck the engine layout - on Wikipedia, - which has it as vertically mounted on the left side of the rear overhang.

From a post on wmbusphotos, the repaint MAY be the front end only, albeit with the rest of the paintwork being fairly recent (like 42893)

Volvo B7L's were never very popular in the UK except the large batches First ordered, a lot of which started out on Commonwealth Games shuttle services in Manchester. Lots now reside in the South Yorkshire fleet. Fuel economy was said to be an issue with them...

[DD12]

I only got a brief look at it, but I think they have done the whole vehicle. There aren't any fleet numbers at the back which is a good indication.

Yes, I've just seen it from a distance, and it certainly looked like a complete repaint - very smart too.

Since First took over from MRW, it has been the variety and surprises like this that has kept me interested (as well as the return of the DDs).

I shall be a bit "concerned" if the VX54 Tridents aren't repainted soon --
I shall lose sleep worrying that we are going to lose them -

[AdamH]

66305 is now parked outside. It has gained fleet numbers but no others markings yet.

[MattW]

Looks tidy.

[AdamH]

Enviro300 fleet number 67650 (VX54MTO) now withdrawn with all brand names removed. Shame as it's just had an engine rebuild!

[Peter]

Enviro300 fleet number 67650 (VX54MTO) now withdrawn with all brand names removed. Shame as it's just had an engine rebuild!

Do we know why it's been withdrawn? Major unit failure that it's not worth replacing/repairing? I'd have thought these still had a fair amount of book value in them, especially with First upping the vehicle life expectation.

[AdamH]

It is the first of a fresh batch of Worcester vehicles being cascaded to First Potteries...

As mentioned previously on this thread, Worcester are getting a number of 59-reg Volvos from First Leicester to help meet emissions requirements in Birmingham on Service 144. They are not all coming at once, but the first is due in about a weeks time. As each one arrives it will replace an Enviro300 which will go to Potteries, and in turn an older Volvo will go from Potteries to Leicester.

When the 59-reg Volvos arrive at Worcester they will be refurbished (or possibly between leaving Leicester and arriving at Worcester, I'm not sure yet) which is why Worcester now have 66305, as it is acting as a "Repaint Spare".

[AdamH]

67650 hasn't been sent to Stoke. Brace yourselves for a change of plan...