Open - Topper on 303 ?

[DD12]

https://bustimes.org/services/303-worce ... 2025-07-29

Just seen on bustimes.org a "claim" that the open-top DD was used on the first 303 to Worcester, on July 29th -- almost certainly it was just the ticket machine but used in a different vehicle, or progd with the wrong fleet number !

Would be great if verified !

TIM ! did you look out of your window that morning !! ??

[TimBrown]

https://bustimes.org/services/303-worce ... 2025-07-29

Just seen on bustimes.org a "claim" that the open-top DD was used on the first 303 to Worcester, on July 29th -- almost certainly it was just the ticket machine but used in a different vehicle, or progd with the wrong fleet number !

Would be great if verified !

TIM ! did you look out of your window that morning !! ??

No, but I was concerned around the time that I'd missed a photograph of first decker on 303 for nigh on 50 years. Spoke to a Diamond driver two days later for confirmation or otherwise and he hadn't heard of one working; it was a couple days later when really looking at the vehicle in question and seeing it was 23 years old I did a check on 'Bus Lists on the Web' only to find it was open-topped, so couldn't have done the journey shown on Bustimes - panic over!

[TimBrown]

Thinking back, and I mean 70 years ago in the mid 1950s the county service along Ombersley Road carried two numbers, as Midland Red 315 and 316 they ran from Worcester to Kidderminster and on to Stourbridge; the 315 via Hagley and the 316 via Norton. Stourbridge garage ran some of the services and occasionally rostered a veteran FEDD (Front Entrance Double Decker) of the BHA registration series, but more likely an AD2 JHA registered AEC Regent III with Midland Red designed enclosed radiator 'tin front'. Kidderminster operated the D5B type with NHA registration and sometimes put a FEDD of the EHA or FHA registration series or a Leyland PD2 of the SHA registration series on this route..

[Michael]

I understand West Midlands Travel use to own an open topper that sometimes got to see service!

I believe it was based in Wolverhampton but here it is doing a special trip on the 1 from Acocks Green to Birmingham: https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/6727830057