MidlandRed.net

My car was in for service yesterday and today so used the bus for first time since start of pandemic restrictions in March and surprised when a brand new white Streetlite turned up on Diamond 303 for journey from Crowngate to New Inn yesterday. My attempts to photograph it on the return journey were a blurred failure as I am a bit wobbly on my pins with sciatica! However I made up for it at lunchtime today on way over to Powick to pick up the car with a few shots in Angel Street.

Internally the decor is surprisingly tasteful with dark grey dashboard, lighter grey pillars, white roof and grab rails with blue/grey leather seats - nothing garish! Most of the area normally used for buggy space on the offside just behind the front wheel arch is taken up with a very large two-tier luggage rack, which makes me wonder if these buses were originally intended as airport link vehicles. As they are in white livery I wonder too if they are on lease, can anyone confirm or provide an answer please?

In addition here is a link to Diamond's Worcestershire website news section;
https://www.diamondbuses.com/news/kidde ... new-buses/

Simon Dunn managing director stated on west midlands bus forum that these buses were originally for Heathrow hotel hopper services. Since covid demand for these services have fallen off a cliff. It was decided to send them to Kidderminster to see if new buses will improve passengers numbers. If it does Diamond might buy new buses if these buses go back to Heathrow.

Thanks for the information, the whole bus industry is in need of promotion from HM Government that it is safe to travel (by all forms of public transport), and Kidderminster in particular is in desperate need of a 'shot in the arm'. Hope the new buses contribute to increased passenger numbers, but feel this is a long shot with the harsher line taken by The Cabinet today with the measures to limit and enforce public meetings to six people only - probably more mandates on the way if infections rise any further!

Had a bus trip to Kidderminster this morning for first time since March and took a few photographs of Streetlites and other buses in the bus station (one in Angel Street, Worcester too before someone points out the different location!) as below;

These photographs taken today Monday 12 October 2020 in Ombersley Road, Worcester of Diamond 20180 reg. no. BX70 GGY working 303 service between Worcester and Kidderminster. Bus Lists on the Web gives registered date as September 2020, can anyone provide the actual date into service as I haven't seen this bus before?