MidlandRed.net

I got a big shock this afternoon when driving along the City Walls Road c.16.00.
A smart modern Johnsons DOUBLE DECKER was displaying 150C, and was heading towards the Kings School.
The bustimes tracker confirms it, and Johnsons new timetable shows additional stops at Kings, and the Royal Grammar School, -- therefore gaining some ex Dudleys work.

I think I might have seen a lot of coaches outside the grammar school in the past, and Dudleys had two 70 seater coaches, so when their closure was announced, I looked at some of their timetables to see if First could usefully gain some of their work, and consolidate it into "our" network ("bus graph"), but it looked a much better fit for Johnsons.

I haven't studied the timetable yet to see if I can enjoy any DD rides when the school kids are NOT on it, -- and it may not be a regular feature, -- and there is the pandemic to consider.

Double-deckers and Worcester need great care because of the number of low bridges running under the railway to east of the City. I mention this as the morning return working of the Johnson's 150C timetable runs Crowngate 08-45, SHRUB HILL 08-50, Sixth Form 08-57 then Upton Snodsbury 09-03 which means the driver must be made aware that he has a double decker and must turn right at Shrub Hill back to City Walls Road and definitely not attempt to use normal 150 route via Newtown Road tunnels! I mention turning right at Shrub Hill as the alternative via Midland Road and Wylds Lane is not an easy drive with a full sized bus because of parked cars. Academic whilst schools and colleges are shut by latest lockdown, but one for the operator to consider when education establishments reopen in the spring.

Omnibus Society report a new 150B variant running from County Hall via London Road and Tallow Hill to Shrub Hill and vice versa. Is this the first time a bus has been scheduled up Tallow Hill? The old canal bridge wasn't bus friendly as I remember it, so maybe it is?

asb wrote: ↑

20:16 Wednesday 6th January 2021

Omnibus Society report a new 150B variant running from County Hall via London Road and Tallow Hill to Shrub Hill and vice versa. Is this the first time a bus has been scheduled up Tallow Hill? The old canal bridge wasn't bus friendly as I remember it, so maybe it is?

Ah I see now where I went wrong , the service arrives in the morning as a 150C covering Kings School and Royal Grammar Worcester School then returns as a 150B via Shrub Hill and Tallow Hill. Tallow Hill is a relatively wide thoroughfare now which runs across the canal on a level bridge which replaced the old hump-backed bridge and 90 degree turn when the area was redeveloped with a trading estate a few years ago.

When schools and colleges eventually return from lockdown it would still be prudent to put a large highlighted note on the running card of double-deck bus not to use the normal route via Newtown Road!

Thanks asb, and Tim for the info above.
-- I might have been banging my head against the wall without it !!

Ironically, having printed off the timetable from the Johnsons website, I had cause to look at the new traveline version, as it shows ALL stops ( - if you click on that button), - and it incorrectly shows the old route for the 08.45 departure of the 150B from Crowngate
- via the low bridge !!

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I had better email Johnsons, as any confusion in this matter could prove fatal !!!

https://bustimes.org/operators/johnsons ... s/vehicles

According to the tracker, Johnsons have been using a DD all this week, on the 150B/C (despite lockdown), and today have been using a brand new Optare Metrodecker YJ70EWC.

This looks very smart in the photos on Flickr ( - click on the button in the above link) and is one of a cancelled Reading Transport order.
It's rumoured that a second one is due !!

Driving my car back from it's MOT this afternoon, I had the pleasure of seeing this new 'decker again on the 150C, - however it was displaying 350 !

- I wonder if it was an ex-Dudley's driver !? -- I have, for a long time, fancied the idea of a smart green DD on the 350/ 351, so I can die happy now !!

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/277302

The tracker now shows the second new MetroDecker, YJ70EWD in service, - this one apparently in Johnsons livery.

As I had seen on the tracker this morning that Johnsons were using YJ70EWD on the 150B/C, I thought I'd view it this afternoon while on my daily walk, --

it looks very nice, but the outward journey of the 150C was again displaying 350 !!

Also, I noticed for the first time, that it has an offside destination / route indicator -- -- is this common now on new buses ?

YJ70 EWC has now been repainted into fleet livery, - which I am rather sad about, - but one cannot complain about Johnsons smart fleet ! ( - with one noticeable exception !).