MidlandRed.net

This photograph has already been posted to the main website photograph database so hopefully everyone has already seen it, but this is a new forum and we need to re-open current topics...



20201 was withdrawn at the end of April with gearbox failure, and since then hasn't move from the position seen in the photograph (dated Friday 27th May 2016). Various options have been looked at, including a new gearbox, but this has been ruled out as not being cost effective.

The future does not look very bright for this vehicle, and as no easy replacement has been found, the future of coaches at Worcester in general.

I guess they are just using whatever full-size bus they can instead?

MattW wrote: ↑

18:51 Sunday 10th July 2016

I guess they are just using whatever full-size bus they can instead?

Indeed.
We're coping at the moment through the substitution of the coach with the Volvos, although as many as three can potentially be required during the morning run-out for use on school services if we're really unlucky.

I believe a reorganisation of some of the school services, particularly the contracted ones, from September will ease demand and take the use of just the one coach into account.

Red Midland wrote: ↑

18:55 Sunday 10th July 2016

MattW wrote: ↑

18:51 Sunday 10th July 2016

I guess they are just using whatever full-size bus they can instead?

I believe a reorganisation of some of the school services, particularly the contracted ones, from September will ease demand and take the use of just the one coach into account.

Thanks for that info, Red Midland.

I hope that will not lead to a reduction in the number of DDs !
(I know they are mainly on school services that are "Commercial")
- 33042 currently looks "a bit like scrap" parked in the corner of the patch, but I expect it's just broken.

I would like to see First diverting and timing at least one (extra) bus to and from Pershore area schools, and preferably using the same bus to provide an enhanced Pershore area public service (before/after).

20201 is still in the same spot, but there are some developments. It looks like the decision that the vehicle was uneconomical to repair may have been reversed.

No suitable replacement has been found but it would seem that someone has decided they would like to keep their share of the rail replacement contracts, and so a new gearbox may well be on its way towards Worcester.

Fingers crossed!

I saw one of them acting as a spare vehicle at Malvern station a couple of weeks ago.
I was surprised some of the Centros were being used though - including 66691

It depends on which rail company and how far they have to go. London Midland tend to be shorter journeys and they tend not to mind buses being used. They even requested double-decks for the recent Foregate Street to Droitwich Spa contract, for example. First Great Western ask for coaches irrespective of the journey length.

Cheers bud

AdamH wrote: ↑

18:52 Thursday 21st July 2016

It depends on which rail company and how far they have to go. London Midland tend to be shorter journeys and they tend not to mind buses being used. They even requested double-decks for the recent Foregate Street to Droitwich Spa contract, for example. First Great Western ask for coaches irrespective of the journey length.

When you see the number of people lugging heavy cases on or off the Paddington trains at Shrub Hill I think GWR can make good use of all the luggage locker space on 20201 and 20202 when used on rail replacement duties.

London Midland journeys are generally much shorter with greater amount of local commuters, school children and shoppers with fewer holiday makers and heavy cases, so I guess low-floor easy access buses and high seating capacity are needed between Malvern, Worcester and Droitwich/Bromsgrove/ Kidderminster.