Midland Red West (First Midland Red)
Dennis Trident — Overview
Vehicles Acquired New
33401–33405 (R/Nos: VX54MTV/Y/Z/UA/B)
First Midland Red Buses Limited started to take delivery of five new Dennis Trident double-deck buses from Friday 26th November 2004. These vehicles were the first double-deck vehicles acquired new by First Midland Red, previously called Midland Red West Limited, since the formation of the company on 6th September 1981.
The vehicles were delivered to Worcester (Padmore Street) depot and were placed into storage awaiting staff type training and preparation for service, with the intention that they would enter service at Redditch depot to provide increased capacity on certain school services and low-floor access to local bus route in Redditch. However, a number of problems, such as delays with the local council cutting back trees and periscopes not being fitted, meant that these vehicles did not enter service with with First Midland Red until late 2005, and until the problems were resolved the vehicles went on loan to First Leicester.
In 2006, all five of these vehicles received route branding for Redditch Overground “Red Line” services 57 and 58, and were normally only used on those services. However, sometimes they were also used on the Worcester Rugby Club services. During the summer school holidays in 2008, all five vehicles received minor bodywork overhauls at Worcester depot bodyshop, and were repainted, which resulted in the “Red Line” route branding being removed.
At the start of the new school term in September 2008, fleet numbers 33401 and 33405 (registration numbers VX54MTV and VX54MUB) moved to Worcester depot for use primarily on the S3 and S4 Blessed Edward School services. When not used on the school services, these two vehicles were scheduled to operate certain journeys on Service 144. During its first few weeks at Worcester, 33405 suffered with repeated gearbox problems, and was often replaced by one of Worcester aged Leyland Olympian double-deck buses, or sometimes by Trident 33402 on loan from Redditch depot.