National Express West Midlands

[SL64 JFK]

National Express West Midlands
NXWM announced today their investment for 2015 - 171 new vehicles will enter service, most in a brand new two-tone maroon livery, with others entering service in their new 'Platinum' livery of two-tone grey.

Link to Article

Hi-Res Rendering of new NXWM and Platinum liveries

Both liveries look quite striking in my opinion, but they're similar to Lothian Buses in the way that they're applied to the vehicles.

[Metroline1511]

RE: National Express West Midlands
Some of their new E40D-MMCs are now in service on route 9 (Birmingham - Stourbridge)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/...64g-r6SQ9c

[SL64 JFK]

RE: National Express West Midlands
The Enviro200 MMCs have started to arrive at Acocks Green garage. Fifty of them will be going into service over the next couple of months.

These MMCs will be the 11.8m variant, presumably with the six-cylinder Cummins engine.

NXWM 2202 (YX15 OYP) © Tony Hunter

[SLTRegular]

RE: National Express West Midlands
That look's like a ugly version of a Caetano bodied Dart

[Jack]

RE: National Express West Midlands
I think I like it, this version looks better than the mini Enviro200 MMC on the ADL site at least anyway.

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: National Express West Midlands
I think that it looks very smart. I have to agree with Jack though - I think this version looks better than the new mini Enviro200

[NX Spectra 4001]

RE: National Express West Midlands
A lot has changed in regards to NXWM/NXC's fleet this year:

Survivors of endangered species

33 Mercedes Benz O405N's left in service at West Bromwich, Pensnett & Coventry
5 [Possibly 4] B6LE/Crusaders left at Wolverhampton (244, 601[?], 620, 632, 662)[601 has not moved for at least two weeks now, so may be dead]
5 DB250LF/Spectras left at Wolverhampton (4006, 4010, 4017, 4020, 4021)
5 B10L/Liberators left at Walsall (1421, 1436, 1446, 1447, 1475)

New arrivals

861-863 at Wolverhampton (Enviro200 LWB) [Any routes]
864-870 at Pensnett (Enviro200 LWB) [Routes 222 & 243/244]
871-875 at Coventry (Enviro200 LWB) [Routes 2 & 3]
2201-2250 at Acocks Green (E200MMCs)[Routes 37, 71/72 & S1]
6101-6122 at Pensnett (E400MMCs) [Routes 9/140/141/241]
6123-6148 at Yardley Wood (E400MMCs) [Routes 35 & 50]
6701-6718 at Birmingham Central [Platinum spec E400MMCs][Routes 900 & 957]
6719-6758 at Walsall [Platinum spec E400MMCs][Routes 934/5/6, 997 & X51]

Anyone hunting for the Spectras, should look on Wolverhampton 32/33 [Wolverhampton Bus Station-Northwood Park, Collingwood Rd-Wolverhampton Bus Station, and Wolverhampton 11 [Wolverhampton Bus Station-Underhill Estate via Fallings Park & The Scotlands] for both B6LE's, and Spectras.

Anyone looking for Mercs should look at Pensnett routes 243/244 [243: Dudley Bus Station-Merry Hill Bus Station, via Old Hill, Timbertree Estate & Cradley Heath] [244: Dudley Bus Station-Hayley Green (Loop) via Old Hill, Hawne & Halesowen Bus Station], Pensnett route 276 [Dudley-Wollaston Junction via Merry Hill Bus Station, Lye & Stourbridge Bus Station], West Bromwich routes 45 [West Bromwich Bus Station-Walsall, Bradford Place Bus Station via Sandwell General Hospital, Stone Cross & Yew Tree Estate] & 49 [West Bromwich Bus Station-Bearwood, Hagley Rd West (Adj Bearwood Interchange) via Brandhall]. Coventry routes 5 [Tile Hill South-Arena TESCO via Coventry city centre & Holbrooks], 7 [Coventry, Pool Meadow Bus Station-Brownshill Green via Barker Butts Lane] & 18/A [Coventry, Pool Meadow Bus Station-Tile Hill South].

Anyone looking for the B10's is advised to look on Walsall routes 34/A [Walsall-Stowlawn (34)/Rough Hay (34A) via Bilston Bus Station (34 Only) & Darlaston], 38 [Walsall-Wednesbury via Manor Hospital, Pleck, Darlaston & Kings Hill], 39 [Walsall, Bradford Place to Wolverhampton Bus Station via Darlaston, Bilston & Moxley], 40 [Walsall Bus Station to Wolverhampton Bus Station via Reedswood, Lodge Farm, Willenhall, The Dale & Portobello] & 41 [Walsall Bus Station to Willenhall, Union St via Reedswood, Allens Rough, New Invention Square & Lucknow Rd] (Note: Services 34/A/38 interwork at Walsall, Bradford Place, as do services 40/41 at Walsall Bus Station. Service 39 interworks with 34/A/38 on Saturdays, and early mornings)

The Mercs may survive until the fall, but I highly doubt the B10's, B6's & Spectras will, given the tiny number of each

Sorry if this got very long winded, but wanted to give anyone looking, a chance to find this exotic vehicles that are now in very limited numbers.

Alex

[Metroline1511]

RE: National Express West Midlands
Thank you for such a detailed post NX Spectra! I was in the Black Country today with a friend from the area. From my observations the above with one exception is indeed accurate, and we were disappointed that a 40 at Wolverhampton did not turn up! The only exception is that route 39 saw Omnilinks rather than Volvo B10Ls, and the only B10L we saw was on route 40 later.

My friend believes that, in addition to the above withdrawals, some 56-reg Eclipses, probably new to Acocks Green and now at Walsall, are earmarked for Dundee to replace Volvo B10BLEs there.

Enviro400 4801 has been refurbished into crimson livery with red dots added to the seating, and was on route X51, even though it is intended for PB routes.

[NX Spectra 4001]

RE: National Express West Midlands

(15/08/2015 21:34)Metroline1511 Wrote:  Thank you for such a detailed post NX Spectra! I was in the Black Country today with a friend from the area. From my observations the above with one exception is indeed accurate, and we were disappointed that a 40 at Wolverhampton did not turn up! The only exception is that route 39 saw Omnilinks rather than Volvo B10Ls, and the only B10L we saw was on route 40 later.

My friend believes that, in addition to the above withdrawals, some 56-reg Eclipses, probably new to Acocks Green and now at Walsall, are earmarked for Dundee to replace Volvo B10BLEs there.

Enviro400 4801 has been refurbished into crimson livery with red dots added to the seating, and was on route X51, even though it is intended for PB routes.

Yeah, sorry bout that, the 40 can be a pain for that, I once waited nearly a hour and a half, and 2 40's, and a 40E showed up.

4801 is just a short term loan to Walsall, along with 4819 & 4820.
Eventually, all of 4738-4775 will be put into either Crimson or Sky (the new Coventry livery), along with 4799-4815/4817-4829 in Crimson some point either this year or next.

1774-1787 will be going up to Dundee, definitely, as they are now parked up, awaiting repaint into Xplore Dundee livery.

B10L's have been escaping everywhere in the past week, with them getting onto Darlastons (34/A, 38, 39), the 29, 301 & one got onto the 313.

Alex

[NX Spectra 4001]

RE: National Express West Midlands
The current list of survivors for NXWM is:

1 (Possibly 2 if 662 comes out to play again) B6LE/Crusader (Usually on route 11 Wolverhampton-Underhill)
(F/n 620 [S620 VOA])
2 (Possibly 3 if 4020 comes out) DB250LF/Spectras (Again, usually on route 11 Wolverhampton-Underhill)
(F/n(s) 4017 [T417 UON] & 4021 [T421 UON])
4 B10L/Liberators (No set route now, although 34/A/38/39's & 40/41's are your best bet)(1446 is probably withdrawn following an major RTC on route 89 this afternoon) (F/n(s) 1421 [P421 EJW], 1436 [P436 JJW], 1447 [P447 JOX] & 1475 [R475 XDA]
27 Mercedes O405Ns at Coventry, Pensnett & West Bromwich

Hope this helps

Alex