4th March 2021
Megabus
Former Oxford Tube Van Hool Astromegas 50276 and 50277 have been repainted into the new style Megabus livery.
National Express West Midlands
All five diesel Wright Streetdecks here, 3301-05, are to transfer from Pensnett to Walsall. These have been out of service for over a year with major repairs required. Trident/ALX400s 4317 and 4318 have also transferred in to Walsall, from Wolverhampton.
A batch of 20 new Wright Streetdeck FCEVs are also planned to be allocated to Walsall. These are destined for a new ‘Sprint’ branded route linking Walsall with Birmingham and Solihull, via the current 51 and X2 routes. Sprint will offer additional bus lanes and priority measures, and improved bus stops, similar to the Bristol ‘Metrobus’ scheme. They will be numbered H1001-1020, some are already in build, though delivery is awaiting the fueling facilities.
Wright Streetdeck 3303 is pictured, prior to its period out of use along with the four other diesel Streetdecks in the fleet. © Dylan Jones.
Stagecoach East Midlands
Further to our previous report the seven Megabus Van Hool coaches, 50301-304/306-308, remain part of the fleet here but are currently decommissioned and are stored at Stagecoach West’s North Bristol depot.
Transfers in the process of taking place including Dart SLF 35144 moving from Skegness to Lincoln, whilst Enviro 200s 37196 and 37208 which we reported as moving from Grimsby to Hull are now part of the main fleet at Hull. Enviro 200 36058, along with Enviro 300s 27198 and 27199, are due to transfer from Mansfield to Grimsby. Of note the Enviro 300s are currently on loan at Skegness.
Following repairs completion, Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse-Urban 21212 is now back in service at Skegness. Most of the decommissioned vehicles here are due to return to service in the coming days, with Dart SLF 35141 at Worksop, Dart SLF 35145 at Scunthorpe, and Enviro 200s 36449/453/454/510/513-520 at Mansfield remaining decommissioned
Delicensed here, and currently in use at driver rest rooms are Dart SLF 34465 at Lincoln and Volvo B9R 53605 at Hull.
Now repainted into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery is Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse-Urban 21214.
Having spent most of its life in Lincoln, before transferring to Mansfield (and now earmarked to move to Grimsby), Enviro 200 is pictured in Lincoln on 29th March 2017. © Sam Boothby.
Stagecoach East Scotland
New Enviro 400 MMC Smart Hybrids 11561 and 11563 are now in service at Aberhill.
