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Arriva Midlands

DS25

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Joined
30 Jul 2024
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107
Location
UK
2140 and 2141 from Telford are transferring to Shrewsbury to replace the solos but are at derby for work currently
That makes sense to why they haven't been in service for a while, they'll probably be replacing the 57 plate solo's then + 2493 hasn't been in service since 11th March and has been in the back of the depot for ages. Considering only 2 are moving does this mean Arriva are expecting to lose one of the route groups of 23/26 or 2/12 to another operator in the area
 
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RailUK Forums

Voyager 2953

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Joined
6 Dec 2023
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119
Location
London59
Personally I think either electric single deckers for other routes or E200MMC’s. Evoras don’t seem likely given that most of the routes are Tamworth locals and the Evora is a heavyweight vehicle ideal for long distance routes.

Heavyweight but much more fuel efficient than the E200.
 

BusLink61

Member
Joined
1 Dec 2025
Messages
170
Location
Lichfield
Heavyweight but much more fuel efficient than the E200.
Depends on what route they’re being used on, for town services a heavyweight vehicle and a larger engine would mean more fuel is used up, so in Tamworth’s case I’d imagine the MMC’s would be better suited for the majority of their routes. From what I have read the Evora is more fuel efficient on high speed long distance runs.
 

isaac27

Member
Joined
19 Sep 2025
Messages
86
Location
nuneaton
Been on bus 2978 twice this week around Tamworth and Nuneaton and it seriously struggles with even a modest hill to climb. Struggled today on the 7 with the hills around Stonydelph. On Tuesday it was on the 6 and it was a snails pace up the hill to Beddesley Ensor. Lorries easily overtaking us up the hill on the A5 out of Atherstone. You could see the driver was getting frustrated
Was the belt still squeaking too lol? All these versas are past their prime hopefully new busses arrive some time soon. some of the busses that the versas replaced were better than the versas are. TBH even the max citaros ran better.
 

Russel

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Joined
30 Jun 2022
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5,380
Location
Lichfield
Depends on what route they’re being used on, for town services a heavyweight vehicle and a larger engine would mean more fuel is used up, so in Tamworth’s case I’d imagine the MMC’s would be better suited for the majority of their routes. From what I have read the Evora is more fuel efficient on high speed long distance runs.

That would explain why Arriva reportedly want the Citaros gone then.
 

DS25

Member
Joined
30 Jul 2024
Messages
107
Location
UK
I've seen somewhere that 3772 at Telford is being scrapped, which is likely since it hasn't been out since the 16th march
 

derbyveg

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Joined
2 Dec 2025
Messages
74
Location
Derby
3723 has weirdly had a NS screen & speakers installed, very new as it didnt have them on Friday.
 

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DS25

Member
Joined
30 Jul 2024
Messages
107
Location
UK
Probably since pre-2014 buses will have to comply with the new announcements regulations from the 1st October
 

isaac27

Member
Joined
19 Sep 2025
Messages
86
Location
nuneaton
Yes, a member of staff at Telford (a driver I think) put on Facebook saying it had its ticket machine and licences removed but wasn’t sure what was happening to it

3920 has been repaired and put back on the road! Only the rear has been resprayed (in a fashion) and the back window has been fully removed instead of replaced which is perfect for the summer for some open air flow! Hopefully it will see another 3 - 5 years service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Yes, a member of staff at Telford (a driver I think) put on Facebook saying it had its ticket machine and licences removed but wasn’t sure what was happening to it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

3920 has been repaired and put back on the road! Only the rear has been resprayed (in a fashion) and the back window has been fully removed instead of replaced which is perfect for the summer for some open air flow! Hopefully it will see another 3 - 5 years service.
 
Last edited:

derbybusdepot

Member
Joined
17 Dec 2015
Messages
346
Yes, a member of staff at Telford (a driver I think) put on Facebook saying it had its ticket machine and licences removed but wasn’t sure what was happening to it

3920 has been repaired and put back on the road! Only the rear has been resprayed (in a fashion) and the back window has been fully removed instead of replaced which is perfect for the summer for some open air flow! Hopefully it will see another 3 - 5 years service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
You'd be a fool to believe that ;) ....
 

Russel

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30 Jun 2022
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5,380
Location
Lichfield
3920 has been repaired and put back on the road! Only the rear has been resprayed (in a fashion) and the back window has been fully removed instead of replaced which is perfect for the summer for some open air flow! Hopefully it will see another 3 - 5 years service.

In true Arriva style, the back window will be plated over with a sheet of aluminium chequer plate.
 

DS25

Member
Joined
30 Jul 2024
Messages
107
Location
UK
I believe 2493 might be withdrawn soon, it has been sat at the back of Shrewsbury Depot for ages but I don't know for sure just guessing
 

Mugby

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Joined
25 Nov 2012
Messages
2,128
Location
Derby
Service Revisions in Derby from 11 April.
"We're making Improvements to some Derby services to help buses to run on time and better match how our customers use them"
In other words; service reductions. Service 8 Derby - Mackworth will be reduced from 6 buses per hour to 5, Mondays to Fridays.
Looks like Services 1A, 1B & 1C to Alvaston will also have some reductions.

What a patronising and convoluted way of announcing 'More Cutbacks' !
 

derbybusdepot

Member
Joined
17 Dec 2015
Messages
346
Service Revisions in Derby from 11 April.
"We're making Improvements to some Derby services to help buses to run on time and better match how our customers use them"
In other words; service reductions. Service 8 Derby - Mackworth will be reduced from 6 buses per hour to 5, Mondays to Fridays.
Looks like Services 1A, 1B & 1C to Alvaston will also have some reductions.

What a patronising and convoluted way of announcing 'More Cutbacks' !
Didn't realise the 8 was being reduced in frequency. Are they using the same number of buses and increasing running time/layover to improve reliability.

The 1b is being diverted to take in the peak time only wyvern route (at peak times). The part it misses in Alvaston still has several 1a/c services. It may have been a better call to have extended the wyvern route to Spondon at peak times to guage demand.

At least the cutbacks are not as big as the previous ones!
 

Volvo142

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2013
Messages
113
Didn't realise the 8 was being reduced in frequency. Are they using the same number of buses and increasing running time/layover to improve reliability.

The 1b is being diverted to take in the peak time only wyvern route (at peak times). The part it misses in Alvaston still has several 1a/c services. It may have been a better call to have extended the wyvern route to Spondon at peak times to guage demand.

At least the cutbacks are not as big as the previous ones!
38 is also cut back from every 10 mins to every 12. Last time that happened, it initially ran with 8 buses at peak times and 7 off peak, but it was so unreliable, it was eventually switched back to 8 buses all day, with an increased headway. It will be interesting to see which option they try this time....
 

DS25

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Joined
30 Jul 2024
Messages
107
Location
UK
3238 has entered service it seems meaning only 1 left to enter service I think, 2980 is also back tracking in Shrewsbury on the 511 after about 2 weeks of not in service
 

Trainman40083

Established Member
Joined
29 Jan 2024
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4,523
Location
Derby
Re Derby. I would think that the price of fuel might impact the cost of running bus services, which may see cuts OR the use of the most fuel efficient buses on certain routes.
 

Volvo142

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2013
Messages
113
Re Derby. I would think that the price of fuel might impact the cost of running bus services, which may see cuts OR the use of the most fuel efficient buses on certain routes.
Just looked at WVN vs the 1B divert....

WVN currently has 5 AM trips and 7 PM trips, between 15.20 and 18.20.

1B will provide 4 AM trips and just THREE afternoon trips, covering 16.58 and 17.48.

That's hardly a "service improvement" as Arriva are calling it!
 

buslad1988

Member
Joined
28 Dec 2018
Messages
650
Just looked at WVN vs the 1B divert....

WVN currently has 5 AM trips and 7 PM trips, between 15.20 and 18.20.

1B will provide 4 AM trips and just THREE afternoon trips, covering 16.58 and 17.48.

That's hardly a "service improvement" as Arriva are calling it!
To be fair I think you’ll find most bus operators just ‘dress up’ hidden cuts and will just spin the positives when it comes to service changes. It’s common practice. They’re hardly going to say we’re cutting X, Y and Z to save a few quid. Yes, there may be some changes to address reliability, but there will be cost savings somewhere. It’s not just Arriva who are guilty of that - Lothian did similar with their recent change also.
 

SSmith2009

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Joined
20 Dec 2021
Messages
573
Location
East Midlands
To be fair I think you’ll find most bus operators just ‘dress up’ hidden cuts and will just spin the positives when it comes to service changes. It’s common practice. They’re hardly going to say we’re cutting X, Y and Z to save a few quid. Yes, there may be some changes to address reliability, but there will be cost savings somewhere. It’s not just Arriva who are guilty of that - Lothian did similar with their recent change also.
Same with the Leicester cutbacks disguised as improvements.

Take the changes to service 87 - a near hourly timetable is introduced and extended into South Wigston and Countesthorpe (to partly replace the 85 although) starting later in the mornings although the addition of Fosse Park to the route is bizzare and will screw it up at peak times.

Some of the facebook post/comments about the 44/44A/47/48/49 changes are negative mostly about extended travel times and the removal of the 47/48 from Little Hill estate.

I wonder if all these changes will reduce PVR and costs? Doubt it.
 

derbybusdepot

Member
Joined
17 Dec 2015
Messages
346
Just looked at WVN vs the 1B divert....

WVN currently has 5 AM trips and 7 PM trips, between 15.20 and 18.20.

1B will provide 4 AM trips and just THREE afternoon trips, covering 16.58 and 17.48.

That's hardly a "service improvement" as Arriva are calling it!
The wyvern service is an oddity. Currently WYN has 5 outbound trips every 30 minutes between 7.05 and 9.05, and 7 inbound trips between 15.20 and 18.20 Monday to Friday.

1B will have outbound trips at 7.30, 7.50, 8.10 and 8.35 and inbound trips at 16.58, 17.23 and 17.48.

I guess the starkest thing is the evening service starting over an hour and a half later, on an already very limited service, but I would guess that reflects demand.

It is a relatively small business park next to a retail park. Other services have been ran and failed it previous years which implies there is limited demand.

I guess the logic behind diverted a few 1b services at times against, the peak flow of customers makes some sense, but it does just meet a current demand rather than trying to expand the market. Peak time 20x as an alternative however would meet the current demand and offer faster links from Spondon to Derby and new links to Wyvern, Pride Park and Derby Railway Station from Spondon.

The need to change buses to reach your final destination deters people from using public transport and increases use of taxis.
 

Trainman40083

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29 Jan 2024
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4,523
Location
Derby
The wyvern service is an oddity. Currently WYN has 5 outbound trips every 30 minutes between 7.05 and 9.05, and 7 inbound trips between 15.20 and 18.20 Monday to Friday.

1B will have outbound trips at 7.30, 7.50, 8.10 and 8.35 and inbound trips at 16.58, 17.23 and 17.48.

I guess the starkest thing is the evening service starting over an hour and a half later, on an already very limited service, but I would guess that reflects demand.

It is a relatively small business park next to a retail park. Other services have been ran and failed it previous years which implies there is limited demand.

I guess the logic behind diverted a few 1b services at times against, the peak flow of customers makes some sense, but it does just meet a current demand rather than trying to expand the market. Peak time 20x as an alternative however would meet the current demand and offer faster links from Spondon to Derby and new links to Wyvern, Pride Park and Derby Railway Station from Spondon.

The need to change buses to reach your final destination deters people from using public transport and increases use of taxis.
Is it a relatively small business park though? The recent Derby BSIP document suggests that 5% of people in Derby use public transport to get to work. I can see that given where many of the employers are. Funny though, when you think of positive spin, I remember a time when they highlighted there were three buses an hour, between the railway station and the City Centre. Yes, at 55, 00 and 05. Catch any one, I would miss my next bus, and have a long wait. Hence people go by car.
 

isaac27

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Joined
19 Sep 2025
Messages
86
Location
nuneaton
Yj09mkx is now the latest versa to arrive at Tamworth & yj09mku is dual tracking which probably means another one has arrived too.
 

DS25

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Joined
30 Jul 2024
Messages
107
Location
UK
MX12 CEU (2140) has transferred to shrewsbury and optare solo 2511 is now in luton
 

joieman

Member
Joined
18 Feb 2024
Messages
960
Location
Loughborough
I wonder if 4426 is withdrawn: it's taxed until next February but has no MOT.

(I must say that the mileage figures for its previous MOTs are exceedingly erratic!)
4426 has been marked as withdrawn on Bustimes. As the oldest bus in Arriva's fleet in Leicestershire, and having not tracked on Bustimes since early January, I fairly saw its demise coming.
 

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