Wellglade Group

[38291018]

Just seen 342 YX25 OFO skylink derby pass through draycott. Not a bus i would of expected to see diverting through past draycott.

 

[43055]

Just seen 342 YX25 OFO skylink derby pass through draycott. Not a bus i would of expected to see diverting through past draycott.

Seems to be something preventing them going through Shardlow as the outbound journeys are going via the A50. Google says the A50 westbound is shut which must explain why the Derby bound journeys are heading in the Sawley/Long Eaton direction.

 

[38291018]

Does make me think though as there Loughborough drivers and it's already a long route. Say if you are local to Leicester/ live in Leicester, Loughborough driver and only really know that route when route learning it, when the usual A50 diversion is shut, how do they know so many diversion routes which ain't very common to do, or do they get briefed on the diversion before taking it on beforehand/ look at google maps before hand on where to go ect, as say if your Leicester based Loughborough driver that's alot of local knowledge in a area they live nowhere near they got to know

 

[43055]

Does make me think though as there Loughborough drivers and it's already a long route. Say if your a Leicester driver and only really know that route when route learning it, when the usual A50 diversion is shut how do they know so many diversion routes which ain't very common or do they get briefed on the diversion before taking it on where to go ect as say if your Leicester based Loughborough driver that's alot of local knowledge in a area they live nowhere near they got to know

Kinch Skylink is all run out of Loughborough.

Normally we have a briefing about planned diversions which may also include a map of the route. On the day stuff is normally a message on the ticket machine saying x is shut please take y, z to get back on route.

 

[YX73OUB]

851 has made it on to the connect service this morning

 

[M60lad]

Regarding diversions and drivers knowing them it always seems to amaze me where you'll see a High Peak Skylink 199 Buxton-Manchester Airport service when part of the route is closed especially M60, I've seen drivers taking various different routes from Manchester Airport and Stockport in the past.

 

[Trainman40083]

851 has made it on to the connect service this morning

Warm day, nice big opening windows

 

[JD2168]

Now in service Streetlite SK18 TKC with TM Travel

 

[Aethonatic]

The Cotgrave and Skylink Express services are to stop serving the Broad Marsh Bus Station starting July 26.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/trent-barton-buses-skip-50m-11023975

 

[38291018]

The Cotgrave and Skylink Express services are to stop serving the Broad Marsh Bus Station starting July 26.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/trent-barton-buses-skip-50m-11023975

Already been mentioned above as well as changes to the X38

TrenBarton have announced changes to services from 26th July. Details are on their web site. (link: https://www.trentbarton.co.uk/news-and-media/our-news/article/timetablechanges26July). Most notably, the Cotgrave and Skylink Express will no longer server Broadmarsh bus station. Also, the X38 timetable no longer lists Royal Derby Hospital as a timing point, though I assume it will still stop there. They will no longer wait at Victoria Street (just stop), sometimes for 15 to 30 minutes on a Sunday!

 

[Aethonatic]

Already been mentioned above as well as changes to the X38

Ah, hadn't noticed.

 

[Np13]

Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora BU26 WRW is currently at Meadow Road for evaluation purposes

Given it has a ticket machine and blinds programmed I expect it will enter service

 

[Trainman40083]

Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora BU26 WRW is currently at Meadow Road for evaluation purposes

Given it has a ticket machine and blinds programmed I expect it will enter service

I wish it a long and happy life with Trentbarton. Well, years

 

[9143180]

Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora BU26 WRW is currently at Meadow Road for evaluation purposes

Given it has a ticket machine and blinds programmed I expect it will enter service

Weren’t they looking at these before for the Skylink but backed out because MCV couldn’t provide the seats that they wanted? Maybe they’ve seen the writing on the wall and realised that the MMCs won’t cut it

 

[YX73OUB]

Weren’t they looking at these before for the Skylink but backed out because MCV couldn’t provide the seats that they wanted? Maybe they’ve seen the writing on the wall and realised that the MMCs won’t cut it

That's no longer a reason for consideration.

 

[9143180]

That's no longer a reason for consideration.

The seats or the suitability of the MMCs?

 

[Trainman40083]

That's no longer a reason for consideration.

Sod the seats. EvoRas for me.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2026 ==

BU74 HRN now with Chaserider was the last EvoRa Trentbarton looked at, if I recall.

 

[43055]

Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora BU26 WRW is currently at Meadow Road for evaluation purposes

Given it has a ticket machine and blinds programmed I expect it will enter service

I wish it a long and happy life with Trentbarton. Well, years

I do hope we do get it for a while. Being selfish I do hope it ends up on the villager (305 replacement?)

 

[StavBered]

I do hope we do get it for a while. Being selfish I do hope it ends up on the villager (305 replacement?)

I highly doubt 305 will be replaced, as the damage it sustained was not as bad as previous incidents involving older buses, also it is a 24 plate so it wouldn't be too great to send off a 2 year old bus

 

[YX73OUB]

I highly doubt 305 will be replaced, as the damage it sustained was not as bad as previous incidents involving older buses, also it is a 24 plate so it wouldn't be too great to send off a 2 year old bus

It'll be sent off for repair then return to service, the eVora will be used for evaluation purposes across Derby's network and will assist with their current vehicle struggles.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2026 ==

The seats or the suitability of the MMCs?

The suitability of the MMCs allegedly no longer meet the requirement of the business needs.

The eVora seating is no longer a consideration for rejection when it comes to vehicle purchases as it's now more about creating a neurodivergent friendly interior (as per the Yutongs) as it's now easier to obtain tools to clean the seats / flooring however they're mounted thoroughly

It is also worth noting that at one stage there was an 18-24 month wait for the eVora - with a standard interior spec, let alone one the company would require- this is no longer the case either.

 

[Trainman40083]

It'll be sent off for repair then return to service, the eVora will be used for evaluation purposes across Derby's network and will assist with their current vehicle struggles.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2026 ==


The suitability of the MMCs allegedly no longer meet the requirement of the business needs.

The eVora seating is no longer a consideration for rejection when it comes to vehicle purchases as it's now more about creating a neurodivergent friendly interior (as per the Yutongs) as it's now easier to obtain tools to clean the seats / flooring however they're mounted thoroughly

It is also worth noting that at one stage there was an 18-24 month wait for the eVora - with a standard interior spec, let alone one the company would require- this is no longer the case either.

Personally, I think the Yutongs are great. Especially on a warm day. One minor issue I noticed was "someone" on the bus kept catching the bus stop bell. Suspect it was a woman in the tip up seats, catching it with her elbow. Bus stops, doors open, driver asks passengers nicely, bell rings, bus stops.. I think MCV opened a second production line. Such was the demand. .Not all new buses are Chinese.

 

[43055]

Personally, I think the Yutongs are great. Especially on a warm day. One minor issue I noticed was "someone" on the bus kept catching the bus stop bell. Suspect it was a woman in the tip up seats, catching it with her elbow. Bus stops, doors open, driver asks passengers nicely, bell rings, bus stops.. I think MCV opened a second production line. Such was the demand. .Not all new buses are Chinese.

Not just the Yutongs. I have had the issue with the bells on the E200's as the disabled bell is in a simular position.

 

[Trainman40083]

Not just the Yutongs. I have had the issue with the bells on the E200's as the disabled bell is in a simular position.

One thing I did wonder, and I noticed it on a Kinchbus on route 9... A woman pressed the bell but didn't get off ..The doors didn't open, and the bus moved on....The bus stopping illumination lit up.... But the next time she rang the bell, I didn't hear it ring at all.

 

[callum3490]

About time we saw some new heavyweight buses coming back in to play especially as the b7rles start to get cascaded off, the E200s or electrics wont be suitable for a lot of those routes

 

[Trainman40083]

The Volvo EvoRa demonstrator has entered service today. 10.05 Comet ex Derby, tracking as 990.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

Sixes Volvo 772, plus two others on Meadow Road today. Only 779 was out of service, so I wonder if 777 or 778 was the other bus visible.

 

[derbybusdepot]

Even with the addition of the Evora at Derby, we still see services cancelled on villager, mickleover and x38 this morning.

 

[Volvo142]

Even with the addition of the Evora at Derby, we still see services cancelled on villager, mickleover and x38 this morning.

And 6.2

 

[derbybusdepot]

And 6.2

And red arrow...

Also interesting that sixes requires 11 buses, yet will only have 10 branded Volvos, unless 780 gets painted.

 

[SSmith2009]

And red arrow...

Also interesting that sixes requires 11 buses, yet will only have 10 branded Volvos, unless 780 gets painted.

One has to wonder if it's best going forward for them to only have the majority of a routes PVR branded up to allow them to be more flexible with spares.

In the case of the sixes with their PVR of 11 and only 10 branded up.

 

[liamf656]

One has to wonder if it's best going forward for them to only have the majority of a routes PVR branded up to allow them to be more flexible with spares.

In the case of the sixes with their PVR of 11 and only 10 branded up.

I believe NCT uses this approach with their branding. It gives them more spares and more flexibility while keeping the route brand identity