Wellglade Group

[YX73OUB]

Hey at least you had the joy of Enviro 200MMC 277, unless it went back after about 16 months. And I am sure you love 480 and 483 Solos, which were among the first buses to get the brighter red generic livery. In terms of Derby it could do with at least 10 more spare buses .. BUT if I was the Finance Director, that would be a no, because the numbers would not stack up. We have also seen too many buses in crashes, possibly Enviro 200MMC, 160 at Langley Mill early Saturday morning. I really hope the driver is okay, but sadly we are seeing some woeful driving from car drivers, who quite frankly should never drive again. So, at the moment, fleet strength is depleted by the loss of two Nines Enviros, one i4, one Sixes Versa and 160, which puts more strain on the fleet. I've not heard of any new buses on order for Trentbarton.

277 is currently VOR with a gearbox fault. I have no single response to the comment regarding 480/3.

We've been told of nothing internally
For new buses this year, either. As I've stated this year is the year of displacement, refurbishment, Kinchbus and getting things back to their best.

It's a slow process but nobody wants it to fail.

 

[Trainman40083]

277 is currently VOR with a gearbox fault. I have no single response to the comment regarding 480/3.

We've been told of nothing internally
For new buses this year, either. As I've stated this year is the year of displacement, refurbishment, Kinchbus and getting things back to their best.

It's a slow process but nobody wants it to fail.

I guess you'll never get to Acapulco on those Optare Solos .

 

[YX73OUB]

I guess you'll never get to Acapulco on those Optare Solos .

Who needs to when one can go around Hucknall 19 times on one - like I will be on Friday!

 

[Trainman40083]

Who needs to when one can go around Hucknall 19 times on one - like I will be on Friday!

Living the dream.... At least you can just send 277 back for attention.

 

[nathanclass323]

Who needs to when one can go around Hucknall 19 times on one - like I will be on Friday!

Ouch… and I thought doing 13 harlequins was bad

 

[YX73OUB]

Ouch… and I thought doing 13 harlequins was bad

I've driven the harlequin before, all I'll say is...... both are dizzy inducing routes!

 

[nathanclass323]

I've driven the harlequin before, all I'll say is...... both are dizzy inducing routes!

Definitely not my favourite day. I’m more than happy going to Burton and back 5 or 6 times instead hahaha

 

[joieman]

I prefer that yellow front alot more than that blue front

I wonder if they would look a bit more normal if the blue bit was expanded to also cover the area around and above the headlights

 

[callum3490]

Some interesting points above and in further posts too.

The threes have a PVR of 19, the nines of 14 and neither have reductions off peak. Flexibility has increased by connect and 90 earlier losing branding, which as we know is restrictive. We do struggle sometimes, the fleet all serve demanding routes and our oldest buses are 2009 plated and as such this brings challenges, none more so than between 2021&2023 where it was common to have up to (of the then 18 buses required) 12 off the threes, there was lots of hardwork behind the scenes and frustration from both engineers and drivers who genuinely care about the jobs they do & the service they provide.

Engineering at Derby has had a restructure and the Volvos will be a welcome boost for the sixes, in and amongst that internal publicity has stated a timetable review and brand refresh will give the service a boost and driver numbers are now much better - with a recent pay rise being brought in to help, too.

And as someone quite rightly posted above, additional spare pools will be boosted by displacements at Kinch and Derby (the versas will displace Volvos and older versas in the fleet, which will ultimately free up Volvos for future spare coverage and planned service enhancements)

It's been a tricky, uncertain and unpredictable time for an industry that is for sure but I am more than hopeful that better times lie ahead.

Are the 14 plated versas displacing volvos actually likely to be a good move? If the likes of swift/comet end up with the versas instead i can’t see their reliability improving much if at all

Weren’t some going on to n&d to displace older tempos?

 

[38291018]

Thought they only had one tempo now which is a driver trainer and dont go on public roads anymore only used for reversing exam

 

[YX73OUB]

Thought they only had one tempo now which is a driver trainer and dont go on public roads anymore only used for reversing exam

It won't even be used on that much longer
Regarding the versas the only internal communication we have received is most will be staying at Derby. 2 are supposed to be coming to Sutton for connect too apparently but that is liable to change

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Mar 2026 ==

Definitely not my favourite day. I’m more than happy going to Burton and back 5 or 6 times instead hahaha

Last time I did one of them it was with 307 and 308!

Showing my age now

 

[Trainman40083]

Are the 14 plated versas displacing volvos actually likely to be a good move? If the likes of swift/comet end up with the versas instead i can’t see their reliability improving much if at all

Weren’t some going on to n&d to displace older tempos?

I can imagine Notts and Derby said no to that. Good luck to users of the Comet and Swift.

 

[BusLink61]

The villager seems to be a bit out of sequence this evening, one of the buses is 40 minutes late and 811 which seems to be a replacement for 304 is running together with 305 which is the one that’s 40 minutes late. 303 is also half an hour late too.

I thought perhaps roadworks were affecting the route, but I checked 303 as an example and it was running on time earlier.

 

[Trainman40083]

The villager seems to be a bit out of sequence this evening, one of the buses is 40 minutes late and 811 which seems to be a replacement for 304 is running together with 305 which is the one that’s 40 minutes late. 303 is also half an hour late too.

I thought perhaps roadworks were affecting the route, but I checked 303 as an example and it was running on time earlier.

304 seemed to stop tracking in Rolleston earlier. I would have thought 811 Versa was covering for 301. I do hope they are not starting to have issues with these fairly new Enviro 200MMCs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Mar 2026 ==

329 now on the V1.

 

[BusLink61]

304 seemed to stop tracking in Rolleston earlier. I would have thought 811 Versa was covering for 301. I do hope they are not starting to have issues with these fairly new Enviro 200MMCs.

Not sure if 811 was actually covering for 301, it didn’t start tracking until the 11.05 to Burton so some runs before then may of been missed, unless it did go out not tracking.

 

[Trainman40083]

Not sure if 811 was actually covering for 301, it didn’t start tracking until the 11.05 to Burton so some runs before then may of been missed, unless it did go out not tracking.

Well 301 is off the road.

 

[BusLink61]

Well 301 is off the road.

Yes it could have been covering 301 then. Just odd that it started the diagram late. If the bus was already off then it would make sense to have a spare ready, 811 didn’t appear to be working on anything this morning either.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes it could have been covering 301 then. Just odd that it started the diagram late. If the bus was already off then it would make sense to have a spare ready, 811 didn’t appear to be working on anything this morning either.

Probably had to wait for any spare being repaired. For example an Allestree Enviro 200MMC, 268 came off during the morning. The route got Solo SR 500, around 16.00.

 

[BusLink61]

Probably had to wait for any spare being repaired. For example an Allestree Enviro 200MMC, 268 came off during the morning. The route got Solo SR 500, around 16.00.

I understand this can happen since there is often a shortage at Derby and spares aren’t available straight away given the number of spares already out.

Upon further reading with 811, it stopped tracking on the Sixes mid morning yesterday, maybe a problem with it and so perhaps explains why it was late entering service today.

 

[Trainman40083]

I understand this can happen since there is often a shortage at Derby and spares aren’t available straight away given the number of spares already out.

Upon further reading with 811, it stopped tracking on the Sixes mid morning yesterday, maybe a problem with it and so perhaps explains why it was late entering service today.

Yes, maybe the Little Sixes route saw it give up.

 

[SSmith2009]

I understand this can happen since there is often a shortage at Derby and spares aren’t available straight away given the number of spares already out.

Upon further reading with 811, it stopped tracking on the Sixes mid morning yesterday, maybe a problem with it and so perhaps explains why it was late entering service today.

Could also be the ETM playing up and not providing the GPS of said bus.

 

[nathanclass323]

The villager seems to be a bit out of sequence this evening, one of the buses is 40 minutes late and 811 which seems to be a replacement for 304 is running together with 305 which is the one that’s 40 minutes late. 303 is also half an hour late too.

I thought perhaps roadworks were affecting the route, but I checked 303 as an example and it was running on time earlier.

Multiple sets of roadworks on the V1 route at the moment including the cycle lane works at Borough Road/Waterloo Street/Derby Street in Burton which are causing havoc.

Traffic has also been really bad today. As an example, it took one of my colleagues 26 minutes from Royal Derby Hospital to the bus station this morning on the villager. Even for me on xprss38, traffic was backing up right round the slip road towards the A38 on my first trip back into Derby.

 

[M60lad]

Why were most of the V3s diverted in Burton area on Saturday? Was it due to flooding? While I was out I did notice some quite bad flooding in various places.

I was quite shocked to be honest at the amount of flooding as I didn't realise Staffordshire had had that much rain as up here in Manchester we seemed to have escaped the worst of the weather.

 

[Trainman40083]

Why were most of the V3s diverted in Burton area on Saturday? Was it due to flooding? While I was out I did notice some quite bad flooding in various places.

I was quite shocked to be honest at the amount of flooding as I didn't realise Staffordshire had had that much rain as up here in Manchester we seemed to have escaped the worst of the weather.

It doesn't take much for the River Trentbarton to burst it's banks.

 

[nathanclass323]

Why were most of the V3s diverted in Burton area on Saturday? Was it due to flooding? While I was out I did notice some quite bad flooding in various places.

I was quite shocked to be honest at the amount of flooding as I didn't realise Staffordshire had had that much rain as up here in Manchester we seemed to have escaped the worst of the weather.

Flooding in Newton Solney.

 

[43055]

304 seemed to stop tracking in Rolleston earlier. I would have thought 811 Versa was covering for 301. I do hope they are not starting to have issues with these fairly new Enviro 200MMCs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Mar 2026 ==

329 now on the V1.

304 had a problem but was back on the 2015.

The villager seems to be a bit out of sequence this evening, one of the buses is 40 minutes late and 811 which seems to be a replacement for 304 is running together with 305 which is the one that’s 40 minutes late. 303 is also half an hour late too.

I thought perhaps roadworks were affecting the route, but I checked 303 as an example and it was running on time earlier.

305 had no bus infront leaving Derby at 1545 so would of likly be busy and just lost time all the way round. 302 was back out and started in Tutbury at 1707 to bring the service back to 5 buses. Yesterday also had 2 lots of 4 ways lights along with the roadworks at Burton station which you can lose 20 mins at times.

 

[StavBered]

I have just seen one of the sixes versas up at Langley Mill along with 107 (which was seen leaving the depot), is this for MOTs or something else?

 

[Trainman40083]

I have just seen one of the sixes versas up at Langley Mill along with 107 (which was seen leaving the depot), is this for MOTs or something else?

Well of the Sixes Versas not tracking today. 837 MOT expires 21 October, 843 expires 4 April and 845 needs a new front end. So it could be there for MOT preparation work.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Mar 2026 ==

A road sweeper was hard at work at Meadow Road depot this morning, when I walked past. It won't have a fleet number. . Even the area was fenced off.

 

[nathanclass323]

A road sweeper was hard at work at Meadow Road depot this morning, when I walked past. It won't have a fleet number. . Even the area was fenced off.

Well, I’ve spotted my car

The area is being used by contractors working on the flood defence works across the road.

 

[YX73OUB]

Just for you @Trainman40083 480 on threes and 818 on connect today