Dennis Lances

61013/4/6  N475/6/8 JUG

During 1994 and 1995 the Yorkshire Rider Group purchased a total of 78 49-seater Plaxton Verde bodied Dennis Lances for use at a number of their depots. These vehicles were purchased after the Yorkshire Rider group had been taken over by the Badgerline Group and so they were part of Group purchases of what at the time was the stand new single deck bus. The first 42 were M registered and were M401-440/7/8VWW (4001-40/7/8) with the remainder being registered N441-6ENW (4041-6) and N449-78JUG (4049-78) All the vehicles when renumbered into the national numbering scheme were consecutively numbered 60939-61016. With the introduction of new low floor vehicles in Yorkshire a number of the N registered vehicles have been cascaded to other First Group Companies notably First PMT and First Devon & Cornwall. However two of the cascaded vehicles N476/8JUG 61014/6 arrived at Worcester on 24th August 2004. Both vehicles entered service at Redditch on 3rd September 2004. As both arrived in corporate Barbie2 livery there was only minimum preparation required before the vehicles entered service. The vehicles differ from those that were new to First Midland Red as they have digital number blinds. N478JUG is numerically the last member of the former Yorkshire Rider batch of Dennis Lance vehicles. Within days of entering service N476JUG was withdrawn and moved to First Avon & Somerset for use at their Bath depot. Both vehicles were originally destined for the First Devon and Cornwall fleet as part of a transfer of a number of these vehicles from the Yorkshire fleet. In early September 2004 a third vehicle from the batch N475JUG arrived at Worcester and after fitting of a standard Lance destination blind the vehicle entered service with the company. N478JUG had it's front destination gear modified to take a standard First Midland Red Lance destination blind and the digital number gear has been cleaned. Following a serious accident in Stourport 61013 was taken out of service in March 2006. The vehicle was however repaired at Worcester and repainted into Barbie3 livery. It re-entered service at Kidderminster in August 2006. With the sale of Redditch and Kidderminster Garages to Diamond Bus in March 2013 61013 and 61016 were sold to Diamond Bus. Both vehicles did see some service in the early weeks of Diamond bus ownership before being withdrawn and sold for scrap.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into FMR Service

Current Allocation

Livery

N475JUG

61013

Plaxton

B49F

Sept-04

Withdrawn 2/3/13 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (7/06)

N476JUG

61014

Plaxton

B49F

03-Sep-04

Withdrawn within days of entering service and sold to First Avon & Somerset 9/04 -Sold for scrap 3/12

Barbie2

N478JUG

61016

Plaxton

B49F

03-Sept-04

Withdrawn 2/3/13 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (4/08)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2" Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted). All three vehicles arrived with First Wyvern in Barbie 2 livery

67111-20  L821-5,816-20HCY

In 1993 Badgerline standardised on Dennis Lance vehicles with Plaxton Verde bodies for it’s new full sized bus orders. That year the Badgerline Group ordered 63 Dennis Lance vehicles out of a total of 182 new buses. The Lance based vehicles purchased were as follows: 121-36 L121-36TFB for the Badgerline bus operation, 201-37 L201-37AAB for Wyvern West and 816-25 L816-28HCY for South Wales Transport. Basically the vehicles were all to the same specification though the Badgerline vehicles had electronic number blinds and the South Wales examples had semi-coach seating for use on the "Timecutter" network of longer distance routes radiating out of Swansea. In an effort to concentrate vehicle types with particular Firstgroup companies the 10 South Wales (now known as First Cyrmu) Dennis Lance vehicles were moved to First Midland Red on Sunday 21st December 2003. First Cyrmu had recently replaced the vehicles with brand new low floor vehicles. Nine out of the ten went into storage at Redditch as all except L819/23HCY were still in the original green and white livery of South Wales Transport. L819/23HCY had been repainted into the corporate Barbie2 livery whilst still with First Cyrmu.  Following preparation for service which included installing destination blinds and changing the legal lettering L819HCY moved on the morning of Saturday 3rd January 2004 to Evesham Garage ready to enter service with First Midland Red.  The vehicle finally entered service at Evesham on the 16th January 2004 initially still keeping the First Cyrmu fleet number 819. The vehicles should of taken new FMR numbers 270-9 though because of the introduction of the national fleet numbering system this was not to be. However, L821HCY entered service at Kidderminster Garage on Monday 26th January 2003 still in full South Wales green and white livery but sporting a  fleet number 275. After a number of week preparation L823HCY entered service at Evesham on 12th February 2004. With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme L821-5HCY were renumbered 67111-5 and L816-20HCY were renumbered 67116-67120.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into FMR Service

Current Allocation

Livery

L821HCY

67111

275

Plaxton

DP45F

26-Jan-04

Withdrawn - sold to PVS Carlton 3/11 for scrap

Barbie2 (8/04)

L822HCY

67112

276

Plaxton

DP45F

24-Feb-04

Withdrawn 4/06 - then with First Northampton - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3 (11/04)

L823HCY

67113

277

Plaxton

DP45F

12-Feb-04

Withdrawn 3/06 - then with First Northampton - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie2

L824HCY

67114

824

Plaxton

DP45F

April-04

Withdrawn 4/06 - then with First Northampton - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3 (10/04)

L825HCY

67115

825

Plaxton

DP45F

April-04

Withdrawn -- Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap 1/09

Barbie2 (7/04)

L816HCY

67116

816

Plaxton

DP45F

May-04

Withdrawn - Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap 2/08

Barbie2 (5/04)

L817HCY

67117

817

Plaxton

DP45F

April-04

Withdrawn 3/06 - Sold to First Northampton - Sold to PVS Charlton 7/10 for scrap

Barbie3 (12/04)

L818HCY

67118

818

Plaxton

DP45F

July-04

Withdrawn 2/08 - Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap 1/09

Barbie2 (7/04)

L819HCY

67119

273

Plaxton

DP45F

16-Jan-04

Withdrawn 2/08 - Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap 1/09

Barbie2

L820HCY

67120

820

Plaxton

DP45F

August-04

Withdrawn 9/07 - sold to PVS Carlton 3/11 for scrap

Barbie2 (8/04)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2" & Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)  Note 67113 and 67119 arrived at First Wyvern already in Barbie2 livery in December 2003

67201-67228,61254/3,67231-7  L201-21,322,223-7AAB

Following the replacement in 1990 of a significant number of Leyland National vehicles in 1990 MRW placed an order in 1993 for Plaxton bodied Dennis Lance vehicles in 1993. These Dennis based vehicles were the then standard new single deck  buses for the Badgerline Group. Examples also joined the Badgerline and South Wales fleets (these have since joined the FMR fleet - see below) at around the same time. MRW purchased 37 examples (201-37 L201-221,322,223-37AAB) and all entered service at Digbeth to operated the network of mainly Centro subsidised bus services in the West Midlands County. Like the Leyland Lynx vehicles before them the first two 201 and 202 were delivered ahead of the rest for both driver and engineering training. The first actually entered passenger service during the first weekend of April 1994. They replaced Leyland Lynx vehicles (G101-37HNP) more or less one for one which were all transferred except G101-6HNP to Redditch Garage. G101-6HNP went to Kidderminster Garage to join G145-50HNP. As the contract work reduced at Digbeth Garage the vehicles were gradually transferred to Kidderminster Garage. On closure of the Digbeth operation on Sunday 27th April 1997 the majority of the batch ended up at Kidderminster Garage to work the remaining West Midlands work in North Birmingham and the Black Country. A shortage of drivers at Kidderminster in December 1997 led to the withdrawal of much of the West Midlands work and vehicles 218-230 were withdrawn. All these vehicles initially went to Badgerline but 218/9/20 soon moved to South Wales Transport. During 2001/2 the three South Wales vehicles rejoined the First Midland Red fleet and were swapped for Dennis Darts 309/10/2. Examples of the batch ended up running from all First Midland Red Garages. All maintenance on the vehicles was done at Worcester Garage and this meant ehicles tended on regular basis between Garages for maintenance or as maintenance cover. With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme 67000 was added to all fleet numbers. Lance 67212 was one of the vehicles that was involved in the fire at Worcester Garage on the afternoon of Wednesday 17th March 2004. After a  clean the vehicle re-entered service a number of days latter. 

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

L201AAB

67201

201

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn - Sold to PVS Barnsley  7/10 for scrap

Barbie3 (7/06)

L202AAB

67202

202

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 9/11 - sold to PVS Barnsley  for scrap 20/12/11

Barbie3 (11/08)

L203AAB

67203

203

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 3/06 - now with First Northampton - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3 (3/06)

L204AAB

67204

204

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 4/06 - now with First Northampton - sold to PVS Barnsley  for scrap 4/11

Barbie3 (12/05)

L205AAB

67205

205

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

 To Reserve 9/11 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap Dec 2011

Barbie3 (7/06)

L206AAB

67206

206

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

withdrawn 3/11- Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap June 2011

Barbie3 (5/06)

L207AAB

67207

207

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 3/09 -  Sold to PVS Barnsley  7/10 for scrap

Barbie3 (11/05)

L208AAB

67208

208

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 9/11 -Sold for Scrap

Barbie3 (12/08)

L209AAB

67209

209

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 9/11 - Sold for Scrap

Barbie3 (6/08)

L210AAB

67210

210

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

Withdrawn 3/06 - transferred to First Northampton - Sold for scrap with PVS Barnsley 1/10

Barbie3 (12/05)

L211AAB

67211

211

Plaxton

B49F

Mar-94

To Reserve 9/11 - Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap 5th Dec 2011

Barbie3 (11/05)

L212AAB

67212

212

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

To Reserve 10/11- Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap Nov 2011

Barbie3 (2/06)

L213AAB

67213

213

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Withdrawn 10/11- sold to PVS Barnsley  for scrap 20/12/11

Barbie3 (8/06)

L214AAB

67214

214

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

To Reserve 10/11- Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap Dec 2011 Barbie3 (8/06)

L215AAB

67215

215

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

To Reserve 9/11 - sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap Dec 2011

Barbie3 (9/06)

L216AAB

67216

216

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Withdrawn - sold to PVS Barnsley  8/10 for scrap

Barbie2 (5/01)

L217AAB

67217

217

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Withdrawn 8/08 - sold to PVS Barnsley  8/10 for scrap

Barbie3 (10/05)

L218AAB

67218

218

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Withdrawn sold to First Northampton - Sold for scrap with PVS Barnsley 1/10

Barbie2 (12/01)

L219AAB

67219

219

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Withdrawn 9/11 - Sold to PVS Carlton 30/9/11 for scrap

Barbie3 (6/08)

L220AAB

67220

220

Plaxton

B49F

Apr-94

Sold to PVS Carlton 6/10 for scrap

Barbie2 (5/02)

L221AAB

67221

221

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1221

Barbie2

L322AAB

67222

222

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1222

Barbie2

L223AAB

67223

223

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1223 - scrapped 5/09

Barbie2

L224AAB

67224

224

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1224

Barbie2

L225AAB

67225

225

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1225

Barbie2

L226AAB

67226

226

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1226

Barbie2

L227AAB

67227

227

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1227 withdrawn 12/09

Barbie2

L228AAB

67228

228

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1228

Badgerline green/yellow

L229AAB

61254

229

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1229 then to First Yorkshire as 4080 - Sold for scrap 3/12

Barbie2

L230AAB

61253

230

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 12/97 sold to Badgerline as 1230 then to First Yorkshire as 4081 - in April 05 moved to First Bristol

Barbie2

L231AAB

67231

231

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn - May 2009 - sold to PVS Carlton 15/3/11 for scrap

Barbie3(11/08)

L232AAB

67232

232

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

May-94

Withdrawn - April 2011 - Sold for scrap July 2011

Barbie3 (8/06)

L233AAB

67233

233

Plaxton

B49F

May-94

Withdrawn 8/06 sold to First Northampton - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie 3 (1/06)

L234AAB

67234

234

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jun-94

Withdrawn - 2/12 - Sold for scrap 3/12

Barbie 3

L235AAB

67235

235

Plaxton

B51F (was seat belt fitted)

Jun-94

Withdrawn 1/12 - Sold for scrap 3/12

Barbie3 (7/09)

L236AAB

67236

236

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-94

Withdrawn 6/08 sold to First Northampton - Returned to Worcester 4/09 - Sold to PVS Barnsley for scrap May 2011

Barbie 3 (5/05)

L237AAB

67237

237

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-94

Withdrawn 12/10 - sold to First Northampton

Barbie 3 (11/06)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2"  & Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted) 

67238-56   M238-56MRW

To replace the Leyland Nationals at Worcester Garage a second batch of 18 Lances were purchased in the summer of 1995 (238-56 M238-56MRW). These vehicles entered service between May and July 1995. Driver type and engineering training had been done by the loan of L235AAB to Worcester from Digbeth Garage. These vehicles have slight differences from the first batch mainly at the rear where these vehicles have a revised rear window layout and lack high-level secondary stoplights. Like the earlier vehicles of the same type all the vehicles were maintained at Worcester. During January and February 2003 four vehicles in batches of two were loaned to First Airport Services at Stansted Airport. They were 252 and 255 in January and 243 and 251 in February. With the introduction of Dennis Lances on the Service 146 at Redditch from Monday 28th April 2003 the paper allocation of the vehicles is now spilt between all garages apart from Hereford. 

With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme 67000 was added to all fleet numbers. During October 2005 Lances 67253 and 67255 were upseated from 49 to 51 seats in preparation to the fitting of lap seat belts for use on Worcestershire / Warwickshire County Council school contracts at Evesham Garage. Both councils require seat belt fitted vehicles for use on contracted school services as apposed to local bus services that carry school children. Much of the Company's business was at the time  based around carrying children to and from school under a block deal with Worcestershire County Council for bus passes. 67254 was the first of a number of vehicles to be upseated to 51 seats during November 2005. This allowed the last of the coaches at Evesham to be taken out of service. At around the same time 67241 was allocated for use on the "Green School Bus Services" which was a contract school services for King Edwards VI High School, Five Ways at Bartley Green in South Birmingham. For this contract 67241 was repainted into the Green School Bus livery during April 2005. During December 2006 67242 became the last operational vehicle to be painted out of the Red and Cream livery introduced with the privatisation of Midland Red West in December 1986

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

M238MRW

67238

238

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (12/05)

M239MRW

67239

239

Plaxton

B49F

May-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (1/06)

M240MRW

67240

240

Plaxton

B49F

May-95

Sold to PVS Barnsley  November 2011 for scrap

Barbie3 (4/08)

M241MRW

67241

241

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

 Withdrawn - transferred 12/11 to First Essex

Barbie3 (9/08)

M242MRW

67242

242

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

Sold to PVS Carlton for scrap December 2011

Barbie3 (12/06)

M243MRW

67243

243

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

Sold to PVS Carlton for scrap December 2011

Barbie3 (2/08)

M244MRW

67244

244

Plaxton

B49F

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (1/06)

M245MRW

67245

245

Plaxton

B49F

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (10/06)

M246MRW

67246

246

Plaxton

B49F

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (5/08)

M247MRW

67247

247

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (5/08)

M248MRW

67248

248

Plaxton

B49F

Jul-95

Withdrawn 10/12 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap June 2013 Barbie3 (8/09)

M249MRW

67249

249

Plaxton

B49F

Aug-95

Unallocated 4/12 - Withdrawn 8/12

Barbie3 (3/08)

M250MRW

67250

250

Plaxton

B49F

Jun-95

Withdrawn 10/12 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap June 2013

Barbie3 (12/07)

M251MRW

67251

251

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/12 - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/12

Barbie3 (5/08)

M252MRW

67252

252

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jul-95

Withdrawn 6/07 - now with First Northampton

Barbie3 (7/05)

M253MRW

67253

253

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jul-95

Withdrawn  - December 2012 - Sold for scrap

Barbie3 (9/09)

M254MRW

67254

254

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus

Barbie3 (7/05)

M255MRW

67255

255

Plaxton

B51F (seat belt fitted)

Jul-95

Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus - Sold to Willenhall Commercials for scrap Sept 2013

Barbie3 (8/05)

M256MRW

67256

256

Plaxton

B49F

Aug-95

Withdrawn 10/12 - Sold for scrap 12/12

Barbie3 (2/08)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2" and Barbie 3 - New corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie3"   (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)

257  P453BPH

P453BPH was loaned to First Midland Red from November 1996 until 13th January 2000. During that time it was operated from Digbeth, Worcester and Evesham Garages. The vehicle differed from the Midland Red West examples in that it had a split entrance step and 51 rather than 49 seats. In January 2000 the vehicle moved to Yorkshire Rider where it took the fleet number 1202 but by March 2000 was back with First Midland Red at Worcester pending disposal by it's owner which was Plaxton. The vehicle was sold to Diamond Bus (The Birmingham Coach Company) fleet. The vehicle has since left this fleet.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Date withdrawn

Livery

P453BPH

257

Plaxton

B51F

Nov-96

March-00

White with a red & cream front

67301  M221EAF

First Midland Red acquired M221EAF, a 40-seater Dennis Lance SLF with a  Wright Pathfinder 320 body, in November 1992. The vehicle was new to Western National for use on their Service 82. The vehicle was found unsuitable for this route and soon passed to Yorkshire Rider at Leeds where it was used on their service 2B. The vehicle later passed to First London for use on their service 335 running from the Uxbridge depot. It continued to be used at Uxbridge depot until it arrived at Worcester on Monday 9th December 2002. The vehicle had visited First Southampton on the way where it had been repainted into Barbie2 livery. After arrival at Worcester depot M221EAF was kept in storage until February 2003 when she was finally allocated a fleet number 261 and then promptly loaned to First London for use on rail replacement for the Central line between Epping and Central London. 261 returned to Worcester depot on the afternoon of Tuesday 11th February 2003 with mechanical problems and went back into storage until the problems were rectified. 261 finally entered service with First Midland Red at Worcester depot on Monday 10th March 2003. The vehicle was initially normally seen operating alongside the other non low-floor Dennis Lance vehicles on the 144 and services to and from Malvern. However, from 4th September 2003 the vehicle was transferred to Kidderminster Garage for use on the X33, 300 and 303 services that were taken over from Pete's Travel. Following the introduction of new Darts to those routes the vehicle spent most of the time operating the C31 North East Worcestershire College contract between the Bromsgrove and Redditch Compasses. The C31 was a joint operation between Redditch and Kidderminster Garages. With the introduction to service of the sixth new Alexander Dennis Dart VX05JWW (42894) 67301 was transferred back to Worcester Garage. The vehicle was withdrawn in March 2012 and was transferred to First Somerset and Avon

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

M221EAF

67301

261

Wrights

B40F

10-Mar-2003

Withdrawn 3/12 transferred to First Somerset and Avon

Barbie3 (9/07)

Livery Key :   Barbie 3 - New corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie3"   (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)

67311-5/8-20-4   ODZ8911-5/8-20-4

On 13th August 2003, First Midland Red acquired the first of another batch of second hand Dennis Lance SLF with Wright Pathfinder 320 bodywork. This vehicle ODZ8918 (now numbered 262) was fitted with dual-doors and was new in 1994 as one of the first low floor buses to operate in London. It was part of a 24 vehicle batch consisting of vehicles ODZ8901-24 (fleet numbers LLW1-24) and were new to Uxbridge Buses (now part of First London). In 2001, most of the batch ODZ8918-24 passed to Bristol City Line for use from their Lawrence Hill depot where they were given the fleet numbers 8918-24 and painted in the corporate Firstgroup coaching livery. This livery has more blue in it than the standard bus livery. On 20th August 2003, similar ODZ8920 arrived at Worcester and was given the fleet number 264. With First Midland Red taking over the operation at this time of services 303 and X33 from Pete's Travel the company is short of low buses so the vehicles entered service during the first week of September in acquired condition. The centre doors were only in use for access to the wheelchair space.  The front end design of these early low floor vehicles with a narrower than usual front single piece entrance/exit door and the space between the front wheel arches means wheelchair users have to use the centre door to gain entry or exit from the bus. All were 34-seaters except for ODZ8920 which had one less seat. ODZ8924 arrived at Worcester from Bristol in January 2004 and finally entered service at Worcester on 13th February 2004. The vehicle entered service carrying the national fleet number 67324 rather than the logical First Midland Red number 268. By 17th February 2004 67324 had been renumbered 266 an indication that vehicles ODZ8922 and ODZ8923 which should of been logically 266 and 267 in the First Midland Red numbering series are more than likely beyond economic repair at First Bristol and would be going for scrap rather than to heading north to First Midland Red. Whilst allocated to the Lawrence Hill depot of First Bristol the vehicles were used on the services 7 and 8 that serve Bristol Temple Meads rail station. As part of the take over of Great Western Trains by Firstgroup a number of commitments were given to improving bus links to rail stations which included the Bristol services 7 and 8. With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme the buses were renumbered into the 673xx series. Following the garage fire at Worcester Garage on the afternoon of the 17th March 2004 Lance 67320 was damage to such an extent that the vehicle was withdrawn. Further vehicles from the batch were acquired in the shape of ODZ8911-4 from First Somerset and Avon during 2004 in exchange for Leyland Lynx vehicles in Barbie livery from Redditch garage. Unlike the other examples which have come from First Bristol these vehicles had the centre doors removed and were up seated to 38 rather than 34 for the dual door examples. To extend the lives of the vehicles First Midland Red was started a programme of refurbishment which included repainting into the latest version of the Barbie livery. The first to be done was 67313 which was completed in December 2006. It was followed by 67311 and eventually all the vehicles were done.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Body Make

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

ODZ8911

67311

N/A

Wrights S136

B39F

Nov-04

Withdrawn - Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/12

Barbie3 (12/06)

ODZ8912

67312

N/A

Wrights S136

B39F

Nov-04

Withdrawn 10/12 - Sold for scrap 12/12

Barbie3 (5/07)

ODZ8913

67313

N/A

Wrights S136

B38F

July-04

Withdrawn 1/11 - Sold for scrap 28/6/11

Barbie3 (12/06)

ODZ8914

67314

N/A

Wrights S136

B38F

July-04

Withdrawn 2/12 - Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 3/12

Barbie3 (7/07)

ODZ8915

67315

N/A

Wrights S136

B39F

Sept-04

Withdrawn 7/10 - (been out of service since 10/09) - Sold for scrap 28/6/11

Barbie3 (7/07)

ODZ8918

67318

262

Wrights S136

B39F

Sept-03

Withdrawn 8/12 - Sold to PVS Charlton for Scrap August 2013

Barbie3

ODZ8919

67319

263

Wrights S136

B39F

Sept-03

Withdrawn 2/3/13

Barbie3 (12/07)

ODZ8920

67320

264

Wrights S136

B33D

Sept-03

Withdrawn 3/04 following the fire at Worcester Garage - sold for scrap 5/04

CFCL

ODZ8921

67321

265

Wrights S136

B39F

Sept-03

Withdrawn 2/3/13 Sold to PVS Charlton for Scrap August 2013

Barbie3 (12/07)

ODZ8922

67322

N/A

Wrights S136

B34F

April-04

Withdrawn 1/12 - Sold for scrap 3/12

Barbie3

ODZ8923

67323

N/A

Wrights S136

B39F

June-04

Withdrawn 2/3/13 Sold to PVS Charlton for Scrap August 2013

Barbie3 (1/07)

ODZ8924

67324

266

Wrights S136

B39F

13-Feb-04

Withdrawn 2/3/13

Barbie3

216, 240, 243, 249, 250 & 251

As part of the service revisions introduced on Monday 28th April 2003 to the Redditch bus services to create an Overground network, the pink line (service 146) was altered to only run between Redditch Bus Station and Birmingham City Centre. The actual timetable for this section of the route was unchanged. The route between Redditch and Studley was covered by a revised service 67. The 146 route became the first corporately  branded First Midland Red service.  As part of the changes six Dennis Lances were re-allocated to Redditch for use on service 146 in the place of  six Leyland Lynx vehicles which were moved to Kidderminster Garage. In the two weeks before the changes Kidderminster Garage Dennis Lance L212AAB was used at Redditch for driver type training. The six allocated Dennis Lances (216, 240, 243, 249, 250 and 251) were all in the Corporate non-low floor livery and had branding for the 146 service added on Sunday 27th April 2003. This was pink cove-line branding with route information. The 20-minute frequency was also shown on the side and rear of the vehicles with vinyl's on the windows. The vehicles also had a large contra-vision picture on each side over the three centre windows showing the Birmingham City Centre skyline together with Shuttle logos. The service 146 was then known as the "service 146 Shuttle". The Company distributed timetables for the service 146 with each of the town's free weekly newspaper, the Redditch Advertiser, on Wednesday 30th April 2002 - something that hasn't been done since the launch of the Reddilink minibus network in April 1986. This publicity exercise was repeated two weeks latter when a specially produced A5 sized leaflet on the Shuttle service was distributed to houses in  Redditch using the same newspaper. Unfortunately,  Bromsgrove District Council decided to change the terms of their senior citizen travel scheme which the service operated through between the Redditch Birmingham boundaries that made the service uneconomic at a 20 minute frequency.  First Midland Red decided to reduce the frequency of service 146 from every 20 minutes to every hour from 14th September 2003 and so the vehicles lost some of their Shuttle branding. 216 lost all of the pink line branding whilst the vehicle was being serviced at Worcester Garage in mid-August 2003. 250 finally lost all of it's branding in August 2004. The remainder then all lost their branding gradually over the next few weeks.