30128-30/2-6
During 2011 Rotala
made a bid for 15
hybrid single deck vehicles using Government Green Bus
Funding for use on the Bath Park and Ride service which
they were as the time operating. Unfortunately during
retendering of the service they lost the contract but
were successful in obtaining the the Government funding.
Following some negotiation with the Government it agreed
the vehicles could still be purchased. Seven went to the
Preston operation and 8 of the Optare Versa
hybrid vehicles joined the West Midlands fleet.
Ironically the buses were originally destined for
Redditch for use of the 57 and 58 routes but agreement
could not be reached with Worcestershire Council to part
fund the buses. As a result the buses were put onto the
56 route from Birmingham City Centre and Brownhills.
However, the buses proved too small for the route and
were moved onto the Route 16 from Birmingham City Centre
and Hamstead. Following retendering of the Signature
network in Solihull by Centro in the Summer 2013 it was
agreed to deploy a number of the vehicles on that
network in return for a 5 year contract from Centro. Two
of the buses were also used on the X30 service in
Coventry. Like other operators with these types of
vehicles they did not prove to be as fuel efficient as
the manufacturer claimed. Also the hybrid technology
proved difficult to maintain. Rotala took the decision
when the initial lease contracts came to an end to
withdraw the vehicles from service
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Chassis | Body Work | Seating Capacity | Allocation |
YJ12GUE | 30128 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320435 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GTY | 30129 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320430 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GTZ | 30130 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320431 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GUC | 30132 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320433 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GUD | 30133 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320434 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GUF | 30134 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320436 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GUG | 30135 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320437 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
YJ12GUH | 30136 | Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320438 | Optare | B36F | Withdrawn 2/17 |
30404/5/414-6,967-70
With
the expansion of the Signature bus network that Rotala
operate around Solihull for Centro there was a need in
2011 for some larger vehicles to operate the service 30
between Acocks Green and Solihull and so two Optare
Versa vehicles YJ61CHH and YJ61CHK joined the fleet.
These two vehicles are in full Signature livery. With
the purchase of the Central Buses fleet a further four
diesel powered Optare Versas joined the fleet. These
vehicles had benefited from a mid life refurbishment
whilst with Central Buses . On 24th April 2022 Rotala
acquired the Claribel Coaches operation when 3 further
Optare Versa vehicles joined their fleet.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Chassis | Body Work | Seating Capacity | Allocation |
YJ61CHH | 30404 | Optare Versa SABWW3AC0BL320422 | Optare | B37F | transferred to Diamond NW 7/19 |
YJ61CHK | 30405 | Optare Versa SABWW3AC0BL320423 | Optare | B38F | transferred to Diamond NW 7/19 |
YJ13HJD | 30414 | Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320572 | Optare | B38F | Kidderminster |
YJ13HJC | 30415 | Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320556 | Optare | B38F | Tividale |
YJ13HJE | 30416 | Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320573 | Optare | B37F | Tividale |
YJ57XVT | 30967 | Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320039 | Optare | B37F | Tividale |
YJ57XVW | 30968 | Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320042 | Optare | B37F | Tamworth |
YJ57XVX | 30969 | Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320044 | Optare | B37F | Tividale |
YJ57XY | 30970 | Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320045 | Optare | B37F | Withdrawn 31/5/23 |
30910/2
As part of the deal to purchase Midland Classic two
Optare Versa vehicles joined the Diamond Bus fleet. The
two vehicles se vehicles had joined the Midland Classic
fleet as second-hand vehicles from other operators. The
first one has taken the fleet number 30910 in the
Diamond Bus fleet. The vehicle had started life with
Ipswich Buses in 2008 as 145 in their fleet with the
registration YK08EPA. When the vehicle took the fleet
number 20 in the Midland Classic fleet it was
re-registered with the JB08MCL mark that was transferred
from a Scania single deck vehicle that was leaving the
fleet. The second Optare Versa has taken the fleet
number 30912 and has the registration mark NK09FVE. The
vehicle had started life with the Go-Ahead Northern
operation.
Registration Number
Fleet Number
Vehicle Chassis
Seating
Capacity
Allocation
JB08MCL
30910
Optare Versa
SABWWMAC08L320077
B38F
Burton on Trent
NK09FVE
30912
Optare Versa SABWWJAC09L320256
B40F
Burton on Trent