Optare Versa   

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YJ12GUE 30128 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320435 Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GTY 30129 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320430 Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GTZ 30130 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320431 Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GUC 30132 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320433Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GUD 30133 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320434 Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GUF 30134 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320436Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GUG 30135 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320437Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17
YJ12GUH 30136 Optare Versa V1100H SABWWYSCHCS320438Optare B36F Withdrawn  2/17

30404/5

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. The two vehicles moved to Diamond North West in July 2019 and were soon repainted into standard brighter Diamond livery

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

30414-6

On 24th April 2022 Rotala acquired the Claribel Coaches operation when 3 further Optare Versa vehicles joined their fleet. These vehicles had been new to the Claribel fleet in 2013 and had primarily been used for school services that were operated on behalf of Solihull Council. The vehicles did on occasions see use on mainstream bus services towards the end of their lives with Claribel  after they had been successful in winning some TfWM bus contracts in the Sutton Coldfield area . As a result like all of the other buses in the Claribel fleet they were upgraded to Euro VI emission standards using government funding obtained by TfWM. As a result when the vehicles joined the Diamond Bus fleet they have been retained to bolster the numbers of Euro VI standard vehicles Diamond Bus have available.

Registration Number Fleet Number Vehicle Chassis Body Work Seating Capacity Allocation
YJ13HJD 30414 Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320572  Optare B38F Kidderminster
YJ13HJC 30415 Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320556 Optare B38F Tividale
YJ13HJE 30416 Optare Versa SABYW4AB0DS320573  Optare B37F Tividale

30967-70

30967-70 were new to Burnley and Pendle buses in 2008 and were part of a 19 vehicle order that was delivered during January and February of that year. The vehicles took the fleet numbers 251-269. Of the four that joined the Diamond fleet from the Central Buses fleet they were originally numbered 256,259, 260 and 261 respectively in the Burnley and Pendle fleet. The vehicles joined the Central Buses fleet in December 2014 following an extensive refurbishment and were acquired as a cost effective alternative to purchasing more new vehicles. The vehicles joined the Diamond Bus fleet with the purchase of Central Buses on 25th February 2018. The vehicles remained in Central Buses livery for a number of months with Diamond Bus fleet names before being finally repainted into standard brighter Diamond standard livery.

Registration Number Fleet Number Vehicle Chassis Body Work Seating Capacity Allocation
YJ57XVT 30967 Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320039 Optare B37F Burton on Trent
YJ57XVW 30968 Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320042 Optare B37F Withdrawn 09/23
YJ57XVX 30969 Optare Versa SABWWJAD07L320044 Optare B37F Kidderminster
YJ57XYY 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