Double Deck Vehicle Overview
Double deck vehicles have never really featured in any great numbers in either the Midland Red West or First Midland Red/Wyvern fleets. On formation in 1981 Midland Red West was the only one of the four new bus companies formed out of Midland Red not to have any double deck vehicles. Within months three ten year old Daimler Fleetlines joined the Midland Red West fleet from Trent. They were used at Evesham and Hereford garages but had all gone by 1984. Whilst Redditch Garage did not have an allocation of its own double deck buses it did operate a Midland Red South vehicle each day on the then joint 229 service from Redditch to Stratford. The vehicle was required for Alcester schools and for operational reasons a Redditch driver drove it - To balance the working a Redditch Leyland National was parked at Stratford on Avon Garage each night. This arrangement ended in April 1986 when each National Bus Company had to operate as an independent unit ready for deregulation in October 1986. With the purchase of Midland Red Coaches in December 1986 Midland Red West ended up with seven MCW Expressliner double deck coaches. These unpopular and unreliable vehicles were used on National Express contract work with last being withdrawn in October 1990. To combat the competition from first of all Redline and then Kingfisher in Redditch Midland Red West operated a total of 4 (though not at the same time) Bristol VR double deck buses from Redditch Garage between 24th October 1987 and August 1990. Between 1990 and 2002 the company did not operate any double deck vehicles being one of the largest bus operators in the country without such vehicles until the arrival of K123URP from First Northampton in August 2002.
32066/7 KP51VZO/R
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Livery |
KP51VZO |
32066 |
Volvo B7L |
ALX400 |
H47/27F |
September 2015 |
Withdrawn August 2021 - sold to First Potteries |
First Urban |
KP51VZR |
32067 |
Volvo B7L |
ALX400 |
H47/27F |
June 2015 | Withdrawn August 2021 - sold to First Potteries |
Barbie3 |
32627/44/5/6 KP54KAO/AZG/L
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Livery |
KP54KAO |
32627 |
Volvo B7R |
Wrights |
H47/27F |
September 2011 |
Sold to First PMT 9/12. |
Barbie3 |
KP54AZG | 32644 | Volvo B7R | Wrights | H47/27F | September 2013 | Worcester | Barbie3 |
KP54AZJ | 32645 | Volvo B7R | Wrights | H47/27F | January 2021 | Withdrawn 8/23 - in store at Worcester | Barbie3 |
KP54AZL | 32646 | Volvo B7R | Wrights | H47/27F | September 2013 | Withdrawn 20/2/23 - Sold to PVS for scrap 8/23 | Leicester City Transport |
Various For London Dennis Tridents
A pair of Dennis Tridents LN51GOC and LN51GOE appeared
at Redditch in late July 2012. The vehicles are
numerically the first 2 of a batch of 28 vehicles built
in 2002 for Transport for London contracts. The vehicles
were built with a dual door arrangement and had been
operated by First Capital Ltd Rainham depot and were
used on the service 607 from Uxbridge to White City. The
vehicles were originally used on the service 207 but
when this was converted to articulated buses in 1995
these
Dennis Tridents were transferred to the 607. On re-tendering
of the service in 2012 First retained the route and from
7th April 2012 brand new Wrights bodied double deckers
were introduced. In a quest to improve the quality of
vehicles used by many of their subsidiary
companies the displaced double deckers have under gone
an extensive refurbishment including painting in the
latest corporate livery and the removal of the centre
doors. The temporary entry into service with First Midland Red
will allow the withdrawal of a number of step entrance
vehicles. In August 2013 32852 and 32854 were acquired
for use on a school contract at Hereford, the first
double deckers in the allocation since the early 1980's.
Both vehicles required work on them before they entered
service 33042 and 33043 were loaned to Hereford Garage
and 32644 and 32646 were loaned to Worcester garage from
Leicester.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Livery |
T852KLF | 32852 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | 20th September 2013 | Withdrawn | Barbie3 |
T854KLF | 32854 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | September 2013 | Withdrawn November 2015 now moved to Taunton | Barbie3 |
V857HBY | 32857 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | October 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V860HBY | 32860 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | 20th August 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V862HBY | 32862 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | September 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V877HBY | 32877 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | August 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
T881KLF | 32881 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | October 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V882HBY | 32882 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | October 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
T884KLF | 32884 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | October 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
T885KLF | 32885 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | October 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V886HBY | 32886 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | September 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
V894HHL | 32894 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F | September 2012 | Withdrawn 2/3/03 and Sold to Diamond Bus | Barbie3 |
LN51DWD |
33039 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H39/24F |
June 2013 |
Withdrawn 15/11/16 Sold to PVS for scrap 12/17 |
First Urban |
LN51DWG |
33042 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H39/24F |
June 2013 |
Sold for Scrap 13th December 2016 |
First Urban |
LN51DVG |
33043 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H39/24F |
June 2013 |
Withdrawn |
First Urban |
LN51GOC |
33072 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F |
6th August 2012 |
Was temporarily Redditch - withdrawn 17th August 2012 |
First Urban |
LN51GOE |
33073 |
Dennis Trident |
Plaxton |
H42/27F |
August 2012 | Was temporarily Redditch - withdrawn 17th August 2012 |
First Urban |
Livery : Barbie 3 - was the last version of the original corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery First Urban is the latest corporate livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).
33401-5 VX54MTV/Y/Z/UA/B
In
November 2004 Firstgroup announced a major vehicle order
for a total of 125 new low floor buses from Alexander
Dennis at a total cost of £15M. As part of the order
First Wyvern are to receive a total of 46 new vehicles
which include five 10.7-metre Dennis Trident double
deckers out of a total of ten ordered. The other five
are for First Devon and Cornwall and will be bodied by
East Lancs. As a result of this First Wyvern took
delivery of it's first new double deck vehicles on
Friday 26th November 2004. Double deck vehicles have
never figured very much in the fleet but to allow both
the conversion of normal bus routes in Redditch to low
floor operation and the flexibility of higher capacities
on one vehicle for school services a number of these
Alexander Dennis have joined the fleet. Initially the
vehicles were put into store at Worcester Garage
awaiting preparation for service together with staff
training for both drivers and engineers. The vehicles
are built to the standard First Group vehicle
specification both inside and external livery. The first
three vehicles were joined on 3rd December 2004 by a
further two vehicles 33404 and 33405. Currently the
Redditch Union will not allow type training to start on
the vehicles because they are not fitted with periscopes
and FMR policy on the alternative CCTV equipment is not
to switched on. The company would rather to wait until
there are problems and then use the CCTV equipment. As
the vehicles to be used on school services such as S57
and S58 the union are understandably not happy! To cover
a need for extra vehicles at First Leicester 33401-5
were placed on loan from 8th December 2004 pending their
introduction at Redditch and they are being used mainly
on their services 14 and 14A. All five vehicles were
licensed at Worcester before being sent on loan to First
Leicester. Non of the vehicles currently carry any legal
lettering though each has a type written notice in the
front near side window saying on hire to First
Leicester. 33405 to Redditch on Friday 28th January 2005
where together with sister Enviro 67643 it was used for
the launch of the new vehicles in Redditch. 33405
returned back to Redditch on Thursday 10th February 2005
for promotional use during the visit of the Minister for
Transport. After a period at First Leicester the
vehicles have moved to First Northampton during March
and April 2005. During December 2005 the vehicles
gradually started to enter service at Redditch. Due to
continued problems with trees the vehicles are only
allowed to operate on services 57 and 58. Drivers are
under instruction not to deviate off of the registered
routes without specific permission. By 8th February 2006
all five vehicles were operating from Redditch Garage.
On 25th June 2006 route branding for the redline
services 57/8 was added to all five vehicles. It was
decided during the Summer of 2008 that 33401 and 33405
would be re-allocated to Worcester Garage and so the
route branding was removed. During July 2009 33402 and
33404 moved to Worcester in exchange for 67601 and
67602.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Livery |
VX54MTV |
33401 |
Dennis Trident |
ALX400 4410/1 |
H47/27F |
Dec-05 |
Sold to First Essex 11/20 |
Barbie3 7/08 |
VX54MTY |
33402 |
Dennis Trident |
ALX400 4410/2 |
H47/27F |
Dec-05 |
Sold to First Essex 02/21 |
Barbie3 |
VX54MTZ |
33403 |
Dennis Trident |
ALX400 4410/3 |
H47/27F |
Dec-05 |
Sold to First Essex 11/20 |
Barbie3 |
VX54MUA |
33404 |
Dennis Trident |
ALX400 4410/4 |
H47/27F |
Dec-05 |
Sold to First Essex 25/3/21 |
Old Red (10/14) |
VX54MUB |
33405 |
Dennis Trident |
ALX400 4410/5 |
H47/27F |
Dec-05 |
Sold to First Essex 3/21 |
Barbie3 (8/08) |
Livery : All 5 vehicles arrived in Barbie livery. Red Line Branding for the Services 57/58 was added on 25th June 2006. The branding on vehicles 33404 and 33405 were removed in July 2008. Livery Key : Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery, Old Red - 1930's BMMO Livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).
35152-9/68 SN65OKD/E/F/G/H/J/K/L & SK16GTZ
On
Friday 29th May 2015 First announced it had ordered 385
new vehicles for 2015 of which 65 are Wrightbus
StreetDeck and 183 are Wrightbus StreetLite. Of the
order Worcester was due to have 13 of the StreetLite
single deckers for the service 44 from Worcester to
Great Malvern. However following a review of the route
and usage it was decided to divert 4 of the single
deckers to First Leicester in exchange for 4 of their
double deckers from their pat of the order. This meant
Worcester would get it’s first new double deckers since
November 1967 where DD12 Daimler Double Decker fleet
numbers 6092-6096 were delivered new and allocated to
the garage . Much has been said on other internet sites
that the Tridents 30401-5 were in fact the last new
double deckers This was not the case as whilst they were
used on a Worcester Park and Ride they were purchased
for Redditch but did enter service there because of
union dispute and in fact there first temporary home
until the dispute was resolved was First Leicester (see
section on 33401-5 for details). 35156 arrived at
Worcester on 11th September 2015 and the other soon
followed and the work to prepare them for service
started including fitting of branding for the 44 route.
35158 was the first to be completed and one of the first
uses was to represent Firstgroup at an pre awards event
at the Wythall Transport Museum on the 8th October 2015
for the UK Bus Awards. After a period of testing, driver
training and cutting of trees in the Malvern area the
vehicles all entered service on Monday 16th November
2015. With introduction of electric vehicles at the
Leicester depot during the summer of 2023 a number of
vehicles from same batch as the ones at Worcester depot
were moved from Leicester to Worcester. The vehicles
arrived in their livery for the service 14 and this was
removed before entry to service Worcester but the
vehicles retained their red based fleet livery.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Livery |
SN65OKD | 35152 | Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL571 |
H45/28F |
In Store | To be Worcester |
First Urban |
SN65OKE | 35153 | Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL571 |
H45/28F |
5th August 2023 | Worcester |
Frequent Fourteen |
SN65OKF | 35154 | Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL571 |
H45/28F |
15th August 2023 | Worcester | Frequent Fourteen |
SN65OKG | 35155 | Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL571 |
H45/28F |
9th August 2023 | Worcester | Frequent Fourteen |
SN65OKH |
35156 |
Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL571 |
H45/28F |
16th November 2015 | Worcester |
First Urban |
SN65OKJ |
35157 |
Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL572 |
H45/28F |
16th November 2015 | Worcester |
First Urban |
SN65OKK |
35158 |
Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL573 |
H45/28F |
16th November 2015 | Worcester | First Urban |
SN65OKL | 35159 |
Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL574 |
H45/28F |
16th November 2015 | Worcester | First Urban |
SK16GTZ | 35168 | Wrightbus StreetDeck |
Wrights AL786 |
H45/28F |
21st September 2023 | Worcester |
Frequent Fourteen |
Livery : 35153/4/5/68 arrived in the Leicester Frequent 14 branded livery of Brown/orange and Yellow. Actual route branding was removed before entry to service 35156-9 arrived in the new First urban livery with a purple front and are branded for the service 44 from Worcester to Great Malvern. This was subsequently removed .
36241/2
36241 and 36242 are part of a 60 vehicle order First
Group made in 2012 (36221-36280). The vehicles were initially
allocated to the Games Transport Division for us on the
2012 London Olympics transport contract that First Group
had. At the end of the games the vehicles moved to their
allocated subsidiary which in the main was First West
Yorkshire for use around Leeds. A large number of
vehicles from batch including the 2 now at Worcester
moved to First South Yorkshire at Doncaster. With the
Worcester operations now part of a much wider grouping
of companies and senior management that includes First
South Yorkshire this facilitated the move of the two
vehicles to Worcester 2021. Both vehicles
arrived on Friday 4th September 2021 and were in service
at Worcester on 6th September in readiness or the start
of the new school year
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Body type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Livery |
BN12WPA | 36241 | Volvo B9TL | Wrights AG579 | H45/27F | 06/09/21 | Withdrawn 16/9/23 moved to Weston depot | First Urban |
BN12WPD | 36242 | Volvo B9TL | Wrights AG580 | H45/27F | 06/09/21 | Withdrawn 14/9/23 moved to Weston depot | First Urban |
37147
37147 started life with First South Yorkshire and
was allocated to Olive Grove. It subsequently
moved to First Glasgow. In 2019 the vehicle moved again
to South Wales to join the First Cymru fleet and ended
up in the Swansea allocation operating mainly school
services. During the early part of 2023 a number of
Alexander Dennis E400 MMCs were transferred from First
West Yorkshire to the South Wales fleet making the older
Wright Gemini-bodied Volvo B7TLs surplus. With the
impending expiry of the MOT on
32646 it was demined to be
not cost effective to do the necessary work on the
vehicle for a fresh MOT and so it was withdrawn and
37147 joined the First Worcester fleet in February 2023
and entered service on Monday 27th February 2023.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Body type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Livery |
YN06URA
|
37147 |
Volvo B7R |
Wrights |
H47/27F |
27/02/23 | Withdrawn 4th August 2023 | First Urban |