Double Deck VehicleS

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 These unpopular and unreliable vehicles were used on National Express contract work with last being withdrawn in October 1990.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.

Double Deck - SteP Entrance

2541/5/7 DRC541/5/7J

In March 1971 Trent Buses took delivery of 16 Daimler Fleetline buses with Alexander bodies. These vehicles were very similar to vehicles that has and were being delivered to Midland Red. They took the fleet numbers 936 to 951 and were registered DRC536-51J. In August 1981 Midland Red West acquired 3 of the vehicles DRC541/5/7J and gave them the fleet numbers 2541/5/7 which was in line with the Midland Red numbering to number  second hand vehicles in the 2xxx series. The vehicles were initially sent to Carlyle Works where they were fitted with standard Midland Red one man equipment and were repainted into standard Midland Red livery but with a wide white centre cant line so that the recently introduced and short lived Wandaward brand name could be carried as the vehicles were allocated to Hereford Garage.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

DRC541J

2541

Daimler Fleetline Alexander bodywork

H44/33F

September 1981

Withdrawn - October 1983 and sold to MRN

DRC545J

2545

Daimler Fleetline Alexander bodywork

H44/33F

September 1981 Withdrawn - January 1983 and sold to MRS
DRC547J 2547 Daimler Fleetline Alexander bodywork H44/33F September 1981 Withdrawn - May 1984 and sold to MRS

5031/2/9/50  JOU161P/JHW106/13P/LEU258P

On Monday 12th October 1987 the Redline Bus Company started operating in competition with Midland Red West on their most profitable route in Redditch the 57 and 58 Matchborough Circular. Midland Red West responded immediately by increasing their frequencies. At the height of the competition they had a bus every minute departing from the bus station.  A number of the more senior drivers were put on a special rota where they were dedicated to working on the 57 and 58. They had special running cards which only had a start and finish time and simply said "to operate under inspectors instruction". In practice these vehicles were used to constantly shadow the Redline buses. The majority of the vehicles used were Leyland Nationals but Bristol VR double deckers were soon drafted in from Bristol OC. The first two JHW106P and JHW113P arrived in Redditch on Saturday 24th October 1987. They entered service in Bristol OC livery but with Midland Red West names added. A third vehicle JOU161P arrived from Bristol on the 18th December entering service the following day. Day to day maintenance was done at Redditch  but the vehicles did on occasions return to Bristol. To maintain 3 vehicles in service a fourth vehicle LEU258P arrived on 29th January 1988. This vehicle retained its full Bristol livery and fleet names. Operation continued until 1990 when the all the vehicles were finally withdrawn as the Leyland Lynx's were allocated to the garage. Whilst the double deckers were used on the 57 and 58 they did stray onto other routes and they did on a number of occasions get to Birmingham City Centre.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

JOU161P

5031

Bristol VR

ECW

H43/27D

19th December 1987

Withdrawn - 8/90

JHW106P

5032

Bristol VR

ECW

H43/27D

26th October 1987 Withdrawn - 8/90

JHW113P

5039

Bristol VR

ECW

H43/27D

27th October 1987

Withdrawn - 2/90

LEU258P

5050

Bristol VR

ECW

H43/27D

January 1988

Withdrawn 2/88 -  sold to Badgerline

6043  JHA43E

At the formation of Midland Red West it was the only one of the four ongoing bus operations of the former Midland Red not to have any double deck vehicles. However, within weeks a former Midland Red D12 6043 JHA43E had joined the fleet at Evesham from Midland Red South. This was part of a batch of 149 similar vehicles that were built between August 1966 and January 1968. These differed from the earlier examples in being single door way. However like all buses at the time they were crew operated. Being suitable for conversion to one man operation this was done during 1969. 6043 joined the fleet in October 1981 but had been withdrawn by December 1982. Following a period of storage the vehicle passed to a company called Colourcraft in Worcester who used it as a static office. The vehicle was finally sold for scrap in April 1984.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

JHA43E 6043 Daimler Fleetline Alexander H44/33F October 1981 Withdrawn - 12/82

 "2611" or "30524" - A80RRP  

A Leyland Olympian A80RRP arrived from First Mainline or to give their latest trading name First South Yorkshire on Monday 3rd March 2003. The vehicle carries the fleet number 2611. It was unusual in the Mainline fleet in that it has an East Lancs body whereas the majority of their Leyland Olympian vehicles have Roe bodies. 2611 had been operating from First South Yorkshire's Olive Grove depot. The vehicle is currently in store at Worcester. Like the Volvo double deck buses if First Wyvern actually runs the vehicle in service then it will be the first Leyland Olympian First Wyvern or Midland Red West have ever operated. On paper at the very least this vehicle has been allocated a new national Firstgroup fleet number of 30524 though the vehicle does not actually carry this number. The vehicle was sold to First Edinburgh in June 2003. The vehicle  was never operated by First Wyvern.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

A80RRP

2611

Leyland Olympian

East Lancs

H47/32F

Never Entered Service

N/A

 31378-80 L166-8UNS

On 2nd June 2004 First Wyvern acquired the first of a number of "new" double deck vehicles (L167UNS) from First Glasgow. The vehicles have a Leyland Olympian chassis with a Alexander body and will once prepared for service enter service at a number of Garages for use on school services as a way of reducing the company peak vehicle requirement. The first vehicle was joined by a second L166UNS on 5th June 2004. 31379 (L167UNS) entered service at Worcester garage on Monday 7th June 2004 after the half term school holiday as a replacement vehicle for the service S40 following the return of F83XBD to First Northampton. L167UNS entered service at Evesham Garage for use on the 535 school service from Stratford to Alcester Schools (Alcester High School and St Benedict's Roman Catholic High School). This Warwickshire County Council contracted service was originally designed for the use of one single deck vehicle. However usage was such that the service had been duplicated using Mercedes Vario S523RWP (52523) which had been reallocated from Worcester Garage for this purpose. 52523 did find its way onto other routes such as the 247 to/from Redditch. Both L166UNS and L167ULS had seen around one months service at First Northampton prior to their arrival at Worcester in August and September 2004 respectively. For the start of the new school year in September 2004 a third vehicle L168UNS from the First  Glasgow entered service at Evesham Garage. This vehicle had moved south to sister company First Northampton with it's two sister vehicles during the summer. L168UNS actually arrived at Evesham via First Leicester where it may have seen service. 

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

L166UNS

31378

Leyland Olympian

Alexander RL 67/4692/17

H47/31F

June-04

Withdrawn - sold for scrap 6/09

L167UNS

31379

Leyland Olympian

Alexander RL 67/4692/18

H47/31F

7-June-04

Withdrawn- sold for scrap 6/09

L168UNS

31380

Leyland Olympian

Alexander RL 67/4692/19

H47/31F

September-04

Withdrawn 7/08 -  sold for scrap 6/09

 31451/2/3/4/5 N963/4/5/6SOS

A need for more double deck vehicles to operate school contracts has led First Wyvern to acquiring more double deck vehicles from First Glasgow in the shape of N965/6SOS. They basically similar to the L16xUNS batch of vehicles that were acquired during 2004 from Glasgow. Both vehicles require remedial work before they enter service and are currently in store at Worcester Garage. A further vehicle (31452) from the same batch arrived at Worcester in early October 2005 and is in store at Worcester. 31452 was joined in store by 31451 in December 2005. 31451/2/3 were store at Worcester and in January 2006 were all sold to First Northampton without being used by First Wyvern. 31452 and 31455 were reacquired from First Northampton in preparation for the start of the new school term in September 2006.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

N962SOS

31451

Volvo Olympian Alexander RL 9529/19

H47/32F

N/A

Not used Sold to First Northampton 1/06 - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3

N963SOS

31452

Volvo Olympian Alexander RL 9529/20

H47/32F

Sept 06

Not used Sold to First Northampton 1/06 - re-acquired in 8/06 -  withdrawn 2/3/13 sold to Diamond

Barbie2

N964SOS

31453

Volvo Olympian Alexander RL 9529/21

H47/32F

N/A

Not used Sold to First Northampton 1/06 - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3

N965SOS

31454

Volvo Olympian Alexander RL 9529/22

H47/32F

Nov-05

Withdrawn 8/07 Sold to First Northampton 8/07 - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie3

N966SOS

31455

Volvo Olympian Alexander RL 9529/23

H47/32F

Nov-05

withdrawn - Sold to First Northampton 6/06 - reacquired in 8/06 - allocated to Worcester then Northampton 4/08 re-acquired in 8/08 - sold for scrap 8/09

Barbie3

 31553 E127DRS

In July 2008 First Wyvern acquired E127DRS from First Aberdeen as a replacement for L168UNS (31380) which was withdrawn during July 2008. E127DRS is part of nine vehicle batch that were being operated by First Aberdeen (E122-131DRS) 31548 - 31557 All are dual door Leyland Olympians. During early August 2008 the vehicle moved to Worcester Garage to undergo work to make it fit for service in September 2008. Part of the work involved rectification of four PG9 defect notices. The vehicle entered service at Worcester during October 2008 as a spare vehicle but spent most of the time of the road with mechanical problems

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

E127DRS

31553

Volvo Olympian

Alexander RH54/4387/3

H49/29D

Oct-08

Withdrawn October 10 - Sold to PVS Charlton  on 23rd November 2011 for scrap

Barbie2

 34123/4/5/6 - K123/4/5/6URP

In early August 2002 Volvo double deck bus number 123 K123URP arrived at Redditch Garage from sister Company First Northampton. The plan was to use this and a number of other vehicles from First Northampton on the A1 and A2 Alcester Grammar School services, which required  duplication when the current Leyland Lynx vehicles were used. Driver training took place at Redditch throughout August with a view to introducing the vehicles when the school re-opened in September. Unfortunately during the testing of the vehicle it was found that a number of trees on the routes that were to be used needed cutting back and the Company failed to get the County Council to carry out the work. First Northampton were short of double deck vehicles for their own school commitments and the vehicle returned south without being used in service by First Wyvern. The A1 and A2 services continued to be operated by Leyland Lynx vehicles and as part of a general review of school services in January 2003 they have become County Council school contracts rather than operating as normal local bus services. Interestingly as some of the tallest vehicles to be built as they have under floor engines it was even impossible to use them on the 57/8/9 group of services where double deck buses were in regular use 10-years ago again because of low trees. In November 2005 the vehicle arrived back with First Wyvern and is currently allocated to Kidderminster Garage for use on school services operated by that garage. Both vehicles are used on the "Green School Bus Services" which are contract school services for King Edwards VI High School, Five Ways at Bartley Green in South Birmingham. For this contract both vehicles were repainted into the Green School Bus livery during April 2005. In preparation for the start of the new school term in September 2006 K126KRP arrived from Northampton. 34123 returned to First Northampton in September 2008. Following the withdrawal of 34289 from Redditch in January 2010 34123 moved back to Redditch garage in February 2010.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

K123URP

34123

Volvo B10M Alexander

CH47/35F

Nov-05

Withdrawn - Moved back to First Northampton 9/08 - return to Redditch 2/10 - withdrawn 2/3/13 sold to Diamond

GBS (4/06)

K124URP

34124

Volvo B10M Alexander

 

CH47/35F

Feb-06

Withdrawn - Moved back to First Northampton 9/08 sold 5/11 for scrap ?

GBS (4/06)

K125URP

34125

Volvo B10M Alexander

CH47/35F

March-06

In Store 9/10 - Sold  to First PMT at Crewe from 9/10. Following withdrawal of 32854 vehicle back at Worcester 12/9/14

Barbie 2

K126URP

34126

Volvo B10M Alexander

 

CH47/35F

September-06

 withdrawn 2/3/13 sold to Diamond

Barbie 2

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2" All three vehicles arrived with First Wyvern in Barbie2 livery. Note 34125 lacked the pink fading on the lower deck. GBS - Green School Bus livery

 34285/7/8/9 P185/7/8/9TGD

With an increase in Warwickshire County Council school contract work from the start of the Summer term in 2005 First acquired two more double deckers for their Evesham garage in March 2005. These vehicles P187TGD and P189TGD were new to Strathclyde in 1996 (now First Glasgow). The vehicles were part of a batch of 60 vehicles delivered between May and October 1996. They took the feet numbers VO44-103 (N944-73SOS & P174-204TGD). P187TGD now 34287 originally had the feet number VO87 and P189TGD now 34289 had the original fleet number VO89. Both originally entered service in September 1996. In common with many Glasgow double deckers the vehicles have a plated over rear emergency exit window on the upper deck. Whilst both vehicles are in Barbie2 livery they are none the less in a fairly scruffy state and have had the minimum  amount of preparation before entering service. On Tuesday 4th October 2011 First Midland Red acquired two more vehicles from the batch from First Essex. These are 34285 and 34288. 34288 entered service on Monday 10th October 2011 at Worcester

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

P185TGD

34285

Volvo Olympian  Alexander 9529/42

H47/32F

 31st October 2011

Withdrawn 10/12 - transferred to First Potteries 10/12

Barbie3

P187TGD

34287

Volvo Olympian Alexander 9529/44

H47/32F

April-05

Withdrawn 8/07 Sold to First Northampton 8/07 - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie2

P188TGD

34288

Volvo Olympian  Alexander 9529/45

H47/32F

 10th October 2011

Withdrawn - sold to First Potteries  8/12

Barbie3

P189TGD

34289

Volvo Olympian Alexander 9529/46

H47/32F

April-05

Withdrawn - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 4/11

Barbie2

 34302 L302PWR

Double Decker L302PWR arrived at Worcester from First Essex on 4th October 2011. It is the first vehicle to be operated by FMR with a Northern Counties bodywork and was new to Yorkshire Rider in Halifax in 1994 and was part of a 15 vehicle batch register L301-15PWR. The whole batch was transferred to the Eastern National operation. The vehicle entered service at Redditch on Monday 31st October 2011.  Following the expiry of the vehicle's MOT it was withdrawn in July 2012.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

L302PWR

34302

Leyland Olympian

Northern Counties 4750

H47/29F

31st October 2011

Withdrawn  July 2012 - sold for scrap with PVS Carlton 8/12

Barbie 3

 34808 - C408HJN

C408NJN was collected by a driver from First Wyvern's Worcester Garage from the Chelmsford deport of First Essex Buses. The vehicle was new to Eastern National in January 1986 and was a member of a 13 vehicle batch with the fleet numbers C407-19HJN all of which were coached seated. C408NJN arrived in First Eastern National green and yellow livery and was hand painted by had into Barbie3 at Worcester Garage before it entered service with First Wyvern as the "spare" double deck vehicle at Evesham for use on their various Warwickshire and Worcestershire County Council contracts. One closure of Evesham Garage it moved to Redditch Garage. During in the early part of July 2007 the vehicle was operating a school service at Shipston in Warwickshire. The vehicle was hit head on by a Parcel Force van.  It appears the bus driver realized the van was going to hit him as he was stationary at the time of the impact. The vehicle was towed to Worcester Garage on 5th July and following an assessment the vehicle was withdrawn and sold for scrap in August 2007.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Body type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

Livery

C408HJN

34808

Leyland Olympian

Eastern Coach Works 26278

CH42/30F

Oct-05

Withdrawn 7/07 - sold to PVS Carlton 8/07 for scrap

Barbie 3 (9/05)

 38083/5/97 - F83/5XBD/J297GNV

In early October 2002 First Wyvern was experiencing overloading problems on the school service S40 which operates from Worcester Bus Station to Dyson Perrins High School  and so vehicle 283 F83XBD a Volvo B10M double deck vehicle similar to 123 was transferred from First Northampton to Worcester. Following a period of storage and driver training the vehicle entered service at Worcester Garage after the half-term school holidays on Monday 4th November 2002. The vehicle kept its First Northampton fleet number of 283 and became the first Volvo vehicle ether Wyvern West or First Wyvern had ever operated in service. In March 2004 the vehicle was given the national fleet number 30083. F83XBD is actually only on loan to First Wyvern from First Northampton. 30083 was withdrawn by First Wyvern after service on Friday 28th May 2004 and the vehicle returned to Northampton. During August 2007 38085 and 38097 were acquired for use on school work for the start of the Autumn 2007 term.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Old Fleet Number

Vehicle Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Current Allocation

F83XBD

38083

283

Volvo B10M Alexander

CH47/35F

04-Nov-02

Vehicle was withdrawn after service 28-5-04 - transferred to Northampton - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap April 2011

F85XBD

38085

N/A

Volvo B10M Alexander

CH47/35F

Sept 07

Withdrawn 7/09 -due a sized engine and sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 8/09

J297GNV

38097

N/A

Volvo B10M Alexander

CH47/35F

Sept 07

 Withdrawn and transferred back to First Northampton 10/08 where it reentered service and was withdrawn 10/10