The vehicles shown in this section of the site do not include a number of demonstrator vehicles that were used as driver trainers or a number of Leyland Nationals/Leopards that were attached to the training unit mainly for type training though full size vehicle training to automatic rather than manual license standard started much earlier at Digbeth than other garages.
2059 HAC628D
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Date withdrawn |
Disposal |
HAC628D |
2059 |
Leyland PSU3/4R |
DP41F |
May-78 (as a driver trainer) |
1992 |
Worcester Bus Preservation Group 4/95 then Roger Burdett in 2004 |
Various Hired Mercedes 608D Minibuses
In the autumn of 1985 Midland Red West joined the national urban minibus bandwagon. Under the Transport 1980 the government had altered driver licensing so as to introduce additional categories 3 and 4 for minibus driving entitlement as well as 1 (for double deckers) and 2 (for any single deckers). Midland Red West/First Midland Red owned and or operated a total of 154 Mercedes 608D vehicles. This includes the five vehicles that were hired and used in late 1985 and early 1986 as driver trainers. These five vehicles were as follows:
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Use with MRW |
A648VOJ |
- |
Not Known |
C19F |
On loan from Foley Self-Drive of Kidderminster between 12 August and 26 November 1985 as a driver trainer |
B119RRE |
119 |
PMT |
B21F |
Used as a driver in the Autumn of 1985 at Worcester. Vehicle was on loan from PMT - |
B909BGA |
- |
PMT 3163 |
C21F |
On loan from Blythswood (dealer) Glasgow as a driver trainer between 3 September and 21 November 1985 |
B476MAD |
- |
Reeve Burgess 14807 |
C21F |
On loan from WJ Oldacre (Services) Ltd as a driver trainer between September 1985 and 2 June 1986 |
C308GOC |
- |
Devon Conversions 98586D |
C21F |
On loan from Foley Self-Drive of Kidderminster between 6 February and 2 May 1986 on a "as required basis" as a driver trainer |
1450/1 C788/90FRL
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into MRW Service |
Date Withdrawn |
Disposal |
C788FRL |
1450 |
Reeves Burgess 15448 |
B20F |
May-89 |
Aug-98 |
exported to the West Indies Dec-98 |
C790FRL |
1451 |
Reeves Burgess 15464 |
B20F |
May-89 |
Nov-00 |
Erith Commercials, Belvedere 6/01, for scrap |
2052/2053 or 90271/2054 MHS17/33P & VSU428S
In
March 1991 Midland Red West finally decided to replace
the training bus 2059 (HAC628D) which had serious
gearbox problems and spare parts were becoming more
difficult to find so three Leyland Leopard based
vehicles MHS17/33P and VSU428S were acquired from Kelvin
Central Scottish Buses Ltd. They had the fleet numbers
1404/15/28 respectively in the Scottish fleet. These
vehicles had what had become the standard Scottish Bus
Group Alexander bus body and most importantly manual
gearboxes. With a number Leyland Leopard vehicles still
in the fleet spare were readily available. Each vehicle
was prepared for service at a number of Midland Red West
garages with much of the work being done in between
other jobs. All three vehicles were painted yellow and
lettered up as driver trainers. All three vehicles were
nominally allocated to Worcester garage where the
company driving school is based though normally the
vehicles were out stationed at other garages more often
and not because either a group of potential drivers for
that garage were being trained or the instructor had
taken the bus home and parked it at the nearest garage.
The vehicles continued in service until early 2003 when
because the need for manual gearbox training had ended
and because of the age of the vehicles they were
withdrawn. All three were allocated national fleet
numbers in March 2004 but none actually carried the
numbers. 2054 (WSU428S) was withdrawn in March 2003
following fire damage on the 9th March whilst parked in
the yard at Worcester Garage. The same fire which was
started in Leyland Tiger D276FAS by vandals totally
destroyed this vehicle which had be acquired as a
replacement for these Leyland Leopard vehicles. The
picture of WSU428S was taken hours before the fire.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
National Fleet Number |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into MRW Service |
Date Withdrawn |
Disposal |
MHS 17P |
2052 |
N/A |
Alexander |
B53F |
Mar-91 |
Jauary-01 |
Ripley, Carlton 1/03 for scrap |
MHS 33P |
2053 |
90271 |
Alexander |
B53F |
Mar-91 |
March 03 |
PSV Carlton 7/04 for scrap |
WSU428S |
2054 |
N/A |
Alexander |
B53F |
Mar-91 |
March 03 |
Ripley, Carlton 4/03, for scrap |
101/3101/101/2803/2501 or 90270 HHA101L
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Repaint dates |
HHA101L |
101 (90270) |
Leyland National |
Leyland |
B51F |
April-92 (as a driver trainer) |
Withdrawn - sold for preservation 3/08 |
Midland Red (11/04) |
2039 C339PNP
I
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Old Fleet Number |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Date withdrawn |
Livery |
C339PNP |
2039 |
1339 |
Robin Hood |
B6F |
Oct-85 |
Feb-02 |
Yellow |
51012 L812SAE
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Old Fleet Number |
Body type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Status |
Livery |
L812SAE |
51012 |
1812 |
Reeves Burges |
B22F |
Nov-01 |
Withdrawn from service at Hereford but reinstated in 10/04 at Worcester as a driver trainer - withdrawn sold to James Tamworth 7/07. |
Barbie2 (10/01) |
60311/29/40 M516PNA, N534/45WVR
Whilst
Leyland Lynx vehicles have been the recent chose for
conversion to driver trainers these are now becoming
long in the foot and the group has turned to other late
model step entrance buses that are being replaced by new
low floor vehicles. An example of a type now being
converted to Driver Trainers are Volvo B10B based buses
which in themselves are modern versions of the Leyland
Lynx. N545WVR arrived from First Manchester in June 2007
and was already converted to a driver trainer and is
used to replace 90270. During early February 2008
M516PNA (60311) and N534WVR (60329) arrived from First
Manchester for conversion into Driver training buses to
replace both 62714 and 90269 (D350ESC). Both vehicles
arrived via First Leicester were they were stored for a
short period before arrival at Worcester. 60311, 60329
and 60340 were built as part of a batch of vehicles
M501-520PNA (Which were originally numbered 501-520 and
became 60296-60315) and N521WVR-N554/6WVR (521-554/6
which became 60316 – 60349).
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Allocation |
Livery |
M516PNA |
60311 |
Wrights U152 |
DP50F |
December 2008 |
Withdrawn 5/21 sold for scrap 5/21 |
Barbie2 |
N534WVR |
60329 |
Wrights U152 |
DP50F |
December 2008 |
Withdrawn 8/11 and sold for scrap to PVS Barnsley 9/11 |
Barbie2 |
N545WVR |
60340 |
Wrights U152 |
DP50F |
June 2007 |
Withdrawn 5/21 |
Barbie2 |
62714 G114HNP
For
a number of years First Wyvern had been looking for a
replacement training vehicles for 101 (HHA101L)
Consideration had been given to converting one of the
former Bristol OC MarkII Leyland Nationals (BOU5/8V)
which following their withdrawal from passenger service
in May 2002 were stored for around twelve months before
being sold for scrap at the rear of Redditch Garage. On
22nd January 2002, First Wyvern acquired F622RTC from
First Bristol for conversion to a driver-training
vehicle to replace Leyland National HHA101L. Problems
were found when F622RTC was sent away to have dual
control brakes fitted and the work was not completed,
even though other operators such as Travel West Midlands
have successfully carried out similar conversions on
Leyland Lynx vehicles. F622RTC was stored at Worcester
depot for several months before returning south to First
Bristol where it was put back into service and allocated
to Hengrove depot after it was repainted into "Barbie2"
livery. During the early part of 2004 G114HNP was taken
out of passenger service at Redditch and moved to
Worcester for conversion to a driver training vehicle.
As with many conversions to driver trainers or tow
trucks the work on the vehicle was done by staff between
other more important jobs. Work on the conversion very
nearly came to an end when the vehicle was in the
Worcester garage workshop when a fire broke out on the
afternoon of the 17th March 2004. Lance 67320 and tow
truck JHA230L were damage to such an extent that they
were withdrawn. G114HNP only experienced minor fire
damage and the conversion of the vehicle was completed
the following month.D350ESC was new to SMT Lothians as
fleet number 2350 in 1987 and later became 350 in the
First Edinburgh fleet at their North Berwick depot. The
vehicle passed to First Midland Red Buses Ltd on 12th
June 2002 and was initially stored at Redditch Garage
later moving to Worcester where it was converted to a
driver trainer. The vehicle was repainted on 4th August
2003 into the FirstGroup Training Bus livery. The
vehicle entered service in August 2003 as a Driver
Training vehicle with the fleet number 2050. It was
renumbered into the national numbering scheme on 13th
March 2004 as 90269.Sister vehicle D276FAE was acquired
from the same source on 12th June 2002. During 9th March
2003 it was destroyed by fire when it and existing
training bus WSU428S were set on fire. D276FAE 2050
(D350 ESC) and D276FAS were two of five Leyland Tigers
transferred from Scotland to Northampton during 2002
where it was planned to use them in service. In the
event they proved unsuitable and some (at least) were
later parked at Leicester, from where these two were
collected by First Midland Red on 12th June 2002
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Old Fleet Number |
Body Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Allocation |
Livery |
G114HNP |
62714 |
1114 |
LX1719 |
B49F |
Apr-90 |
Withdrawn and sold to PVS Carlton 4/09 for scrap |
Barbie Training Bus livery(6/04) |
66333 YJ08CDO
During
the spring 2023 First South Yorkshire
converted 3 of their 2008 Volvo B7RLE Wright
Eclipse bodied single deckers into driver
trainer vehicles. The vehicles in question
are 69331-3. Following conversion, the
vehicles entered service in May 2023 from
the Olive Grove Depot in Leeds. During the
latter part of 2024 Worcester depot
experienced both electrical and mechanical
problems with their dedicated trainer 66845
MX05CGU. Initially 66940 WX55TZB was moved
from First Cymru to provide driver trainer
cover whilst 66845 was repaired. Worcester
depot managed to get 66845 temporarily back
on the road as with the increased service
levels from January 2025 there was a need to
train some new drivers. A more permanent
replacement was found in the shape of 66333
which joined the Worcester fleet in January
2025.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Allocation |
Livery |
YJ08CDO |
66333 |
Wrights |
B43F |
January 2025 |
Worcester |
Yellow Training Bus livery |
66845 MX05CGU
During
2020 First Group converted a number of surplus Volvo
single deckers from the First South Yorkshire fleet for
us a driver trainers at a number of their subsidiary
companies. Five such vehicles joined the First Midland
business unit these being 66805/38/41/45/52. 66805 and
66838 joined First Potteries and 66841
and 66852 joined the First Leicester fleet
as driver trainers. The fifth
vehicles 66845 is allocated to Worcester operation as a
driver trainer. All five are painted in the latest
version of the First Group driver training livery which
has a yellow base colour with
logos encouraging new drivers to join the company. Follow
mechanical and electrical problem the
vehicle was withdrawn over the Christmas
2024 period.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Allocation |
Livery |
MX05CGU |
66845 |
Wrights |
B43F |
Nov-20 |
Withdrawn 12/24 - in store at Worcester |
Yellow Training Bus livery(11/20) |
90269 D350ESC
D350ESC
was new to SMT Lothians as fleet number 2350 in 1987 and
later became 350 in the First Edinburgh fleet at their
North Berwick depot. The vehicle passed to First Midland
Red Buses Ltd on 12th June 2002 and was initially stored
at Redditch Garage later moving to Worcester where it
was converted to a driver trainer. The vehicle was
repainted on 4th August 2003 into the FirstGroup
Training Bus livery. The vehicle entered service in
August 2003 as a Driver Training vehicle with the fleet
number 2050. It was renumbered into the national
numbering scheme on 13th March 2004 as 90269.Sister
vehicle D276FAE was acquired from the same source on
12th June 2002. During 9th March 2003 it was destroyed
by fire when it and existing training bus WSU428S were
set on fire. D276FAE 2050 (D350 ESC) and D276FAS were
two of five Leyland Tigers transferred from Scotland to
Northampton during 2002 where it was planned to use them
in service. In the event they proved unsuitable and some
(at least) were later parked at Leicester, from where
these two were collected by First Midland Red on 12th
June 2002
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Body Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Allocation |
Livery |
D350ESC |
90269 |
Alexander TE |
C50F |
N/A |
Was in use at Kidderminster - now withdrawn |
Barbie Training Bus livery (4/03) |
D276FAE |
N/A |
Alexander TE |
C50F |
N/A |
Destroyed by fire - passed to Wigley (dealer) for scrap (16/4/03 |
N/A |