Mercedes Benz 811D

Overview

Neither Midland Red West or First Midland ever purchased any new Mercedes Benz 811D based minibuses. This was mainly due the rather inflexible agreement the Company made when minibuses were introduced in 1985 that meant any vehicle over 22 seats  was classified as a big bus and the drivers are paid accordingly. Just after the merging of Midland Red West and Badgerline consideration was given to a follow on order of Optare Star Rider minibuses to the 24 Badgerline purchased (E800-823MOU). However following mechanical problems with the Badgerline examples this idea was soon abandoned. E807MOU latter joined the First Midland Red fleet via the First Western National and was operated from Worcester Garage and briefly from Hereford just before the vehicle was withdrawn. Midland Red West did however operate two demonstrator vehicles from it's Worcester Garage the first being G590PKL, a 24-seat Dormobile vehicle was operated between 18th July  and 3rd August 1990 and was given the temporary fleet number 1590. The second vehicle was H389SYG, a 26-seat Optare example which was also used in service at Worcester garage between 20th November and 5th December 1990.

807 E807MOU

Midland Red West acquired 807 (E807MOU) in February 1997 for use on the Service C10 School Contract operated from Worcester depot from from First Western National. The vehicle was new to Badgerline. The C10 service was at the time being operated by a 49-seat Leyland Leopard coaches (either 853 or 854) but following a number of minor accidents in the narrow lanes around Alfrick the company decided a smaller vehicle was required. E807MOU carried a B29F Optare and the engine had to be replaced before the vehicle could enter service as original unit had expired during the long journey from Cornwall to Worcester. The required seatbelts were also fitted at the same time and 807 finally entered service, still in Western National livery. It was unpopular with drivers at Worcester because it was unreliable and the extremely soft suspension that made passengers feel seasick. Although 807 was acquired for the C10 schools contract it was also used on a number of other services such as the Service 147 between Worcester and Redditch, and the lunchtime Service 312 & 313 from Worcester to Clifton-Upon-Teme. First Midland Red has since withdrawn all of these services, and 807 later found work on the C8 Droitwich High School contract. In July 2002, she moved to Hereford depot but only saw about four weeks service there before final withdrawal.

Registration Number Fleet Number Body type Seating Capacity Date into Service Current Allocation Livery
E807MOU 807 Optare B29F Feb-97 Withdrawn 8/02 - being sold to Erith Commercials in February 2003 - then to Nagington 8/08 via Brown of Congleton Red and Cream

51633/725/51636/1289/51790 - N523/5/6REW, P489/90CEG

In January 2003 three Marshall bodied Mercedes 811D vehicles were transferred to First Wyvern from sister Company First Leicester and were placed in store a Worcester Garage. These vehicle were new to First Centrewest (now known as First London). P489CEG was moved to Redditch in late February and entered service on Monday 3rd March 2003. The vehicle is still painted in all over red from its days in London. Since the transfer of the majority of Dennis Darts to other Garages in January there has been a shortage of vehicles at Redditch and the use of these former Leicester minibuses is seen as a short term answer. 729 was renumbered 1289 to bring it's fleet number into the minibus numbering scheme. The other two vehicles were prepared for service at Worcester and are in the non low floor Barbie livery and have been renumbered 1283 and 1290 respectively. 1290 entered service at Hereford Garage on Thursday 3rd April 2003 in full Barbie 2 livery.1283 entered service during the 2003 Easter week at Redditch. During the first week of May 2003 another two members of the same batch of minibuses N525/6REW arrived at Worcester Depot. N526NEW has been renumbered 1286 in line with the other vehicles in the same batch and entered service at Redditch during the week beginning 23rd June 2003. 1289 is currently withdrawn with mechanical problems and following storage at Kidderminster Garage was sold to the bus dealer Ramm, of Heywood in November 2003. N525REW was sold on during July 2003 to First Glasgow without use and has been given the national fleet number 50474.

Registration Number Fleet Number Old Fleet Number Body type Seating Capacity Date into Service Current Allocation Livery
N523REW 51633 1283 Marshall B28F April-03 Withdrawn 4/04 - Sold to James Tamworth 11/06 Barbie 2 (1/03)
N525REW 725 N/A Marshall B28F N/A Stored at Worcester and then sold to First Glasgow without use LT Red with blue roof
N526REW 51636 1286 Marshall B28F June-03 Withdrawn 8/05 - Sold to James Tamworth 3/07 LT Red with blue roof
P489CEG 1289 N/A Marshall B28F 03-Mar-03 Withdrawn - due to major mechanical failure and sold to Ramm Heywood 11/03 - now with Somerbus 11/09 LT Red
P490CEG 51790 1290 Marshall B28F 03-Apr-03 Withdrawn 8/05 - Sold to James Tamworth 3/07 Barbie 2 (1/03)
The five vehicles were part of a batch of ten (721-730 N521-7REW,P488/9/90CEG) which were new to First Centrewest for use on minibus services in the Orpington area in London. All ten were transferred to First Leicester in 1999 to replace the unpopular Renault S75's that had also come from London.