50281/2/96 W312/3/27DWX
During
the last week of August 2005 First Midland Red acquired a
second hand Optare Solo in the shape of W327DWX from
First Bradford. The vehicle which was a 27-seater was
numerically the last of a batch of 21 Solo vehicles
delivered new to First Bradford in 2000. The batch
consists of 50276-96 (W307-27DWX).
W327DWX
entered
service at Worcester with the service changes on 4th
September 2005. The vehicle was repainted in April 2007
and during May 2007 moved to Hereford to provide cover
whilst the Hereford allocated Solo vehicles are
repainted.
From the 6th June 2010
First Midland Red gained the routes 37, 37A,
423, 424 and 425 following retendering from Diamond Bus.
As a result two further vehicles were transferred from
First Bradford in the shape of 50281 and 50282 to
Worcester to cover the extra work
gained from this date. All three vehicles remained in
service until October 2014.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Current Livery |
W312DWX | 50281 | Optare Solo M850 | B27F | 6th June 2010 | Withdrawn 21/10/14 - Sold to First PMT 12/14 then to First Lanarkshire | Barbie3 |
W313DWX | 50282 | Optare Solo M850 | B27F | 6th June 2010 | Withdrawn 21/10/14 sold for scrap | Barbie3 |
W327DWX | 50296 | Optare Solo M850 | B27F | 4th Sept 2005 | Withdrawn 21/10/14 - Sold to First PMT 12/14 | Barbie3 |
Livery Key : Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).
53040/1 VU02PKX & VU02PKY
In
partnership with Herefordshire Council First Midland Red
purchase two 22-seat Optare Solo low floor minibuses
using funding from the Herefordshire Local Transport
Plan and the Countryside Agency. The Council was working
with bus operators in Herefordshire to provide funds for
new low floor vehicles for subsidised services. This
meant by the end of 2002 45% of all subsidised mileage
in the County was being operated with low floor buses.
The two vehicles purchased 1701 (became 53040) VU02PKX
and 1702 (became 53041) VU02PKY were delivered to
Worcester Garage in April 2002 and were painted in full
First "Barbie" low floor livery. Both vehicles had
entered service Hereford depot by late April and were
primarily used on the 110 & 111 services (now renumbered
76A and 76) between Bartonsham, the General Hospital and
the City Centre, in the daytime, the 418 evening service
and the Sunday only service 32/38 between Hereford and
Gloucester. The two vehicles were unique within the
First Group as they are only 22-seaters when normally
the Optare Solo's purchased are 26-seaters.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Old Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Current Livery |
VU02PKX | 53040 | 1701 | Optare Solo | B22F | Apr-02 | Withdrawn 14/3/15 and passed to First Cornwall | Barbie3 (4/07) |
VU02PKY | 53041 | 1702 | Optare Solo | B22F | Apr-02 | Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot | New Barbie (August 2014) |
Livery Key : Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery New Barbie is the latest corporate livery(The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).
53042-51 VU03YJT-Z,VU03YKB-E
Working
with First Midland Red and the local heath authority,
Worcestershire County Council was successful in 2001 in
obtaining "Urban Bus Challenge" money from the
Department for Transport to improve the access to work
and health opportunities within Worcester. This involved
the introduction of a cross Worcester service from the
Dines Green estate on the west side of the River Severn
to the new Royal Hospital and Warndon estates on the
east side. Originally, the Company planned to purchase
12 22-seater vehicles (similar to 53040 and 53041 at
Hereford) however the order was altered to 10 26-seater
vehicles together with a maximum of 25 standing
passengers. The vehicles were plated to carry one
wheelchair. The vehicles were originally due for
delivery in January 2003 and were allocated 52
registration marks in the Severn Valley Registration
District. As the vehicles were not delivered until after
March 2003 they received 03 registration plates. The
first four of the vehicles arrived at Worcester Garage
on Friday 28 March 2003. The vehicles were fitted with
no less than four digital CCTV cameras with a colour LCD
monitor in the drivers cab. Much of the preparation work
of installing ticket machines and adding external
vehicle branding was done at the Church Road Garage in
Redditch. The vehicles entered service in Worcester on
Tuesday 6th May 2003 following a launch of the new
vehicles for the cross-city services 41/41A/43/43A
between Dines Green and Warndon. After just over three
years in service the vehicles suffered from premature
corrosion and this was treated under warranty to Optare.
As part of the work the vehicles were given a repaint
the then latest verrsion of the Barbie livery. The first
to be treated was 53045 in December 2006.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Old Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Current Livery |
VU03YJT | 53042 | 1703 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot passed to First PMT | Barbie3 (1/07) |
VU03YJV | 53043 | 1704 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 05/04/16 passed to Worcestershire CC | First Urban (May 2014) |
VU03YJW | 53044 | 1705 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 25/10/18 | First Urban with Pink front (11/15) |
VU03YJX | 53045 | 1706 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 09/05/16 passed to First South West | Barbie3 (12/06) |
VU03YJY | 53046 | 1707 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 09/05/16 passed to First South West | First Urban (February 13) |
VU03YJZ | 53047 | 1708 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 18th Jan 2019 | Barbie3 (12/06) |
VU03YKB | 53048 | 1709 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 5th Feb 2019 | Barbie3 (3/07) |
VU03YKC | 53049 | 1710 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 11/08 and passed to First Northampton. Re-acquired 10/10 and re-entered service in Worcester - Withdrawn 8/1/19 | First Urban with Pink front (7/16) |
VU03YKD | 53050 | 1711 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 11/11/08 and passed to First Northampton. Re-acquired 10/10 and re-entered service in Worcester Withdrawn again 5/2/19 | Barbie3 (2/07) |
VU03YKE | 53051 | 1712 | Optare Solo | B26F | 6th May 2003 | Withdrawn 11/11/08 and passed to First Northampton. Re-acquired 10/10 and re-entered service in Worcester Withdrawn 6/2/19 | First Urban with Pink front (6/16) |
Livery Key : Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery, New Barbie is the latest corporate livery . New Urban is the latest version of the corporate livery.(The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).
53058-64 VX53OEV/N-R/T/U
On
14th October 2003 First Midland Red took delivery of
three further Optare Solo Minibuses for the new "WyeS
Moves" group of services in the South Wye area of
Hereford. "WyeS Moves" was a project that has been
developed in response to issues about access raised
through community consultations. A community-based
group, The South Wye Accessible Transport Group,
supported by the South Wyre Community Development Team
and Herefordshire Council, undertook an area-wide
household survey on transport during 2001. Following
this Herefordshire Council made a successful Urban Bus
Challenge bid to the Department for Transport in 2002.
The service is also funded using money from Advantage
West Midlands (The Government Development Agency for the
West Midlands). The "WyeS Moves" services started on
26th October 2003 and were numbered H8, H9, H10 and H11.
The routes link Rotherwas with Belmont via The Pastures,
Hinton, Red Hill, Hunderton and Newton Farm, every 30
minutes. The H8 replaced the City Centre to Rotherwas
section of 73. From the same date the remaining section
of service 73 started to run between Moor Farm and the
City Centre only. During the second week of November
First Midland Red took delivery of a further Solo (1716
now numbered 53062), which will join 1713-5 (now
numbered 53059-61) at Hereford. By Saturday 22nd
November 2003 1716-18 (now numbered 53062-5) had all
entered service at Hereford. The final Optare Solo 1719
(now numbered 53065) of the batch was delivered to
Worcester Garage on 22nd November 2003 and it entered
service in Hereford on 29th November 2003. With the
introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme
vehicles 1713-9 were to be renumbered 53052-7 but these
numbers clashed with Solo vehicles in the First Beeline
fleet that had already been renumbered so the First
Midland Red vehicles were renumbered 53059-64
respectively. Before the clash in fleet numbers was
spotted 1716 did carry the new fleet number 53055 for a
short period of time during March 2004.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Old Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Current Livery |
VX53OEV | 53058 | 1719 | Optare Solo | B26F | 29/10/03 | Withdrawn Nov-08 and passed to First Northampton. Re-acquired 10/10 and allocated to Hereford Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot | New Barbie (June 2014) |
VX53OEN | 53059 | 1713 | Optare Solo | B26F | 26/10/03 | Withdrawn Nov-08 and passed to First Northampton. Re-acquired 10/10 and allocated to Hereford Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot | Barbie3 (8/08) |
VX53OEO | 53060 | 1714 | Optare Solo | B26F | 26/10/03 | Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot passed to First PMT | Barbie3 (8/08) |
VX53OEP | 53061 | 1715 | Optare Solo | B26F | 26/10/03 | Withdrawn 10/21 - Sold for scrap 2/22 | Barbie3 (9/08) |
VX53OER | 53062 | 1716 | Optare Solo | B26F | 21/11/03 | Withdrawn 10/21 - Sold for scrap 2/22 | Riversider livery (3/20) |
VX53OET | 53063 | 1717 | Optare Solo | B26F | 22/11/03 | Withdrawn 05/09/15 on closure of Hereford depot passed to First PMT | Barbie3 (6/07) |
VX53OEU | 53064 | 1719 | Optare Solo | B26F | 21/11/03 | Withdrawn August 2017 transferred to First South Wales | Barbie |
Livery Key : Barbie - The livery the vehicles were delivered in when new. Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)
53141/52/3 VX04UMU/V & VX05HPP/U
Over
the weekend of the 29th and 30th May 2004 First Midland
Red took delivery of two brand new Optare Solo vehicles
from dealer stock for use on new Worcestershire County
Council subsidised Flexi-Link services in the
Kidderminster/Stourport and Malvern/Upton on Severn
areas. As the vehicles are only on contract hire to
First Midland Red neither vehicle has been allocated a
national fleet number. The two vehicles took the numbers
1720 and 1721 which were the next vacant numbers in the
First Midland Red numbering series for Solo vehicles
before the adoption of the national numbering scheme.
The vehicles entered service with First Midland Red on
Tuesday 1st June 2004 and are fitted with a radio
telephone for use by drivers to communicate with the
Worcestershire County Council control centre so that
they know when and where passengers require picking up
from. These vehicles were provided by Worcestershire
County Council for use on specific contracts they have
with First Midland Red. They are not owned by First
Midland Red and are "owned" or rather leased by
Worcestershire County Council. At the end of August 2005
1721 was taken out of First Midland Red service and
transferred to Aston's Coaches for use on the service
363 that they have won the contract for. 1720 was also
around the same date painted into the new "Worcester
Express" livery for the new circular services round the
City which are linked to the Worcester North Park and
Ride route. During February 2007 1720 was allocated a
national First fleet number of 53141. Both 1722 and 1723
were allocated national fleet numbers in February 2007
before being withdrawn in August of that year.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Old Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Current Livery |
VX04UMU |
53141 |
1720 |
Optare Solo |
B33F |
01-Jun-04 |
Worcester - Withdrawn 3/07 returned to Worcester CC |
Worcester Express |
VX04UMV |
1721 |
N/A |
Optare Solo |
B31F |
01-Jun-04 |
Withdrawn 8/05 reallocated by Worcestershire CC to Aston Coaches then to GHA Travel 10/11 |
White |
VX05HPP |
53152 |
1722 |
Optare Solo |
B31F |
21-Mar-05 |
Withdrawn 8/07 returned to Worcestershire CC |
Worcester CC Flexi-link livery |
VX05HPU |
53153 |
1723 |
Optare Solo |
B31F |
Apr-05 |
Withdrawn 8/07 returned to Worcestershire CC |
Worcester CC Flexi-link livery |
53702-6 LK05DXP/R/S/T/U
First
Capital took delivery of six specially built 7.8 metre
long built Optare Solo's 53701-6 LK05DYO/XP/R/S/T/U in
March 2005. The vehicles vehicles operated from
Stratford Garage in East London on the Transport for
London contracted W12 service from Wanstead to
Coppermill Lane via Whipps Cross Hospital. When the
contract was lost to Hackney Community Transport in
February 2010, the vehicles then passed to First Eastern
Counties in March 2010. The vehicles went via Optare in
Blackburn for refurbishment and entered service on the
town routes in Kings Lynn. Following the sale of much of
the First operation in Kings Lynn to Norfolk Green from
Sunday 12th June 2011 the vehicles were surplur to
requirements. 53702-6 were transferred to First Midland
Red. 53705/6 went to Redditch where there prime was on
services 50 and 64. The remainder went to Kidderminster.
53705 and 53706 arrived with First Midland Red on Monday
13th June with 53705 being put to use driver training at
Redditch. With the sudden closure of Harding's Coaches
53703 & 53706 when into services at Redditch from 4th
July 2011 operating the former Harding's services 60,
63, 76 and 77. All the former Harding's work were run on
temporary contracts and following retendering and
decision not to renew the contracts for the 76 and 77
53705/6 were transferred to Kidderminster Garage. During
February and March 2012 all five vehicles were withdrawn
and were transferred to First Edinburgh.
Registration Number |
Fleet Number |
Vehicle Type |
Seating Capacity |
Date into Service |
Current Allocation |
Current Livery |
LK05DXP |
53702 |
Optare Solo |
B21F |
July 2011 |
Withdrawn 2/12 - transferred to First Edinburgh |
Barbie3 |
LK05DXR |
53703 |
Optare Solo |
B21F |
4th July 2011 |
Withdrawn 3/12 - transferred to First Midland Bluebird 3/12 |
Barbie3 |
LK05DXS | 53704 |
Optare Solo |
B21F |
July 2011 |
Withdrawn 2/12 - transferred to First Edinburgh |
Barbie3 |
LK05DXT |
53705 |
Optare Solo |
B21F |
July 2011 |
Withdrawn 3/12 - transferred to First Midland Bluebird 3/12 |
Barbie3 |
LK05DXU |
53706 |
Optare Solo |
B21F |
4th July 2011 |
Withdrawn 2/12 - transferred to First Edinburgh |
Barbie3 |
53065/155/207/802
Following
a tendering exercise for a number of bus routes in
Herefordshire First Midland Red were able to win a three
vehicle package. The contract requires the use of a
small low floor vehicle that has seatbelts fitted for a
schooldays journey. As a result 53802 was transferred
from First South Wales in exchange for Worcester
allocated 53064 that moved the other way to South
Wales. 53802 arrived at Worcester on 29th August 2017
and went into service for driver training on the new
routes it was going to operate. The vehicle actually
entered passenger service at Worcester on 5th September
2017. To create the best possible image for this new
seven year contract the vehicle was repainted at the the
company's Stoke on Trent depot over the autumn half term
holiday returning to Worcester on 27th October 2018
sporting the current Worcester First Urban livery but
with Villager branding. To provide a second back up
vehicle a further seat belt fitted Solo 53207 was
acquired from First PMT. The vehicle had started life
with Beeb Travel in South Wales. In October 2019 a third
Optare Solo in the shape of 53065 arrived in Worcester
following refurbishment by Thorntons. 53065 was planned
to be the first of a number for use on a revised service
31 which has been branded Riversider. Unfortunately
other vehicles have not arrived because of delays in
cascading other vehicles within the First Group. With
arrival of the Enviro 200's 44943/4 in October 2022 both
the remaining Optare Solo vehicles 53207 and 53802 were
withdrawn ending the operation of Optare Solo vehicles
that started at Worcester on 6th May 2003.
Registration Number | Fleet Number | Vehicle Type | Seating Capacity | Date into Service | Current Allocation | Current Livery |
YJ58CEV | 53065 | Optare Solo | B28F | 23rd October 2019 | Withdrawn | Riversider livery |
CN06BXH | 53155 | Optare Solo | B31F | Never operated sold for scrap | N/A | First Urban |
CN07KZK | 53207 | Optare Solo | B27F | 30th November 2018 | Withdrawn 28th October 2022 | First Urban 10/18 |
WX05RRV | 53802 | Optare Solo | B27F | 5th September 2017 | Withdrawn 28th October 2022 | First Urban 10/17 |