National Express West Midlands (formerly West Midlands Travel) is the largest bus operator in the West Midlands area. It operates over 80% of the county's bus services on a commercial basis, as well as operating various school and subsidised services. Buses from its Coventry depot run under the name of National Express Coventry. Previously, the companies were called Travel West Midlands and Travel Coventry and most vehicles still show these logos.

The company operates 1581 buses in normal passenger use and 21 driver training vehicles.

NXWM Fleet List

Contents 1 Fleet 2 Codes 3 Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander ALX400 & TransBus Trident 2 / TransBus ALX400 3.1 Current operations 3.2 History 3.3 Withdrawals 3.4 Future 3.5 Fleet numbers & registrations 3.6 Allocations 4 Mercedes-Benz O405N 4.1 Current operations 4.2 History 4.3 Withdrawals 4.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 4.5 Allocations 5 Scania K230UB/Scania OmniLink 5.1 Current operations 5.2 History 5.3 Future 5.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 5.5 Allocations 6 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 6.1 Current operations 6.2 History 6.3 Future 6.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 6.5 Allocations 7 Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 7.1 Current operations 7.2 History 7.3 Future 7.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 7.5 Allocations 8 Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban/Urban 2 8.1 Current operations 8.2 History 8.3 Future 8.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 8.5 Allocations 9 Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President 9.1 Current operations 9.2 History 9.3 Withdrawals 9.4 Future 9.5 Fleet numbers and registrations 9.6 Allocations 10 Volvo B6LE 10.1 Current operations 10.2 History 10.3 Withdrawals 10.3.1 Plaxton Pointer B6 10.3.2 Wright Crusader B6 10.4 Future 10.5 Fleet numbers & registrations 10.6 Allocations 11 Volvo B7TL/ALX400 11.1 Current operations 11.2 History 11.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 11.4 Allocations 12 Volvo B10L 12.1 Current operations 12.2 History 12.3 Future 12.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 12.5 Allocations 13 Optare Excel 13.1 Current operations 13.2 History 13.3 Future 13.4 Fleet numbers & registrations 13.5 Allocations 14 Optare Spectra 14.1 Current operations 14.2 History 14.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 14.4 Allocations 15 Dennis Dart SLF 15.1 Current operations 15.2 History 15.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 15.4 Allocations 16 Optare Solo 16.1 Current operations 16.2 History 16.3 Future 16.4 Withdrawals & Transfers 16.5 Fleet numbers & registrations 16.6 Allocations 17 Scania CN94 Omnicity Artic 17.1 Current operations 17.2 History 17.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 17.4 Allocations 18 Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G Artic 18.1 Current operations 18.2 History 18.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 18.4 Allocations 19 Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 19.1 Current operations 19.2 History 19.3 Future 19.4 Fleetnumbers and registrations 19.5 Allocations 20 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400H 20.1 Current operations 20.2 History 20.3 Future 20.4 Fleetnumbers and registrations 20.5 Allocations 21 Scania OmniCity 21.1 Current operations 21.2 History 21.3 Fleet numbers & registrations 21.4 Allocations 22 Former vehicles 22.1 Mercedes-Benz O405GN Artic 22.1.1 History 22.1.2 Fleet numbers & registrations 22.1.3 Allocations 22.2 Volvo B10B 22.2.1 History 22.2.2 Withdrawals 22.3 Scania L113CRL 22.4 Enviro300 22.5 MCW Metrobus 22.5.1 The End 22.6 Leyland Lynx 22.6.1 Allocations 23 Driver training fleet 23.1 Information 24 Garages 24.1 National Express West Midlands Current Garages 24.1.1 Acocks Green 24.1.2 Birmingham Central 24.1.3 Bordesley Green 24.1.4 Pensnett 24.1.5 Perry Barr 24.1.6 Walsall 24.1.7 West Bromwich 24.1.8 Wolverhampton 24.1.9 Yardley Wood 24.2 National Express West Midlands Former Garages 24.2.1 Hockley 24.2.2 Lea Hall 24.3 National Express Coventry 24.4 NXWM Storage 24.4.1 Miller Street 25 References

Fleet Edit

This is the official fleet list of National Express West Midlands Buses, including National Express Coventry vehicles. Driver trainer vehicles are not included, but are listed at the bottom of this page.

Vehicle Type	Quantity
Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander ALX400	360
Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse Urban / Urban 2	190
Mercedes-Benz O405N	183
Scania OmniLink K230	174
Alexander Dennis Enviro400	140
Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini	140
Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President	99
Volvo B7TL / Alexander ALX400	90
Volvo B6LE / Wright Crusader	80
Volvo B10L / Wright Liberator / Alexander Ultra	50
DAF DB250 / Optare Spectra	21
Optare Solo	14
Dennis Dart SLF/ Alexander ALX200 / Wright Crusader	14
Scania OmniCity CN94 articulated	11
Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro	10
Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2	9
Alexander Dennis Enviro 400H	9
Scania OmniCity Double Deck	6
Optare Excel	6

CodesEdit

National Express West Midlands runs 11 normal garages. 10 of these actually trade as National Express West Midlands and over half of these are located in Birmingham, with the other 4 being located in the Black Country. The other garage is the National Express Coventry garage, in Coventry. For easy and quick recognition, each garage has its own unique code, which is listed below.

Code	Garage
AG	Acocks Green
BC	Birmingham Central
BY	Bordesley Green
CV	Coventry
PB	Perry Barr
PE	Pensnett
WA	Walsall
WB	West Bromwich
WN	Wolverhampton
YW	Yardley Wood
XS	Stored

Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander ALX400 & TransBus Trident 2 / TransBus ALX400Edit

National Express West Midlands has operated 360 Tridents, which were purchased between 2001 and 2005, of which 359 are still in passenger service. They are the company's most common type of bus. Each bus has a seating capacity of 73 or 71, depending on whether it has Alexander ALX400 or TransBus ALX400 bodywork. These two bodyworks are virtually identical, with Tridents prior to 4425 having Alexander bodywork with those above having TransBus. The only major difference in the bodywork is the Alexander examples having an extra small window downstairs behind the stairs, which the Transbus examples only have one small window.

Earlier Tridents have Voith Gearboxes, whilst 4405 upwards are instead fitted with ZF ones.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, National Express West Midlands operates Tridents out of five of its garages across the Midlands.

At Birmingham Central, their large number of Tridents are used on most routes including services 14 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood), 45/47 (Birmingham - West Heath/Cofton Hackett), 61/63 (Birmingham - Rubery / Frankley), 97/97A (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood) and 900/957 (Birmingham - Coventry / Solihull).

At Walsall Tridents are used mainly on services 6 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield), 40 & 41 (Walsall - Willenhall) and service 89 (Walsall - Wolverhampton).

Some buses at Wolverhampton are branded for services 126 (Wolverhampton - Birmingham) and 59 (Wolverhampton - Ashmore Park).

At Yardley Wood Tridents are used on routes 2 (Birmingham - Maypole), 3 (Birmingham - Acocks Green).18 (Yardley Wood - Bartley Green), 35 (Birmingham - Hawkesley), 49 (Solihull - Weoleuy Castle) and 76 (QE Hospital - Solihull), as well as se peak-time workings of the 6 (Birmingham - Solihull).

HistoryEdit

The first batch of Tridents arrived with National Express West Midlands, at the time Travel West Midlands, in April 2001. These 17 buses started service at Walsall Garage, where they replaced four year old Volvo B10Ls on the 529 (Walsall - Wolverhampton) route, for which most were branded for.

These were promptly followed by a batch of 20 to Yardley Wood Garage and 18 to Wolverhampton for the 559 and 560 (Wolverhampton - Ashmore Park/Bloxwich) services, which most of this group were branded for. Lea Hall then received 23 Tridents in July 2001 for the 96 and 97 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood) routes, again for which buses were branded for.

Travel Coventry then received its first Tridents when 22 arrived in August 2001, completing the first batch of 100 Tridents. These were delivered in the Travel West Midlands livery and then repainted when Travel Coventry was formed 2 years later.

In February 2002 the second batch began arriving, starting with an additional five Tridents for Walsall. These were immediately followed by 21 for Wolverhampton garage, of which some were branded and used on the 79 service (Birmingham - Wolverhampton). These Tridents were intended originally to go to West Bromwich Garage and to be branded for the 74 (Birmingham - Dudley), and Mercedes 0405N's to be used on the 79. Tridents were delivered to West Bromwich and drivers there were type training on the type before the decision was made at very short notice for the Tridents to go to Wolverhampton instead. This was so that Wolverhampton would not have to introduce another vehicle type to the garage, as they already operated Tridents and did not have Mercedes 0405N's at the time.

In May, 24 more Tridents arrived for Yardley Wood (4331-54), 4354 was fitted with a tachograph and was the Yardley Wood showbus for many years, followed in August - October 2002 by a batch of 41 for Birmingham Central, which were used and branded for The Bristol Road group of routes. All of this batch transferred to Yardley Wood in 2007 along with the 50 route, where they gained the new service 50 (Birmingham - Druids Heath) branding. To finish off the batch of 110 vehicles, Coventry received a further 19 Tridents in October/November 2002, now in the Travel Coventry blue.

May 2003 saw the start of the delivery of the third batch of Tridents, now made by TransBus. Numbered from 4425, the first delivery saw 30 enter service at Birmingham Central, some being branded for the 900 service (Birmingham - Coventry) and the Coventry Road group of services, with the 20 remaining out of the batch entering service at Lea Hall, with some being branded for service 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood).

The final 100 Tridents started arriving in December 2003, with a huge influx of 75 entering service over the next 12 months at Wolverhampton, replacing a lot of older MCW Metrobuses at the garage. Some of this batch were branded for the 126 (Wolverhampton - Birmingham) service, but not from new. The final 25 entered service from November 2004 at Birmingham Central Garage, where some were branded for the Pershore Road services. These 25 also replaced all of Birmingham Central's MCW Metrobuses, making it at the time, the only 100% completely low floor easy access bus garage.

Since their introduction there have been few minor movements of Tridents, with most movements being of small quantities due to route alterations, and also to allow other vehicle movements to garages which did not operate Tridents.

But there was a major movement of Trident's between 2005 and early 2007 as 4355-4395 were all transferred from Birmingham Central to Yardley Wood. Some transferred with the transfer of route 50.

However, in March 2010 major changes began occurring to the arrangement of Tridents at National Express West Midlands. To coincide with the introduction of Scania OmniLinks at Yardley Wood Garage, and also the re-conversion of the 97/A services to Double Deck, Yardley Wood transferred in excess of 30 Tridents to Lea Hall. The reason why the 97/A had been converted back to Trident operation soon became clear because in April, it was announced that Lea Hall was closing and the 97/A was transferring to Birmingham Central, who did not operate single deck vehicles at the time.

From 17 July 2010, movements began in advance for the 25 July changes, with 3 Tridents transferring to Birmingham Central from Walsall, as part of a three way swap, involving ALX 400 bodied B7TL going to Perry Barr, and Walsall then receiving three Geminis from Perry Barr, to prevent any garage operating buses it didn't previously.

During the weekend of 25 July 2010, in which Lea Hall shut the vast majority of Tridents transferred to Birmingham Central, along with the majority of Lea Hall's routes. Birmingham Central gained the most as to prevent Tridents transferring to Perry Barr because they have never operated this vehicle type, so that Perry Barr could then operate the 94 using all of Birmingham Central's remaining ALX400's instead. Walsall gained 4 (4365, 4370, 4371, 4374), Wolverhampton gained 2 (4384 & 4385) and Yardley Wood regained 1 (4375).

They were then left alone until the July 2011 service changes, when Walsall lost 6 (4162-4, 4196, 4315 and 4365) to Birmingham Central as they lost route 529 to Wolverhampton, and Wolverhampton lost 8 (4166, 4179, 4186, 4312, 4314, 4316, 4318 and 4325) also to Birmingham Central as the 79 was shortened, making a total of 14. This was so Birmingham Central could transfer 14 Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents to West Bromwich for the new 75 route and the 74.

WithdrawalsEdit

In early April 2011, Birmingham Central operated 4336 was completely destroyed by an engine fire while operating route 900 on the A45 returning from Coventry, the damage been too severe to be repaired, so was scrapped in June 2011. This was the first Trident to leave the NXWM fleet since thier introduction in 2001.

FutureEdit

No future changes are known.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4125 - 4128	Y716 TOH - Y719 TOH
4129 - 4132	Y721 TOH - Y724 TOH
4133 - 4136	Y726 TOH - Y729 TOH
4137 - 4145	Y731 TOH - Y739 TOH
4146 - 4154	Y741 TOH - Y749 TOH
4155 - 4158	Y751 TOH - Y754 TOH
4159 - 4162	Y756 TOH - Y759 TOH
4163 - 4166	Y761 TOH - Y764 TOH
4167 - 4170	Y766 TOH - Y769 TOH
4171 - 4174	Y771 TOH - Y774 TOH
4175	Y776 TOH
4176 - 4177	Y778 TOH - Y779 TOH
4178 - 4182	Y781 TOH - Y785 TOH
4183 - 4185	Y787 TOH - Y789 TOH
4186 - 4194	Y791 TOH - Y799 TOH
4195 - 4203	Y801 TOH - Y809 TOH
4204 - 4212	Y811 TOH - Y819 TOH
4213 - 4221	Y821 TOH - Y829 TOH
4222	Y831 TOH
4223 - 4224	Y833 TOH - Y834 TOH
4305 - 4309	BP51 HDD - BP51 HDH
4310 - 4312	BP51 HDJ - BP51 HDL
4313	BX02 APY
4314	BP51 HDO
4315	BX02 APZ
4316	BX02 ARF
4317	BX02 ARU
4318	BX02 ARZ
4319	BX02 ASO
4320 - 4321	BX02 ASU - BX02 ASV
4322	BX02 ASZ
4323	BX02 ATK
4324 - 4325	BX02 ATN - BX02 ATO
4326 - 4327	BX02 ATU - BX02 ATV
4328 - 4329	BX02 ATY - BX02 ATZ
4330	BX02 AUA
4331	BX02 AUC
4332 - 4333	BX02 AUE - BX02 AUF
4334	BX02 AUH
4335	BX02 AUJ
4337 - 4341	BX02 AUL - BX02 AUP
4342	BX02 AUR
4343 - 4346	BX02 AUT - BX02 AUW
4347	BX02 AUY
4348	BX02 AVB
4349 - 4352	BX02 AVD - BX02 AVG
4353 - 4355	BX02 AVJ - BX02 AVL
4356 - 4358	BX02 AVN - BX02 AVP
4359	BX02 AVR
4360 - 4362	BX02 AVT - BX02 AVV
4363	BX02 AVY
4364 - 4368	BV52 OAA - BV52 OAE
4369	BV52 OAG
4370	BV52 OAU
4371	BV52 OAH
4372	BV52 OAJ
4373 - 4377	BV52 OAL - BV52 OAP
4378	BV52 OAS
4379 - 4382	BV52 OAW - BV52 OAZ
4383 - 4390	BV52 OBA - BV52 OBH
4391 - 4392	BV52 OBJ - BV52 OBK
4393	BV52 OBT
4394 - 4395	BV52 OBX - BV52 OBY
4396 - 4400	BV52 OBL - BV52 OBP
4401 - 4402	BV52 OBR - BV52 OBS
4403	BV52 OBU
4404	BV52 OBW
4405	BV52 OBZ
4406 - 4413	BV52 OCA - BV52 OCH
4414	BV52 OCJ
4425	BJ03 ETR
4426 - 4428	BJ03 ETT - BJ03 ETV
4429 - 4431	BJ03 ETX - BJ03 ETZ
4432 - 4437	BJ03 EUA - BJ03 EUF
4438	BJ03 EUH
4439 - 4442	BJ03 EUK - BJ03 EUN
4443	BJ03 EUP
4444	BJ03 EUR
4445 - 4451	BJ03 EUT - BJ03 EUZ
4452 - 4454	BJ03 EVB - BJ03 EVD
4455 - 4457	BJ03 EVF - BJ03 EVH
4458 - 4461	BJ03 EVK - BJ03 EVN
4462	BJ03 EVP
4463	BJ03 EVR
4464 - 4469	BJ03 EVT - BJ03 EVY
4470 - 4474	BJ03 EWA - BJ03 EWE
4535	BL53 EDF
4536 - 4537	BL53 EDJ - BL53 EDK
4538 - 4539	BL53 EDO - BL53 EDP
4540	BL53 EDR
4541 - 4542	BL53 EDU - BL53 EDV
4543	BL53 EDX
4544 - 4545	BL53 EEA - BL53 EEB
4546 - 4548	BL53 EEF - BL53 EEH
4549	BL53 EEJ
4550 - 4553	BL53 EEM - BL53 EEP
4554	BL53 EER
4555 - 4561	BL53 EET - BL53 EEZ
4562 - 4564	BL53 EFA - BL53 EFC
4565 - 4567	BU04 BHX - BU04 BHZ
4568 - 4569	BU04 BJE - BU04 BJF
4570 - 4571	BU04 BJJ - BU04 BJK
4572	BU04 BJV
4573	BU04 BJX
4574	BU04 BJZ
4575	BU04 BKA
4576 - 4579	BU04 BKD - BU04 BKG
4580 - 4582	BU04 BKJ - BU04 BKL
4583	BU04 BKN
4584	BU04 BKV
4585	BU04 BKX
4586	BU04 BKZ
4587	BU04 BLF
4588 - 4589	BU04 BLJ - BU04 BLK
4590	BU04 BLN
4591	BU04 BLV
4592	BU04 BLX
4593	BU04 BLZ
4594	BX54 DCU
4595	BU04 BMZ
4596	BX54 DCV
4597	BX54 DCY
4598	BX54 DDA
4599 - 4600	BX54 DDE - BX54 DDF
4601 - 4603	BX54 DDJ - BX54 DDL
4604 - 4605	BX54 DDN - BX54 DDO
4606 - 4607	BX54 DDU - BX54 DDV
4608 - 4609	BX54 DDY - BX54 DDZ
4610	BX54 DEU
4611	BX54 DFA
4612 - 4614	BX54 DFC - BX54 DFE
4615 - 4620	BX54 XSC - BX54 XSH
4621 - 4623	BX54 XSJ - BX54 XSL
4624	BX54 XSM
4625	BX54 XRO
4626	BX54 XRR
4627 - 4630	BX54 XRT - BX54 XRW
4631 - 4632	BX54 XRY - BX54 XRZ
4633 - 4634	BX54 XSA - BX54 XSB

AllocationsEdit

Garages	Fleet numbers
BC (129)	4142, 4144, 4145, 4148 - 4153, 4157, 4162 - 4168, 4175 - 4179, 4184 - 4188, 4193 - 4200, 4202, 4313 - 4318, 4323, 4325 - 4327, 4338, 4340 - 4343, 4347 - 4350, 4358, 4359, 4364 - 4366, 4368, 4390, 4393, 4425 - 4449, 4455 - 4474, 4610 - 4634
WN (82)	4135, 4305 - 4312, 4320, 4321, 4384, 4385, 4535 - 4609
YW (59)	4143, 4146, 4147, 4154 - 4156, 4158 - 4161, 4180 - 4183, 4189 - 4192, 4201, 4218, 4324, 4333, 4337, 4339, 4344 - 4346, 4352 - 4355, 4357, 4360 - 4363, 4367, 4369, 4372, 4373, 4375 - 4377, 4379 - 4383, 4386 - 4389, 4391, 4392, 4394, 4395
CV (47)	4203 - 4217, 4219 - 4224, 4319, 4322, 4396 - 4414, 4450 - 4454
WA (18)	4125 - 4134, 4136 - 4138, 4329 - 4332

Mercedes-Benz O405NEdit

National Express West Midlands operates 183 of these buses, which were purchased from early 1998 until early 2000. Each bus seats 43 passengers. They are the second most common type of vehicle operated by National Express West Midlands.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, O405Ns are operated out of six National Express West Midlands garages throughout the region, where they can be seen to be operating on most services operated by those garages.

At West Bromwich they are used on routes 89, 127/128, 405/6, 410, 448/A, 449 & 450. Meanwhile at Bordesley, some buses are still branded for the 8A/C Birmingham Inner Circle..

Pensnett use their examples mainly on routes X96 (Wrens Nest - Wollaston Farm), 238 (West Bromwich - Merry Hill) and 297 (Stickley - Halesowen).

HistoryEdit

When new, between 1998 and 2001, most O405Ns were used on routes for which they were branded. At Birmingham Central garage they were branded for Network Harborne services, at West Bromwich they were branded for the 404 (Walsall - Blackheath), 451 (West Bromwich - Sutton Coldfield), 74 (Dudley - Birmingham) and 79 (Wolverhampton - Birmingham) services.

At the now closed Hockley Garage, buses were branded for the 8A/C Birmingham Inner Circle services and also the 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common), 68A/C North Birmingham Circular and 66/A (Ladywood - Erdington/Sutton Coldfield) services.

At Lea Hall, meanwhile buses were branded for the 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood) service, whilst at Coventry buses were branded for the Primeline Group of services which run up the Foleshill Road.

Since their introduction, Birmingham Central has lost all of its original allocation, whilst when Hockley Garage closed in 2005, Bordesley Green, West Bromwich and Lea Hall gained Hockley Garage's allocation of Mercedes O405N's.

After the Lea Hall closure in July 2010, West Bromwich, Pensnett and Bordesley all gained extra allocations. Whereas Birmingham Central and Wolverhampton are new garages to operate these buses, Birmingham Central have operated these buses in the past. They replaced some of the B10B's at Wolverhampton Garage. Wolverhampton also gained 6 0405N's from Coventry on this date. 3 were repainted into the NXWM livery because 1545 and 1549 were already in the NXC livery, but the remaining 3 were only partly repainted into the old TWM livery but with NXWM fleetnames. On these examples, the old Foleshill Road branding was still visible on Wolverhampton based 1543, 1544 and 1547, until 1543 received a repaint into NXWM livery and 1544 and 1547 were tidied up.

After the March 2011 service changes, all of the 0405N's at Birmingham Central were transferred to Bordseley Green.

In April 2011,13 0405N's have transferred to Wolverhampton in Transfer for Volvo B10L's that went to Perry Barr, allowing Scania Omnilink's from Perry Barr to transfer to Bordesley garage. Birmingham Central are also operating 1641, on loan from Wolverhampton, on the 14 and 97.

1665 has now rentered service at Pensnett after being withdrawn from Bordseley Green due to an engine fire.

In November 2011, following the arrival of brand new Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban 2 buses, Wolverhampton garage transferred 1547 back to Coventry, 1641, 1643, 1646 and 1649 to Pensnett, and 1698 to West Bromwich.

WithdrawalsEdit

Only 1 O405N has been withdrawn since their introduction, before the main withdrawals started.

The first one was 1623 which was badly damaged during the West Bromwich Garage fire in December 2001. This was replaced by ex-demonstrator 1743.

The first withdrawal is 1583, withdrawn in June 2011, for an unknown reason and is currently at Miller Street for spares.

1567 and 1673 were then withdrawn in September 2011 from Coventry and Wolverhampton.

1544 was withdrawn from Wolverhampton in November 2011.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
1515–1519	R515 XOB - R519 XOB
1520	R120 XOB
1521–1522	R521 XOB - R522 XOB
1523	R123 XOB
1524	R524 XOB
1525	R125 XOB
1526–1534	R526 XOB - R534 XOB
1535	R135 XOB
1536–1554	R536 XOB - R554 XOB
1555	R155 XOB
1556–1559	R556 XOB - R559 XOB
1560	S160 VUK
1561–1594	S561 VUK - S594 VUK
1595–1599	R595 XOB - R599 XOB
1600	R160 XOB
1601-1604	R601 XOB - R604 XOB
1605	R165 XOB
1606	R606 XOB
1607–1622	S607 VUK - S622 VUK
1624–1627	S624 VUK - S627 VUK
1628–1665	T628 FOB - T665 FOB
1666	T266 POC
1667–1690	T667 FOB - T690 FOB
1691–1699	V691 MOA - V699 MOA
1700	V170 MOA
1701–1706	V701 MOA - V706 MOA
1707	V177 MOA
1743	S343 MOJ

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
PE (47)	1515–1521, 1524, 1525, 1536, 1537, 1540, 1541, 1553, 1554, 1557, 1573, 1575, 1576, 1578, 1588, 1590, 1593, 1614–1616, 1620, 1621, 1627, 1629-1631, 1640, 1642, 1657, 1658, 1665, 1704–1707, 1743
CV (41)	1542, 1548, 1550-1552, 1555, 1558, 1562–1566, 1568 - 1572, 1579, 1591, 1594–1598, 1602–1606, 1608–1612, 1625, 1655, 1656, 1659, 1680, 1703
WB (46)	1523, 1526–1532, 1534, 1535, 1538, 1539, 1556, 1559–1561, 1574, 1577, 1581, 1582, 1584–1587, 1589, 1592, 1599–1601, 1607, 1613, 1617–1619, 1622, 1624, 1626, 1628, 1651, 1652, 1694
BY (29)	1632-1639, 1660, 1663, 1664, 1666–1670, 1675, 1681, 1683-1687, 1690-1693, 1696, 1699–1702
WN (20)	1543-1547, 1549, 1641, 1643-1650, 1653-1655, 1661, 1662, 1671, 1672, 1674, 1676-1679, 1682, 1688, 1689,1695, 1697, 1698.
Withdrawn (8)	1522, 1533, 1567, 1580, 1583, 1673

Scania K230UB/Scania OmniLinkEdit

National Express West Midlands operates 174 OmniLinks, out of most of the companies garages. They began entering service in 2007, with the newest vehicles entering service in May 2010. Most OmniLinks seat 43 passengers. Four OmniLinks contain high-backed 'Coach Style' seating. These are based at Perry Barr.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, 7 of National Express West Midlands' 10 garages operate OmniLinks.

Acocks Green's Omnilinks are used primarily on the 37 (Birmingham - Solihull) service, but occasionally appear on the 71 (Solihull - Sutton Coldfield) and the 72 (Solihull - Birmingham) services.

Birmingham Central use theirs on the 29/A (Birmingham - Northfield/Shenley Fields), 58 (Birmingham - Solihull) and X62/X64 (Birmingham - Rubery) services.

Bordseley Green's OmniLink's are solely used on the 55 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood).

Coventry uses its buses on the PrimeLines services 20, 30A/C, 40, 50 and 60, for which buses are branded.

Perry Barr's allocation see service on most routes including 16 (Hamstead - Birmingham), 907 Sutton Coldfield - Birmingham and the high-backed coach style seating examples being used on the 952 (Perry Beeches - Birmingham).

At Walsall, OmniLinks are used on the 29 (Walsall - Bloxwich), the 301 (Walsall - Mossley) service and the 311/313 Walsall to Dudley services. They are also used on the 404/A/H Walsall - Blackheath/Cradley Heath/Merry Hill services for which some buses are branded.

Yardley Wood uses its OmniLinks primarily on the 6 (Birmingham - Solihull), with one used on the 84 (QE Hospital - Hawksley) but occasionally appear on other single-deck routes.

HistoryEdit

In October 2007, the first group of Scania OmniLinks began arriving at Lea Hall Garage. The batch of 33 buses were used mainly on the 97 and 97A services (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood), for which some buses branded were branded for.

These were followed by 27 OmniLinks for Perry Barr. The 23 normal examples were used on a variety of routes, including the 16/A (Birmingham - Hamstead/Great Barr), for which a couple of buses were branded for. The four high-backed coach style seating buses were originally used on the 934 service between Birmingham and Streetly as part of a Centro partnership. After amendments to these routes, the buses transferred to the 52 (now 952) service, which they remain on to this day.

The second batch began entering service in January 2009, with 15 buses going to West Bromwich for use on the 404 service, for which buses were branded for. These were followed by fifteen for Coventry, which gained branding for the PrimeLines services.

In May 2009 West Bromwich received five more OmniLinks for the 404, whilst in June 2009 Walsall gained 25 for use on the 301 and 311 & 313 services, but buses did not receive branding.

In January 2010, Walsall gained 6 Scania OmniLinks from West Bromwich garage, as 6 running boards on the 404 transferred to Walsall. During the same month, the final batch of OmniLinks began arriving with the company.

The final batch started entering service in March 2010 at Yardley Wood Garage, when the first of 22 OmniLinks started service on the 6 between Birmingham and Solihull. At around the same time, 9 OmniLinks also transferred from Lea Hall Garage to Yardley Wood.

In April 2010, 5 more Lea Hall OmniLinks left, but this time to Perry Barr, where the 907 (Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield) service was converted to mainly single-deck operation.

The final 23 OmniLinks of the batch started entering service at Acocks Green from April, finishing in June 2010 where they were mainly used on the 37 (Birmingham - Solihull) service.

At the end of May 2010, Walsall transferred the 6 OmniLinks it had gained from West Bromwich back, along with the relevant duties on the 404 service.

With the closure of Lea Hall Garage on 25 July 2010, the remaining OmniLinks based there transferred to Birmingham Central, where they became the main allocation on the 29, 29A, X62 and X64 services. These were joined by the ex-Lea Hall examples that had transferred to Yardley Wood and Perry Barr, earlier in the year.

In addition to these, Perry Barr gained 10 OmniLinks from Walsall garage. This meant that the Urban's at Walsall were reinstated back onto the 311/313 leaving the remaining Scania's on the 29 and 301 services.

At the August service changes in 2010, Walsall then gained back 7 of the 10 OmniLinks transferred to Perry Barr a month earlier, meaning the 311/313 is converted back to Omnilink operation.

In April 2011, 12 OmniLink's from Perry Barr transferred to Bordseley Green, in transfer for 0405N's transferring to Wolverhampton, and Volvo B10L's transferring to Perry Barr.

In July 2011, all of the allocation at West Browmich were transferred to Walsall, along with the 404/A/H services.

In December 2011, 9 Omnilinks from NX Dundee transferred to the West Midlands, following the arrival of new B7RLEs in Dundee. 7023 and 7026 entered service at Bordesley Green garage in January 2012, but 7023 was soon transferred to Perry Barr garage in February 2012. This month also saw 7019 and 7020 also enter service at Acocks Green garage.

March 2012 saw 7026 transfer to Perry Barr also, with the remainder of the ex-Dundee Omnilinks also entering service there.

FutureEdit

No future changes are known.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
1788–1794	BV57 XFB - BV57 XFH
1795–1801	BV57 XFJ - BV57 XFP
1802–1805	BV57 XFR - BV57 XFU
1806–1809	BV57 XFW - BV57 XFZ
1810–1817	BV57 XGA - BV57 XGH
1818–1824	BV57 XGJ - BV57 XGP
1825–1828	BV57 XGR - BV57 XGU
1829–1832	BV57 XGW - BV57 XGZ
1833–1840	BV57 XHA - BV57 XHH
1841–1847	BV57 XHJ - BV57 XHP
1848–1850	BX58 SXN - BX58 SXP
1851–1856	BX58 SXR - BX58 SXW
1857–1858	BX58 SXY - BX58 SXZ
1859	BX58 SYA
1860	BX58 SYC
1861	BX58 SYE
1862–1863	BX58 SYG - BX58 SYH
1864	BX58 SYJ
1865–1866	BX58 SYO - BX58 SYP
1867–1872	BX58 SYR - BX58 SYW
1873–1874	BX58 SYY - BX58 SYZ
1875–1877	BX58 SZC - BX58 SZE
1878–1881	BX09 OZE - BX09 OZH
1882–1888	BX09 OZJ - BX09 OZP
1889–1894	BX09 OZR - BX09 OZW
1895	BX09 PAO
1896	BX09 PBF
1897	BX09 PBO
1898	BX09 PBU
1899	BX09 PBZ
1900	BX09 PCF
1901	BX09 PCO
1902–1903	BX09 PCU - BX09 PCV
1904–1905	BX09 PCY - BX09 PCZ
1906	BX09 PDO
1907	BX09 PDU
1909–1910	BX59 NSU - BX59 NSV
1911–1912	BX59 NSY - BX59 NSZ
1913	BX59 NTA
1914–1919	BX59 NTC - BX59 NTH
1920–1923	BX59 NTK - BX59 NTN
1924	BX10 ABF
1925	BX10 ABK
1926–1927	BX10 ABN - BX10 ABO
1928	BX10 ABU
1929	BX10 ABV
1930	BX10 ABZ
1931	BX10 ACF
1932	BX10 ACJ
1933	BX10 ACO
1934	BX10 ACU
1935	BX10 ACV
1936	BX10 ACY
1937	BX10 ACZ
1938	BX10 ADO
1939	BX10 ADU
1940	BX10 ADV
1941	BX10 ADZ
1942–1948	BX10 AEA - BX10 AEG
1949–1953	BX10 AEJ - BX10 AEN
7019-7027	SP10 CXA - SP10 CXJ

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet
WA (40)	1848–1862, 1878–1904
AG (25)	1931–1953, 7019, 7020
YW (22)	1909–1930
PB (25)	1837–1847, 1905-1907, 7021-7033
CV (14)	1863–1877
BY (38)	1788-1836

Alexander Dennis Enviro400Edit

National Express West Midlands operates 140 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses, which mostly arrived at the company in 2008 and 2009. Most buses seat 77 passengers, however former-demonstrator 4698 seats 78 and the high-backed coach-style seating examples at Walsall only seat 76.

Current operationsEdit

Currently Enviro400s are operated out of five National Express West Midlands depots.

At Yardley Wood they are used mostly on the 50 service, which links Birmingham with Druids Heath but it is not rare for these to appear on other double-deck routes.

Pensnett uses its examples on the 9 service linking Birmingham with Stourbridge and alongside O405Ns on the 246 Stourbridge - Dudley service. On Sundays they are also used on the 141 Birmingham - Merry Hill service.

Perry Barr's Enviro 400's are often found on virtually every service serving Sutton Coldfield (the 115, 902, 904, 905, 907 (Sundays & peak times), 914 & 915), and also the 934/A (Birmingham - Asda Queslett) service, and also now on the 33 (Birmingham - Pheasey). They also make appearances on services 7 (Birmingham - Perry Common), 16 (Birmingham - Hamstead) and the 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood).

Walsall's Enviro400s are used on the 51 (Birmingham - Walsall) and 997/E (Birmingham -Pheasey/Walsall) routes. These buses contain high-backed coach-style seating, with a leather finish. There are usually a couple of these vehicles operating with Gemini's on the express X51 service.

Coventry's new Enviro400s are mostly used on the 21 (Willenhall - Wood End) cross-city service.

HistoryEdit

At the beginning of 2006, Alexander Dennis sent an Enviro400 demonstrator to National Express West Midlands, at the time Travel West Midlands. This was based at Perry Barr Garage, where it operated on the Sutton Lines services, linking Sutton Coldfield with Birmingham.

Following the successful trial period, National Express ordered several more Enviros, the first of which arrived between July and December 2007 when a further 20 entered service at Perry Barr, fully converting the Sutton Lines.

The final bus of these 20, 4737, was the first bus to be delivered in National Express West Midlands livery.

25 more than entered service at Yardley Wood Garage between January and February 2008 for the frequent 50 service between Birmingham and Druids Heath, for which some buses were branded. Quite interestingly, several actually first entered service on loan at Walsall Garage for one or two days prior to starting work at Yardley Wood, where amongst other services, one operated the 405E service between Walsall and The Yew Tree Estate.

Also during January 2008, Perry Barrs five coach-style seating examples entered service on the 993 service between Birmingham and Streetly and Walsalls examples also entered service on the 997/E (Walsall/Aldridge - Birmingham). The reason for the non-standard seating was an agreement with Centro about showcasing the routes.

The only change occurring between these buses arriving, and the next batch entering service in June 2009, was the change of routes in which the coach-seated Perry Barr buses were used on. They had now changed to operate the 992/993/994 Birmingham - Streetly services, and also the 934/A/B (Birmingham - Queslett/Pheasey) services.

The 30 buses entering service at Birmingham Central were for use on the 9 and 99 services between Birmingham and Stourbridge/Merry Hill Centre, for which many examples were branded for.

In Spring 2010, the 99 was withdrawn and replaced by the similar 141 service, which became Enviro operated, whilst in April, the 997E was withdrawn and new service 997A was introduced between Birmingham and Kingstanding Circle. To coincide with this, the 992/993/994 services were replaced by a new Walsall service 935. This then enabled Walsall to primarily use its Enviros on the 997 and peak 997A journeys, with Perry Barr using its coach-seated examples on mostly the 997A and peak workings on the 997, and the 934 service (Birmingham - Asda Queslett), but also sneak onto other routes at peak times.

In June 2010, Yardley Wood loaned 4739 to Pensnett to enable the drivers to type train on Enviro 400's before the transfer of routes 9 and 141 at the closure of Lea Hall.^[1]

On 25th July 2010, the entire allocation of Enviro 400's at Birmingham Central Transferred to Pensnett as routes 9 and 141 also transferred there. However on the same date 4739 was returned to Yardley Wood

At the end of August 2010, the 997A was withdrawn. These were replaced by the 997E to Pheasey and all journeys now oeprated by Walsall. This meant that the Leather Seated Enviro 400's at Perry Barr were all transferred to Walsall.

November 2011 saw the arrival of 13 brand new Enviro 400s at Coventry garage, which allowed them to withdraw their allocation of Mercedes 0405GN artics. A further 14 entered service at Perry Bar garage in December 2011, upgrading the 33 service to Enviro400 operation, and a final 23 entered service at Walsall garage in January 2012, for use on the 51 service.

FutureEdit

No further changes are known.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet Numbers	Registrations
4698	BX55 XOA
4718	BU07 LGO
4719 - 4723	BU07 LGV - BU07 LGZ
4724 - 4727	BU07 LHA - BU07 LHD
4728 - 4731	BV57 XHR - BV57 XHU
4732 - 4735	BV57 XHW - BV57 XHZ
4736 - 4743	BV57 XJA - BV57 XJH
4744 - 4750	BV57 XJJ - BV57 XJP
4751 - 4752	BV57 XJT - BV57 XJU
4753 - 4756	BV57 XJW - BV57 XJZ
4757 - 4764	BV57 XKA - BV57 XKH
4765 - 4771	BV57 XKJ - BV57 XKP
4772 - 4774	BV57 XKS - BV57 XKU
4775 - 4776	BV57 XKW - BV57 XKX
4800	BX09 PDV
4801 - 4802	BX09 PDY - BX09 PDZ
4803	BX09 PEO
4804	BX09 PFA
4805 - 4808	BX09 PFD - BX09 PFG
4809 - 4810	BX09 PFJ - BX09 PFK
4811 - 4812	BX09 PFN - BX09 PFO
4813 - 4814	BX09 PFU - BX09 PFV
4815 - 4816	BX09 PFY - BX09 PFZ
4817 - 4818	BX09 PGE - BX09 PGF
4819	BX09 PGK
4820	BX09 PGO
4821 - 4822	BX09 PGU - BX09 PGV
4823 - 4824	BX09 PGY - BX09 PGZ
4825	BX09 PHA
4826	BX09 PHF
4827	BX09 PHJ
4828	BX09 PHK
4829	BX09 PHN

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet Numbers
PE (30)	4800 - 4829
YW (25)	4738 - 4762
PB (35)	4698, 4718-4737, 4843-4856
WA (37)	4763 - 4776, 4857-4879
CV (13)	4830-4842

Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse GeminiEdit

National Express West Midlands owns 140 of these buses, which were purchased from 2003 to 2006. The majority of these buses were purchased to replace older MCW Metrobuses on key routes throughout Birmingham and Coventry.

Current operationsEdit

Perry Barr's Geminis are used on a variety of routes, including 'Line 33' (Birmingham - Pheasey), of which 12 are branded for and can also usually be seen on the 7 (Birmingham - Perry Common), 101 (Birmingham - Handsworth) and 'The Sutton Lines' (Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield via Erdington) services as well as regularly filling in on the 16 (Birmingham - Hamstead) , 65 Birmingham - Perry Common, 67 (Birmingham - Castle Vale) and the 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood).

Acocks Green use their Geminis on the famous Birmingham Outer Circle bus service, the 11, as well as the 5 (Birmingham - Solihull), 31/31A (Birmingham - Solihull/Shirley), 73 (Birmingham - Solihull) and 966 (Solihull - Erdington) services, and some peak time workings of the 1 (Town Hall - Acocks Green) and 37 (Birmingham - Solihull) services.

Those allocated to Walsall usually work on the X51 (Birmingham - Walsall Limited stop), 77 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield), and 935 (Birmingham - Walsall) service, and sometimes appear back on the 997 (Birmingham - Pheasey/Walsall). These 7 Geminis contain coach-style high-backed seating from their previous lives on the 'Premier 997' service.

Coventrys Geminis are used on the 13 service which links Willenhall with Prologis Park, of which the majority of buses are branded for, but they sometimes sneak onto other routes, such as the 27 (Coventry Rail Station - Walsgrave Hospital), and many other Coventry routes.

West Bromwich's Gemini allocation are the main type of bus used on the Dudley Road services 82 and 87, but they also make appearances on other routes, such as the 74 (Birmingham - Dudley), 80 (Birmingham - West Bromwich), 89E (Birmingham - Smethwick) ,127/128 (Birmingham - Blackheath) and the 5 (West Bromwich - Sutton Coldfield).

HistoryEdit

The first four Geminis were delivered to Travel West Midlands entered service at Perry Barr garage in May 2003 on the 33 (Birmingham - Pheasey) service, taking over from the Volvo B10Ls allocated to this route. In total, 13 were delivered branded for the service, these being 4475 - 4487, by July 2003. These were joined by several more at the garage, with the last Perry Barr Gemini entering service in December 2003.

Geminis from 4506 upwards were equipped with monitors in the upstairs front window and in the downstairs luggage rack.

The Acocks Green vehicles began entering service in January 2004, and entered service on the 31 (Birmingham - Gospel Oak), 41 (Birmingham - Solihull (Now withdrawn)), 72 (Solihull - Chelmsley Wood). None were branded for any services.

Then in October 2004, the first new Gemini's started to arrive to upgrade the Outer Circle from Metrobus operation. At the time the Clockwise route was ran by Perry Barr garage and the Anti-Clockwise route was ran by Acocks Green. The first 2 buses at both garages (4635 & 4636 at Acocks Green, and 4658 & 4659 at Perry Barr), had special branding for the route with a big Circle on the sides showing the main places that the 11 serves. The rest were branded with a smaller circle above the drivers window and the doors also showing the main places served by the route. The last Acocks Green buses entered service in November 2004 with the last ones at Perry Barr entering service in December 2004. There were noticeable changes in these newer buses from the older Geminis and these being the opening window upstairs by the seats above the cab, and the loss of the side rear indicator light. These also had a LCD display at the front rather than Dot Matrix on previous examples.

Walsall was the next garage to gain Geminis in January 2005. These were to be used on the Walsall - Birmingham 997 service upgraded to a Premier service. These 7 buses all wore a distinctive 'Premier 997' Livery, complete with branding for the route. They also had high back seating in a special seat pattern only seen on these Premier buses.

A major transfer of Geminis occurred between July and October 2005. This was due to the 11C being transferred from Perry Barr to Acocks Green. 4658-4661 left for Acocks Green in July. 4662-4668 then made the same move in September, with the remaining 11 (4669-4679) leaving Perry Barr in October 2005. After this point, Acocks Green then solely operated all 11 journeys in both directions.

A further 10 buses then entered service while these movements were occurring in August 2005, this time in Coventry to take over Metrobuses on the 13 service (Willenhall - Prologis Park via City Centre). 6 out of the 10 are branded for this route. These buses are the only ones in the whole fleet with '05' number plates.

In December 2005, 4518-4527 at Acocks Green were prepared for new route branding, with the Travel West Midlands logo's being removed. They then received branding for the 37 service (Birmingham - Solihull, replacing Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents on the route, and started to operate the route from January 2006.

West Bromwich's Geminis were new between July and August 2006. The first 8 (4700-4707) were branded for the Dudley Road services 82 and 87 showing a map on both sides for the routes. 4708-4710 were also branded for the Dudley Road, but 4708's special branding read 'Investing in Sandwell', 4709 read 'Investing in The Black Country' and 4710 was 'Investing in Dudley'. These buses also replaced MCW Metrobuses off the 82 and 87, cutting the number operated by West Bromwich.

December 2006 then saw the Geminis branded for the 37 being de-branded and used on other Acocks Green services due to the Wright Eclipse Urbans replacing them on the 37. This then meant that the Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents at Acocks Green could transfer to Birmingham Central, with the Geminis replacing them on other Acocks Green routes, and also onto the 192/194 Solihull - Coventry routes (now withdrawn).

No more Geminis were then ordered, but in January 2007, 4517 transferred to Perry Barr from Acocks Green, due to the Geminis being replaced on the 37 by Wright Eclipse Urbans. 4517 then spent a year at Perry Barr until it returned to Acocks Green with extra transfers 4511-4514 in January 2008.

The allocation of Geminis then remained the same until April 2010 when 4503-4507 were transferred to West Bromwich from Perry Barr. This was because Perry Barr had received 5 Scania Omnilink's from Lea Hall to convert the 907 to single deck operation. These 5 went into service on the 82 and 87 services, but also work on the 74, 80 and 451. Also, in April, 4525 and 4528 transferred to Walsall from Acocks Green. Then in May 2010, 4523, 4524, 4527 and 4531 also transferred to Walsall because of the changes made by the North Walsall Review, making a total of 6 transferring.

Walsall then received 3 Perry Barr Gemini's 4488-4490 on the 17th July, in preparation for the 25 July changes. These were the only Travel West Midlands liveried Geminis operating out of Walsall. This was part of a three way transfer, with Walsall transferring Tridents 4317, 4326 & 4366 to Birmingham Central. Birmingham Central then transferred ALX400s 4241, 4251 & 4263. These then replaced the Gemini's so they could replace the Tridents at Walsall.

Then at the next service changes at the end of August 2010, all but 1 of the ex-Acocks Green Gemini's at Walsall were transferred to Perry Barr to allow the 5 leather seated Enviro's there transfer to Walsall so that the 997 can be completely operated by Walsall again. Also transferred to Perry Barr were Gemini's 4488-4490, which only spent a month at Walsall. The main reason for swapping the Omnilinks for Gemini's was so that service 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common) could be converted back to Double Decker operation, even though single deckers are still common on this route.

{C}In July 2011, Walsall's sole ex-Acocks Green Gemini, 4531, was then transferred to West Bromwich, leaving Walsall with thier original allocation once again.

FutureEdit

No future changes are known.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4475 - 4477	BJ03 EWF - BJ03 EWH
4478 - 4481	BJ03 EWK - BJ03 EWN
4482	BJ03 EWP
4483 - 4491	BJ03 EWR - BJ03 EWZ
4492 - 4499	BJ03 EXA - BJ03 EXH
4500 - 4503	BJ03 EXK - BJ03 EXN
4504	BJ03 EXP
4505	BJ03 EXR
4506 - 4511	BU53 UMC - BU53 UMH
4512 - 4515	BU53 UMJ - BU53 UMM
4516	BU53 UMR
4517	BU53 UMT
4518 - 4522	BU53 UMV - BU53 UMZ
4523	BU53 UNB
4524 - 4527	BU53 UNE - BU53 UNH
4528 - 4532	BU53 UNJ - BU53 UNN
4533	BU53 UNP
4534	BU53 UNR
4635 - 4636	BX54 DFF - BX54 DFG
4637 - 4638	BX54 DFJ - BX54 DFK
4639	BX54 DFV
4640 - 4641	BX54 DFY - BX54 DFZ
4642	BX54 DGE
4643 - 4644	BX54 DGY - BX54 DGZ
4645	BX54 DHA
4646	BX54 DHC
4647 - 4650	BX54 DRD - BX54 DRG
4651 - 4652	BX54 XRM - BX54 XRN
4653	BX54 XPR
4654	BX54 XPT
4655	BX54 XPZ
4656 - 4657	BX54 XRA - BX54 XRB
4658 - 4660	BX54 DFN - BX54 DFP
4661	BX54 DFU
4662	BX54 DGF
4663	BX54 DGO
4664 - 4665	BX54 DGU - BX54 DGV
4666 - 4670	BX54 DHD - BX54 XRH
4671 - 4673	BX54 XRJ - BX54 XRL
4674 - 4676	BX54 XPU - BX54 XPW
4677	BX54 XPY
4678	BX54 XRC
4679 - 4682	BX54 XPM - BX54 XPP
4683 - 4686	BX54XTA - BX54 XTD
4687	BU05 HEV
4688 - 4689	BU05 HFE - BU05 HFF
4690	BU05 HFH
4691	BU05 HFJ
4692	BU05 HFL
4693 - 4694	BU05 HFO - BU05 HFP
4695 - 4696	BU05 HFR - BU05 HFS
4700	BU06 CWR
4701	BU06 CWT
4702	BU06 CWV
4703 - 4706	BU06 CWW - BU06 CWZ
4707 - 4711	BU06 CXA - BU06 CXE
4712 - 4713	BU06 CXG - BU06 CXH
4714 - 4717	BU06 CXJ - BU06 CXM

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet Numbers
AG (61)	4511 - 4514, 4517 - 4522, 4526, 4529, 4530, 4532 - 4534, 4635 - 4679
PB (38)	4475 - 4502, 4508 - 4510, 4515, 4516, 4523 - 4525, 4527, 4528
WB (24)	4503 - 4507, 4531, 4700 - 4717
CV (10)	4687 - 4696
WA (7)	4680 - 4686

Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban/Urban 2Edit

National Express West Midlands currently operates 107 of these buses, 38 with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork and 69 with Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodywork. Each bus with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork seats 42 passengers and entered service between November 2006 and February 2007. The buses with Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodywork seat 44 passengers, and after first coming into use in December 2009 as a single demonstrator at Pensnett garage, entered service with National Express West Midlands in November 2011 at Wolverhampton garage.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, three garages operate B7RLEs.

At Walsall, the B7RLEs are known to appear on most routes from time to time, but can most commonly be found operating the 10/A (Walsall - Burntwood/Brownhills West), 77 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield), 302 (Walsall - Lower Farm), 333/E (Walsall - Darlaston/Wolverhampton), 405 (Walsall - West Bromwich) and 935/A/E (Birmingham - Kingstanding/Walsall/Rushall) services.

Wolverhampton garage's B7RLEs, with Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodywork, are being used on the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 services.

Pensnett's Urban 2 B7RLEs entered service in March 2012 and went straight onto the 120 (Birmingham - Dudley) service, as well as appearing on the 140 (Birmingham - Dudley) and 241 (Dudley - Halesowen) services.

HistoryEdit

In November 2006, the first of 38 new full length single deck B7RLEs began entering service at National Express West Midlands, the first for five years.

The first half of this batch entered service at Walsall garage, replacing Volvo B10Bs on the 311 and 313 services, which at the time ran between Walsall and Stourbridge/Dudley. Most of the batch received branding for these services.

The second half began entering service at Acocks Green garage between January and February 2007. These buses replaced Volvo B7TL double deck buses on the 37 service between Birmingham and Solihull.

Everything remained the same with the B7RLEs until June 2009. National Express West Midlands replaced B7RLEs on the 311/313 services with brand new Scania OmniLinks. As such, three transferred to Acocks Green garage to cover a recent frequency and therefore PVR increase on the 37 service, whilst the 333 (Walsall - Wolverhampton), 329/A/E (Walsall - Bloxwich) and 302 (Walsall - Bloxwich) services at Walsall started being operated by B7RLEs, with other routes regularly seeing them in action.

In October following the shortening of the 311 route to terminate at Dudley, the spare Scania OmniLinks replaced B7RLEs on the 329 route, allowing the 366 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield) service to become operated by Volvo B7RLEs.

Again everything remained constant until May 2010, when once again Scania OmniLinks replaced Volvo B7RLEs, this time on the 37 service. This allowed all of the B7RLEs to transfer to Walsall, in order for Walsall to withdraw B6LEs.

Also in May 2010, demonstrator 1908 arrived with National Express West Midlands. Carrying the newer Wright Eclipse 2 bodywork, this bus entered service in June at Pensnett Garage on the 246 (Dudley - Stourbridge) service, and was expected to visit a different garage every three months during its one year stay with the company, but remained at Pensnett garage.

After 10 Omnilink's transferred from Walsall to Perry Barr in July 2010, the B7LRE's began to appear on the 311/313 again, replacing the Omnilink's.

The 311 and 313 changed back to Omnilink operation a month later when 7 out of the 10 Omnilink's transferred back to Walsall from Perry Barr.

March 2011 saw the Wright Eclipse Urban 2 demonstator 1908 transfer to Acocks Green where it operated solely on route 37. 1908 on the 37 20/04/11. It then transferred to Wolverhampton garage in July 2011 for type-training, as it is believed that this garage will be acquiring most of the new batch expected in September 2011.

October 2011 saw the first of the new batch of Wright Eclipse Urban 2 B7RLEs arriving at Walsall garage, which entered service at Wolverhampton garage in November 2011. Demonstrator 1908 was also withdrawn from service at Wolverhampton, and is expected to be transferred to National Express Dundee, who will also be receiving some new Wright Eclipse Urban 2 buses, which will see Scania Omnilinks transferred to the West Midlands, most likely to Bordesley garage.

February 2012 saw a further 19 new Urban 2s enter service at Wolverhampton garage, while in March 2012, 21 new Urban 2s began arriving at Pensnett garage, the first 'brand-new' buses for this garage in 14 years.

FutureEdit

A further 54 Urban 2 B7RLEs are on order and still to be delivered, it is believed that Acocks Green will be receiving a total of 23, for the 71 and 72 services. The destination of the remaining 31 is still unknown.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
1750-1754	BX56 XBS - BX56 XBW
1755–1756	BX56 XBY - BX56 XBZ
1757–1764	BX56 XCA - BX56 XCH
1765–1771	BX56 XCJ - BX56 XCP
1772–1777	BX56 XCR - BX56 XCW
1778–1779	BX56 XCY - BX56 XCZ
1780–1784	BX56 XDA - BX56 XDE
1785–1786	BX56 XDH - BX56 XDG
1787	BX56 XDJ
2001-2002	BX61 LHY - BX61 LHZ
2003	BX61 LJA
2004	BX61 LJC
2005-2006	BX61 LJE - BX61 LJF
2007-2009	BX61 LJJ - BX61 LJL
2010-2011	BX61 LJN - BX61 LJO
2012-2013	BX61 LJU - BX61 LJV
2014-2015	BX61 LJY - BX61 LJZ
2016	BX61 LKA
2017-2021	BX61 LKC - BK61 LKG
2022-2028	BX61 LKJ - BX61 LKP
2029	BX61 LKU
2059-2077	BX61 XBE - BX61 XBZ
2078-2080	BX61 XCA - BX61 XCC
2081	BX12 DAO
2082	BX12 DAU
2083	BX12 DBO
2084-2087	BX12 DBU - BX12 DBZ
2088-2089	BX12 DCE - BX12 DCF
2090	BX12 DCO
2091-2092	BX12 DCU - BX12 DCV

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
WA (38)	1750–1787
WN (48)	2001-2029, 2059-2077
PE (21)	2078-2098

Fleet numbers with no formatting are the original Eclipse Urban bodywork whereas bold fleetnumbers are of the Eclipse Urban 2 style bodywork.

Volvo B7TL/Plaxton PresidentEdit

National Express West Midlands operates 99 of these buses, having originally operated 102, which were delivered between 1999 and 2000. Each bus seats 74 passengers.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, Plaxton President bodied B7TLs operate out of just three National Express West Midlands garages.

At Birmingham Central they appear on most routes operated by the garage.

At Acocks Green, they are used on the 1 (Town Hall - Acocks Green) service, for which some buses are branded, as well as on other double-deck services, alongside the Wright Gemini B7TLs, such as the 5 (Birmingham - Solihull), 11A/C (Birmingham Outer Circle), 31/31A (Birmingham - Solihull/Shirley) and the 966 (Solihull - Erdington), and also appear on some peak time 37 (Birmingham - Solihull) journeys.

At West Bromwich, they are used on the 451 (West Bromwich - Sutton Coldfield) service, for which most buses are branded, but also appear on other double-deck services, such as the 74, 75, 80, 82, 87 and ocassional workings on the 127/128.

HistoryEdit

Between October and December 1999, the first 19 buses entered service at Birmingham Central Garage. These buses were used on a variety of services, including the Hagley Road Corridor, for which a number carried branding for.

These were followed by 15 for Walsall Garage, which began entering service at the beginning of the new Millennium. These buses were branded for the 51 (Walsall - Birmingham) service for which they became the main allocation on, whilst a further 15 entered service at Acocks Green on the 37 service (Solihull - Birmingham) service, again for which buses were branded for.

The now closed Hockley Garage then became the fourth garage to receive Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TLs, when they received 11 examples, with Perry Barr being next in line, when they took receipt of four in February 2000.

Yardley Wood garage took receipt of 21 (4087-4107) in February, whilst Birmingham Central then received two more (4108-9), before Perry Barr gained 10 more, these being branded for the Sutton Lines group of services, linking Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield.

4120-4123 were all to Smiths Coaches of Shennington, where they were used on the Airbus service, serving Birmingham International Airport. These quickly entered normal service at Travel West Midlands soon afterwards. The final example, 4124 was new to Perry Barr Garage.

In May 2002, the allocation of the Presidents at Yardley Wood mostly transferred to West Bromwich garage, due to new Tridents at Yardley Wood. A smaller number also transferred to Hockley (4104-4107).

In May 2005, all of the earlier Presidents transferred between Yardley Wood and West Bromwich then transferred again to Birmingham Central Garage. Following the closure of Hockley Garage, Birmingham Central took 4072 - 4082, 4102, 4103, 4121 and 4123. 4120 and 4122 transferred to Perry Barr.

In March 2007, 4033 was the first bus in the fleet to be repainted into the then new toothpaste livery and refurbished inside, but in the old seat patterns. This was the only toothpaste liveried bus to operate from Birmingham Central.

In the summer of 2007, following an agreement with Centro, the B7TLs were centralised to operate from just three garages. Walsall and Perry Barr all lost their allocations, whilst West Bromwich gained 14 and Acocks Green gained 11. These buses were completely refurbished and used on 'The One' and 451 services from November 2007 for which some buses were branded for. Birmingham Central then received the remainder, which all started a programme of refurbishment which continued well into 2008.

In January 2009, 4080 was transferred to Acocks Green, making 4080 the first President to operate from another garage rather than Birmingham Central in the NXWM livery.

4080 was later joined at Acocks Green by 4033, repainted from toothpaste livery into the NXWM livery.

Following the closure of Lea Hall, fifteen B7TLs moved from Birmingham Central to Acocks Green. Most replaced B6LEs and the final three Metrobuses, whilst the rest were for route 966 (Solihull to Erdington) which transferred from Lea Hall.

West Bromwich then lost 4085 to a severe fire on the 14th September 2010. 4085 is known to be recieving repairs using parts from 4030,l which will then go for scrap.. (Damage to 4085)

Also in September, 4031/2/4 have appeared with the new style green branding for the Pershore Road services, along with some Tridents, including the already Pershore Road branded buses. But 4031 is surrently withdrawn due to a small amount of top deck fire damage.

December saw 4115 withdrawn with severe front end damage when involved in an accident on the 11C in Cotteridge.

In March 2011, for an unknown reason, West Bromwich and Birmingham Central swopped 4079 and 4086 between garages, and also 4110 has been noted operating from West Bromwich, more than likley for a replacement for 4108, also fire damaged. {C}4029 has also transferred to West Bromwich in March, and may be the reason for ALX400 4226 transferring to Perry Barr from West Bromwich.

4115 was then reinstated at Acocks Green garage, after being repaired and repainted into the NXWM livery in May 2011.

July 2011 saw 14 Plaxton President's transfer to West Bromwich from Birmingham Central, replaced by Dennis Trident's from Walsall and Wolverhampton. The reason been the Wolverhampton review giving West Browmich an additional route in need of double deck vehicles, losing a single decker route to Walsall.

4031 was then reported to be back in service at Birmingham Central in August 2011, repaired and repainted after a small fire on the top deck.

4028 is reported to be at Walsall garage, having been fully repaired, and being repainted into the new livery ready to re-enter service in November 2011. Several other Presidents have been repainted during October/November, which has seen some of Acocks Green's 'toothpaste' liveried and '1' branded buses being refurbished into the new livery.

WithdrawalsEdit

Currently, 3 B7TLs are withdrawn, all due to fire damage, and these are 4030, 4088 and 4108.

Between March and April 2008, four B7TLs were withdrawn due to fire damage. All four were based at Birmingham Central garage and were buses 4028, 4030, 4035 & 4088.

- 4028 re-entered service at Birmingham Central in January 2012 after being repaired for its rear end lower fire damage, after suffering from what looks like a rear axle fire in Sheldon on October 14th, 2008.

- 4030 is at Carlyle, West Bromwich, being stripped for spares used to repair 4085.

- 4085 re-entered service at Birmingham Central in January 2012, having been repaired using the roof from 4030 after suffering severe fire damage on the 14th September 2010 whilst based at West Bromwich.

- 4088, last at Birmingham Central, was withdrawn due to fire damage, after a fire on Colmore Row in Birmingham City Centre sometime in 2007. After 4 years, this bus is still parked up in Miller Street, now the last Plaxton President there after 4030 was removed.

- West Bromwich based bus 4108 is also withdrawn due to an arson attack on the upper deck in February 2011 while working the 451 and this will be scrapped, as the damage is too severe and parts from 4108 went to help repair 4028.

FutureEdit

The future of the Presidents is currently unknown, however it is believed that due to forthcoming vehicle emmissions requirements for public transport vehicles operating in Birmingham city centre from Summer 2012, this type of vehicle would not be suitable without extensive modifications. One possible outcome is to transfer most to Acocks Green garage for use on the Outer Circle 11A/C services, in exchange for Wright Eclipse Geminis.

Fleet numbers and registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4023 - 4031	V423 MOA - V431 MOA
4032	V32 MOA
4033	V433 MOA
4034 - 4039	V34 MOA - V39 MOA
4040	V440 MOA
4041 - 4043	V41 MOA - V43 MOA
4044	V544 MOA
4045 - 4049	V45 MOA - V49 MOA
4050	V450 MOA
4051 - 4054	V51 MOA - V54 MOA
4055	V455 MOA
4056 - 4059	V56 MOA - V59 MOA
4060	V460 MOA
4061 - 4065	V61 MOA - V65 MOA
4066	V466 MOA
4067 - 4069	V67 MOA - V69 MOA
4070	V470 MOA
4071 - 4076	V71 MOA - V76 MOA
4077	V477 MOA
4078 - 4079	V78 MOA - V79 MOA
4080	V480 MOA
4081 - 4087	V81 MOA - V87 MOA
4088	V488 MOA
4089	V89 MOA
4090	V490 MOA
4091 - 4098	V91 MOA - V98 MOA
4099	V499 MOA
4100	V410 MOA
4101 - 4109	V101 MOA - V109 MOA
4110	W411 DOE
4111	W411 DOP
4112 - 4114	W112 DOP - W114 DOP
4115	W415 BOV
4116 - 4119	W116 DOP - W119 DOP
4120	W412 DOE
4121	W421 DOP
4122	W122 DOP
4123	W523 DOP
4124	W124 DOP

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet Numbers
BC (27)	4031, 4032, 4034, 4038, 4040, 4041, 4056 - 4059, 4061, 4085, 4086, 4104 - 4107, 4109, 4116 - 4124.
AG (47)	4023 - 4029, 4033, 4035 - 4037, 4039, 4042, 4043, 4045, 4046, 4050 - 4052, 4060, 4062 - 4080, 4082, 4083, 4101 - 4103, 4111, 4112, 4115
WB (25)	4044, 4047 - 4049, 4053 - 4055, 4081, 4084, 4087, 4089 - 4100, 4110, 4113, 4114.
Withdrawn (3)	4030, 4088, 4108

Volvo B6LEEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operates 80 of these buses in normal passenger service, with Wright Crusader bodywork. 183 buses were purchased new between 1996 and 1999, but five have transferred to National Express Dundee and three have been withdrawn due to fire damage. A further 57 are in the reserve fleet.

Most buses seat 37 passengers, with the exception of the ex-Hotel Hoppa examples which seat 29.

Current operationsEdit

At present, National Express West Midlands operates B6s out of five garages, Walsall, Pensnett, West Bromwich, Birmingham Central, and Coventry.

At Walsall & West Bromwich they are used on most local services, whilst at Coventry they most commonly appear on the 801 (University Hospital Coventry - University of Warwick), for which buses are branded for.

At Pensnett they are used on most of the local routes in Dudley, including routes 222/E (Dudley - Merry Hill - Halesowen), 243, 244 (Dudley - Merry Hill/Hasbury) & 297/297A (Gornal Wood - Merry Hill).

Birmingham Central use their B6LE's, all ex West Bromwich buses solely on the 636 (Birmingham - Halesowen).

HistoryEdit

Between September 1996 and February 1999, Travel West Midlands received its Wright Crusader bodied B6 buses. Buses were delivered new to West Bromwich, Yardley Wood, Acocks Green, Pensnett (Travel Merry Hill), Walsall and Coventry, whilst others went to other divisions prior to entering service in the Midlands, such as Travel London, Smiths/Your Bus and SpeedLink.

Following transfers, B6s have also spent time at Perry Barr, Birmingham Central and Wolverhampton Garages.

Over the years Volvo B6LEs have been branded for 'The Link' (Sutton Coldfield Routes), The Beechdale (Routes 370 & 370A),Travel Coventry's Park and Ride North & South Services (Now ran by Central Connect & Travel DeCourcey), 406H (West Bromwich - Great Barr), and the 166 / S9 (Solihull - Blythe Valley Business Park) shuttle service.

In September 2008, another B6LE, 229, entered service. This was used solely on Rail Replacement and a Walsall College football shuttle service. It sat 29 passengers and was not equipped with a cab-door or ticket machine, having been transferred from the Hotel Hoppa division. It was sent to the reserve fleet in June 2010.

This was followed by as many as fifteen other ex-Hotel Hoppa examples, which had various seating configurations. All of these were sold on, apart from one which had its luggage rack replaced by 6 seats, repainted and entered service at Walsall in September 2010. It is unlike 229 because it has a cab door, ticket machine and a Smart Pass reader.

A number of B6LE's were transferred from West Bromwich to Birmingham Central in April 2011 for route 636 (Birmingham - Halesowen), after previously operated by Dennis Dart's which have now returned to West Bromwich. This is the first time for a number of years that Birmingham Central have operated Volvo B6LE's. They are now starting to have route branding applied for the route. At the time of July 2011, these buses are starting to get dproper destination blinds for the 636, rather than using West Bromwich destination blinds.

Also in July 2011, Walsall transferred some B6LE's to Pensnett and West Bromwich, as well as withdrawing a small number.

Following the arrival of brand new B7RLEs at Pensnett garage in March 2012, a large number were withdrawn from there.

WithdrawalsEdit

Plaxton Pointer B6Edit

In 2004, Travel West Midlands obtained a batch of 4 Plaxton Pointer Volvo B6 buses from sister company Travel Dundee.

These were placed in use, initially, on the 205 by Pensnett depot which had been introduced from a curtailment on the 88. These Volvo B6s did not, unlike their Wright Crusader bodied counterparts, have low floor and so therefore were non-standard in the Pensnett fleet.

In April 2008, after the Dudley Network Review occurred, these were withdrawn and transferred to store at NXWM Miller Street.^[2][3][4][5]

Wright Crusader B6Edit

Since 1998, 8 Volvo B6LEs have left service with National Express West Midlands, prior to the introduction of the main withdrawal programme.

505 (P505 EJW), 532 (P532 EJW) and 637 (S637 VOA), which were allocated to Pensnett, West Bromwich and Walsall garages, were scrapped after all three suffered severe fire damage in January 2006, ??? and December 2008 respectively.

Meanwhile 521 (P521 EJW), 522 (P522 EJW), 523 (P523 EJW), 527 (P527 EJW) & 531 (P531 EJW) all have left to go to National Express Dundee. These buses left from a variety of garages to head North in mid-2005.

From September 2009, many B6s started being withdrawn to the reserve fleet. Some buses only temporary entered for refurbishment, whilst others were surplus to requirements.

Acocks Green withdrew their final two remaining B6LEs, 594 and 627, in July 2011.

Towards the end of 2012, many B6LEs in storage have started being sold for scrap value.

FutureEdit

The next few months will see more B6LEs being withdrawn, some being replaced by brand new midi-buses, 30 of which are due to be delivered later in 2012, while others are being replaced by Mercedes O405Ns and Volvo B10Ls being cascaded around the fleet, following the arrival of brand new Volvo B7RLEs.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet Numbers	Registrations
244	P244 AAP
501 - 504	P501 EJW - P504 EJW
506 - 520	P506 EJW - P520 EJW
524 - 530	P524 EJW - P530 EJW
533 - 550	P533 EJW - P550 EJW
551	P551 EON
552 - 554	P552 LDA - P554 LDA
555	P955 LDA
556 - 559	P556 LDA - P559 LDA
560	P960 LOB
561 - 566	P561 MDA - P566 MDA
567 - 581	R567 XDA - R581 XDA
582 - 599	R582 YON - R599 YON
600	R160 YON
601 - 604	R601 YON - R604 YON
605	R905 YON
606 - 614	R606 YON - R614 YON
615	S615 VOB
616 - 636	S616 VOA - S636 VOA
638 - 683	S638 VOA - S683 VOA

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
PE (17)	502, 508, 510, 544, 554, 555, 577, 581, 583, 596, 598, 600, 601, 606, 612, 614, 617, 618, 620, 622, 659, 679
WA (31)	244, 516, 517, 530, 534, 547, 551, 557, 560, 561, 564, 566 - 569, 572, 576, 578, 597, 610, 626, 635, 638 - 640, 642, 643, 648 - 651, 653 - 655, 658, 667, 671 - 673
WB (16)	519, 524, 526, 533, 540, 549, 550, 573, 590, 591, 595, 608, 621, 623 - 625, 670, 674, 676, 680 - 682
CV (7)	582, 584, 586, 660 - 663
BC (9)	629-634, 636, 664, 665

Reserve (53)

229, 247, 501, 503, 504, 506, 511 - 513, 520, 525, 528, 529, 535 - 539, 542, 543, 545, 546, 548, 552, 553, 558, 559, 562, 565, 570, 571, 574, 575, 580, 585, 587 - 589, 592, 594, 602, 603, 605, 607 609, 613, 627, 628, 641, 644, 646, 647, 652, 656, 657, 678

Volvo B7TL/ALX400Edit

National Express West Midlands owns 90 of these buses, purchased between 2001 - 2002. These buses are often confused with the Dennis Trident 2 buses with the same bodywork, but can be differentiated by having two rows of seats between the top of the stairs and the front of the bus on the upper deck and also that the downstairs rear window has curved edges rather than squared on the Dennis versions. The sizes of some of the windows on both decks are also different between the two, most noticeable the window on the fire door and opposite. There are also various differences between body panels and the height on the skirt panels between the two.

Current operationsEdit

At present National Express West Midlands operates these buses out of just three garages. The small allocation at Coventry appear on most of the routes operated by the Garage.

Perry Barr use their large allocation on most of their routes, including the 7 (Birmingham - Perry Common), 16 (Birmingham - Hamstead), 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common), 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood), 101 (Birmingham - Handsworth), 115 (Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield via Lichfield Road) and the 904/914 (Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield). They also appear in some peak workings of the 67 service and also on Sundays, when no Bendi-buses are used.

West Bromwich mainly use their ALX400s on the 74 (Birmingham - Dudley), 80 (Birmingham - West Bromwich), 127/128 (Birmingham - Blackheath )and the 451 (West Bromwich - Sutton Coldfield), although it is not rare to see ALX400s also appear on routes 82/87 (Birmingham - Bearwood/Dudley) as cover for Gemini's that usually operate these routes.

HistoryEdit

In September 2001, the first nine B7TL/ALX400s entered service branded for the 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common) service from Perry Barr garage. This coincided with the route transferring from Hockley Garage, who operated the route using Mercedes O405Ns.

A month later, Birmingham Central gained the first of their large allocation, starting with 4234, with their allocation slowly entering service until January 2002. A total of 15 (4250-4264) were branded for service 50 (Birmingham - Druids Heath).

The next garage to operate these buses was the now closed Hockley, which in total, had 13 for the 16 service (Birmingham - Hamstead), of which 8 were branded. 4277 & 4278 from Hockley were also fitted with tachographs so that they could be used for private hire.

In January 2002, Perry Barr were set to receive 26 (4279 - 4304) more of these buses for use on the 'Sutton Lines' services, for which they contained branding for, replacing Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents, which were only two years old at the time. Too many had been ordered however, so 10 of the buses were quickly debranded, whilst a further five (4300 - 4304) were re-registered with 'ST02' plates and sent to Travel Dundee.

Then in December 2002, Coventry received their allocation of ALX400s and were some of the first new buses delivered in the then new Travel Coventry livery. To this day, they have operated on many of the routes operated by Coventry Garage.

There was no movements of ALX400s until November 2004 when 4300-4304 transferred back from Travel Dundee. They were debranded from Dundee routes 22/C and were allocated to Birmingham Central, after being planned originally to enter service at Coventry.

A major transfer of the ALX400s then occurred in May 2005 when Hockley Garage closed. All of their allocation (4265-4272, 4274-4278, 4290-4299) transferred to West Bromwich, along with route 16.

September 2006 saw the 16 service and the buses 4264-4273 and 4275-4278 transfer to Perry Barr.

All remained the same until the end of 2007 when Perry Barr received an allocation of Scania OmniLinks, replacing ALX400s on the 16 and the 65. This meant that a large number of ALX400s transferred to Birmingham Central in order for the Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents to get full refurbishments and repaints, and also to West Bromwich. 8 transferred to Birmingham Central, whilst another 12 went straight to West Bromwich.

On January 31, 2009, Birmingham Central based bus 4253 suffered major roof damage after travelling into a Low Bridge in the Cradley Heath area whilst on route 139 (now withdrawn).

Between January and August 2009, 4253 was repaired, repainted and re-entered service in mid August 2009.

8 B7TLs then left Birmingham Central Garage for Perry Barr Garage in November 2009, to enable MCW Metrobuses to be withdrawn, and these were 4238, 4243, 4245-4247, 4254, 4256 & 4258. 4248 also Transferred to West Bromwich.

In January a further 2 also transferred from Birmingham Central to Perry Barr. These were 4234 & 4240.

Then a week before the Lea Hall closure, 4241, 4251 & 4263 then transferred to Perry Barr Garage from Birmingham Central due to 3 Gemini's transferring to Walsall as part of a three way transfer. Birmingham Central gained three Trident's from Walsall.

On the 25 July 2010, following Lea Halls closure, 23 of the 24 vehicles at Birmingham Central transferred across to Perry Barr Garage, with one each transferring from West Bromwich and Birmingham Central to the reserve fleet.

At the August service changes, 4225 in reserve was reinstated to Perry Barr, and 4269, also in reserve was reinstated to Birmingham Central and is the only one of its type at the garage, having lost all of its allocation a month earlier.

4269 was then transferred to Perry Barr in September 2010.

On 31st March 2011, 4226 with it's incomplete branding was spotted on the 16A. Along with 4225, both had transferred to Perry Barr, 4225 not long leaving Perry Barr returning to West Bromwich.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4225	BU51 RRO
4226	BU51 RRV
4227-4229	BU51 RRX - BU51 RRZ
4230	BU51 RSO
4231	BU51 RSV
4232	BU51 RSX
4233	BU51 RSZ
4234	BU51 RSY
4235	BU51 RTO
4236	BU51 RTV
4237	BU51 RTX
4238	BU51 RTZ
4239	BU51 RUA
4240	BU51 RUC
4241	BU51 RUH
4242	BU51 RUJ
4243	BU51 RUO
4244	BU51 RUR
4245 - 4246	BU51 RUV - BU51 RUW
4247	BU51 RVA
4248	BU51 RVC
4249 - 4250	BU51 RVE - BU51 RVF
4251 - 4253	BU51 RVJ - BU51 RVL
4254	BU51 RVV
4255 - 4257	BU51 RVN - BU51 RVP
4258	BU51 RVR
4259	BU51 RVT
4260	BU51 RVM
4261 - 4264	BU51 RVW - BU51 RVZ
4265 - 4266	BU51 RWE - BU51 RWF
4267 - 4269	BU51 RWJ - BU51 RWL
4270 - 4271	BU51 RWN - BU51 RWO
4272 - 4276	BU51 RWV - BU51 RWZ
4277 - 4279	BU51 RXB - BU51 RXD
4280 - 4281	BU51 RXG - BU51 RXH
4282 - 4283	BU51 RXJ - BU51 RXK
4284 - 4287	BU51 RXM - BU51 RXP
4288 - 4290	BU51 RXR - BU51 RXT
4291 - 4293	BU51 RXV - BU51 RXX
4294	BU51 RXZ
4295 - 4296	BU51 RYA - BU51 RYB
4297	BU51 RYD
4298 - 4299	BU51 RYF - BU51 RYG
4300	ST02 MZV
4301	STO2 MZO
4302	STO2 MZP
4303	ST02 MZN
4304	ST02 MZU
4415 - 4420	BV52 OCK - BV52 OCP
4421 - 4422	BV52 OCR - BV52 OCS
4423	BV52 OCU
4424	BV52 OCW

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
PB (52)	4225, 4226, 4234 - 4247, 4249 - 4263, 4269, 4272, 4276 - 4289, 4300 - 4304
WB (28)	4227-4233, 4248, 4264 - 4268, 4270, 4271, 4273 - 4275, 4290 - 4299
CV (10)	4415 - 4424

Volvo B10LEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operates 50 of these buses in normal service, all with Wright Liberator bodywork.

Each bus seats 43 passengers. No B10Ls carry branding for any routes.

Current operationsEdit

At Perry Barr, B10Ls are used on a variety of routes including the 28/A (Scott Arms/Great Barr - Heartlands Hospital), 46 (Birmingham - Perry Barr), 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common) and routes 66/66a (birmingham-Sutton Coldfield),which partly replaced the 68a/68c.

Yardley Wood have their few remaining B10Ls almost exclusively on the 27 (Hawkesley - Maypole), but they also make rare appearances on the 2 (Birmingham - Maypole) and 3 (Birmingham - Acocks Green), as well as the 6 (Birmingham - Solihull).

Walsall's B10Ls are currently allocated to their 7/7A, 34, 38 and 39 services.

HistoryEdit

The first Wright Liberator B10Ls began arriving from September 1996 to multiple garages and continued to do so until late 1997. The first branded batch were for Perry Barr service Line 33, which starting operating in November 1996 in an all over blue livery and continued to operate the service until the arrival of the Geminis, some 6 years later. It is worth noting they were repainted into the Low floor livery with Line 33 branding and next stop displays.

Whilst the second branded batch, wearing a similar livery, were for the Walsall route, the 301, which continued on the route until October 2007. These buses, along with a few unbranded ones from other garages, then all had a complete interior and exterior refurbishment and were used on a new Centro partnership route the 377 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield). The 377 has now being renumbered and has had it allocation replaced with Wright Eclipse Urbans, and sometimes Dennis Trident/ALX400s and Wright Eclipse Geminis.

The Volvo B10Ls have being branded for a lot of routes as well as those mentioned above, these include Route 34, Hagley Road, Network Harbourne, Route 301 as well as routes 50Y and 97Y when some were allocated to Travel Your Bus.

In June 1997 14 Alexander Ultra gas-powered buses entered service on the 529, complete with branding, making it the first 100% gas powered route in the whole of the United Kingdom. However, just months afterwards all fourteen were taken off the road for checks after an issue was found with similar buses at a bus company in Nottingham. The NXWM buses were however safe and soon returned back to normal service and continued operating the 529 until the arrival of the Dennis Trident 2s in early 2000. From thereon they operated on most services in Walsall. In 2007, 7 were converted to run on diesel and were converted into driver trainers and used in the driver training fleet. The remaining 7 in service were converted to run on conventional diesel by March 2008. In February 2010 however, 1502, was converted back into a passenger service vehicle, repainted and was reinstated back at Walsall after 3 years as a trainer.

Previously, Coventry, Pensnett, Walsall and Birmingham Central have also operated B10Ls.

One B10L, 1466, transferred to Travel Dundee from Perry Barr in 2003. It returned in 2010 and was placed in the reserve fleet, but with its Dundee fleet number, 7115.

Perry Barr also temporally lost all of their allocation in January 2009, with their B10L's transferring to Acocks Green and Pensnett, but 7 months later, began regaining an allocation from Pensnett, Yardley Wood and Acocks Green.

On 3 July 2009, 1410 became the first B10L to get the proper NXWM logo.

In March 2010, Wolverhampton received another small allocation of B10Ls, to replace the step floor Volvo B10Ls at the garage. B10Ls have operated from Wolverhampton in 1999 for a brief period, when the Hagley Road branded B10Ls were replaced by Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents, but were soon reallocated to other garages.

By the end of May 2010, all of the Wright Liberator examples and all but 2 of the Alexander Ultra examples were withdrawn from Walsall. Within a week of June the final two examples were withdrawn. Walsall had operated both types of B10L since their introduction in 1996/97.

In May and June 2010, several ex-Travel Dundee B10Ls transferred down to the West Midlands, including former 1466, where they are set to re-enter service in the near future. These buses can be distinguished by their fleet numbers being in the 7000 series.

In July 2010, the first Alexander Ultra bodied B10L was reinstated to Yardley Wood. 1506 was also followed by 7 others Alexander Ultra's.

Other changes during the end of July, due to the closure of Lea Hall, saw three Wright Liberator examples out of the reserve fleet transfer to Acocks Green Garage. Wolverhampton's allocation all transferred to Perry Barr, whereas Pensnett's allocation was transferred to Yardley Wood. The only exception to this was 1451, which had been on loan from Pensnett to Yardley Wood but was transferred to Perry Barr instead.

However, just days afterwards, Wolverhampton regained all of its allocation from Perry Barr, plus a number of others from Perry Barr Garage.

At the August service changes, 1444 transferred to Yardley Wood from Perry Barr Garage, and also one each left Yardley Wood and Acocks Green for the reserve fleet, both in the NXWM livery.

In November 2010, 1415 and 1467 were repainted into an all-over blue livery with the intention of replacing Acocks Green's two Blythe Valley branded B6LEs on the S9 route. However, as the S9 Centro-tendered contract was awarded to Silverline in January 2011, they remained in active service appearing on several of Acocks Green's routes.

The new year saw 1461 and 1471 reinstated to Wolverhampton from the reserve fleet. Also 1405 and 1422, from Acocks Green were spotted on Perry Barr routes, but they were only on loan for an unknown reason.

In April 2011, three of the ex-Dundee B10L Liberators (7127-7129) have entered service at Acocks Green garage, having been fully refurbished into the new livery and with LED destination displays. Also, due to Scnaia OmniLink's transferring from Perry Barr to Bordseley Green, 12 B10L's have transferred from Wolverhampton to Perry Barr, replaced by ex Bordseley Green 0405N's.

In June 2011, a further two refurbished ex-Dundee B10Ls (7115 and 7125) were sent to Acocks Green garage, but never actually entered service, and were withdrawn back to the reserve fleet in July 2011.

In August 2011, 1425 from Acocks Green was withdrawn due to accident damage while working on the 71, and for an unknown reason, 1502 was withdrawn from Yardley Wood.

September saw 1461 in use in the reserve fleet again this time from Acocks Green, due to a shortage of B10L's there, and 1471 reinstated back into normal use at Yardley Wood.

At the end of October 2011, 1415 was withdrawn from AG, 1452 was transferred from AG to Yardley Wood, which replaced 1471 which was also withdrawn from service.

November 2011 saw 1402 withdrawn from Acocks Green, and replaced by 1436 from Yardley Wood. 1472 was withdrawn from Perry Barr, and 1509 withdrawn from Yardley Wood.

The next few months saw more B10Ls being withdrawn, with some transferring between Perry Barr, Acocks Green and Yardley Wood. In January 2012, Yardley Wood withdrew a number of B10Ls and these were replaced by Tridents transferring from Birmingham Central and Walsall, in order to restore the 2 and 3 services back to double-deck operation, following complaints about overcrowding.

March 2012 saw some of Acocks Green's B10Ls begin to be withdrawn, as new B7RLE Urban 2s arrive to upgrade the 71 and 72 service. Some have transferred to Walsall garage, in order to replace B6LEs currently there. Yardley Wood also withdrew its last Alexander Ultra-bodied example, 1504.

By the end of April, just 4 were left in service at Acocks Green, as Walsall gained a further 13, bringing their allocation up to 19, while 1 was withdrawn from Yardley Wood, and a further 4 were withdrawn from Perry Barr.

FutureEdit

The remaining 4 B10Ls at Acocks Green are likely to be either withdrawn or make their way to Walsall, where the B10Ls will see out their lifetime, along with those remaining at Perry Barr and Yardley Wood.

May 2012

The last 4 B10L`s at Acocks Green was withdrawn.

1419/1431 to Walsall

1423/1430 to Perry Barr

Twm Dennis tridents left Walsall 4139/4140 to Birmingham Central enabling to Plaxton Presidents to Acocks Green. Its quite sad to see the B10L leave Acocks Green after over 10 Years of use there on 71/72 services and all was virtually replaced within a month.

Walsall`s allocation is up to 22 main allocation being 7/7A/34/38/39 and reguly appering on Services 40/41/69/70/70A/77.

October 2012

1463 joined the Fleet at Walsall putting allocation up to 23. 1463 was previolsey at Walsall route branded for the 377 and the only one in TWM Livery.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
1401–1430	P401 EJW - P430 EJW
1431–1440	P431 JJW - P440 JJW
1441–1443	P441 JOX - P443 JOX
1444	P144 KOF
1445–1460	P445 JOX - P460 JOX
1461–1465	R461 XDA - R465 XDA
1467–1480	R467 XDA - R480 XDA
1502–1504	P502 KOX - P504 KOX
1506–1507	P506 KOX - P507 KOX
1509–1513	P509 KOX - P513 KOX
7115	R466 XDA
7123	P123 KSL
7125 - 7129	P125 KSL - P129 KSL

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
Scaped	1410,1425,1502,1506
YW (10)	1406,1407,1408,1411,1413,1432,1447,1450,1456,1457
PB (15)	1403,1404,1423,1430,1448,1451,1452,1460,1462,1464,1465,1468,1470,1473,1480
WA (23)	1419,1421,1426,1431,1433,1434,1435,1436,1438,1439,1440,1446,1453,1454,1459,1463, 1474,1475,1477,1479,7127,7128,7129

Tranning 1501,1505,1508,1512,1514

School

Withdrawn (43)

1401,1402,1405,1409,1412,1414,1415,1416,1417,1418,1420,1422,1424,1427,1428,1429, 1437,1441,1442,1443,1444,1445,1449,1455,1458,1461,1466(7115),1467,1469,1471,1472, 1476,1478,7123,7125,7126,1503, 1504, 1507, 1509,1510,1511,1513

Bold Font represents buses with Alexander Ultra bodywork, compared to the standard Wright Liberator.

Optare ExcelEdit

National Express West Midlands operates 27 of these buses all from its Wolverhampton garage. There are two lengths - one with a seating capacity of 32, 33 or 34 and the other of 38. Despite being low-floor easy access buses, the smaller length vehicles lack a suitable space for buggies and wheelchairs.

Current operationsEdit

Currently Optare Excels are operated out of just one National Express West Midlands Garage, Wolverhampton, where they can be found operating most single-deck services.

HistoryEdit

Between December 1998 and March 1999, Wolverhampton Garage took delivery of a batch of 35 Optare Excels. These buses were all bigger length examples and were able to seat 38 passengers. These buses were mainly used on the Pendeford Circular services, 504 - 507, for which many were branded, as well as the now withdrawn Dudley - Wolverhampton service 261, again for which some buses had branding for.

In late 2002, Travel West Midlands took receipt of a further 14 Optare Excels. These buses were new to sister company Travel London in 1998, and were converted to single door before entering service in the West Midlands. The earlier examples could sit 34 passengers, whilst the later ones 32.

The first of these entered service at Birmingham Central Garage in Summer 2003, when as many as five came into use on the 44 service. The remainder of the batch entered service at Wolverhampton Garage, where some received branding for the 526 (Wolverhampton - Stowlawn) service, and the 500 (Free City Centre shuttle bus) service. By the end of 2003, Birmingham Centrals examples had moved to The Black Country.

The Excels remained pretty much untouched until a further seven arrived from sister company Travel Dundee in December 2008. Despite being numbered in the 7*** series, these buses were initially new to Travel London and are from the same batch that entered service with Travel West Midlands in 2003. By the middle of 2009, all seven of these buses had entered service.

November 2011 saw the beginning of the withdrawal of these buses, to make way for brand new Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban 2 buses. 413, 422, 7202, 7205 and 7207 have already been withdrawn.

FutureEdit

The future of the Optare Excel is uncertain, with just six remaining in service.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
401	R401 HWU
406 - 407	R406 HWU - R407 HWU
411 - 422	R411 HWU - R422 HWU
684 - 711	S684 YOL - S711 YOL
712 - 718	T712 NOE - T718 NOE
7202	R410 HWU
7203	R404 HWU
7204	R402 HWU
7205	R408 HWU
7206	R403 HWU
7207	R405 HWU
7208	R409 HWU

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
WN (7)	684, 687, 693, 707, 708, 711, 714
Reserve	401, 407, 411 - 422, 685, 686, 688 - 693, 694 - 702, 704 - 706, 709, 710, 712, 713, 716 - 718, 7202 - 7208

Optare SpectraEdit

Current operationsEdit

The Optare Spectras appear on most of Wolverhampton's local routes, especially the shortened 79 service (Wolverhampton - West Bromwich) and the 255 service (Wolverhampton - Merry Hill).

HistoryEdit

The first Optare Spectra to enter service with Travel West Midlands was in January 1998, when 4001 was branded as 'Britain's first Low Floor, Low Emissions, Easy Access double decker', with fleet number 1. A second was new on this day to Travel Dundee as Scotland's first Low Floor double decker, with fleet number 2.

The next 20 Optare Spectras to enter service with Travel West Midlands was in January 1999 were new to Birmingham Central garage, most were branded for the 50 service, with the last one entering service at the end of April 1999.

Then in August 1999, 2 was transferred from Dundee and both 1 and 2 were renumbered 4001 and 4002. This now meant that 22 were now operated by Travel West Midlands.

In 2001, 4014 was withdrawn due to severe fire damage while operating on route 50 in Druids Heath. It was then later scrapped, bringing the number of Spectras back down to 21.

They were then replaced on the 50 in November 2001 with new Volvo B7TL/ALX400s. The Spectras then got debranded and then operated on every other Birmingham Central route.

4006 received fire damage to the lower deck in February 2008 and was withdrawn, while a decision was made about its fate.

In December 2008, 4006 was reinstated back to Birmingham Central Garage after receiving repairs to the earlier fire damage. This was the first Optare Spectra to receive the NXWM livery, and the only one to get repainted while still allocated to Birmingham Central.

In the summer of 2009, Birmingham Central received new Enviro 400s for the Hagley Road routes, which have since transferred to Pensnet., so the Optare Spectras then all transferred to Wolverhampton where they replaced the last of Wolverhampton's allocation of MCW Metrobuses. But the Spectras and the Metrobuses did run side by side at Wolverhampton for a short time while the Spectras were being repainted. They had all transferred by October 2009.

In October 2009, as the future of National Express's bus operations were uncertain, a number of Spectras were repainted into an all-over white livery. A total of 4 were painted into this livery and they were 4005, 4015, 4018 and 4020.

Then in April 2010, the first of the Spectras, 4006 was fitted with a digital display. This followed by the rest of the Spectra's.

June 2010 saw the final Spectra repainted into the NXWM livery, with the final one being 4009. This also includes the small number repainted into all-over white livery. 4009 was also the only Spectra to operate in the old Travel West Midlands livery with a digital display.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4001	R1 NEG
4002	R2 NEG
4003 - 4012	S403 NVP - S412 NVP
4013	T413 UON
4015 - 4022	T415 UON - T422 UON

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet Numbers
WN (21)	4001 - 4013, 4015 - 4022

Dennis Dart SLFEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operates 16 Dennis Darts, 14 with Alexander ALX200 bodywork. Each bus is 8.8m in length and seats 28 passengers.

The other two are Wright Crusader bodied and seat 36. These are now in service at West Bromwich. There is also one more of these buses not currently in use but is in the reserve fleet.

Current operationsEdit

National Express West Midlands operates Darts at West Bromwich garage. They are used mainly on service 414 (West Bromwich - Friar Park) and 688 (West Bromwich - Dudley).

HistoryEdit

Previously, National Express West Midlands have operated Darts in the early - mid 1990s, these examples having Wright Handybus bodies, and being based at Walsall and Wolverhampton Garages.

In the early 2000s meanwhile, they also operated one bus with ALX200 bodywork, which was used on the Wolverhampton City Circular service 500. This bus is now with Arriva, having taken over Midland in September 2012.

After a period of a few years were no Darts were operated by Travel West Midlands, a batch of 14 were sent up from sister company Travel London, which had inherited them from their takeover with Connex in June 2000. These arrived between May and August 2005 and went straight into service at West Bromwich Garage.

In January 2009, following the withdrawal of three of the already small quantity of routes the Darts operated on at West Bromwich, it was anticipated that the buses were going to transfer to Walsall Garage. In the event this did not happen, as West Bromwich inherited two minibus routes from Perry Barr, seeing Walsall gain Optare Solos instead.

In July 2009, two Darts transferred to Acocks Green Garage on a temporary three month loan to cover a shuttle bus route, required due to a diversion on the Outer Circle Bus Route. This route was paid for by Severn Trent who were conducting the roadworks. It is worth noting that they also sneaked onto other routes, most notably operating a duplicate service on route 1 during the Ashes 2009 tournament, and working the 36C service on another occasion. The two buses returned to West Bromwich in September 2009.

In July 2010, following the transfer of the 636 to Bordesley Garage, nine Darts moved out of West Bromwich, leaving just five in service there.

A further transfer of the 636 to Birmingham Central saw the Darts transfer again to Birmingham Central.

In April 2011, Birmingham Central's Darts transferred back to West Bromwich, as Birmingham Central gained Volvo B6LEs to operate the 636.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
3601 - 3609	W601 MWJ - W609 MWJ
3610	C8 NEX
3611 - 3614	W611 MWJ - W614 MWJ
7084	R84 GNW
7086	R86 GNW
7087	R87 GNW

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
WB (16)	3601 - 3614, 7084, 7086
Reserve (1)	7087

Optare SoloEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operates 13 of these buses. Some have seating capacities of 27, whilst others have 28 or 29. A large number of ex-West Midlands Solos are now with National Express Dundee, also a number have being sold to other bus companies in August 2010.

Current operationsEdit

Solos are only used at two garages, Perry Barr and Wolverhampton.

At Wolverhampton they can often be seen on the 62/A (Wolverhampton - Finchfield/Compton) and 26/A (Wolverhampton - Stowlawn) services.

At Perry Barr they are used on the 651 (Pheasey - Hamstead Village) and 654/A (Perry Barr (One Stop) - Hamstead Village) services, whilst regularly filling in on the 65 (Birmingham - Perry Common)

HistoryEdit

During their time at National Express West Midlands, Solos have been based at Wolverhampton, Pensnett, Coventry, Perry Barr, Acocks Green & Walsall garages.

Following the Solihull Review in 2009, Acocks Green withdrew their allocation of Solos, as they were no longer required.

West Bromwich garage took 3 Solos from Perry Barr in July 2010, after several of its Dennis Darts were transferred to Bordesley garage with the 636 route but later in 2011 the solo's were all withdrawn from West Bromwich following the return of the Dennis Darts that were not needed for the 636 after a change of vehicle type used.

A Small number have also been sold in the Lea Hall Auction in August 2010.

FutureEdit

No further changes are known at present.

Withdrawals & TransfersEdit

A large quantity of Optare Solos have transferred between National Express West Midlands and its sister company, National Express Dundee. These are listed below:

Fleet numbers	Registrations	Transferred	NXD fleet number
279	S279 AOX	April 2009	0279
282	S282 AOX	December 2002	7201
284	S284 AOX	February 2009	0284
285	S285 AOX	February 2009	0285
298	T298 UOX	November 2009	0298
300	T130 UOX	November 2008	0300
301	T301 UOX	November 2008	0301
304	T304 UOX	2002	7200
307	T307 UOX	October 1999	7309
310	T310 UOX	November 2009	0310
321	YT51 EBC	April 2009	0321
322	YT51 EBD	April 2009	0322
3236	S236 EWU	April 2009	3236		3237	S237 EWU	2012	3237

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
277	S277 AOX
281	S281 AOX
286 - 288	S286 AOX - S288 AOX
290	T290 UOX
292 - 296	T292 UOX - T296 UOX
299	T299 UOX
302 - 303	T302 UOX - T303 UOX
306	T306 UOX
308 - 309	T308 UOX - T309 UOX
315	T315 UOX
318 - 320	T318 UOX - T320 UOX
3234	S234 EWU

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
WN (7)	277, 281, 292, 293, 295, 296, 299
PB (6)	286, 287, 303, 306, 309, 319, 320

Scania CN94 Omnicity Artic Edit

National Express West Midlands operates 11 of these articulated buses, the newest 'Bendy buses' with the company. Each bus seats 58 passengers and entered service in 2004.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, all 11 OmniCity Artics are operated out of Perry Barr garage and used solely on the 67, Birmingham - Castle Vale service.

HistoryEdit

In September 2004, all eleven OmniCity Artics entered service at Perry Barr garage on the 67 service. Every single bus was branded for the service, where they replaced older Mercedes O405GN bendy-buses.

Initially, most buses were registered with '04' numberplates, but were reregistered to '54' plates before entering service.

Bus number 6022 meanwhile inherited its registration plate from former PB bendy-bus 6001 as this was the first ever bendy bus ordered by Travel West Midlands for route 67.

To this day, these buses remain on the 67 service.

From the end of 2009, into the beginning of 2010, all of these buses underwent refurbishment and a repaint into National Express West Midlands livery, therefore losing their 67 route branding.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
6022	S1 TWM
6023 - 6025	BX54 DND - BX54 DNF
6026	BX54 DNJ
6027 - 6028	BX54 DNN - BX54 DNO
6029	BX54 DNV
6030	BX54 DNY
6031	BX54 DOA
6032	BX54 DOH

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
PB (11)	6022 - 6032

Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G ArticEdit

National Express West Midlands operates 10 of these articulated buses, each with a seating capacity of 56 passengers.

Current operationsEdit

Currently National Express West Midlands operates all 10 of these buses from its Coventry Garage, where they are used on the 27 PrimeLines service, for which most carry special branding.

HistoryEdit

Upon arrival in 2003, nine buses went straight into service at Coventry Garage, whilst the other entered service at Perry Barr Garage, where it replaced scrapped Mercedes-Benz 0405GN 6010, scrapped due to severe fire damage.

When Perry Barr's bendy-bus fleet was replaced in 2004, 6021 joined the rest of the batch at Coventry.

Currently, two if these ten buses are now in the National Express Coventry livery.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
6012	BJ03 ESN
6013 - 6014	BJ03 ESU - BJ03 ESV
6015	BJ03 ESY
6016	BJ03 ETA
6017 - 6019	BJ03 ETD - BJ03 ETF
6020 - 6021	BJ03 ETK - BJ03 ETL

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
CV (10)	6012 - 6021

Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2Edit

National Express West Midlands currently operate 9 of these hybrid diesel-electric powered double-deck buses. They have a seating capacity of 68.

Current operationsEdit

All nine of these buses currently are in use only at Birmingham Central garage, where they are used on the 22 (Birmingham - Kitwell) and 23 (Birmingham - Woodgate) services, alongside the Enviro 400H hybrids.

HistoryEdit

As part of an agreement with Centro, National Express West Midlands introduced its first hybrid powered diesel-electric buses into regular service in January 2012. Previously demonstrator 4699 had been loaned from Wrightbus, and operated on a trial basis a year previously, in November and December 2010.

FutureEdit

A further 9 of these buses have been ordered to replace the Enviro400H's transferring to Wolverhampton.

Fleetnumbers and registrationsEdit

Fleetnumbers	Registrations
5501-5505	BX61 LHM - BX61 LHR
5506-5509	BX61 LHT - BX61 LHW

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleetnumbers
BC (9)	5501-5509

Alexander Dennis Enviro 400HEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operate 9 of these hybrid diesel-electric powered double-deck buses. They have a seating capacity of 77.

Current operationsEdit

All nine of these buses currently are in use only at Birmingham Central garage, where they are used on the 22 (Birmingham - Kitwell) and 23 (Birmingham - Woodgate) services, alongside the Volvo B5LH hybrids.

HistoryEdit

As part of an agreement with Centro, National Express West Midlands introduced its first hybrid powered diesel-electric buses into regular service in January 2012.

FutureEdit

An additional 12 buses have been purchased, and will go into service at Wolverhampton, along with the 9 examples already owned. They are expected to enter service in January 2013

Fleetnumbers and registrationsEdit

Fleetnumbers	Registrations
5401-5409	BX61 LHC - BX61 LHL

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleetnumbers
BC (9)	5401-5409

Scania OmniCityEdit

National Express West Midlands currently operate 6 of these double deckers, which each have a seating capacity of 76, or in the case of former-demonstrator 4697, 72.

Current operationsEdit

Currently, all six buses operate out of Perry Barr Garage. They appear on a variety of routes, but most commonly can be found on the Sutton Lines Group of services and 16 (Birmingham - Hamstead)

HistoryEdit

Travel West Midlands received its first Scania OmniCity in November 2005, when a Demonstrator was delivered to the company. This was based at Perry Barr Garage, where it was joined by an order of five others between February and March 2008.

Despite the most recent arrivals being delivered with '57' plates, two of the five were converted to '08' plates. The first change happened in March 2008 when 4780 was re-registered, having previously carried the registration BV57 XLB, the second occurred in October 2008 when 4781 was also re-registered having previously carried the registration BV57 XLC.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
4697	YN55 PXB
4777 - 4778	BV57 XKY - BV57 XKZ
4779	BV57 XLA
4780	BU08 EHZ
4781	BU08 DYB

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
PB (6)	4697, 4777 - 4781

Former vehiclesEdit

Mercedes-Benz O405GN ArticEdit

National Express West Midlands no longer operates these articulated buses. Each bus seats 59 passengers.

HistoryEdit

In March 1999, Travel West Midlands took receipt of its first ever Bendy-Buses, when eleven Mercedes-Benz O405GN Artic, entered service at Perry Barr garage for route 67 (Birmingham - Castle Vale), for which they carried special branding for. The initial plan was for them to go to Walsall and be used on the 51 (Birmingham - Walsall) service, however, this fell by the wayside.

At some point between 2000 and 2003, 6010 suffered horrific fire damage after an electrical fault and was therefore scrapped.

In 2004, following the arrival of new Scania bendy-buses for the 67 service, the remaining ten buses were refurbished, repainted and transferred across to Coventry garage.

In November 2011, following the arrival of brand new Enviro 400 double-decks at Coventry garage, the whole allocation was withdrawn, and are currently at the extra land at Pensnett garage being broken up and are soon to be sold for scrap value.

In November 2012, these started to be sold for scrap, with 6006 and 6009 being the first to go.

Fleet numbers & registrationsEdit

Fleet numbers	Registrations
6001	S314 JFP
6002 - 6009	T602 MOA - T609 MOA
6011	T611 MOA

AllocationsEdit

Garage	Fleet numbers
Reserve (10)	6001-6011

Volvo B10BEdit

National Express West Midlands currently has 53 of these buses in the Reserve Fleet. Some carry Wright Endurance bodywork, whilst only one carries Alexander Strider.

The seating capacity of the buses with Alexander Strider bodywork is 51. The same applies to the first two buses with Wright Endurance bodywork, which were demonstrators. The other buses with Wright Endurance bodywork seat 48.

HistoryEdit

In September 1994, West Midlands Travel introduced 6 ex-dealer stock Volvo B10B buses into the fleet. These buses all contained Alexander Strider bodywork and were based at Wolverhampton Garage.

In the Summer of 1995, West Midlands Travel then took receipt of its first Wright Endurance examples, the first being two demonstrators, which again were based at Wolverhampton. These were followed in December 1995, by the first batch of 15 buses ordered new by the company (1329 - 1343), which were all based at Wolverhampton.

In March 1996, Walsall became the second garage to receive B10Bs, when 12 (1344-1356) were delivered for use on the 529 service between Walsall and Wolverhampton. Buses were branded for these routes. Acocks Green then took receipt of 21 B10Bs (1357-1377) for use on the 37 (Birmingham - Solihull) service, again for which buses were branded.

Wolverhampton received six more examples in June 1996 (1378-1383) branded for service 260 (Wolverhampton - Merry Hill Centre),

The final 10 entered service at Walsall in July 1996 branded for the 311/312/313 services between Walsall and Stourbridge. These were numbered 1384-1393.

In 2000, the B10Bs were replaced on the 37 service by Volvo B7TL double deck vehicles at Acocks Green, causing the allocation here to transfer to both Yardley Wood and Pensnett Garages.

October 2002 saw Acocks Green B10B's 1357-1371 and 1375 transfer to Yardley Wood, and 1372-1374 and 1376 & 1377 transfer to Pensnett.

In January 2003 Wolverhampton based 1378 was transferred to Walsall.

Towards the end of 2006, Walsall received brand new Volvo B7RLE single decks, to replace the B10Bs on the 311/313 services. All of the B10B's there were transferred to Wolverhampton.

In January 2007, most of the B10B's transferred between Walsall and Wolverhampton were transferred to the reserve fleet.

In February 2007, the 28 service at Perry Barr was re-routed to go underneath a low bridge in the Erdington area. As a result, all of Walsall B10B's in the reserve fleet transferred to Perry Barr Garage. These were 1344-1356, 1378, 1384-1386 and 1388.

Between February and April 2008, Yardley Wood transferred all of its vehicles to Pensnett.

June 2009 saw the majority of Pensnett's allocation of B10B's transferred to Wolverhampton Garage with the exception (1373 & 1375) which instead, transferred to Perry Barr Garage, only 1372 & 1376 remained in service at Pensnett.

Pensnett Last operated B10B's in September 2009. Walsall briefly gained their last two (1372 & 1376) to cover for vehicles on a rail replacement service, however these were quickly withdrawn a month later.

Towards the end of 2009, the main withdrawals of B10Bs commenced, with the whole fleet set to be withdrawn by the end of 2010. Perry Barr and Wolverhampton began gradually withdrawing them out of service to the reserve fleet, where a small quantity where then converted into driver trainer vehicles.

Perry Barr and Wolverhamptons remaining allocations were officially withdrawn in July 2010, but remained in service at Wolverhampton into August.

WithdrawalsEdit

Prior to the start of the main withdrawal programme in 2009, six B10Bs had been withdrawn from service and scrapped.

The first was Wolverhampton based Alexander Strider bodied 1321 (M321 LJW), which suffered horrific fire damage in 1997. The second and third were Wright Endurance bodied examples 1371 (N371 WOH) and 1374 (N374 WOH). 1371 was involved in a fatal accident in Bunns Lane, Dudley, in May 2007, in which the driver lost control and careered into a house causing an explosion, killing a pedestrian on its way. 1374 was withdrawn following an engine fire, in April 2007. Both of these buses were based at Pensnett.

Two more Wolverhampton B10Bs were withdrawn in June 2009 with accident damage following a fatal collision between the two at the old Wolverhampton Bus Station. One involved in the accident, 1332 (N332 WOH), was scrapped almost immediately.^[6], The other bus involved in this accident, 1358 (N358 WOH) is withdrawn and has had parts removed in Miller Street.

Another bus, 1343 (N343 WOH), which was also involved in a crash at Wolverhampton Garage was scrapped in January 2010.

The main programme of withdrawals of Volvo B10Bs started from July 2009 when Pensnett lost its allocation. It finished exactly a year later, when Wolverhampton and Perry Barr withdrew their allocations

Scania L113CRLEdit

In July 2010, 7064 and 7065 were transferred from National Express Dundee. These buses, which have Wright Pathfinder bodywork was both new to Travel West Midlands in 1996 with the fleet numbers of 1398 and 1399. These last operated out of Walsall Garage.

These will more that likely not enter service in the West Midlands again, more likely sold off, even though they were already offered for sale in the Lea Hall auction, but did not sell.

7065 was then sold after the Auction.

Enviro300Edit

Between March and December 2009, National Express West Midlands operated a single Alexander Dennis Enviro300 demonstrator.

The bus (SN09 CGX), which was first shown in the November 2008 Bus & Coach Show at the NEC, Birmingham had a seating capacity of 39 and was given fleet number 1908.

The bus started service at Pensnett Garage on route 246.^[7] It then went on to occasionally appear on the 294 and 295 Circular services.

On 9 September 2009, 1908 then transferred to Perry Barr Garage, where it mainly operated on route 52 (now 952), but also made appearances on services 65, 28A and 934.

From early December 2009 it was reported the vehicle was on loan to Minsterley Motors in Shrewsbury, where it had been seen operating on service 553 (Shrewsbury - Bishops Castle). The vehicle then quietly stayed there, with its fleet number of 1908 then given to a new demonstrator, a Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse 2 bodywork. No intentions of NXWM made public with regards to purchasing any of the vehicles.

MCW MetrobusEdit

National Express West Midlands finished it operations of MCW Metrobuses on 24 July 2010, when the final three were withdrawn from Acocks Green.

In total over 1,100 Metrobuses were bought, each with a seating capacity of 73.

Almost every one of National Express West Midlands' current garages has, at some point, operated Metrobuses, as have the majority of garages that have closed down since the 1980s. The only exception to this rule is Bordesley Green garage, which only opened in 2005.

During 2008, 69 Metrobuses were withdrawn, much fewer than the anticipated amount due to failure of delivery on the 121 new buses due, delaying the inevitable by a few months.

During 2009, at least 153 Metrobuses were withdrawn, leaving just 14 to start 2010 in service.

The EndEdit

National Express West Midlands made it clear their intention was that by the end of Summer 2010, all non-kneeling step-entrance vehicles would be withdrawn from the company. This included the MCW Metrobuses, which had been running with the company since 1978.

At the beginning of 2008 just under 250 MCW Metrobuses were still with Travel West Midlands making it the companies second most popular vehicle. The numbers of these buses operated by the company had plummeted over the previous ten years due to the arrival of over 500 new low-floor double decks.

Walsall and Wolverhampton were operating just under 50 Metrobuses each, Yardley Wood had close to 30, Lea Hall 25 whilst Perry Barr and West Bromwich garages floated around the 20 mark. Acocks Green and Coventry both had approximately 15 Metrobuses each. The only three garages not operating Metrobuses were Birmingham Central, which had become 100% low floor in 2005, Bordesley Green, which had only ever operated Mercedes-Benz O405N buses and Pensnett which had withdrew its MCW Metrobuses upon the withdrawal of the former 264E/265E.

By the end of the year, in which just under 70 Metrobuses were withdrawn, the quantities at each garage had significantly fallen but each garage that operated Metrobuses at the start of the previous year still continued to do so. Wolverhampton had lost around 15 buses, Walsall, West Bromwich and Yardley Wood had all lost around 10 buses each, whilst every other garage had lost one or two.

In January 2009, due to the arrival of new Scania OmniLinks to West Bromwich Garage, all but one of there Metrobuses (2878) was withdrawn, whilst 6 had transferred between Walsall and Perry Barr, in a change related to the Solihull Network Review.

West Bromwich's final Metrobus crept out of service in February, whilst Acocks Green, Coventry and Yardley Woods totals all fell to just 10 Metrobuses each during March and April

In May 2009, due to several allocation alterations, many of Wolverhamptons Metrobuses were replaced by Volvo B10Bs from Pensnett and Optare Excels from Travel Dundee, leaving just 20 in service, whilst a further couple had gone from Acocks Green, Coventry and Yardley Wood.

In June Walsall's brand new Scania OmniLinks entered service, withdrawing 20 Metrobuses over night and leaving just 12 still in service at the garage.

On 4 July 2009 the final 6 Metrobuses were withdrawn from Coventry, these having held on from the arrival of Scania OmniLinks at the depot in January with several other allocation alterations boosting Coventry's fleet strength. This day was marked with one of the buses operating on several routes, followed by a 'pull-in', of the vehicle into the garage, organised by the management team at Coventry.

During the rest of July, Wolverhampton, Yardley Wood, Acocks Green, Lea Hall and Perry Barr all lost around 5 Metrobuses each as a result of fleet movements and route changes.

Yardley Wood was due to lose all of its buses after the end of V Festival shuttle bus duties in August, however, it only lost two, with Lea Hall also losing a similar quantity. Wolverhampton meanwhile lost another 5, again due to Volvo B10B and Optare Excels coming into the garage.

By the end of September under 50 Metrobuses were still in service these being at Perry Barr (19), Walsall (12), Wolverhampton (6), Acocks Green (5) and Yardley Wood (4). During the month Lea Hall had lost all of its Metrobuses.

During October however, Yardley Woods and Wolverhamptons final few Metrobuses were quietly withdrawn, with Wolverhampton's being replaced by Optare Spectras from Birmingham Central Garage due to the arrival of new Enviro 400s for routes 9/99. Three of the four from Yardley Wood and one of the four from Wolverhampton went straight into use at Lea Hall. During the final two weeks of the month, Walsall withdrew half of its remaining twelve due to PVR reductions.

On 28 November 2009, Walsalls final Metrobuses were withdrawn, following a special commerative day attended by hundreds of bus enthuisasts. Only five of the six remaining were deemed fit for service (2865 remained in the garage). Three buses spent the first half of the day on the 305, Walsall - Yew Tree Estate circular service, with 2819 and 2887 operating the 340 and 341 interworked services to Willenhall. 2819 was displaying some artwork stating the end of thirty years Metrobus use in Walsall.

At 4pm, one Metrobus off the 305 was used as a change bus covering one return journey on the 394A to Brownhills West, whilst at 4.20pm a pre-arranged duplicate working by two Metrobuses occurred on the X51 express service to Birmingham.

The final Walsall service was the 6.10pm 341E journey to New Invention, operated by 2887 (which had spent all of its 24 years of life at Walsall) and duplicated by 2819.

Preserved MCW Metrobus prototype, 6832, also joined in the celebrations at Walsall, despite never being allocated there, including following the X51 and 341E workings. It is also worth noting that despite the backing of Walsall's management, the whole day was organised and run by Walsall based driver Glenn Lockley and Inspector Tony Hunter.

Also during November, Lea Hall lost two of its Metrobuses, bringing its total back down to just 2, whilst Perry Barr also lost two.

In the first two weeks of December 2009, Perry Barr lost another eight Metrobuses, with two of these, 2988 & 3022, transferring to Acocks Green where they will operate services 220/1, which did the same transfer in October. On the final day of the month, Lea Halls final two Metrobuses, 2721 and 3080, were withdrawn.

2010 started with just 14 Metrobuses in service - split equally between Perry Barr (2654, 2668, 2729, 2769, 3032, 3034 and 3070) and Acocks Green (2832, 2835, 2849, 2871, 2905, 2988 and 3022). Mid-way through January 2668 was withdrawn from Perry Barr, reducing the quantity further to just 13, whilst the following week 3034 and 3070 also left.

On Tuesday 26 January 2010, 2729 left Perry Barr, reducing their tally to just 3 buses.

To end the month of January, 2905 left Acocks Green, 3032 left Perry Barr and 2769 transferred from Perry Barr to Acocks Green Garage.

On the 9 February 2010, 2769 was withdrawn from Acocks Green, whilst details were revealed about the last day of service for 2654 on 14 February.

2654 then left Perry Barr after a special love-themed day in service on the 7 route between Birmingham and Perry Common. Between 11.30am and 2pm, the bus duplicated a normal service bus on the route, being driven by driver Romeo Phillips. Passengers on the final journey were given a special heart shaped commerative ticket, prior to the bus then travelling to Love Lane, Aston, for a final photo opportunity. The day was advertised, and shown in the media, including a piece on BBC Midlands Today, as the last day of Metrobuses in normal passenger use in the Midlands, with those remaining at Acocks Green, supposedly being only for school and private hire usage. This was dissproved the very next day, when two Metrobuses were on the 72 and another on the 5, but this was half term when no school contract services operated.

The Metrobuses then commonly operated just School run-based duties, with workings on Saturdays become less and less frequent. On 22 March 2010, 3022 was withdrawn, reducing the number to just five left in service.

On 9 April 2010, West Bromwich Garage loaned three Metrobuses from Acocks Green (who had them free due to it being the school holidays). 2871 was used on the 80 (West Bromwich - Birmingham) service, 2835 was out on the 127 and 128 (Birmingham - Blackheath) services and 2988 was used on the 449 (West Bromwich - Brandhall) service. West Bromwich, which had to loan other buses from Lea Hall and Yardley Wood garages due to an 'engineering problem', had not operated Metrobuses since they were withdrawn from the garage in February 2009.

On 18 April 2010, it was revealed that 2849 had been withdrawn from Acocks Green because of an engine failure, and was replaced by Ex-Walsall Metrobus 2903 reinstated from Miller Street. 2871 was also quietly withdrawn from service during the month, leaving just four to operate the final three months.

In June 2010, 2835's engine died and this bus was withdrawn from service, leaving just three to see out the remaining weeks.

On Saturday, July 24 2010 a special running day was held to mark the end of operation. Acocks Green hosted an open day with numerous visiting buses, whilst 2988 operated two round trips on the 11A (Birmingham Outer Circle), 2832 operated on the 31, 37 and 72 services and 2903 operated on 'the One' (Birmingham - Acocks Green). It was 2903 that carried out the last journey, with a full standing load being carried on the 1446 service departing Birmingham. This was greeted upon its return to Acocks Green Garage by hundreds of staff, enthuisasts and well-wishers.

Leyland LynxEdit

National Express West Midlands no longer operates these buses, having at one point operated over 200. The Lynxes each sat 49 passengers with a standing capacity in the 20s.

When the final seven Lynxes all transferred to Walsall in 2007 they were used in conjunction with MCW Metrobuses on the 377 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield) and 351 (Walsall - Cannock). In November of the same year, the 377 started being operated using Volvo B10L low-floor single-deck buses following a partnership with Centro, meaning the Lynxes were used solely on the 351, which was now interlinked with the 350 shuttle service (Walsall - Manor Hospital). In December 2007 four Lynxes were withdrawn after rot was found leaving just three in service. However, in January 2009 National Express West Midlands decided to convert the 350/1 into Optare Solo minibus operation (meaning the seats on these services were reduced by between 44% and 63%). It was then revealed that the Lynxes would be almost exclusively used on school routes, meaning they would very rarely see normal passenger use again.

On 6 March 2009 the final three Lynxes were withdrawn. This meant the end of a relationship between National Express West Midlands and Leyland Lynx in passenger usage after more than 20 years in service. A quantity remained in the driver training fleet until March 2010.

AllocationsEdit

There are now no Lynxes allocated to the passenger fleet, nor the driver training fleet.

Driver training fleetEdit

This part of the fleet has no set home (although are often at the training centres at Miller Street and Walsall & Wolverhampton garages), and are used to train new drivers. The fleet is made up of a Volvo B10B (5), Volvo B10Ls (4), MCW Metrobuses (5), a Scania K93CRB coach (1) and a Mercedes 814D minibus (1). There are also two Ford Transit minibuses to test applicants' driving ability before they learn to drive a bus. There are no longer any Mercedes 814Ds in the passenger fleet. The Scania N94s came from National Express Dundee, whilst all the coach style vehicles have come from parent company, National Express. There are still over 70 B10Ls in normal passenger use. The Ford Transits were purchased solely for use in the driver training fleet and are unsuited for normal passenger use.

InformationEdit

For easy recognition, buses in the training fleet have a fleet number beginning with 9***. However, the more recent additions have not yet had their numbers changed.

Fleet number	Registration	Vehicle type
241	R241 XDA	Mercedes 814D
1344	N344 WOH	Volvo B10B
1345	N345 WOH	Volvo B10B
1349	N349 WOH	Volvo B10B
1350	N350 WOH	Volvo B10B
1355	N355 WOH	Volvo B10B
1368	N368 WOH	Volvo B10B
1377	N377 WOH	Volvo B10B
1384	N384 BOV	Volvo B10B
1385	N385 WOH	Volvo B10B
1386	N386 WOH	Volvo B10B
1501	P501 KOX	Volvo B10L
1505	P505 KOX	Volvo B10L
1508	P508 KOX	Volvo B10L
1512	P512 KOX	Volvo B10L
9023	M723 KBD	Volvo B10M-62
9057	BT57 ENJ	Ford Transit
9315	P315 DVE	Volvo B10M-62
9697	T697 FJW	Ford Transit
9951	D951 NDA	MCW Metrobus
9959	D959 NDA	MCW Metrobus

GaragesEdit

National Express West Midlands Current GaragesEdit

Acocks GreenEdit

Address: Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B27 7TZ.

• Code = AG
• Acocks Green operates Europe's longest urban bus route, the famous Outer Circle route 11.
• The garage operates 155 buses on 13 bus routes and 5 school/works services.
• The garage operates 4 different types of bus, all of which are low floor easy access.
• AG does not operate any of NXWM's two most common buses, Dennis/TransBus Trident or Mercedes-Benz O405N.
• AG was the last garage to have Metrobuses in operation.

Birmingham CentralEdit

Address: Liverpool Street, Bordesley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 4DS

• Code = BC
• All of the 181 vehicles the garage operates are low floor easy access.
• BC operates 29 bus routes (including school services), using 4 different types of bus.

Bordesley GreenEdit

Address: Bordesley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 4BZ

• Code = BY
• Bordesley Green is the smallest garage which operates just 2 type of bus.
• The entire allocation is low floor easy access single deck.
• The garage is also the smallest, operating only 48 buses on 4 routes.

PensnettEdit

Address: 2nd Avenue, Pensnett Trading Estate, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 7NA

• Code = PE (Prev MH)
• The garage previously operated as Travel Merry Hill.
• The garage operates 105 buses.
• Pensnett depot operates 16 bus routes.
• The garage operates 4 different types of bus, all of which are low floor easy access.
• PE has a complete low floor fleet in service.

Perry BarrEdit

Address: Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2SY

• Code = PB
• The garage operates 179 buses on 40 different bus routes, including school services.
• The garage operates 8 different types of bus, of which all are low floor easy access.
• PB is the only Birmingham/Black Country based garage that operates 'bendy-buses'.

WalsallEdit

Address: Carl Street, Birchills, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 7BE

• Code = WA
• The garage operates 175 buses on 49 routes, including school services.
• WA operates 7 different types of bus.
• WA has a complete low floor fleet in service.

West BromwichEdit

Address: Oak Lane, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 8PP

• Code = WB
• The garage operates 151 buses, on 27 bus routes, plus one school service.
• WB operates 7 different types of bus.
• WB has a complete low floor fleet in service.

WolverhamptonEdit

Address: Park Lane, Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 9QG

• Code = WN
• The garage operates 205 buses, making it the biggest garage.
• WN operates 6 different types of bus on 50 bus routes, including school services.

Yardley WoodEdit

Address: Yardley Wood Road, Yardley Wood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B14 4BN

• Code = YW
• YW operates 133 buses on 16 bus services (including School runs).
• The garage operates 4 different types of bus.
• The entire allocation is low floor easy access.

National Express West Midlands Former GaragesEdit

HockleyEdit

• Code = HY
• Closed in May 2005

Lea HallEdit

Address: Crossfields Road, Lea Hall, Birmingham, West Midlands, B33 8HP

• Code = LH
• Lea Hall garage closed on 25th July 2010.
• The garage operated 136 buses at the time of closure.
• LH had a complete low floor fleet in service upon closure.
• It operated three different types of buses on 23 different routes, including school services.
• Lea Hall's fleet at the time of closure was -

Dennis Trident 2/ALX400 & TransBus Trident 2/ALX400	4142, 4144, 4145, 4148-4153, 4157, 4165, 4167, 4168, 4175-4178, 4184, 4185, 4187, 4188, 4193-4195, 4197-4200, 4202, 4313, 4336, 4338, 4340-4343, 4347, 4349, 4358, 4359, 4365, 4370, 4371, 4374, 4390, 4434-4438, 4455-4474
Mercedes-Benz O405N	1629-1639, 1641, 1643-1651, 1653-1655, 1661, 1662
Scania OmniLink	1796, 1801, 1802, 1805 -1815

Other Lea Hall Buses were transferred to other garages in the few months up until the closure and repalced with Dennis Trident's.

National Express CoventryEdit

Address: 2 Ford Street, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 5AD

• Code = CV (Previously WT)
• The garage operates 164 buses on 54 different bus routes, including school services.
• CV operates 9 different types of bus.
• The entire allocation is low floor easy access.
• CV is the only depot does not run services into the Birmingham/Black Country areas

NXWM StorageEdit

Miller StreetEdit

Address:

• Code = XS
• Miller Street garage operates no routes.
• It is used for maintenance of buses as well as for storage of vehicles not currently in use and of withdrawn vehicles, before they are sold on or scrapped.

ReferencesEdit

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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (January 2009)

All Information on this page is from

1. ↑ http://buses.tomsbusphotos.co.uk/p65317744.html 4739 taken at Pensnett depot @ tomsbusphotos.co.uk
2. ↑ http://buses.tomsbusphotos.co.uk/p63634004.html NXWM 116 M116XSR at Miller Street
3. ↑ http://buses.tomsbusphotos.co.uk/p62364995.html NXWM 117 M117XSR at Miller Street
4. ↑ http://buses.tomsbusphotos.co.uk/p63634005.html NXWM 118 M118XSR at Miller Street
5. ↑ http://www.travelwm.co.uk/our-company/fleet-list.jsp?garage=all&makeModel=VOLVO+B6-50 NXWM Fleetlist
6. ↑ http://www.uk-bus.fotopic.net/p61450847.html 1332 at Barnsley 8/10/2009
7. ↑ http://west-midlands-bus.fpic.co.uk/p57681002.html Tom's West Midlands Bus Photos taken in service April 20, 2009

www.travelwm.co.uk

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