National Express West Midlands

[NX Spectra 4001]

RE: National Express West Midlands
A lot has changed in regards to NXWM/NXC's fleet this year:

Survivors of endangered species

33 Mercedes Benz O405N's left in service at West Bromwich, Pensnett & Coventry
5 [Possibly 4] B6LE/Crusaders left at Wolverhampton (244, 601[?], 620, 632, 662)[601 has not moved for at least two weeks now, so may be dead]
5 DB250LF/Spectras left at Wolverhampton (4006, 4010, 4017, 4020, 4021)
5 B10L/Liberators left at Walsall (1421, 1436, 1446, 1447, 1475)

New arrivals

861-863 at Wolverhampton (Enviro200 LWB) [Any routes]
864-870 at Pensnett (Enviro200 LWB) [Routes 222 & 243/244]
871-875 at Coventry (Enviro200 LWB) [Routes 2 & 3]
2201-2250 at Acocks Green (E200MMCs)[Routes 37, 71/72 & S1]
6101-6122 at Pensnett (E400MMCs) [Routes 9/140/141/241]
6123-6148 at Yardley Wood (E400MMCs) [Routes 35 & 50]
6701-6718 at Birmingham Central [Platinum spec E400MMCs][Routes 900 & 957]
6719-6758 at Walsall [Platinum spec E400MMCs][Routes 934/5/6, 997 & X51]

Anyone hunting for the Spectras, should look on Wolverhampton 32/33 [Wolverhampton Bus Station-Northwood Park, Collingwood Rd-Wolverhampton Bus Station, and Wolverhampton 11 [Wolverhampton Bus Station-Underhill Estate via Fallings Park & The Scotlands] for both B6LE's, and Spectras.

Anyone looking for Mercs should look at Pensnett routes 243/244 [243: Dudley Bus Station-Merry Hill Bus Station, via Old Hill, Timbertree Estate & Cradley Heath] [244: Dudley Bus Station-Hayley Green (Loop) via Old Hill, Hawne & Halesowen Bus Station], Pensnett route 276 [Dudley-Wollaston Junction via Merry Hill Bus Station, Lye & Stourbridge Bus Station], West Bromwich routes 45 [West Bromwich Bus Station-Walsall, Bradford Place Bus Station via Sandwell General Hospital, Stone Cross & Yew Tree Estate] & 49 [West Bromwich Bus Station-Bearwood, Hagley Rd West (Adj Bearwood Interchange) via Brandhall]. Coventry routes 5 [Tile Hill South-Arena TESCO via Coventry city centre & Holbrooks], 7 [Coventry, Pool Meadow Bus Station-Brownshill Green via Barker Butts Lane] & 18/A [Coventry, Pool Meadow Bus Station-Tile Hill South].

Anyone looking for the B10's is advised to look on Walsall routes 34/A [Walsall-Stowlawn (34)/Rough Hay (34A) via Bilston Bus Station (34 Only) & Darlaston], 38 [Walsall-Wednesbury via Manor Hospital, Pleck, Darlaston & Kings Hill], 39 [Walsall, Bradford Place to Wolverhampton Bus Station via Darlaston, Bilston & Moxley], 40 [Walsall Bus Station to Wolverhampton Bus Station via Reedswood, Lodge Farm, Willenhall, The Dale & Portobello] & 41 [Walsall Bus Station to Willenhall, Union St via Reedswood, Allens Rough, New Invention Square & Lucknow Rd] (Note: Services 34/A/38 interwork at Walsall, Bradford Place, as do services 40/41 at Walsall Bus Station. Service 39 interworks with 34/A/38 on Saturdays, and early mornings)

The Mercs may survive until the fall, but I highly doubt the B10's, B6's & Spectras will, given the tiny number of each

Sorry if this got very long winded, but wanted to give anyone looking, a chance to find this exotic vehicles that are now in very limited numbers.

Alex