• Mercedes L608D

• Overview
• Fleet List
• Photographs
• Video Clips
• Fleet History
• Specification
• Marketing
• Livery
• Preserved
• Miscellaneous

Midland Red West: Mercedes-Benz L608D — Type Overview

Introduction

In 1985 and 1986, Midland Red (West) Limited replaced existing urban networks in Worcester, Kidderminster and Redditch with new networks operated with high-frequency minibuses.  At the launch of the networks there was considerable marketing spin, with slogans such as “Fast, Friendly, Frequent and Fun — That’s Citibus,” and claims that the Worcester Citibus network would “signal a revolution in city public transport” and be “the country’s largest network of urban minibuses.”  The new networks were to have service frequencies of every seven or eight minutes so that, it was claimed, timetables could be ignored as there would always be another bus along in a few minutes.  There would also be greater convenience with the introduction of “Hail and Ride” stopping on the housing estates.  In reality, the introduction of the minibuses had more to do with the National Bus Company trying to find a cheap way to make the company more attractive to buyers in the run-up to privatisation than to passenger convenience.

For the new networks, 109 twenty-seat Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses were ordered, to be delivered in two batches.  In the end only 104 vehicles were acquired, but in later years Midland Red West Limited acquired large numbers of similar vehicles second-hand from other operators.

Vehicles Acquired New

1301–1361 (F/Nos: C301–C361PNP) — Worcester “Citibus”

The first batch of 61 Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses were acquired for use on the new local Worcester “Citibus” service, which came into operation on 23^rd November 1985.  However, only 60 vehicles from this order, fleet numbers 1301–1360, were delivered.

The new Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses featured a number of features that were new to Midland Red West at the time.  These included two-way radios and a new Yellow, Orange and Blue “Citibus” livery which the public helped choose through an “extensive Market Research programme.”  However, the radios were later removed and the fleet was repainted into the standard Midland Red West bus livery of red and cream from July 1990.

The L608D soon gained the nickname “Tonka Toys” or simply “Tonkas” with the drivers; this was partly due to the yellow Citibus livery and partly due to the indestructible Mercedes construction.

All these vehicles featured a B20F layout from new and entered service at Worcester depot, but were fitted out by different companies:

• Fleet numbers 1301–1319 (registration numbers C301–C319PNP) were fitted by PMT of Stoke on Trent.
  1301–1306 were re-seated to DP20F in between March and May 1986.
• Fleet number 1320 (registration number C320PNP) was fitted by Alexander and was the first Mercedes to by bodied by Alexander for the NBC.  This vehicle was delivered late and didn't enter service until January 1986.
• Fleet numbers 1321–1360 (registration numbers C321–C360PNP) were fitted by Robin Hood.
• Fleet number 1361 was to be bodied by Sparshatts, as a NBC prototype, but was delayed and was never delivered to Midland Red West.  It was replaced at Worcester with a vehicle from the second batch.
  This vehicle was registered D985ARE and was sold to Drysliver of Pontypridd, South Wales, who operated in Midland Red West “Citibus” livery, without brand names.

Most of these vehicles remained in service at Worcester depot until they were replaced by a fleet of sixty-four Mercedes-Benz 0.814 Vario minibuses in 1998.  At that time, many of the older vehicles were sold or moved to Kidderminster depot or Hereford depot.

1362–1409 (R/Nos: C362–C409RUY) — Kidderminster “Shuttle” and Redditch “ReddiLink”

The second batch of Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses were ordered for similar minibus services in Kidderminster, with the brand name Wyre Forest “Shuttle,” and Redditch, with the brand name “ReddiLink.”  Again this order was not completed and only 44 vehicles were delivered from the original order of 48 vehicles, and one of these vehicle was diverted to Worcester depot to replace the missing vehicle from the first batch.

All these vehicles also had B20F layouts and were used as follows:

• Fleet numbers 1362–1384 (registration numbers C362–C384RUY) were fitted by Reeves Burgess and were allocated to Kidderminster depot in “Shuttle” livery.
• Fleet numbers 1385 & 1386 (registration numbers C385–C386RUY) were fitted by Robin Hood and were allocated to Kidderminster depot in “Shuttle” livery.
  Both were repainted in “ReddiLink” livery and moved to Redditch depot in 1989.
• Fleet numbers 1387–1404 (registration numbers C387–C404RUY) were fitted by Robin Hood and were allocated to Redditch depot in “ReddiLink” livery.
• Fleet number 1405 was fitted by Robin Hood.  This vehicle was given the fleet number 1361, registered to C361RUY and allocated to Worcester depot in “Citibus” livery to replace the missing vehicle from the first batch.
  The fleet number 1405 was later allocated to a Mercedes-Benz 508D (registration number A669XDA) that was acquired by Midland Red West Limited from Midland Red Coaches Limted in December 1986, while the registration number C405RUY was used on the Redditch depot manager’s company car!
• Fleet numbers 1406–1409 were to have been bodied by Robin Hood but the order was reduced and these vehicles were not built.
  The fleet numbers 1406–1409 were later allocated to the first batch of Mercedes-Benz 609D minibuses that were delivered in 1987.

Vehicles acquired Second-hand

1440 (R/No: C475BHY) — ex-Bristol OC

C475BHY was the first “second-hand” Mercedes minibus acquired by Midland Red West Limited, coming from Bristol Omnibus Company Limited in late July 1988.  It was repainted into the yellow and green “Shuttle” livery and entered service at Kidderminster depot with the fleet number 1440 in September 1988.  Revisions on the Hereford “Hopper” services at that time had called for more vehicles so two Mercedes-Benz 609D minibuses, numbers 1410 & 1411, were moved from Kidderminster depot to Hereford depot.  Kidderminster received 1440 from Bristol and 1361 was moved from Worcester depot to replace them.

Later 1440 received the standard Midland Red West bus livery of red and cream livery, and saw service at Worcester depot and Hereford depot.  It was finally withdrawn from service at Hereford depot in March 2001, and was scrapped.

C475BHY was the first Mercedes-Benz L608D minibus to be operated by the Bristol Omnibus Company Limited.  It was a B20F Reeve Burgess and was new to Bristol in March 1986, as fleet number 7475, carrying yellow, red and blue livery with “City Dart” branding.

1441–1449 (R/Nos: C581–C589SHC) — ex-Southdown Motor Services

On 1^st April 1989, the Worcester “Citibus” network expanded to include Malvern Town (“Citibus Takes to the Hills!”).  To meet the extra demand on their minibus fleet, Midland Red West Limited acquired nine Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses, registration numbers C581–C589SHC, from Southdown Motor Services Limited of Brighton.  These vehicles, all with B20F Reeves Burgess bodywork, arrived with Midland Red West at their Worcester depot on 5^th March 1989, in the Southdown livery of green and yellow.

Midland Red West repainted all nine vehicles before they entered service.  C581SHC and C582SHC received yellow and green “Shuttle” livery, entering service with the fleet numbers 1441 and 1442 at Kidderminster depot.  C587SHC entered service at Worcester depot as fleet number 1447 in a chocolate and cream livery, carrying the name “Richard I,” to commemorate Worcester City Charter Year 1189–1989, while the remainder of the batch received yellow and blue “Citibus” livery and entered service at Worcester depot with fleet numbers 1443–1446 and 1448–1449.

These vehicles were slightly different from the excising minibuses used by Midland Red West as they were fitted with three-digit number blinds and separate destination.  All Midland Red West minibuses at the time were fitted with just a single all-in-one blind, so Midland Red West blanked off the numbers and only used the destination part, causing the display to be off centre.

By the mid-1990s, all these vehicles were in service at Worcester depot and had been repainted to the standard Midland Red West bus livery of red and cream, except number 1443 which carried overall advertising for “City & County,” and later “Worcester Evening News.”  With the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz 0.814 Vario minibuses at Worcester depot in August 1998, most of these vehicles moved to Hereford depot where they remained in service until 2000–2001 when they were withdrawn and scrapped.

1450 & 1451 (R/Nos: C788 & C790FRL) — ex-Western National

In November 1988, Western National Limited, Truro, loaned Midland Red West two Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses for use as driver training vehicles, these were fleet numbers 91 and 93 (registration numbers C788FRL and C790FRL) in the Western National fleet.  Both vehicles had B20F bodywork by Reeve Burgess and carried white Western National livery with red, yellow and blue strips and NBC markings.

In May 1989, both vehicles passed to Midland Red West who continued to operate them as driver training vehicles, without fleet numbers, in Western National livery.  They were repainted into red and cream Midland Red West bus livery in November 1990 (registration number C790FRL) and April 1991 (registration number C788FRL).

C788FRL entered normal service at Worcester depot with the fleet number 1450 and remained at that depot until being withdrawn with the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz 0.814 Vario minibuses in August 1998.  C790FRL entered service at Kidderminster depot with fleet number 1451, and later moved to Worcester depot then Hereford depot, before being withdrawn in 2001 and sold for scrap.

1452–1455 (R/Nos: C207–C209 & C212PCD) — ex-Brighton and Hove

In July 1990, Midland Red West Limited were expanding their operations in the West Midlands County so four Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses were acquired from Brighton and Hove (registration numbers C207–C209 and C212PCD) to cover the extra demand.  These vehicles had B20F Alexander bodywork and entered service in September 1990 at Kidderminster depot, in red and cream Midland Red West bus livery, with fleet numbers 1452–1455.

These four minibuses did not have the modified destination dome that had been fitted to the only other Alexander bodied Mercedes minibus in the Midland Red West fleet, fleet number 1320 (registration number C320PNP), so it proved impossible to fit the standard minibus destination blinds.  They therefore became the first Midland Red West minibuses, other than demonstrators, to operate with full three track numbers and separate destination display.

They remained at Kidderminster depot until November 1995 when they passed to Eastern Counties, the non-standard blind display proved their downfall.

Additional Vehicles acquired Second-hand from Bristol OC

1476–1478, 1480, 1483, 1487–1488, 1490–1492, 1497–1499 (R/Nos: C4——BHY)

Following the acquisition of C475BHY in 1988, Midland Red West Limited acquired an additional 13 Mercedes-Benz L608D minibuses from the same batch, which had originally been new to the Bristol Omnibus Company in 1986, operating under the “City Dart” brand.

Most of these vehicles passed to Midland Red West in August and September 1993, direct from Bristol OC, and entered service at Hereford depot still carrying their yellow, red and blue Bristol OC “City Dart” livery.  However, some examples were not acquired until the late 1990s and had seen service with other operators since leaving Bristol.

The vehicles that entered service at Hereford depot in 1993 replaced the Fiat 49-10 Iveco minibuses, which passed to Badgerline.  Red and cream Midland Red West bus livery with “Hereford Hopper” branding eventually replaced the Bristol “City Line” livery on these vehicles, except for fleet number 1490 (registration number C490BHY), which gained an overall red livery with advertising for “Admag.”