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Astons already have a new site, it is at Defford, and some vehicles have already been re-located there.

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

17:18 Saturday 11th April 2020

Astons already have a new site, it is at Defford, and some vehicles have already been re-located there.

I hadn't realised they'd moved in there already! It's the old countrywide site off Defford airfield (near to Dunstall Castle)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ast ... -2.1586271

Also, while on the subject of Astons. They are taking over Kidderminster services 15A/C, S15 and the 294/296 from Coniston's on Monday 20th April!

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

17:18 Saturday 11th April 2020

Astons already have a new site, it is at Defford, and some vehicles have already been re-located there.

I hadn't realised they'd moved in there already! It's the old countrywide site off Defford airfield (near to Dunstall Castle)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ast ... -2.1586271

Also, while on the subject of Astons. They are taking over Kidderminster services 15A/C, S15 and the 294/296 from Coniston's on Monday 20th April! Not sure they'll have many passengers though!

willr7 wrote: ↑

20:39 Saturday 11th April 2020

bmmoboy wrote: ↑

17:18 Saturday 11th April 2020

Astons already have a new site, it is at Defford, and some vehicles have already been re-located there.

I hadn't realised they'd moved in there already! It's the old countrywide site off Defford airfield (near to Dunstall Castle)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ast ... -2.1586271

Also, while on the subject of Astons. They are taking over Kidderminster services 15A/C, S15 and the 294/296 from Coniston's on Monday 20th April! Not sure they'll have many passengers though!

That's amazing info, - thanks guys !

In recent times I have visited the Astons website, as well as the "Notices + Proceedings" website, and I wasn't aware of any of this !!

I am glad that Astons are picking up more bus work, -- in preference to Diamond !!
-- Astons operate 5 double-deckers, but they are old and "non-accessible" and mainly used on school contracts, but at a future date they might acquire some "accessible" ones and use them on some public services, before and after schools !

(Astons did buy about 4 ex-London Tridents, but these were quite quickly got rid of !! -- my guess is mechanical problems ??)

DD12 wrote: ↑

21:21 Saturday 11th April 2020

willr7 wrote: ↑

20:39 Saturday 11th April 2020

I hadn't realised they'd moved in there already! It's the old countrywide site off Defford airfield (near to Dunstall Castle)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ast ... -2.1586271

Also, while on the subject of Astons. They are taking over Kidderminster services 15A/C, S15 and the 294/296 from Coniston's on Monday 20th April! Not sure they'll have many passengers though!

That's amazing info, - thanks guys !

In recent times I have visited the Astons website, as well as the "Notices + Proceedings" website, and I wasn't aware of any of this !!

I am glad that Astons are picking up more bus work, -- in preference to Diamond !!
-- Astons operate 5 double-deckers, but they are old and "non-accessible" and mainly used on school contracts, but at a future date they might acquire some "accessible" ones and use them on some public services, before and after schools !

(Astons did buy about 4 ex-London Tridents, but these were quite quickly got rid of !! -- my guess is mechanical problems ??)

Yes, it's always nice to see a smaller (independent) operator pick up new work!
I think you are right about the ex London tridents. I remember X311 NNO (The red one) which is now at Ebley coaches, suffered from frequent engine & gearbox problems. I remember when it lost it's gears & died at the traffic lights in Pershore - I seemed to see it sat broken down more than I saw it moving! I had heard a few years ago (from a driver) that Astons were looking at purchasing some coach style decker's to replace the Scania's, but nothing has ever come of that (Yet!). That said the Scania's have been very reliable & were obviously proffered over the Tridents at Astons (probably why there still in operation - although I would imagine they are SORNed at the moment...)

willr7 wrote: ↑

22:52 Saturday 11th April 2020

DD12 wrote: ↑

21:21 Saturday 11th April 2020

..... I had heard a few years ago (from a driver) that Astons were looking at purchasing some coach style decker's to replace the Scania's, but nothing has ever come of that (Yet!).
.....

Thanks willr7, I had completely forgotten about that coach DD option !!

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18 ... us-deaths/

Above, is an interesting update !

I think Tim B. will be amused by W.News' claim that the 303 previously carried 600 passengers a day !!

DD12 wrote: ↑

19:22 Sunday 12th April 2020

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18 ... us-deaths/

Above, is an interesting update !

I think Tim B. will be amused by W.News' claim that the 303 previously carried 600 passengers a day !!

I think the complete withdrawal of the 303 is a tragedy for those without cars living along the A449 in villages such as Ombersley and Hartlebury. All the supermarkets are in Kidderminster or Worcester so many will be reliant now on goodwill of neighbours for basic food supplies. I think Diamond acted too quickly and should have followed First's lead by retaining the 303 at half the original level i.e. 2 hourly - the company would then have been entitled to Government support to cover costs. As it is, my guess would be that the 303 won't reappear when the Covid 19 debacle is over because it is no secret that the route has been struggling to make money for some time.

As for 600 passengers a day; at 11 journeys in each direction = 22 trips in total with each carrying 27 passengers, uh no way! At that level of usage the service would be a gold mine!

As for those face shields, I have reservations if buses are being driven with those in place, perspex is very reflective and also difficult to keep clean. There are enough blind spots in the average bus without adding to them. However, I will retract the above if they are to be used only when taking fares and flip up when driving - still look cumbersome though.

DD12 wrote: ↑

19:22 Sunday 12th April 2020

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18 ... us-deaths/

Above, is an interesting update !

I think Tim B. will be amused by W.News' claim that the 303 previously carried 600 passengers a day !!

Only just seen this. 600 a day is pure fantasy, but about 10-years ago it was doing well enough for First to start running some journeys commercially... That was about the time the nice 54-reg Darts moved to other routes and the 303 got the old junk with little or no book value left!

Since I am Furloughed from Megabus and not allowed out to tend to my streak of Tigers, I am catching up on some jobs around the house. I bought some fluorescent light fittings for the cellar in 2006 and some shelf brackets from a shop in Droitwich in 1987 and finally got round to fitting them last week.....
Is that shop still there?

I then started sorting through some old papers and came across this MRW acknowledgement postcard franked with the date 1st February 1990.....
Keep safe everybody,

Julie Aylward