National Express West Midlands Fleet

This Page is correct as of 29th February 2008

National Express West Midlands is the largest bus service company in the West Midlands area. It operates over 80% of the region's bus services on a commercial basis, plus school and subsidised services.

Buses out of its Coventry depot trade under the name of National Express Coventry.

The company operates 1795 buses in normal passenger use, plus over 20 driver training vehicles - all of which are listed below.

Fleet
This is the official fleet list of National Express West Midlands Buses, including National Express Coventry vehicles but excluding driver training vehicles, withdrawn buses, and those on loan, as of 29 February 2008. However, buses withdrawn for refurbishment are included.


 * 360 Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander ALX400
 * 211 MCW Metrobus
 * 193 Mercedes-Benz O405N
 * 176 Volvo B6LE / Wright Crusader
 * 140 Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini
 * 102 Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President
 * 90 Volvo B7TL / Alexander ALX400
 * 86 Volvo B10L / Wright Liberator / Alexander Ultra
 * 70 Volvo B10B / Wright Endurance / Alexander Strider
 * 60 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400
 * 60 Scania OmniLink K230
 * 49 Optare Solo
 * 49 Optare Excel
 * 38 Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse Urban
 * 21 DAF DB250 / Optare Spectra
 * 14 Dennis Dart / Alexander ALX200
 * 11 Scania OmniCity CN94 articulated
 * 10 Mercedes-Benz O405GN
 * 10 Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro
 * 6 Scania OmniCity double decker
 * 3 Leyland Lynx

'''The next scheduled update for this section is now overdue (having been scheduled for early April), however it is understood that during the month of March no new vehicles have entered service (except a Plaxton Coach, given fleet no. 7252, on loan from National Express Dundee for training duties), with only a Volvo B7TL Plaxton President being withdrawn due to fire damage and around 15 Metrobuses being withdrawn. (according to west-midlands-buses.fpic.co.uk)'''

Codes
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 are listed below.

Dennis Trident 2/Alexander ALX400
National Express West Midlands operates 360 of these buses, which were purchased between early 2000 and 2005. They are the company's most common bus. Each bus has a seating capacity of 73. Some of the buses are branded for routes 126 (Wolverhampton - Birmingham), 51 (Walsall - Birmingham), 559 (Wolverhampton - Ashmore Park) & 560 (Wolverhampton - Bloxwich), 79 (Birmingham - Wolverhampton), The Bristol Road 'Jubilee Lines', 900 (Birmingham - Coventry), The Coventry Road routes, 94 (Birmingham - Chelmsley Wood),

Allocations
WA = Walsall, WN = Wolverhampton, BC = Birmingham Central, LH = Lea Hall

MCW Metrobus
National Express West Midlands operates 211 of these buses, which were purchased originally by WMPTE, and then West Midlands Travel. In total over 1,100 were bought and the last remaining Metrobuses are between 25 and 18 years old. The Metrobuses have a seating capacity of 73. No Metrobuses carry branding for any routes.

Fleet numbers & registrations
For more information about Metrobuses at National Express West Midlands vist West Midlands Metrobus.

Allocations
WA = Walsall, WN = Wolverhampton, AG = Acocks Green, LH = Lea Hall, PB = Perry Barr, WB = West Bromwich, CV = Coventry, YW = Yardley Wood

The joint eldest buses in the fleet are Metrobuses 2529, 2530 and 2534.

Mercedes-Benz O405N
National Express West Midlands operates 193 of these buses, which were purchased from early 1998 until early 2000. Each bus seats 43 passengers. Some buses are branded for routes 404 (Walsall - Blackheath), 74 (Dudley - Birmingham) and 8A/C (The Birmingham Inner Circle).

Allocations
BY = Bordsley Green, LH = Lea Hall, PE = Pensnett, WB = West Bromwich, CV = Coventry,

Volvo B6LE
National Express West Midlands currently operates 176 of these buses, with Wright Crusader bodywork. Previously it operated 183, but 2 have been withdrawn due to fire damage and 5 have transferred to National Express Dundee. Each bus seats 37 passengers and some have been branded for routes 370/A (The Beechdale Routes), 222 (Dudley - Merry Hill), 166 (The Blythe Valley Shuttle Bus) and 801 (Warwick University - Walsgrave Hospital).

Allocations
AG = Acocks Green, PE = Pensnett, WA = Walsall, WB = West Bromwich, CV = Coventry

Optare Excel
National Express West Midlands operates 49 of these buses, some of which have been transferred from National Express London. There are two lengths - one with a seating capacity of 34 and the other of 38. 402-406 and 408-410 are currently with National Express Dundee. Some of these buses have branding for the Wolverhampton City Centre shuttle bus Route 500.

Allocations
WN = Wolverhampton

Leyland Lynx
National Express West Midlands operates just three of these buses, having at one point operated over 200. Several other Leyland Lynx are in the training fleet. Each bus seats 49. None of the three buses are branded for any route.

Allocations
WA = Walsall

Optare Spectra
National Express West Midlands operates 21 of these buses, having at one point operated 22 (one was withdrawn due to fire damage). One of these buses was the first low floor double decker bus to enter service in the world. Each bus seats 73 and none of the buses are branded.

Allocations
BC = Birmingham Central

Dennis Dart
National Express West Midlands operates 14 of these buses, which were sent up in 2003 from National Express London. The buses are 8.8m in length. Each bus seats 28 people, and none are branded.

Allocations
WB = West Bromwich

Mercedes O405GN Artic
National Express West Midlands operates 10 of these bendy buses from its Coventry Garage, having at one point operated 11 (6010 was scrapped due to fire damage caused by electrical fault). Each have a seating capacity of 59 passengers and have branding for the Primelines. All except for 6004 and 6005 also carry branding for route 21 (Wood End - Willenhall).

Allocations
CV = Coventry

Mercedes O530G Artic
National Express West Midlands operates 10 of these bendy buses from its Coventry Garage. Each have a seating capacity of 56 passengers and all except 6021 have branding for Primelines route 27.

Allocations
CV = Coventry

Scania CN94 Omnicity Artic
National Express West Midlands operates 11 of these bendy buses from its Perry Barr. Each bus carries 58 passengers and branding for route 67 (Birmingham - Castle Vale)

Allocations
PB = Perry Barr

Volvo B10L
National Express West Midlands current operates 86 of these buses, 7 with Alexander Ultra bodywork, which initially ran on LNG, the rest have Wright Liberator bodywork. 7 of the Ultra buses are now in the training fleet. The buses all have a seating capacity of 43. One bus carries branding for route 301 (Walsall - Mossley), whilst others carry branding for route 377 (Walsall - Sutton Coldfield).

Allocations
WA = Walsall, AG = Acocks Green, PE = Pensnett, PB = Perry Barr, YW = Yardley Wood

Volvo B10B
National Express West Midlands current operates 70 of these buses, 5 with Alexander Strider bodywork. The rest have Wright Endurance bodywork. At least three of these buses have been withdrawn due to crash and fire damage. 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. None of these buses carry route branding.

Allocations
WN = Wolverhampton, PE = Pensnett, PB = Perry Barr, YW = Yardley Wood

Optare Solo
National Express West Midlands currently operates 49 of these buses, some of which were recently transferred from London. Some have seating capacities of 27, whilst others have 28 or 29.

Allocations
WN = Wolverhampton, AG = Acocks Green, PE = Pensnett, PB = Perry Barr, CV = Coventry, YW = Yardley Wood

Volvo B7RLE
National Express West Midlands currently operates 38 of these buses, with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork. They are used at the Walsall garage on the route 311/313 to Dudley/Stourbridge from Walsall and at Acocks Green they are used on route 37. Each bus seats 42 and carries branding for the above routes.

Allocations
AG = Acocks Green, WA = Walsall

Enviro 400
National Express West Midlands' most recent additions are Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 buses. A further 60 are on order. Some of these buses are branded for showcase route 997 (Walsall - Birmingham) and route 50 (Birmingham - Druids Heath). Each bus seats 76 - 78 passengers.

Allocations
WA = Walsall, PB = Perry Barr, YW = Yardley Wood

Scania OmniLink
National Express West Midlands Scania OmniLinks are also new additions. A further 60 are on order. Each bus seats 43 passengers and some are branded for routes 16, 94 & 97.

Allocations
LH = Lea Hall, PB = Perry Barr

Scania OmniCity
National Express West Midlands have recently received 6 of these double deckers. 4780 has been re-registered to an '08' plate, having previously been a '57' plate. No buses carry branding. Each bus has a seating capacity of 76, except 4697 which only seats 72.

Allocations
AG = Acocks Green, WA = Walsall

Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclispe Gemmini
National Express West Midlands owns 140 of these buses, which were purchased from 2003 to 2006.

Allocations
AG = Acocks Green, PB = Perry Barr, WA = Walsall, WB = West Bromwich, CV = Coventry

Volvo B7TL/ALX 400
National Express West Midlands owns 90 of these buses, purchased between 2001 - 2002.

Allocations
BC = Birmingham Central, PB = Perry Barr, WB = West Bromwich, CV = Coventry

Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President
National Express operates 102 of these buses, which were delivered between 1998 and 2000. Some of these buses are branded for routes 1 (Birmingham - Moseley) and 451 (West Bromwich - Sutton Coldfield)

Allocations
Due to refurbishment of several of these vehicles, this section will be completed in April 2008.

Driver Training Fleet
This part of the fleet has no set home, and are used to train new drivers. The fleet is made up of Volvo B10Ls (4), Leyland Lynx (12), MCW Metrobuses (4), Scania N94s (2), a Mercedes 814D minibus (1) and a MCW Metrorider minibus (1). There are no longer any Metroriders or Mercedes 814Ds in the passenger fleet. The Scania N94s came from National Express Dundee. There are still over 80 B10LS and over 200 Metrobuses still in normal passenger use, but only 3 Leyland Lynx remain in normal passenger use.

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


 * It is known that this bus is now out of service, after being 'deroofed' following an incident with a low bridge in Wolverhampton on 17 April, 2008. (See http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/17/bus-top-deck-is-sliced-off/)

Acocks Green
Address: Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B27 7TZ.
 * Code = AG
 * Acocks Green operates Europes biggest bus route, the Outer Circle.
 * The garage operates 159 buses on 23 public bus routes, plus school services.
 * The garage operates 7 different types of bus.

Birmingham Central
Address: Liverpool Street, Bordesley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 4DS
 * Code = BC
 * Birmingham Central is the only garage which operates just double decks
 * All of the 189 vehicles the garage operates are low floor easy access.
 * BC operates 27 bus routes, using 4 different types of bus.

Bordesley Green
Address: Bordesley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 4BZ
 * Code = BY
 * The garage is the only one the company owns which operates just 1 type of bus (Mercedes 0405N)
 * The garage only operates low floor easy access buses.
 * The garage is also the smallest, operating only 38 buses on 6 routes - but all these routes are also operated by another garage as well.

Hockley Garage
Address:
 * Code = HY
 * The garage is now closed and no longer used by the company.

Lea Hall
Address: Crossfields Road, Lea Hall, Birmingham, West Midlands, B33 8HP
 * Code = LH
 * The garage operates 135 buses.
 * It operates four different types of buses on 25 different routes, plus school services.

Pensnett
Address: 2nd Avenue, Pensnett Trading Estate, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 7NA
 * Code = PE (Prev MH)
 * The garage previously operated as Travel Merry Hill and Merry Hill Minibuses.
 * The garage operates 105 buses on 45 bus routes.
 * The garage operates 4 different types of bus.

Perry Barr
Address: Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2SY
 * Code = PB
 * The garage operates 190 buses on 37 different bus routes, plus school services.
 * The garage operates 10 different types of bus.

Walsall
Address: Carl Street, Birchills, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 7BE
 * Code = WA
 * The garage operates 183 buses on 55 bus routes, plus school services.
 * WA operates 7 different types of bus.

West Bromwich
Address: Oak Lane, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 8PP
 * Code = WB
 * The garage operates 173 buses, on 36 bus routes, plus school services.
 * WB operates 7 different types of bus.

Wolverhampton
Address: Park Lane, Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 9QG
 * Code = WN
 * The garage operates 235 buses, making it the biggest garage.
 * WN operates 5 different types of bus on 55 bus routes, plus school services.

National Express Coventry
Address: 2 Ford Street, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 5AD
 * Code = CV (Previously WT)
 * CV trades as National Express Coventry
 * The garage operates 160 buses on 39 different bus routes.
 * CV operates 9 different types of bus.

Yardley Wood
Address: Yardley Wood Road, Yardley Wood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B14 4BN
 * Code = YW
 * YW operates 164 buses on 14 bus services. It operates 5 different types of bus.

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