Lichfield City Coaches

[Mkinson31422]

According to bustimes.org, Diamond have lost the tender for route 6 to Eton Park. It will be operated by Lichfield City Coaches from 3rd October 2023

 

[43055]

According to bustimes.org Diamond have lost the tender for route 6 to Eton Park to Lichfield City Coaches from 3rd October 2023

Who are they?

 

[zkyx2]

A new bus company based at Stanton Road aka Midland Classic Old yard

Lichfield City Coaches isn’t a new company at all, they were around a year or two back & are just DE-LUXE coaches under a different name, currently got runs in Tamworth & the fb page has details https://www.facebook.com/lichfieldcitycoaches

He’s bought some ex Diamond vehicles
30638 - YJ06 YPV - Optare solo
30878 - SN10 CDF - Enviro300
30879 - SN10 CDK - Enviro300
30929 - KX07 OOW - Enviro200
30970 - YJ57 XVY - Optare Versa
40518 - LX59 CNZ - Scania Omnicity
& also has an Optare tempo YJ60 LSL.

ex Midland Classic 103/105 are also being repainted into Stevensons yellow/black for ‘buslink’ which is the old MDs new venture based out of Stanton.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Lichfield City Coaches isn’t a new company at all, they were around a year or two back & are just DE-LUXE coaches under a different name, currently got runs in Tamworth & the fb page has details https://www.facebook.com/lichfieldcitycoaches

De-Luxe... oh, Mr Mike James eh? I'm surprised he's ventured back into buses after bring banned multiple times by the Traffic Comissioner. Funnily enough he ran the Clifton Campville - Tamworth services when he ran Heartlands/Tamworth Coach and Bus

 

[Russel]

De-Luxe... oh, Mr Mike James eh? I'm surprised he's ventured back into buses after bring banned multiple times by the Traffic Comissioner. Funnily enough he ran the Clifton Campville - Tamworth services when he ran Heartlands/Tamworth Coach and Bus

Oh dear, he just doesn't give up, does he?

Memories of Heartlands and it's multiple reincarnations will always stick with me as a reminder of how poor the bus industry can be.

It's about time there was a purge of these cowboy operators!

 

[zkyx2]

De-Luxe... oh, Mr Mike James eh? I'm surprised he's ventured back into buses after bring banned multiple times by the Traffic Comissioner. Funnily enough he ran the Clifton Campville - Tamworth services when he ran Heartlands/Tamworth Coach and Bus

Ah this time the name on the O-licence isn’t his, so we’ll see how long it takes… although he does seem to have a rather interesting fleet so far…

Although why was he banned anyway? I’m intrigued now…

 

[Russel]

Ah this time the name on the O-licence isn’t his, so we’ll see how long it takes… although he does seem to have a rather interesting fleet so far…

Although why was he banned anyway? I’m intrigued now…

Interesting fleet doesn't surprise me, it's great from an enthusiast point of view.

At the start of the 2010's, when most operators were investing in low floor buses, Heartlands invested in a fleet of Mercedes breadvans and some ex Ireland Wrightbus coach type things, all of questionable quality and reliablity, see below links!

https://flic.kr/p/278edqx

https://flic.kr/p/qsUn17

 

[M803UYA]

Ah this time the name on the O-licence isn’t his, so we’ll see how long it takes… although he does seem to have a rather interesting fleet so far…

Although why was he banned anyway? I’m intrigued now…

So, is Deluxe a case of 'fronting'? - which normally results in licence revocation.

He's been banned quite a few times. Fleet is always for sale, high turnover of vehicles.

 

[Russel]

So, is Deluxe a case of 'fronting'? - which normally results in licence revocation.

He's been banned quite a few times. Fleet is always for sale, high turnover of vehicles.

I could tell some stories about his previous operations, but it wouldn't take anyone that had anything to do with Heartlands at the time to work out my identity and that's probably not a great idea.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Ah this time the name on the O-licence isn’t his, so we’ll see how long it takes… although he does seem to have a rather interesting fleet so far…

Although why was he banned anyway? I’m intrigued now…

Route One article below

North Warwickshire travel director disqualified indefinitely - routeone

The TC stated that the company had shown contempt for the registration and regulatory process Michael James, sole Director of North Warwickshire Travel, has been disqualified from holding a PCV O-Licence indefinitely when the company’s licence was revoked by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Nick Denton...

www.route-one.net

The TC stated that the company had shown contempt for the registration and regulatory process

Michael James, sole Director of North Warwickshire Travel, has been disqualified from holding a PCV O-Licence indefinitely when the company’s licence was revoked by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Nick Denton after it had terminated three local services without permission.

The TC also disqualified Mr James from acting as Transport Manager (TM) for three years.

It was made clear that the company must not vary or cancel the services until 11 September, the date on which the full 56 days’ notice required would expire
The company, trading as Peoples Movers, of Warton, Tamworth, with a six-vehicle international licence, had been called to a Birmingham Public Inquiry (PI). At the outset Mr James was not present. Following a phone call it was understood that Mr James was stuck in traffic and would arrive in 15 minutes. The hearing was adjourned for that period. At the resumption Mr James was still not present.

The TC said that Mr James had a long history in the bus industry, being a Director of Acorn Bus & Coach, of Vals Bus & Coach and of Tamworth Coach & Bus, all of whose licences had been revoked.

Announcing his decision, the TC indicated he would put his reasons in writing. Mr James then arrived at the Traffic Area Office and was informed of the TC’s decision. He was said to be extremely aggressive, shouting and swearing and demanding that the inquiry be reconvened.

In his written reasons, the TC said that in refusing to re-open the concluded PI, he noted that traffic conditions in Birmingham were not unusual that morning and there was nothing which would have prevented Mr James from arriving at a timely hour.

The company’s name was initially D & DH Transport Services. It changed its name to North Warwickshire Travel on 30 August. On 17 July three short notice applications were made to vary local service 12 and to cancel local services 15 and 66 to take effect the same day.

The three services in question had been registered with effect from 1 July. The reason for the short notice request was unforeseen staff shortages. He refused the applications as he considered that it was a basic function of an operator to ensure that it had the necessary staff to run its registered services.

It was made clear that the company must not vary or cancel the services until 11 September, the date on which the full 56 days’ notice required would expire. His office received complaints from members of the public that the services had ceased to run. The company’s website stated that ‘due to excessive and unforeseen staff shortages’ it had been forced to withdraw the services ‘with immediate effect’.

The company had deliberately ignored the requirement to operate services until the due date. He did not regard the excuse of unforeseen lack of staff as sufficient. If it lacked staff it should not have registered the services in the first place.

By ceasing the services on the very day it applied for short notice variation/cancellation and without waiting for his decision, it showed its contempt for the registration and regulatory process. It then proceeded to treat the PI process with contempt as well, failing to submit the requested financial documentation and failing to appear at the due time and date. [\quote]

 

[EnviroExplorer]

Lichfield City Coaches isn’t a new company at all, they were around a year or two back & are just DE-LUXE coaches under a different name, currently got runs in Tamworth & the fb page has details https://www.facebook.com/lichfieldcitycoaches

He’s brought some ex diamond vehicles
30638 - YJ06 YPV - Optare solo
30878 - SN10 CDF - Enviro300
30879 - SN10 CDK - Enviro300
30929 - KX07 OOW - Enviro200
30970 - YJ57 XVY - Optare Versa
40518 - LX59 CNZ - Scania Omnicity
& also has an Optare tempo YJ60 LSL.

ex midland classic 103/105 are also being repainted into stevensons yellow/black for ‘buslink’ which is the old MDs new venture based out of Stanton.

Without trying to veer off topic here, have you any idea what plans Lichfield City Coaches and Buslink have for all of these buses, competition with Diamond for tenders, new commercial routes? I had noticed all of these ex Rotala ones on the monthly fleet changes so makes sense now knowing where they’ve ended up.

(I see Lichfield City Coaches have won a tender for a Burton route as mentioned earlier)

 

[bussnapperwm]

As an aside, does anyone know what happened to the open top decker Diamond East Mids had. Also, I think read somewhere that Diamond was losing their Derby routes soon but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know if its true or not as I'm planning on heading to Derby middle of next month and was hoping to photo/ride the Diamond routes there.

 

[Russel]

Without trying to veer off topic here, have you any idea what plans Lichfield City Coaches and Buslink have for all of these buses, competition with Diamond for tenders, new commercial routes? I had noticed all of these ex Rotala ones on the monthly fleet changes so makes sense now knowing where they’ve ended up.

(I see Lichfield City Coaches have won a tender for a Burton route as mentioned earlier)

I'm loosing track now, who are Bus Link?

All I can find is the company details on the Gov website.

 

[zkyx2]

I'm loosing track now, who are Bus Link?

All I can find is the company details on the Gov website.

It’s the old Midland Classics MDs new venture, using stevensons black/yellow & seems to only be doing pertemps recruitment shuttles so far.

 

[Mkinson31422]

Can anyone confirm if this is correct because I'm sure they sold YN53 ZXJ years ago?

834 - VUI 222

Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 Dreadnought

bustimes.org

834 VUI 222​

TypeOptare Solo
Previous regYN53 ZXJ

 

[borage]

Can anyone confirm if this is correct because I'm sure they sold YN53 ZXJ years ago?

834 - VUI 222

Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 Dreadnought

bustimes.org

According to FreeCarCheck, the registration plate "VUI 222" is now on an ex-Ipswich Buses Optare Versa (formerly YK08 EPF). But the ticket machine tracking as VUI_222 might be in a different vehicle, I don't know

Registered Date 1st Jun 2008
No. of plate change(s) 1
Plate change details
Previous Reg Date Changed
YK08EPF 4th Sep 2023

 

[Mkinson31422]

According to FreeCarCheck, the registration plate "VUI 222" is now on an ex-Ipswich Buses Optare Versa (formerly YK08 EPF). But the ticket machine tracking as VUI_222 might be in a different vehicle, I don't know

Thank you. Do you know if they have any Optare Solos in the fleet?

 

[pm2304877]

Time for some Diamonds methinks!

 

[MasterSpenny]

Thank you. Do you know if they have any Optare Solos in the fleet?

They don’t according to bustimes.org
Edit: disregard the above line, there may be some that I have not seen or heard about.

800	222 NXW	82	25 Oct 14:56	Scania K360EB4 Irizar i6		Flickr	Edit*
827	VCZ 221	84	25 Oct 13:42	Mercedes-Benz Vario Plaxton Beaver 2		Flickr	Edit*
834	VUI 222	84	24 Oct 12:48	Optare Versa		Flickr	Edit
837	S222 UPD	21s	24 Oct 14:21	ADL/TransBus Enviro300		Flickr	Edit*
844	222 RXV	82	06:54	Scania K360EB6 Irizar Century		Flickr	Edit
845	222 HDX	81	07:45	Scania K360EB6 Irizar Century		Flickr	Edit

 

[EnviroExplorer]

They don’t according to bustimes.org

Don’t take that list to be 100% accurate, they’ve only been tracking for a few days so many vehicles will be missing, and one can assume there are private/closed door contracts that won’t track.

 

[Mkinson31422]

According to Bustimes.org Lichfield City Coaches have now got a Dart.

834 - VUI 222

Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 Dreadnought

bustimes.org

 

[Russel]

According to Bustimes.org Lichfield City Coaches have now got a Dart.

834 - VUI 222

Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 Dreadnought

bustimes.org

Yep, about the standard we can expect from this outfit.

 

[Mkinson31422]

Can anyone confirm if the following list of buses are operating with Lichfield City Coaches please?

DX57 JXS - Volvo B7RLE Plaxton Centro
NK56 EPC - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2
07-D-86757 - Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban