Page 5 - MBF Supplement Demo

A new Ford Transit Connect, 205 (BW10ERL) has been acquired for Warwick garage as a support vehicle. It was decided to add this extra van as Warwick garage did not have any service vehicles.
Several vehicles were away during March assisting with the Cheltenham races work of Crossways. Involved in this were three double deckers, 2 ALX400s and one East Lancs bodied DAF DB250 (BW54TJL), along with two Levante coaches (FJ11MLU, BJ66FWG). Also sent to Cheltenham were two single deckers, these being Scania Wright Solars 30/1 (BY08DSS, BH59GJN), supported by Mercedes Sprinter number 68 and Transit connect BV09KRS.
to visit several electric vehicle operations in Europe (although it is thought to be a way of the management getting cheap holidays). Once the survey has been made, some trials of electric vehicles will begin and it is planned to try some all- electric single deckers from mid 2017.
In his normal delicate manner, the Arden Forest public relations officer has said that there should be clean air in Warwickshire and that traffic fumes are OK for Birmingham, but not for Warwick.
Service 55, the Stratford to Warwick open - top service, came into operation again at the start of May using the two open top Plaxton Presidents. Service 19 (Solihull to Shirley Station) has one extra Optare Olympus bodied Scania added to its allocation and a service frequency increase to every 15 minutes.
The coach holiday programme is running well with trips in June comprising a week in Yorkshire (based in York), a week in Kent (based in Canterbury) and a week in Southport. Day trips in June are running to York, Stonehenge, London and Holmfirth.
No services operated on 1st January 2017. A reduced Service H (Hastings - Hythe) commenced from 2nd January using just four Solos instead of six.
On Sunday 15th January, three vehicles went to London to operate a rail replacement service between Wembley Park and Baker Street Underground Stations with the Transit van being used to transfer drivers midway through the day to continue with the duties. This procedure continued over the weekends of 21st/22nd & 28th/29th January. Vehicles involved were XMW12, M141FAE, N152XKO and Transit van ND09AWF.
During February, some vehicles were dispatched to the farm used by Arena Sales leaving a skeleton fleet in the yard while work was carried out to remove the railway box van used for storage (as can just be seen in the cover photograph of the last Supplement), which has increased the vehicle parking space. It has been replaced by a small wooden shed. The yard and depot were resurfaced on the 7th March. Replacement fencing is to be erected.
The Bova Futura (N152XKO) was used for a mini- tour in Surrey and the Cotswolds from Saturday 11th to Wednesday 15th February.
A Mercedes Sprinter van (SV07UKV) was acquired from the same source as that acquired by Arena Sales, the vehicle arriving on the 8th March.
ARENA SALES
Progress was made on the new building/covered yard area throughout January & February and was
17 (BW54 TJL), an East Lancs bodied DAF, one of the vehicles sent to assist Crossways at the Cheltenham Races.
Arena Bus & Coach John A White
Service 34 to Acocks Green is now being operated by ADL E200s 41/2 (BY11SOH/J). Three single deck Scania Omnicities have become spare, but one has been moved to Lodge Lane garage to operate on service 49 (Kingsbury to Atherstone) for now.
Service 48 (Tamworth to Kingsbury) has been withdrawn. Reasons cited for the withdrawal were poor ridership and lack of support from Tamworth Council. A local storm erupted over the cancellation of the service, with reports being made in the Tamworth Herald. Arden Forest public relations officer, Mr Don Caer had said that the service withdrawal was 'tough luck' and that passengers could walk or buy a car. This led to some bad feeling with Tamworth Council and complaints were made in the local paper from local council leader, the Right Honourable Rufus K. Vinin MP.
On loan to Eldorado Motors is Volvo/ Levante, 181 (FJ11MLU) to assist with Eldorado express services which have been recast and require additional vehicles. This is expected to be on loan for a couple of months.
Arden Forest has started a series of Hybrid Electric Heating Trials, known as HEAT. It is hoped that there will be no thermal incidents. The trials have begun with hybrid double deckers operating on routes 26 and 33. As part of the trials, the management intends
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