New NCT Optare Versas

This picture of one of NCTs new Optare Versas which enter service today was taken from NCT's facebook page.

Langley Mill

I caught the 14:17 Rapid 1 from Nottingham yesterday and the red bus was changed for a blue one at Langley Mill giving me the chance to get a couple of pictures through the window.
Richard

Engine management systems

I took this picture because there are proposals for service 90 to be extended from Ripley to Derby as service 9.4 www.trentbarton.co.uk/news-and-media/travel-updates.aspx I think that this is a great idea. We will then have 7 buses per hour from Ripley to Derby which is the same as Saturdays in the 1950s when there was a 10 minute frequency on service 1 from Alfreton and an hourly service 44 from Chesterfield. Incidentally there was no through service from Derby to Mansfield in those days.

Whilst taking the picture I noticed that the bus had been standing with its engine running for several minutes and that it still had 10 minutes to wait before the scheduled departure time. 

Most buses in the UK are now being fitted with devices to encourage drivers to drive economically. Is there scope for a similar device to switch the engine off if a vehicle has been stationary for perhaps a minute?
Richard Lomas

Nottingham in 1993

£1 SINGLE

I saw two of these buses in Manchester on Saturday. £1 buses don't seem as popular as Pound Shops and they can't cut costs by reducing the number of biscuits in the packet.
We have Bargain Bus in Nottingham and these in Manchester. Are there any others?

Bus service changes

We have now learnt that the takeover of Veolia's Rotherham based services by TM Travel will be next Sunday the 24th July. The same day as other changes to tendered services in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
NCT are also making some changes in Nottingham the same day including a new GoTo blue line 39 to Carlton Valley. (Does anyone else remember that the Carlton trolleybus service was also 39). Details on NCT's web site. On Friday the mayor of Broxtowe cut the ribbon for The Big Orange Bus. (Yourbus introduced new Merceded Citarios on its competing service a few weeks ago).
Premiere have announced 11 new or variations to routes in September on their facebook page. Red5 from Friar Lane to New Sawley will operate every 20 minutes for 7 days a week and a new service, Red8 to Hucknall is promised. We will report further details when they are announced.

TM Travel takeover

TM Travel are taking over the Rotherham based operations of Veolia. It is understood that no vehicles are involved and that the services will be operated from TM's existing depot at Halfway. Yourbus are taking over four services in north Nottinghamshire (8, 9, 34 and 83).
More Sheffield news here.