Optare Solo

50281/2/96 W312/3/27DWX

During the last week of August 2005 First Wyvern acquired a second hand Optare Solo in the shape of W327DWX from First Bradford. The vehicle which is a 27-seater is numerically the last of a batch of 21 Solo vehicles delivered new to First Bradford in 2000. The batch consists of 50276-96 (W307-27DWX). The vehicle entered service at Worcester with the service changes on 4th September 2005. The vehicle was repainted in April 2007 and during May 2007 moved to Hereford to provide cover whilst the Hereford allocated Solo vehicles are repainted. First Midland Red gained the routes 37, 37A, 423, 424 and 425 following retendering from Diamond Bus. As a result 50281 and 50282 were transferred to Worcester from the 6th June 2010 to cover the extra work gained from this date.

Livery Key :  Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).

53040/1 VU02PKX & VU02PKY

In partnership with Herefordshire Council First Wyvern purchase two 22-seat Optare Solo low floor minibuses using funding the Local Transport Plan and the Countryside Agency. The Council is currently working with bus operators in Herefordshire to provide funds for new low floor vehicles for subsidised services. This meant by the end of 2002 45% of all subsidised mileage in the County was being operated with low floor buses. The two vehicles purchased 1701 (now 53040) VU02PKX and 1702 (now 53041) VU02PKY were delivered to Worcester Garage in April 2002 and were painted in full First "Barbie" low floor livery. Both vehicles had entered service Hereford depot by late April and are primarily used on the 110 & 111 services (now renumbered 76A and 76) between Bartonsham, the General Hospital and the City Centre, in the daytime, the 418 evening service and the Sunday only service 32/38 between Hereford and Gloucester. These two vehicles are unique within the First Group as they are only 22-seaters when normally the Optare Solo's purchased are 26-seaters.

Livery Key :  Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).

53042-51  VU03YJT-Z,VU03YKB-E

Working with First Wyvern and the local heath authority, Worcestershire County Council was successful in 2001 in obtaining "Urban Bus Challenge" money from the Department for Transport to improve the access to work and health opportunities within Worcester. This involves the introduction of a cross Worcester service from the Dines Green estate on the west side of the River Severn to the new Royal Hospital and Warndon estates on the east side. Originally, the Company planned to purchase 12 22-seater vehicles (similar to 53040 and 53041 at Hereford) however the order was altered to 10 26-seater vehicles together with a maximum of 25 standing passengers. The vehicles are plated to carry one wheelchair. These vehicles were originally due for delivery in January 2003 and were allocated 52 registration marks in the Severn Valley Registration District. As the vehicles were not delivered until after March 2003 they received 03 registration plates. The first four of the vehicles were delivered to Worcester Garage on Friday 28 March 2003. The vehicles are fitted with no less than four digital CCTV cameras with a colour LCD monitor in the drivers cab. Much of the preparation work of installing ticket machines and adding external vehicle branding was done at the Church Road Garage in Redditch. The vehicles entered service in Worcester on Tuesday 6th May 2003 following a launch of the new vehicles for the cross-city services 41/41A/43/43A between Dines Green and Warndon. After just over three years in service the Solos at Worcester depot have been suffering from premature corrosion and are now being treated for this under warranty. As part of the work the vehicle is being repainted into the current version of the Barbie livery. The first to be treated was 53045 in December 2006. 

Livery Key :  Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted).

53058-64  VX53OEV/N-R/T/U

On 14th October 2003 First Wyvern took delivery of three further Optare Solo Minibuses for the new "WyeS Moves" group of services in the South Wye area of Hereford. "WyeS Moves" is a project that has been developed in response to issues about access raised through community consultations. A community-based group, The South Wye Accessible Transport Group, supported by the South Wyre Community Development Team and Herefordshire Council, undertook an area-wide household survey on transport during 2001. Following this Herefordshire Council made a successful Urban Bus Challenge bid to the Department for Transport in 2002. The service is also funded using money from Advantage West Midlands (The Government Development Agency for the West Midlands). The new "WyeS Moves" services started on 26th October 2003 and are numbered H8, H9, H10 and H11. The routes link Rotherwas with Belmont via The Pastures, Hinton, Red Hill, Hunderton and Newton Farm, every 30 minutes. The H8 replaces the City Centre to Rotherwas section of 73 but it runs from Hereford Rail Station via the Hospital and Bridge Street. From the same date the remaining section of service 73 ran between Moor Farm and the City Centre only. During the second week of November First Wyvern took delivery of a further Solo (1716 now numbered 53062), which will join 1713-5 (now numbered 53059-61) at Hereford. By Saturday 22nd November 2003 1716-18 (now numbered 53062-5) had all entered service at Hereford. The final Optare Solo 1719 (now numbered 53065) of the batch was delivered to Worcester Garage on 22nd November 2003 and it entered service in Hereford on 29th November 2003. With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme vehicles 1713-9 were to be renumbered 53052-7 but these numbers clashed with Solo vehicles in the First Beeline fleet that had already been renumbered so the First Wyvern vehicles were renumbered 53059-64 respectively. Before the clash in fleet numbers was spotted 1716 did carry the new fleet number 53055 for a short period of time during March 2004.

Livery Key :  Barbie  - The livery the vehicles were delivered in when new.  Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)

53141/52/3 VX04UMU/V & VX05HPP/U  

Over the weekend of the 29th and 30th May 2004 First Wyvern took delivery of two brand new Optare Solo vehicles from dealer stock for use on new  Worcestershire County Council subsidised Flexi-Link services in the Kidderminster/Stourport and Malvern/Upton on Severn areas. As the vehicles are only on contract hire to First Wyvern neither vehicle has been allocated a national fleet number. The two vehicles have taken the numbers 1720 and 1721 which were the next vacant numbers in the First Wyvern numbering series for Solo vehicles before the adoption of the national numbering scheme. The vehicles entered service with First Wyvern on Tuesday 1st June 2004 and are fitted with a radio telephone for use by drivers to communicate with the Worcestershire County Council control centre so that they know when and where passengers require picking up from. These vehicles are provided by Worcestershire County Council for use on specific contracts they have with First Wyvern. They are not owned by First Wyvern and are "owned" or rather leased by Worcestershire County Council. At the end of August 2005 1721 was taken out of First Wyvern service and transferred to Aston's Coaches for use on the service 363 that they have won the contract for. 1720 was also around the same date painted into the new "Worcester Express" livery for the new circular services round the City which are linked to the Worcester North Park and Ride route. During February 2007 1720 was allocated a national First fleet number of 53141. Both 1722 and 1723 were allocated national fleet numbers in February 2007.