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Another factor is it speeds up loading as the driver doesn't have to press three buttons to load up the ticket if the passenger wishes to pay by card. The Uni Hop has been withdrawn from the contactless menu for a while now, for that reason. 

Makes sense, I've seen both in use today.

Bartley Green should be the one to use. Woodgate is on there as well, I think there is a Sunday journey that terminates at the X22 terminus and goes straight into the next journey, as opposed to running dead between the two termini as the late night buses do.

Random question.

Today (like a lot of days), I saw school service 891 on Birmingham Road in Coleshill, making its way towards Coleshill School to start its journey. The bus in use was 4927, and it had its destination listed as Chelmsley Wood. I've looked up the timetable, and it says that it goes to Marston Green. Bustimes shows that it went to Marston Green as well.

Why would the destination be listed as Chelmsley when it ultimately goes to Marston Green?

Marston Green is not on the blind selection. Good job the kids know the score 😂

Is the bus wash at BC broken? And has it been broken for some time?

I had to go into the city centre this morning and the state of the BC fleet is very noticeable. Most buses with what is clearly days worth of caked on mud up to and including lower deck windows. Windows being that filthy it's hard to see out of. On many vehicles, the legal lettering, the orange lights along the body work and in some cases the fleetname have been manually cleaned with a cloth/sponge.

Was surprising as NX usually have a smartly turned out fleet.

Unfortunately yes, it's broken! It's funny, to me, how the legal lettering gets wiped by someone but not the rear lights! I was seen wiping mine with a mop the other day and got accused of being a jobsworth! All in jest I hasten to add!

Thanks, I know about the 84/5 but I think another route was registered which didn't end up operating - the 86 picked up some of it between Northfield and Woodgate Valley I believe.

Can't believe I remember this, the 86 started at Longbridge Lane (terminus point opposite the shops), left Turves Green to the bottom, followed what was then the 27 route to Northfield, left Bell lane then what was the 29A to Weoley Castle Square. I think then it ran down Barnes Hill but I was only young so hadn't stayed on it 😂

I've been looking through the 1986 DJ Slater WMPTE fleet list published a couple of months before deregulation.

There was a section showing the routes registered by WMT ahead of this - 3 of which didn't see the light of day in the form proposed. They're were:

49 Solihull to Rubery
77 Northfield to Kings Heath
78 Cotteridge to Kings Heath

As a kid living in South B'ham I vaguely remember a 77 service.

The MRW service you mention, I recall the 84/85/86 all running into south birmingham. The latter running from Longbridge.

I'm assuming the 78 eventually became the extended 27 and the 77 would've been extended from Longbridge to cover the curtailed 49?

I've also read that MRW registered a service that didn't materialise which was due to run from the Bull Ring Bus Station and would've linked several South Bham suburbs.

Can anyone shed any further light on these changes and/or why they didn't happen? Thanks.

Is this stop supposed to be used or was this flag supposed to be for the stop on George Road? Because you still get 'Next stop Granville St' yet some drivers use this stop.

Large sign in the shelter says "Bus Stop Not In Use"

Mushroom key! 😀

Platinum on the 10H. Seems an overkill, when they've got B7RLE on the Uni routes.

Quite surprising that the X21 driver was telling a passenger that it doesn't go to Selly Oak, Sainsbury's in the City Centre about half an hour ago. 2134.

The B7RLE comes off the staff bus and straight on the the Uni!

The photo of 7507 on the main site shows it parked at BC. On the wall behind it there's a sign saying 'hybrid bus parking only'. May I ask why the hybrids need their own parking area?

Can't think why! They were always parked inside the garage apart from a short spell parking up Adderly St. They always seem to be under cover again now...

6857 has a sticker saying it's fitted with autocoast, what does this mean?

The vehicle recognises when it's approaching a bus stop and cuts power to slow itself down. This can be overridden by the driver simply by coming off then back onto the throttle.

6117 X3

Yes it was parked on Priory Queensway behind 4898 when I saw it.

Duplicate. Runs as far as Wincanton at Hams Hall. Waits time. Departs on time as the 'normal' bus will more than likely be late. To City then Garage. There's one at 2050 as well!

Just done 6828 on the X21 from Bangham Pit to Birmingham, and between Edgbaston Park Road and Bristol Road we used Wellington Road, first time I have been on a bus down there. Guess drivers are free to use whatever route on that section? Vaguely recall a Zaks route might have used Wellington Road many years ago but nothing for a long time.

Wellington Road is THE route towards City. It's not down to drivers' discretion.

The tree branches on Wheeleys are a bit low but still not a big issue. The bus wouldn't be allocated if it was unsafe. It's a good excuse for those drivers who will find any reason to cut mileage.