Walsall Garage

[the trainbasher]

Yeah pensnett are running on new boards as I've seen a Saturday 246/45 board with allocated types of vehicles noted on the boards too

[Stuharris 6360]

That means the weekday 1805 Walsall to Bloxwich is running number 05 from what ive seen. I assume this will then do the 1835 back to Walsall unless they go onto a different route after the trip? Its hard to work out each trips, as some times a bus may have loads stand time or straight in and out with little stand time, to work out the exact TT you would need to watch the service start to finish. do any 29s return the garage during the day/night as layover buses or just for driver change overs/breaks?

Sadly you just have to watch the service and see what happens.

Certainly in my area, come early evening, buses start swapping routes!

[Stuharris 6360]

Yeah pensnett are running on new boards as I've seen a Saturday 246/45 board with allocated types of vehicles noted on the boards too

That probably makes sense when running numbers are different on Saturdays and Sundays to weekdays.

[Stuharris 6360]

Oh and if anybody from WA garage reads this, can you put some ink into 1859s ticket machine, the NBus ticket i purchased yesterday was barely readable!

[AV4248]

Even the specials on the 301 yesterday, they had running cards, i think? the one i saw was 301/93.

Yes, I got a picture of one from 1613, was 301/93.

[Tomf1993]

thanks mate  :)

[Tomf1993]

This has reminded me, the weekend running boards have changed at several garages (except Walsall and PB it seems). Saturdays are now start from **/41 and Sundays now start from **/71.

For example at WN, the first bus out of garage on a Saturday would be 79/41. On Sundays for example, the first 59 would be 59/71.


Also, another addition to the running boards is the vehicle type printed so at WN, a Trident allocated route has 'Trid' on the board. The 904 i had today mentioned 'Sutton Branded E400' on the board.
I did think it was just WN but i caught 49/43 and 9/41 last Saturday so both PN and WB have changed their boards too.

Would be nice if some one from WA would email me all the WA boards as a one off goodwill gesture so I can work it all out easily  :D

[Tomf1993]

This has reminded me, the weekend running boards have changed at several garages (except Walsall and PB it seems). Saturdays are now start from **/41 and Sundays now start from **/71.

For example at WN, the first bus out of garage on a Saturday would be 79/41. On Sundays for example, the first 59 would be 59/71.


Also, another addition to the running boards is the vehicle type printed so at WN, a Trident allocated route has 'Trid' on the board. The 904 i had today mentioned 'Sutton Branded E400' on the board.
I did think it was just WN but i caught 49/43 and 9/41 last Saturday so both PN and WB have changed their boards too.

So do the running boards stay with the bus all day? start till finish and only way drivers know when to come off is when his trip has a circle on it? or do the drivers also have a running board aswell which has a selection of each trips they must do? so for example a running board for WA29/01 starts at 05 am end at say 7pm and the trips will be split between say 3 or 4 drivers?

[Stuharris 6360]

Would be nice if some one from WA would email me all the WA boards as a one off goodwill gesture so I can work it all out easily  :D

Sorry @Tomf1993 but you don't stand a chance there!

[Stuharris 6360]

So do the running boards stay with the bus all day? start till finish and only way drivers know when to come off is when his trip has a circle on it? or do the drivers also have a running board aswell which has a selection of each trips they must do? so for example a running board for WA29/01 starts at 05 am end at say 7pm and the trips will be split between say 3 or 4 drivers?

The running board stays with the bus all day, except if the bus breaks down and needs to be swapped.

The circles you see on the running board are probably done by drivers so its easier to remember when they are due for relief!

The drivers are told what running board they are covering and from what time!

[Tomf1993]

Sorry @Tomf1993 but you don't stand a chance there!

I know so I have been told, you never know though, some nice people out their might send me something, who knows..  :)

[domino.99]

So do the running boards stay with the bus all day? start till finish and only way drivers know when to come off is when his trip has a circle on it? or do the drivers also have a running board aswell which has a selection of each trips they must do? so for example a running board for WA29/01 starts at 05 am end at say 7pm and the trips will be split between say 3 or 4 drivers?

Running boards stay on bus, they do not change with drivers, the drivers have specific duties that require them to be on several different buses, hence the circle or line marking the end of a duty part.

[Tomf1993]

The running board stays with the bus all day, except if the bus breaks down and needs to be swapped.

The circles you see on the running board are probably done by drivers so its easier to remember when they are due for relief!

The drivers are told what running board they are covering and from what time!

Blimey, so drivers dont have individual duty cards to refer to like in London? each driver has their duty which tells them their bus run nos, the trips they cover, the times they due off for break etc ?

[GeminiFan1991]

So do the running boards stay with the bus all day? start till finish and only way drivers know when to come off is when his trip has a circle on it? or do the drivers also have a running board aswell which has a selection of each trips they must do? so for example a running board for WA29/01 starts at 05 am end at say 7pm and the trips will be split between say 3 or 4 drivers?

Running boards are usually giving out by the allocator based on how they are parked in the garage, it includes times such as leaving and returning to garage and and if the route interworks with another, what times they switch.

Only way you can get running board info is to get a good look when its with the driver ! I was lucky to get some good info from the driver trainer at WB who kindly showed me the 83/01 board. Gives you a good insight into bus logistics !

Drivers know which rota they're on and Im not fully sure on this so someone please correct me otherwise but drivers only perform 1 lap of a route before they get relieved ?

[notepanel]

Drivers know which rota they're on and Im not fully sure on this so someone please correct me otherwise but drivers only perform 1 lap of a route before they get relieved ?

That depends on the route! On certain long journeys (such as the full 126 in the daytime) that will be the case, but on something like the 29 at Walsall it can be many more. Drivers can be driving for up to 5h30mins before requiring a break - with built in breaks the driver can be on the same bus for 8h30mins!