50 service

[Dave Spencer]

 

Regarding the 50 service, I can not believe how many buses there are per hour on this service I believe there is something like 26 per hour! Can someone please clarify this.

Thanks

[Sh4318]

Regarding the 50 service, I can not believe how many buses there are per hour on this service I believe there is something like 26 per hour! Can someone please clarify this.

Thanks

On the 50, on a typical Mon-Sat level of frequency there are (bph - buses per hour)
12 bph from NX
6 bph from Green Bus
4 bph from Diamond

That's 20 buses per hour

[Dave Spencer]

Thanks

[Dave Spencer]

I can't see how any operator can make any money with that level of frequency.

[nitromatt1]

Regarding the 50 service, I can not believe how many buses there are per hour on this service I believe there is something like 26 per hour! Can someone please clarify this.

Thanks

On the 50, on a typical Mon-Sat level of frequency there are (bph - buses per hour)
12 bph from NX
6 bph from Green Bus
4 bph from Diamond

That's 20 buses per hour

That's 22 bph. I make it 13 bph from NX, so 23 total? 24, if you include the hourly Johnson's 150 service.

[Dave Spencer]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

[Trident 4609]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

I wouldn't say every '1' minute. Daytime frequency is on average every 5-6 minutes in the day and 4 minute in the peaks

[nitromatt1]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

I wouldn't say every '1' minute. Daytime frequency is on average every 5-6 minutes in the day and 4 minute in the peaks

4-5 minutes daytime, 4 minutes peak. I don't think they're allowed to timetable a 3 minute gap between departures.

[P419 EJW]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

I know what you mean. On Saturday, I was waiting for 50, 3 different buses came at the same time. I was spoilt for choice. But, obviously, NXWM all the way lol. Anyway, as soon as I departed from the stop, I see 2 NXWM 50's following each other... But it somehow works correctly on the route, it is 4 - 6 minutes apart but certainly not in Birmingham.

[Trident 4609]

Well the traffic around Digbeth/Moor St is horrendous at the best of times so causes 50's bunching together coming in/out of city.

[nitromatt1]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

I know what you mean. On Saturday, I was waiting for 50, 3 different buses came at the same time. I was spoilt for choice. But, obviously, NXWM all the way lol. Anyway, as soon as I departed from the stop, I see 2 NXWM 50's following each other... But it somehow works correctly on the route, it is 4 - 6 minutes apart but certainly not in Birmingham.

I'm much the opposite, I religiously avoid NX on the 50 (and most other services where possible). TGB is obviously my first choice, but Diamond will do too. Last resort is the 35 unless I'm going past Kings Heath.

[P419 EJW]

Was observing on Wednesday last week and it is so fierce with all 3 operators fighting for the moor street stop.

I would have put my life on it that NX had at least 20 buses on this route there was one every minute, soon as one would leave another would turn up , surely there is some sort of competition guideline for fairness as NX seem to have the biggest monopoly on this service.

I know what you mean. On Saturday, I was waiting for 50, 3 different buses came at the same time. I was spoilt for choice. But, obviously, NXWM all the way lol. Anyway, as soon as I departed from the stop, I see 2 NXWM 50's following each other... But it somehow works correctly on the route, it is 4 - 6 minutes apart but certainly not in Birmingham.

I'm much the opposite, I religiously avoid NX on the 50 (and most other services where possible). TGB is obviously my first choice, but Diamond will do too. Last resort is the 35 unless I'm going past Kings Heath.

That's your choice. :) Whilst being on 50 on that day, it started getting a bit annoying having to stop at every bus stop. I did see a TGB and a Diamond buses passing. I did have a slight feeling that I should have caught them instead of a NXWM. It made me late so I missed the 27 from Maypole. 😒 It was the first time catching 50, it seems that I will not go on 50 again unless if I want a fast journey to Kings Heath/Maypole so I can get either 11A or 27.

On a side note, I would speculate a number of the buses per hour for 50 would be 22-24ish.

[Liverpool Street]

I would only catch foreigners on the 50 and 16. Journey times and passenger quality are usually much better on none-NX.

[nitromatt1]

I would only catch foreigners on the 50 and 16. Journey times and passenger quality are usually much better on none-NX.

Especially on Sundays, with Diamond using their Versas on these routes, the vehicle quality is much higher

[Liverpool Street]

I would only catch foreigners on the 50 and 16. Journey times and passenger quality are usually much better on none-NX.

Especially on Sundays, with Diamond using their Versas on these routes, the vehicle quality is much higher

Oop, that too. Thanks for the reminder Matt :)

Makes me laugh when the scum see a 50, realise it's a Diamond or TGB then reside back into the bus shelter as they realise their 3 month old daysaver isn't valid on it. haha