Would there be any reason a more direct bus between Wolverhampton and Birmingham wouldn't work?
For Example, lets use the number 926, having the bus run non stop from Wolverhampton-Willenhall, pick up passengers in Willenhall, at the Dale, non stop from there to Walsall, then link up with the X51 Route to Perry Barr, and then non stop to Moor Street, running at a 15 minute frequency to Walsall and then 30 minutes to Wolverhampton.
Even if it is a bit of a daft idea, its not as bad as my friend's X26 express idea to Leicester via Wednesfield, New Invention, Cannock, Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, Birmingham, Airport/NEC, Coventry and Tamworth
Quote from: ARJ2901 on September 10, 2014, 06:40:25 PM
Would there be any reason a more direct bus between Wolverhampton and Birmingham wouldn't work?
If you need to get from Wolverhampton to Birmingham quick, get the Metro (35mins) or the train (about 20mins).
The 126 bus takes about 90mins, would your proposed route actually be any quicker?
Quote from: Stu on September 10, 2014, 07:41:09 PM
Quote from: ARJ2901 on September 10, 2014, 06:40:25 PM
Would there be any reason a more direct bus between Wolverhampton and Birmingham wouldn't work?
If you need to get from Wolverhampton to Birmingham quick, get the Metro (35mins) or the train (about 20mins).
The 126 bus takes about 90mins, would your proposed route actually be any quicker?
If you're travelling by bus, during off-peak daytime hours the 529 is timetabled to take 36 minutes between Wolverhampton & Walsall (compared to 44 minutes on the 39 or 47 minutes on the 40). The X51 is then timetabled to take 35 minutes from Walsall - Birmingham.
The 126 takes 92 minutes, so if you time your journey to co-incide with an X51, it will probably end up just over 10 minutes quicker than getting the 126.
The non-stop element on the 529 wouldn't actually save that much time, as it would still have to use the same route.
When compared to the train, is an improved journey time of 75 minutes going to take people off the train/metro that get there in half that time? The answer is probably not.
I thought that the 529 was only scheduled to take 26 minutes at peak, not counting traffic, and i wasn't actually suggesting it would link with the X51 at Walsall, just follow the same route
Quote from: ARJ2901 on September 10, 2014, 08:03:32 PM
I thought that the 529 was only scheduled to take 26 minutes at peak, not counting traffic, and i wasn't actually suggesting it would link with the X51 at Walsall, just follow the same route
26 in the peak, no.....It can take that long to get to Willenhall
Quote from: Tony on September 10, 2014, 09:20:42 PM
Quote from: ARJ2901 on September 10, 2014, 08:03:32 PM
I thought that the 529 was only scheduled to take 26 minutes at peak, not counting traffic, and i wasn't actually suggesting it would link with the X51 at Walsall, just follow the same route
26 in the peak, no.....It can take that long to get to Willenhall
It took around 20mins for it to get from portobello island to wolverhampton bus station the other day when i was on it.
This proposed service would be competing against the train. Which is faster and is more frequent than an express service would ever be (9tph)
Sorry, misread the timetable i was using, it is about 40 minutes
How long did the 79 use to take? And the 979
I think it took about the same as the 126
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I remember them having DP lynxes branded up for the 979. Either that or 79 used to go past a demolished building possibly a school, and all that was left of it was a urinal stuck to a wall. May of been on the brum end of the route :)
Quite often a 40 can beat a 529 end to end, a more direct bus service from Wolverhampton to Birmingham is an impossible one to create, the 126 is as direct as it gets bus wise, trains and trams much faster
i didn't even know there had been a 979, can anyone tell me when it finished, cause if it was before 2002, i probably wouldn't remember it
Quote from: P419 EJW on September 11, 2014, 12:05:23 PM
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I have a 979 timetable dated February 1999, the journey time from Wolves to Birmingham was 65 minutes. All journeys from 0635 to the last full working at 1735 were timed as such. Service went from Birmingham via Cape Hill, Blue Gates, West Brom bus station, Wednesbury, Moxley, Bilston to Wolves, limited stop. I have a vague memory of doing the 979 all the way through from Wolves to Birmingham sometime in 1999 or 2000 on a B6LE.
Quote from: Cheese on September 11, 2014, 07:53:47 PM
Quote from: P419 EJW on September 11, 2014, 12:05:23 PM
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I have a 979 timetable dated February 1999, the journey time from Wolves to Birmingham was 65 minutes. All journeys from 0635 to the last full working at 1735 were timed as such. Service went from Birmingham via Cape Hill, Blue Gates, West Brom bus station, Wednesbury, Moxley, Bilston to Wolves, limited stop. I have a vague memory of doing the 979 all the way through from Wolves to Birmingham sometime in 1999 or 2000 on a B6LE.
It was withdrawn in late 1999 / 2000 I think. Replaced by the 80 between Wednesbury and Birmingham. Same route as the 979 but not limited stop. B6LEs originally then changed to Mercs in the May 2002 service changes.
The current 80 is nothing like the original.
Quote from: uniquicity on September 11, 2014, 07:58:11 PM
Quote from: Cheese on September 11, 2014, 07:53:47 PM
Quote from: P419 EJW on September 11, 2014, 12:05:23 PM
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I have a 979 timetable dated February 1999, the journey time from Wolves to Birmingham was 65 minutes. All journeys from 0635 to the last full working at 1735 were timed as such. Service went from Birmingham via Cape Hill, Blue Gates, West Brom bus station, Wednesbury, Moxley, Bilston to Wolves, limited stop. I have a vague memory of doing the 979 all the way through from Wolves to Birmingham sometime in 1999 or 2000 on a B6LE.
It was withdrawn in late 1999 / 2000 I think. Replaced by the 80 between Wednesbury and Birmingham. Same route as the 979 but not limited stop. B6LEs originally then changed to Mercs in the May 2002 service changes.
The current 80 is nothing like the original.
The 979 was introduced at deregulation in October 1986. Originally was operated by dual purpose Metrobuses 2937-2940 & 2955. My first ride on the whole route was on 2938 on 15th Nov 1986. Never did carry heavy loads and the Metrobuses were replaced by dual purpose Lynx's 1261-1265 in 1990. Not sure I could have stood a B6LE for 65 minutes however!
Quote from: busfan2847 on September 11, 2014, 08:21:25 PM
Quote from: uniquicity on September 11, 2014, 07:58:11 PM
Quote from: Cheese on September 11, 2014, 07:53:47 PM
Quote from: P419 EJW on September 11, 2014, 12:05:23 PM
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I have a 979 timetable dated February 1999, the journey time from Wolves to Birmingham was 65 minutes. All journeys from 0635 to the last full working at 1735 were timed as such. Service went from Birmingham via Cape Hill, Blue Gates, West Brom bus station, Wednesbury, Moxley, Bilston to Wolves, limited stop. I have a vague memory of doing the 979 all the way through from Wolves to Birmingham sometime in 1999 or 2000 on a B6LE.
It was withdrawn in late 1999 / 2000 I think. Replaced by the 80 between Wednesbury and Birmingham. Same route as the 979 but not limited stop. B6LEs originally then changed to Mercs in the May 2002 service changes.
The current 80 is nothing like the original.
The 979 was introduced at deregulation in October 1986. Originally was operated by dual purpose Metrobuses 2937-2940 & 2955. My first ride on the whole route was on 2938 on 15th Nov 1986. Never did carry heavy loads and the Metrobuses were replaced by dual purpose Lynx's 1261-1265 in 1990. Not sure I could have stood a B6LE for 65 minutes however!
Well, that answers that question, and being stuck on a B6LE for the duration of the 28 Willenhall-Wolverhampton is bad enough, on the best of days
Quote from: Cheese on September 11, 2014, 07:53:47 PM
Quote from: P419 EJW on September 11, 2014, 12:05:23 PM
Looking back on the 79 timetable made in 27th March 2005 (I miss Travel West Midlands timetables), the route used to take 89 minutes in the day time and 65 minutes in the evening. If I remember correctly, 979 was a timesaver route, I tried to find a timetable of 979 but it seems I can't find it but I would suspect it'd might take less than an hour?
I have a 979 timetable dated February 1999, the journey time from Wolves to Birmingham was 65 minutes. All journeys from 0635 to the last full working at 1735 were timed as such. Service went from Birmingham via Cape Hill, Blue Gates, West Brom bus station, Wednesbury, Moxley, Bilston to Wolves, limited stop. I have a vague memory of doing the 979 all the way through from Wolves to Birmingham sometime in 1999 or 2000 on a B6LE.
1987 timetable has an end to end time of 54 mins! I somehow doubt that'd be possible nowadays
I thought we'd all agreed City To City travel via buses fast doesn't actually work? After all, if your destination is that of the final one of the bus, then you'll chose a train or tram or coach or whatever over sitting on a bus for hours. It's like these idiots who catch the 636 from Brum to Halesowen and then moan at the driver for it taking over an hour to get there. Well excuse me, clot, there was a 9 you could've caught if you used your mind. Well I mean it's not for anyone to educate these people.
Quote from: Liverpool Street on September 18, 2014, 04:46:01 PM
I thought we'd all agreed City To City travel via buses fast doesn't actually work? After all, if your destination is that of the final one of the bus, then you'll chose a train or tram or coach or whatever over sitting on a bus for hours. It's like these idiots who catch the 636 from Brum to Halesowen and then moan at the driver for it taking over an hour to get there. Well excuse me, clot, there was a 9 you could've caught if you used your mind. Well I mean it's not for anyone to educate these people.
If I had a fiver for everytime I'd witnessed or listened to those sorts of people I would be able to leave the midlands lol
Spose thats one good thing about living in cannock, its pretty close to loads of midlands towns. Dont think ( apart from the x51) theres any bus route that takes over an hour. Anyone know what the journey time on a 951/2 was end to end back in the late 80s? The ordinary walsall 301 was pretty quick
Quote from: Bob on September 18, 2014, 07:25:01 PM
Spose thats one good thing about living in cannock, its pretty close to loads of midlands towns. Dont think ( apart from the x51) theres any bus route that takes over an hour. Anyone know what the journey time on a 951/2 was end to end back in the late 80s? The ordinary walsall 301 was pretty quick
Its not about long running time, its about thick people who catch one bus end to end when there are quicker routes. Living in Cannock you do have an advantage of not having lots of various length routes to the same place for example if you were going from Cannock to Stafford, you could use the 74 or 75 , they take the same amount of time roughly so you'd just get on either, there's no option of a route that does a loop of Baswich and Knightley en route
74 Is a little bit quicker isnt it? But usually horrendously busy. N yea the wolves routes take about same time. Walsalls an exception tho with the 33 & 2/2A taking considerably longer than the 1. I don't get why the 2/2a are being given sapphire branding and upgrade. The 1 yea definitely needs it but the 2 is a pretty quiet route that has competition en route from the train. Would have thought the 1 & staffordswould have been a better choice to upgrade
Quote from: Liverpool Street on September 18, 2014, 04:46:01 PM
I thought we'd all agreed City To City travel via buses fast doesn't actually work? After all, if your destination is that of the final one of the bus, then you'll chose a train or tram or coach or whatever over sitting on a bus for hours. It's like these idiots who catch the 636 from Brum to Halesowen and then moan at the driver for it taking over an hour to get there. Well excuse me, clot, there was a 9 you could've caught if you used your mind. Well I mean it's not for anyone to educate these people.
City to City travel by bus can work and in the following cases buses offer quicker journey times than the equivalent journey by rail, some of which are on fairly long distance runs!
Sheffield to Mansfield - Stagecoach X17 (43 mins), Train (86 mins)
Bradford to Huddersfield - First X6 (37 mins), Train (45 mins)
York to Whitby - Transdev Coastliner 840 (142 mins), Train (162 mins)
Corby to Peterborough - Stagecoach X4 (52 mins), Train (108 mins)
Northampton to Wellingborough - Stagecoach X4 (35 mins), Train (108 mins)
The following offer very similar journey times to the equivalent rail journey:
Newcastle to Middlesborough - Go North East X9/X10 (80 mins), Train (78 mins)
Sheffield to Matlock - Stagecoach X17 (80 mins), Train (92 mins)
Coventry to Leicester - Travel DeCourcey X6 (75 mins), Train (68 mins)
Not sure, but i think the Stagecoach X2 Preston-Liverpool run might be close, and it sure as hell knocks the Preston-Southport bit of the journey out compared to by train
Quote from: ARJ2901 on October 05, 2014, 10:36:41 PM
Not sure, but i think the Stagecoach X2 Preston-Liverpool run might be close, and it sure as hell knocks the Preston-Southport bit of the journey out compared to by train
Preston to Liverpool is around 63-65 mins by train, around 2 hours or more on the 2X/X2. No comparison really.
After riding the 126 from Wolves to Birmingham, I am pretty sure there is an express route that could be made here maybe one stop between Wolves & Dudley, then a stop near the M5 island and then maybe one at Bearwood then into the city. I am pretty sure it can be done.
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 03:51:42 AM
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Wrong. People get the X51 to avoid stopping in Newtown and One Stop. The time it takes isn't as much of an issue. Same with the 902/4/5, it doesn't really shave that much time off the 115 journey really, they just have the advantage of guaranteed not stopping along that part of the route, and not having to negotiate the roundabouts on the way.
An express service along the Hagley Road for example would work for the same reason, it may get stuck in the same traffic but it won't stop at all the bus stops en route
Quote from: Kevin on October 15, 2014, 10:35:20 AM
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 03:51:42 AM
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Wrong. People get the X51 to avoid stopping in Newtown and One Stop. The time it takes isn't as much of an issue. Same with the 902/4/5, it doesn't really shave that much time off the 115 journey really, they just have the advantage of guaranteed not stopping along that part of the route, and not having to negotiate the roundabouts on the way.
An express service along the Hagley Road for example would work for the same reason, it may get stuck in the same traffic but it won't stop at all the bus stops en route
I resume 4006 has never stood in Birmingham looking at the 51 and X51 stops and seen 50 people let a 51 go and wait for the X51. It obviously does work or the frequency wouldn't be bing increased again
Quote from: Tony on October 15, 2014, 10:49:41 AM
Quote from: Kevin on October 15, 2014, 10:35:20 AM
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 03:51:42 AM
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Wrong. People get the X51 to avoid stopping in Newtown and One Stop. The time it takes isn't as much of an issue. Same with the 902/4/5, it doesn't really shave that much time off the 115 journey really, they just have the advantage of guaranteed not stopping along that part of the route, and not having to negotiate the roundabouts on the way.
An express service along the Hagley Road for example would work for the same reason, it may get stuck in the same traffic but it won't stop at all the bus stops en route
I resume 4006 has never stood in Birmingham looking at the 51 and X51 stops and seen 50 people let a 51 go and wait for the X51. It obviously does work or the frequency wouldn't be bing increased again
Yes I have caught the 51 many times. I just get on whatever comes first. The time saved really doesn't make much difference
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 11:49:42 AM
Quote from: Tony on October 15, 2014, 10:49:41 AM
Quote from: Kevin on October 15, 2014, 10:35:20 AM
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 03:51:42 AM
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Wrong. People get the X51 to avoid stopping in Newtown and One Stop. The time it takes isn't as much of an issue. Same with the 902/4/5, it doesn't really shave that much time off the 115 journey really, they just have the advantage of guaranteed not stopping along that part of the route, and not having to negotiate the roundabouts on the way.
An express service along the Hagley Road for example would work for the same reason, it may get stuck in the same traffic but it won't stop at all the bus stops en route
I resume 4006 has never stood in Birmingham looking at the 51 and X51 stops and seen 50 people let a 51 go and wait for the X51. It obviously does work or the frequency wouldn't be bing increased again
Yes I have caught the 51 many times. I just get on whatever comes first. The time saved really doesn't make much difference
I didn't say have you caught the 51, and what do you catch.
I enjoy waiting for the X51.
Means you speed past the Aston undesirables!
Even before the X51 started on Sundays, I caught the 997 instead!
Quote from: Tony on October 15, 2014, 10:49:41 AM
Quote from: Kevin on October 15, 2014, 10:35:20 AM
Quote from: 4006 on October 15, 2014, 03:51:42 AM
My opinion is 'X' Routes of variations of current routes don't work and the little time saved is insignificant, I mean take the X51, passengers don't care which they get on x51 or 51 they get whichever turns up first.The time saving is relatively little and by the time you wait for an X51 you can be half way down the road on a normal 51. Wolves have tried varies x routes to Merry Hill (travelling on parts of current routes), none of them work..they just don't save enough time to be worth waiting for. Most of the 'X' routes that do work is when there is no alternative! It's all just a marketing device, because its called 'x' something, people think it is faster
SUCKERS!!!
LOL
Wrong. People get the X51 to avoid stopping in Newtown and One Stop. The time it takes isn't as much of an issue. Same with the 902/4/5, it doesn't really shave that much time off the 115 journey really, they just have the advantage of guaranteed not stopping along that part of the route, and not having to negotiate the roundabouts on the way.
An express service along the Hagley Road for example would work for the same reason, it may get stuck in the same traffic but it won't stop at all the bus stops en route
I resume 4006 has never stood in Birmingham looking at the 51 and X51 stops and seen 50 people let a 51 go and wait for the X51. It obviously does work or the frequency wouldn't be bing increased again
The X51 does seem a bit of a success story in recent years, always extremely well used when I've been on it, even with some slightly scruffy 10 year old Gemini's so perhaps with some new E400 MMC's it might take off even further
I think the gemini's are in pretty good condition after ten years non stop interurban working. Even the tridents aren't so bad when theyre on the X51, especially the refurbished ones. I caught 4527 on the X51 on Friday and that too wasnt too bad internally either. That said im used to arrivas cadets darts amd commanders in cannock and the interiors of some of those make nx buses seem luxurious
Is it possible to make the line from Birmingham - Wolverhampton go faster?
Quote from: ronnoc1k8 on November 24, 2014, 07:22:40 PM
Is it possible to make the line from Birmingham - Wolverhampton go faster?
What line?
Quote from: Stu on November 24, 2014, 08:00:35 PM
Quote from: ronnoc1k8 on November 24, 2014, 07:22:40 PM
Is it possible to make the line from Birmingham - Wolverhampton go faster?
What line?
The lines don't actually move!
Quote from: Tony on November 24, 2014, 08:05:32 PM
Quote from: Stu on November 24, 2014, 08:00:35 PM
Quote from: ronnoc1k8 on November 24, 2014, 07:22:40 PM
Is it possible to make the line from Birmingham - Wolverhampton go faster?
What line?
The lines don't actually move!
Never made my self clear, the WCML line from Birmingham to Wolverhampton with the stops, Sandwell and Dudley, Smethwich Galton bridge etc etc.