Which bus route would you say has the most narrow roads on its route (Any bus operator)
The Britannic Assurance contract must be one. But it is a contract and not a service route. NXWM operate it with Optare Solo's and in places its tight to pass one in a car.
It is without doubt the 825 for Arriva at Colwich between Rugeley and Stafford, I used to do it daily and tight isn't the word...here's an image of an old Chase Leopard squeezing through
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/6478798729/
In buses November 05, theres an image of a Pointer Dart doing the same thing....
Well to judge the tightest route you have to think about which buses operate the service, for Tridents my vote would go for the 257, the same for the Merc's on the 297. The 222 can be rediculously tight at times around Pensnett, even for the B6's, hence the new batch of orders instead of cascading more Merc's around, even though they may be in better condition than some of the B6's.
The 688 has some narrow roads around some of the backstreets between Oldbury and Oakham and often the other 688 bus appears in the opposite direction down these roads, similar to the 414 around Tantany. The roads are not narrow but Caldmore is a nightmare for parked cars and its so tight for buses and someone quoted this is why the centro's were taken off the 404E as they were too big to get around Caldmore.
Quote from: wilmotm on July 15, 2012, 05:55:02 PM
Well to judge the tightest route you have to think about which buses operate the service, for Tridents my vote would go for the 257, the same for the Merc's on the 297. The 222 can be rediculously tight at times around Pensnett, even for the B6's, hence the new batch of orders instead of cascading more Merc's around, even though they may be in better condition than some of the B6's.
On the 222 around Pensnett i've been round the narrow roads when it interworked with the 141 with enviro 400 on sundays and they got round there surprisingly easy
Quote from: andy on July 15, 2012, 02:08:17 PM
It is without doubt the 825 for Arriva at Colwich between Rugeley and Stafford, I used to do it daily and tight isn't the word...here's an image of an old Chase Leopard squeezing through
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/6478798729/
Fantastic route loved driving it weatmans bridge was just as tight espically turning left off the A51 onto it in the pitch black was some war wounds on it (not done by me)
Quote from: andy on July 15, 2012, 02:08:17 PM
It is without doubt the 825 for Arriva at Colwich between Rugeley and Stafford, I used to do it daily and tight isn't the word...here's an image of an old Chase Leopard squeezing through
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/6478798729/
I withdraw my nomination. This has to be the winner.
Quote from: Discodave on July 15, 2012, 09:13:56 PM
Quote from: andy on July 15, 2012, 02:08:17 PM
It is without doubt the 825 for Arriva at Colwich between Rugeley and Stafford, I used to do it daily and tight isn't the word...here's an image of an old Chase Leopard squeezing through
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/6478798729/
Fantastic route loved driving it weatmans bridge was just as tight espically turning left off the A51 onto it in the pitch black was some war wounds on it (not done by me)
Yes Stafford ran it all day and then very conveniently gave it to us for the late shift! I used to love driving the route...every night Monday to Thursday was fine because we used Merc 811D's but on a Friday and Saturday we had to take a full length Tiger due to the loadings into Stafford, and that meant the dreaded left turn in the pitch black that you're talking about!
All you could do was slow right down, take the other side of the road, turn as late as possible and pray because you couldn't see a bloody thing! Thankfully I never came to grief, but plenty did!
Does service 53 count (Smiths Wood - Erdington) becuase I know it fights a couple of narrow roads around Neachells & Stechford
Quote from: Trident 4609 on July 15, 2012, 01:27:38 PM
Which bus route would you say has the most narrow roads on its route (Any bus operator)
This is stretching it a bit but it does say any bus operator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTbTypJliyM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBcsQcOyuIo&feature=related
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16368967@N03/5330867581/
If we're talking outside the midlands too...
NX / VIP route 636 around the Welsh House Farm estate. If BC have to operate a full size vehicle it cannot operate via Rilstone Rd./ Wisely Way it has to go direct along Welsh House Farm Lane.
448 in Weoley Castle around the 1 way loop of Alwold Road and Kemberton Road and also 447 / 8 St. Mary's Road and Wigorn Road.
One of the best (or worst depending on your point of view) was the old 20 route Smethwick - Harborne. Cheshire Road in Smethwick was a nightmare and parked cars in Gorsy Road in Worlds End regularly meant buses getting stuck.
I guess most of these now it is parking that makes the road narrow rather than the roads themselves.
Quote from: Peter123 on July 16, 2012, 07:13:59 PM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16368967@N03/5330867581/
If we're talking outside the midlands too...
No just the midlands and surrounding areas (Like routes that slightly go out of the county).
The 444 when WB decided to operate it using B6's!!! Was a bloody Nightmare at the oval when the school came out and if you met the other B6 coming the other way
Today I went around some roads around the 34 route in Stowlawn. With some of the parking by the school (which was just coming out at around 2pm), I didn't think I was going to get through in my Fiesta! Not surprisingly, the 34 appeared to be missing this part of the route out.
With some of the roads around Rough Hay as well, the 34/38/39 must have some big challenges in it for drivers, particularly now it is B10 operated.
Also, the roads around the Poets Estate in Willenhall are bad. The other day some parked cars by the narrow entrance forced the bus to skip the estate, and likewise today some roadworks on the junction would have left the estate inaccessible. The people on this estate campaigned for around 9 months for the 41 to be re-routed around there, and half the time it probably can't even access the estate.
That said, I don't know if a driver would prefer to be on a rota with routes with 'challenges' or whether they'd prefer to be driving in a near enough straight line all day (e.g. the 51, X51 or 529 rota when it was at Walsall).
many a time we got stuck round the oval or edmonds road in a b6 on the 444. happy days.
i remember one driver had to call the police once because someone parked awkardly in edmonds road and the buses couldn't get past. he was there that long the one behind caught him up and they arrived in west brom at the same time, despite being a half hour service!
narrow roads for west bromwich garage for buses:
Tantany (peel street, lily street) 414 - not enough room for even a dart if another vehicle is coming towards you.
Milton Street - 405 - bad parking, especially on a friday by the mosque and with a blind bend as well with cars parked on both sides of the bend....
Wheatsheaf Road - 688 - room for one vehicle only going towards Regent Road end.
and when we used to do the 438/9 down cape hill corbett street side of the asda that was tight with parking on both sides and inconsidrate drivers who can't see a 6ft wide 10ft high (ish) b6 bus coming towards them with nowhere to go. many a time (again!) stuck down there. a couple of christmases ago i moved about 50ft in 1 hour.... just could'nt go anywhere..
end of rant! ;D
Quote from: wbdriver on July 24, 2012, 07:08:07 PM
many a time we got stuck round the oval or edmonds road in a b6 on the 444. happy days.
i remember one driver had to call the police once because someone parked awkardly in edmonds road and the buses couldn't get past. he was there that long the one behind caught him up and they arrived in west brom at the same time, despite being a half hour service!
narrow roads for west bromwich garage for buses:
Tantany (peel street, lily street) 414 - not enough room for even a dart if another vehicle is coming towards you.
Milton Street - 405 - bad parking, especially on a friday by the mosque and with a blind bend as well with cars parked on both sides of the bend....
Wheatsheaf Road - 688 - room for one vehicle only going towards Regent Road end.
and when we used to do the 438/9 down cape hill corbett street side of the asda that was tight with parking on both sides and inconsidrate drivers who can't see a 6ft wide 10ft high (ish) b6 bus coming towards them with nowhere to go. many a time (again!) stuck down there. a couple of christmases ago i moved about 50ft in 1 hour.... just could'nt go anywhere..
end of rant! ;D
I remeber being on a 438 or 439 on a b6le when NXWM operated the route and WBA were playing at home and the bus went by Kenrick park and because the football was on there were parked cars on both sides of the street we was ok until another b6le came round the corner a passenger got off our bus and helped the driver reverse the bus back slightly as it could of been dangerous as you are reversing onto an expressway.
Quote from: wbdriver on July 24, 2012, 07:08:07 PM
many a time we got stuck round the oval or edmonds road in a b6 on the 444. happy days.
i remember one driver had to call the police once because someone parked awkardly in edmonds road and the buses couldn't get past. he was there that long the one behind caught him up and they arrived in west brom at the same time, despite being a half hour service!
narrow roads for west bromwich garage for buses:
Tantany (peel street, lily street) 414 - not enough room for even a dart if another vehicle is coming towards you.
Milton Street - 405 - bad parking, especially on a friday by the mosque and with a blind bend as well with cars parked on both sides of the bend....
Wheatsheaf Road - 688 - room for one vehicle only going towards Regent Road end.
and when we used to do the 438/9 down cape hill corbett street side of the asda that was tight with parking on both sides and inconsidrate drivers who can't see a 6ft wide 10ft high (ish) b6 bus coming towards them with nowhere to go. many a time (again!) stuck down there. a couple of christmases ago i moved about 50ft in 1 hour.... just could'nt go anywhere..
end of rant! ;D
Yeah the 444 was a complete ball ache!!!! I forgot the 438/9 at the Asda. I remember going down there when there had been heavy snowfall, before the company had chance to stop us going down it, and making that left hand turn to go down the side of asda was a squeaky bum moment in itself lol
Quote from: thetruth on July 24, 2012, 11:49:48 PM
How about Crookhay Lane on the 78A/429?
Defo a pain in the arse going across the Milfield Estate, especially with a bus full of Wodensborough High School Morons shouting and screaming and opening the Emergency Doors. ;D
Quote from: notepanel on July 24, 2012, 02:49:32 PM
Today I went around some roads around the 34 route in Stowlawn. With some of the parking by the school (which was just coming out at around 2pm), I didn't think I was going to get through in my Fiesta! Not surprisingly, the 34 appeared to be missing this part of the route out.
Was that Villiers School on Prouds Lane by any chance?
I know it can be a nightmare to get through there due to the parents parking on both sides of road.
Though I doubt the 34 would miss out that part of the route because I doubt the B10Ls could fit round the side roads around Villiers.
Quote from: SMK on July 25, 2012, 02:10:10 AM
Quote from: notepanel on July 24, 2012, 02:49:32 PM
Today I went around some roads around the 34 route in Stowlawn. With some of the parking by the school (which was just coming out at around 2pm), I didn't think I was going to get through in my Fiesta! Not surprisingly, the 34 appeared to be missing this part of the route out.
Was that Villiers School on Prouds Lane by any chance?
I know it can be a nightmare to get through there due to the parents parking on both sides of road.
Though I doubt the 34 would miss out that part of the route because I doubt the B10Ls could fit round the side roads around Villiers.
I think it was Stowlawn School. Villiers had either already broken up, or was finishing at normal time I think, although I can imagine that being a problem as well.
what about rayleigh road on the old 514 route at peaks it ran 2 an hour and for some reason you were timed to pass on the 90 degree corner at the top and as always some twat had parked a luton van one side and car on the other and you were going nowhere volvo b10s were banned off the route (dad was road rep for rota and he went with mananagement to prove this) glad this route was changed via the review well mainly got rid of
Quote from: notepanel on July 25, 2012, 08:50:52 AM
Quote from: SMK on July 25, 2012, 02:10:10 AM
Quote from: notepanel on July 24, 2012, 02:49:32 PM
Today I went around some roads around the 34 route in Stowlawn. With some of the parking by the school (which was just coming out at around 2pm), I didn't think I was going to get through in my Fiesta! Not surprisingly, the 34 appeared to be missing this part of the route out.
Was that Villiers School on Prouds Lane by any chance?
I know it can be a nightmare to get through there due to the parents parking on both sides of road.
Though I doubt the 34 would miss out that part of the route because I doubt the B10Ls could fit round the side roads around Villiers.
I think it was Stowlawn School. Villiers had either already broken up, or was finishing at normal time I think, although I can imagine that being a problem as well.
Ah I see.
Though the 34 doesn't go directly past that school.
The 23 does though.
63 (Midland) operated by Solo/Dart is pretty narrow for most of the route, with some very hairy turns around Wednesfield, though for much of the route this is due to cars parking on double yellows even on tight bends. I'm surprised a bus gets around a lot of the time.
Surprisingly, the 63/4 isn't too bad - we have more problems with the 200/1 (Shakespeare Road particularly) and the 647.
Olinthus avenue in wednesfield is narrow and used by midlands number 18. although it uses small buses like solos and small darts i have seen full size darts on the route before.
Quote from: Badger on August 03, 2012, 02:10:22 PM
63 (Midland) operated by Solo/Dart is pretty narrow for most of the route, with some very hairy turns around Wednesfield, though for much of the route this is due to cars parking on double yellows even on tight bends. I'm surprised a bus gets around a lot of the time.
Especially the new park village estate (Longford road, valley road, shawbury road) has narrow roads. Also roads like coronation road by new cross and Victoria road in wednesfield road are narrow anyway but it is a nightmare with parked cars even with a solo. Also D'Eyncourt road is narrow.
Other routes with narrow roads
Midlands route 57- Pembroke avenue in ettingshall is very narrow.
I remember when the 525( now 25) used tridents on sundays and when there was a match at wednesfield football club cars parked on bellamy lane and it was a tight squeeze and bellamy lane is narrow already as it is withought parked cars.
255/256- The narrow country lanes in rural staffordshire.
257- The roads around lower gornal are narrow and tight corners for tridents to get round.
27A- Coleridge rise in gornal is narrow along with parked cars on longfellow road.
1- The roads around tettenall road like regis road are narrow.
81- vicarage road off birmingham new road is narrow with parked cars and the roads in lanesfield can be narrow
68- Bellamy lane and Blackwood avenue in wednesfield are narrow
69- Ridge lane, Poets estate and edison road in beechdale are narrow.
89- Wood road, trevor road and woodfield road north in pelsall and field lane and broad lane in shelfield
3- The road where the castlecroft terminus is ( castlecroft avenue)
11- The underhill estate has narrow roads
62/62A,25/25A,5/5A- The roads in dunstall and whitmore reans are a nightmare with parked cars.
The 424 has some narrow roads on it, not to bad with the MPDs that VIP use on the route but remember when Diamond sometimes used longer Darts (and a SPD at least once).
519 Newport - Shrewsbury! Goes down tight country lanes!! I driver coaches down the same road a regularly have to wait for the bus to pass.
X96 old park road on wrens nest no room for a car and bus to past
What about the 810 in Cannock, on longford estate where i live Carlisle Road ( which isnt too wide anyway ) can be a nightmare at busy times with parked cars ive been on green bus leopards before when theyve just got stuck lol
What buses do you have around there now bob when I was a driver over there it was the 20 or 21 I see the 2 runs around there but now a lorry driver I keep up with things from this site, buses mag and some old mates
The 25 reditch to statford, one of the nicest but tightest routes ive ever been on, nothing qiite like rumberling arround a country lane just a bit wider than the bus at what seems like hight speeds complete with blind bends and humback bridges, winner for me atm
aye the 26 is tight in places but the 350 Redditch - Worcester was tight in places when run by Red Diamond not so sure about it now. and there was a school route that was tight around Earls Common Worcestershire too if i remember rightly from what a First driver told me.
The 81 is tight in places. The 57 gets tight in ettingshall. the 89 high heath area. the roads around tettenhall on the 1 are quite narrow especially with some parked cars and oncoming buses. Bellamy lane is tight on the 25A. The 68 is tight in long knole.
The road leading to/from the a41 into Bilston Bus Station. Just off the mini island, in front of Barclays, room for one bus and no more!
The 145 is pretty tight on those country roads between Burcot and Barnt Green.