Messages

Thanks for that, JT .... brought back a few memories of a service that I used to use as a schoolkid  :)

I should have remembered that the Rosebery Street d/ds were Leyland PD2s.  Distinctive bodywork, and a fair old turn of speed as well!

Seeing mention of the old no 4 route reminded me of the even older no 2 route that side of the city, back in the BCT days.  It started at the Ivy Bush (Hagley Road) then took Richmond Hill Road to the University and the QE Hospital - then on via Vincent Drive to Selly Oak, and finally (I can't recall the precise route) through Bournville to terminate up Kings Heath way.

I'm not sure which depot operated it - Selly Oak, perhaps - but I do remember various rush-hour turns brought Rosebery Street depot vehicles onto the route, they had a number of "JOJ" registration double deckers in the 22** fleet number range.  That depot's long gone, I think it was off Spring Hill or Dudley Road close to City Hospital.

Re 71 bunching
We have roadworks between The Clock & the M6 junction at the moment( new lamposts being installed) & yesterday it took me nearly 15 min to do this short section.

Thanks for that explanation, Broma - much appreciated !

Monday to Friday ..... very interesting! Not sure what the headway on the Sutton Park line is these days, but I would have thought there might be a few conflicts with existing weekday freight movements .......

Presumably into and out of New Street via the Handsworth / Soho line, rather than via Aston?

4854 on the 914

Much disruption on the 71 at the Sutton end this a.m.  Two inbound vehicles virtually nose to tail, followed by a 20 minute or so gap, then another two s/ds, this time 3 minutes apart ..... travelling on the last of the bunch, I then noted two outbound s/ds just 1 minute apart ......... LOL, not bad for a regular 15 minute frequency.  ::)  I hope NXWM are monitoring the 71's performance since the recent timetable changes - starting to think here that this service should run Sutton > Chelmsley Wood Interchange only, and forget traipsing across to Solihull .....

Big bouquet for the driver of 2115 today on the 71, who waited patiently at the bus-stop while a middle-aged lady did her best to run 50 yards to catch the bus ...... I know many other drivers will happily do the same, but it's always good to see such a "courtesy".  Well done!

Re Tony's website photo of it in Erdington 30/10 ... MX10DXD was actually in service on either the 167 or 168 yesterday (31/10/13) - seen in Asda Minworth

Are they any faster then BC's?!?!?!

No, judging by 4917's gentle meanderings on the 904 today ...... ;D

4916/17/18 all seen this morning in Sutton Coldfield. First two are  Sharlene, (as already posted) and Laura Emily.  They were on the 902 and 904; Sharlene noted on both routes so I assume they're inter-worked with a change-over in the City Centre.

Gets more like Eddie Stobart every day ....  ;)

Mistertee has hit the nail on the head.  It's not unknown to see two 71's following each other nose-to-tail at the Sutton end  ;D.

What is now a reasonably on-time 10 minute service between Castle Vale and Sutton (thanks to the 71A) has the potential to become a pretty unreliable 15 minute service.

And the 71's are pretty full, most of the day - not unusual for standing passengers out of Sutton, even during the daytime ...... 

I know you can't please all the people all the time, but it's not a great move by NXWM.  I trust they'll monitor the route after the changes.

http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/bus/servicechanges/ServiceChangesPages/27October2013.aspx

71A Sutton - Castle Vale effectively withdrawn, 71 rerouted away from Farnborough Road to go through the centre of Castle Vale, and 71 frequency said to be increasing to 15 minutes (the latter two details from an overheard conversation between two ladies on the 71A this morning).

638 renumbered 38 and re-routed via the Fort, but still just Erdington - Castle Vale.

Points to a reduction in service, therefore, on the 71 corridor between Asda Minworth and Sutton Coldfield ......

First time I've ever seen it, not one but two bendis on this afternoon's Sutton schools services, southbound through Walmley.  Both displayed "Contract".  First I didn't get, second was 6026.

I think you'll find that the 604 already serves Good Hope quite well, Nathan, in that it actually goes up Bedford Road (the side of the hospital), not past the A&E but past the entrance to the Sheldon Unit and the other main buildings there.

Rotala have pulled back on the 119 frequency in recent times and it's now down to hourly to Asda - at one point, I think it was quarter-hourly to Falcon Lodge. 

Nevertheless, I take Kevin's point about accessing Good Hope from the Boldmere / Kingstanding areas without changing in Sutton, and maybe increasing the 604's frequency is a possibility (I think it's still hourly), but it's a very tortuous route and goes all over the place at the moment.  Extending the 119 west of the Sutton Town centre to Kingstanding by a more direct route than the 604 takes could also help.

Conversely, I'd like to see the 71 diverted away from Good Hope, down Reddicap Hill and direct onto Coleshill Road, or alternatively one or any of the 71 /119 / 604 diverted straight up Rectory Road under the railway bridge* (the way the 119 originally used to go) - both of which then avoid Riland Road.  That's because the congestion in (the narrow) Riland Road, with nine routes traversing it, is getting beyond a joke at times .....

* the bridge is too low for D/D operated routes, I think.

4719 pulled up at the Calder Drive stop in Sutton Coldfield today showing "Sorry not in service" (Couldn't tell which version !  :D).  About six employees got off it, and at least one guy pulled out a pocket camera and started taking multiple photos of it from both the front and the rear !!  It was there for three or four minutes.

Any idea what that was all about?

In passing, I hope they got a shot of the fact that the bus's rear overhangs and partially blocks the brand new pelican-style cycle crossing recently put in there.  :o     Why the City Council planners put it so close to the bus stop, goodness only knows - accident waiting to happen there, I feel .......  :-\

7032 and a very smart looking 1794 on the 71A this afternoon.

1794 is a BY Omnilink :)

I know! Freshly outshopped in red/white, and carrying the fleet number on the front, in white, directly under the nearside windscreen.
So what's it doing on a PB roster?