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As annoying as the repetition is, there's a valid point there.

We're now at the 6 weeks mark until these changes will kick in, and we currently know... next to nothing.

These are likely to be fairly major changes too, not just some tweaks to timetables, and people do rely on these services; services that may well be unrecognisable come January.

The fact that even just the changes to the services can't or haven't been published yet, and even if it is with a disclaimer ("The timetables and operator have not been finalised yet, please check back later for up to date timetables." or something in that vein.), reflects extremely poorly on TfWM.

And this is a problem TfWM have had before - the January 2023 changes were almost ridiculous in how short notice and how poor quality the information provision was - so for them to make the same mistake again would be emblematic of a far greater problem in the system...

My understanding is that tender awards were released to operators on November 4th with operators having 14 days to confirm there acceptance (or otherwise) of the tenders and terms awarded to them. Once this has happened awards will be made public, so hopefully will be this week.

Interworking is done to save resources, not because it would be nice to do.

How long have X2 and X12 interworked for? Wouldn't it make sense for the X12 and X13 to interwork?

Interworking is done to save resources, not because it would be nice to do.

Do they interwork in Solihull, Birmingham or both? 

Reservoir Road, then South Road, which was pretty bad when I used to drive it in Fleetline days with car parking on both sides of the road, you had to be really careful and look right up the road in case a bus was coming the other way because there was normally only about two places you could pass.

South Road looks even worse now

For a period Central Buses operated a 28E between Erdington and Dyas Road (I think) which was often allocated an Olympian, they took a different route into Erdington to avoid the bridge, remember the road being congested with parking. 

Omg a bus lane on the Aston expressway heard it all now.

There is a bus lane for the last setion of the M32 into Bristol, it is in the right hand lane, in effect creating a third lane. This avoids vehicles leaving and joining at the last junction needing to navigate across the bus lanes. 

MRW also ran the 682 (now 62/62A) Wolves town centre to Compton via Asda and Dunstall when it replaced the previous free bus to the new Asda in Wolves which had been operated by Classic Coaches of Wombourne in the late 1990s but I'm not sure if they still had it in 1999.

Zaks run the 682 for many years, using Finchfield as a destination, if I remember correctly.

The 443 was introduced in 1986 at deregulation as a Tendered service by Midland Red West, not sure when it ended.

Introduced in October 1986 half hourly Mon to Sat between Ladywood (Northbrook St) & Quinton, Ridgeway Ave via Smethwick, Londonderry, Warley, Brandhall. At some point TWM had the Sun tender, operated by Quinton depot.

By 1989 the route was extended to operate to/from Bull Ring Bus Station and curtailed to Brandhall. At this point only evening and Sundays journeys were tendered and ran to the 1986 route. The Brandhall to Quinton section was covered by the 440 with which the 443 interworked at Brandhall - the 440 went to Bearwood, Cape Hill, Handsworth, Perry Barr.

As MRW withdrew from Digbeth & West Midlands operation Birmingham Coach Company took over the route at at some point ran branded Nationals, extending the route from Brandhall to Bearwood via the MRW 440 route. The 440 was, I think, the last remaining service operated by MRW in 1999 which was extended from Bearwood to Birmingham to allow interworking with the 192 to Kidderminster.  

By 2005 the 443 had been split into two parts, Pete's (People's Express by this time) were running the tendered route now curtailed to run between Bearwood & Four Dwellings, allowing 1 bus to run a 30 minute frequency. The Brandhall to Birmingham section was re-numbered 83 (to fit with the Dudley Road corridor) and operated by Birmingham Motor Traction.

At some point there was a tendered 81 that ran evenings and Sundays with VIP & Diamond having the contract at different times. Not sure when the curtailed 443 finally disappeared - possibly when Diamond re-introduced the 004 meaning passengers from Quinton could travel to Harborne, Lordswood Road and take the 11 / 448 to Bearwood  

Would A9 be re numbered too? Would look silly as the only 'A' route?

Solihull used to have letter numbers for minibus services, remember catching the Y to my Aunt's in Yardley. There were others, can't remember then though.

Even with the current First policy in Bristol 'put any branded bus on any route' one I never thought I'd see, line 24 branded Volvo B9 37768 WX 09 KCE operating the A1 Bristol Airport Express.

It appears,and I've just stumbled across this news,that Bristol is taking a number of the Leeds Streetdecks into stock. Allegedly they are 35563 to 35570.

Yes they have / are arriving at Hengrove and in service, adding yet another colour of buses to Bristol with original branding ripped off.

Banga are giving up the 53 and 81!! Very interesting ... frees up lots of vehicles

The current tender for routes 53 and 81 are up in January, Banga may bid and be awarded the routes, there are also other tenders up within their operating area they may be interested in bidding for.  

Is there a picture that you could post so we know who the driver is pls

There is a picture of him shared on the PSV Circle Facebook page. A really nice man, I was surprised to catch his 74 about 12 months ago and see him still driving. I'm sure he spent some years at Pensnett.  

I've  noticed that Megabus have contracted Thandi to run certain routes for them.
Megabus must be desperate if they're having to use Thandi

I think the stablished long distance coach service have a much better reputation than the various associated bus companies run around the West Midlands.

Spent a couple of hours in centre of Bristol today, never seen so many rote branded buses off route, 25 altogether

Route 1,2, 2a branded Volvo B9s
37319 WX 57 HJZ route 77   37321 WX 57 HKB route 349  37323 WX 57 HKD route 46

Route 1, 2, 2a branded buses on City Lines East routes
33953 SN 65 ZCE route 7     33961 SN 65 ZCV route 43   33951 SN 65 ZBZ route 42  33955 SN 65 ZCJ route 45
33960 SN 65 ZCU rute 45

City Lines East Gas E400s 
39404 YN 69 DVU route 49   39422 YN 69 DWP route 46   39430 YN 69 EHG route 3  39433 YN 69 CAA riute 2
39437 YN 69 EHP route 4

route 3, 4 branded Volvo B9s all on route 48/48x
37616 - 9 WX 58 JYB - JYE

South Glos liveried E400s 
39457 YN 20 CCO  47    39461 YN 20 CCY 46

Fishponds Road - light blue fronted E400s - most branding removed 48, 48A, 49 but still the best route along Fishponds Road
33927  YX 66 WKO  Y2   33796 YX 66 WLA X39 (Bath)  33798 YX 66 WLC  44     33799 YX 66 WLD

Bath City Volvo B7 RLE
69437 WX 59 BYO 376

Wright Streetlite route 8 branded
63205 SN 14 FDY  74

Congratulations to all at Kev's for all you've achieved, before and since the fire. Great to see a professional independent operating such modern buses.

Any news on an alternative operator for the tendered service, 63/64/65 and 303?