West Bromwich Garage

[Tony]

Stretches from Bromsgrove to Wolverhampton area with the 703/751/X8 workings and to Sutton Coldfield on the WB 5. So a sizeable operating area at least.

Walsall have always traditionally had the largest, and Tamworth, Cannock, Merry Hill, Birmingham still takes some beating 

[Mike K]

Birmingham Central's operating area is also quite large these days spanning Rubery in the south to Sutton Coldfield in the north, with Solihull, Coleshill and Coventry in there too

[SO6597]

The new timetable for the 20 is now on Bus Times.

[LiamsTransport1]

The new timetable for the 20 is now on Bus Times.

https://bustimes.org/services/20-qe-hospital-selly-oak-northfield-longbridge-red?date=2023-04-20&service=72405

[j789]

https://bustimes.org/services/20-qe-hospital-selly-oak-northfield-longbridge-red?date=2023-04-20&service=72405

First bus from Bromsgrove being 6:25ish am, with no previous service from the QE - so I'm guessing either empty from WB garage down the M5 to j4 to start at Bromsgrove or will YW operate that first journey?

[2206]

First bus from Bromsgrove being 6:25ish am, with no previous service from the QE - so I'm guessing either empty from WB garage down the M5 to j4 to start at Bromsgrove or will YW operate that first journey?

Not sure they'd use the motorway. Apparently stagecoach aren't allowed to use the motorway runing dead to and from Rugby as well.
They could go dead via Oldbury, Wolverhampton Road, Barnes Hill and Northfield to Bromsgrove.
I guess they will already be running dead to operate that 04:57am 20A and Bromsgrove is only a little bit further from there.

[SO6597]

Not sure they'd use the motorway. Apparently stagecoach aren't allowed to use the motorway runing dead to and from Rugby as well.
They could go dead via Oldbury, Wolverhampton Road, Barnes Hill and Northfield to Bromsgrove.
I guess they will already be running dead to operate that 04:57am 20A and Bromsgrove is only a little bit further from there.

In terms of the difference between YW and WB in getting to Bromsgrove (and avoiding the motorway), there's probably only a couple of miles in it. 

[MasterPlan]

I'm a little confused as to why the existing 20 had to change number, surely the Bromsgrove alternative could've been numbered 20A. Now stops around Cofton Hackett etc will have to be changed unnecessarily.

[BN]

I'm a little confused as to why the existing 20 had to change number, surely the Bromsgrove alternative could've been numbered 20A. Now stops around Cofton Hackett etc will have to be changed unnecessarily.

People have known that route as 144 forever, don't understand the number change????

[Jack6101]

People have known that route as 144 forever, don't understand the number change????

But you've already got the 144 between Worcester and bromsgrove and . 
it's now going to a new destination the QE 

[ellspurs]

People have known that route as 144 forever, don't understand the number change????

The same reason NX keep changing route numbers: for the sake of it.

[Steve3229vp]

The same reason NX keep changing route numbers: for the sake of it.

It's TfWM, not just NX

[Steve3229vp]

People have known that route as 144 forever, don't understand the number change????

The 144 route hasn't got much in common in the revised 20 service, the 144 didn't serve the QE Hospital or Rednal. A link to the City is no longer needed as most passengers prefer the train which made the 144 uneconomical 

[j789]

The 144 route hasn't got much in common in the revised 20 service, the 144 didn't serve the QE Hospital or Rednal. A link to the City is no longer needed as most passengers prefer the train which made the 144 uneconomical

The Bromsgrove to Birmingham route would have continued to be perfectly economical had the will to do so actually been there. First made a massive mistake dropping that part of the route, especially after the expense of relaunching it as the 'Salt Road' route. If they had put a little more effort into imaginative ticketing options (or even more sensible) some sort of NX partnership operation that would have allowed the First 144 to terminate at Longbridge and passengers transfer onto NX at no additional cost. A little bit of creative thinking would have gone a long way to keeping the link going. The drivers knew that, it was just a shame those making the decisions couldn't see this.

The link to the QE will no doubt be popular. However, I'd imagine that NX may well have gone the full length back to Brum if only it wasn't for their driver shortage. Hopefully, the increased pay should reduce this so perhaps in the next year or so, this route will be looked at again and expanded further.

[B61 ANDREW]

Drivers and bus 817 seen in the bus station in Bromsgrove earlier today.