If you could bring back any old route what would it be and why?

[Wumpty]

I remember the short Excels as they were based at my local Wolverhampton garage. They were numbered 401- 430 (with gaps) I think. Wolverhampton also had the longer length examples as well which were new to WMT.

They certainly did (684-718) - we launched these new Optare Excels at Beacon FM in a blaze of glory. Smart buses and quite a decent ride by all accounts.

[Rachvince53]

They certainly did (684-718) - we launched these new Optare Excels at Beacon FM in a blaze of glory. Smart buses and quite a decent ride by all accounts.

Yep. Choice had similar Excels too including max length ones I think. A few of the WMT ones received branding for the 261 service which ran between Wolverhampton and Dudley via Wombourne and Swindon. It combined the existing 261 with the I think 553 (Wolverhampton to Wombourne via Mount Road/Wakeley Hill). There was also a school service (261S) serving Ounsdale School in Wombourne.  
The Excels were in my opinion great buses and were the first easy access buses at Wolverhampton I think. 

[Wumpty]

Yep. Choice had similar Excels too including max length ones I think. A few of the WMT ones received branding for the 261 service which ran between Wolverhampton and Dudley via Wombourne and Swindon. It combined the existing 261 with the I think 553 (Wolverhampton to Wombourne via Mount Road/Wakeley Hill). There was also a school service (261S) serving Ounsdale School in Wombourne. 
The Excels were in my opinion great buses and were the first easy access buses at Wolverhampton I think.

The Choice Excels were full length models and bought for the Superline partnership in Walsall for the Mossley corridor.

They looked very Leyland National-esque with their imitation rear roof pod. Very stylish!

[Celestial Toymaker]

if it were possible i would bring back the old 187 Birmingham - Dorridge (my old home town) as there are now NO NXWM buses beyond Solihull i havent visited the old place in several years, im too young to remember the 187 very well, but i believe it went via Bentley Heath & back via Knowle, also down through Knowle & back through Bentley Heath.

it would be good to have the 11a / 11c reinstated all the way round

650 i think it was used to run (c/o Pattersons) past my door one summer, hail & ride it was worth it on our section living on hills, sadly residents complained, cant see why and it disapeared in a puff of blue smoke.

Tame Valley was route learning down our road the following summer but one national broke down on the corner of Rotton Park Rd, leaving quite a stream of oil behind, that was the end of that, apaart from diversions you dont see buses away from City Rd, Portland Rd & Icknield these days, i wish we could have something down Rotton Park tho

[Justin Tyme]

if it were possible i would bring back the old 187 Birmingham - Dorridge (my old home town) as there are now NO NXWM buses beyond Solihull i havent visited the old place in several years, im too young to remember the 187 very well, but i believe it went via Bentley Heath & back via Knowle, also down through Knowle & back through Bentley Heath.

For information, in their final Midland Red and WMPTE years, the 187 was Birmingham - Dorridge via Bentley Heath and the 182 was Birmingham - Dorridge via Knowle.  There was also an S55 Knowle - Solihull Circular which ran both ways round - out via Bentley Heath back via Warwick Road and vice versa.  All three services ran hourly.

In addition, mainly at rush hours, were 152 Birmingham - Knowle via Bentley Heath and 155 Birmingham - Knowle via Warwick Road.  The 155 was a short working of the 182.

[markcf83]

I remember the short Excels as they were based at my local Wolverhampton garage. They were numbered 401- 430 (with gaps) I think. Wolverhampton also had the longer length examples as well which were new to WMT.

401 to 422,no gaps. 

[ellspurs]

if it were possible i would bring back the old 187 Birmingham - Dorridge (my old home town) as there are now NO NXWM buses beyond Solihull i havent visited the old place in several years, im too young to remember the 187 very well, but i believe it went via Bentley Heath & back via Knowle, also down through Knowle & back through Bentley Heath.

With the way nbus works now you can take one of Landflight's fine machines out to Dorridge when it takes your fancy from Solihull!

[Rachvince53]

The Choice Excels were full length models and bought for the Superline partnership in Walsall for the Mossley corridor.

They looked very Leyland National-esque with their imitation rear roof pod. Very stylish!

They also bought a couple of secondhand examples later if I recall which were used on the 510 service.

[Rachvince53]

401 to 422,no gaps.

I'm sure one, possibly 403, never made it to Wolverhampton.  

[Rachvince53]

Back to topic. 

Would bringing back the x74 Birmingham to Tamworth work?  

[ellspurs]

It'd probably get stuck in all the HS2 roadworks at peaks, and if NX haven't sent a bus from Sutton to Tamworth yet, then I don't think there's much appeal for it? The 110 is probably sufficient for it.

[Tony]

I'm sure one, possibly 403, never made it to Wolverhampton. 

403 on the 560

https://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/7206.html

[Rachvince53]

403 on the 560

https://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/7206.html

Okay. Thanks Tony. 

[Justin Tyme]

Back to topic.

Would bringing back the x74 Birmingham to Tamworth work? 

Most of the X74 actually continued to exist as peak hour service X16, latterly operated by Diamond, until August 2022.  It had been operated by a few operators on tender, which tells its own story, and Diamond withdrew it because it was "unsustainable at current passenger levels".

Unfortunately the M6 and M42 often suffer from holdups, as I'm sure we all know, and it must have been difficult to run a reliable service.

[Celestial Toymaker]

That i

For information, in their final Midland Red and WMPTE years, the 187 was Birmingham - Dorridge via Bentley Heath and the 182 was Birmingham - Dorridge via Knowle.  There was also an S55 Knowle - Solihull Circular which ran both ways round - out via Bentley Heath back via Warwick Road and vice versa.  All three services ran hourly.

In addition, mainly at rush hours, were 152 Birmingham - Knowle via Bentley Heath and 155 Birmingham - Knowle via Warwick Road.  The 155 was a short working of the 182.

That i did not know,
obviously i was 11 when i went to secondry school, i remember well a couple of lads at school had fleet books, a friend taught me about fleet numbers, Dorridge had been Midland Red, but it was WMPTE when i took an interest around the time Dial-A-Bus started, i still mourn the passing of the Ford A's

I used to get a bus from outside school that went down station road and after the station went back up poplar road, then suddenly it was 182 & 151 every 15 minutes & 153 just three times a day