97 finally extended?

[Nathan4775]

See when i dont have my camera it appears on a route close to were i am, when i do have it, its nowere to be seen same as 4141

I did manage to get a better picture of 4141 today in Northfield.

Did you see 4444 ?

[John]

Did you see 4444 ?

No, not today. I did see it one day last week somewhere though.

[Nathan4775]

My aim is to get pictures of 4444, 4141 & 4177

[JB93]

I rode on the 97 today and pot luck I got one of the ones going to the Airport :) The display says "via Heartlands Hosp" and "via Chelmsley Wd", so they've taken Meadway and Bordesley off of it. There was a bit of passenger confusion, mostly people wondering where the 97A had gone :P
I didn't see any branded 97 buses either, anyone know where they were today or if I just missed them on the 97?
I heard the bus driver chatting with the driver taking over (they swapped over on the opposite side of the road on Great Barr St.?) about the fact they have a 30 minute layover or something at the Airport, or that they have 30 minutes to get to the Airport from Chelmsley Wood, and they have 18 minutes to get round the Chelmsley Wood loop which he thought was too much and he was going to get bored. :P

[Isle of Stroma]

I rode on the 97 today and pot luck I got one of the ones going to the Airport :)

Lucky you, I went out for one but missed it 'cos it was 3 minutes early! As expected, some people were being confused by the dual frequencies being advertised, someone couldn't comprehend the fact that only one in three buses were going through to the Airport & the poor sods head nearly imploded when the driver told him in broken English that he should get off & get another 97!

I think i'll give the route a miss tomorrow. I reckon there'll be carnage from 'people' trying to get to & from the Chelmsley Interchange stops & unsuspectingly being taken on a mystery tour!  Anyone unlucky enough to need the 'Wood now needs to use the Asda stops - of course the 'from city' 97A stop is now only served by the 71  ::)

[Sh4318]

anyone know where they were today or if I just missed them on the 97?

There was one. 4458:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/madabouttransport/8586314882/

Caught it from Moor Street to International, it's a nice route :). There was about 3 people on the bus from Chelmsley Wood to Birmingham International. They seemed really confused when the bus got to Birmingham International and the driver told them it was the last stop

[JB93]

I rode on the 97 today and pot luck I got one of the ones going to the Airport :)

Lucky you, I went out for one but missed it 'cos it was 3 minutes early! As expected, some people were being confused by the dual frequencies being advertised, someone couldn't comprehend the fact that only one in three buses were going through to the Airport & the poor sods head nearly imploded when the driver told him in broken English that he should get off & get another 97!

I think i'll give the route a miss tomorrow. I reckon there'll be carnage from 'people' trying to get to & from the Chelmsley Interchange stops & unsuspectingly being taken on a mystery tour!  Anyone unlucky enough to need the 'Wood now needs to use the Asda stops - of course the 'from city' 97A stop is now only served by the 71  ::)

I used to live in Chelmsley Wood before I moved to Tile Cross, its not actually that bad :P probably the best area I've lived in. Proper community feel.
It's just gonna take some getting used to. I don't think the fact that the normal 97 loops round the housing estates has been advertised well enough though, someone today was really confused, thinking he wouldn't be able to get to Yorkminster Drive anymore. To be honest it is a very confusing set-up for people who don't regularly check the NX website which is pretty much the entire general public.

[ilovetea4370]

I agree, I think it would have been much less confusing if the 97 (Airport) had been the 97A instead, that way you'd have the A for the airport, and the 97 for the estate.

[Sh4318]

I agree, I think it would have been much less confusing if the 97 (Airport) had been the 97A instead, that way you'd have the A for the airport, and the 97 for the estate.

Or if the Chelmsley Wood - Birmingham variant was the '97E'

[Valandil]

I imagine that the half-hour layover at the Airport at night might make some drivers fall asleep!
Though I imagine that the 900e might start up during the night to provide a combined half-hourly service, filling in the gaps and providing nearly continuous running for drivers.

[Steve3229vp]

I've never seen so many confused people on a 97 bus !!
I think the 97A should be re-introduced, the 97 extension to the Airport should be numbered 197 or even 797, I predict that the new arrangement on the 97 will last weeks, not months.

[Sh4318]

I assume people will get used to it eventually. It's just the fact that there are two variants of the route with the same number, it can be confusing for people at first

[monkeyjoe]

Bus stop  full advert for the service in Erdington 28 bus stop chester rd, looked quite good actually.

[CRP2012]

I assume people will get used to it eventually. It's just the fact that there are two variants of the route with the same number, it can be confusing for people at first

Well glasgow have learnt to adapt to it so why not the people of Chelmsley Wood

[Ash]

Not sure if people stay up late enough to notice but what have the loadings been like through out the night for the first few nights in service, im guessing friday and saturday nights could be busy from Birmingham.