April 28th Changes

[Kevin]

No mention of it here or on the list of changes on the networkwm website, but just seen a poster on the X51 this morning saying the route in the city centre is changing, to run via Newton street, old square and priory Queensway. It mentions the terminus is remaining the same, and there will be a new stop on Newton street so I imagine it will be instead of the stop by Aston uni so it can go through the underpass instead of the traffic round Lancaster circus. Anyone know if this is the only service going to take this route?

[lynx1103]

X51 re-routed is just a test to see if this is route is quicker than moor street queens way I think it will still serve Aston University.

[Kevin]

Does it need testing? Cause I've seen numerous buses going that way as it is whenever the traffic's bad so surely people already know the answer to that

[vinh1000]

Bus: Bilston Bus Station
23/4/2013

On Sunday 28th April 2013 Stands B, C, D, E, F and G at Bilston Bus Station will be closed to allow essential works to be carried out. All bus services will instead use stand A to load and unload.

From Sunday 28 April 2013 some services will change stands in Birmingham City Centre

Moor Street MS11/12/13/14 stand changes,
Service have been re-allocated to allow easier unloading and loading for the multiple services that stop here, the new stand allocation will be as follows.

MS12 - 33, 51, 56, 907, 934/A, 935/A, 952, 997, X51, X56
MS14 - 108, 115, 902, 904, 905, 914

MS11/13 - Out of Use

Colmore Row SH2/3 stand changes
Service have been re-allocated, the new stand allocation will be as follows.
SH2 - 9, 140, 141, 83 and 89.
SH3 - 120, 127, 128 and 129

Re-Routed services
Service 98, 99 will no longer server Colmore Row (SH3) and will use Carrs Lane, Lower Bull Street (BS5/6) Corporation Street and Priory Queensway around the City
Service 112 is being withdrawn from the City Centre and has been curtailed at Sutton Coldfield for journeys towards Lichfield.
Service 127, 128, 129 will no longer server the Markets and New Street Interchange and will be transferred to Colmore Row, (SH3).
Service 1 will change stands at Paradise Circus and will use stand (PC2).

Will this cause havoc lol?

[Ashley 4569]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

[Stuharris 6360]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

Think part of the problem with the X1 was that it went the wrong route really, would have stood more of a chance if it had followed the 1 totally from Wolves to Merry Hill instead of going around Tipton, then was express Dudley to Merry Hill.

[Sh4318]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

There's definitely room for an express service between Wolverhampton & Merry Hill. I think given a better frequency and constant B7RLEs, it could have been a success. I wonder if the X99 will make a return in December now the X1 is going

[winston]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

There's definitely room for an express service between Wolverhampton & Merry Hill. I think given a better frequency and constant B7RLEs, it could have been a success. I wonder if the X99 will make a return in December now the X1 is going

I'd agree with the X1 comments, not sure the X99 was nay more successful

[Kevin]

X51 re-routed is just a test to see if this is route is quicker than moor street queens way I think it will still serve Aston University.

Haven't told all the drivers then, one I was on this morning went round the old way, and the one immediately behind went the new way. Kinda annoying because the new unload only stop on Newton st is actually quite useful for me

[Nathan4775]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

There's definitely room for an express service between Wolverhampton & Merry Hill. I think given a better frequency and constant B7RLEs, it could have been a success. I wonder if the X99 will make a return in December now the X1 is going

I might be wrong here

But isnt the point of an Express Service means its quicker to reach the terminus than the standard route i.e X51 & 51

[Stu]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

There's definitely room for an express service between Wolverhampton & Merry Hill. I think given a better frequency and constant B7RLEs, it could have been a success. I wonder if the X99 will make a return in December now the X1 is going

I might be wrong here

But isnt the point of an Express Service means its quicker to reach the terminus than the standard route i.e X51 & 51

You're right, a route such as the X51 works because it can use flyovers and underpasses to skip out stops to make it quicker. But which way would a bus go from Wolverhampton to Merry Hill and truly be 'express'? The road infrastructure simply isn't there.

And by using regular road, in this kind of situation, an 'express' service would simply reduce the potential patronage, as it limits the number of stops served on the route.

[Sh4318]

I know the X1 wasnt a total failiure or a total success but ill miss it

There's definitely room for an express service between Wolverhampton & Merry Hill. I think given a better frequency and constant B7RLEs, it could have been a success. I wonder if the X99 will make a return in December now the X1 is going

I might be wrong here

But isnt the point of an Express Service means its quicker to reach the terminus than the standard route i.e X51 & 51

Sorry. I was referring to a limited stop service, such as the X1, 900. However, in some cases, an express service doesn't have a "slow service" that stops at every stop on the route, i.e. the 997

[Kevin]

X51 re-routed is just a test to see if this is route is quicker than moor street queens way I think it will still serve Aston University.

Haven't told all the drivers then, one I was on this morning went round the old way, and the one immediately behind went the new way. Kinda annoying because the new unload only stop on Newton st is actually quite useful for me

In fact, it's been the same all week, do all the drivers know of the new route? Every morning so far two x51s have turned up to Tower Hill about 7:40, I get on the first one (a Trident) and it goes round Masshouse in the city centre, the second one (Gemini) overtakes withhardly anyone on it and goes uo Newton st to the new stop in city centre, then when I get off the first one and walk up Priory Queensway the second one is just passing me on it's way down the hill.

[Lukeee]

X51 re-routed is just a test to see if this is route is quicker than moor street queens way I think it will still serve Aston University.

Haven't told all the drivers then, one I was on this morning went round the old way, and the one immediately behind went the new way. Kinda annoying because the new unload only stop on Newton st is actually quite useful for me

In fact, it's been the same all week, do all the drivers know of the new route? Every morning so far two x51s have turned up to Tower Hill about 7:40, I get on the first one (a Trident) and it goes round Masshouse in the city centre, the second one (Gemini) overtakes withhardly anyone on it and goes uo Newton st to the new stop in city centre, then when I get off the first one and walk up Priory Queensway the second one is just passing me on it's way down the hill.

Slim change but maybe the first one is running early and the second one is late so the first one goes the long way to let the second one get to the bus stop to collect the pax first.

[notepanel]

X51 re-routed is just a test to see if this is route is quicker than moor street queens way I think it will still serve Aston University.

Haven't told all the drivers then, one I was on this morning went round the old way, and the one immediately behind went the new way. Kinda annoying because the new unload only stop on Newton st is actually quite useful for me

In fact, it's been the same all week, do all the drivers know of the new route? Every morning so far two x51s have turned up to Tower Hill about 7:40, I get on the first one (a Trident) and it goes round Masshouse in the city centre, the second one (Gemini) overtakes withhardly anyone on it and goes uo Newton st to the new stop in city centre, then when I get off the first one and walk up Priory Queensway the second one is just passing me on it's way down the hill.

Slim change but maybe the first one is running early and the second one is late so the first one goes the long way to let the second one get to the bus stop to collect the pax first.

It may perhaps be because the drivers are off different rotas. Whilst this is no excuse, certain drivers may only operate the route 5 times in 40+ weeks and a minor change like this can easily pass them by/be forgotten.

The 0710 off Walsall, arriving in Birmingham at 0748 is operated by a driver off the 'City rota', who normally drives the 51 & 935 routes.

The 0720 off Walsall, due in Birmingham at 0758 is nearly always Trident operated, as it needs to be a tacho vehicle (so should usually be 4127 or 4128). This bus then runs empty to Perry Barr, operates the 997E to ASDA Queslett and then operates the Walsall College Service. This trip is worked by a driver on a special rota (I'd imagine usually the same one).

The 0730 off Walsall, due in Birmingham at 0811 is operated by an Express rota driver, so should in theory always follow the correct route.