Round Trips

[JB93]

Hey, just thought I'd start this thread for any queries on doing round trips of bus routes or to suggest any good ones. I've said on here already but I'm not very familiar with many routes outside of East Birmingham so I'm gonna start travelling on round trips from place to place, route to route, to familiarise myself with some. For example today I'm planning on getting the 17:55 129 from Colmore Row, getting off in West Bromwich and getting the 48 then getting the 22/23 back to Birmingham from Bartley Green. Does anyone know how long this will take roughly? And, as strange as it sounds, has anyone ever got any funny looks or comments from a bus driver for travelling the whole way on a long route; I've got a bit of a social anxiety and if I stay on the 48 till Bartley Green and the bus driver comments on that fact I'll feel very very embarrassed   :-\ I know I was travelling on the 3 once from Solihull to Birmingham and a guy got on doing a survey at how well used the 3 was (from NXWM) and all he said "Oh, you're taking a very long route from Solihull" and I felt so awkward I got off at the next stop!

[vinh1000]

DId 3 round trips on my local route once
On first trip got to terminus and driver asked my intention lol :)
Thought I was nuts haha ;)

[ilovetea4370]

Back when the 2 and 3 interworked, I once did the journey from Solihull to Maypole via Birmingham =] Used to make a habit of doing the 3 into town and back out as a 2 again when I had time to kill or running early etc. :P none of the drivers ever said anything!

[Trident 4609]

I don't usually choose to do round trips as i feel embarrassed by what the driver may say to me.

Most the time i get off and wsit for the next one (Mainly Route 1 in Tettenhall Wood)

[Sh4318]

The only routes I've done a round trip on were the YW2 & 97 - back when it ran to Chelmsley Wood only. I also tend not to do many round trip, I'll usually get off the bus a few stops before the final destination and walk to the bus stop of a different service for the way back, or get the train, if that's an available option

[nitromatt1]

Not much of a round trip, but in evenings and Sundays I quite like to do a 244 to Dudley then a 241 back to Halesowen, sometimes twice. Reason being the 244 leaves Halesowen at 46 past, getting to Dudley about 10 past, then the 241 leaves Dudley at 15 past getting to Halesowen about 41 past, meaning very little waiting time.

[Lukeee]

Hey, just thought I'd start this thread for any queries on doing round trips of bus routes or to suggest any good ones. I've said on here already but I'm not very familiar with many routes outside of East Birmingham so I'm gonna start travelling on round trips from place to place, route to route, to familiarise myself with some. For example today I'm planning on getting the 17:55 129 from Colmore Row, getting off in West Bromwich and getting the 48 then getting the 22/23 back to Birmingham from Bartley Green. Does anyone know how long this will take roughly? And, as strange as it sounds, has anyone ever got any funny looks or comments from a bus driver for travelling the whole way on a long route; I've got a bit of a social anxiety and if I stay on the 48 till Bartley Green and the bus driver comments on that fact I'll feel very very embarrassed   :-\ I know I was travelling on the 3 once from Solihull to Birmingham and a guy got on doing a survey at how well used the 3 was (from NXWM) and all he said "Oh, you're taking a very long route from Solihull" and I felt so awkward I got off at the next stop!

Not quite what you were asking about but try the Outercircle for a good round trip

[the trainbasher]

I once caught a decker doing a round trip on the following way

257 Dudley to Stourbridge
256 to Wolverhampton
255 to Merry Hill
255E to Wall Heath
255E to Merry Hill
255 to Wolverhampton
256 to Stourbridge
257 to Dudley

Back when the 25x services all interworked together when WN started to do the 257.

[nitromatt1]

I once caught a decker doing a round trip on the following way

257 Dudley to Stourbridge
256 to Wolverhampton
255 to Merry Hill
255E to Wall Heath
255E to Merry Hill
255 to Wolverhampton
256 to Stourbridge
257 to Dudley

Back when the 25x services all interworked together when WN started to do the 257.

How long did that take???

[Sh4318]

I once caught a decker doing a round trip on the following way

257 Dudley to Stourbridge
256 to Wolverhampton
255 to Merry Hill
255E to Wall Heath
255E to Merry Hill
255 to Wolverhampton
256 to Stourbridge
257 to Dudley

Back when the 25x services all interworked together when WN started to do the 257.

I imagine that was an all day venture  :o

[JB93]

Haha that one sounded long! I did the 129, 5 then 914. Was surprised at how short the 5 route actually was, it was over before I got my bearings!  :P 3 E200s on there though!

[Ashley 4569]

I think any of my suggestions to this one would be more semi circular journeys, but one ive done a few times, not the best i know,

3 castlecroft - Wolverhampton
126 wolverhampton - dudley
244 or 241 dudley - halesowen
002 halesowen - bartley green
18 bartley green - yardley wood (i could have thrown in a few 61s and 63s at this point)
27 / 2 yardley wood - maypole
49 maypole - shirley
5 shirley - solihull (empty geminis and decent section of the route being the appeal)
966 solihull - chelmsley wood
90 chelmsley wood - birmingham (if i get a numb arse i could jump on a 94 when i reach ward end)
id try and reach brum around 8ish, i wouldnt just do that route straight through i would dither about bus hopping or walking round solihull town
935A birmingham - aldridge
997 aldridge - walsall
40 walsall - willenhall (saves waiting in the dingy bus station for 20 minutes)
529 willenhall - wolverhampton
10 wolverhampton - compton (again saves walking through town on a night time)

Only recommendable if your a nutter like me haha

[BU07 LGO]

Some of mine are:

Start at pheasey:

997- walsall
41-wolverhampton
1- Dudley
-246 - Stourbridge
9- Town
934- Pheasey

[Driver03]

Hey, just thought I'd start this thread for any queries on doing round trips of bus routes or to suggest any good ones. I've said on here already but I'm not very familiar with many routes outside of East Birmingham so I'm gonna start travelling on round trips from place to place, route to route, to familiarise myself with some. For example today I'm planning on getting the 17:55 129 from Colmore Row, getting off in West Bromwich and getting the 48 then getting the 22/23 back to Birmingham from Bartley Green. Does anyone know how long this will take roughly? And, as strange as it sounds, has anyone ever got any funny looks or comments from a bus driver for travelling the whole way on a long route; I've got a bit of a social anxiety and if I stay on the 48 till Bartley Green and the bus driver comments on that fact I'll feel very very embarrassed   :-\ I know I was travelling on the 3 once from Solihull to Birmingham and a guy got on doing a survey at how well used the 3 was (from NXWM) and all he said "Oh, you're taking a very long route from Solihull" and I felt so awkward I got off at the next stop!

I know I can't speak for all drivers, but please don't feel anxious. Sometimes for health and safety purposes drivers may have to ask you to get off and catch it at the next stop on the route (such as turning around), but in my experience I only ever shout last stop to passengers on my bus if I notice someone on at a terminus for pure curtesy as they could be lost etc. not to embarrass them.

Quite recently I had an elderly lady on my Number 1 (WN), I explained to her it was the last stop in Tettenhall Wood, she explained that she wants to stay on the bus as she had missed her stop, I was then able to help her remember her stop by giving her a shout when we got to it.

Morale of the story try not to feel anxious most drivers are quite friendly and don't mind at all :) we are there to help not cause embarrassment.

I don't usually choose to do round trips as i feel embarrassed by what the driver may say to me.

Most the time i get off and wsit for the next one (Mainly Route 1 in Tettenhall Wood)

The same message applies to you too buddy, you've got nothing to be embarrassed about either.

[Rob H]

Some of mine are:

Start at pheasey:

997- walsall
41-wolverhampton
1- Dudley
-246 - Stourbridge
9- Town
934- Pheasey

40 goes to Wolverhampton not the 41 ;)