Birmingham Central Garage

[paulb1973]

All of YW's buses are garaged uncover as far as I'm aware. WB & PB must be up there, but both have outdoor yards.

That might be the largest 'covered' - I suppose it is possible to use Google Maps/Bing Maps etc for an overhead view of each garage and work out how many outside parking spaces there are!

In theory the Sandy Lane garage of old - could possibly hold the 160-odd buses of today (so the new WT wasn't needed!). But at the time, with Wheatley St presumably being big enough, the logical decision was made to close both Coventry garages of old, in the same year.

[don]

That might be the largest 'covered' - I suppose it is possible to use Google Maps/Bing Maps etc for an overhead view of each garage and work out how many outside parking spaces there are!

In theory the Sandy Lane garage of old - could possibly hold the 160-odd buses of today (so the new WT wasn't needed!). But at the time, with Wheatley St presumably being big enough, the logical decision was made to close both Coventry garages of old, in the same year.

YW did have vehicles parked outside (rear and alongside the canal fence) in the 2000s. I recall seeing single deckers parked there. They may not need to with the current number of allocated buses.

Wheatley St was in the WMCC Tramsport Plan for many years (from the mid/late 70s). WMPTE had a lot of problems with complaints about noise at Harnall Lane (it was in a residential area). Like WA and WN, Coventry had nearly 300 buses in the early days of the PTE but there were successive 10% cuts in services in the late 70s/ early 80s to match budgets and the fleet reduced accordingly - at one time in the mid 70s WMPTE had over 2200 buses - that had reduced to around 1850 by the early/mid 80s.

Sandy Lane always seemed packed at the weekend with that long line of Fleetlines parked outside. 

[paulb1973]

YW did have vehicles parked outside (rear and alongside the canal fence) in the 2000s. I recall seeing single deckers parked there. They may not need to with the current number of allocated buses.

Wheatley St was in the WMCC Tramsport Plan for many years (from the mid/late 70s). WMPTE had a lot of problems with complaints about noise at Harnall Lane (it was in a residential area). Like WA and WN, Coventry had nearly 300 buses in the early days of the PTE but there were successive 10% cuts in services in the late 70s/ early 80s to match budgets and the fleet reduced accordingly - at one time in the mid 70s WMPTE had over 2200 buses - that had reduced to around 1850 by the early/mid 80s.

Sandy Lane always seemed packed at the weekend with that long line of Fleetlines parked outside.

Do you think Sandy Lane, had it remained open, cope with 160+ vehicles and the modern demands of today placed on it? It had only seen 32 years use at closure (about the same age of NX Coventry garage now) which isn't very much. In fact its mostly still standing today, albeit not as a bus depot! I always wonder if Wheatley St might rate as one of the last 'new' garages built to the old style, i.e. vast areas of indoor parking. Today that equals a bigger building and higher business rates. Bearing in mind this is the BC thread - the design of the replacement of that is going to be interesting (whenever that may happen).

[don]

I think the original capacities were based on 1954 sized vehicles so double deckers are about 10% longer and single decks a lot longer - they're wider as well. So I doubt it would be big enough but who knows!

I find it very sad to see the ex BCT garages going one by one - the next being Perry Barr - I remember these garages since the 60s - although just the modern H and S signs and NXWM signs take away a bit of the atmosphere. I would think the new BC will be a large proportion of outdoor parking. I haven't seen any detail of plans fir the tram stop but thought it was on part of BC's parking area which used to be Adderley st yard rather than the garage itself. 

[paulb1973]

I think the original capacities were based on 1954 sized vehicles so double deckers are about 10% longer and single decks a lot longer - they're wider as well. So I doubt it would be big enough but who knows!

I find it very sad to see the ex BCT garages going one by one - the next being Perry Barr - I remember these garages since the 60s - although just the modern H and S signs and NXWM signs take away a bit of the atmosphere. I would think the new BC will be a large proportion of outdoor parking. I haven't seen any detail of plans fir the tram stop but thought it was on part of BC's parking area which used to be Adderley st yard rather than the garage itself.

Sandy Lane hosted Fleetlines and MCW Metrobuses, but in later years I think that garage and Harnall Lane housed about 110-115 buses each (there was normally an equal split) so it can't have been too tight. Modern garages seem to consist of a maintenance/inspection area with pits etc and an admin block - presumably there is an indoor tyre bay as well. Most of the overnight parking is of the outdoor variety though, seems the bus wash can be outside too.

[Stephen Parry]

Perry Barr is going, eh?

It does seem a shame, given the history of each garage.

[mesub]

What's going on with the X22? One bus ran down field lane towards Romsley Road

[2206]

 Will BC ever get their route maps/vinyls on the ceiling of the X20/X21/X22/23/24? The ones on the X1 and X2 are very outdated as well now.

6970 is a beast of a bus
Looks amazing in person and already got the next stop annocements

Have they already got the onboard route map etc on the ceiling as well?

[Jack6101]

Will BC ever get their route maps/vinyls on the ceiling of the X20/X21/X22/23/24? The ones on the X1 and X2 are very outdated as well now.  Have they already got the onboard route map etc on the ceiling as well?

https://flic.kr/p/TxtF5y Yess

[2206]

6945 - 63

Not really noteworthy at all from what I've seen.
They are on the 60, 61 and 63 all the time.
61 and 63 can get any BC double decker.

[Dylanbusboy45]

Not really noteworthy at all from what I've seen.
They are on the 60, 61 and 63 all the time.
61 and 63 can get any BC double decker.

Yep I will second that, though it could change soon if the spare Platinums are utilised on the X21 with the Volvos moving out

[SK68MEV]

Yep I will second that, though it could change soon if the spare Platinums are utilised on the X21 with the Volvos moving out

so will that mean bc is the only garage that operates double deckers

[2206]

so will that mean bc is the only garage that operates double deckers

If you mean the only garage to operate only double deckers, no. They'd still have 431, 433 and 435, as well as about 20 coaches.

[MasterPlan]

Yep I will second that, though it could change soon if the spare Platinums are utilised on the X21 with the Volvos moving out

Yeah right.

[Dylanbusboy45]

Yeah right.

I'm with you on it actually happening  ;) The fact that the X21 and X70 are shown as Platinum routes but BC decides to allocate them on the 60/61/63 is somewhat confusing. What was the point of 6945-50 for the X70 if they're never on there, nor on the X21 which doesn't get very many