Birmingham Central Garage

[Kevin]

Or the loss of the 62, I know several people who live in Rednal who were not happy at the introduction of the 98 with its twists and turns, compared to the direct 62.

I know several people who wish they had a more direct bus from their particular road to the city centre, or a direct service to other local areas they currently have to change buses to get to
So be it
Can't have direct services everywhere

[2206]

4943 was on Bordesley Green East passing Stechford Police Station going towards Chemsley Wood at about 17:00 this evening. Does anyone know what service this was going to start?

[Tony]

4943 was on Bordesley Green East passing Stechford Police Station going towards Chemsley Wood at about 17:00 this evening. Does anyone know what service this was going to start?

It wasn't going anywhere to start service, it was on the 97

[2206]

It wasn't going anywhere to start service, it was on the 97

It definitley wasn't on the 97 when I saw it.
There was nobody but the driver on it, it was heading towards Chelmnsley Wood with Not In Service on the display.

[Tony]

It definitley wasn't on the 97 when I saw it.
There was nobody but the driver on it, it was heading towards Chelmnsley Wood with Not In Service on the display.

Apologies, yes, it operated the 16:47 journey, but started it at 17:09 part route

[2206]

Apologies, yes, it operated the 16:47 journey, but started it at 17:09 part route

Thanks for the info.

[Mike K]

I know several people who wish they had a more direct bus from their particular road to the city centre, or a direct service to other local areas they currently have to change buses to get to
So be it
Can't have direct services everywhere

I have some sympathy for the residents of Rednal, which had a direct service to the city for decades. The 98 takes nearly 20 minutes longer than the 63 between Longbridge and the city. I guess the demise of Rover and the Longbridge site, which stretched a long way down Lickey Road, didn't help the 62.

[MasterPlan]

Still to this day I can't work out the point of breaking up the 61, 62 & 63.

[j789]

Still to this day I can't work out the point of breaking up the 61, 62 & 63.

While maybe the 62 was more direct, the new route 98 offers many more options for destinations other than the city which benefits residents round there. There was no city service via leach green lane previously and you had to get two buses to get to rubery morrisons. Now it's direct. Equally, if you wanted to go to the QE hospital you needed to change buses in selly oak whereas now it is a direct service there and to the uni campus. In those ways, the 98 is better than the 62. However, I think they could introduce an every half hour peak service x62 that went direct via selly oak to city. Maybe take out a couple of 63s and use those buses.

[sonic84]

I agree. I like that the 98 connects south of selly oak with a lot more destinations. The only passengers to really lose out on a direct route are those between Longbridge Island and Rednal as the 62 didn't run any further.

[Squiz1971]

I agree. I like that the 98 connects south of selly oak with a lot more destinations. The only passengers to really lose out on a direct route are those between Longbridge Island and Rednal as the 62 didn't run any further.

The 62 actually ran up to by Leach Green Lane on Lickey Road, before that the 62 terminated behind what was the toilets by the old tram tracks that was opposite the Hare & Hounds Pub & the Penny Arcade if they are still there of course @sonic84

[Mike K]

The 62 actually ran up to by Leach Green Lane on Lickey Road, before that the 62 terminated behind what was the toilets by the old tram tracks that was opposite the Hare & Hounds Pub & the Penny Arcade if they are still there of course @sonic84

I used to love that terminus which we'd pass on days out to the Lickey Hills as a kid. Sadly, the cobblestones and tram track are long gone. The building remains, although much changed and now a restaurant. Here's what it looked like in the good old days:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/4604717595

[Tony]

The cobbles and tram tracks are still there

I've just driven past in 3225 ironically

[DJ]

The cobbles and tram tracks are still there

I've just driven past in 3225 ironically

Yup, you can see them on Streetview just fine, outside what is now a Cantonese Restaurant, but that does appear to be the same building as what's seen on the Flickr link posted earler.

[2206]

Yup, you can see them on Streetview just fine, outside what is now a Cantonese Restaurant, but that does appear to be the same building as what's seen on the Flickr link posted earler.

Your link doesn't work.

edit - found the working link -
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.3841636,-2.0018866,3a,59y,204.95h,77.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swIRE8rTdLPFTrD1lOB_KKQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656