Birmingham Central Garage

[MasterPlan]

It appears the ☓20/☓21/☓22 are interworking over Easter which has caused a lot of confusion for both drivers and passengers alike.

[Stu]

It appears the ☓20/☓21/☓22 are interworking over Easter which has caused a lot of confusion for both drivers and passengers alike.

Why would the drivers be confused? They would know their running board order surely?

[2206]

Why would the drivers be confused? They would know their running board order surely?

Even passengers, surely if the correct number is on the display there wouldn't be any confusion. Other than if these passengers are trying to board an inbound bus to go outbound I don't see how it would be confusing?

[MasterPlan]

Why would the drivers be confused? They would know their running board order surely?

You'd guess so but it certainly caused some confusion for a driver yesterday who wasn't aware it was his bus!

Even passengers, surely if the correct number is on the display there wouldn't be any confusion. Other than if these passengers are trying to board an inbound bus to go outbound I don't see how it would be confusing?

Well yeah people tried to board a bus that said ☓21 Birmingham expecting it to change to Woodcock Hill but it changed to a ☓22 Woodgate.

[:D]

Does anyone know why there are still 60Es terminating either at Sheldon or Wagon Lane?

[Stu]

Does anyone know why there are still 60Es terminating either at Sheldon or Wagon Lane?

Late-running due to traffic congestion?

I understand there is a protest due to take place shortly in Small Heath:
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/thousands-attend-green-lane-masjid-16153865

That could be causing issues.

[mesub]

Does anyone know why there are still 60Es terminating either at Sheldon or Wagon Lane?

South Yardley as well

[Stephen Parry]

Rather than post the same question in each garage topic, does anyone know the years when each garage opened?

(I am not lazy, I have used Wikipedia and Google, but dates seem hard to come by).

On the subject of garages, as a bus user, I will never understand how ten garages in the West Midlands could hold all the NX Midlands services. They don't even look that big from the outside. Are the garages akin to the TARDIS? Google tells me NX West Midlands has 1,600 buses. How can 10 garages hold 1,600 buses? My micro-brain can't fathom that one.  ;)

[BK63 YWP]

Rather than post the same question in each garage topic, does anyone know the years when each garage opened?

(I am not lazy, I have used Wikipedia and Google, but dates seem hard to come by).

On the subject of garages, as a bus user, I will never understand how ten garages in the West Midlands could hold all the NX Midlands services. They don't even look that big from the outside. Are the garages akin to the TARDIS? Google tells me NX West Midlands has 1,600 buses. How can 10 garages hold 1,600 buses? My micro-brain can't fathom that one.  ;)

West Brom is split between its garage and the over flow circa 180 buses? Park lane circa 200 BC circa 200 @paulb1973 I think has the latest amounts in each garage

[paulb1973]

West Brom is split between its garage and the over flow circa 180 buses? Park lane circa 200 BC circa 200 @paulb1973 I think has the latest amounts in each garage

Yeah, I keep a running total using Tony's updates/Facebook groups etc. I'll re-post it in here - this may not be totally accurate, but hopefully not far off:

Acocks Green
6 Dart/E200 (733-34/831-34)
29 E200MMC (2201-29)
17 B7/ALX (4276-86/88-91/95/301)
45 Gemini (4519/21/26; 4635-75/78)
49 E400MMC (6111-48; 6701-11)
___
146


Birmingham Central
2 Wright StreetLite (431/5)
3 E200 (755-56/61)
9 B7RLE (2134-42)
58 Trident (4148/76-77/79/85; 4442-49/55-74; 4610-34)
41 E400 (4871-80/95-913/38-49)
18 B5H (5501-18)
74 E400MMC (6825-92; 6945-50)
___
205


Bordesley
51 Scania (1788-1836/76-77)
__
51


Coventry
13 E200 (837-44/71-75)
34 B7RLE (2143-50/52-77)
34 Trident (4370-76/78-81/95-96/98-4400/2-14/50-54)
10 B7/ALX (4415-24)
54 E400 (4763-76; 4830-42/81-94; 4983-95)
17 E400MMC (6951-67)
___
162


Pensnett
26 Dart/E200 (731-32/54/57/59-60/801-4/23-30/63-70)
21 B7RLE (2091-111)
5 Wright StreetDeck (3301-5)
21 Trident (4306/8/27-28; 4425-41)
38 E400MMC (6101-10; 6915-42)
___
111


Perry Barr
3 E200 (762-64)
42 Scania (1863-75; 1901-7/25-31; 7019-33)
48 Gemini (4475-96/98-4507/28/30-34; 4687-96)
4 Scania DD (4777-80)
43 E400 (4799-815/17-29/43-55)
29 E400MMC (6796-6824)
___
169


Walsall
8 E200 (855-62)
49 Scania (1837-62/78-1900)
42 B7RLE (1750-73; 2112-19/24-33)
20 Trident (4125; 4346-48; 4594-4609)
20 E400 (4733-37; 4856-70)
47 E400MMC (6712-58)
___
186


West Bromwich
19 E200 (758; 805-22)
23 Scania (1911-12/18/33-34/36-53)
22 B7/ALX (4228/30/37/39-41/43-45/50/53-54/59/62/64/66/70-75)
19 Gemini (4508-18/22-25/27/29; 4677/79)
81 E400 (4738-62; 4914-34/36-37; 4950-82)
___
164


Wolverhampton
15 E200 (751-53; 835-36/45-54)
65 B7RLE (2001-29/59-90; 2120-23)
61 Trident (4310-14/16-26/31-35/37-40/42/44-45/49-54/56/58-67; 4535-42/57-64)
1 E400 (4935)
21 E400H (5401-21)
37 E400MMC (6759-95)
___
200


Yardley Wood
15 Scania (1909-10/13-17/19-24/32/35)
18 E200MMC (2230-47)
53 Trident (4382-90/92-94; 4544-56/65-92)
15 E400 (4718-32)
26 E400MMC (6893-914/43-44; 6968-69)
___
127


Total 1521 (including newly-received 6968/9 - I've not added 6970 onwards).


This doesn't include the NXWM coaches, I'm not totally sure on this, but...
BC have: 110/113-115/128/136/143/150/152/155/171/235-239/257-264 (BV19 XOX / BV19 XOY?) [24]
CV: 119/138/140/142/156/157/161 [7]
WA: 90-95/111/141/283 [9]

[Stephen Parry]

Fascinating stuff, thank you.

[paulb1973]

Fascinating stuff, thank you.

Coventry over-night, possibly, holds c.120 vehicles within its walls under-cover, with the NX coaches and about 30-40 older Tridents/B7TL's stuck outside. I wonder if any other garage matches that. It was designed to hold 140-150 buses when it was built to replace Harnall Lane East in 1986. I assume by deregulation time they decided to dispense with Sandy Lane (which could house a similar number - and was only built in 1954) as Wheatley Street would comfortably be able to house the entire Coventry fleet of around 190 [at that time].

WA, WN, BC and others have larger numbers overall - but many buses are parked outside at night (which is the current way of thinking). Not sure at about PB - I wonder which of the ten garages houses the most internally/under-cover?

[winston]

Coventry over-night, possibly, holds c.120 vehicles within its walls under-cover, with the NX coaches and about 30-40 older Tridents/B7TL's stuck outside. I wonder if any other garage matches that. It was designed to hold 140-150 buses when it was built to replace Harnall Lane East in 1986. I assume by deregulation time they decided to dispense with Sandy Lane (which could house a similar number - and was only built in 1954) as Wheatley Street would comfortably be able to house the entire Coventry fleet of around 190 [at that time].

WA, WN, BC and others have larger numbers overall - but many buses are parked outside at night (which is the current way of thinking). Not sure at about PB - I wonder which of the ten garages houses the most internally/under-cover?

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.

[Tony]

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.

YW park quite a few buses in the car parks at either end of the garage

[winston]

YW park quite a few buses in the car parks at either end of the garage

Wasn't aware of that, not been past late at night.