express services on main roads out of brum

[Justin Tyme]

I remember there was a 590 route, don't know what happened to that though.

Split as the 59 and 90 wasn't it?

Sort of.  The 590 was a combination of the 59 and 90 (which interworked - a 59 to Coleshill returned to Birmingham as a 90, and vice versa).  Later on the service was numbered 590A anticlockwise and 590C clockwise.   In 2007 they were revised to become the present 90, but with an off-peak extension to Marston Green which lasted a couple of years.  One or two journeys on the Yardley side became 59 or 59A, before the 59 was changed to its current form last year.

Although the 590 went outside the Centro area, it was all stops throughout.

[danny]

Does a route cover the section to coleshill or was it unprofitable

[Justin Tyme]

Does a route cover the section to coleshill or was it unprofitable

Yes - the 90 runs from Birmingham to Castle Brom, Water Orton and Coleshill 7 days a week, and Mon-Sat on to Chelmsley Wood.

[danny]

Thankyou

[4504]

It's pretty well used as well, BC use double deckers on it, and there's always a lot of passengers on it whenever I get it.

Thankyou

[Tony]

I remember there was a 590 route, don't know what happened to that though.

Split as the 59 and 90 wasn't it?

Sort of.  The 590 was a combination of the 59 and 90 (which interworked - a 59 to Coleshill returned to Birmingham as a 90, and vice versa).  Later on the service was numbered 590A anticlockwise and 590C clockwise.   In 2007 they were revised to become the present 90, but with an off-peak extension to Marston Green which lasted a couple of years.  One or two journeys on the Yardley side became 59 or 59A, before the 59 was changed to its current form last year.

Although the 590 went outside the Centro area, it was all stops throughout.

Going back even further it was the
161 Birmingham-Water Orton-Coleshill-Chelmsley Wood-Birmingham
171 Birmingham-Chelmsley Wood-Coleshill-Water Orton-Birmingham

They were a different kind of limited stop then.
The 161 was set down only between Yardley and Birmingham
The 171 was pick up only between Birmingham & Yardley.

Services 162; 169; 193; 194 & 195 had similar restriction. The 162 was also limited stop and had the longest pick up/set down restriction with the limit being Lanchester Way, Chelmsley Wood

[danny]

Thanks tony god sometimes I wish u was a child of the 70s were so many unusual workings  my nan was telling me earlier that 3-4 routes turned around near winson green toad numbered 44? Around where services no longer go the only evidetncet of them today is a west midlands teavel sign by black patch park

[jnl1984]

Talking about the Hawkesley / Kings Norton areas how about...

X50 - Birmingham - Druids Heath... only stopping at one stop in Moseley, Kings Heath, Maypole and then terminating at Druids Heath. A proper express service with only 4 stops.

X84 - Birmingham - Hawkesley... extend from the current terminus at the QE in to Birmingham City Centre, therefore only stopping at one stop at QEH, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Kings Norton Green and Hawkesley.

[Nathan4775]

Talking about the Hawkesley / Kings Norton areas how about...

X50 - Birmingham - Druids Heath... only stopping at one stop in Moseley, Kings Heath, Maypole and then terminating at Druids Heath. A proper express service with only 4 stops.

X84 - Birmingham - Hawkesley... extend from the current terminus at the QE in to Birmingham City Centre, therefore only stopping at one stop at QEH, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Kings Norton Green and Hawkesley.

Doesnt Johons already operate an X50

[jnl1984]

Yeah, prob same number, but the concept of an express route i feel is a good one... i think this would potentially be quite profitable for NXWM.

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

[Nathan4775]

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

In fact the X96 isnt limited stop, I travelled on it from Wrens Nest - Wollaston Farm and in Fact it stops at every stop except in Merry Hill were I think it misses out 2/3 stops, to me this isnt a limited stop route, its a normal route with a LIMITED STOP STATUS, all other limited stop routes are in fact Limited Stop  8)

[4504]

Well I suppose it still is the fastest bus from Dudley to Merry Hill, it's express between Woodside and Dudley

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

[Nathan4775]

Well I suppose it still is the fastest bus from Dudley to Merry Hill, it's express between Woodside and Dudley

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

True as it only takes 15 minutes, but really shouldnt have a Limited stop Status

Talking about the Hawkesley / Kings Norton areas how about...

X50 - Birmingham - Druids Heath... only stopping at one stop in Moseley, Kings Heath, Maypole and then terminating at Druids Heath. A proper express service with only 4 stops.

X84 - Birmingham - Hawkesley... extend from the current terminus at the QE in to Birmingham City Centre, therefore only stopping at one stop at QEH, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Kings Norton Green and Hawkesley.

Doesnt Johons already operate an X50

On top of what I said about the Johons operating NXWM could always name there X50 a 50X, I think there is good potential there becuase it would speed up journey times. but it could get held up on the Kings Heath High Street

It would also be nice to see YW introduce as limited stop X84, possibly some potential there, or  they could extend the current 84 like it was before

to be exact it was the 84/85 that used to operate into town operated by YW then the 85 got withdrawn and the 84 got amended I know this becuase I got the timetables of all the old routes

[4504]

I've just stated why it is limited stop, because it doesn't stop between woodside and dudley

Well I suppose it still is the fastest bus from Dudley to Merry Hill, it's express between Woodside and Dudley

I agree with you that express routes need to be in fact express routes! Why on earth the X96 is given express status I have no idea! It seems to stop at pretty much just as many bus stops as any other route. Especially now it has been routed all the way down the Wrens Nest and back which can make a route not famed for its reliability even worse. It should just be the 296! The only 'express' point I can think of really is where the bus goes round the back of Merry Hill through the waterfront, other than that there is a bus stop every couple hundred metres or so.

True as it only takes 15 minutes, but really shouldnt have a Limited stop Status

Talking about the Hawkesley / Kings Norton areas how about...

X50 - Birmingham - Druids Heath... only stopping at one stop in Moseley, Kings Heath, Maypole and then terminating at Druids Heath. A proper express service with only 4 stops.

X84 - Birmingham - Hawkesley... extend from the current terminus at the QE in to Birmingham City Centre, therefore only stopping at one stop at QEH, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Kings Norton Green and Hawkesley.

Doesnt Johons already operate an X50

On top of what I said about the Johons operating NXWM could always name there X50 a 50X, I think there is good potential there becuase it would speed up journey times. but it could get held up on the Kings Heath High Street

It would also be nice to see YW introduce as limited stop X84, possibly some potential there, or  they could extend the current 84 like it was before

to be exact it was the 84/85 that used to operate into town operated by YW then the 85 got withdrawn and the 84 got amended I know this becuase I got the timetables of all the old routes