141

[Stuharris 6360]

A simple one, but i think it would be effective.

Extend the 141 via the most direct route  to Russells Hall Hospital.

Am sure that a number of people from Birminghan need to travel to the hospital everyday, therefore it would offer a direct route and also free space up at Merry Hill Bus Station.

[danny]

I like it, only thing that concerns me is the 141 is quite a long route as it is.

[winston]

I can't really see much call for it from the Birmingham end, any Birmingham residents would more than likely need to get to the QE rather than Russell's Hall.

The 139 extension a few years back which was numbered 138 carried very few passengers from what I saw, both evenings & Sundays. Which no doubt led to its withdrawal

[Sh4318]

I can't really see much call for it from the Birmingham end, any Birmingham residents would more than likely need to get to the QE rather than Russell's Hall.

The 139 extension a few years back which was numbered 138 carried very few passengers from what I saw, both evenings & Sundays. Which no doubt led to its withdrawal

I was thinking the same thing Winston. I can see there being more demand from Halesowen & Old Hill areas. I would suggest all evening & Sunday 297 journeys to be extended to at least Russell's Hall Hospital

[winston]

I can't really see much call for it from the Birmingham end, any Birmingham residents would more than likely need to get to the QE rather than Russell's Hall.

The 139 extension a few years back which was numbered 138 carried very few passengers from what I saw, both evenings & Sundays. Which no doubt led to its withdrawal

I was thinking the same thing Winston. I can see there being more demand from Halesowen & Old Hill areas. I would suggest all evening & Sunday 297 journeys to be extended to at least Russell's Hall Hospital

I'd agree with an extension of the 297

Another option, could be to introduce the previously suggested evening & Sunday service on the 002 and extend that through to terminate at Russell's Hall which would cover much of the same area

[sonic84]

I can't really see much call for it from the Birmingham end, any Birmingham residents would more than likely need to get to the QE rather than Russell's Hall.

The 139 extension a few years back which was numbered 138 carried very few passengers from what I saw, both evenings & Sundays. Which no doubt led to its withdrawal

I was thinking the same thing Winston. I can see there being more demand from Halesowen & Old Hill areas. I would suggest all evening & Sunday 297 journeys to be extended to at least Russell's Hall Hospital

If i remember correctly, the reason for having the evening / sunday extension of the 139A and later 138 to Pensnett / Russells Hall, was that when the 136/137/137A was withdrawn, it was replaced with the 139 between Merry Hill and Birmingham, and the 236/237 originally between Gornal Wood and Cradley Heath.

Since the 236/237 did not run evenings and sundays, the 138 variant was to cover the 236/237 missing service.

For those of you that remember, when First withdrew from the 123/124 service, WMT extended the 236/237 to Bearwood via the old 123 route however this did not last for long.  Finally, the 236/237 was extended at both ends from Gornal Wood to Dudley and from Cradley Heath to Halesowen when the 231 (Halesowen - Blackheath - Old Hill - Cradley Heath - MerryHill ) was withdrawn.

[winston]

I can't really see much call for it from the Birmingham end, any Birmingham residents would more than likely need to get to the QE rather than Russell's Hall.

The 139 extension a few years back which was numbered 138 carried very few passengers from what I saw, both evenings & Sundays. Which no doubt led to its withdrawal

I was thinking the same thing Winston. I can see there being more demand from Halesowen & Old Hill areas. I would suggest all evening & Sunday 297 journeys to be extended to at least Russell's Hall Hospital

If i remember correctly, the reason for having the evening / sunday extension of the 139A and later 138 to Pensnett / Russells Hall, was that when the 136/137/137A was withdrawn, it was replaced with the 139 between Merry Hill and Birmingham, and the 236/237 originally between Gornal Wood and Cradley Heath.

Since the 236/237 did not run evenings and sundays, the 138 variant was to cover the 236/237 missing service.

For those of you that remember, when First withdrew from the 123/124 service, WMT extended the 236/237 to Bearwood via the old 123 route however this did not last for long.  Finally, the 236/237 was extended at both ends from Gornal Wood to Dudley and from Cradley Heath to Halesowen when the 231 (Halesowen - Blackheath - Old Hill - Cradley Heath - MerryHill ) was withdrawn.

Yes that sounds pretty spot on. 236 & 237 were operated by Travel Merry Hill.

I thought BCC picked up both the 123 & 443 when First Midland Red withdrew those services?

[sonic84]

I definitely remember the 236/237 running towards Bearwood, terminating at the Bear Tavern.   I'm not sure whether they competed with the BCC 123, or how that extension came about.  I'm sure the extension was pretty short lived though as it was curtailed back to Cradley Heath before the extension to Halesowen.

[winston]

I definitely remember the 236/237 running towards Bearwood, terminating at the Bear Tavern.   I'm not sure whether they competed with the BCC 123, or how that extension came about.  I'm sure the extension was pretty short lived though as it was curtailed back to Cradley Heath before the extension to Halesowen.

I seem to remember the 237 going to Bearwood as well. Maybe BCC reintroduced the full 123 after TMH started the cut the 237 back

[the trainbasher]

Travel merry hill ran the 123 at one stage before the 236 extension