X529

[Tony]

Isn't that the line that the Walsall to Wolverhampton non stop parly service uses?

Correct. There is lots of freight on it and a couple of LM empty stock runs as well

[Alex]

Really do hope the train gets reintroduced, takes what half the time of the 529?

The Saturday morning parly takes 12 minutes. Leaving Wolverhampton at 06:38 and arriving in Walsall at 06:50, so it takes almost 1/3 of the time of the 529

Ok, so if some stations were added along the way (Willenhall, Darlaston) then still under half the time of the 529. Still cannot believe they haven't introduced a decent train service

That would be easier said than done, Willenhall doesn't have a train station anymore and hasn't since about the late 80's, i think, cause it used to run under the bridge on the 25/28/41 route, and there's no tracks there anymore, because hooligans nicked them

Willenhall Station site still has tracks there, or I hope it does because Deltic D9009 went through there today (photo of it at Walsall on main site later!)

The main line still has tracks cause it runs past the ASSA Abloy, and i thought Willenhall only had the one station, which i don't think is there although i could be wrong, as where i think it is seems strange, especially as the line would run through the park, but i could be wrong

[4006]

Is this the Station you are talking about?

Temple Bar, Willenhall:
http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Willenhalls-age-steam/story-20146792-detail/story.html

And Recent(ish) picture:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/retroscania/11506135614/in/pool-2401247@N23/

[busfan2847]

Is this the Station you are talking about?

Temple Bar, Willenhall:
http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Willenhalls-age-steam/story-20146792-detail/story.html

And Recent(ish) picture:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/retroscania/11506135614/in/pool-2401247@N23/

There were two stations in Willenhall.

Willenhall Bilston Street railway station was a built on the Grand Junction Railway in 1837. It served the town of Willenhall, and was located just to the south of the town centre.

The Bilston St station closed in 1965, and there is little evidence of the existence at the site. The lines through the station are in use today as part of the Walsall to Wolverhampton Line.

There were proposals within the West Midlands Local Transport plan to reopen the station for passenger traffic, but these have been shelved.

Willenhall Stafford Street railway station was a station built by the Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway in 1872, and was operated by the Midland Railway from 1876 onwards. It was located to the north of the town centre and originally named Willenhall Market Place.

The station closed in 1931. It was used as Temple Bar goods depot until 1st November 1965 when the M6 motorway construction severed the line. A single platform remains in situ at the site.

[Wumpty]

966 used to the express Walsall - Wolverhampton route ages ago from memory. Apologies if already mentioned in this thread not read the whole thing.

966 originally ran Wolves - Walsall and on to Airport at 00 and 30 past. It took only 23 minutes and usually kept time too. It stopped at only Willenhall, The Dale before Walsall

IIRC, there were also slightly higher Timesaver fares.

[4006]

966 used to the express Walsall - Wolverhampton route ages ago from memory. Apologies if already mentioned in this thread not read the whole thing.

966 originally ran Wolves - Walsall and on to Airport at 00 and 30 past. It took only 23 minutes and usually kept time too. It stopped at only Willenhall, The Dale before Walsall

IIRC, there were also slightly higher Timesaver fares.

Used to catch the 966 as a kid..great route but cant remember most of it..we used our 75p scratch off daysavers (how behind the times are we now ...we still have scratch off daysavers DOH!) usually we would go to Walsall, Bristol VR Spotting and then to Bham where you could jump off and get on a 900 Timesaver (I think it Was) to Coventry
Reluctant to give away my age but this pic is how I remember Walsall...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/12463716475/in/faves-retroscania/

[Wumpty]

966 used to the express Walsall - Wolverhampton route ages ago from memory. Apologies if already mentioned in this thread not read the whole thing.

966 originally ran Wolves - Walsall and on to Airport at 00 and 30 past. It took only 23 minutes and usually kept time too. It stopped at only Willenhall, The Dale before Walsall

IIRC, there were also slightly higher Timesaver fares.

Used to catch the 966 as a kid..great route but cant remember most of it..we used our 75p scratch off daysavers (how behind the times are we now ...we still have scratch off daysavers DOH!) usually we would go to Walsall, Bristol VR Spotting and then to Bham where you could jump off and get on a 900 Timesaver (I think it Was) to Coventry
Reluctant to give away my age but this pic is how I remember Walsall...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/12463716475/in/faves-retroscania/

Route went: Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Walsall, Aldridge, Little Aston, Mere Green, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Eddington, Kingsbury Road, Past Castle Vale, Collector Road, Chelmsley Wood, International Station, Airport.

I think it would as rerouted to serve Castle Bromwich at some point - the Oracle Tony could put us right in that ;)

[busfan2847]

966 used to the express Walsall - Wolverhampton route ages ago from memory. Apologies if already mentioned in this thread not read the whole thing.

966 originally ran Wolves - Walsall and on to Airport at 00 and 30 past. It took only 23 minutes and usually kept time too. It stopped at only Willenhall, The Dale before Walsall

IIRC, there were also slightly higher Timesaver fares.

Used to catch the 966 as a kid..great route but cant remember most of it..we used our 75p scratch off daysavers (how behind the times are we now ...we still have scratch off daysavers DOH!) usually we would go to Walsall, Bristol VR Spotting and then to Bham where you could jump off and get on a 900 Timesaver (I think it Was) to Coventry
Reluctant to give away my age but this pic is how I remember Walsall...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/12463716475/in/faves-retroscania/

The 966 did not start until deregulation day in October 1986. The last WM VRTs were withdrawn before deregulation.

[4006]

966 used to the express Walsall - Wolverhampton route ages ago from memory. Apologies if already mentioned in this thread not read the whole thing.

966 originally ran Wolves - Walsall and on to Airport at 00 and 30 past. It took only 23 minutes and usually kept time too. It stopped at only Willenhall, The Dale before Walsall

IIRC, there were also slightly higher Timesaver fares.

Used to catch the 966 as a kid..great route but cant remember most of it..we used our 75p scratch off daysavers (how behind the times are we now ...we still have scratch off daysavers DOH!) usually we would go to Walsall, Bristol VR Spotting and then to Bham where you could jump off and get on a 900 Timesaver (I think it Was) to Coventry
Reluctant to give away my age but this pic is how I remember Walsall...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/12463716475/in/faves-retroscania/

The 966 did not start until deregulation day in October 1986. The last WM VRTs were withdrawn before deregulation.

Maybe I'm getting mixed up I was only young lol but my info shows later VR's being withdrawn in 1987 if what you say is true then would it have been the 529 I caught to Walsall from Wolverhampton?

[Westy]

I never saw Walsall's Vrs in service after deregulation.

The allocation would've have been Metrobus supplemented by Vrs & Alisa Volvos.

( Walsall did have some Nationals but seemed to be rarely in normal service.  How come?)

When the Alisas came, Vrs were dropped from Sundays.

When deregulation came, besides the Vrs going, wasn't the Alisas transferred to Perry Barr before being sold to London Buses?

[busfan2847]

I never saw Walsall's Vrs in service after deregulation.

The allocation would've have been Metrobus supplemented by Vrs & Alisa Volvos.

( Walsall did have some Nationals but seemed to be rarely in normal service.  How come?)

When the Alisas came, Vrs were dropped from Sundays.

When deregulation came, besides the Vrs going, wasn't the Alisas transferred to Perry Barr before being sold to London Buses?

4714 passed, withdrawn, to WMT all the remainder did  not. 

Yes you are correct all production Ailsa's moved from WA to PB at deregulation before being sold to London. The prototypes passed to WMT as withdrawn vehicles.

[Bob]

Why did walsalls nationals rarely get used after deregulation?  I do remember a timesaver one on the 301 about 1989 just before the lynxes came. How many nationals were allocated there in 1988/9 & what were they used on if anything?

[busfan2847]

Why did walsalls nationals rarely get used after deregulation?  I do remember a timesaver one on the 301 about 1989 just before the lynxes came. How many nationals were allocated there in 1988/9 & what were they used on if anything?

In March 1987 1008-10 and 1012 were at Walsall. By April 1989 only 1012 and 1822 were in service at Walsall (1494/5, 1509/18/25, 1837/45 were in reserve at Walsall at that time).

[Bob]

The timesaver one I caught on the 301 in 1989 must have been a super duper rare working then!!! It mustve been 1822. Im guessing its normal haunt wouldve been the lichfield service? ??