To 'E', or not to 'E'

[Stu]

There are two timetabled short 3 workings, which I usually see just before I get to work in the morning. They usually show 'Yardley Wood 3E' on the front display, however the Trident I noticed this morning was showing 'Yardley Wood 3' instead.

Is this another experiment with the display information on the flip-dot displays, losing the E off the route number to allow space for the destination (Yardley Wood)?

Or is it following in the footsteps of London, where they don't have 'E' workings, but passengers have to rely on the display to know where the bus terminates short of its destination?

[Liverpool Street]

...as like the 50?

Maybe its to try and teach these idiots to actually read the destination instead of just blindly getting on. Even if it says Not In Service!!!

[Kevin]

Pretty sure none of the 28 short journeys to Dyas Road show 28E? Unless I just haven't noticed

[Stuharris 6360]

Isn't it time for the E suffix to be withdrawn, surely now that the majority of buses have electronic displays, couldn't the display alternate the destination with the words SHORT JOURNEY.

How many visitors to Birmingham know the difference between the 37 & 37E?

[Tony]

Isn't it time for the E suffix to be withdrawn, surely now that the majority of buses have electronic displays, couldn't the display alternate the destination with the words SHORT JOURNEY.

How many visitors to Birmingham know the difference between the 37 & 37E?

I am in favour of the old Birmingham City Transport system where ever possible turning point was allocated a letter in order from the City Centre. The 55 had variants 55A; 55B; 55C; 55D, 55E; 55F; 55G; 55H; 55J & 55K, L was the last letter on the blinds (for short workings), not sure if there were any 'L' routes. Just before this system was abolished the 55 terminated at Shard End Crescent and 1 55K would terminate at Hurst Lane.

This was more needed in BCT days as they would not be able to show some of the lesser used turning points on the destination blinds so a regular traveller would still know where a 55K was terminating even if the bus just showed '55K Service Extra'

This has semi returned with the 97A (Airport) and 97P (Pine Square), perhaps we could have 97G (Liverpool Street) 97M (Markets) 97S (Stechford, Stuarts Road) etc for all other short workings!

[arrifirststage]

A wonderful idea.
Can we then paint the fleet in a dignified livery,improve vehicle presentation and stop this absurd branding and naming gimmick.
We may then recapture the pride that BCT showed in everything.

[Liverpool Street]

A wonderful idea.
Can we then paint the fleet in a dignified livery,improve vehicle presentation and stop this absurd branding and naming gimmick.
We may then recapture the pride that BCT showed in everything.

Quoted For Truth.

[Sh4318]

Isn't it time for the E suffix to be withdrawn, surely now that the majority of buses have electronic displays, couldn't the display alternate the destination with the words SHORT JOURNEY.

How many visitors to Birmingham know the difference between the 37 & 37E?

I disagree, for me, if I see the 'E' suffix on a destination display, I automatically assume that the service isn't running the whole route, I think using 'Short Journey' on all short journeys could confuse people who aren't completely familiar with the route

[Stu]

It's an interesting debate! Do other areas of the country use the -E suffix to indicate short workings of a route, or was it just a West Midlands thing?

I know they don't do it in London, I remember going to see my brother when he lived near Stoke Newington, and due to Tube disruption he advised me to get the 73 bus from Euston instead (back when they were bendies). Most showed 'Seven Sisters' on the blind, but some were only showing 'Stoke Newington', these were presumably the short workings, but still worked as the 73.

(More irritating in London though, is when you get on a bus that you think is going the full route, and then they decide to terminate it early without warning!)

[OH25]

It's an interesting debate! Do other areas of the country use the -E suffix to indicate short workings of a route, or was it just a West Midlands thing?

I know they don't do it in London, I remember going to see my brother when he lived near Stoke Newington, and due to Tube disruption he advised me to get the 73 bus from Euston instead (back when they were bendies). Most showed 'Seven Sisters' on the blind, but some were only showing 'Stoke Newington', these were presumably the short workings, but still worked as the 73.

(More irritating in London though, is when you get on a bus that you think is going the full route, and then they decide to terminate it early without warning!)

That happened to me as well
I was on the 264 I believe going from Croydon and it decided to finish at Tooting Station instead of going further down to Tooting Broadway and the hospital. That irritated me also!

[Liverpool Street]

I would prefer there be no route number at all and just a destination with alternating via points.

Surely then people would be forced to confirm destination with the driver.

[the trainbasher]

I would prefer there be no route number at all and just a destination with alternating via points.

Surely then people would be forced to confirm destination with the driver.

Do it TrentBarton style (nines - 9/140/141, Red Arrow - 900, threes - 61/63, indigo - 74/75/79 i4 - 45/47, one - 1) prehaps?

[Trident 4609]

Why would you do the 79 aswell as the 74/5. 79 doesn't even go down Soho Rd anymore

[Sh4318]

I would prefer there be no route number at all and just a destination with alternating via points.

Surely then people would be forced to confirm destination with the driver.

That would be so much easier, if it was possible. Works well with trains

[JoNi]

We had E suffixes inflicted on us in Coventry when the Network review occurred in 2012. No joined up thinking resulted in "E" journies not being shown in timetables, bus stop publicity or Real Time information. Defeat was effectively admitted when the 12 to Leamington Spa was renumbered 11 rather than Uni shorts being numbered 12E to enable easer identification of through buses.

The answer is bigger destination displays and on board visual displays that change as you proceed along the route. Both already exist elsewhere in the UK.