Old bus routes

[WMT3000]

91a from memory missed out Hockney went direct a34 to perry Barr think was Sunday mornings

I've just had a look at the centro map for Birmingham from 1998. It confirms what you remember. The 91 shows as "via Hockley" and the 91a shows as "via Newtown". Looking at the map the 91a did indeed go straight along Newtown Row. As for timetable/frequency of the 91a, all that can be gleaned from the map is that it only ran on Sunday mornings. The frequency just shows as a little telephone. i.e. You had to ring up to check for times. Also of note, and something i'd forgotten - there was once a 91n (via Hockley).

[CL]

Thanks all! Really appreciate the various information. :D 91N sounds interesting. Night service or some weird unrelated suffix? ???

[WMT3000]

Thanks all! Really appreciate the various information. :D 91N sounds interesting. Night service or some weird unrelated suffix? ???

The 91n was indeed a night service. :)

[DJ]

Hi all, does anyone have any information on the history of the 402/42 at the Tipton end? I remember as a kid living on the lost city, that you'd have a 402 to Central Avenue, and the 402A which went to Owen Street, and then you have the current arrangement of the 42 to Tipton station or Dudley, but I can't remember much about inbetween, such as the period of time with the 42A and 42C from Diamond. In addition, does anyone know when the NXWM 43 stopped using it's normal route into Bilston and instead changed to the current route past Morrisons?

[don]

Apologies if I've asked this before, but where did the 91/91A actually go? I'm not sure if it was a Hockley or Perry Barr route, if I'm honest. But I do recall the route going from City Centre to Perry Barr, via Hockley Circus & Hunters Road - but not too sure of where it went after Perry Barr.

Was it Pheasey? If anyone has a 91/91A timetable from wayback when, I'll be tremendously grateful. :) Thanks

As further background to the 90/91 services, the 90 from early 1971 ran from Hall Green (Baldwins Lane) to Pheasey - via Hockley, Hamstead Road, Lozells Road, Heathfield Road - then Perry Barr, Kingstanding Road etc to Pheasey. The return direction was service 91.

There was also a 29 (Kingstanding Circle to Highfield Road, Hall Green) and 30 in the opposite direction which gradually died out.

The 90/91 were converted to one person operation in mid 1975 - In April 1975 the 91 service number ceased to be used for the southbound cross city journeys and the route showed 90 in both directions. At this time the 92 was extended from the Birmingham boundary to Cranmore Boulevard (rationalising some ex Midland Red routes) - this delinked the service from the previous 90/91 - resulting in short workings being required between City and Pheasey - these originally showed 90 also but the confusing arrangement was changed so the short workings showed 91.

The routes were operated by PB and YW - they received new Fleetlines 4530-4585 in 1975 - 4530-57 to PB the remainder to YW - used in the conversion of the routes to one person operation (4530-4579 had Leyland engines).

In BCT 1960s days the cross city routes were numbered 29A and 29.

[Crosville]

What was the old Timesaver network at its peak, i started using the network in the mid 90s, loved those Metrobuses with DP seating, what i remember of the network is.

900, Birmingham-Coventry, i remember single deck vehicles being used around 1998/99, which were totally inadequate for the route, but i believe this was because of a low bridge in the Airport, International Station loop.
902, Birmingham-Hillhook, i remember this route going to Shenstone.
904 now X4
905 now X5
914 now X14
950, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
951, Birmingham-Cannock via Walsall
952/953, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
966, Walsall-Airport via Sutton Coldfield-Erdington-Chelmsley Wood
979, Birmingham-Wolverhampton
993/994, Birmingham-Airport, think via Chelmsley Wood
995 now 937
996 not sure but maybe part of 934/935/936 group of routes
997 think this has had a couple of route changes between Pheasey & Aldridge
998 now 997E

[j789]

What was the old Timesaver network at its peak, i started using the network in the mid 90s, loved those Metrobuses with DP seating, what i remember of the network is.

900, Birmingham-Coventry, i remember single deck vehicles being used around 1998/99, which were totally inadequate for the route, but i believe this was because of a low bridge in the Airport, International Station loop.
902, Birmingham-Hillhook, i remember this route going to Shenstone.
904 now X4
905 now X5
914 now X14
950, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
951, Birmingham-Cannock via Walsall
952/953, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
966, Walsall-Airport via Sutton Coldfield-Erdington-Chelmsley Wood
979, Birmingham-Wolverhampton
993/994, Birmingham-Airport, think via Chelmsley Wood
995 now 937
996 not sure but maybe part of 934/935/936 group of routes
997 think this has had a couple of route changes between Pheasey & Aldridge
998 now 997E

The 902 still operates as an x... route. You could also add the short lived 921 route to Bangham Pit, used Lynxes rather than Metros though.

[j789]

996 went City to Sutton Coldfield towards the end of its existence.

[Tony]

What was the old Timesaver network at its peak, i started using the network in the mid 90s, loved those Metrobuses with DP seating, what i remember of the network is.

900, Birmingham-Coventry, i remember single deck vehicles being used around 1998/99, which were totally inadequate for the route, but i believe this was because of a low bridge in the Airport, International Station loop.
902, Birmingham-Hillhook, i remember this route going to Shenstone.
904 now X4
905 now X5
914 now X14
950, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
951, Birmingham-Cannock via Walsall
952/953, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
966, Walsall-Airport via Sutton Coldfield-Erdington-Chelmsley Wood
979, Birmingham-Wolverhampton
993/994, Birmingham-Airport, think via Chelmsley Wood
995 now 937
996 not sure but maybe part of 934/935/936 group of routes
997 think this has had a couple of route changes between Pheasey & Aldridge
998 now 997E

The Suttons weren't Timesaver Routes, the 914 wasn't even from that era.
The 900 was Hasbury-Coventry
The 966 was Wolverhampton - Airport in Timesaver days.
The 951 was Bearwood - Cannock
The 952/3 were Birmingham - Brereton

In addition there was the
901 Birmingham - Walsall via Lichfield
962 Birmingham-Chelmsley Wood
967 Birmingham - Castle Vale

[Trident 4194]

How long were some of the journey times of those routes? It's saddening none of these long journeys exist Anymore

900, 966,951 would be interested to know the journey times of those 3 if anyone could help please

[Gareth]

The 902/4/5 didn't start until April 2000. I'd just started a job in Sutton a few weeks before, so the new network along with brand new buses made the journey interesting. Would have been better with Timesaver Metrobuses though. Comfiest seats ever!

[Squiz1971]

What was the old Timesaver network at its peak, i started using the network in the mid 90s, loved those Metrobuses with DP seating, what i remember of the network is.

900, Birmingham-Coventry, i remember single deck vehicles being used around 1998/99, which were totally inadequate for the route, but i believe this was because of a low bridge in the Airport, International Station loop.
902, Birmingham-Hillhook, i remember this route going to Shenstone.
904 now X4
905 now X5
914 now X14
950, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
951, Birmingham-Cannock via Walsall
952/953, Birmingham-Hednesford via Walsall & Cannock
966, Walsall-Airport via Sutton Coldfield-Erdington-Chelmsley Wood
979, Birmingham-Wolverhampton
993/994, Birmingham-Airport, think via Chelmsley Wood
995 now 937
996 not sure but maybe part of 934/935/936 group of routes
997 think this has had a couple of route changes between Pheasey & Aldridge
998 now 997E

There was also the 963 Gannow to Brum which in turn became the 964 IIRC @Crosville. Also there was a 913 Town to Sutton via Streetly

[Mike K]

There was also the 926/S Priory Estate(?) / Sedgley to Birmingham and a bit later a short lived 945 Birmingham to Barnt Green.

[JoNi]

966 went to Wolverhampton initially, it was long trek but as stated the seats were cumfy.

[Justin Tyme]

I somehow recall the 966 Wolverhampton - Airport journey time being 85 minutes at first.  I think the service was Limited Stop throughout, except between Walsall and Mere Green, and it bypassed Castle Bromwich and Smiths Wood by using the Collector Road between M6 junction 5 and Chelmsley Wood.   I rode the service in this form a couple of times - great rides although not alot of passengers.

Interestingly, a summer hourly all-night service was registered, but the service started on 26 October 1986 (Deregulation Day) and by summer 1987 there had been a change of mind and the night service did not start.

The early Timesaver services were more Limited Stop than today's X services - Timesavers seemed more targeted at fast point-to-point links, whereas today's X routes are more focussed on stopping where people live or work.  To give an example, the X51 makes more stops than the original 951 did and loads better (at least off peak) as a result.