closeing garages

[Westy]

Surely any new depot would assist in winning Centro contracts in that area?

[winston]

Surely any new depot would assist in winning Centro contracts in that area?

NX aren't that interested in Centro contracts, I suspect they'll only bid/take them on at the right price, I doubt they'd consider undercutting the smaller operators just to win them.

[wbdriver]

if NXWM opened a new garage in Halesowen, what routes could potentially go there then? and what would happen to Pensnett? would that close or have other routes transferred in from WN, WA and WB?

[Stu]

I don't think Halesowen is an ideal location really, and while Longbridge is a good idea, once you take out the south-west Birmingham routes, there's not much left at BC!

Somewhere in East Birmingham would be far more practical, say near Chelmsley Wood or the Airport, then that could take on the 14, 59, 70, 71, 72, 94, 97, 900 and 966 services, freeing up some capacity at BC and AG, as well as reducing dead running from PB for the 94.

[Westy]

You don't need another South West Birmingham depot while you have Yardley Wood!

East Birmingham has got to be the favourite, so you have one for each corner of the city plus a Central one.

Do you keep Bordesley as an outstation of Central though?

[CL]

Probably irrelevant, but I love how this topic has changed from being about closing garages to finding new places to open a garage!  :D lol

[richie]

Bordesley is an out station of Perry Barr. If there was a depot in Halesowen I would transfer the 241, 244, 22, 23, 24, 99, 297 and maybe 9 and 4. I would build on the Halesowen area and compete with diamond on the 002. Pensnett would get the 255/6/7 and 74. WB could have the 16 giving more capacity at WN, BC and PB.

[karl724223]

Re open a bus garage on the land where hartshill once stood

[winston]

I don't think Halesowen is an ideal location really, and while Longbridge is a good idea, once you take out the south-west Birmingham routes, there's not much left at BC!

Somewhere in East Birmingham would be far more practical, say near Chelmsley Wood or the Airport, then that could take on the 14, 59, 70, 71, 72, 94, 97, 900 and 966 services, freeing up some capacity at BC and AG, as well as reducing dead running from PB for the 94.

Stu,

They had one in East Birmingham (aka LH), they chose to close it, all those routes are ex LH bar the 900

You don't need another South West Birmingham depot while you have Yardley Wood!

East Birmingham has got to be the favourite, so you have one for each corner of the city plus a Central one.

Do you keep Bordesley as an outstation of Central though?

I'm pretty sure YW is already at capacity, hence why BC were doing a running board on the 50.

YW is also some distance away for the routes currently being suggested to operate out of a new depot Halesowen, most of the routes currently being quoted as ex Quinton Garage

Bordesley is an out station of Perry Barr. If there was a depot in Halesowen I would transfer the 241, 244, 22, 23, 24, 99, 297 and maybe 9 and 4. I would build on the Halesowen area and compete with diamond on the 002. Pensnett would get the 255/6/7 and 74. WB could have the 16 giving more capacity at WN, BC and PB.

Richie,

I'd tag the 140 & 141 on to that list, the 9 could be potentially be split between Pensnett & Halesowen to reduce dead mileage on short workings. Also the X64 could be added to that last as it will soon be terminating at Woodgate

Re open a bus garage on the land where hartshill once stood

Karl,

That's too close to Pensnett, if they want a bigger bus garage at Pensnett, just loose the reserve fleet & extend the current garage on to that land

[Westy]

Bordesley is an outstation of Perry Barr?

It's closer to Central surely?

How does that work?

[winston]

Bordesley is an outstation of Perry Barr?

It's closer to Central surely?

How does that work?

Yes. It was originally an out station of BC. But I think that was changed to PB when they divisional management structures were changed plus PB operate Scania Omnilinks, whereas BC no longer have an allocation

[Stu]

I don't think Halesowen is an ideal location really, and while Longbridge is a good idea, once you take out the south-west Birmingham routes, there's not much left at BC!

Somewhere in East Birmingham would be far more practical, say near Chelmsley Wood or the Airport, then that could take on the 14, 59, 70, 71, 72, 94, 97, 900 and 966 services, freeing up some capacity at BC and AG, as well as reducing dead running from PB for the 94.

Stu,

They had one in East Birmingham (aka LH), they chose to close it, all those routes are ex LH bar the 900

I do remember Lea Hall garage, there was probably a thinly veiled element of irony to my post!  ;)

At the time it probably made sense to shut down Lea Hall, but with the capacity issues at BC, PB and AG, it sort of does make sense to acquire a new site over that part of Birmingham again. Or as I suggested, maybe closer to Chelmsley Wood or the Airport.

[winston]

I don't think Halesowen is an ideal location really, and while Longbridge is a good idea, once you take out the south-west Birmingham routes, there's not much left at BC!

Somewhere in East Birmingham would be far more practical, say near Chelmsley Wood or the Airport, then that could take on the 14, 59, 70, 71, 72, 94, 97, 900 and 966 services, freeing up some capacity at BC and AG, as well as reducing dead running from PB for the 94.

Stu,

They had one in East Birmingham (aka LH), they chose to close it, all those routes are ex LH bar the 900

I do remember Lea Hall garage, there was probably a thinly veiled element of irony to my post!  ;)

At the time it probably made sense to shut down Lea Hall, but with the capacity issues at BC, PB and AG, it sort of does make sense to acquire a new site over that part of Birmingham again. Or as I suggested, maybe closer to Chelmsley Wood or the Airport.

To be fair, Chelmsley Wood is a ideal location that is served by a large number of high frequency routes, I'd have though that land around the Airport may be at a premium?

I guess the need for increased garage capacity will be dictated by any growth the NXWM business experiences over the next couple of years following the introduction of the 10 x Gold Corridors, the 275 new buses and any routes which require frequency enhancements or potentially totally new routes introduced. With current spare capacity in the Birmingham garages already thought to be at a premium, it does look as though pressure would need relieving in the Birmingham area sooner rather than later. It may be a more viable/cost effect option to try and acquire some additional land/premises either next door to or down the road from an existing garage and extend that or alternatively create a new outstation similar to Bordesley. those would be cheaper options than building a completely new garage somewhere.

[karl724223]

Hartshill could be a sub station of pensnett used for parking up only with a portacabin as a despatch office all work done at pensnett or west brom put merry hill work into harts hill then put 74/87/255 into pensnett freeing up space at wa and wb

[Bob]

Surely any new depot would assist in winning Centro contracts in that area?

NX aren't that interested in Centro contracts, I suspect they'll only bid/take them on at the right price, I doubt they'd consider undercutting the smaller operators just to win them.

Just outta interest Winston I always wondered what on earth made them bid on those staffs cc cannock contracts with them being pretty much out of area ? :)