Night Only Buses

[JoNi]

For some reason there is a perception that buses get vandalised in the middle of the night. When attempting to find excuses to withdraw night buses In London as a budget cut many years ago analysis found the main cause of vehicles being withdrawn from service was soiling etc!
My experiences travelling on night buses in various cities are passengers who either asleep after a night out or early morning workers for airports.  Obviously in London night buses make up for the lack of the Underground at night.

Also the routes that justify night services are sort that have very early starts.

[leewhayward29]

My suggestions would be:

6E Birmingham - Shirley
9E Birmingham - Halesowen
22 Birmingham - Kitwell
33 Birmingham - Pheasey
37 Birmingham - Solihull
45N Birmingham - Cotteridge - West Heath - Turves Green - Cotteridge - Birmingham
50 Birmingham - Maypole
51 Birmingham - Walsall
61N Birmingham - Northfield - Longbridge - Frankley - Northfield - Birmingham
94 Birmingham Chelmsley Wood
905E Birmingham - Four Oakes
957 Birmingham - Solihull

I would say to run night buses on
33 Birmingham to Pheasey
51 Birmingham to Walsall
529 Walsall to Wolverhampton

[Alex]

My suggestions would be:

6E Birmingham - Shirley
9E Birmingham - Halesowen
22 Birmingham - Kitwell
33 Birmingham - Pheasey
37 Birmingham - Solihull
45N Birmingham - Cotteridge - West Heath - Turves Green - Cotteridge - Birmingham
50 Birmingham - Maypole
51 Birmingham - Walsall
61N Birmingham - Northfield - Longbridge - Frankley - Northfield - Birmingham
94 Birmingham Chelmsley Wood
905E Birmingham - Four Oakes
957 Birmingham - Solihull

I would say to run night buses on
33 Birmingham to Pheasey
51 Birmingham to Walsall
529 Walsall to Wolverhampton

The 529 could probably do with the night buses, the 33 and 51, i s'posse could work

[Kevin]

Apologies for dragging up a topic from like half a year ago, but with the 74 being announced as the next 24/7 service...

Despite what people want to happen (face it everyone would want their own local services to be 24hrs). How far do people think NX will take the night buses? At the moment they're all just arterial routes from Brum but what scope for other routes? such as Inner/Outer circles, 49, WB5, 529, WA10 (just some random examples obviously)

[Kevin]

Why make any of those routes 24 hours, most people travelling in the middle of the night will surely be going to/from city centre.

Or from other town centres (night life exists in wolves and walsall as well).
Or to/from Airports (whole reason the 97 exists as a 24hrs route)
Or connecting with late night trains (ie the last train from London).
Etc...

[trident4370]

I personally think there is a case for a few "main" routes in the black country to go 24 hour, 529 in particular screams out at me and perhaps a 4E to West Brom and 5 to sutton. As for Birmingham Routes I'd like to see a Sutton lines route get the 24 hour treatment.

[Russ Smith]

What I'm not a fan of is only running part routes at night time. I think NX need to be riskier/braver and run full (or even extended) journeys on the routes that they run, even if it does require another bus (or if you interwork, maybe only half a bus extra). Living in Rednal, I'd use a nightbus over a taxi if I could, as it's a good £25 on an unbooked taxi out to here of a night, but when I stay over at mate's houses in Bearwood, Selly Oak, Harborne etc., we don't even consider getting a bus because taxis are cheaper and much more convenient. I personally think nightbuses need to branch out further away from the city centre(s), where taxis become less feasible, to become attractive enough for people to use them.

[Sh4318]

A night service on the 87 would be really useful. But with the incoming news about the 74, and after the 50 and 97, I suspect this will happen eventually, especially as the route is due to be upgraded in April

[the trainbasher]

Surprised the 9 doesn't go 24/7 soon

[domino.99]

A night service on the 87 would be really useful. But with the incoming news about the 74, and after the 50 and 97, I suspect this will happen eventually, especially as the route is due to be upgraded in April

What the 87's being upgraded?

[John]

A night service on the 87 would be really useful. But with the incoming news about the 74, and after the 50 and 97, I suspect this will happen eventually, especially as the route is due to be upgraded in April

What the 87's being upgraded?

With ex-Yardley Wood Enviro400s off the 50. The 50 is getting MMCs

[Trident 4609]

 

A night service on the 87 would be really useful. But with the incoming news about the 74, and after the 50 and 97, I suspect this will happen eventually, especially as the route is due to be upgraded in April

What the 87's being upgraded?

Reply #883 (Tony's post)

http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=2834.870

[CL]

My suggestions would be:

6E Birmingham - Shirley
9E Birmingham - Halesowen
22 Birmingham - Kitwell
33 Birmingham - Pheasey
37 Birmingham - Solihull
45N Birmingham - Cotteridge - West Heath - Turves Green - Cotteridge - Birmingham
50 Birmingham - Maypole
51 Birmingham - Walsall
61N Birmingham - Northfield - Longbridge - Frankley - Northfield - Birmingham
94 Birmingham Chelmsley Wood
905E Birmingham - Four Oaks
957 Birmingham - Solihull

I would say to run night buses on
33 Birmingham to Pheasey
51 Birmingham to Walsall
529 Walsall to Wolverhampton

The 529 could probably do with the night buses, the 33 and 51, i s'pose could work

This list seems alright. Though, I would change the 22 with the 23A - have 33 and 51 miss one stop, or possibly even scrap a night-time 51 for a "N51", if it'll be going all the way to Walsall - something like the X51, but serving more stops at night on the Walsall Road.

When I'm discussing 'route suggestions' I always seem to talk of the route number. Honestly, night buses should have an 'N' prefix, like that in London.

For example:
- N74 to Dudley Port
- N61 to Longbridge
- N99 to Quinton Church, etc...

[Kevin]

This list seems alright. Though, I would change the 22 with the 23A - have 33 and 51 miss one stop, or possibly even scrap a night-time 51 for a "N51", if it'll be going all the way to Walsall - something like the X51, but serving more stops at night on the Walsall Road.

When I'm discussing 'route suggestions' I always seem to talk of the route number. Honestly, night buses should have an 'N' prefix, like that in London.

For example:
- N74 to Dudley Port
- N61 to Longbridge
- N99 to Quinton Church, etc...

No, they need to have the same number, as it should be the same as the daytime service "like in London"

[OH25]

This list seems alright. Though, I would change the 22 with the 23A - have 33 and 51 miss one stop, or possibly even scrap a night-time 51 for a "N51", if it'll be going all the way to Walsall - something like the X51, but serving more stops at night on the Walsall Road.

When I'm discussing 'route suggestions' I always seem to talk of the route number. Honestly, night buses should have an 'N' prefix, like that in London.

For example:
- N74 to Dudley Port
- N61 to Longbridge
- N99 to Quinton Church, etc...

No, they need to have the same number, as it should be the same as the daytime service "like in London"

Doesn't the 'N' prefix apply to routes with a variation or addition to the original route whereas the same number is used if the route is exactly the same?