Drivers - Bus Reviews & Opinions

[2900]

To be honest, I don't know why they didn't just extend the 128 to Blackheath instead of introducing the 120A in the first place - I believe that's what I suggested during the consultation at the time.

Most of us drivers were thinking that at the time why not send the 128 back to blackheath, the powers that be must know summat we mere mortals don't

[Sh4318]

Drivers rumour mill in full flow at the moment, early next year 128 will revert to serving blackheath, 129 service withdrawn low patronage  , 120A terminates in Oldbury, 120 to be operated by west brom garage with new electric single deckers , the farm will get the 74E Dudley to West Bromwich.

This is just drivers talking not gospel , thought I,d just put it out there summat to chew on if you like.

I'm still hoping the old variant of the 129 (Birmingham - West Brom) will be brought back. Kills 2 birds with one stone, maintains 4 buses an hour between the Plough & Birmingham, and connects Warley to Londonderry & West Bromwich

[2900]

More rumours X87 to be operated by THE FARM ,the route from Galton bridge straight on to expressway to Heath street Dudley rd , best of luck with that one during the peak it's bumper to bumper.

I do stress it's just talk not fact

[karl724223]

More rumours X87 to be operated by THE FARM ,the route from Galton bridge straight on to expressway to Heath street Dudley rd , best of luck with that one during the peak it's bumper to bumper.

I do stress it's just talk not fact

doubt it we got no room
Only rumour is 120 to west brom or where ever new garage goes
And 74  Dudley to west brom at pn

[2900]

4936 ADL ENVIRO 400 E40D

This bus is good in every department except one the woeful gearbox it is quite simply the worst ZF Eco box I,ve come across its bloody awful , it trudges along with engine labouring at 800 rpm , it jerks for  added bonus , it has kick down doesn't really add great deal of speed , takes forever to get to 40mph , please please remap the gearbox ecu it needs one ASAP.
So so infuriating to drive in its current setup

BIG PHAT ZERO

[2900]

Gona have me a moan on ere and y the f,ing not, been on the 12E(120E) city to Oldbury, the 13 (128) and 13A (127) , the duty I had 5 city's in it bloody nuts , use to be an average of 3 city's in a duty, 3 minute lay overs in Oldbury for 12E and 13  it takes more than 3 minutes to turn the bus around. 13A gets a useful 14/15 minutes in blackheath. So now down to 4 buses in the evening providing an hourly service on the above services, plus 2 buses from the farm for the 12 to Dudley hourly,  how things have changed it use to be 8 buses  120 /128/129 .
Bloody gazillions of questions from punters where have 120/127/128,s gone , I hate repeating myself so bloody tiring.
From what I could see all scanias this evening on the 3/12E/13/13A rather than the 4200s no bad thing really.
Punters in blackheath were telling me x8 rubbish service doesn't stop on half the stops on  hagley  rd
having to walk back miles.
I noticed fair few no 9 branded buses on the 12/126 not good.
Monday should be fun for all concerned.

[2900]

From city great Charles st just after the crossing the road markings were being changed to bus gate , I assume hagley rd buses will run behind the library from Monday onwards.

[2900]

X7 vs 87 from Dudley to Oldbury then Oldbury to smethwick

as I left Dudley bus station I noticed an X7 behind me I thought let's see which is faster its late afternoon I got to Oldbury no sign of the X7 even after the 4 minute layover , so I carry on when I approached spon craft the X7 is behind me, now from Galton bridge the X7 chooses to use smethwick bypass , I on the 87 smethwick high st still got to smethwick job centre before the X7.
From passenger point of view from Dudley to smethwick the only advantage is the nicer bus on the x7

[2900]

82/87 since septembers closure of paradise circus Dudley rd now terminates in colmore row as most of you know, on the evening boards we now get a useful 7 minutes drop back in colmore row, these 7 minutes makes a big difference knowing you have them , it just makes getting the bus up Dudley rd so much easier,  most of us drivers feel more relaxed being on there plus it's nice to start journeys on time. Some of the slack has been taken out by removing spring hill tesco as a timing point thank you very much to the powers that be and further minute taken off grove lane timing point which all equates to very happy punters at cape hill because bus hasn't Stopped at timing points dragging out the journey, I get a lot of thank you driver at capehill from vast majority on the bus which is a huge difference from being constantly hassled at timing points.
We drivers hope that NX leaves the Dudley rd at colmore row rather than dragging it all over the city especially carrs lane ,dale end of brum which is far to congested .
I haven't heard any complaints from customers that these services no longer serve moor st or new st directly.

[DJ]

82/87 since septembers closure of paradise circus Dudley rd now terminates in colmore row as most of you know, on the evening boards we now get a useful 7 minutes drop back in colmore row, these 7 minutes makes a big difference knowing you have them , it just makes getting the bus up Dudley rd so much easier,  most of us drivers feel more relaxed being on there plus it's nice to start journeys on time. Some of the slack has been taken out by removing spring hill tesco as a timing point thank you very much to the powers that be and further minute taken off grove lane timing point which all equates to very happy punters at cape hill because bus hasn't Stopped at timing points dragging out the journey, I get a lot of thank you driver at capehill from vast majority on the bus which is a huge difference from being constantly hassled at timing points.
We drivers hope that NX leaves the Dudley rd at colmore row rather than dragging it all over the city especially carrs lane ,dale end of brum which is far to congested .
I haven't heard any complaints from customers that these services no longer serve moor st or new st directly.

It was handy to have the 82/87 stopping outside Spoons rather than having to walk to Colmore Row, but then again it does make sense to have it stop there alongside the X7/X8 and the 12/126 towards Dudley. It'd be nice if the 74 could be changed to stop there too so that the Dudley routes all stop in the same area, but that would probably cause issues overall.

[2206]

It was handy to have the 82/87 stopping outside Spoons rather than having to walk to Colmore Row, but then again it does make sense to have it stop there alongside the X7/X8 and the 12/126 towards Dudley. It'd be nice if the 74 could be changed to stop there too so that the Dudley routes all stop in the same area, but that would probably cause issues overall.

Why?
Not everyone on that route is going to Dudley.
It makes more sence having the Hockley routes together 16 and 74).
The 126, X7 and X8 are quicker, it's hardly like the 74 takes the most direct route, 1 hour 20 minutes to Dudley.
The X7, 82/7 and 89 should all stop together in my opinion, like they do now, since they serve the same areas.

[979]

82/87 since septembers closure of paradise circus Dudley rd now terminates in colmore row as most of you know, on the evening boards we now get a useful 7 minutes drop back in colmore row, these 7 minutes makes a big difference knowing you have them , it just makes getting the bus up Dudley rd so much easier,  most of us drivers feel more relaxed being on there plus it's nice to start journeys on time. Some of the slack has been taken out by removing spring hill tesco as a timing point thank you very much to the powers that be and further minute taken off grove lane timing point which all equates to very happy punters at cape hill because bus hasn't Stopped at timing points dragging out the journey, I get a lot of thank you driver at capehill from vast majority on the bus which is a huge difference from being constantly hassled at timing points.
We drivers hope that NX leaves the Dudley rd at colmore row rather than dragging it all over the city especially carrs lane ,dale end of brum which is far to congested .
I haven't heard any complaints from customers that these services no longer serve moor st or new st directly.

Yes us Dudley Rd drivers do love it no more getting slaughtered with passenger loadings or bottles and cans rolling around but there's only one clear winner and that's the X7 drivers with posh busses wizzing around empty not having to stop at bus stops.
No point in running a bus if it ain't gonna stop at stops leave that for the coaches, someone got the two mixed up me think.

[DJ]

Yes us Dudley Rd drivers do love it no more getting slaughtered with passenger loadings or bottles and cans rolling around but there's only one clear winner and that's the X7 drivers with posh busses wizzing around empty not having to stop at bus stops.
No point in running a bus if it ain't gonna stop at stops leave that for the coaches, someone got the two mixed up me think.

Wasn't the 979 itself a limited stop route, though?

[979]

Wasn't the 979 itself a limited stop route, though?

Yeap and it never worked eventually towards the end it stopped at every stop.

[2900]

Also there's  added environmental benefits from what I,m told with Dudley rd buses terminating at colmore row it reduces the PVR by 2 buses thus lowering the carbon foot print around the city also helping with congestion too, win win situation IMO