Service change (Cock Ups / U turn)

[j789]

The 68 made no money and could not be justified in continuing

Evidence?

It was also a nightmare to regulate as an Inspector at Erdington. Another bus would have been needed to make the service as reliable as a bus service should be. Buses regularly got later & later and the only easy place to adjust them was when they got to Sutton, and then if you took one out to put back on correct time if the following bus was also late you would leave a big gap for the busiest stop on the route. The extra bus would have made the route a serious loss maker.

When the service was in trouble I used to hope that two would turn up at Erdington together, which did regularly happen, as that was the easiest way to put one right without causing more disruption to passengers as you could put all the passengers on one bus and send the other to where it should be.

Could the frequency not have been reduced but with the route maintaining the same number of buses, thereby sorting out this reliability problem but without the need for an extra bus. I am usually a big supporter of NXWM but I do think this was a mistake by them.

[Mike K]

Back in 2004/5 ish, they withdrew the 44S (Birmingham - Great Park) and combined the 44T / 44 with the 46 to create the cross city link Turves Green - Pheasey.  However due to reliable issues the route was split again only a few months later with all journeys to Turves Green being renumbered to the 44.

Also during the 2009 South Birmingham Review, the 21 was rerouted out of the city to run via the Vale and Edgbaston Park Road towards the QE Hospital.  This was unpopular however and by January 2010 it had reverted back to running towards Harbone.  As we all know, by July 2010 the 21 was replaced with the X64.

Remember all the fuss about the 21, with MPs getting involved.

Yes, Gisela Stuart the MP for Edgbaston is always vocal on these matters. You can guarantee that whenever the local paper carries an article on bus route changes, you'll find Gis on the pages.

I do still find it surprising that the 21, which I think at one stage ran every 12 mins (and was more frequent than the 29) in now no more.

[Kevin]

The thing with the 68 was that there were so many individual "useful links" that would have been lost. For the most they have been covered, albeit by rerouting other previously reasonable bus routes (ie 66 and 966) - and some would say those services have been ruined as a result, .

The only link that has been truly lost I'd say is between the Perry Common / Kingstanding / New Oscott areas acorss Sutton to Good Hope. Surely at least one route (907? or maybe a new route covering some more areas of North Brum) could extend across from these areas to the hospital?

Yes, Gisela Stuart the MP for Edgbaston is always vocal on these matters. You can guarantee that whenever the local paper carries an article on bus route changes, you'll find Gis on the pages.

Oh dear......

[Stu]

On the subject of cock-ups, but not necessarily service change related, NX prepared two B10Ls to replace the two B6LEs that operated the S9 service. They were painted all-over purple/blue, just a couple of weeks before the decision to award this contract to Silverline was made. Were NX so confident they would be re-awarded this contract?

The irony is that the two B6LEs ended up getting repainted and survived in service for some time at West Brom and Pensnett, outliving the two B10Ls which ended up getting withdrawn still painted purple.

[sonic84]

Another one is that following that following the Dudley Network Review the 244 was withdrawn from Hayley Green, with the loop only being served by the 006 and 417.

However following the loss of the 242 and the 636 being cut back to Halesowen -QE Hospital again, the 244 was reinstated!

[Liberator9]

The 2009 Solihull Network Review was a disaster in parts - most routes got changed the year after. The 40A and 40C (which worked perfectly) were messed with, forming an unreliable S2 and S3. NX then lost them the next year. The 41 was shortened, and then it was soon formed into the 58 and the 73. The S8 was withdrawn in 2010 (or 2011) and NX lost the 82 to Signature after the change from the 19W/19X (former 192). The 69 was changed as well in 2009 along with the 76 and then changed again soon after. AG operated the 76 for a while did they not? The reinstated 30 never worked for NX either.

The 4 changing into the 5 worked though - the Solihull bus system is working well though now - the 76, 49, 58 etc. all work well and the 957 is a very useful link to Birmingham. Miss NX on the 40A/40C route - use to work well and at least NX did not have constant reliability issues with the Wrights (never buy Optare Solos NX).

[williamposh]

The 68 made no money and could not be justified in continuing

Evidence?

It is true.

It was expensive to run being remote from all garages - more so than nearly all others.

It had some very busy sections and what NX was not good at was keeping those and ditching the poor bits.

[notepanel]

The 333 Wolverhampton-Walsall route could be argued as a potential cock-up.

At one stage, the 333 was re-routed in the Bentley Area to serve Churchill Road, Wolverhampton Road West, Shepwell Green and the new Tesco Willenhall/Darlaston.

This was re-routed back a year later due to public demand from residents along Bentley Road North & Queen Elizabeth Avenue, however with a slight loop around Morris Avenue in Bentley. The residents on Morris Avenue & Slim Road weren't happy about this and blocked a bus off on one occasion. This loop was quite quietly dropped not long after.

Obviously since the 333 has been completely withdrawn, however earlier this year the 40 was re-routed to replace the old 333 around Portobello in Willenhall.
The withdrawal itself has been argued about by many - we now have the 9 operating every 20 minutes (up from every 30) and Sandwell Travels half-hourly 333X covering part of the route - arguably an increase in frequency along that part of the route compared to 4 buses an hour before.

[Westy]

The 333 Wolverhampton-Walsall route could be argued as a potential cock-up.

At one stage, the 333 was re-routed in the Bentley Area to serve Churchill Road, Wolverhampton Road West, Shepwell Green and the new Tesco Willenhall/Darlaston.

This was re-routed back a year later due to public demand from residents along Bentley Road North & Queen Elizabeth Avenue, however with a slight loop around Morris Avenue in Bentley. The residents on Morris Avenue & Slim Road weren't happy about this and blocked a bus off on one occasion. This loop was quite quietly dropped not long after.

Obviously since the 333 has been completely withdrawn, however earlier this year the 40 was re-routed to replace the old 333 around Portobello in Willenhall.
The withdrawal itself has been argued about by many - we now have the 9 operating every 20 minutes (up from every 30) and Sandwell Travels half-hourly 333X covering part of the route - arguably an increase in frequency along that part of the route compared to 4 buses an hour before.

Does anything serve that Tesco apart from the 310 & 57?

Neither of those run evening & Sundays.

[notepanel]

The 333 Wolverhampton-Walsall route could be argued as a potential cock-up.

At one stage, the 333 was re-routed in the Bentley Area to serve Churchill Road, Wolverhampton Road West, Shepwell Green and the new Tesco Willenhall/Darlaston.

This was re-routed back a year later due to public demand from residents along Bentley Road North & Queen Elizabeth Avenue, however with a slight loop around Morris Avenue in Bentley. The residents on Morris Avenue & Slim Road weren't happy about this and blocked a bus off on one occasion. This loop was quite quietly dropped not long after.

Obviously since the 333 has been completely withdrawn, however earlier this year the 40 was re-routed to replace the old 333 around Portobello in Willenhall.
The withdrawal itself has been argued about by many - we now have the 9 operating every 20 minutes (up from every 30) and Sandwell Travels half-hourly 333X covering part of the route - arguably an increase in frequency along that part of the route compared to 4 buses an hour before.

Does anything serve that Tesco apart from the 310 & 57?

Neither of those run evening & Sundays.

Due to the Bentley Road South closure the 9 & 333X are again going past Tesco. I guess the 34 is the nearest evening service which isn't that far away.

[MW]

On the subject of cock-ups, but not necessarily service change related, NX prepared two B10Ls to replace the two B6LEs that operated the S9 service. They were painted all-over purple/blue, just a couple of weeks before the decision to award this contract to Silverline was made. Were NX so confident they would be re-awarded this contract?

The irony is that the two B6LEs ended up getting repainted and survived in service for some time at West Brom and Pensnett, outliving the two B10Ls which ended up getting withdrawn still painted purple.

Wasn't 1430 one of them? I'm quite sure that it was repainted into the latest colours? Or was it 1415? It was one of the LED ones at AG.

[MW]

On the subject of cock-ups, but not necessarily service change related, NX prepared two B10Ls to replace the two B6LEs that operated the S9 service. They were painted all-over purple/blue, just a couple of weeks before the decision to award this contract to Silverline was made. Were NX so confident they would be re-awarded this contract?

The irony is that the two B6LEs ended up getting repainted and survived in service for some time at West Brom and Pensnett, outliving the two B10Ls which ended up getting withdrawn still painted purple.

Wasn't 1430 one of them? I'm quite sure that it was repainted into the latest colours? Or was it 1415? It was one of the LED ones at AG.

Scratch that, you were right!

[winston]

On the subject of cock-ups, but not necessarily service change related, NX prepared two B10Ls to replace the two B6LEs that operated the S9 service. They were painted all-over purple/blue, just a couple of weeks before the decision to award this contract to Silverline was made. Were NX so confident they would be re-awarded this contract?

The irony is that the two B6LEs ended up getting repainted and survived in service for some time at West Brom and Pensnett, outliving the two B10Ls which ended up getting withdrawn still painted purple.

Wasn't 1430 one of them? I'm quite sure that it was repainted into the latest colours? Or was it 1415? It was one of the LED ones at AG.

Scratch that, you were right!

1415 & 1467 are the two purple ones

[Stu]

The 2009 Solihull Network Review was a disaster in parts - most routes got changed the year after. The 40A and 40C (which worked perfectly) were messed with, forming an unreliable S2 and S3. NX then lost them the next year. The 41 was shortened, and then it was soon formed into the 58 and the 73. The S8 was withdrawn in 2010 (or 2011) and NX lost the 82 to Signature after the change from the 19W/19X (former 192). The 69 was changed as well in 2009 along with the 76 and then changed again soon after. AG operated the 76 for a while did they not? The reinstated 30 never worked for NX either.

The 4 changing into the 5 worked though - the Solihull bus system is working well though now - the 76, 49, 58 etc. all work well and the 957 is a very useful link to Birmingham. Miss NX on the 40A/40C route - use to work well and at least NX did not have constant reliability issues with the Wrights (never buy Optare Solos NX).

Yup, AG operated the 76, and YW operated the 5. Then some point after the Solihull Review, the two routes switched garages. The 76 was tinkered with a fair bit, first shortened to Kings Heath, and then extended to the QE, when the 69 got withdrawn.

[spudnick]

That 76 has been messed around with a fair times, I seem to remember at one point as Yourbus A6y/C6y it operated all the way from the Airport to Northfield, then Damsonwood to Northfield as TWM's A6, then the Kings Heath - Northfield section was dropped and it operated to Pool Farm to replace the 35S then shortened to Kings Heath and replaced with the short lived 85 and then finally to the QE while at some point along the way dropping the Solihull - Damsonwood section.

What about the 35 when buses were taken out of Corporation Street in July 2012. The original plan was to take buses out of Sherlock Street cutting off a useful link with the Pershore Road services and accessing Chinatown. Buses were to run into town from Gooch Street onto Barford Street, left onto MacDonald Street then right to Bishop Street back onto Barford Street, buses from town operating straight along Barford Street. At some point the first U-Turn occurred before the changes actually came into force it was decided Barford Street wasn't particularly a great plan and buses into town were to operate on the existing route via Sherlock Street and from town operating from Rea Street by the Coach Street straight down Rea Street onto Bissell Street to access Gooch Street. This was the route that buses started operating, not a problem on a Sunday but come Monday morning buses started getting stuck on Bissell Street behind unloading trucks, by the time I started work at 6:30ish the route had already reverted to Sherlock Street were it has stayed since! On top of this the original route in the City replaced the 50 operating via Moor Street and back via Park Street which made the service unreliable this was thankfully changed the January to U-turn in Moor St like the 50.