If you had the chance to modify or add any service, what would you do?

[CL]

Perhaps a display that's less so used these days, but there's also the 97P - for journeys terminating at Pine Square.

[DJ]

It'd reduce the frequency along part of the corridor, and along my local bit, but I think it'd be nice to see the WA11 diverted to serve Tipton Railway Station and Owen Street, similar to the old 311A. If I'm remembering correctly, it was removed due to the delays caused by the level crossing, which is now long gone, but I could be wrong. I think it'd make a good opportunity to allow a better interchange between bus and rail services.

[Westy]

It'd reduce the frequency along part of the corridor, and along my local bit, but I think it'd be nice to see the WA11 diverted to serve Tipton Railway Station and Owen Street, similar to the old 311A. If I'm remembering correctly, it was removed due to the delays caused by the level crossing, which is now long gone, but I could be wrong. I think it'd make a good opportunity to allow a better interchange between bus and rail services.

Correct me if I'm wrong, as I've only been once up that way since it changed, but isn't Tipton rail station basically in a side street now?

If anything, the 11 would only serve Owen Street then follow the new road layout to Powis Avenue missing out station access, unless there's easy access?


What does the 42(?) do?

[DJ]

Correct me if I'm wrong, as I've only been once up that way since it changed, but isn't Tipton rail station basically in a side street now?

If anything, the 11 would only serve Owen Street then follow the new road layout to Powis Avenue missing out station access, unless there's easy access?


What does the 42(?) do?

The 42 accesses the station from the West Bromwich direction by turning right at the top of Locarno Road, and then looping around the car park entrance, before heading either back towards West Bromwich or onwards to Dudley. Presumably, instead of turning right at the top of Powis Avenue at the lights, it could carry straight on up Locarno Road and join the 42 route into the station, and then through Owen Street before rejoining the 11A.

[Westy]

The 42 accesses the station from the West Bromwich direction by turning right at the top of Locarno Road, and then looping around the car park entrance, before heading either back towards West Bromwich or onwards to Dudley. Presumably, instead of turning right at the top of Powis Avenue at the lights, it could carry straight on up Locarno Road and join the 42 route into the station, and then through Owen Street before rejoining the 11A.

I see, but I'd be surprised if it served the station loop, as they took the Wednesbury Parkway section off a few years back due to reliability.

(Excuse me while I laugh uncontrollably, due to the irony of the last sentence!)

[CL]

Something I've thought about for a while..

In regards to Diamond's 16W service, I would renumber it to the 76. I had thought about the "76" terminating at Old Square, but whether it would or not would be another issue for later discussion..

So why the number 76? Much less of a mouthful to say than 16W. It's a free number - or, rather, one that only occurs one time on the entire network; in South Birmingham & Solihull. West Bromwich, the 16W's final destination, is typically associated with route numbers in the seventies (and eighties); the 74 & 79 (and even the 75 & 78 at one point in time).

The only backfire I'd see to this would be people expecting it to go down the Soho Road, despite sharing the exact same route as the normal 16 up to the 16's terminus - and then beyond... Much less logistics involved (I'd assume); it's just as simple as a route number change.

Thoughts? ???

[DJ]

Something I've thought about for a while..

In regards to Diamond's 16W service, I would renumber it to the 76. I had thought about the "76" terminating at Old Square, but whether it would or not would be another issue for later discussion..

So why the number 76? Much less of a mouthful to say than 16W. It's a free number - or, rather, one that only occurs one time on the entire network; in South Birmingham & Solihull. West Bromwich, the 16W's final destination, is typically associated with route numbers in the seventies (and eighties); the 74 & 79 (and even the 75 & 78 at one point in time).

The only backfire I'd see to this would be people expecting it to go down the Soho Road, despite sharing the exact same route as the normal 16 up to the 16's terminus - and then beyond... Much less logistics involved (I'd assume); it's just as simple as a route number change.

Thoughts? ???

I like the sound of it, but I think it'd be better to keep the 16 and 16W numbers the same, surely changing the 16W to the 16A would serve the same purpose of making it easier to say?

[2206]

I like the sound of it, but I think it'd be better to keep the 16 and 16W numbers the same, surely changing the 16W to the 16A would serve the same purpose of making it easier to say?

Only problem is the 16A already exits, one very late night journey at 00:00 from the Markets to Great Barr and a very early morning 04:26 journey from Great Barr to the Markets.
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B016A/?timetable[day]=&tab=
15 would be free though?
Or maybe the one journey a day 16A, could be renumbered 16B?

[CL]

I like the sound of it, but I think it'd be better to keep the 16 and 16W numbers the same, surely changing the 16W to the 16A would serve the same purpose of making it easier to say?

I suppose so. I'm guessing we're judging how easy it is to say a number based on the number of syllables it contains? :P Putting things into perspective, what's in one syllable (between the 16A and 16W)? ???

Only problem is the 16A already exits, one very late night journey at 00:00 from the Markets to Great Barr and a very early morning 04:26 journey from Great Barr to the Markets.
https://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B016A/?timetable[day]=&tab=
15 would be free though?
Or maybe the one journey a day 16A, could be renumbered 16B?

For someone who's taken the liberty to ask me "why does it matter what the number is?" through a PM, you seem pretty invested in alternative numbers, yourself. ::)

To answer your questions, it doesn't matter what the number is. I only suggested it, in a topic for wishful thinking, to generate a bit of discussion, at least. I understand that it's likely my thoughts wouldn't come into fruition; hence why I posted it here, and not in, say, the Diamond thread.

It would make no difference whatsoever if it were numbered 15, or 76, frankly. I decided against using 15 as an example, as (to me) it sounds pretty daft to have a smaller number go further than a larger one. I'm sure, in reality, there are plenty examples to undermine my previous statement - however, take the Dudley Road, for example: the 82 & 87 are prime examples of what I'm trying to say - regardless of its destination, wouldn't it seem silly if the 82 were to go beyond the 87?

(Cue the irony where the 87 goes beyond the 89)

As I mention before, I see viability in using the 76 route number - as it associates itself with the other seventies route at the West Bromwich end of things. You've agreed with me there. Perhaps there is more sense in using 15.. After all, [16W] shares most of its route with the 16, anyway. But beyond Hamstead, the 15 would just become another stray number; an outlier, if you will, amongst the West Bromwich services - numbered in the 40s, and (as previously mentioned) the 70s. Even the single digit services have some structure to them, with the 3/3A, the 4/4H/4M, and the 5. Hence why I didn't use the 15.

Needless to say, it shares the same route as the 16 & 74 between Hockley and the City Centre. Seeing as it's being blown out of proportion, perhaps keeping the 16W the way it is is the way to go. At least the suffix makes sense. Alas, the purpose of this topic has died.



To quote the original poster:

Title says it all, really
Money or patronage is no issue here as it's just for fun, so have at it :)

...

[Martin]

The route is numbered 16W as it carries on to (W)est Brom. Hence the W after 16 as it follows the normal 16 route then onto West Brom.

[CL]

The route is numbered 16W as it carries on to (W)est Brom. Hence the W after 16 as it follows the normal 16 route then onto West Brom.

Yes, so I gathered. :) Taking after Walsall's 4 services, it seems - with the 4H to (H)ayley Green, and the 4M to (M)erry Hill. My original post was simply further simplification.

There was a short spout when suffixes could indicate the final destination, or the route of a service. A few years back there were the 97P, which terminated at Pine Square in/near Chelmsley Wood. Can't think of any other examples from the top of my head.

[Sh4318]

Yes, so I gathered. :) Taking after Walsall's 4 services, it seems - with the 4H to (H)ayley Green, and the 4M to (M)erry Hill. My original post was simply further simplification.

There was a short spout when suffixes could indicate the final destination, or the route of a service. A few years back there were the 97P, which terminated at Pine Square in/near Chelmsley Wood. Can't think of any other examples from the top of my head.

97A for Airport

[CL]

97A for Airport

On account of what's been said, I'd have thought the 97A is an oddity of an example. Sure, the 'A' dictates the service continuing until the Airport - I can't deny that. However, I would also argue that the 'A' suffix is used as the "go-to" for any and all 'alternative' journeys, hence the 'A'.

By no means would I invalidate your example, but I wouldn't bank on it being an 'A' for Airport. (Even though, essentially, it is) ;)


Similarly, another example that's sprung to mind is iGo's 10H service. And though it doesn't indicate the final destination, it does signify the route that it takes: via Harborne

... And then the even more recent 10S to Selly Oak.

[2206]

On account of what's been said, I'd have thought the 97A is an oddity of an example. Sure, the 'A' dictates the service continuing until the Airport - I can't deny that. However, I would also argue that the 'A' suffix is used as the "go-to" for any and all 'alternative' journeys, hence the 'A'.

By no means would I invalidate your example, but I wouldn't bank on it being an 'A' for Airport. (Even though, essentially, it is) ;)

There was a time when the 97's only displayed "97A" on outbound journeys to the Airport, on ibounnd jounreys from the Airport to Birmingham they all displayed 97 @CL..
4170 and 4172 in these pics are heading into Birmingham displaying 97 -
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128470593@N05/30343430361/in/album-72157668996893343/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128470593@N05/32655338430/in/album-72157668996893343/

Similar to how the "97P" was only used on Short Journeys" towards Chelmsley Wood Interchange "Pine Square"

[CL]

There was a time when the 97's only displayed "97A" on outbound journeys to the Airport, on ibounnd jounreys from the Airport to Birmingham they all displayed 97 @CL.

Fair play.