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

[Wumpty]

If the current version of the Arriva 2 fails, try rerouting via Blakenall Lane, introducing a link between Blakenall shops & Leamore shops, then straight down to Walsall like it used to!

(If they kept the current routing between Bloxwich & Blakenall, they would only miss one stop on Bloxwich Road!)

I like that idea and I've always thought that another good alternative is run a couple of buses an hour from Proffitt Street, over the Coalpool Lane Bridge and left into Holden Crescent and rejoin at Ross Road then normal line of route. We tried this (unofficially) during the early 90s bus strikes and it seemed to work well. There's a huge area in this Coalpool/North Walsall sector that could be covered, even by a Holden Crescent, Beddows Road and Dartmouth Avenue re-route.

[Westy]

I like that idea and I've always thought that another good alternative is run a couple of buses an hour from Proffitt Street, over the Coalpool Lane Bridge and left into Holden Crescent and rejoin at Ross Road then normal line of route. We tried this (unofficially) during the early 90s bus strikes and it seemed to work well. There's a huge area in this Coalpool/North Walsall sector that could be covered, even by a Holden Crescent, Beddows Road and Dartmouth Avenue re-route.

Didn't they try the 319 down Beddows Road at one point?

Seem to remember it falling foul of 'local unrest ' so it was rerouted to it's current setup!

(Rycroft & Coalpool being dodgy areas at one point! Certainly Mother warned me about the place over many years, as she came from Stafford Street!)

[Wumpty]

Didn't they try the 319 down Beddows Road at one point?

Seem to remember it falling foul of 'local unrest ' so it was rerouted to it's current setup!

(Rycroft & Coalpool being dodgy areas at one point! Certainly Mother warned me about the place over many years, as she came from Stafford Street!)

Yes, they routed the 319 away from Hatherton Road, North Street and Proffitt Street along the old 372 track route via Stafford Street, Bloxwich Road, Forest Lane, Webster Road, Rutland Street, Beddows Road, Dartmouth Avenue then onto Goscote, Blakenall and Bloxwich!

I never understood the original 319 route running Hatherton Road, North Street and Proffitt Street as there were very few housing areas (except The Butts which was served by Arboretum-bound services on Lichfield Road). One of the reasons it was re-routed as per 372 was a child was killed at the junction of Hatherton Road/Butts Road when they rode their bike down the slope from the flats on Teddesley Street into the oncoming path of a 319.

Your dear Mother was absolutely right! There was certainly a lot of damaged windows and unrest along this section (and coming from North Walsall myself I can wholly accept it!!!!). They compromised by re-routing it back to Forest Lane and Dartmouth Avenue only.

[Westy]

Yes, they routed the 319 away from Hatherton Road, North Street and Proffitt Street along the old 372 track route via Stafford Street, Bloxwich Road, Forest Lane, Webster Road, Rutland Street, Beddows Road, Dartmouth Avenue then onto Goscote, Blakenall and Bloxwich!

I never understood the original 319 route running Hatherton Road, North Street and Proffitt Street as there were very few housing areas (except The Butts which was served by Arboretum-bound services on Lichfield Road). One of the reasons it was re-routed as per 372 was a child was killed at the junction of Hatherton Road/Butts Road when they rode their bike down the slope from the flats on Teddesley Street into the oncoming path of a 319.

Your dear Mother was absolutely right! There was certainly a lot of damaged windows and unrest along this section (and coming from North Walsall myself I can wholly accept it!!!!). They compromised by re-routing it back to Forest Lane and Dartmouth Avenue only.

Did you ever see 'The Big Story ' post Itv 1993, the one episode set in Coalpool/Rycroft?

I showed a tape of it to a schoolmate, & despite the blurring of the faces, he recognised everyone in it!

[Wumpty]

Did you ever see 'The Big Story ' post Itv 1993, the one episode set in Coalpool/Rycroft?

I showed a tape of it to a schoolmate, & despite the blurring of the faces, he recognised everyone in it!

No I didn't, but just searched Youtube and can't find it!

Anyone who was anyone would've known them, blurred or not! Proper scallywags in those days, none of this baseball cap and jeans down your harris gang ;)

I also remember the Coalpool Riots late 80s/early 90s and recall one of the inspectors at Walsall telling me that they continued to run the buses through the riots because one of the major players in the riots' Mum needed to get to bingo and they weren't about to tell them no!!!!!

[Busboy105]

I would withdraw the 28 evening and Sundays extension to Small Heath. There are barely any passengers on that section and I'm surprised that it lasted this long. I wouldn't even try to replace it because it would fail.

[Wumpty]

I would withdraw the 28 evening and Sundays extension to Small Heath. There are barely any passengers on that section and I'm surprised that it lasted this long. I wouldn't even try to replace it because it would fail.

I'm not that familiar with the 28 - just checked the timetable and a Monday to Saturday service operates Great Barr - Heartlands Hospital (with some evening extensions to Small Heath) and Sundays operates Dyas Road to Small Heath only.

If they stopped the Sunday service between Heartlands Hospital to Small Heath, why not extend the service back as Great Barr - Heartlands Hospital again?

[Tony]

I'm not that familiar with the 28 - just checked the timetable and a Monday to Saturday service operates Great Barr - Heartlands Hospital (with some evening extensions to Small Heath) and Sundays operates Dyas Road to Small Heath only.

If they stopped the Sunday service between Heartlands Hospital to Small Heath, why not extend the service back as Great Barr - Heartlands Hospital again?

The Hospital to Small Heath is a tendered extension to fill a gap not served by other services.

The 28 Traditionally went to Small Heath, so there has been an Alum Rock to Small Heath service for as long as I can remember. In comparison the Scott Arms extension is quite recent

[Steve3229vp]

The Hospital to Small Heath is a tendered extension to fill a gap not served by other services.

The 28 Traditionally went to Small Heath, so there has been an Alum Rock to Small Heath service for as long as I can remember. In comparison the Scott Arms extension is quite recent

I've lived on the 28 all my life (in different locations), I remember the 28 going into the City Centre which ceased in 1980. I think the 28 would be worth while if was extended to Scott Arms in the evenings and Sundays. I live near the Hawthorn Road side of the route and the amount of passengers that have asked drivers if they go to Perry Beeches/Scott Arms at night is countless.

[Busboy105]

Well can't they just bring back the 28B and keep the 28 running between Heartlands Hospital and Great Barr at all times?

[Steve3229vp]

Well can't they just bring back the 28B and keep the 28 running between Heartlands Hospital and Great Barr at all times?

The 28B was just a number used for the Small Heath part of the route, it's just numbered 28 now. The 28B was not a separate route

[Busboy105]

Was it? I thought it was a separate route.
Well I would cut the 28 to Heartlands Hospital and make a new 28B running from Small Heath to Old Oscott while extending all journeys on the 28 to Great Barr.

[Steve3229vp]

Was it? I thought it was a separate route.
Well I would cut the 28 to Heartlands Hospital and make a new 28B running from Small Heath to Old Oscott while extending all journeys on the 28 to Great Barr.

In the evenings the 28 uses 4 buses, how many buses do you think your idea would use ?

[Busboy105]

2 for the 28 2 for the 28B

[Steve3229vp]

2 for the 28 2 for the 28B

So that's every hour each route then ?