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

[Steve3229vp]

I probably had caught it as well, but my memory has gone to pot!

I was looking at the ebay listings and there's a timetable from 1990 showing 96/97/98 with 98 listed as "Chelmsley Hoppa" with no additional info. Would that have done a route that the 694 subsequently did when the 96/97 got curtailed to Pine Square in the early 2000s?

The 96 and 97 were never curtailed to Pine Square
The 98 was short route around Chelmsley Wood, it was originally a minibus circular route, H in one direction and J in the other direction. Not sure what route it/they took.

[MasterPlan]

They extended the 6 from Solihull to the airport didn't last long from memory.

Wasn't aware of that.

But I meant like, would it be a viable subsidy now, or is the demand greater in North Birmingham.

[the trainbasher]

The 96 and 97 were never curtailed to Pine Square
The 98 was short route around Chelmsley Wood, it was originally a minibus circular route, H in one direction and J in the other direction. Not sure what route it/they took.

The route of the H is attached

[the trainbasher]

They extended the 6 from Solihull to the airport didn't last long from memory.

Went via Damsonwood iirc

[the trainbasher]

I probably had caught it as well, but my memory has gone to pot!

I was looking at the ebay listings and there's a timetable from 1990 showing 96/97/98 with 98 listed as "Chelmsley Hoppa" with no additional info. Would that have done a route that the 694 subsequently did when the 96/97 got curtailed to Pine Square in the early 2000s?

This was the 694

[Justin Tyme]

They extended the 6 from Solihull to the airport didn't last long from memory.

The 6 extension started in June 1998 (alternate journeys travelled through), finished 15 January 2000.  Replaced by Travel Your Bus 6Y running Northfield - Solihull - Airport, which later became TWM A6.  This in turn was replaced by extending the 966 from the Airport to Solihull in September 2001.

There seems to be much more demand from North Solihull to the Airport than from South/Central Solihull.  I think employers at the Airport mainly look to North Solihull and around to recruit workers.

[monkeyjoe]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225948601439?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=r8umTzPPS_2&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=ZmSTI77lSKy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Historic one online

[Dutsey]

With the 97A running to the Airport , would it not be worth trying a 17A to run to the airport via Marston Green? Providing new links to the Airport and NEC

[Steve3229vp]

With the 97A running to the Airport , would it not be worth trying a 17A to run to the airport via Marston Green? Providing new links to the Airport and NEC

Firstly, No because the reliability is bad enough as it its, secondly the 97 extension to Airport is funded by the Airport so I doubt it would want to finance it.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Looking around the Herberts Park Area eairler on Google Street View as I was trying to figure out what The Herberts Park Tavern was before it Reopened as a Pub. Anyway I saw 576 on the 339 over ten years ago further down trying to figure out if I ever remember it being a Pub as I remember passing it and the Junction on the bus over 10 years ago. Which got me thinking reroute the 39 I'm not sure why the 339/39 and before that the 639 were rerouted from Herberts Park so I would reroute the 39 back down there. There would be more demand as there is loads of houses and a new estate behind it on what was Wardys. 

From Wolverhampton Street left Forge Street left Park Street Onto Wiley Aveune left Park Street back onto Wolverhampton Street and into Moxley. To Darlaston Left Park Street, Right Wiley Aveune across to Park Street passing the Junction Right Forge Street passing The King George Herberts Park Tavern left Wolverhampton Street. I'm not sure if an Omnilink could make the turns around Herberts Park. The old 339/39 I think even when B10's started to be introduced to the Darlaston Routes used B6's so maybe E200's would have to be used. Although the Omnilinks do deal with Rough Hay fairly well. 

For some reason I think the 39 was Diverted away from Wiley Aveune and Herberts Park due to ASB, But that area of Darlo now seems to be quiet and fairly calm. Lots of families live there mostly although there are still kids who hang out on on the old Coal Mine/Grass Area of Park Street opposite Hewitt Street. But they mostly seem to play Tag and ride Scooters or bikes. 

[Sh4318]

I would bring back the X20, but renumber it the X20A. Then extend the current 20 to Birmingham, and renumber it X20.  

Resorting the link between Bromsgrove and Birmingham via bus, and giving Cofton Hackett a direct service to the city centre again. Also increasing the amount of buses per hour between QE and Birmingham to every 6 minutes (every 10 minutes on Sundays and evenings)

With services alternating at the same frequency as the old X20

X20: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Rubery - Catshill - Bromsgrove. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

X20A: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Cofton Hackett. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

[j789]

I would bring back the X20, but renumber it the X20A. Then extend the current 20 to Birmingham, and renumber it X20. 

Resorting the link between Bromsgrove and Birmingham via bus, and giving Cofton Hackett a direct service to the city centre again. Also increasing the amount of buses per hour between QE and Birmingham to every 6 minutes (every 10 minutes on Sundays and evenings)

With services alternating at the same frequency as the old X20

X20: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Rubery - Catshill - Bromsgrove. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

X20A: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Cofton Hackett. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

Nobody really likes odd frequencies like 'every 40 minutes' it makes it hard to know what time the bus will turn up hour to hour.

Your idea would be better keeping the current 20 hourly frequency to start with and if popular then upgrade to every 30 minutes.

I drove the 144 for many years and, prior to Covid, it carried good loads between Bromsgrove and Birmingham. Covid had a massive detrimental impact on this part of the route which I think was probably the most negative impact of any other local service.

Also, the train also got an improved frequency from Bromsgrove station to around the same time.

However, I have no doubt the passenger numbers are still there for a bus service to Birmingham but it would take a lot of 'forward thinking' risk takers for that to happen as it would need time to build up custom again (most new services are expected to make or break within a year, this would need longer I feel). The 144 ran for over 100 years as a popular route, if the right planning went into a new route, it could work again.

[JosephR]

I would bring back the X20, but renumber it the X20A. Then extend the current 20 to Birmingham, and renumber it X20. 

Resorting the link between Bromsgrove and Birmingham via bus, and giving Cofton Hackett a direct service to the city centre again. Also increasing the amount of buses per hour between QE and Birmingham to every 6 minutes (every 10 minutes on Sundays and evenings)

With services alternating at the same frequency as the old X20

X20: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Rubery - Catshill - Bromsgrove. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

X20A: Birmingham - QE - Northfield - Longbridge - Cofton Hackett. Monday to Saturday every 40 minutes. Hourly on evenings and Sundays

Personally I would just bring back the 62 on a low frequency with the 63. add in your proposed X20 to be an express sister service to the 62/3 

[Stu]

Nobody really likes odd frequencies like 'every 40 minutes' it makes it hard to know what time the bus will turn up hour to hour.

Your idea would be better keeping the current 20 hourly frequency to start with and if popular then upgrade to every 30 minutes.

I drove the 144 for many years and, prior to Covid, it carried good loads between Bromsgrove and Birmingham. Covid had a massive detrimental impact on this part of the route which I think was probably the most negative impact of any other local service.

Also, the train also got an improved frequency from Bromsgrove station to around the same time.

However, I have no doubt the passenger numbers are still there for a bus service to Birmingham but it would take a lot of 'forward thinking' risk takers for that to happen as it would need time to build up custom again (most new services are expected to make or break within a year, this would need longer I feel). The 144 ran for over 100 years as a popular route, if the right planning went into a new route, it could work again.

The thing with the 20 at present, is that anyone travelling from the Bromsgrove area who wants to continue on to Birmingham can change at either Longbridge or Northfield onto more frequent services (45, 47, 61, 63), or vice-versa.

The Cross-City train is more attractive now, but I think the problem is that the train station is not that well connected to Bromsgrove town centre, so maybe that's where bus operators are missing a trick in that area. It would be interesting to see how many of the local DRT journeys are taken to and from the train station.

As I understand things, First withdrew the 144 from Birmingham because their own data suggested it wasn't that well used. But then this was also prior to the nBus changes last year - maybe more people would have used it for 'local' journeys from Birmingham city centre to Selly Oak, Northfield, Longbridge and Rubery/Rednal rather than waiting for an NX Bus.

[Steve3229vp]

Personally I would just bring back the 62 on a low frequency with the 63. add in your proposed X20 to be an express sister service to the 62/3

It would be a waste of time, the 62 was dead wood along Lickey Road for years.