Favourite routes and Why?

[karl724223]

We'll probably get them second hand

[Liverpool Street]

I can categorically say you'll be wishing for the Mercs back when you get a second hand 200.

We'll probably get them second hand

[CL]

Original 31 route from AG until it was messed with, lived on it as a small boy, not even sure where it goes now  :(

http://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B031/?timetable[day]=monday_-_friday&timetable[direction]=Birmingham+-+Solihull+via+Acocks+Green&tab=#service_route_map

Still much the same route between Birmingham and Gospel Oak, apart from serving Acocks Green village direct, and continues to Shirley and Solihull.

31 and 37 are probably my two favourite routes, as I use both to get to and from work in Sparkbrook every day.

But for leisure, there's nothing like a trip on the 900, taking in the Airport and Meriden and the bits of countryside in between.

Nothing like a summer's trip through Meriden on the 900, eh?

There will always be a special place in my heart for the 16 - best bus serving Hockley. I'd always wait through at least 10 (joke) 74/75s to get onto a 16. Despite the allocation not being the best (although bearable) - it still gets me to most places in the city centre - and to the Moor St start point of the 900. ;)

[Trident 4194]

I like the 22/23/24 through harbourne to town
I have never travelled on the 900 or 72 but these sound nice routes
147 and 202 if wasn't nxwm

[Sh4318]

89 - because it stops around the corner from my house

[P419 EJW]

I'm not sure because the OP was not being specific - like TWM or NXWM?, old or current?, etc. Regardless, I will tell my favourite old TWM and current NXWM routes.

Old TWM routes:

242 Dudley - Stourbridge via Netherton, Halesowen, Hasbury. (Used to be served by B6s.)
247/247A Stourbridge Circular via Pedmore Fields, Lye, Merry Hill, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, Netherton, Old Hill, Halesowen, Hasbury, Colley Gate, Pedmore Fields. (Used to be served by B6s.)
248/248A Stourbridge Circular - reverse of 247/247A. (Used to be served by B6s.)
258 Merry Hill - Birmingham via Blackheath, Brandhall, Bearwood. (Used to be served by B6s and B10Ls.)
264 Ashwood Park Circular - Dudley, Netherton, Merry Hill, Ashwood Park, Kingswinford, Dudley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
264A Ashwood Park Circular - Dudley, Netherton, Merry Hill, Ashwood Park, Russells Hall, Dudley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
265 Ashwood Park Circular - reverse of 264. (Used to be served by B6s.)
265A Ashwood Park Circular - reverse of 264A. (Used to be served by B6s.)
283 Merry Hill - Bilston via Netherton, Dudley, Coseley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
297/297A Dudley - Stourbridge via Gornal Wood, Pensnett Trading Estate, Russells Hall Hospital, Merry Hill. (Used to be served by B6s.)
311 Walsall - Stourbridge via Wednesbury, Dudley, Russells Hall Hospital, Brierley Hill. (Used to be served by branded Wright Eclipse Urbans)
333 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Willenhall, Lodge Farm, Darlaston, Pleck. (Used to be served by B6s.)


Current NXWM routes:

5 Birmingham - Solihull via Sparkhill, Shirley, Monkspath. (Serves by Wright Eclipse Gemini.)
11A Outer Circle (Serves by the Presidents.) Don't ask why I only like the A direction, I just do.
39 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Darlaston, Moxley. (Serves by B10Ls.)
49 Solihull - Northfield (also to Weoley Castle (old route)) via Shirley, Maypole, Longbridge, Rubery, Frankley. (Serves by the Presidents.)
53 West Bromwich - Merry Hill via Smethwick, Bearwood, Londonderry, Blackheath, Cradley Heath. (Serves by the Mercs - also used to be served by B6s. (Ex-PE and the one-off 662.))
69 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Beechdale, New Invention, Wednesfield. (When it was served by B10Ls.)
89 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Pelsall, Bloxwich, New Invention, Wednesfield. (Only when it serves by the B10Ls.)

I think that's about it. It should be obvious why I like/liked all of the routes I have chosen.

Edit: Forgot to add 242 in old TWM routes.

[the trainbasher]

I'm not sure because the OP was not being specific - like TWM or NXWM?, old or current?, etc. Regardless, I will tell my favourite old TWM and current NXWM routes.

Old TWM routes:

247/247A Stourbridge Circular via Pedmore Fields, Lye, Merry Hill, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, Netherton, Old Hill, Halesowen, Hasbury, Colley Gate, Pedmore Fields. (Used to be served by B6s.)
248/248A Stourbridge Circular - reverse of 247/247A. (Used to be served by B6s.)
258 Merry Hill - Birmingham via Blackheath, Brandhall, Bearwood. (Used to be served by B6s and B10Ls.)
264 Ashwood Park Circular - Dudley, Netherton, Merry Hill, Ashwood Park, Kingswinford, Dudley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
264A Ashwood Park Circular - Dudley, Netherton, Merry Hill, Ashwood Park, Russells Hall, Dudley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
265 Ashwood Park Circular - reverse of 264. (Used to be served by B6s.)
265A Ashwood Park Circular - reverse of 264A. (Used to be served by B6s.)
283 Merry Hill - Bilston via Netherton, Dudley, Coseley. (Used to be served by B6s.)
297/297A Dudley - Stourbridge via Gornal Wood, Pensnett Trading Estate, Russells Hall Hospital, Merry Hill. (Used to be served by B6s.)
311 Walsall - Stourbridge via Wednesbury, Dudley, Russells Hall Hospital, Brierley Hill. (Used to be served by branded Wright Eclipse Urbans)
333 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Willenhall, Lodge Farm, Darlaston, Pleck. (Used to be served by B6s.)


Current NXWM routes:

5 Birmingham - Solihull via Sparkhill, Shirley, Monkspath. (Serves by Wright Eclipse Gemini.)
11A Outer Circle (Serves by the Presidents.) Don't ask why I only like the A direction, I just do.
39 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Darlaston, Moxley. (Serves by B10Ls.)
49 Solihull - Northfield (also to Weoley Castle (old route)) via Shirley, Maypole, Longbridge, Rubery, Frankley. (Serves by the Presidents.)
53 West Bromwich - Merry Hill via Smethwick, Bearwood, Londonderry, Blackheath, Cradley Heath. (Serves by the Mercs - also used to be served by B6s. (Ex-PE and the one-off 662.))
69 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Beechdale, New Invention, Wednesfield. (When it was served by B10Ls.)
89 Walsall - Wolverhampton via Pelsall, Bloxwich, New Invention, Wednesfield. (Only when it serves by the B10Ls.)

I think that's about it. It should be obvious why I like/liked all of the routes I have chosen.

I think its predecessor the 93 was better... Wall Heath to Priory via Merry Hill and Lodge Farm! Metroriders galore!

[lynx1103]

Old WMT Routes

19 Birmingham-Hasbury
25 Erdington-Chelnsley wood (Short lived in 1994)
37A Birmingham-Airport and NEC
40A/40C-Solihull-Dorridge circular
66-Ladywood-Sutton Coldfield (With Lynx's)
66A-Fort Shopping Park-Bearwood (With Lynx's)
68A/68C Sutton Circular
69 Weoley Castle- Heartlands Hospital
89/98 Sheldon-Small Heath (Lea Hall operation)
99 Birmingham-Chelnsley Wood (Lea Hall operation)
102A Birmingham-Hillhook-Shenstone
106-Birmingham-Whitehouse Common-Sutton Coldfield
111/108-Sutton Coldfield-Erdington-Kingstanding (Short lived 1994)
113-Birmingham-New Oscott-Steetley
115 Birmingham-Erdington-Sutton Coldfield (Went by my school John Wilmott)
118 Erdington-Streetley
145 Birmingham-Bromsgrove
158 Birmingham-Bloxwich
192/194 Coventry-Solihull
247/248 Halesowen-Dudley Circular
256 Stourbridge- Wolverhampton
258 Merry Hill-Birmingham
260 Wolverhampton-Merry Hill
264/265 Dudley-Ashwood Park
311/311A Walsall-Stourbridge
319 Walsall-Bloxwich
350 Walsall-Cannock
351 Walsall-Cannock
355 Walsall-Aldridge
370/1 Walsall-Beechdale-Bloxwich circular
374 Walsall- Guillity Village
376-Walsall-Pheasey
377-Walsall-Sutton Coldfield
396 Walsall-Norton canes
451 Sutton Coldfield-Walsall (PB days)
546 Wolverhampton-Northway
581 Wolverhampton-Dudley
590A/C Birmingham-Coleshill circular
900 Birmingham-Coventry (Opeared by DP Metrobuses)
913 Birmingham-New Oscott-Streetley-Sutton Coldfield
950A-Birmingham-Walsall-Great Wryrley-Cannock
951/952- Birmingham-Hednesford
962 Birmingham-Chelnmsley Wood
966 Walsall-Sutton-Chelmsley Wood-Airport (HY and WA days) DP metrobus
979 Birmingham-Wolverhampton
993 Birmingham-Castle Vale-Chelmsley Wood- Airport and NEC ( DP Lynx Lea Hall)
994 Birmingham-Chelmsley Wood
995 Birmingham-Brownhills West
996 Birmingham-Sutton Coldfield
997 Birmingham-Kingsyanding-Pheasey-Aldridge-Walsall (PB Days)
998 Birningham- Pheasey

Coventry

12/12A/112 Coventry-Leamington Spa
18 Coventry-Cannon Park
19 Coventry-Canley
81 Coventry-Tile Hill

Present NXWM Routes

6 Walsall-Sutton Coldfield
7 Walsall-Walton Road
70 Walsall-Bloxwich
77-Walsall-Sutton Coldfield
914 Birmingham- Pype Hayes-Sutton Coldfield

[GeminiFan1991]

I must admit, their is something I like about AG's 5 and 31. After they turn off Stratford Road, I like how they these humongous buses (Geminis) navigate normal roads with ease. I didn't know a bus could go through Gospel Oak.

[Ashley 60171]

Two former routes I miss and liked

WN62/62A - local routes, Optares then B6's, quiet and scenic to a point.
PB71A - for being the only route where you could get a PB Volvo ALX without any chavs

The best routes are the scenic ones or even just quieter than others. If it's scenery that's the winning card then Arriva Midlands and First Wyvern win that.

[Liberator9]

Favourite route - tough one - like the 27/27A from Dudley to Wolverhampton, and used to enjoy a trip on the 545. The S2 when under NX was a great run to Olton, with the variety of buses used. Favourite now at NX is probably the 6 and the 76 - both interesting routes, with some good buses on them.

[GeminiFan1991]

Anyone remember the 96 ?! I miss them days .....

[Westy]

Must admit catching the scenic route between Walsall & Brum via the likes of Barr Beacon, if I have time to spare.

Old route, would have to be the old 'Dudley - Walsall - Cannock - Hednesford' before pedestrianising The Bridge in Walsall & splitting the route.

(Which these days, the modern version  I commute on now!)

[Mike K]

Anyone remember the 96 ?! I miss them days .....

Ah yes, City to Winson Green via Lodge Road. Now part of the 101.

[Stevo]

The 96 was possibly the least attractive of all Birmingham routes, running past a large mental hospital then Winson Green prison before terminating in the back of beyond down some back street near Soho. However it was magic in 1961 and 1962 because the Atlanteans and Fleetlines were first used on it. Younger enthusiasts can hardly understand how amazing it was to ride on a rear-engined front entrance double decker. Happy days indeed!