X87

[Dylan4579]

Would it be viable to have an X87 skipping cape hill out using the A457 and rejoin the normal route at galton bridge?

[Stuharris 6360]

Yes but you would be probably missing out the busiest part of the route!

[monkeyjoe]

979 now 80 kinda died of death

[Stu]

It's possible it MAY be viable as a peak-time service, as already stated it would miss out a busy section of route, and you'd have to educate people that it doesn't go to Cape Hill or Smethwick, which is where a lot of people use it, but could be touted as a faster route to Oldbury town centre (to and from Birmingham, it wouldn't be any quicker to and from Dudley).

[Dylan4579]

Is there anyway it could be quicker from oldbury to Dudley?

[Stuharris 6360]

Is there anyway it could be quicker from oldbury to Dudley?

Not really as the 87 already takes the quickest route.

I honestly think that the roads these days are to busy for X limited stop routes, the only exception that appears to work is the X51.

[BK63 YWP]

I think an X9 would work, skipping manor lane and quinton. Going up the Hagley road instead but then would it be skipping the busiest part of the route

[karl724223]

I think an X9 would work, skipping manor lane and quinton. Going up the Hagley road instead but then would it be skipping the busiest part of the route

passengers are glad you don't plan bus routes

[OH25]

I think it could work!
It could be non-stop from Birmingham to Summerfield Park (1st stop) and then head down the Dudley Road and skip out Cape Hill like previously suggested using Grove Lane and Soho Way and have its next stop by Smethwick Galton Bridge Station.
(You can miss out Cape Hill as the passengers for it can use the 82/3/7/9 to get there)
Then from there non-stop to Oldbury.

Is there anyway it could be quicker from oldbury to Dudley?

To answer this question, some weeks ago I was on the 87 and got stuck in some traffic on the Dudley Road in Oldbury but as soon as we got to the roundabout by Brades Road/Dudley Rd East there was less traffic. So an idea could be to let this route go from Oldbury down towards Sandwell & Dudley Station and use Fountain Lane and Roway Lane to get to Dudley Road East. Then stay on the A457 on the Tipton Road to Dudley Port and then up to Burnt Tree that way (current 74 route) because the traffic lights by Burnt Tree for the current route change ridiculously quick.

[Ashley 60171]

Is there anyway it could be quicker from oldbury to Dudley?

The train? Or the 120/128? The latter says 38 mins from Oldbury to Broad Street anyway. Mind you when I trained for my apprenticeship at City Hospital last year I got the 89 purely for the peace from Oldbury even though it took longer.

[Stu]

You can't get a train to Dudley, as Dudley doesn't have a train station ;)

[Ashley 60171]

You can't get a train to Dudley, as Dudley doesn't have a train station ;)

I misread it. I thought it said Birmingham...

[tc]

Not really as the 87 already takes the quickest route.

I honestly think that the roads these days are to busy for X limited stop routes, the only exception that appears to work is the X51.

There are plenty of successful ones around the UK!

Leeds: 36, 840, 843, 845, X6, X62, X84, X98, X99 + Peak Only Services
Derby: Spondon Flyer, Zoom, Red Arrow, X38, Ilkeston Flyer
Nottingham: Rushcliffe Greens, Rapid 1, Red Arrow, Skylink
Bristol: X1, X2, X3, X6, X48, X74 + Peak Only Services
Glasgow: Many!
London: 507 (Red Arrow), 521 (Red Arrow), Green Line, Oxford Tube
Manchester: X5, X34, X40, X41, X43 (The Witch Way), X50, X57 + Peak Only Services
Oxford: S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S7, X3, X13, X39, X40

[BK63 YWP]

You can't get a train to Dudley, as Dudley doesn't have a train station ;)

Dudley Port? Is that classed as dudley

[the trainbasher]

@Chris it's Sandwell that Dudley Port is in, in the Great Bridge area of Dudley Port.

The Dudley and Sandwell boundary is at the Birmingham New Road