Former/deceased garages

[Squiz1971]

Other routes I remember in that area which didn't last too long was the 25 a response to Stevensons running a route Erdington - Shard End.  I remember them bring out a 25 to compete which at one point was covered by a ma mouth extension of the 377 running from Walsall via Sutton, Erdington, Bromford , Shard end to C Wood.

The 92 a variation of the 56 however at this point running via Castle Bromwich Green and Washwood heath Rd.

At one point I think the 26 was extended to Kingshurst to cover the 92, however that failed due to length of the route.

WH i think had quite high standards back in those days (based on perception of course).

Yes the 26 was extended to Kingshurst for a time but due to timing issues because of the route length it was curtailed back to its original Terminus at Bromford Bridge

[Tomf1993]

I passed what looked like to be a disused Diamond bus depot yesterday on the London Midland train, no idea where it was though.

[2206]

I passed what looked like to be a disused Diamond bus depot yesterday on the London Midland train, no idea where it was though.

Long Arce Garage? ( Aston, Birmingham )
It closed towards the end of last year. @Tomf1993

[Tomf1993]

Ah yes Aston, that's the one, it looks quite modern their, all the lights on the workshop was on etc why did it close?

[GeminiFan1991]

Im sure their are many reasons but why did many of these garages close, ?! I know Lea Hall closed due to operational costs but Im staggered reading through this thread the shear number of other garages that were in the West Midlands. I've gotten into buses fairly recently so I'm mostly aware of the current 10

[D10]

Im sure their are many reasons but why did many of these garages close, ?! I know Lea Hall closed due to operational costs but Im staggered reading through this thread the shear number of other garages that were in the West Midlands. I've gotten into buses fairly recently so I'm mostly aware of the current 10

One reason is there used to be more buses generally, and certainly in the old WMPTE days before the market was opened up when the PTE had far more vehicles to garage.

Money is probably the main reason to be honest these days as with fewer garages you can pay less in terms of rates, utilities, maintenance costs, staff wages etc.

Also there seems to be more of a willingness to keep buses parked outside rather than keep many of them undercover overnight.

[monkeyjoe]

One reason is there used to be more buses generally, and certainly in the old WMPTE days before the market was opened up when the PTE had far more vehicles to garage.

Money is probably the main reason to be honest these days as with fewer garages you can pay less in terms of rates, utilities, maintenance costs, staff wages etc.

Also there seems to be more of a willingness to keep buses parked outside rather than keep many of them undercover overnight.

When it came to the Lea Hall garage closure; were the other contenders possibly Acocks Green & Bordesley at the time does anyone know? (I mean i think it was time when Acocks cut a lot of the South Solihull routes etc)

[busfan2847]

Even if we only talk about garages operated since WMPTE formation in 1969 there were 38 of them. I also have a list of 14 other depots operated by the municipal companies which formed WMPTE that were closed before 1969:
AG  Acocks Green (Summer Rd) Buses 6/1928 STILL OPEN
BL  Bilston (Mt Pleasant) Trams 15/7/1902 to 30/11/28, Trolleybus 27/10/30 to 26/10/64, Buses 26/10/64 to closure 12/11/1971
BS Wolverhampton (Bilston St) Bus 13/5/1931 until closure 1977 r/b as part of Cleveland Rd
BY Bordesley Green (Victoria St) Bus 28/5/2005 STILL OPEN
CC Walsall (Lords Drive - Central Coachways) closed 25/10/1986
CE Cotteridge (Pershore Rd) Trams 23/6/1904 to 6/7/52, Buses 6/7/52 to closure 25/10/86
CL Wolverhampton (Cleveland Rd) Trams 1/2/1902 to 26/8/28, Trolleybus 29/10/23 to 5/3/67, Bus 1/9/1905 to closure 1977, rebuilt reopened 18/1/78 to closure 30/10/93
CR Small Heath (Coventry Rd) Tram 26/11/1926 to 3/10/1948; Trolleybus 7/1/1934 to 1/7/51; Bus 3/10/1948 to closure 26/10/1986
CY Coseley (Bean Rd - Metrowest) Bus 11/87 to closure 6/8/94
DH Brierley Hill (Delph Trading Estate - Metrowest) Bus 1994 to closure 6/8/94
DY Dudley (Birmingham Rd - BMMO) Bus 2/8/1929 to closure 28/8/93
ER Selly Oak (Elliott Rd) Bus 5/2/2001 to closure 9/2002
H Coventry (Harnall La) Tram late 1899 to 14/11/1940, Bus 11/1919 to closure 29/3/86
HE Harborne (Lonsdale Rd) Bus 12/10/1926 to closure 22/2/86
HL Hartshill (Dudley Rd - BMMO) Tram 26/7/1899 to 28/2/1925; Bus 3/25 to closure 26/9/93
HY Hockley (Whitmore St) Cable Car 24/3/1888 to 1/7/1911; Tram 12/6/1912 to 1/4/1939; Bus 2/4/1939 to closure 28/5/2005
LH Lea Hall (Crossfield Rd) Bus 19/4/1955 to closure 24/7/2010
LS/BC Birmingham (Liverpool St) Bus 16/9/1936 IN USE
MH Merry Hill (Merry Hill Shopping Center) 1987 to closure 1999
MR Moseley (Moseley Rd) Tram 1/1/1907 to 2/10/49; Bus 2/10/49 to closure 5/3/1972, reopened to take Midland Red buses from Digbeth 3/12/1973 to closure 16/11/1975
MS Newtown (Miller St) Tram 1/4/1904 to 4/7/53; Bus 4/7/53 to closure 31/5/86, reopened 26/10/1986 to closure 2/2/2001
OY Oldbury (Wolvehampton New Rd - BMMO) Bus 12/4/1937 to closure 26/1/86
PB Perry Barr (Wellhead La) Bus 16/2/1932 IN USE
PL Wolverhampton (Park Lane) Trolleybus 25/7/1938 to 27/1/1964; Bus 30/4/1939 to closure 25/10/86, reopened 31/10/93 IN USE
PT Pensnett (Lenches Bridge - Metrowest) 18/9/93 to closure 1994
PE Pensnett (2nd Ave) 1999 IN USE
QN Quinton (Ridgeacre La) Bus 10/49 to closure 14/6/97
S Coventry (Sandy La) Bus 9/1954 to closure 25/10/86
SE Stourbridge (Foster St - BMMO) Bus 22/7/1926 to closure 26/1/85
SH Birmingham (Sheepcote St - BMMO) Bus 19/8/1951 to closure 16/11/75
SN Sutton (Upper Holland St - BMMO) Bus 26/8/1934 to closure 28/1/84
SO Selly Oak (Harborne La) Tram 12/7/1927 to 6/7/1952; Bus 2/1/1935 to closure 2/8/1986
WA Walsall (Bloxwich Rd) Horse Tram 6/1885 to 31/12/1892; Tram 1/1/1893 to 29/9/1933; Trolleybus 22/7/31 to 2/10/70; Bus 23/5/1915 IN USE
WB West Bromwich (Oak La) Bus 11/1929 IN USE
WH Washwood Heath (Washwood Heath Rd) Tram 2/5/1907 to 1/10/50; Trolleybus 27/11/22 to 1/10/40; Bus 15/1/1923 to 28/10/1925 then 1/10/40 to closure 8/98
WT Coventry (Wheatley St) Bus 30/3/1986 IN USE
YB Alcester (Your Bus) Bus 1979 to closure Aug-94
YW Yardley Wood (Yardley Wood Rd) Bus 11/1938 IN USE

[winston]

When it came to the Lea Hall garage closure; were the other contenders possibly Acocks Green & Bordesley at the time does anyone know? (I mean i think it was time when Acocks cut a lot of the South Solihull routes etc)

I seem to remember (based on rumours) it being a toss up between Bordesley & Lea Hall that would shut. I believe the other scenario was that Bordesley would become non operational with it's fleet / routes moved elsewhere & the reserve fleet would move in to BY garage.

[JoNi]

Was Wheatley Street garage in Coventry the last bus garage in the country where all vehicles were initially held under cover? It's been 30 years this year when it took on the allocation of Sandy Lane with deregulation requiring vehicles to be parked outside.

[Tony]

Even if we only talk about garages operated since WMPTE formation in 1969 there were 38 of them. I also have a list of 14 other depots operated by the municipal companies which formed WMPTE that were closed before 1969:
AG  Acocks Green (Summer Rd) Buses 6/1928 STILL OPEN
BL  Bilston (Mt Pleasant) Trams 15/7/1902 to 30/11/28, Trolleybus 27/10/30 to 26/10/64, Buses 26/10/64 to closure 12/11/1971
BS Wolverhampton (Bilston St) Bus 13/5/1931 until closure 1977 r/b as part of Cleveland Rd
BY Bordesley Green (Victoria St) Bus 28/5/2005 STILL OPEN
CC Walsall (Lords Drive - Central Coachways) closed 25/10/1986
CE Cotteridge (Pershore Rd) Trams 23/6/1904 to 6/7/52, Buses 6/7/52 to closure 25/10/86
CL Wolverhampton (Cleveland Rd) Trams 1/2/1902 to 26/8/28, Trolleybus 29/10/23 to 5/3/67, Bus 1/9/1905 to closure 1977, rebuilt reopened 18/1/78 to closure 30/10/93
CR Small Heath (Coventry Rd) Tram 26/11/1926 to 3/10/1948; Trolleybus 7/1/1934 to 1/7/51; Bus 3/10/1948 to closure 26/10/1986
CY Coseley (Bean Rd - Metrowest) Bus 11/87 to closure 6/8/94
DH Brierley Hill (Delph Trading Estate - Metrowest) Bus 1994 to closure 6/8/94
DY Dudley (Birmingham Rd - BMMO) Bus 2/8/1929 to closure 28/8/93
ER Selly Oak (Elliott Rd) Bus 5/2/2001 to closure 9/2002
H Coventry (Harnall La) Tram late 1899 to 14/11/1940, Bus 11/1919 to closure 29/3/86
HE Harborne (Lonsdale Rd) Bus 12/10/1926 to closure 22/2/86
HL Hartshill (Dudley Rd - BMMO) Tram 26/7/1899 to 28/2/1925; Bus 3/25 to closure 26/9/93
HY Hockley (Whitmore St) Cable Car 24/3/1888 to 1/7/1911; Tram 12/6/1912 to 1/4/1939; Bus 2/4/1939 to closure 28/5/2005
LH Lea Hall (Crossfield Rd) Bus 19/4/1955 to closure 24/7/2010
LS/BC Birmingham (Liverpool St) Bus 16/9/1936 IN USE
MH Merry Hill (Merry Hill Shopping Center) 1987 to closure 1999
MR Moseley (Moseley Rd) Tram 1/1/1907 to 2/10/49; Bus 2/10/49 to closure 5/3/1972, reopened to take Midland Red buses from Digbeth 3/12/1973 to closure 16/11/1975
MS Newtown (Miller St) Tram 1/4/1904 to 4/7/53; Bus 4/7/53 to closure 31/5/86, reopened 26/10/1986 to closure 2/2/2001
OY Oldbury (Wolvehampton New Rd - BMMO) Bus 12/4/1937 to closure 26/1/86
PB Perry Barr (Wellhead La) Bus 16/2/1932 IN USE
PL Wolverhampton (Park Lane) Trolleybus 25/7/1938 to 27/1/1964; Bus 30/4/1939 to closure 25/10/86, reopened 31/10/93 IN USE
PT Pensnett (Lenches Bridge - Metrowest) 18/9/93 to closure 1994
PE Pensnett (2nd Ave) 1999 IN USE
QN Quinton (Ridgeacre La) Bus 10/49 to closure 14/6/97
S Coventry (Sandy La) Bus 9/1954 to closure 25/10/86
SE Stourbridge (Foster St - BMMO) Bus 22/7/1926 to closure 26/1/85
SH Birmingham (Sheepcote St - BMMO) Bus 19/8/1951 to closure 16/11/75
SN Sutton (Upper Holland St - BMMO) Bus 26/8/1934 to closure 28/1/84
SO Selly Oak (Harborne La) Tram 12/7/1927 to 6/7/1952; Bus 2/1/1935 to closure 2/8/1986
WA Walsall (Bloxwich Rd) Horse Tram 6/1885 to 31/12/1892; Tram 1/1/1893 to 29/9/1933; Trolleybus 22/7/31 to 2/10/70; Bus 23/5/1915 IN USE
WB West Bromwich (Oak La) Bus 11/1929 IN USE
WH Washwood Heath (Washwood Heath Rd) Tram 2/5/1907 to 1/10/50; Trolleybus 27/11/22 to 1/10/40; Bus 15/1/1923 to 28/10/1925 then 1/10/40 to closure 8/98
WT Coventry (Wheatley St) Bus 30/3/1986 IN USE
YB Alcester (Your Bus) Bus 1979 to closure Aug-94
YW Yardley Wood (Yardley Wood Rd) Bus 11/1938 IN USE

Three more to add to that list are the three acquired from Stevensons on takeover of their West Midlands Services.

There is also the YourBus one at Burton that could possibly be included.

Bilston (Mount Pleasant) was ironically used by National Express subsidiary National Travel (Midlands) Limited to house the 'Everalls' fleet before the NX/TWM merger

[windy miller]

 Can anyone tell me if the present Bordesley HQ/garage facility had originally been on Bordesley green road just a stones throw from Adderley park station?  The site is now occupied by a chemical company but I have a feeling it may have been a former tram depot? As a business visitor a few years ago I did notice there are/were several tram tracks 'buried' in the tarmac..... :-\ :-\

[busfan2847]

Can anyone tell me if the present Bordesley HQ/garage facility had originally been on Bordesley green road just a stones throw from Adderley park station?  The site is now occupied by a chemical company but I have a feeling it may have been a former tram depot? As a business visitor a few years ago I did notice there are/were several tram tracks 'buried' in the tarmac..... :-\ :-\

No Bordesley is a new depot, opened when Hockley closed. There were never tram tracks on Bordesley Green Rd and there was no depot there. Perhaps they were train tracks from a former siding?

[busfan2847]

Three more to add to that list are the three acquired from Stevensons on takeover of their West Midlands Services.

There is also the YourBus one at Burton that could possibly be included.

Bilston (Mount Pleasant) was ironically used by National Express subsidiary National Travel (Midlands) Limited to house the 'Everalls' fleet before the NX/TWM merger

I wasn't aware that depots were transferred from Stevensons? Did WMT use them, I thought the services passed to existing depots?

[winston]

I wasn't aware that depots were transferred from Stevensons? Did WMT use them, I thought the services passed to existing depots?

WMT used Stevensons depot @ Oak Road, West Bromwich and obviously still do.

I seem to remember they may have used the Willenhall depot initially (former Red Rider), as I remember seeing the various dual door Westlink Leyland Nationals / Yourbus / Metrowest buses on hire to Stevensons whilst they still ran out of Stevensons depots etc Found a selection of photo's on flickr:

Westlink Nationals:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eagle50043/6462528887/in/album-72157649827222697/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eagle50043/6462529603/in/album-72157649827222697/

Various buses on hire to Stevesons:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44483738@N05/albums/72157623543281416