NXWM service changes 4th Sept

[andy41]

Or the reality which is you leave exactly the same number of vehicles on the road0, but give them more time for a round trip to make the service more reliable

Well I sincerely hope you're right Tony as both services have gone so for backwards in the last 5 years as to be unrecognisable. I know you can't discuss commercially sensitive information here, but I would be utterly staggered if the figures on both of these routes are even two thirds what they used to be. The word neglect doesn't touch it. The Jag factory is the industrial flagship of Birmingham and its main bus route is nothing short of an embarrassment I'm afraid.

[monkeyjoe]

A bit like the Washwood heath corridor in my view.

[Steve3229vp]

Would the residents of Castle Vale and the workers of JLR like the FD service (City to Fort Dunlop) to be expanded to extend to and from Castle Vale and maybe run more often. This could be numbered 967 ?

[Tony]

When an operator keeps their  vehicles to an average age of approximately 8 years, which is lower  than the other big groups some routes are going to get buses up to 16 Years old.

That's a fact of life

[andy41]

When an operator keeps their  vehicles to an average age of approximately 8 years, which is lower  than the other big groups some routes are going to get buses up to 16 Years old.

That's a fact of life

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

[MW]

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

The current Sutton Enviros would be perfect for the 65/67 with a bunch left over. Although realistically I reckon they'll end up at BC

[2206]

The current Sutton Enviros would be perfect for the 65/67 with a bunch left over. Although realistically I reckon they'll end up at BC

Or, maybe the Crimson Gemini could be used on the 65/67?

[Tony]

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

It does happen in every other city. Go to Glasgow you will find routes being operated by16 year old ex London with only19 seats downstairs. Go to Manchester 16 year old ex London Tridents from Stagecoach and First. Newcastle - knackered old unreliable MANs. Leeds and Arriva using tired Spectras

[monkeyjoe]

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

Totally agree with the points made here, in particular the points about concentrating on certain routes etc. I think it really is shocking how it's become like that.

[T840MAK]

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

Are you sure? Using First Sheffield as an example here, when our B10BLEs were being withdrawn last year, they were all on certain routes, and when the numbers diminished to a couple on extended time because of delays with bringing other buses in these went on one route and one route only...oh yeah, lets not forget some of them looked exceptionally shabby, two hadn't even had a repaint since they were new in 1999!

It's a fact of life that some routes are going to get older buses than others, and some are going to look really tatty and thats simply because of their age. Our oldest buses now are still 16 years old but they don't look too bad compared to their 13 year old counterparts (some of which again haven't been painted since new) which they work alongside...which hey, guess what, work on certain routes and certain routes only, and do not get shared around.

[Tony]

Totally agree with the points made here, in particular the points about concentrating on certain routes etc. I think it really is shocking how it's become like that.

Yes, but you complained when a route you admit you don't use got fully refurbished, reliable buses

[2900]

Possibly yes, but in my experience when operators are left with a few vehicles of that age, they share them about a bit, they don't concentrate them all on 1 or 2 routes as that merely serves to convey the impression to those passengers that they really don't matter, especially when they wait on Corporation St and every third bus passing them by is yet another Platinum all singing all dancing bus to Walsall.

I would also point out that I have seen many, many vehicles at 16 years old that look nothing like these do.

Clearly you have to defend your own employer, but as a lifelong bus man I think you know that the current state of things on these routes, both of which have been flagship in recent times, is not acceptable. And I see no plans for it to change? The 67 is well overdue some proper investment. Imagine business folk turning up to board the current offering on their way out to the Jag? It wouldn't happen in any other city I'm afraid.

who knows may be there is grand plan for castle vale services, bendy double deckers might be a surprise route upgrade and why not tried nearly every type of bendy in the last two decades,
Joking aside being as the 33 got refurbed E40D,s  I can only assume the same for this corridor.

[Tony]

Are you sure? Using First Sheffield as an example here, when our B10BLEs were being withdrawn last year, they were all on certain routes, and when the numbers diminished to a couple on extended time because of delays with bringing other buses in these went on one route and one route only...oh yeah, lets not forget some of them looked exceptionally shabby, two hadn't even had a repaint since they were new in 1999!

It's a fact of life that some routes are going to get older buses than others, and some are going to look really tatty and thats simply because of their age. Our oldest buses now are still 16 years old but they don't look too bad compared to their 13 year old counterparts (some of which again haven't been painted since new) which they work alongside...which hey, guess what, work on certain routes and certain routes only, and do not get shared around.

Same happens everywhere nowadays, all operators tend to have batches of buses for individual routes. And NX Bus do share their 0old buses around

AG - presidents
BC - 41xx Tridents
YW - Presidents
WA - presidents/41xx Tridents
WN - 41xx Tridents
WB - presidents
PN - 41xx Tridents
CV - 41/42xx - Tridents
DU - Presidents

Ironically the garage being complained about is the only one with a double deck allocation that hasn't got any buses from the two oldest batches!

[2900]

Same happens everywhere nowadays, all operators tend to have batches of buses for individual routes. And NX Bus do share their 0old buses around

AG - presidents
BC - 41xx Tridents
YW - Presidents
WA - presidents/41xx Tridents
WN - 41xx Tridents
WB - presidents
PN - 41xx Tridents
CV - 41/42xx - Tridents
DU - Presidents

Ironically the garage being complained about is the only one with a double deck allocation that hasn't got any buses from the two oldest batches!

a good rebuttal Tony, there you have it in black and white folks

[winston]

Same happens everywhere nowadays, all operators tend to have batches of buses for individual routes. And NX Bus do share their 0old buses around

AG - presidents
BC - 41xx Tridents
YW - Presidents
WA - presidents/41xx Tridents
WN - 41xx Tridents
WB - presidents
PN - 41xx Tridents
CV - 41/42xx - Tridents
DU - Presidents

Ironically the garage being complained about is the only one with a double deck allocation that hasn't got any buses from the two oldest batches!

The main issue with the buses in question (PB's - 42-- B7TL/ALX400's) is a number were early repaints during a period when they weren't refurbished internally, and they also now fall outside of the range of 4425+ that will be treated to Crimson repaints/refurbs due to their age.