Arriva X31

[Discodave]

Cannocks train service must be amazing that good that it can afford to lose a fortune the last two Sat nights ive been on it on way to brum for nights out no conductors been round and nobody paid!

I rarely see conductors on train towards there (rugeley) only at start departure points usually

I beg to differ every time I have got on whatever time I have been ticket checked and thats at bloxwich and if one has not been on one gets on at Walsall travelled the whole line even on sat night and yes a conductor/guard taking fares London Midland really do take fare collection seriously this is also Tonys regular route as many know and another point the line would not be getting investment from the government if it was losing money like you have said.

[Bob]

I didnt say they were, i said they could obviously afford to, i beg to differ myself, i can think of 20 times at least when ive never paid! the best of it was last sat there were two people from Network WM in orange hi-vis on the bloody train too! it was the 20.55

[vinh1000]

Cannocks train service must be amazing that good that it can afford to lose a fortune the last two Sat nights ive been on it on way to brum for nights out no conductors been round and nobody paid!

I rarely see conductors on train towards there (rugeley) only at start departure points usually

I beg to differ every time I have got on whatever time I have been ticket checked and thats at bloxwich and if one has not been on one gets on at Walsall travelled the whole line even on sat night and yes a conductor/guard taking fares London Midland really do take fare collection seriously this is also Tonys regular route as many know and another point the line would not be getting investment from the government if it was losing money like you have said.

Seems to be at region borders it tends to happen
Though went today and checked at Bloxwich North

[Bob]

I still reckon theres room for a bus route from Cannock to Brum if it was run properly even the x31 had standing loads at times
[What is your definition of "properly" in this context then?       
I would have thought even the most sceptical would by now have learned something from the history of Birmingham to Cannock routes,              /quote]

By properly i mean not run down the bloody M6 it was the stupidest idea ever buses could be more than an hour late if there were problems on the motorway. It shouldve been run down the A34 through Bloxwich and limited stop between walsall
& birmingham. maybe as an extension of the 1.

[Bob]

A lot of people have said 'oh theres obviously no market for a Cannock to Birmingham bus route, because theres a train service'. I disagree, maybe the X31 wasnt run down the best route, or frequent enough, or even promoted well enough. Places like Walsall and even Lichfield have both a bus & a train service running to Birmingham! And with how unreliable the trains have been anx apparently will continue to be for the near future maybe Arriva should perhaps think again. X31 used to leave B'ham packed sometimes!

[Westy]

What was the reason for NX withdrawing the majority of the 951 journeys in the first place?

Sure I heard a reason it had something to do with the construction of the Toll Road delaying buses?

[Bob]

Yea i remember a driver saying that, it was a pity though cos that was usually a pretty busy route! Being the main Walsall to Cannock service at the time as well it used to get good loadings for that too. Even with a good train service theres still room for the right bus route id say

[woody38]

This last time I used the X31 from Cannock there was about 20 people waiting at Cannock, about half of these paid, even though Arriva had withdrawn the day return by then,  by the time it got to the M6 it was full, I guess we will never now why they axed it, Sometimes I use the 56 from Brownhills that runs ever half an hour so is better timed if you miss one, but the route is quite long.  I had hoped somebody might have took the X31 on but that looks less hopeful now.

[Bob]

Maybe somebody will start running a service again i live in hope...

[Bob]

Once again im never ceased to be amazed by how crap the chase line is, (but have no other bloody choice given we have no other way of getting from cannock to brum at the moment) TWO COACH TRAINS ON A SATURDAY FOR CHRISTS SAKE!!!!!

[Tony]

Once again im never ceased to be amazed by how crap the chase line is, (but have no other bloody choice given we have no other way of getting from cannock to brum at the moment) TWO COACH TRAINS ON A SATURDAY FOR CHRISTS SAKE!!!!!

And what is wrong with two car trains on a Saturday? That is 4 carriages an hour a lot more than weekdays and pleny of capacity. In fact there are actually 3 cars out today!

[vinh1000]

Once again im never ceased to be amazed by how crap the chase line is, (but have no other bloody choice given we have no other way of getting from cannock to brum at the moment) TWO COACH TRAINS ON A SATURDAY FOR CHRISTS SAKE!!!!!

And what is wrong with two car trains on a Saturday? That is 4 carriages an hour a lot more than weekdays and pleny of capacity. In fact there are actually 3 cars out today!

2 usually sufficient at most times only time I see full is 10/11 from Rugeley to BHAM prob other times
:)

[Stu]

Bob,

Maybe if you want to make a difference, then you (and everybody else you know who feels the same) could complete the North Birmingham Review survey on the Network West Midlands website? The more people that request a better bus service between Birmingham and Cannock the better, as Network West Midlands will have to sit up and take notice.

If you don't ask, you don't get. The trick is to ask or even complain to the people that can make a difference, you won't get anywhere by privately complaining on a forum like this one.

[Bob]

Stu yes i could but it would make no difference NWM Arent interested as Cannock is out of their jurastiction. 2 cars on a Sat? 2.39pm was rammed, with people standing! and it was a 2 not a 3 car. Mind you given London Midland's current issues and the resulting appalling service that has ruined 3 of my recent Saturday nights i should be glad the things ran at all!

[Tony]

Stu yes i could but it would make no difference NWM Arent interested as Cannock is out of their jurastiction. 2 cars on a Sat? 2.39pm was rammed, with people standing! and it was a 2 not a 3 car. Mind you given London Midland's current issues and the resulting appalling service that has ruined 3 of my recent Saturday nights i should be glad the things ran at all!

Well that is very weird as I caught the 2.07 the one in front and had the back carriage to myself, there was no more than 50 people on the whole train