New Hydrogen fuelled Buses for Birmingham.

[Tony]

The buses will be operated in Birmingham by National Express, with an ambition to run them on the new Sprint route when it opens.

So, does that mean that Sprint won't be using the VanHools after all?

Hopefully!

[DJ]

Hopefully!

Fingers crossed then! I always thought something like XLBs would suit it better, but I'll take some Hydrogen Streetdecks!

[Steve3229vp]

Could these be for the proposed Cross city Walsall-Birmingham-Sheldon-Airport/NEC route, if so the 51 could go cross city with X1 (Airport only) and X2 possibly running as C1 and C2 (C meaning cross-city). The X1 could still remain for buses to and from Coventry.

[bususer28]

Could these be for the proposed Cross city Walsall-Birmingham-Sheldon-Airport/NEC route, if so the 51 could go cross city with X1 (Airport only) and X2 possibly running as C1 and C2 (C meaning cross-city). The X1 could still remain for buses to and from Coventry.

I think your mixing up sprint and the standard buses. Sprint won't be replacing nx routes, it will be to create a metro-like service with fewer stops and bus lanes.

[Tony]

I think your mixing up sprint and the standard buses. Sprint won't be replacing nx routes, it will be to create a metro-like service with fewer stops and bus lanes.

So you think putting a new route down a main road won't affect existing services?

[2206]

So you think putting a new route down a main road won't affect existing services?

Especially when they are near enough identical to the existing services. Is there a full proposed stop list for it, as think someone said something about it stopping more than the X51?

The A45 list I found says stopping at a number of major stops. Yardley Swan, Sunnymead Road, Brays Road and Lyndon Road so thats all the main stops on the X2 route on the Coventry Road towards Solihull. So think it will affect the existing service.
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/sprint/supporting_documents/Sprint%20A45%20notes%20FINAL.pdf

[ellspurs]

Especially when they are near enough identical to the existing services. Is there a full proposed stop list for it, as think someone said something about it stopping more than the X51?

The A45 list I found says stopping at a number of major stops. Yardley Swan, Sunnymead Road, Brays Road and Lyndon Road so thats all the main stops on the X2 route on the Coventry Road towards Solihull. So think it will affect the existing service.
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/sprint/supporting_documents/Sprint%20A45%20notes%20FINAL.pdf

A possibility would be changing the X2 back into a 57, and having it run in tandem with the 60, stopping at all stops.

And for the X1, either truncating it to the Airport --> Coventry, or having it run non-stop from the Airport to Birmingham if there is still demand for a bus service to Birmingham from the Meriden/Coventry area.

And on t'other side, X51 (if it still needs to run) could be ran non-stop from either Great Barr or the M6 J7 roundabout to Birmingham, or withdraw and extend the 51 through to Cannock.

It's what I would look at if I didn't want to run a route with huge similarities to the Sprint service.

[2206]

A possibility would be changing the X2 back into a 57, and having it run in tandem with the 60, stopping at all stops.

And for the X1, either truncating it to the Airport --> Coventry, or having it run non-stop from the Airport to Birmingham if there is still demand for a bus service to Birmingham from the Meriden/Coventry area.

And on t'other side, X51 (if it still needs to run) could be ran non-stop from either Great Barr or the M6 J7 roundabout to Birmingham, or withdraw and extend the 51 through to Cannock.

It's what I would look at if I didn't want to run a route with huge similarities to the Sprint service.

Would there be anything preventing NX from extending the new Airport Sprint route onto Coventry?
If there's demand for a Birmingham - Coventry route.

[Ginger66]

will the new hydrogen buses be single/dual door?

[Stu]

Would there be anything preventing NX from extending the new Airport Sprint route onto Coventry?

The lack of Sprint infrastructure between the airport and Coventry for starters.  ;D

[2206]

The lack of Sprint infrastructure between the airport and Coventry for starters.  ;D

Could it not operate on that section without the infrastructure though as presumably these vehicles are the same size to the platinums, so should be able to fit round the route?

[Gareth]

Was that originally a photo of 3001? Looks like the old card reader arm seen in the windscreen.

[CL]

Was that originally a photo of 3301? Looks like the old card reader arm seen in the windscreen.

Looks like it - Harborne branded hybrid in its reflection too!

[bususer28]

So you think putting a new route down a main road won't affect existing services?

I'm not saying it won't but if it's as expensive as the metro is then people will continue to use the X51 considering journey times are only a few minutes shorter.

[bususer28]

More back to the point- weren't sprint routes meant to be run by multi door articulated vehicles or have I made that up.