West Bromwich Garage

[Dylanbusboy45]

4754 on 75 today
4956 on 82 today

[WB]

Buses at west brom are parked according to whether they have any defects or need any work done over night. Buses taken to top yard are ones that have been booked off as ok and arent due mot, service work etc. Buses kept inside the garage but have a defect are left with their hazards flashing so engineers know which buses require attention and buses parked at the front of garage are buses either for overnight service/staff bus and buses requiring service/mot etc..

[AV4248]

1950 was on the 47 just. Knew they would chuck a Scania on there at some point. On the 80 now, been swapped with 818 which was on the route earlier.

Was so happy when it came round only to have been swapped, was literally waiting to board it!

With double deckers previously and 1950 today, does anybody know if this is to be a regular occurrence now?

[Stu]

Just so I can update my allocations spreadsheet, am I right in thinking that OmniLinks are now the norm for the 45 and 49 routes? As they were previously listed as Merc routes.

Any other routes they frequently turn up on?

[wbdriver]

Just so I can update my allocations spreadsheet, am I right in thinking that OmniLinks are now the norm for the 45 and 49 routes? As they were previously listed as Merc routes.

Any other routes they frequently turn up on?

@Stu you get them occasionally on the 42/43, and the rare one on the 5 during peak hours. the first part of your question, E200 LWB on the 45 as well, mainly on Sundays and evenings, with the occasional double deck on as well.

[Stu]

@Stu you get them occasionally on the 42/43, and the rare one on the 5 during peak hours. the first part of your question, E200 LWB on the 45 as well, mainly on Sundays and evenings, with the occasional double deck on as well.

Great stuff, thanks for the insight!  ;)

[Bob]

Not often I'd complain about a nx service but they seriously need to sort out the number 80 afternoon journeys,  the 15.48 from blue gates to West Bromwich is frequently late, today and last week over 20 mins and when it finally does come it's an Omnilink!  With standees all the way to the front and people having to alight and re board just to let people off!  Ridiculous situation. 

[Stu]

Not often I'd complain about a nx service but they seriously need to sort out the number 80 afternoon journeys,  the 15.48 from blue gates to West Bromwich is frequently late, today and last week over 20 mins and when it finally does come it's an Omnilink!  With standees all the way to the front and people having to alight and re board just to let people off!  Ridiculous situation.

Traffic.

I've experienced similar elsewhere, at different times of the day. Even at the time of day you mention, the city centre is already getting snarled up with traffic, so it just needs one bus to get delayed because of the traffic, that causes the issue you raise. More people have been waiting further back down the route, so they all try and cram on the bus, then once it reaches your stop it is already full, and it takes longer to load and unload passengers, which delays the journey even more.

However, as I've seen myself before, I'm willing to bet there are seats available, further down the bus, which people choose not to take, but just start standing either next to the driver, or in the narrow gangway between the front wheels. It only takes four or five people standing there, to make the bus appear full, and rather than moving down the bus to stand, people start standing by the doors or up against the front windscreen!

Believe me, I've 'fought' my way onto a seemingly crowded bus, and once I've pushed my way through the crowd (on more than one occasion I've been told by standing passengers "there's no more room") hogging the gangway, I've usually either found a seat, or a space to stand out of the way.

It's not a nice situation, but other passengers really don't help sometimes.

[MW]

Believe me, I've 'fought' my way onto a seemingly crowded bus, and once I've pushed my way through the crowd (on more than one occasion I've been told by standing passengers "there's no more room") hogging the gangway, I've usually either found a seat, or a space to stand out of the way.

It's not a nice situation, but other passengers really don't help sometimes.

That sounds like the 37 in Sparkbrook lol.

[Ronnoc]

That sounds like the 37 in Sparkbrook lol.

Sounds more like the 76E in the morning, that is absolutely jam packed full, mainly with school kids. There are a few certain kids that take one seat for themselves and the other seat for their bags, whilst the rest of the bus is jam-packed full. I understand why you're not allowed to stand upstairs.

[MW]

Sounds more like the 76E in the morning, that is absolutely jam packed full, mainly with school kids. There are a few certain kids that take one seat for themselves and the other seat for their bags, whilst the rest of the bus is jam-packed full. I understand why you're not allowed to stand upstairs.

I hold my hands up, I used to do that when I was around 13-14 on the way to school. I would sit upstairs near the back on the seat near the walkway with my school bag on the other seat. But my justification for that was the amount of weirdos who also use buses. Even as a bus driver, you see so many strange people catching the bus. That was my view on it back then, so that'd be why people do it.

[Trident 4194]

@MW what is the weirdest thing that a person has done on your bus?

[MW]

@MW what is the weirdest thing that a person has done on your bus?

I had one drunk guy sitting on my bus, on the 11E to Perry Barr, it was a late night bus. Got to Perry Barr, and told him it was the last stop. He was the only one on the bus. I then went upstairs to close all the windows, and when I came downstairs, he was p*ssing in a can of liqour and got in on the seats and the floor at the back.

I had two passengers having a full blown fight a couple weeks ago in Erdington. As they were getting on. One of them had a can of some sort of alcohol too. That can ended up going all over the platform, and a little bit got through the gaps in the assault screen and went on me. I then chucked the whole bus off, went back to garage, went home to get changed/showered and then got adjusted when I came back.

[Ronnoc]

I had one drunk guy sitting on my bus, on the 11E to Perry Barr, it was a late night bus. Got to Perry Barr, and told him it was the last stop. He was the only one on the bus. I then went upstairs to close all the windows, and when I came downstairs, he was p*ssing in a can of liqour and got in on the seats and the floor at the back.

I had two passengers having a full blown fight a couple weeks ago in Erdington. As they were getting on. One of them had a can of some sort of alcohol too. That can ended up going all over the platform, and a little bit got through the gaps in the assault screen and went on me. I then chucked the whole bus off, went back to garage, went home to get changed/showered and then got adjusted when I came back.

Personally, I think that drunk people shouldn't be allowed on the bus because they cause public disturbance and most of them piss on the floor.

[Trident 4194]

I had one drunk guy sitting on my bus, on the 11E to Perry Barr, it was a late night bus. Got to Perry Barr, and told him it was the last stop. He was the only one on the bus. I then went upstairs to close all the windows, and when I came downstairs, he was p*ssing in a can of liqour and got in on the seats and the floor at the back.

I had two passengers having a full blown fight a couple weeks ago in Erdington. As they were getting on. One of them had a can of some sort of alcohol too. That can ended up going all over the platform, and a little bit got through the gaps in the assault screen and went on me. I then chucked the whole bus off, went back to garage, went home to get changed/showered and then got adjusted when I came back.

To be honest I would prefer to work early shifts to late night shifts. Both of these reported are absolutely disgraceful