West Bromwich Garage

[mranon]

the alx400 is the body. however there will be differences as nxwm operate some volvo b7tl alx400's and a heck of a lot of dennis tridents. so type training will be needed id guess for both types. one thing i wonder though is would a driver need type training if they been typed on a trident alx400, and a president b7tl if they had to drive a volvo b7tl alx400?

[winston]

I heard rumours when it shut that it was closed because they couldn't afford to keep it running any more but whether that's true I don't know. I agree with Winston it shouldn't be sold, but I still think that if they modified things a bit it would make more sense to have a bigger garage open. Maybe move the reserve fleet to Bordesley and the rest to Miller Street, and then send Bordesley's routes and Central's ex LH routes back to LH too. It doesn't seem fair there aren't any garages in East Birmingham :P

LH was closed down as part of a review of NX group businesses after Dean Finch joined as CEO to start to turn around group fortunes. LH was closed down as a cost saving exercise / to reduce the amount of spare capacity at NXWM garages across Birmingham, and ultimately improve profit margins at NXWM which were low by past WMT/TWM standards.

[winston]

Other transfers could be the:
45 to Walsall
42 to Pensnett
5 to Perry Barr with the presidents. (as PB have operated presidents and the 451 in the past), for an exchange move the 654 or any other solo routes to WB and use the alx200 on there.

The 5 moving to PB is a none starter as PB is full to capacity, remember PB couldn't even accommodate the new deliveries / preparation for service of ADL 400 (4843-4856), they had to be prepared elsewhere & swapped with the vehicles they were replacing

[Ash]

So really another outer station has to be found as probably the only suitable solution.

[winston]

So really another outer station has to be found as probably the only suitable solution.

Realistically yes, I believe BC, BY, PB, WB & YW are all at or few close to capacity, I think the only B'ham garage that may some capacity is AG, it the fleet size was bigger pre - Solihull bus review that at present,

There's only really CV, PE, WA & WN that could take on any extra routes / vehicles, with PE I doubt the garage facilities would be able to cope with a significantly bigger fleet, the garage was only designed to operate 100 vehicles, its at 114 already.

[richie]

the alx400 is the body. however there will be differences as nxwm operate some volvo b7tl alx400's and a heck of a lot of dennis tridents. so type training will be needed id guess for both types. one thing i wonder though is would a driver need type training if they been typed on a trident alx400, and a president b7tl if they had to drive a volvo b7tl alx400?

Drivers would have to be typed on the alx b7 if they have only driven the alx trident

[Sh4318]

Other solutions could be bring the 79 back Wolverhampton to Birmingham and withdraw the 75 and operate it from Wolverhampton using the alx400. I know Wolverhampton aren't type trained on this vehicle but i'm sure the controls can't be too different from the tridents. Also gets rid of the alx400 from WB well some of them anyway.

Other service that could move might be the 42 not sure if it's interworked with the 43 anymore

I think that would work, ALXs moving to WN, both the 74 & 79 being operated by Tridents and B7s, and interworking at Birmingham. If WN can operate the 257, which doesn't run to Wolverhampton, I'm sure they could run the 74.

I think the 42 and 43 do still interwork.

[Tony]

I think that would work, ALXs moving to WN, both the 74 & 79 being operated by Tridents and B7s, and interworking at Birmingham. If WN can operate the 257, which doesn't run to Wolverhampton, I'm sure they could run the 74.

You seem to have forgotton one thing. How long would it take a bus to go Wolverhampton-Birmingham-Dudley-Birmingham-Wolverhampton? More than 5 hours 30 minutes a driver is allowed to drive without a break!

[Ash]

My suggestion would mean the 74 would still remain at WB using the geminis and the remaining alx400 that didnt transfer to Wolverhampton for the extended 79. The reason I suggested alx400 to Wolverhampton and not the gemini's is that the gemini's are used on the Dudley Road service and still have some branded for it.

[4006]

I can't see the 79 ever going back to B-ham. For a start off It would be very confusing for passengers! secondly the 79 is much more reliable than it was before (all be it less frequent) Thirdly longer routes are less reliable & harder to manage (i'm sure if they could split the 126 they would) and it would take a fair bit of sorting out like it did to change it in the first place..buses, allocations, duties, staffing, timetables & leaflets, bus stops & flags....what a headache!

[Ash]

I can't see the 79 ever going back to B-ham. For a start off It would be very confusing for passengers! secondly the 79 is much more reliable than it was before (all be it less frequent) Thirdly longer routes are less reliable & harder to manage (i'm sure if they could split the 126 they would) and it would take a fair bit of sorting out like it did to change it in the first place..buses, allocations, duties, staffing, timetables & leaflets, bus stops & flags....what a headache!

I agree with you 4006, but the situation which WB garage is in seems unforeseen and an extreme situation of which may be short term measures like this being carried out, but only a suggestion and do agree with you that it would be confusing and a hassle for both garages involved.

[4006]

Wolverhampton are type trained on the alx400's as the Tridents are alx400. If i'm not mistaken alx400 is the body. So that would mean wolverhampton have got y, 51, 02, 52, 53, 04 & 54 reg alx 400's.

Maybe the same body but a different vehicle all the same! The dash board & controls are different on the Tridents from the B7 for a start! Type training would be required if this was the case!

[Discodave]

The 126 is not too bad but agree if it could be split they would do it but there is people whom do travel through maybe not the whole route but travel through Dudley (the possible place of split if they tried splitting the 126) I agree I do not see NXWM splitting it.  Could do with some newer deckers on it most other Garages have very new stuff going down the hagley road apart from the upcoming hybrids looks like no more new deckers to PL.  The buses comly with the LEZ in Brum but like WB always older stuff unlike WA and others nice to see a few newer ones.

[Discodave]

I think that would work, ALXs moving to WN, both the 74 & 79 being operated by Tridents and B7s, and interworking at Birmingham. If WN can operate the 257, which doesn't run to Wolverhampton, I'm sure they could run the 74.

You seem to have forgotton one thing. How long would it take a bus to go Wolverhampton-Birmingham-Dudley-Birmingham-Wolverhampton? More than 5 hours 30 minutes a driver is allowed to drive without a break!

It was a 3 hour round trip on the old 79 and could still not keep to time not sure on the 74 but I reckon it has got to be close to this

[Sh4318]

Any news on 53 and 89 changes? They're my local routes. I hope 89 won't go back to being tendered on evening and Sumday