Blackheath Bus Services

[karl724223]

Don't forget the late night 609 service that west brom used to run around hasbury

[the trainbasher]

Don't forget the late night 609 service that west brom used to run around hasbury

And the 619 daytime variation.

[Jack]

404M? I think people mean the 404A... the old 404A was Walsall to Cradley Heath... and the 404H? Was a weekends only extension to Merry Hill.

'Essential extensions', the 4M is the most quickest route to Merry Hill from Blackheath, granted the 3 is similar timing, but it feels longer as soon as it goes through Brickhouse... then there's the 14A and 24 which essentially go all round the wrekin before reaching Merry Hill... if anything Blackheath to Merry Hill section of the 4M is just as important as the Blackheath to Walsall section.

Withdrawing the 4 wouldn't work at all, the combined frequency works out great, with the Diamond 4H compensating... hazards a guess if Diamond would extend the 4 to Blackheath and reintroduce the 4M?

[richardjones210368]

404A & 404H were again Travel West Midlands services I was referring to the Black Diamond 404M & yes along with  services 609 and 619 there was the infamous 417E ghostbus and the weekend only Diamond 9A bringing even more variety to the Hasbury loop, strangely enough the 217 Merry Hill to West Bromwich was the first Birmingham Coach Company service to serve Blackheath on tender and after being registered commercially met competition from a WMT 217 from Blackheath to Merry Hill and later a 317 eventually the 217 was withdrawn Diamond Bus have since tried a 404M and 4M none of which succeeded at all. Travel Merry Hill, Central Connect/Blue Diamond at times held the 123 contract from Blackheath to Merry Hill along with Petes Travel albeit via Perry Park not Powke Lane after the commercial withdrawal of the Midland Red West later Birmingham Coach Company 123. I can only ever see another Diamond 4M under a West Midlands Bus Alliance agreement.

@richardjones210368 - Can you please take more care when 'quoting' other peoples posts

How to quote here:
http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=2781.0

[Trident 4194]

My post  refers to the MAIN Diamond 4H service which operates 7 days a week over it's full length unlike the less regular 4H which you refer to that follows a different route between Hayley Green & Blackheath by the hapless NXWM. The Hasbury loop of NXWM has been everything from 234/5 to a 205 to 445 to 218 & 131/2 to more recently 241 & 19 then 244 amongst others as NXWM can never make up it's mind the Diamond 4H is unchanged since it commenced as Ludlows 417 and did not replace the 244 that is a different route.

100% agree diamond do a much better job on the 4H than nx. However there performance is far from perfect on peak times. Often running 30-45 mins late of an evening. And the Sunday service is horrifically unreliable. On Saturdays you can pretty much guarantee every service will run on time

[richardjones210368]

100% agree diamond do a much better job on the 4H than nx. However there performance is far from perfect on peak times. Often running 30-45 mins late of an evening. And the Sunday service is horrifically unreliable. On Saturdays you can pretty much guarantee every service will run on time

First off all please accept my full apologies as a new poster I am finding it hard how to quote and reply and it's very much trial and error working out how to do it just think of me as the Little Red Bus of the forum at present but many apologies. Yes I fully agree with you the 4H is at times a challenge to keep running due to conditions beyond Diamonds control however it is a plus for Diamond that they often have a Dart parked up by Cheswicks in the bus stand in Blackheath to try and restore some frequency on the Halesowen section this is the opposite of NXWM on the 4H as i saw a recent 4H terminate in Halesowen Bus Station & Leave picking up no passengers leaving those with NXWM tickets stranded the whole attitude of NXWM to the 4H leaves at lot to be desired. As for the Sunday service I put with the erroneous timetable as an accountant I fully understand the cost implications of a Sunday bus service for Coombes Wood with such tight margins the slightest disruption can cause major delays but I would rather wait and wait for the bus operated by Diamond on a Sunday or have no bus at all when the service was operated by the useless Ludlows.

[richardjones210368]

As a new poster if the moderator is not happy about my posts and to post here is more difficult than how we post info to HMRC on our AAM & thats hard enough its just whilst we are in PURDAH. I thought you mightt enjoy an insiders view on West Midlands bus scene I just thought for once I would pass on my own comments on the bus world of Blackheath I fully enjoy this forum I will happily disengage for the forum as I will have to do on 13th December anyway I just thought I could after 50 years of using buses in Blackheath bring a little local insight to the forum many apologies to other forum members if you disagree SORRY

[Tony]

As a new poster if the moderator is not happy about my posts and to post here is more difficult than how we post info to HMRC on our AAM & thats hard enough its just whilst we are in PURDAH. I just thought for once I would pass on my comments on the bus world of Blackheath I fully enjoy this forum I will happily disengage for the forum as I will have to do on 13th December anyway I just thought I could after 50 years of using buses in Blackheath bring a little local insight to the forum many apologies to other forum members if you disagree SORRY

No problem with your postings, Winston was just showing how to quote as it makes posts quite difficult to read, but please carry on

[richardjones210368]

No problem with your postings, Winston was just showing how to quote as it makes posts quite difficult to read, but please carry on

Ahh Winston say no more now that takes me back I didn't realise that in my long life however from my brief postings on this excellent forum I think it's plain to see no one knows our great bus service in Blackheath like me anyway no probs I will delete my account no worries before I go can I wish you all a very Merry Christmas & wish the forum best wishes for the future your forum is as the great philosopher Tina Turner would say SIMPLY THE BEST☺

[richardjones210368]

Cannot find how to delete my account as an newbee "Winstons" tone and attitude is not to someone of my standings with TfWM, , WMCA, Rotala or FirstGroup I am all for guidance and help in a private email capacity but will not tolerate comments made public  so please ask the moderator to delete my account and good luck and best wishes for the future on all on this excellent forum.

[winston]

Cannot find how to delete my account so please ask the moderator to do so and good luck and best wishes for the future on all on this excellent forum.

Why are you leaving as soon as you've joined? I only asked you take care when quoting & sent you link to show you how to quote:

Seems a little dramatic...

[richardjones210368]

Why are you leaving as soon as you've joined? I haveonly asked you take care when quoting & sent you link to show you how to quote:

Seems a little dramatic...

I am not "dramatic" as you would put it but the upmost professional when working as a bus champion amongst other thing for WMCA, whilst we are in purdah I foolishy felt I could add a bit of insight of Blackheath buses to this excellent site for a short time without BELITTLEMENT, sadly my understanding of how to post was limited oh for a Commodore 64 however I think the detail of my knowledge in my posts speak for themselves please feel free to ask any SENIOR management at WMTLTD, Diamond or TfWM who will assure you I am not a "dramatic" person in any means but do not tolerate fools but I am always the ultimate professional working alongside the stakeholders to achieve a bus service achieve the best bus service for all in the West Midlands.

[winston]

I am not "dramatic" as you would put it but the upmost professional when working as a bus champion amongst other thing for WMCA, whilst we are in purdah I foolishy felt I could add a bit of insight of Blackheath buses to this excellent site for a short time without BELITTLEMENT, sadly my understanding of how to post was limited oh for a Commodore 64 however I think the detail of my knowledge in my posts speak for themselves please feel free to ask any SENIOR management at WMTLTD, Diamond or TfWM who will assure you I am not a "dramatic" person in any means but do not tolerate fools but I am always the ultimate professional working alongside the stakeholders to achieve a bus service achieve for all in the West Midlands.

You're blowing it completely out of proportion, if you were struggling, is all you needed to do was ask, a thread already existed explaining how to quote. There's no fools here.

As regards being the "ultimate professional", some of your comments regarding operators don't come across very professional.

[richardjones210368]

You're blowing it completely out of proportion, if you were struggling, is all you needed to do was ask, a thread already existed explaining how to quote. There's no fools here.

As regards being the "ultimate professional", some of your comments regarding operators don't come across very professional.

I use the phrase ultimate professional in my work no one anyone you ask could deny that as for the operators Ludlows has this rose tinited reflection if you lived on Gorsty Hill and had to use them historically you would know how awful an operator they were the last bus from West Brom was 1715 what use was that and a different fare structure from Blackheath to Halesowen no 32p on Ludlows as for NXWM if like me you are waiting for the 0648 X8 and it doesn't arrive the old 140 never missed what would your opinion of NXWM be & coming home from Colmore Row and waiting for a non exisitant X8 to appear to go home this on top of the 13A which I usually have to get has been reduced in frequency compared with the old 127. I respect the operators when they respect the passengers which is something NXWM does not do in Blackheath at present until you have to use the service level provided at present take my advice GROW UP & listen to someone who uses buses in Blackheath 7days a week 364 days a year the only operator to respect at present is Diamond, Winston its SIMPLES......

[winston]

I use the phrase ultimate professional in my work no one anyone you ask could deny that as for the operators Ludlows has this rose tinited reflection if you lived on Gorsty Hill and had to use them historically you would know how awful an operator they t the last bus from West Brom was 1715 what use was that and a different fare structure from Blackheath to Halesowen no 32p on Ludlows as for NXWM if like me you are waiting for the 0648 X8 and it doesn't arrive the old 140 never missed what would your opinion of NXWM be & coming home from Colmore Row and waiting for a non exisitant X8 to appear to go home this on top of the 13A which I usually have to get has been reduced in frequency compared with the old 127. I respect the operators when they respect the passengers which is something NXWM does not do in Blackheath at present until you have to use the service level provided at present take my advice GROW UP & listen to someone who uses buses in Blackheath 7days a week 364 days a year the only operator to respect at present is Diamond, Winston its SIMPLES......

It's always the new members that come on all full of themselves..... There's only one thing that's SIMPLES.

Ludlow's are not a operator I would call "Utterly Useless" & you're basing you're statements on operators using just only a handful of their services, how narrow minded is that. There's a much bigger world beyond Gorsty Hill & Blackheath.