Blackheath Bus Services

[richardjones210368]

It's always the new members that come on all full of themselves..... There's only one thing that's SIMPLES.
I
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 workd beyond Gorsty Hill & Blackheath.

You are so funny have you ever waited 2 hours in Bromsgrove waiting for a 007 or 202 that never appeared or gone for a 006 on the Dunstall estate and it's not turned up or thier 192 tender that never got to Kiddeminster or the missing 230 when your off to the baths at Haden Hill or the 002 that never came at Bartley Green Memorial do NOT lecture me on the pathetic excuse of a bus company that was LUDLOWS I used thier services most days DID YOU?

[Sh4318]

It certainly has NOT always been so with the 4H. Walsall to Blackheath as a thru service began on 26th October 1986 as 404 previously the service was the 415 from Cradley Health & 417 from Halesowen to West Bromwich only which had previously been cut earlier from Hayley Green. Before 1976 it was the 217 from Hayley Green to Oldbury & 15 from Oldbury to West Bromwich. The section of route from Halesowen to Blackheath in 1986 became Midland Red West 233 later Ludlows 417. The section of route from Blackheath to Hayley Green known as 4H is not an extension of the 4 but a direct replacement for Ludlows later Diamond Bus 417 which was joined with short workings of Diamond Bus 404E to create the 4H. For many years after 1986 West Midlands Travel failed to serve Gorsty Hill & Coombes Wood. The 4 is the successor to 404 while the 4H is the successor to the 417 & 404E The 4H is NOT an extension of the 4 but a direct successor of the Diamond Bus 417 & 404E the 4M yes is an extention of what was the 404 as 404M.

Obviously I didn't mean "always" in a literal sense.

The 4H is an extension of the normal 4 between Blackheath and Hayley Green, a service between Walsall and Hayley Green never previously existed

[winston]

You are so funny have you ever waited 2 hours in Bromsgrove waiting for a 007 or 202 that never appeared or gone for a 006 on the Dunstall estate and it's not turned up or thier 192 tender that never got to Kiddeminster or the missing 230 when your off to baths at Haden Hill or the 002 that never came at Bartley Green Memorial do NOT lecture me on the pathetic excuse of a bus company that was LUDLOWS I used thier services most days DID YOU?

It's called 'Hasbury' not Dunstall estate, and funny you should mention that, Fyi - I grew up on that estate, lived there years and used Ludlows & other operators frequently and didn't experience all the problems you did, you must just be unlucky. Ludlow's were certainly not an operator I'd refer to a being pathetic, neither have I ever heard anyone share your feelings.

[richardjones210368]

 Winston if you were really did grow  up in Halesowen & Rowley  it was always called the Dunstall estate & I went to Halesowen College with mates off the DUNSTALL estate perhaps its a generational thing I started work in 1996 & you could not depend on Ludlows buses they were hopeless I had to use them because of medical reasons I can't drive. If I repeated to my mates all from Halesowen & Rowley their views on Ludlows they would all say the same they were USELESS I am 51 & had to use them for work if you cannot argue your point by calling a respected and TfWM bus champion as "simples" without keeping your points to bus-related topics then as I pointed out in an earlier post GROW UP and keep your comments constructive at least in order to retain a modicum of respect blatant insults are so unbecoming when you are dealing with is someone who does not drive and has used the local bus network for 50 years ok Winston bring it on..........

[winston]

Oh & Winston if you cannot argue your point by calling a respected and TfWM bus champion as "simples" without keeping your points to bus-related topics then as I pointed out in an earlier post GROW UP and keep your comments constructive at least in order to retain a modicum of respect blatant insults are so unbecoming when you are dealing with is someone who does not drive and has used the local bus network for 50 years ok Winston bring it on..........

Lol - I'll think you'll find my responses are all very bus related. As for 'respect' it works both ways. 

[richardjones210368]

I fully agree Winston as moderator please delete my account as my comments and knowledge of the bus services in Halesowen & Rowley is not to your personal perceptions it is so sad when you have to result to such derogatory insults when someone comes along with.such detailed knowledge of Halesowen & Rowley bus services to aid the site and you are unable to accept it please accept my apologies to all posters during purgatory I was only hoping to put a Blackheath perspective on the site as a TfWM Sandwell Bus Champion. SORRY & HAPPY CHRISTMAS

[richardjones210368]

Obviously I didn't mean "always" in a literal sense.

The 4H is an extension of the normal 4 between Blackheath and Hayley Green, a service between Walsall and Hayley Green never previously existed
R


You are wrong the 4H is not an extension of the 4 but a merger of the Diamond Bus 404E and 417 please feel free to correct me if you feel I am wrong I do agree however it created a thru service from Walsall to Hayley Green.

[Busboy105]

Obviously I didn't mean "always" in a literal sense.

The 4H is an extension of the normal 4 between Blackheath and Hayley Green, a service between Walsall and Hayley Green never previously existed
R


You are wrong the 4H is not an extension of the 4 but a merger of the Diamond Bus 404E and 417 please feel free to correct me if you feel I am wrong I do agree however it created a thru service from Walsall to Hayley Green.

So what would you do with the Walsall-Blackheath corridor?

[richardjones210368]

So what would you do with the Walsall-Blackheath corridor?

The corridor is currently a sound financial model with two operators both running high frequency services personally I would like the services bought within a West Midlands Bus Alliance agreement to allow better coordination on the corridor sadly however there is no chance at present when the idea was floated at the bus champion meetings whilst TfWM was in favour the operators were not keen on taking any hit on their margins on the 4 4H & 4M hence the 42 & 43 and 31 & 32 being used. To be honest they are not very keen on the West Midlands Bus livery roll out either.

[Westy]

The corridor is currently a sound financial model with two operators both running high frequency services personally I would like the services bought within a West Midlands Bus Alliance agreement to allow better coordination on the corridor sadly however there is no chance at present when the idea was floated at the bus champion meetings whilst TfWM was in favour the operators were not keen on taking any hit on their margins on the 4 4H & 4M hence the 42 & 43 and 31 & 32 being used. To be honest they are not very keen on the West Midlands Bus livery roll out either.

Is that why they've started using standard liveried vehicles?

[richardjones210368]

The livery is mandatory as part of the agreement but subject to vehicle availability the roll out is still underway and the Mayor aims to achieve all buses non platinum by the Commonwealth games will be in West Midlands Bus colours from what I understand

[winston]

The Mayor aims to achieve all buses non platinum by the Commonwealth games will be in West Midlands Bus colours from what I understand

What the Mayor wants & gets are two very different things.

As NX are still refurbishing their non Platinum fleet in Crimson, it's highly unlikey they will be repainting them again within 3 years in TfWM WMB livery prior to 2022. Plus, Platinum is only a NX brand, why should other operators give up their unique identities.

The Mayor & TfWM would do well to ditch white elephants like using artics on Sprint & spending hundreds of millions extending the Metro short distances within B'ham City Centre and causing endless distruption. The money would be far better spent improving bus priorities / infrasture / bus lanes / park & ride schemes that benefit the majority rather than minority.

[the trainbasher]

What the Mayor wants & gets are two very different things.

As NX are still refurbishing their non Platinum fleet in Crimson, it's highly unlikey they will be repainting them again within 3 years in TfWM WMB livery prior to 2022. Plus, Platinum is only a NX brand, why should other operators give up their unique identities.

The Mayor & TfWM would do well to ditch white elephants like using artics on Sprint & spending hundreds of millions extending the Metro short distances within B'ham City Centre and causing endless distruption. The money would be far better spent improving bus priorities / infrasture / bus lanes / park & ride schemes that benefit the majority rather than minority.

Well said @Winston. I dread to think how much taxpayers money is being wasted.

[richardjones210368]

What the Mayor wants & gets are two very different things.

As NX are still refurbishing their non Platinum fleet in Crimson, it's highly unlikey they will be repainting them again within 3 years in TfWM WMB livery prior to 2022. Plus, Platinum is only a NX brand, why should other operators give up their unique identities.

The Mayor & TfWM would do well to ditch white elephants like using artics on Sprint & spending hundreds of millions extending the Metro short distances within B'ham City Centre and causing endless distruption. The money would be far better spent improving bus priorities / infrasture / bus lanes / park & ride schemes that benefit the majority rather than minority.

The statutory bus partnership agreement I was involved in drawing up requires the operators to adopt the West Midlands Bus livery and what the Mayor wants IS what he will get we have statutory powers within the new Buses Act to compell operators this is not what we actually want as voluntary agreements are preferred however everything could change in May anyway. There are no plans currently to not proceed with Sprint.

[winston]

The statutory bus partnership agreement I was involved in drawing up requires the operators to adopt the West Midlands Bus livery and what the Mayor wants IS what he will get we have statutory powers within the new Buses Act to compell operators this is not what we actually want as voluntary agreements are preferred however everything could change in May anyway.

If that's the case, why didn't the Mayor force NXWM & Diamond to the jointly operate the 4 / 4H & 4M a pilot scheme under the WM Bus brand? You clearly said "OPERATORS WEREN'T KEEN" so the 31/32 & 42/43 were instead chosen.

Having the statutory powers & actually enforcing them are two very different things, the NEXUS quality contracts never happened, and TfGM quality contracts is getting very far/very fast. Bus operators are not going to give up commercial bus services without being compensated financially.