Blackheath Bus Services

[Jack]

Interesting the suggestion is then I walk.past the X8 bus stop in Blackheath to walk the extra half a mile to get a train to Snow Hill  from Rowley Regis Station to then get the X8 from outside Snow Hill Station back  to Edgbaston Francis Rd well its a different concept I will grant you.

It's hardly half a mile from Blackheath High Street to Rowley Regis Station, you could easily get a 4 down to the stop and just walk down Station Road... it's not that hard.

[Jack6101]

It's hardly half a mile from Blackheath High Street to Rowley Regis Station, you could easily get a 4 down to the stop and just walk down Station Road... it's not that hard.

it's like one stop and it's about 100-200yards past the jct with station road so easier just walking tbh

[Jack]

it's like one stop and it's about 100-200yards past the jct with station road so easier just walking tbh

Exactly, I don't understand what he is moaning about it being 'half a mile'. It only takes 15 minutes at most to walk it.

[Tony]

Exactly, I don't understand what he is moaning about it being 'half a mile'. It only takes 15 minutes at most to walk it.

And then get from Snow Hill to  Five Ways. Whilst I may disagree with his views on the X8 why woud anyone takeva 15 minute walk, a train,  another walk and then a bus, and pay more for the privilege when there is a direct bus

[richardjones210368]

And then get from Snow Hill to  Five Ways. Whilst I may disagree with his views on the X8 why woud anyone takeva 15 minute walk, a train,  another walk and then a bus, and pay more for the privilege when there is a direct bus

Although I would never use the train myself as the station is in a stupid location; I blame GWR; they also don't tend to have a top deck in the UK so you cant see anything off them and i am not one to stand about waiting let alone its goes nowhere near Edgbaston as Five Ways is on another line. I understand from mates who have an abject fear using the bus and will only use them with me when I wave a Daysaver5 under their noses the rail services from Rowley Regis of West Midlands Railway & Chiltern are quite popular and well used by some who prefer it to the bus service from Blackheath to  the City.

[winston]

@richardjones210368 - Blackheath/Halesowen thread & X8 thread have been merged in to the above as suggested.

[Kevin]

Known locally to my cousin who lives locally and uses them as Misery Motors he perceives them to be terrible operator and not a patch on the excellent service provided by Saregent Brothers....

Trying to work out the logic in dragging up a half year old topic just to slag off the operator...

[richardjones210368]

@richardjones210368 - Blackheath/Halesowen thread & X8 thread have been merged in to the above as suggested.

Thanks @Winston we can get Blackheath's world of bus in an one stop place for NXWM, Diamond Bus & Green Bus services and TfWM decisions effecting the town.

[Reece]

I am not going to make any further comment on Ludlows of Halesowen it is clear in the earlier posts I have made on the forum in the Blackheath & Halesowen forum why I consider Ludlows a "joke" in Blackheath the matter is closed.

I think you need to get your facts right mate I have know the old owner of Ludlows and his family very well for many years how dare you go around slagging them off. They were a very well respected company by passengers, drivers and even bus and coach seen. If u have problem with his company and his family that's your issue but don't u dare start say stuff like that!! And for the record Minsterley one miserable driver and he works the 552/553!

[richardjones210368]

I think you need to get your facts right mate I have know the old owner of Ludlows and his family very well for many years how dare you go around slagging them off. They were a very well respected company by passengers, drivers and even bus and coach seen. If u have problem with his company and his family that's your issue but don't u dare start say stuff like that!! And for the record Minsterley one miserable driver and he works the 552/553!

I repeat I am not going to make any further comment on Ludlows of Halesowen Limited save that I have the up most respect for its former owners and admire them greatly I wish them well in their retirement and in NO way wish to as you describe "go around slagging them off" which I have not done in any post it is clear in the earlier posts I have made on the forum in the Blackheath forum why I consider the now defunct COMPANY a "joke" in Blackheath the matter is closed. By the way Reece you have an excellent selection of photos on your flickr page they are first class and would recommend anyone to have a look at them & the Diamonds!

[fleetline6477]

I repeat I am not going to make any further comment on Ludlows of Halesowen Limited save that I have the up most respect for its former owners and admire them greatly I wish them well in their retirement and in NO way wish to as you describe "go around slagging them off" which I have not done in any post it is clear in the earlier posts I have made on the forum in the Blackheath forum why I consider the now defunct COMPANY a "joke" in Blackheath the matter is closed. By the way Reece you have an excellent selection of photos on your flickr page they are first class and would recommend anyone to have a look at them & the Diamonds!

I cannot see how in the light of comments you made about the Ludlows and their company in the Blackheath post on December 3rd that you can now claim to have the up most respect for them. Your comments have been very scathing and disrespectful to the company and therefore to them. It is interesting to note that when the Ludlow's put their company up for sale rather than simply closing down it was Diamond Bus who purchased their vehicles, took on most of their routes and employed their drivers. If Ludlows was the joke operator you are claiming them to be why would a reputable company like Diamond Bus want to waste money on purchasing them? You say that you don't want to make further comments on Ludlows I wonder if that is because of the high regard they were and are still held in by many?

[richardjones210368]

I cannot see how in the light of comments you made about the Ludlows and their company in the Blackheath post on December 3rd that you can now claim to have the up most respect for them. Your comments have been very scathing and disrespectful to the company and therefore to them. It is interesting to note that when the Ludlow's put their company up for sale rather than simply closing down it was Diamond Bus who purchased their vehicles, took on most of their routes and employed their drivers. If Ludlows was the joke operator you are claiming them to be why would a reputable company like Diamond Bus want to waste money on purchasing them? You say that you don't want to make further comments on Ludlows I wonder if that is because of the high regard they were and are still held in by many?

As an accountant I admire anyone starting a company and operating it I admire Derek & Pat I would NEVER have anything said about them and have the up most respect for them its is Ludlows of Halesowen Ltd a separate legal entity now struck off at Companies House which my comments are directed at as a regular user no one in Blackheath will ever forget Ludlows of Halesowen Limited and its attack on The Birmingham Coach Company Ltd 217 which set the tone for the next decade in Blackheath you were are a Birmingham Coach Company Ltd fan, in Halesowen you were a Ludlows of Halesowen Ltd fan it really was like Rangers & Celtic and you tell me why Ludlows of Halesowen Ltd  drivers on Gorsty Hill used to REFUSE to accept my BUSMASTER & would not let me board the 417 unless I paid again? I HATE Ludlows of Halesowen Ltd as a bus company but admire the owners for having the balls to have a go as I do Geoffrey Howle of BCC do you not think it was ironic that Ludlows of Halesowen ended up selling out to the company that has proudly serverd Blackheath for 33 years do you not realize The Birmingham Coach Company Ltd & Diamond Bus Ltd are the same company with the same Companies House registration number  but frankly no one wants to keep hearing my views on the ghosts of xmas past I consider the matter closed why keep bringing.it up?

[Jack]

Sorry for the late reply @Jack just got in from my lane swimming in over 10 years of using the 24 regularly with Igo, Diamond and now NXWM I have never ever seen a single person board in Siviters Lane or use it between Cradley Heath & Merry Hill so why run a bus to places no one uses when I did my audit on the route no one boarded in Siviters Lane also and the numbers using the bus to Merry Hill were well below the TfWM the contract minimum it continued due to the business case of NXWM to interwork with the 14A on the tender renewal replacing the 208 other than the change to the 24 this year I cannot recall any other change to the 24 other than it using Perry Park & Codsall to replace the NXWM 129 which was AXED by NXWM proving my point NXWM doesn't care about Blackheath. It is your opinion then Blackheath folk should continue to have the awful service it currently has instead of simple change that benefit all? My argument is to use the bus stop outside Poundland in order to benefit the majority of users of the 24 and for it to operate Cradley Heath to Dudley via Birmingham Road & frankly I would also curtail the 14A to Cradley Heath Interchange as its a total waste of resources for them both to serve Merry Hill when there are plenty of commercial alternatives.

NX clearly doesn't care about Blackheath, they gave the X8 Platinums, new Omnilinks on the 404 in 2008/9, the key services that serve the town centre have had investment and clearly NX do care about Blackheath... at least the key services through Blackheath have had an investment compared to East Birmingham where the route with newest buses was back in the 2003... yes you are correct, I'd shorten the 24 to Cradley Heath interchange and leave the 14A at Merry Hill.

[richardjones210368]

NX clearly doesn't care about Blackheath, they gave the X8 Platinum's, new Omnilinks on the 404 in 2008/9, the key services that serve the town centre have had investment and clearly NX do care about Blackheath... at least the key services through Blackheath have had an investment compared to East Birmingham where the route with newest buses was back in the 2003... yes you are correct, I'd shorten the 24 to Cradley Heath interchange and leave the 14A at Merry Hill.

Yes Jack your so right NX clearly doesn't care about Blackheath with 11 year old Scanias on the trunk 4 4H 4M & cast off Platinum's cascaded from another route on the X8 whilst brand new examples are allocated to Halesowens 9 & X10.

[Trident 4194]

Yes Jack your so right NX clearly doesn't care about Blackheath with 11 year old Scanias on the trunk 4 4H 4M & cast off Platinum's cascaded from another route on the X8 whilst brand new examples are allocated to Halesowens 9 & X10.

Your seriously moaning about not having a 68/69 plate platinum. Wow. You wouldn't be able to tell unless you were an enthusiast. Scanias have all recently been retrimmed and repainted which was hugely needed. There is no difference between any of the 66-69 plate platinums. People soon mess them up.