NXWM Branded routes

[Gareth]

Trying to remember if in east Brum we had "heartlands" branding I could be wrong.

There were route maps that carried a  WM Buses Heartlands logo but no external branding.

[Bus Man K2]

I thought of strting this topic to get viwes on wether its a good idea to ask NX to rebrand all branded services to just have a route e.g Stourbridge/Gornal-Lye/Merry Hill-Halesowen-Quinton-Bearwood-Birmingham on the side of the bus rather than the current selected route number and its route. As for so many times that interspers the 9 onto the X10 or and X10 into the 9. Although iI haven't seen many since. I just feel the other topic is all good but it just shows how many times a branded route bus is put on a rongly branded service (or a branded bus is put on a route that isn't branded. I've noticed a 4/4H/4M on a 3 before now. So my thinking of just having a route listed on the side of the bus i.e see above then there shouldn't be a problem.

[Pat]

I thought of strting this topic to get viwes on wether its a good idea to ask NX to rebrand all branded services to just have a route e.g Stourbridge/Gornal-Lye/Merry Hill-Halesowen-Quinton-Bearwood-Birmingham on the side of the bus rather than the current selected route number and its route. As for so many times that interspers the 9 onto the X10 or and X10 into the 9. Although iI haven't seen many since. I just feel the other topic is all good but it just shows how many times a branded route bus is put on a rongly branded service (or a branded bus is put on a route that isn't branded. I've noticed a 4/4H/4M on a 3 before now. So my thinking of just having a route listed on the side of the bus i.e see above then there shouldn't be a problem.

Minsterley Motors in Shrewsbury sort of do this.  On one side the have branding for the 435 service (Shrewsbury - Ludlow) and on the other, branding for the 552/553 (Shrewsbury - Minsterley/Ploxgreen/Stiperstones/Bishops Castle)

[winston]

I've noticed a 4/4H/4M on a 3 before now. So my thinking of just having a route listed on the side of the bus i.e see above then there shouldn't be a problem.

I don't see how you can have, the 3/3A are operated by WB garage, the 4/4H/4M are operated by WA garage.

[Bus Man K2]

I don't see how you can have, the 3/3A are operated by WB garage, the 4/4H/4M are operated by WA garage.

I'm pritty sure I have. Regadless of which garage it was operated out of.

To be fareit could be because WB were short of Vehicles so they got a bus from another garage to do it.

[Bus Man K2]

Minsterley Motors in Shrewsbury sort of do this.  On one side the have branding for the 435 service (Shrewsbury - Ludlow) and on the other, branding for the 552/553 (Shrewsbury - Minsterley/Ploxgreen/Stiperstones/Bishops Castle)

I don't see why NX can't do the same as Minsterley Motors then. I would like yo see NX do something rather that have branded route number and route. Just have branded route. At least then it could be used on either of thoes two services or any others if they have to.

[Pat]

I don't see why NX can't do the same as Minsterley Motors then. I would like yo see NX do something rather that have branded route number and route. Just have branded route. At least then it could be used on either of thoes two services or any others if they have to.

Minsterley Motors only operate on 2 corridors out of Shrewsbury, hence why this sort of branding works for them.  NX have many more routes and vehicles than Minsterley, so are going to have more vehicles off the road for whatever reasons, which in some cases can create vehicle shortages.  So even if NX branded vehicles like you suggested, they would still have the problem of branded buses being allocated to the 'wrong route' as they probably have no choice but to allocate it to that route.  E.g you could have a Wombourne corridor branded bus ending up on the Walsall corridor.

[Tony]

I'm pritty sure I have. Regadless of which garage it was operated out of.

To be fareit could be because WB were short of Vehicles so they got a bus from another garage to do it.

I'm fairly sure a branded 4 has never been at WB since the 3 started, it is WB that have had extra buses allocated for ages and I cannot remember  the last time they borrowed a bus. (846 is just a swap with an E400 while certain vehicles are trapped )

[Stu]

So my thinking of just having a route listed on the side of the bus i.e see above then there shouldn't be a problem.

To be honest, I think you're looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

The only problem with branded vehicles is that they occasionally need to be used on other services that they are not branded for.

Going back to my example of Yardley Wood, they currently only have buses branded for two routes - the 35 from Birmingham to Hawksley and the 50 from Birmingham to Druids Heath.

To be fair to YW garage, it is quite rare (from my own observations around the area) to actually see those branded vehicles used on other routes.

But in my opinion, it would make no difference if the 50 branded buses omitted the '50' and just showed 'Birmingham - Balsall Heath - Moseley - Kings Heath - Druids Heath', if that vehicle ended up on the 49 or 76 for example.

While route branding does work in numerous examples quoted elsewhere in this forum, you will still have instances where a 50-branded bus showing '50 Druids Heath' on the front display in big white LED letters arrives at a stop, and someone will ask the driver "you going to Druids Heath mate?"

And on the flipside, you'll have a bus plastered with 11 Outer Circle branding turn up on the 4 or 4A, and passengers won't pay any attention and just get on, because they want to catch the 4 or 4A.

I just feel the other topic is all good but it just shows how many times a branded route bus is put on a rongly branded service (or a branded bus is put on a route that isn't branded.

You're missing the point of the Route branded buses off-route topic here; it's just a bit of fun, and a sort of 'game' for the bus spotters amongst us.

Branded vehicles will end up on other routes at some point, so its a bit of fun to make a note of them.

[Pat]

To be honest, I think you're looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

The only problem with branded vehicles is that they occasionally need to be used on other services that they are not branded for.

Going back to my example of Yardley Wood, they currently only have buses branded for two routes - the 35 from Birmingham to Hawksley and the 50 from Birmingham to Druids Heath.

To be fair to YW garage, it is quite rare (from my own observations around the area) to actually see those branded vehicles used on other routes.

But in my opinion, it would make no difference if the 50 branded buses omitted the '50' and just showed 'Birmingham - Balsall Heath - Moseley - Kings Heath - Druids Heath', if that vehicle ended up on the 49 or 76 for example.

While route branding does work in numerous examples quoted elsewhere in this forum, you will still have instances where a 50-branded bus showing '50 Druids Heath' on the front display in big white LED letters arrives at a stop, and someone will ask the driver "you going to Druids Heath mate?"

And on the flipside, you'll have a bus plastered with 11 Outer Circle branding turn up on the 4 or 4A, and passengers won't pay any attention and just get on, because they want to catch the 4 or 4A.

You're missing the point of the Route branded buses off-route topic here; it's just a bit of fun, and a sort of 'game' for the bus spotters amongst us.

Branded vehicles will end up on other routes at some point, so its a bit of fun to make a note of them.

WA seem to be the worst for it as I always see a 34/39 branded on the 4/H/M.

[Bus Man K2]

To be honest, I think you're looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

The only problem with branded vehicles is that they occasionally need to be used on other services that they are not branded for.

Going back to my example of Yardley Wood, they currently only have buses branded for two routes - the 35 from Birmingham to Hawksley and the 50 from Birmingham to Druids Heath.

To be fair to YW garage, it is quite rare (from my own observations around the area) to actually see those branded vehicles used on other routes.

But in my opinion, it would make no difference if the 50 branded buses omitted the '50' and just showed 'Birmingham - Balsall Heath - Moseley - Kings Heath - Druids Heath', if that vehicle ended up on the 49 or 76 for example.

While route branding does work in numerous examples quoted elsewhere in this forum, you will still have instances where a 50-branded bus showing '50 Druids Heath' on the front display in big white LED letters arrives at a stop, and someone will ask the driver "you going to Druids Heath mate?"

And on the flipside, you'll have a bus plastered with 11 Outer Circle branding turn up on the 4 or 4A, and passengers won't pay any attention and just get on, because they want to catch the 4 or 4A.

You're missing the point of the Route branded buses off-route topic here; it's just a bit of fun, and a sort of 'game' for the bus spotters amongst us.

Branded vehicles will end up on other routes at some point, so its a bit of fun to make a note of them.

Actually @Stu I'm not missing the point of the other topic. I am just mearly pointing out that for roue branded buses there could becanother way to brand buses. As has been said, Minsterley Motors do it for the 435 and another service so why can't NX?

[ellspurs]

Actually @Stu I'm not missing the point of the other topic. I am just mearly pointing out that for roue branded buses there could becanother way to brand buses. As has been said, Minsterley Motors do it for the 435 and another service so why can't NX?

Should just do what Delaine buses do in Bourne. Display as many routes as they can on the sides of the bus (from what rota it is usually on).

http://www.delainebuses.com/159.html

[Bus Man K2]

Should just do what Delaine buses do in Bourne. Display as many routes as they can on the sides of the bus (from what rota it is usually on).

http://www.delainebuses.com/159.html

Hi @ellspurs you're so right. But try exlaining that to NX or Tony for that matter!!😁

[Bus Man K2]

To be honest, I think you're looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

The only problem with branded vehicles is that they occasionally need to be used on other services that they are not branded for.

Going back to my example of Yardley Wood, they currently only have buses branded for two routes - the 35 from Birmingham to Hawksley and the 50 from Birmingham to Druids Heath.

To be fair to YW garage, it is quite rare (from my own observations around the area) to actually see those branded vehicles used on other routes.

But in my opinion, it would make no difference if the 50 branded buses omitted the '50' and just showed 'Birmingham - Balsall Heath - Moseley - Kings Heath - Druids Heath', if that vehicle ended up on the 49 or 76 for example.

While route branding does work in numerous examples quoted elsewhere in this forum, you will still have instances where a 50-branded bus showing '50 Druids Heath' on the front display in big white LED letters arrives at a stop, and someone will ask the driver "you going to Druids Heath mate?"

And on the flipside, you'll have a bus plastered with 11 Outer Circle branding turn up on the 4 or 4A, and passengers won't pay any attention and just get on, because they want to catch the 4 or 4A.

You're missing the point of the Route branded buses off-route topic here; it's just a bit of fun, and a sort of 'game' for the bus spotters amongst us.

Branded vehicles will end up on other routes at some point, so its a bit of fun to make a note of them.

Tony there is definatly a problem. I have experience it on quite a few time that brandwd buses are put on wrong routes because of lack of other vehicles and other reasons which I know can't be helped. So the way I look at it there dose need to be someting done aboute it. If it's my suggestion then to put several destination on the side of a bus but no number which is currecntly branded for a particular route then it's the way to go!!!  Don't have a got at a passenger for giving their view of things that NX may be doing wrong, everyone is entiteld to have their own opinion. If that means that their're picking up on someproblem that you think there're trting to make up then so be it. But there's ways of talking to then and not simply to shut them down/up.

[Tony]

Tony there is definatly a problem. I have experience it on quite a few time that brandwd buses are put on wrong routes because of lack of other vehicles and other reasons which I know can't be helped. So the way I look at it there dose need to be someting done aboute it. If it's my suggestion then to put several destination on the side of a bus but no number which is currecntly branded for a particular route then it's the way to go!!!  Don't have a got at a passenger for giving their view of things that NX may be doing wrong, everyone is entiteld to have their own opinion. If that means that their're picking up on someproblem that you think there're trting to make up then so be it. But there's ways of talking to then and not simply to shut them down/up.

Why is it such a problem to you.

It is advertising. Telling people about services. If you see an advert for Tunisia on the side you don't think it is going there. Yes garages are supposed to try to keep them on the branded route and see are better than others, but does it really matter that people around the University today are being told there's a platinum route to Coventry and how frequent it is? You never know it might even gain a passenger for the X1