585

[J GL]

Does anyone know about the history of the 585 route as I am just interested

[Justin Tyme]

Midland Red started the 585 in 1921 and ran it as Coventry - Brinklow - Rugby until bus service deregulation in 1986.  At that point Midland Red South cut it back to Rugby - Brinklow only, and Warwickshire County Council funded a once-a-day 685 running Rugby - Coventry, which was run by a number of operators over the years.

In 1994 the 585 and 685 were merged to run through to Coventry again as 585.  After a short period with Midland Red South, it passed to A-Line Coaches (Bedworth) in 1995.  It did well and had its frequency improved throughout to hourly (the best ever) in 1998.

Travel De Courcey won the tender for the service in 2002 and has run it ever since - for some years mainly if not totally commercially, I believe.  De Courcey improved the frequency further to half-hourly at some point.  A Sunday service was added in 2009 but that passed to Stagecoach in 2018.

[paulb1973]

De Courcey have run (or currently do run) various off-shoots as 585a, 585b, 585s and I think 585x.

[Justin Tyme]

De Courcey have run (or currently do run) various off-shoots as 585a, 585b, 585s and I think 585x.

A De Courcey idea to number the variants.  585a is for via Monks Kirby, 585b for via Easenhall.  585s and 785 (neither currently running) continue from Rugby town centre to various schools.

De Courcey did the same with the 74 Coventry - Nuneaton when they ran it - 74A was via Abbotsford Road and 74B via Burton Hastings.

[Sandy Lane]

Travel De Courcey won the tender for the service in 2002 and has run it ever since - for some years mainly if not totally commercially, I believe.  De Courcey improved the frequency further to half-hourly at some point.  A Sunday service was added in 2009 but that passed to Stagecoach in 2018.

The 585 ran into Coventry town centre and then TDC extended the route to Coventry station. Later a shorter run from the station to Coventry hospital was also introduced by TDC as the 85.

[J GL]

Midland Red started the 585 in 1921 and ran it as Coventry - Brinklow - Rugby until bus service deregulation in 1986.  At that point Midland Red South cut it back to Rugby - Brinklow only, and Warwickshire County Council funded a once-a-day 685 running Rugby - Coventry, which was run by a number of operators over the years.

In 1994 the 585 and 685 were merged to run through to Coventry again as 585.  After a short period with Midland Red South, it passed to A-Line Coaches (Bedworth) in 1995.  It did well and had its frequency improved throughout to hourly (the best ever) in 1998.

Travel De Courcey won the tender for the service in 2002 and has run it ever since - for some years mainly if not totally commercially, I believe.  De Courcey improved the frequency further to half-hourly at some point.  A Sunday service was added in 2009 but that passed to Stagecoach in 2018.

Thanks for the information it's really interesting. The 585 is an ancient route then I guess. Do you know anything about the 583 or 582 (basically any other routes than ran through Brinklow) apart from the fact that 583 is now a school route.

[Justin Tyme]

Yes, the 585 (actually numbered 45 from 1921 to 1925, then 435 until 1928) was one of the earlier routes in the Coventry area run by Midland Red.

The 583 was used from circa 1939 until 1988 for journeys via Easenhall instead of Pailton.  They used to be part of 585 before then and became part of 585 afterwards.  Warwickshire County Council then quite quickly used the number for a school service.

During the 1930s the 586 had occasional Coventry - Wolston - Brinklow journeys, and from around 1957 to 1968 there was a 582 Rugby - Wolston - Brinklow - Coventry, running once a day.

In addition to the 585, there was another daily route through Brinklow for many years, running three or four times a day.  This was the X62 Coventry - Brinklow - Lutterworth - Market Harborough, which started in 1946.  Despite the X number it wasn't actually Limited Stop, and in 1966 it was renumbered 545.  It was cut back to Coventry - Lutterworth only in 1978 and was withdrawn in 1981.

A quick word about Midland Red route numbers.  Numbers were used from 1 upwards (largely in order of the start date) until 1925, when the company decided on an area-based numbering system.  However, expansion was so rapid at that time that another area-based renumbering had to be done in 1928.  That one stood the test of time, and a few numbers in the "1928 series" are still in use today.  Examples are Stagecoach 500 Banbury - Brackley, First 144 Birmingham - Worcester, Arriva 825 Stafford - Lichfield and NXWM 126 Birmingham - Dudley.

[J GL]

Yes, the 585 (actually numbered 45 from 1921 to 1925, then 435 until 1928) was one of the earlier routes in the Coventry area run by Midland Red.

The 583 was used from circa 1939 until 1988 for journeys via Easenhall instead of Pailton.  They used to be part of 585 before then and became part of 585 afterwards.  Warwickshire County Council then quite quickly used the number for a school service.

During the 1930s the 586 had occasional Coventry - Wolston - Brinklow journeys, and from around 1957 to 1968 there was a 582 Rugby - Wolston - Brinklow - Coventry, running once a day.

In addition to the 585, there was another daily route through Brinklow for many years, running three or four times a day.  This was the X62 Coventry - Brinklow - Lutterworth - Market Harborough, which started in 1946.  Despite the X number it wasn't actually Limited Stop, and in 1966 it was renumbered 545.  It was cut back to Coventry - Lutterworth only in 1978 and was withdrawn in 1981.

A quick word about Midland Red route numbers.  Numbers were used from 1 upwards (largely in order of the start date) until 1925, when the company decided on an area-based numbering system.  However, expansion was so rapid at that time that another area-based renumbering had to be done in 1928.  That one stood the test of time, and a few numbers in the "1928 series" are still in use today.  Examples are Stagecoach 500 Banbury - Brackley, First 144 Birmingham - Worcester, Arriva 825 Stafford - Lichfield and NXWM 126 Birmingham - Dudley.

This is really interesting thanks. Where do you get all of this from?! Regarding the 583, that used to be my school bus and I know the 584 is also a school bus route now as well. I have always wondered about a bus route in the present day from Coventry to Lutterworth via Brinklow and Pailton but I wouldn't be sure how profitable it would be and I doubt any council would particularly want to tender it. I have seen a picture of the 582 ran by deCourcey with the blind set to Brinklow on Flickr as well but overall, pictures are scarce.

I wonder why the 586 went through Brinklow sometimes but if I recall rightly (please correct me if necessary) it is now the 86. There seemed to be lots of routes all with 86 that went through Binley Woods like the 686, 666 and X86. Not sure why though? It's interesting to see how many 'niche' and indirect routes there were years back but it would make sense as car ownership was far lower. I wonder what will happen in the next 20 years.

Also, are you aware of any pictures of the X62.
Kind regards.

[J GL]

De Courcey have run (or currently do run) various off-shoots as 585a, 585b, 585s and I think 585x.

Thanks, I have not heard of the 585x though...

[Justin Tyme]

This is really interesting thanks. Where do you get all of this from?! Regarding the 583, that used to be my school bus and I know the 584 is also a school bus route now as well. I have always wondered about a bus route in the present day from Coventry to Lutterworth via Brinklow and Pailton but I wouldn't be sure how profitable it would be and I doubt any council would particularly want to tender it. I have seen a picture of the 582 ran by deCourcey with the blind set to Brinklow on Flickr as well but overall, pictures are scarce.

I wonder why the 586 went through Brinklow sometimes but if I recall rightly (please correct me if necessary) it is now the 86. There seemed to be lots of routes all with 86 that went through Binley Woods like the 686, 666 and X86. Not sure why though? It's interesting to see how many 'niche' and indirect routes there were years back but it would make sense as car ownership was far lower. I wonder what will happen in the next 20 years.

Also, are you aware of any pictures of the X62.
Kind regards.

I take an interest in Warwickshire and have done some historical research.  Most information has come from Omnibus Magazines of the period.  These were and still are produced by the Omnibus Society, which records bus service changes nationwide (its Midland Branch Bulletin covers the Midlands - see https://www.omnibus-society.org/branches/midland/).

You are correct - what used to be the 586 is now the 86.  I don't know why there were some 586 journeys to Brinklow - there were Coventry - Wolston short workings for many years, and I can only guess that perhaps extending a few of these was considered more viable than running short journeys on the much quieter 585.

It's worth saying that routes in the 600 series (and now the 500 series) are/were schools services.  The only "normal" route on the Coventry - Wolston - Rugby corridor in recent times has been the 86 and occasional variants - talking of which the X86 was used (for a few years) for journeys that kept to the A428 instead of serving Long Lawford village).

There is an excellent colour photo of a BMMO S21 on the 545 in Market Harborough in the book "Midland Red Style" (Roger Torode and Malcolm Keeley).  Otherwise the best bet for X62/545 photos is bus museums and rally stands.

Finally, when the 545 was withdrawn, independent operators tried one-day-a-week services from the Pailton area to Lutterworth, but these disappeared in the 1980s.  As Brinklow and Pailton are in Warwickshire and Lutterworth is in Leicestershire, and as Coventry and Rugby are better draws for shopping, neither County Council has been tempted to fund such a service.

[J GL]

I take an interest in Warwickshire and have done some historical research.  Most information has come from Omnibus Magazines of the period.  These were and still are produced by the Omnibus Society, which records bus service changes nationwide (its Midland Branch Bulletin covers the Midlands - see https://www.omnibus-society.org/branches/midland/).

You are correct - what used to be the 586 is now the 86.  I don't know why there were some 586 journeys to Brinklow - there were Coventry - Wolston short workings for many years, and I can only guess that perhaps extending a few of these was considered more viable than running short journeys on the much quieter 585.

It's worth saying that routes in the 600 series (and now the 500 series) are/were schools services.  The only "normal" route on the Coventry - Wolston - Rugby corridor in recent times has been the 86 and occasional variants - talking of which the X86 was used (for a few years) for journeys that kept to the A428 instead of serving Long Lawford village).

There is an excellent colour photo of a BMMO S21 on the 545 in Market Harborough in the book "Midland Red Style" (Roger Torode and Malcolm Keeley).  Otherwise the best bet for X62/545 photos is bus museums and rally stands.

Finally, when the 545 was withdrawn, independent operators tried one-day-a-week services from the Pailton area to Lutterworth, but these disappeared in the 1980s.  As Brinklow and Pailton are in Warwickshire and Lutterworth is in Leicestershire, and as Coventry and Rugby are better draws for shopping, neither County Council has been tempted to fund such a service.

Thank you so much for this information. It would make sense then not to run from Coventry to Lutterworth even though I would probably end up using it but I would imagine being one of the only ones. If councils didn't tender lots of services, I very much imagine there would be very few routes left.