Old Bus Routes

[Rachvince53]

Remember the United Counties Coachlinks service X64 which ran from Birmingham (Bull Ring Bus Station) to Corby.  I used this or Midland Fox service 66 to get from Birmingham to Coventry instead of the 900 as they were quicker. The 66 ran to Leicester hourly (there was also one journey as X66 which omitted Coventry). The remnant of the 66/X66 is the X6 (Cov-Leicester). 

[Bob]

Going back even further I remember the

X12 Birmingham to Burton
X25 Stafford to Tamworth
X43 & X44 Birmingham to Worcester Motorway expresses (X43 via Quinton and X44 via Northfield)
X66 Birmingham to Leicester
X73 Worcester to Bristol (short lived service in the early 1980s)
X86 Birmingham to Stafford (short lived service in early 1980s)
X93 Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster (home of the MRW dual purpose Leyland National 2 1201-1206)
X96 Shrewsbury to Northampton via Birmingham
X99 Birmingham to Nottingham

X30/X31 Rgeley-Brum via Cannock
X55 Brum to Boney Hay/Cannock

The X86 to Stafford actually lasted well into the 90s as a peak hour express, Stevensons had it for a while

[Rachvince53]

Remember the X60/X61 which ran peak hours Mon-Fri between Wolverhampton and Wellington via the A5 and Ironbridge.  This was operated by Midland Red North (Tellus) in 1986 but later by Midland Red West despite the dead mileage from Kidderminster depot to Wellington.  It was withdrawn in the early 1990s.

[Westy]

Bearing in mind, we occasionally divert on other threads, regarding old bus routes, most recently on the Walsall Garage thread, & I said I'd have to get round to uploading my old maps at some point, that are a mixture of my own collecting & what I've picked up at the likes of Aston Manor, so I got my scanner set up & made a start.

I've done these on WeTransfer, mainly for copyright reasons, as the link will disappear after a week.

You've got PTE era maps, WM Travel maps & Centro onwards maps, based on Walsall, as that's where I'm based obviously, so any questions, if you download & take a butchers & any further questions, we can debate on here, if that's ok.

(It's certainly a little history lesson, in how certain routes developed & changed!)

https://we.tl/t-8UsDtvwo9L  - PTE era & Wm Travel era


https://we.tl/t-TyPusKLaiK - Centro onwards era

Obviously we can discuss other areas as well, subject to material being available.

WeTransfer - You just click the link, while it's valid & it comes up with a Download option, then just click that.
 

[markcf83]

Going back even further I remember the

X12 Birmingham to Burton

Didn't that become the 112 ultimately?

[danny]

Didn't that become the 112 ultimately?

Isn't this ultimately the x3 and Litchfield to Burton x12 today, remember the 112 being in town, also remember the X12 when Midland Classic Ran it to Sutton as used to be able to get to Derby in 2 buses X12 and X38 

[don]

In 1964, Midland Red Route X12 was Birmingham-Burton-Derby and 112 was Birmingham-Sutton Coldfield-Burton. 

At the same time most of 100-117 were variations of routes to or via Sutton Coldfield. The 110 to Tamworth, the 112 to Burton and the 116 to Tamworth (but via Curdworth and Kingsbury). Separately numbered 198 went to Tamworth but via Curdworth and Fazeley. 

WMPTE rationalised the ex Midland Red (Sutton Coldfield garage) and ex BCT (Miller Street garage) routes (a key route of Miller Street's was the 64 - Birmingham to the Yenton (City Boundary) via Erdington prior to that. 66 was Birmingham to Pype Hayes (City Boundary) via Tyburn Road at that time). 

[Rachvince53]

The 112 was operated by Stevensons for many years, there was also a short version numbered 111 at one time which ran between Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield I think. 

[windy miller]

Remember the United Counties Coachlinks service X64 which ran from Birmingham (Bull Ring Bus Station) to Corby.  I used this or Midland Fox service 66 to get from Birmingham to Coventry instead of the 900 as they were quicker. The 66 ran to Leicester hourly (there was also one journey as X66 which omitted Coventry). The remnant of the 66/X66 is the X6 (Cov-Leicester).

I have fond memories of the Midland Red service which ran from Birmingham to Nottingham
   which I would catch at Sutton coldfield... back in my steam spotting Saturdays on arrival at the Bus station in Nottingham about mid day I would race over to Nottm Victoria station to catch a local train to Grantham which left at 1 pm  on one occasion I was 'pulled' by a named B1 61000 " Springbok" which was based at Colwick  Unfortunately I could only stay for 3 hours as I needed to be back in Nottm to catch the last X99 back home from the bus station at 7.15pm  about 12/6d  (65p)  for a good day out    happy days

[Westy]

My old mum says she used to catch the X99 when she was a lot younger, to get to Newton Regis for holidays.

(Relatives I believe!)

[markcf83]

Isn't this ultimately the x3 and Litchfield to Burton x12 today, remember the 112 being in town, also remember the X12 when Midland Classic Ran it to Sutton as used to be able to get to Derby in 2 buses X12 and X38

Possibly. Others who know better can confirm or not.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Does anyone know the route of the old 333 A bloke at the Football yesterday as I mentioned to him the 997 which he gets back from Walsall was diverted down the main road, and said to him My Dad told me to never get the 997 to Birmingham as it takes ages, this started a chat, which a lad said don't get the 41 as it takes ages. I said to him I caught it once with my dad and it took 45 minutes to get from Willenhall to Stroud Aveune. It's not to bad to Walsall. He then mentioned the 69 taking ages. And this bloke then said oh the 333 took ages going all around New Invention and Coppice. I said to him I'm sure that is the 69 the 333 as I knew it ran from Walsall to Darlaston following the 34 then followed the 34 as far as Blockall where it did the modern day 37 ie Darlaston Green, Bentley into Lodge Farm, running either down Stringes Lane or Sandbeds Road to meet the 529 at Willenhall Maccies or followed the 37 now and the 40 which used to run down there to Willenhall before following the 529 to Wolverhampton like the 40 did from Portobello, the 40 only started going that way to the Temple a few years before it was withdrawn.

But did the 333 actually ever run through Coppice and New Invention following the 41, did the 41 replace it in those sections with the 333 decided to be rerouted that way before the 40 Which I believe replaced part of it's route as I know it was extended that way. I did say to him the 37 was listed as the 33 initially which is what the old 333 would be called today but they numbered it 37 after the old 327/337 which I do remember going from Walsall to Willenhall and seeing it in Darlaston many years ago did the 333 possibly replace that going the way the 37 does to Willenhall. As I was certain he had caught the 69 which goes through New Invention and Coppice

[Westy]

Does anyone know the route of the old 333 A bloke at the Football yesterday as I mentioned to him the 997 which he gets back from Walsall was diverted down the main road, and said to him My Dad told me to never get the 997 to Birmingham as it takes ages, this started a chat, which a lad said don't get the 41 as it takes ages. I said to him I caught it once with my dad and it took 45 minutes to get from Willenhall to Stroud Aveune. It's not to bad to Walsall. He then mentioned the 69 taking ages. And this bloke then said oh the 333 took ages going all around New Invention and Coppice. I said to him I'm sure that is the 69 the 333 as I knew it ran from Walsall to Darlaston following the 34 then followed the 34 as far as Blockall where it did the modern day 37 ie Darlaston Green, Bentley into Lodge Farm, running either down Stringes Lane or Sandbeds Road to meet the 529 at Willenhall Maccies or followed the 37 now and the 40 which used to run down there to Willenhall before following the 529 to Wolverhampton like the 40 did from Portobello, the 40 only started going that way to the Temple a few years before it was withdrawn.

But did the 333 actually ever run through Coppice and New Invention following the 41, did the 41 replace it in those sections with the 333 decided to be rerouted that way before the 40 Which I believe replaced part of it's route as I know it was extended that way. I did say to him the 37 was listed as the 33 initially which is what the old 333 would be called today but they numbered it 37 after the old 327/337 which I do remember going from Walsall to Willenhall and seeing it in Darlaston many years ago did the 333 possibly replace that going the way the 37 does to Willenhall. As I was certain he had caught the 69 which goes through New Invention and Coppice

Did you download the maps I put up the other week?

[ellspurs]

I did download those maps, and I also remember catching the 333 quite a bit. It did take forever to get from Walsall to Wolverhampton.

According to the map dated from the early 90s (the 350/351 were still running), the 333 ran from Walsall direct to Darlaston, then Darlaston Green, County Bridge, Bentley, Lodge Farm, Willenhall, Portabello, Moseley towards Bilston (map then cuts off) and from Bilston, it went to Wolverhampton although I don't think it went directly there. I think your recollection was better than his.

Map shows 341 snaking around New Invention and a 364 circling around Coppice Farm.



 

[Westy]

I did download those maps, and I also remember catching the 333 quite a bit. It did take forever to get from Walsall to Wolverhampton.

According to the map dated from the early 90s (the 350/351 were still running), the 333 ran from Walsall direct to Darlaston, then Darlaston Green, County Bridge, Bentley, Lodge Farm, Willenhall, Portabello, Moseley towards Bilston (map then cuts off) and from Bilston, it went to Wolverhampton although I don't think it went directly there. I think your recollection was better than his.

Map shows 341 snaking around New Invention and a 364 circling around Coppice Farm.



 

To be honest, as the Centro onwards maps were scanned in sections, I would've thought some clever soul might've stitched the sections together, but never mind eh!

Didn't the 333 originally serve the Deans Road area?

(There's a challenge for someone. Locate as many Wolves maps as poss & upload, like I did with Walsall!)