Old Bus Routes

[CBBUser]

The 99 and nowadays the 53 provides a link to Heartlands Hospital - that may be why it is subsidised?

I think Smith's Wood is 'overserved'. I wonder whether every other 94 could run directly along Chester Road between Hurst Lane and Bacon's End Island - I imagine it would be a fair bit quicker. Under normal timetable that would give 4 buses per hour along Auckland Drive, 3 along Windward Way (X12) and 4 along Chester Road...+ The Claribels service.

[Pat]

Exactly my point. Smiths Wood is kinda under-bussed in a sense. Yes the 94 does serve Smiths Wood and is high frequency but still.

This is one thing that annoys me.  Why do people in areas with high frequency services complain and want more?  They really do not realise how lucky they are.  I could only wish for a frequent service, but sadly that can't be sustained in the area that I live.

[Tony]

This is one thing that annoys me.  Why do people in areas with high frequency services complain and want more?  They really do not realise how lucky they are.  I could only wish for a frequent service, but sadly that can't be sustained in the area that I live.

When I grew up there it had 6 buses an hour.

The 194 was every 30 minutes to City, with a couple of peak extras and started at Arran Way, didn't go to Chelmsley Wood. The 175 started there and went to Chelmsley Wood then onto Solihull every 30 minutes and the 195 started at Arran Way to City via Bordelsley Green. Then there was the peak only 162 to City via Tyburn Road, so services have improved no end.

[Steveminor]

The 99 and nowadays the 53 provides a link to Heartlands Hospital - that may be why it is subsidised?

I think Smith's Wood is 'overserved'. I wonder whether every other 94 could run directly along Chester Road between Hurst Lane and Bacon's End Island - I imagine it would be a fair bit quicker. Under normal timetable that would give 4 buses per hour along Auckland Drive, 3 along Windward Way (X12) and 4 along Chester Road...+ The Claribels service.

That section is covered by the 71 & loading would suggest that its servered by the correct frequency so it doesn't require more buses, Auckland drive can generate a lot of passengers as you see when there has been a slight delay on the 94 then stops can be very busy.

It wouldn't be right to dilute the service provision for Auckland drive to place buses on an already adequately served road

[midlandred2003]

Memories Tony I remember waiting at the clock garage after getting of a 28 watching the 194 sail past full and having to wait for the next one, until I realized if I walked to the next stop up the hill you had a better chance of getting on. 

[Sh4318]

This is one thing that annoys me.  Why do people in areas with high frequency services complain and want more?  They really do not realise how lucky they are.  I could only wish for a frequent service, but sadly that can't be sustained in the area that I live.

Absolutely this, every route I live within 5 minutes of is essentially every half an hour (every 15 minutes when combined with other services)

[Pat]

Absolutely this, every route I live within 5 minutes of is essentially every half an hour (every 15 minutes when combined with other services)

I'd be grateful for even a half hourly service!

[Busboy105]

This is one thing that annoys me.  Why do people in areas with high frequency services complain and want more?  They really do not realise how lucky they are.  I could only wish for a frequent service, but sadly that can't be sustained in the area that I live.

Some people complain because the high-frequency routes are often unreliable *cough cough the BY17 cough cough*.

[Pat]

Some people complain because the high-frequency routes are often unreliable *cough cough the BY17 cough cough*.

But low frequency routes can be as equally unreliable.  My local service often runs late in the evening as it gets stuck on Tettenhall Road.  If a bus on a high frequency route is a no show for whatever reason, you don't have as long to wait for the next one.

That said, the train service I use to commute to Shrewsbury every day is regular (every 30 mins) and I've always got the option to wait for the one half an hour behind if mine is a no show.  I always catch one earlier than I need to in case  of any disruptions and so that I'm not late in Shrewsbury.

[fleetline6477]

The 123 was one of my favourite routes and has certainly had an interesting history post MRW. It's a shame to see how it ended.

I also love the history of routes such as the 440, 443 and 445.

It was a great move at the time linking the 123 and the 440.

Does anyone remember when Birmingham Coach Company linked the 221 and 443?

Linking the 123 and 440 was in many ways a disaster, the route was far too long, passing through many busy centres. If I remember it was about 80 minutes end to end with 5 minutes turnaround at each end, timekeeping was impossible and the service was totally unreliable.

The route also caused a lot of confusion in Handsworth area, many locals assumed buses coming up the Soho Road displaying Merry Hill were going as far as Winson Green only.

[WyreForestShuttle]

Linking the 123 and 440 was in many ways a disaster, the route was far too long, passing through many busy centres. If I remember it was about 80 minutes end to end with 5 minutes turnaround at each end, timekeeping was impossible and the service was totally unreliable.

The route also caused a lot of confusion in Handsworth area, many locals assumed buses coming up the Soho Road displaying Merry Hill were going as far as Winson Green only.

The section of route between Merry Hill and Rowley Regis continues to operate hourly today as National Express West Midlands  Service 14A although operating to a slightly different route in Old Hill.

The section of route between Bearwood & Rowley Regis has been completely lost with no replacement service following the withdrawal of NXWM 13B in the summer of 2019.

After a long period of operation by BCC the 221 was merged with the 443 taken over from Midland Red West & subsequently withdrawn due to similar reliability issues as the merged 123/440 & proving unrenumerative.

The 221 continues in a similar way today as NXWM 48 & 48A services however again there is no direct replacement for the 443.

[ellspurs]

One thing I've been thinking about recently: how did the 35 route come about in the late 90s to be Birmingham - Moseley - Kings Heath - Pool Farm - Hawkesley - Northfield - Bournville - Kings Heath?

Seemed a bit odd that the bus ran Birmingham - Kings Heath, then basically did a circular route to/from Hawkesley.

It was later split up into the 35 and 27 routes, both of which received branded buses.

[the trainbasher]

One thing I've been thinking about recently: how did the 35 route come about in the late 90s to be Birmingham - Moseley - Kings Heath - Pool Farm - Hawkesley - Northfield - Bournville - Kings Heath?

Seemed a bit odd that the bus ran Birmingham - Kings Heath, then basically did a circular route to/from Hawkesley.

It was later split up into the 35 and 27 routes, both of which received branded buses.

I think (but am not 100% sure) that it has something to do with travel yourbus and the 84/85?

[ellspurs]

I think (but am not 100% sure) that it has something to do with travel yourbus and the 84/85?

I remember TYB with the 53Y and 54Y doing various things via Cotteridge, and the A6Y/C6Y, but I think these were still in operation in the late 1990s.

Similarly, I remember the 83/84/85 being operated by MRW around this time.

I always found it weird that in order to get to Pineapple Road, Kings Heath, it was quicker to catch the 35/50 from Birmingham, get off in Kings Heath and go catch the 35 again going in the other direction to get to Pineapple Road. At the time it was only being serviced by the 35.

EDIT: I found some info out by looking at timetables for sale on ebay.

In the early 90s, the 35 ran to Hawkesley via Pool Farm, and there was a circular 27A/C route that ran in the South of Birmingham, via Kings Heath, Hawkesley, Turves Green and Bournville. Then some evening/Sunday services on the 27 got combined with the 35 to run back through to Birmingham. Then this got reverted, then the routes were combined it seems.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/West-Midlands-Travel-route-35-Birmingham-Bus-Timetable-September-1991/373082426489
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/West-Midlands-Travel-route-27-Birmingham-Bus-Timetable-August-1992/373080790854
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/West-Midlands-Travel-route-27-35-Birmingham-Bus-Timetable-September-1993/373080790790
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/West-Midlands-Buses-route-35-Birmingham-Bus-Timetable-March-1995/373080790812
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/West-Midlands-Travel-route-35-Birmingham-Bus-Timetable-April-1996/373082426453

[j789]

I think (but am not 100% sure) that it has something to do with travel yourbus and the 84/85?

I seem to remember one of my older fellow midland red drivers telling me that it was midland red who ran the first bus route to Hawkesley as the 84/85 and they should really made a success of it but unfortunately the route was inter worked with a longer distance route from Redditch in Birmingham city centre so it became unreliable. I believe WMT only operated the 35 to pool farm at that time so midland red had the estate to themselves with a bus from the city but couldn't get it to work sadly. I'm not 100% on this as like I say it's from another source but interesting nonetheless.