Old Bus Routes

[Rachvince53]

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!)

The 333 partly replaced the 531. It ran from Walsall Bradford Place (the 531 had started from the old St Paul's Bus Station) along the same route as the current 37 to Willenhall. From there it joined the 529 route but diverted off to serve Portobello emerging on Moseley Road near the fishing pool and Grapes pub. It then followed the 545 (now 82) route into Wolverhampton past Dean's High School.  It never served Bilston.

The 531 if I recall served the same route between Wolverhampton and Bentley but then followed a different route into Walsall emerging on to the 529 route on the other side of the M6 motorway.  Please note there was a later 531 which ran to Rocket Pool via Bilston. 

As to the 69, it was originally the 369 and followed the same route as today's 69 from Walsall but I think it then ran from Coppice Farm to Willenhall via the 41 route. The 364 terminated at Coppice Farm Estate running a one-way clockwise loop. 

[Wumpty]

The 333 partly replaced the 531. It ran from Walsall Bradford Place (the 531 had started from the old St Paul's Bus Station) along the same route as the current 37 to Willenhall. From there it joined the 529 route but diverted off to serve Portobello emerging on Moseley Road near the fishing pool and Grapes pub. It then followed the 545 (now 82) route into Wolverhampton past Dean's High School.  It never served Bilston.

The 531 if I recall served the same route between Wolverhampton and Bentley but then followed a different route into Walsall emerging on to the 529 route on the other side of the M6 motorway.  Please note there was a later 531 which ran to Rocket Pool via Bilston.

As to the 69, it was originally the 369 and followed the same route as today's 69 from Walsall but I think it then ran from Coppice Farm to Willenhall via the 41 route. The 364 terminated at Coppice Farm Estate running a one-way clockwise loop.

531 continued from Bentley joining the 341 route via Reedswood Park, Bentley Lane, Hollyhedge Lane and Wolverhampton Road to Walsall as the 41 does now. 

[Bus_user_jay]

333 was the same as the 37 to Willenhall (Never through New Invention), then it followed the 529 to Portobello Island, New Street, Vaughan Road, Hill Road and onto the Moseley Road. From the Moseley Road it followed the 544/545/546 to Wolverhampton (via Deans Road) but went a different route in the city centre - into Wolverhampton Bus Station via the Ring Road and Broad Street. Then not long before withdrawal, from the Moseley Road it followed the 529 straight down the Willenhall Road which always seemed a bit pointless.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

333 was the same as the 37 to Willenhall (Never through New Invention), then it followed the 529 to Portobello Island, New Street, Vaughan Road, Hill Road and onto the Moseley Road. From the Moseley Road it followed the 544/545/546 to Wolverhampton (via Deans Road) but went a different route in the city centre - into Wolverhampton Bus Station via the Ring Road and Broad Street. Then not long before withdrawal, from the Moseley Road it followed the 529 straight down the Willenhall Road which always seemed a bit pointless.

I thought it did wasn't sure after Wolverhampton so yeah The bloke caught the 69 if he went through Coppice 

[Bus_user_jay]

Anyone got any bus route maps of Wolverhampton from the 2000's? Would be great to have the City Centre too, map of the old Bus Station and what routes stopped where

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

I remember maybe 2014/15 maybe eairler when my Nan lived in Elderly Accomdation on Sandbeds Road in Willenhall seeing an NX Dennis Trident go past on the 28 where did the 28 go I know it Started in Wolverhampton and went Via Willenhall and New Invention but did I thought it went to Bilston so am trying to figure out the route if it did or did it go to Bloxwhich and do what the old 60 used to do and now the Current 9 and go via New Invention to Bloxwhich. But then that would have been covered by the 89 so I'm not sure which way it went

[Westy]

I remember maybe 2014/15 maybe eairler when my Nan lived in Elderly Accomdation on Sandbeds Road in Willenhall seeing an NX Dennis Trident go past on the 28 where did the 28 go I know it Started in Wolverhampton and went Via Willenhall and New Invention but did I thought it went to Bilston so am trying to figure out the route if it did or did it go to Bloxwhich and do what the old 60 used to do and now the Current 9 and go via New Invention to Bloxwhich. But then that would have been covered by the 89 so I'm not sure which way it went

I think it was Willenhall to Wolves via New Invention, using the 41 to New Invention, then the now 69 route to Wolves.

(If u were around when I uploaded my old Walsall maps up sometime back, the answer should be on one of those files!)

[Rachvince53]

It may have been what had been the 528 which ran from Wolves to Bilston via Wood End,  Ashmore Park and Willenhall and if I recall did serve New Invention. 

[Westy]

It may have been what had been the 528 which ran from Wolves to Bilston via Wood End,  Ashmore Park and Willenhall and if I recall did serve New Invention.

528 didnt serve New Invention.

[Rachvince53]

Found it on a Google map image from 2015. The service was 28E, not 28, and ran between Wolverhampton and Willenhall via New Invention and New Cross on evenings and Sundays. It was a tendered service also operated by Midland and Arriva at one time.
The 28 ran between New Invention and Wolves I think via Wood End and Ashmore Park.

[Westy]

Found it on a Google map image from 2015. The service was 28E, not 28, and ran between Ashmore Park and Willenhall via New Invention on evenings and Sundays. It was a tendered service also operated by Midland and Arriva at one time.
The 28 ran between New Invention and Wolves I think via Wood End and Ashmore Park.

Just checked Walsall May 2015 map & the 28 (daytimes) used the 41 route between Willenhall & New Invention, while the 28e ran via the 326 route evenings & Sundays, briefly restoring a evening & Sunday service along that section ditched in the late 80's / early 90's at a rough guess?

[Rachvince53]

Just checked Walsall May 2015 map & the 28 (daytimes) used the 41 route between Willenhall & New Invention, while the 28e ran via the 326 route evenings & Sundays, briefly restoring a evening & Sunday service along that section ditched in the late 80's / early 90's at a rough guess?

Yep, if I recall the 28E was replaced by the 40 (until that service was withdrawn) but due to Competitions commision investigating the sale of Arriva's Wednesfield operations to Rotala, all services had to continue to be operated as current resulting in both the 28E and 40 running at the same time. 

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Yep, if I recall the 28E was replaced by the 40 (until that service was withdrawn) but due to Competitions commision investigating the sale of Arriva's Wednesfield operations to Rotala, all services had to continue to be operated as current resulting in both the 28E and 40 running at the same time.

I remember Diamond sending VDL Wright Commander Buses or Darts on the 28E and also Arriva Darts I wouldn't have imagined the 40 replaced it. The 40 ran through Lodge Farm and Oringnally ran down the current 37 route down Stringes Lane to come into Willenhall neat the Vets and Morrisons Petrol Station. The 40 was then sent to follow the 529 as far as Willenhall Maccies/Temple then turned Left Onto Clarkes Lane then ran along Sandbeds Road as far as Lodge Farm. I remember when I used to visit my Nan if me and my Dad didn't either do her shopping in Willenhall Tesco and get on a 333X or 9 that were being diverted down Owen Road due to the bridge Works in Bentley to Wolverson Close, we would go to Morrisons in Willenhall where my dad would use his NX Pass and pay for me to get on either the 40 or 41 to get to Lodge Farm. The 40 was quicker the 41 took a long time to get to Lodge Farm and we had to walk it from Birchtree Hollow to Wolverson Close onto Sandbeds Road

[Rachvince53]

I remember Diamond sending VDL Wright Commander Buses or Darts on the 28E and also Arriva Darts I wouldn't have imagined the 40 replaced it. The 40 ran through Lodge Farm and Oringnally ran down the current 37 route down Stringes Lane to come into Willenhall neat the Vets and Morrisons Petrol Station. The 40 was then sent to follow the 529 as far as Willenhall Maccies/Temple then turned Left Onto Clarkes Lane then ran along Sandbeds Road as far as Lodge Farm. I remember when I used to visit my Nan if me and my Dad didn't either do her shopping in Willenhall Tesco and get on a 333X or 9 that were being diverted down Owen Road due to the bridge Works in Bentley to Wolverson Close, we would go to Morrisons in Willenhall where my dad would use his NX Pass and pay for me to get on either the 40 or 41 to get to Lodge Farm. The 40 was quicker the 41 took a long time to get to Lodge Farm and we had to walk it from Birchtree Hollow to Wolverson Close onto Sandbeds Road

Think you are correct in at least part but I do remember one of the Arriva drivers stating how the 40 left Willenhall just ahead of them and more customers had just started using the 28E when it was withdrawn. This would be when the 40 continued to Wolverhampton I think. Think also that was when the 69 was extended to replace in part the section of 28/28E to Wolverhampton via New Cross etc

[Midland 2541]

28, 28E came about in July 2011, replacing parts of the 369 (between Willenhall and New Invention) and the 528 (between Ashmore Park and Wolverhampton, though the section via New Cross Hospital was new, the 528 having previously gone down Thorneycroft Road and Cannock Road into Wolverhampton, rather than through Heath Town.).

Initially, the 28E was numbered that because it was a short working of the 28 on evenings & Sundays to New Invention only. After a while, the 28 having changed route in Wood End slightly so as to serve Wood End Road, rather than Bellamy Lane as it did upon starting, with the 28E staying via Bellamy Lane. It started under Midland, passing to Arriva when Arriva acquired Midland.

October 2014 saw the 28E extended to Willenhall along the 326's route, putting a bus back down Lane Head for the first time since the 342 went at the 2011 Review - the 326 Sunday service being withdrawn in 2007 - and now interworking with the 27 (Wolverhampton to Dudley via Sedgley and Gornal Wood) 

The 28 would be withdrawn in July 2016, replaced by the 69 being rerouted along its route between Wolverhampton and Ashmore Park. The 28E would soldier on a little bit longer, surviving long enough to pass to Diamond in April 2017 when Arriva pulled out of Wednesfield, being withdrawn on 22nd October 2017, and replaced by the 69 running Sundays; the evening journeys being dropped entirely.

As for vehicles on there, it was mostly Arriva's fleet of mini Pointer Darts and SB120/Cadets, though the 21xx E200s did appear when Wednesfield had them, and some of Wednesfield's oddballs occasionally escaped onto there (I had B10BLE 3618 on there one time in September 2015, and a DLA got on there at least once around the same time) 

The 40 started at the same time as the 28, and at least according to Centro literature of the time, replaced the 333 and 340 (the 340 between Walsall and Stroud Avenue, and the 333 between there and Wolverhampton). 

Originally, the route ran down Stringes Lane into Willenhall, but was rerouted along Clarkes Lane and Shepwell Green into Willenhall around 2014; the section via Deansfield being dropped at the same time iirc. The 40 would be withdrawn in July 2016, and replaced by the 37 running over the original 333 route (via Darlaston) and an increased 41.