90's Clearance :- Night Network That Can Never See Returning.

[monkeyjoe]

Wow found this gem when clearing out rubbish. I am assuming this must be 1994 ish when used to go to Pulse on Thursday nights. I remember catching the 94n on Smallbrook Queensway back in the day.

I am pretty sure for a while it started with the 94/96 n as the trial, I don't think this network lasted long. (One person would ask to get off to buy fags and then the whole bus would join the queue at the forecourt lol

[Gareth]

Wow found this gem when clearing out rubbish. I am assuming this must be 1994 ish when used to go to Pulse on Thursday nights. I remember catching the 94n on Smallbrook Queensway back in the day.

I am pretty sure for a while it started with the 94/96 n as the trial, I don't think this network lasted long. (One person would ask to get off to buy fags and then the whole bus would join the queue at the forecourt lol

This would be later than 1994 as it's TWM branded. So I'm thinking possibly about 1998.

[2206]

What route would the 944N have taken between Five Ways and B'ham Uni? Would it have gone via Edgbaston Park Road, Pritchatts Road, etc, like the X20/X21/X22 do today or took a different route? And how did it get to Frankley from B'ham Uni?

[ellspurs]

When I googled "944N", the only pertinent response I got was to the following post on this forum:

Came across a couple of Centro maps from 1998 and 1999 while having a rummage in the loft yesterday. A couple of Bristol Road routes from the time that I'd completely forgotten about:

949 Bham to Gannow - limited stop, Saturdays only (on the 1998 map but had gone by 1999)
961 Bham to Frankley - looked like a peak only service to complement the 61

944N Bham to Gannow via Edgbaston and Weoley Castle (pretty short-lived too).

Just trying to see if I can find a copy of the map online to look at the route.

[monkeyjoe]

This would be later than 1994 as it's TWM branded. So I'm thinking possibly about 1998.

I can only conclude the night networks from via Broad Street operated by WMT or Travel Wst M ran for longer than i thought . Wouldn't have been 1998 i was catching them as we living in Aston Uni tower blocks then. Just noticed all seem to be run by Birmingham Central too.

[Gareth]

The last TWM Night service I recall using were the special ones put on for the Millenium. I recall getting a MK1 metrobus run from PB on the 55N.

It would have been somewhere between 1999-2001ish when I was regularly using 94N night buses at weekends, but they were run from Colmore Row and were operated by Pete's Travel.

[PB2938]

There was some Wolverhampton night services also around 1998- 1999 numbered 901 902 903 series.

The 944 was similar route to 44 to serve University from Birmingham. The 44 is now covered by X21 X20 routes Birmngham - University routes. Many WMT Night services was withdrawn by 1995. Then relaunched 1998 just Saturdays but gone by 2000. Petes Travel did keep some routes on well sutton definitely 104 Birmingham - Mere Green.

Today we just have a 0100 departure on key routes plus

X1 63 not sure what night services survive as well.

[ellspurs]

There was some Wolverhampton night services also around 1998- 1999 numbered 901 902 903 series.

The 944 was similar route to 44 to serve University from Birmingham. The 44 is now covered by X21 X20 routes Birmngham - University routes. Many WMT Night services was withdrawn by 1995. Then relaunched 1998 just Saturdays but gone by 2000. Petes Travel did keep some routes on well sutton definitely 104 Birmingham - Mere Green.

Today we just have a 0100 departure on key routes plus

X1 63 not sure what night services survive as well.

https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/information/useful-information/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services

Just missed the 74.

There're some services that only see a 2-3 hour gap in service like the x12 (first bus from Solihull 0315, last bus 2350 7 days a week) and the 97 (largest gap between departures is 2 hours, 0150 and 0350 from Coleshill Heath Road towards Birmingham 7 days a week).

[2206]

The 944 was similar route to 44 to serve University from Birmingham. The 44 is now covered by X21 X20 routes Birmngham - University routes. Many WMT Night services was withdrawn by 1995.

Thanks for the info. What was used on the 944? Single deckers or double deckers?

https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/information/useful-information/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services
Just missed the 74.

That's an old link as well. I think the 74 only runs Weekends in the early hours of the morning as well now. So not 24/7 anymore, as the page states. Timetable shows a 3 hour gap between 1AM and 4AM on Weekday nights.

[Busboy105]

There was some Wolverhampton night services also around 1998- 1999 numbered 901 902 903 series.

The 944 was similar route to 44 to serve University from Birmingham. The 44 is now covered by X21 X20 routes Birmngham - University routes. Many WMT Night services was withdrawn by 1995. Then relaunched 1998 just Saturdays but gone by 2000. Petes Travel did keep some routes on well sutton definitely 104 Birmingham - Mere Green.

Today we just have a 0100 departure on key routes plus

X1 63 not sure what night services survive as well.

I think the 9 is 24-hour on Fridays and Saturdays.

[ellspurs]

Thanks for the info. What was used on the 944? Sinle deckers or double deckers?That's an old link as well. I think the 74 only runs Weekends in the early hours of the morning as well now. So not 24/7 anymore, as the page states. Timetable shows a 3 hour gap between 1AM and 4AM on Weekday nights.

Ah, I assumed that they'd at least keep it up to date on there. Although why I assumed that, when the Platinum pages are in a need of update as well, I'll never know.

[2206]

I think the 9 is 24-hour on Fridays and Saturdays.

Think the 50 was as well.
Though current timetable on NX Bus site dated 5th July 2020 for the 9 and 50. Seems to show no 24 hour operation.
Is that COVID related or was the night service on the 9 and 50 was dropped quietly at some point?

[Busboy105]

Think the 50 was as well.
Though current timetable on NX Bus site dated 5th July 2020 for the 9 and 50. Seems to show no 24 hour operation.
Is that COVID related or was the night service on the 9 and 50 was dropped quietly at some point?

Probably, yeah.

[l.murphy123]

In reference to the 51N - the 51 runs late to Walsall until 01:02 from Lower Bull Street all week.

The 97 to Coleshill is 24/7

Just used Wayback Machine and the NX site used to list the 50 as being 24/7 but seems it isn't anymore (https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/information/useful-information/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services)

[2206]

In reference to the 51N - the 51 runs late to Walsall until 01:02 from Lower Bull Street all week.

The 97 to Coleshill is 24/7

The 97 has never gone to Coleshill and isn't 24/7 either.
That's the 51, in regards to the 51N if you read the original post this is from the 90's when there would have been a 24/7 service. The 51N, 944N, 44, etc don't run anymore.