What are the longest-running bus routes in the Warwickshire/West Midlands Area?

[J GL]

On behalf of the news of DeCourcey sadly going into administration, it made me wonder what are the longest running routes in the West Mids/Warwickshire area. I know the 585 is very old which is has its near enough original number as well as other routes like the 86.

[Busboy105]

On behalf of the news of DeCourcey sadly going into administration, it made me wonder what are the longest running routes in the West Mids/Warwickshire area. I know the 585 is very old which is has its near enough original number as well as other routes like the 86.

Considering the amount of routes that have been changed/withdrawn over the years, it's probably hard to find one that's been running for a long period of time.

[Tony]

Considering the amount of routes that have been changed/withdrawn over the years, it's probably hard to find one that's been running for a long period of time.

The 1 between Five Ways and Acocks Green is basically the same route and service number for close on 100 years

[Sh4318]

How long has the 2 (Maypole - Birmingham) been running for?

[Steve3229vp]

How long has the 2 (Maypole - Birmingham) been running for?

It was originally a 24 City-Warstock introduced in 1930, re-numbered 2 in 1987, extended to Maypole in 1991 and re-routed via Stoney Lane in 2018 so it doesn't really qualify as a longest-running bus route bearing in mind it's changes in the last 33 years.

Longest running bus routes which have changed very little are:
60 City-Cranes Park introduced in 1951
74 Birmingham-West Bromwich-Dudley introduced in 1939
82 Birmingham-Bearwood introduced in 1939
87 Birmingham-Oldbury-Dudley introduced in 1939
The 74 and the 87 are two of only a few routes that had the same numbers when they were trams, so the 74 and 87 are very old.

[Ian Hardy]

Tony,

According to Malcolm Keeley's book "Birmingham Buses Route by Route 1925 – 1975" the service that is now route 1 gained that number from March 1916, as it is was route 9 from October 1914 when BCT took over the route from BMMO.

Some other old routes long standing routes that are similar today:

8 Inner Circle 08/02/1928
9 03/03/1919 between Birmingham & Quinton
11 Outer Circle 07/04/1926
14 13/12/1933
18 20/03/1929
27 02/10/1935

Ian Hardy

[BBS]

The 1 between Five Ways and Acocks Green is basically the same route and service number for close on 100 years

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

[Tony]

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

Really? If that was true it would have had single decks allocated

[Steve3229vp]

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

You're a regular user on the 1 are you ?

[MasterPlan]

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

I don't buy that to be honest. When I used to wait at Five Ways for the 29 I noticed that stop was very busy at peak times.

[2206]

I don't buy that to be honest. When I used to wait at Five Ways for the 29 I noticed that stop was very busy at peak times.

Probably depends on time of day/where they are seeing them i'd have thought.
They're probably seeing some of the less busier journeys on there or at quiet times of the day.

[bususer28]

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

You'll be very surprised! I find it incredibly useful because not everyone needs the city centre.

[MW]

The 1 is a busy route that warrants deckers at peak times. Off peak it can be quiet but during the peaks it can get very busy. The issue is that AM peak is busy towards Five Ways and very quiet towards Acocks Green. In PM peak it's the opposite.

Other routes like the 4 & 6 are busy both directions during peaks.

[Sh4318]

Really? That's Unbelievable.Not that many people tend to use it now-er days. :)

The main stretch of the route is every 10 minutes on weekdays, I'm not buying that

[x68]

Tram service78 Bus service 65 Birmingham -Short Heath have basically kept to same route since service started. 65 bus was extended to Perry Common 1986 still uses original route not including City Centre changes.