Wonder if NX will close any depots In West Midlands

[Tony]

Plus having a college with recently built engineering facilities by the depot, it could be beneficial for them. Don't know about now but I remember when I left the college back in 2014, JLR used to fund the courses and trainings there.   

NX have a partnership with South & City college for engineering training

[Gareth]

Longbridge area would be fairly logical. Huge site there still waiting for development to start.

There's been rumours of a new bus garage and a 'super garage' at Longbridge for at least 20 years. They're certainly taking their time building it!

[don]

They were expensive and designed for 80 years ago, much better to have new garages

I don't disagree at all with you, however -

Lea Hall was a 1950s garage - although seemingly based to an extent on the design of Yardley Wood (30s bus depot). It also had tons of spare capacity in BCT days, to the extent it usually accommodated a couple of long rows of withdrawn buses, and removed mechanical units prior to the buses being towed to Washwood Heath (waste land at the side), for collection by scrap merchants. The full capacity (including outside, and particularly the waste land at the side which was surfaced) was only fully utilised when Coventry Road was closed in 1985 and part of the allocation transferred.

Washwood Heath was originally a tramway depot for the Alum Rock services, converted to bus operation for services 55 and 56 in 1950. However, of more importance is its costly refurb and significant extension (covering the waste land mentioned above), completed in 1985, cost £2 million and also enabling the transfer of other services from Coventry Road and allowing it to close. (Whether the cost of Washwood Heath was recouped in the comparatively short period it remained before closure is an interesting question..).

Thus Wahwood Heath would have been designed for arrangements 35 - 40 yrs ago and Lea Hall, 70 yrs ago.

Interestingly the Coventry Wheatley St depot (opened 1986) had been in WMCC/WMPTA/WMPTE proposals since the mid 70s, serious complaints about noise affecting the adjacent residential area from the ex Coventry CT Harnall Lane depot having been a thorn in the PTE's side from taking over at Coventry in 1974 (they may have featured for many years before.

The noise issues at Quinton seemed to start in the early 50s (the garage was in a residential area), but was not assisted by the fact the Guy double deckers allocated in quantity there had particularly loud and vibration inducing exhausts. They could certainly rattle windows!!

[Tony]

I don't disagree at all with you, however -

Lea Hall was a 1950s garage - although seemingly based to an extent on the design of Yardley Wood (30s bus depot). It also had tons of spare capacity in BCT days, to the extent it usually accommodated a couple of long rows of withdrawn buses, and removed mechanical units prior to the buses being towed to Washwood Heath (waste land at the side), for collection by scrap merchants. The full capacity (including outside, and particularly the waste land at the side which was surfaced) was only fully utilised when Coventry Road was closed in 1985 and part of the allocation transferred.

Washwood Heath was originally a tramway depot for the Alum Rock services, converted to bus operation for services 55 and 56 in 1950. However, of more importance is its costly refurb and significant extension (covering the waste land mentioned above), completed in 1985, cost £2 million and also enabling the transfer of other services from Coventry Road and allowing it to close. (Whether the cost of Washwood Heath was recouped in the comparatively short period it remained before closure is an interesting question..).

Thus Wahwood Heath would have been designed for arrangements 35 - 40 yrs ago and Lea Hall, 70 yrs ago.

Interestingly the Coventry Wheatley St depot (opened 1986) had been in WMCC/WMPTA/WMPTE proposals since the mid 70s, serious complaints about noise affecting the adjacent residential area from the ex Coventry CT Harnall Lane depot having been a thorn in the PTE's side from taking over at Coventry in 1974 (they may have featured for many years before.

The noise issues at Quinton seemed to start in the early 50s (the garage was in a residential area), but was not assisted by the fact the Guy double deckers allocated in quantity there had particularly loud and vibration inducing exhausts. They could certainly rattle windows!!

Both garages were designed and built when buses were 27foot long was my main point, which they were in 1940, putting 40 foot long buses in caused huge problems, yes both garages were modified to accept 40' long buses but it reduced the capacity considerably and made manouvering difficult.

[BBS]

I dont think Acocks Green will go away for quite some time still. It has one of the most important route in Birmingham itself.

[Solo1]

It was Quinton that had all the complaints about noise. I don't know of any issues like that at Washwood Heath.

people knew they was a depot there so can't moan like football ground with the crowds

[ellspurs]

people knew they was a depot there so can't moan like football ground with the crowds

But they can, and will.

Look at Brands Hatch circuit. It had a housing estate built to the north of the track after the track had been there for many years. The residents complained about the noise, now they can only run between 0830 and 1830, and cannot exceed 101dB of noise.

[filbus1]

But they can, and will.

Look at Brands Hatch circuit. It had a housing estate built to the north of the track after the track had been there for many years. The residents complained about the noise, now they can only run between 0830 and 1830, and cannot exceed 101dB of noise.

Ironic they built a Tescos supermarket on the Quinton site with lorries doing early deliveries and a lot more traffic with shoppers coming and going.

[Solo1]

Ironic they built a Tescos supermarket on the Quinton site with lorries doing early deliveries and a lot more traffic with shoppers coming and going.

so they are now worse off now.  Cars coming all hours & lorries the same

[Mike K]

Ironic they built a Tescos supermarket on the Quinton site with lorries doing early deliveries and a lot more traffic with shoppers coming and going.

The complaints re Quinton depot heightened once Dudley and Hartshill garages closed and QN absorbed a lot of their routes, on top of the Quinton and Harborne routes already running from there. Capacity increased significantly with the depot operational 20 hours a day.

[fleetline6477]

The complaints re Quinton depot heightened once Dudley and Hartshill garages closed and QN absorbed a lot of their routes, on top of the Quinton and Harborne routes already running from there. Capacity increased significantly with the depot operational 20 hours a day.

Then shops opposite the QN depot began to wonder why they a had a big decline in trade.