Sprint

[ellspurs]

I was intrigued by this:

https://x.com/nxcoventry/status/1894447318121759092

...because I was under the impression that the Sprint works on Small Heath Highway were completed a couple of years ago?

It's been that long that they need refreshing!

[Wumpty]

And the update is... there's no update!

That's the point of my post and the irony - the Emperor's new clothes of public transport. It sold as a grewat transport accomplishment that, in my opinion, will never happen.

Still, it massages some of our esteemed politicians' egos!

[Stu]

That's the point of my post and the irony - the Emperor's new clothes of public transport. It sold as a grewat transport accomplishment that, in my opinion, will never happen.

Still, it massages some of our esteemed politicians' egos!

It is a common trick used by politicians and the media to issue some 'update' which doesn't actually reveal anything new, or just making some announcement about something that has already been previously announced.

Andy Street did this a few times when he was mayor, and I still remember criticising him when he put up some post on social media boasting about the Sprint route 'being in operation and speeding up journey times', which was only partially true!

[Wumpty]

It is a common trick used by politicians and the media to issue some 'update' which doesn't actually reveal anything new, or just making some announcement about something that has already been previously announced.

Andy Street did this a few times when he was mayor, and I still remember criticising him when he put up some post on social media boasting about the Sprint route 'being in operation and speeding up journey times', which was only partially true!

IMHO the whole concept of Sprint is flawed - the roads infrastructure isn't anywhere near good enough, even before the necessary improvements needed for specific stops/lanes, the politicians couldn't give a stuff about it being finished, it's a convenient swerve to use to bury bad news.

i'd just accept it's a pipe dream that will never happen.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

The point of Sprint is pointless there putting all these Proities in, but the routes they are replacing X51 and X1/X2 could have already had these put into place to make then quicker, Sprint will never work neither will CrossCity Bus Routes, nor will expanding the Tram, Put Bus Prioty measures in place or upgrade them, for faster journies or journies from Walsall to Birmingham Airport sort out the Trains, I don't see how all these planned routes for Trains, Buses and Trams could all work together, like how will merging the 82/87 and 50 be viable when there will be a Train going through Kings Heath for example, and assuming anyone from Bearwood wants to get Kings Heath who whatever reason doesn't already get the 11 wouldn't they just get a bus down to Smethwick Galton Bridge and get the Train to King's Heath. This Sprint concept was never gonna work, as soon as they electrified the Chase Line and services expanded to London, Coventry and Birmingham International some of which were semi Fast anyone travelling from Walsall to BHX would just get the Train. 

Mr Street had no plans to Franchise Buses so all the companies would be competing, assuming NX didn't run Sprint and it was a TFWM in-house thing like the Metro or someone was brought into run it say a First Group or whatever, they, NX and WMR would all be competing for money on the same route. What the Midlands needs is Bus/Train improvements electrify say the Shrewsbury Line, or the Snow Hill Line between say Worcester and Birmingham so then you have more choice of people who could get from Cradley Heath to Snow Hill or it could Double up the Worcester services to Brum to help New Street. People from areas then like Cradley Heath wouldn't then Drive which would help Buses like the 9 or X10 down the Hagley Road and also help the roads around the area as people may drive to Sandwell & Dudley to get the Train to Brum, they could just walk to Cradley, Lye or Old Hill jump on the train and be in Brum in about 20 minutes. It would also help things like matches at The Hawthorns ease congestion around J1 as if they ran more frequent Trains, more fans would use it so 1 they could have a drink or two, 2 it would be quicker than reaching the M5 and 3 it would be more reliable for away fans or fans to get back to Brum to and then get home, also would help the buses and Trams. 

Rather than do any of that though why not have 3 or 4 different ways to get to 1 place that will all have issues, Sprint Traffic, Tram going through Birmingham, Train either changing at New Street or in Birmingham or not as frequent, Sprint also losing to the Train from Walsall to BHM/BHX and eventually even the Tram. It's all pointless and a massive waste of money, and now the current mayor rather than sorting any of that out wants to waste our money Franchising Buses that could be fixed if Bus prioties were fixed and if Sprint and Tram Works or constant massive Roadworks hadn't sprung up everywhere, if the Tram was removed from Dudley and Sprint/Tram/HS2 from Brum suddenly Buses would be more reliable, they wouldn't need funding as they could once again regain trust from Passengers or they see a Shiny X51 fly past them on the A34 and then eventually realise actually That Bus was quicker than me driving I'll go and get that. I'm a Car guy but I also understand that you need Public Transport to work to, currently with all these different schemes what are they actually doing to improve the current Transport we have that may tempt someone out of there car and paying a CAZ Charge or Parking Charges in Brum to get onto a Bus or Train and the answer is nothing.

[midlandred2003]

The point of Sprint is pointless there putting all these Proities in, but the routes they are replacing X51 and X1/X2 could have already had these put into place to make then quicker, Sprint will never work neither will CrossCity Bus Routes, nor will expanding the Tram, Put Bus Prioty measures in place or upgrade them, for faster journies or journies from Walsall to Birmingham Airport sort out the Trains, I don't see how all these planned routes for Trains, Buses and Trams could all work together, like how will merging the 82/87 and 50 be viable when there will be a Train going through Kings Heath for example, and assuming anyone from Bearwood wants to get Kings Heath who whatever reason doesn't already get the 11 wouldn't they just get a bus down to Smethwick Galton Bridge and get the Train to King's Heath. This Sprint concept was never gonna work, as soon as they electrified the Chase Line and services expanded to London, Coventry and Birmingham International some of which were semi Fast anyone travelling from Walsall to BHX would just get the Train.

Mr Street had no plans to Franchise Buses so all the companies would be competing, assuming NX didn't run Sprint and it was a TFWM in-house thing like the Metro or someone was brought into run it say a First Group or whatever, they, NX and WMR would all be competing for money on the same route. What the Midlands needs is Bus/Train improvements electrify say the Shrewsbury Line, or the Snow Hill Line between say Worcester and Birmingham so then you have more choice of people who could get from Cradley Heath to Snow Hill or it could Double up the Worcester services to Brum to help New Street. People from areas then like Cradley Heath wouldn't then Drive which would help Buses like the 9 or X10 down the Hagley Road and also help the roads around the area as people may drive to Sandwell & Dudley to get the Train to Brum, they could just walk to Cradley, Lye or Old Hill jump on the train and be in Brum in about 20 minutes. It would also help things like matches at The Hawthorns ease congestion around J1 as if they ran more frequent Trains, more fans would use it so 1 they could have a drink or two, 2 it would be quicker than reaching the M5 and 3 it would be more reliable for away fans or fans to get back to Brum to and then get home, also would help the buses and Trams.

Rather than do any of that though why not have 3 or 4 different ways to get to 1 place that will all have issues, Sprint Traffic, Tram going through Birmingham, Train either changing at New Street or in Birmingham or not as frequent, Sprint also losing to the Train from Walsall to BHM/BHX and eventually even the Tram. It's all pointless and a massive waste of money, and now the current mayor rather than sorting any of that out wants to waste our money Franchising Buses that could be fixed if Bus prioties were fixed and if Sprint and Tram Works or constant massive Roadworks hadn't sprung up everywhere, if the Tram was removed from Dudley and Sprint/Tram/HS2 from Brum suddenly Buses would be more reliable, they wouldn't need funding as they could once again regain trust from Passengers or they see a Shiny X51 fly past them on the A34 and then eventually realise actually That Bus was quicker than me driving I'll go and get that. I'm a Car guy but I also understand that you need Public Transport to work to, currently with all these different schemes what are they actually doing to improve the current Transport we have that may tempt someone out of there car and paying a CAZ Charge or Parking Charges in Brum to get onto a Bus or Train and the answer is nothing.

One point I agree with is before covid there was 6 Trains per hour from Cradley heath to Moor St this is now 4.I always used the train to go and watch the blues and get of at Bordesley, when they stopped Trains from this direction stopping there it became more difficult so now we drive to games it's quicker and less hassle,but if they reinstated the Bordesley stop we would be back on the train.

[Westy]

One point I agree with is before covid there was 6 Trains per hour from Cradley heath to Moor St this is now 4.I always used the train to go and watch the blues and get of at Bordesley, when they stopped Trains from this direction stopping there it became more difficult so now we drive to games it's quicker and less hassle,but if they reinstated the Bordesley stop we would be back on the train.

From memory, there's nothing much around Bordesley is there, which probably accounts for the frequency of service there.

[Tony]

From memory, there's nothing much around Bordesley is there, which probably accounts for the frequency of service there.

Nothing much? Only a big football stadium. 

[Stu]

I don't see how all these planned routes for Trains, Buses and Trams could all work together, like how will merging the 82/87 and 50 be viable when there will be a Train going through Kings Heath for example, and assuming anyone from Bearwood wants to get Kings Heath who whatever reason doesn't already get the 11 wouldn't they just get a bus down to Smethwick Galton Bridge and get the Train to King's Heath.

The train that will go to Kings Heath will only run between New Street and Kings Norton every hour, as much as I understand the proposals for the Camp Hill line.
The long-term plan is to build the 'Bordesley chords', which will mean those trains can run through to Moor Street instead, freeing up capacity at New Street.
At present, even when the Camp Hill line opens, you won't get a direct train from Smethwick to Kings Heath.

The merging of bus routes isn't always about the end-to-end journey - you're right in that the 11A/C would be quicker to get from Bearwood to Kings Heath, rather than getting the 82 then 50.

[cardew]

The train that will go to Kings Heath will only run between New Street and Kings Norton every hour, as much as I understand the proposals for the Camp Hill line.

Two trains per hour according to Kate Trevorrow of Tfw in this article.

https://www.railway-technology.com/features/camp-hill-line-reversing-beeching

The line that stands out in the article dated 10/2/25 is "Next year, for example, we've got to think about driver training and how these stations are going to be operated,"

What isn't clear is the date that she said that.

[busfan2847]

The article implies the line closed as part of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. The Camp Hill line closed to passengers a long time before Beeching! It closed as a wartime economy in 1941.

[Stu]

Two trains per hour according to Kate Trevorrow of Tfw in this article.

https://www.railway-technology.com/features/camp-hill-line-reversing-beeching

The line that stands out in the article dated 10/2/25 is "Next year, for example, we've got to think about driver training and how these stations are going to be operated,"

What isn't clear is the date that she said that.

Thanks, I'm sure I saw somewhere that it would initially be an hourly service, with the aim being to improve it to half-hourly. I remember reading some comments from people saying that they may as well carry on taking the bus!

Hopefully Ms Trevorrow made those comments last year, as these stations are meant to be operational later this year, it would be an awful lack of foresight if they didn't think about such things as driver training and recruiting station staff until next year, which will just prolong this project even further!

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Thanks, I'm sure I saw somewhere that it would initially be an hourly service, with the aim being to improve it to half-hourly. I remember reading some comments from people saying that they may as well carry on taking the bus!

Hopefully Ms Trevorrow made those comments last year, as these stations are meant to be operational later this year, it would be an awful lack of foresight if they didn't think about such things as driver training and recruiting station staff until next year, which will just prolong this project even further!

Darlaston and Willenhall were due to open by 2023/2024 and 24/25 for Willenhall it is now due 2025 and possibly 2026, the Platforms at Darlaston last time I went past seem to be being built, but the actual Station Building and Car Park no chance, I'm not actually saw where the Railway Buildings are planned to be if is on the site of the Old Railway Tavern Pub then Nothing is happening there or if it is the other side of the road on what was an old Factory/Tip @Westy or someone might know what the building/land behind the Railway Tavern used to be on Kendricks Road. Based on that belive the Station will be open in the year you actually see it nearly finished rather than the quoted times

[Westy]

Darlaston and Willenhall were due to open by 2023/2024 and 24/25 for Willenhall it is now due 2025 and possibly 2026, the Platforms at Darlaston last time I went past seem to be being built, but the actual Station Building and Car Park no chance, I'm not actually saw where the Railway Buildings are planned to be if is on the site of the Old Railway Tavern Pub then Nothing is happening there or if it is the other side of the road on what was an old Factory/Tip @Westy or someone might know what the building/land behind the Railway Tavern used to be on Kendricks Road. Based on that belive the Station will be open in the year you actually see it nearly finished rather than the quoted times

Vaguely remember the Railway Tavern, but didnt often go down that way for many reasons until 2019/2020, when I started working for our Foodservice division & by then it had gone.

(Our Foodservice staff probably used it back in the day!)

Cemetary is still there isnt it?

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Vaguely remember the Railway Tavern, but didnt often go down that way for many reasons until 2019/2020, when I started working for our Foodservice division & by then it had gone.

(Our Foodservice staff probably used it back in the day!)

Cemetary is still there isnt it?

Yes, They remodeled the Bridge as well that led to Showcase and Boundary Mill, Most of which is gone the only thing remaining of that Little Area the Cinema a
Had is the Casino and Boundary Mill still exists, I'm not actually saw what was behind the Railway Tavern all I know is for like a year or two maybe longer that I used to get the bus with my dad from Primary School to Willenhall Street in Darlaston was that was Diggers there doing stuff no building, so maybe it was a tip opposite the Cemetery