- Bristol Road bus corridor, Birmingham
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Bristol Road Routes 61 Birmingham - Frankley X62 Birmingham - Rubery 63 Birmingham - Frankley 143 Birmingham - Rubery 144 Birmingham - Worcester Operation Operator(s): National Express West Midlands
Diamond Bus
First Midland RedThe Bristol Road bus corridor are a group of bus routes in the West Midlands, United Kingdom operating along the Bristol Road. The 61, X62, 63 and X64 (also known as the Bristol Road services) offer a high combined daytime frequency along this corridor. All services all serve the areas of Lee Bank, Edgbaston, Bournbrook, Selly Oak and Northfield before service 61 goes off to Gannow with service 62 and 63 serving Longbridge before going to their respective termini. The West Midlands Transport Plan 2000 refers to the corridor as "Corridor G".[1]
Contents
Current routes
Number From To Via Current Operator Image 61 Birmingham Frankley Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield and Gannow National Express West Midlands Previously operated between Birmingham and Gannow as part of the South Birmingham Bus Review in October 2010 the service was extended from Gannow to Rubery Great Park. However from July 2010 the service has been cutback to operate from Birmingham to Frankley (Holly Hill Shops).
63 Birmingham Frankley Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Longbridge and Rubery National Express West Midlands 
Diamond Bus operated short journeys on the 64 route between Birmingham and Rubery, later renumbered to 63 on 22 July 2007. Diamond Bus ceased operation on the 63 route on 10 November 2007. Diamond Bus also operated a commercial 63N night service between September 2007 and April 2008. From 25 October 2009 the terminius of this service was changed from Rubery Great Park to Frankley as part of the South Birmingham Bus Review.
143 Birmingham Redditch Tardebigge, Aston Fields, Bromsgrove, Lickey End, Marlbrook First The first incarnation of the 143 route ran from Birmingham - Bromsgrove - Charford, eventually being changed to run Birmingham - Bromsgrove - Redditch - Alexandra Hospital, though the hospital extension was withdrawn in the late 1990s. 18 April 2004 saw the first of many changes to the route, it being re-routed in the Catshill area to replace the withdrawn 94 service. A year later on 12 June 2005 the 143 route was cut back to run Catshill - Bromsgrove - Redditch only, with its frequency halved. 4 September 2005 saw the route further cut back to run Bromsgrove - Redditch; an increase in the frequency of the 144 route made the Bromsgrove - Catshill section redundant.
From 5 January 2009 many journeys were once again extended to Birmingham, though now operating via Lickey End, rather than Catshill.[2] This is in competition with Diamond Bus, who shortly after dropped their fares to match those of First.
144 Birmingham Worcester Rubery, Marlbrook, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Droitwich First 
Main article: Worcestershire bus route 144Services on the 144 corridor running between Droitwich and Great Malvern go back to 1913, eventually being extended to Birmingham in 1914. At that time the route was numbered 25, and later 125. The 144 number came into use on 11 February 1928. The Malvern - Worcester section was withdrawn in 1976.[3] Diamond Bus had a brief stint operating part of the route in competition with First.[4]
X62 Birmingham Rubery Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Longbridge and Rednal National Express West Midlands X64 Birmingham Rubery Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Weoley Castle, Bangham Pit and Frankley National Express West Midlands Other Notable Routes which use part of the Bristol Road or Interchange with the Bristol Road Services outside of the City Centre.
Corridor history
In 2002, the service was given Dennis Tridents which were branded for this route, naming it the "Jubilee" line. However since then all these vehicles have transferred to Yardley Wood depot. As a result, it is very common to see any type of vehicle found at Birmingham Central depot, including Volvo B7TLs or Dennis Tridents.
Former routes
Number From To Via Current Operator Image 62A Birmingham Rednal Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield National Express West Midlands This route was operated by Travel West Midlands weekday peak time only. This route followed the 62 out of Birmingham, though Selly Oak, Northfield and to Longbridge traffic island. From here the 62A bus route used to run as far as Lickey Road, then turning onto Low Hill lane, Groveley Lane, circling the traffic island to join Lickey Road from the top end and traveling as far as the Old Hair and Hounds Pub. This route consisted of a 40 minute frequency at peak times with the interlinking journeys being 62 journeys.
63A Birmingham Rubery (Great Park) Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Rednal National Express West Midlands This route was operated by Travel West Midlands on a Sunday evening. The 63A ran at every 30 minute intervals from 6pm until the last departures at midnight (00:00). This variant ran from The Great Park though Rubery onto the Bristol Road South to the Bristol Road South traffic island at Longbridge, turning onto Lickey Road to via Rednal before circling the traffic island and then continuing back on itself to Longbridge island and then following Bristol Road South and Bristol Road into the City Centre. Served the following areas: Northfield, Selly Oak, Edgbaston and Lee Bank.
64 Birmingham Bromsgrove Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Rubery, Catshill Diamond Bus This route was operated by Diamond Bus in competition with First Midland Red on services 143 and 144 and was introduced when First Midland Red diverted the 144 route away from Lickey End. The 64 served the following areas: Birmingham, Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Longbridge, Rubery, Marlbrook and Bromsgrove.
142 Birmingham Worcester Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield, Rubery, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Droitwich First A Midland Red 142 service was operated along this corridor, on roughly the same route as the 144, though never more than a handful of journeys. On 18 April 2004 this service was withdrawn.[5]
964 Birmingham Longbridge Lee Bank, Selly Oak, Northfield National Express West Midlands Until 25 February 2007, Travel West Midlands operated a limited stop express service numbered 964 as far as Longbridge, but was withdrawn on this date.
Smaller operators
Many smaller operators have operated a handful of journeys on the 61, 62 and 63 routes, these include:
- Bull Ring Travel - 61 (Withdrawn 14 October 2007 due to having their licence terminated)
- Travel Express - 62 and 63
- A Line/Goldenline - 61 and 63
- S T Buses - 63 (Withdrawn 18 May 2008)
Operation by trams
Until July 1952, most of the services along this corridor were operated by trams.[6] Initially they operated between the city centre and Selly Oak, though in the 1920s this was extended to Rednal and Rubery,[7] with the Rednal terminus coming into operation on 14 April 1924.[6] A very short section of tram track remains behind the old Rednal terminus building.[8]
References
- ^ "WMLTP: Technical Appendices". Westmidlandsltp.gov.uk.. http://westmidlandsltp.gov.uk./local-transport-plans/west-midlands-local-transport-plan-2000/technical-appendices/. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ^ Reddibus Service Changes
- ^ "Services - 144 (Birmingham–The Malverns) - Service Overview". MidlandRed.net. http://www.midlandred.net/service/144/index.shtml. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ "Diamond expands operations in Redditch and Worcestershire". http://www.diamondbuses.com/getdoc/b2bc9520-99c1-4e88-9c20-f28e7a2c1074/diamondexpands.aspx. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
- ^ MidlandRed.net - Services - 142 - accessed 19 February 2009
- ^ a b M D Norton. "Notes for Trams - Bristol Road". Photobydjnorton.com. http://www.photobydjnorton.com/NotesForBristolRoadTrams.html. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ^ Cotteridge (2010-06-20). "Pershore Road trams". Cotteridge.com. http://www.cotteridge.com/photos/pershore-road-trams/. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ^ "Remains of tram track. Rednal Terminus - The Lickeys:: OS grid SO9976 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland - photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. 2009-01-09. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1113054. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
External links
Bus routes in the West Midlands Birmingham and Solihull 5 6 31 X20 Stratford Road • 7 • 8A 8C Inner Circle • 9 140 141 192 Hagley Road • 11A 11C Outer Circle • 28 28A 28B • Line 33 • 50 • 51 X51 Walsall Road • 58 60 900 957 Coventry Road • 61 62 63 Bristol Road • 82 • 82 87 89 Dudley Road • 144 • 451 • 'Sutton Lines'
Coventry 1 • 2 • 11 • 19 19W 19X • 21 21C 21W • 27 • 42 • 81 81E 81W • 82 • 801 • 900 • X17 • PRN PRS Park and Ride • U1 U2 U12 U17 Unibus •
Sandwell & Dudley Walsall 1 2 5 • 19 • 22 • 51 X51 Walsall Road • 77 • 332 549 • 369 370 370A • 404 • 529
Wolverhampton 79 126 529
Bus Stations Bearwood • Bilston • Halesowen • Coventry (Pool Meadow) • Cradley Heath • Digbeth (Birmingham National Express) • Dudley • Merry Hill • Walsall (St Pauls) • Wednesbury • West Bromwich • Wolverhampton (Pipers Row)
Categories:- National Express West Midlands bus routes
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