- West Midlands 'Sutton Lines' bus corridor
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'Sutton Lines' Routes 110 Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield - Tamworth 112 Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield - Lichfield 114 Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield 115 Birmingham - Erdington - Sutton Coldfield 902 Birmingham - Erdington - Sutton Coldfield - Hillhook 904 Birmingham - Erdington - Sutton Coldfield 905 Birmingham - Erdington - Sutton Coldfield - Roughley 914 Birmingham - Pype Hayes - Sutton Coldfield 915 Birmingham - Erdington - Sutton Coldfield - Falcon Lodge 907 Birmingham - Newtown - Perry Barr - Kingstanding - Sutton Coldfied Operation Operator(s): National Express West Midlands
Central Connect
Arriva MidlandsPrevious Operator(s) AM PM Travel Vehicles: Alexander Dennis Enviro400
Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini
Dennis DartRoute map Legend
Birmingham city centre 
Aston (104, 104A, 105) 
Erdington 
Sutton Coldfield (104, 904 terminates) 
Falcon Lodge (915, 104A terminates) Roughley (905, 105 terminates) Mere Green (902) Hillhook (902 terminates) The Sutton Lines are a group of bus services running between Birmingham City Centre and Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands area of England, often via Erdington.
The majority of the services then extend past Sutton Coldfield to multiple destinations and operated by National Express West Midlands and/or Central Connect. Two other services following the same corridor are operated by Arriva Midlands.
Contents
Current routes
Currently multiple 'Sutton Lines' routes operate. These are detailed below:
115
The 115 is one of the longest routes between Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield travelling via Aston railway station, Erdington, Pype Hayes, Walmley and Good Hope Hospital. It is operated by National Express West Midlands.
115 Frequency
Half hourly Monday - Saturday daytime frequency, which is not combined with the main 'Sutton Lines' frequency.
902
The 902 is another route serving the 'Sutton Lines' corridor. It links Birmingham with Hill Hook, via the Aston Expressway, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield and Mere Green. Again, only operated by National Express West Midlands using Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses.
902 Frequency
902 operates to a thirty minute frequency during Monday - Saturday daytimes, and is part of the combined 7/8 Minute National Express West Midlands 'Sutton Lines' daytime frequency programme, with evening and Sunday cover given from the 905 between Mere Green & Birmingham.
904
The 904 is another route serving the 'Sutton Lines' corridor. It links Birmingham with Sutton Coldfield via the Aston Expressway and Erdington. It is operated by National Express West Midlands using Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses, but also Central Connect who use a vast array of buses on the route.
904 Frequency
Both services run to a thirty minute frequency, with the National Express West Midlands journeys playing part in the combined 'Sutton Lines' frequency and running an infrequent 10-20 minute frequency with the rest of the 'Sutton Line' routes on Sundays to keep a 10 minute frequency between Sutton Coldfield & Birmingham and hourly on evenings to create a 20 minute frequency with the 905 & 915 between Sutton Coldfield & Birmingham. It is worth noting that two of Central Connects journeys in each direction extend beyond Sutton Coldfield, one to Plantsbrook School, the other to Bishop Walsh School.
905
The 905 is another route serving the 'Sutton Lines' corridor. It links Birmingham with Roughley via the Aston Expressway, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield and Mere Green. The service is operated by National Express West Midlands, who use Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double deck buses on the route
905 Frequency
Half hourly during the day frequency, playing part in the combined 'Sutton Lines' 7/8 Minute daytime frequency, also running hourly on evenings to create a 20 minute frequency with the rest of the 'Sutton Lines' and hourly on Sundays to help create a 10 minute frequency between Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham with the 904 & 915. One Monday - Friday working on the route, at approximately 5pm runs from Mere Green to Birmingham and is operated as a 'filling' journey by Diamond Bus.
907
The 907 is another route linking Birmingham with Sutton Coldfield, but not actually considered to be a 'Sutton Lines'. Route 907 is operated by National Express West Midlands, which travels out of Birmingham in a completely different direction, serving Perry Barr and New Oscott.
907 Frequency
Monday - Friday frequencies: The 907 operates to a 12 Minute peak, and 20 minute off-peak frequency, with a half-hourly evening service. The 1955 and 2055 departures from city terminate at New Oscott giving an hourly frequency along this corridor between City and Sutton Coldfield during these hours. As a consequence the 2055 and 2155 arrivals into city commence at New Oscott (Tesco) at 2032 and 2132, again leaving a hourly frequency on the full length of service 907 between 1954 and 2154.
Saturday frequencies: The 907 operates to a 20 minute frequency for most of the day, with a half-hourly evening service. Again as the Monday - Friday evening schedules, the 1955 and 2055 departures from city terminate at New Oscott, again giving an hourly frequency along this corridor between City and Sutton Coldfield during these hours. So again as a consequence the 2055 and 2155 arrivals into city commence at New Oscott (Tesco) at 2032 and 2132, leaving this hourly frequency on the full length of service 907 between 1954 and 2154.
Sundays frequencies: The 907 operates to a 30 minutes frequency during the day time operations. During the evenings which is strange for a bus route, oddly the service aerations as Monday's - Saturday's are not implemented, which gives a full 30 minute frequency all evening.
Volvo B7TLs are the main allocations of the 907. It is worth noting that between Birmingham and Perry Barr the service is limited stop.
http://timetables.centro.org.uk/showtimetable.asp?file=3_a\807NXB#907
914
The 914 is another route linking Birmingham with Sutton Coldfield, but it does not form part of the main 'Sutton Lines' frequency timetable. Operated solely by National Express West Midlands
914 Frequency
This route operates to a half hourly daily daytime frequency and a daily hourly evening service travelling via Aston University, Walmley and Falcon Lodge.
915
The 915 is another 'Sutton Lines' route and links Birmingham with Falcon Lodge via the Aston Expressway, Erdington and Sutton Coldfield. The service is only run by National Express West Midlands using Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses
915 Frequency
915 runs to thirty minute frequency during Monday - Saturday daytime, again forming part of the 7/8 Minute 'Sutton Lines' frequency, also an hourly evening service creating a 20 minute frequency with 904 & 905 between Sutton Coldfield & Birmingham, and an hourly Sunday service to fit in with the every 10 minute frequency with the rest of the 'Sutton Lines'.
Two Arriva Midlands services also serve the 'Sutton Lines' corridor, but do not form part of the 'Sutton Lines' timetable. The 110 links Birmingham with Tamworth via the Aston Expressway, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield, Bassetts Pole and Drayton Manor Park. The 110 runs to a twenty minute Monday - Saturday frequency, with an hourly Evening and half hourly - hourly Sunday timetable in operation. Arriva Midlands uses branded modern Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini buses on the 110.
The 112 meanwhile is an extensive service, stretching from Birmingham to Lichfield. It operates via the Aston Expressway, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield, Mere Green & Shenstone. The 112 only runs to an hourly Monday - Saturday daytime frequency.
History
104 and 904
In 1999, Travel West Midlands ran the 104 service between Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield and the 104A, between Birmingham and Falcon Lodge, as per the current routes. The 104 ran to a fifteen minutes Monday - Saturday daytime frequency in addition to an hourly Evening & Sunday timetable.
North Birmingham Busways also ran the 104X, between Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield to a fifteen minute weekday peak, and 30 Minute Monday - Saturday daytime off-peak, running the same route as current service 904.
Following the changes to the routes in 2000, the 104 was converted to run to a 30 Minute daytime frequency Monday - Saturday, with the Evening and Sunday timetables running as per the current timetables on the 104 and 104A. Journeys by North Birmingham Busways, who later became Central Connect, remained unchanged.
The 904 was also introduced during the changes, running between Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield running at a fifteen minute Monday - Saturday frequency. This, inaffect was just a renumbered 104X.
The daytime journeys on the 104 were withdrawn at some stage in between 2002 and 2008. In August 2007 when route 104X fell into the hands of Central Connect, who ran the route until they announced changed to the route in November. From the 31/12/07 route 904 was reduced to operate Monday-Friday peek-time only. The Monday - Friday and Saturday '104X' daytime service was to be replaced by route 903, which also ran during Monday-Friday peek-times. This service ran via the 902 route (departing from Birmingham on the top of each hour), as far as Bishops Way bus stop on the Lichfield Road. Where by following the Lichfield Road into Lichfield, before continuing onto Walsall via Muckly Corner, Brownhills and Walsall Woods.
902
The 902 service used to be West Midlands Travel's services 102 and 102A. In 1999, it is known that the service had been extended from Hill Hook, to Shenstone in Staffordshire. The 102 ran a similar route to the current 902 service, serving Aston railway station instead of the Aston Expressway and then extending to Shenstone, whilst the 102A ran exactly the same route of the current 902 service, with the exception of the extension. The 102A service ran to a steady 30 Minute Monday - Saturday daytime frequency, whilst an irregular frequency operated during the daytime on the 102. There was no Evening or Sunday service.
In 2001, following the amendments to the 'Sutton Lines' in 2000, the 102 and 102A were withdrawn, and replaced by service 902. The service followed a shortened route of the 102A, terminating at Hill Hook. However it had left Shenstone village without an imitate bus service, Staffordshire Council are reluctant to have the extension tendered from Hill Hook.
903
In August 2007 when Central Connect took over North Birmingham Busways, Route 104X fell into the ownership of Central Connect. They then ran the route until they announced changes to the service in November 2007. From the end of the year, route 903 was born. The 104X was reduced to operate Monday-Friday peak-time only and renumbered route 904, in-line with the West Midlands Travel Birmingham-Sutton Coldfiled service, whilst the Monday - Friday and Saturday '104X' daytime service was directly replaced by route 903, which also ran during Monday-Friday peak-times. This service ran via the 902 route, as far as Bishops Way bus stop on the Lichfield Road; departing from Birmingham on the top of each hour, whereby route 903 followed the Lichfield Road into Lichfield, before continuing onto Walsall via Muckly Corner, Brownhills and Walsall Woods. This service however was extremely short lived and was withdrawn within six months.
905
This service has come through many incantations, originating with Midland Red and using number 103.
After deregulation in 1986, and the launch of the new 'Timesaver' services, West Midlands Travel began operating service 901, linking Walsall with Birmingham, via Rushall, Streets Corner, Lichfield, Tyburn Road and the Aston Expressway. This route ran every thirty minutes during Monday - Saturday daytime, with additional evening services also operating.
In 1988, West Midlands Travel rerouted shopping hours (Monday - Friday off-peak daytime and Saturday journeys) services, so instead of travelling along the A38 and Tyburn Roads, services instead served Roughley, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, Erdington and then the Aston Expressway. The section of the route between Walsall and Lichfield was reduced to hourly, and the evening service was withdrawn.
In the early 1990s West Midlands Travel decided to withdraw the section of the 901 between Walsall and Lichfield completely, and this then became the 991. Meanwhile, the frequency on the 901 was adjusted to every twenty minutes during peak hours, and the shopping service route was renumbered the 901A.
In late 991, services left Birmingham bound for Roughley every 30 Minutes, with a bus every hour extending to Lichfield.
In late 1992, West Midlands Travel decided to completely withdraw off the 901 (Stevensons briefly retained the route but it was eventually completely withdrawn after multiple operator changes in early 2000). West Midlands Travel replaced the 901 and 901A with the 105 and 105A, which both terminated at Roughley.
This remained the way until the late 1990s, when service 105A was renumbered the 905.
907
In 2001 it is known that National Express West Midlands operate the 107 to a frequency of every 15 minutes on Monday - Saturday daytimes and every 30 minutes during Evenings and on Sundays. By 2007 this frequency had been increased to every 10 minutes during peak-times, but halfed in the Evenings and on Sundays to hourly.
In November 2009, service 107 was renumbered the 907. This will follow exactly the same route, but will be limited stop between Birmingham City Centre and Perry Barr.
Summer period
It is worth noting that as with the majority of bus routes with a high frequency in the West Midlands region, from Mid-July until the beginning of September, a temporary Summer timetable, with a reduced frequency, is implemented on the 'Sutton Lines' services, operated by National Express West Midlands.
Current Routes Locations
- 110
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- Bassetts Pole
- Drayton Manor Park
- Tamworth
- 112
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- Mere Green
- Shenstone
- Lichfield
- 115
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston railway station
- Erdington
- Walmley
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- 902
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- Mere Green
- Hill Hook
- 904
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- 905
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- Mere Green
- Roughley
- 907
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Newtown Barton Arms
- Perry Barr One Stop Shopping Centre
- Perry Common Kingstanding Crossways
- New Oscott Beggers Bush
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- 914
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston University
- Walmley
- Falcon Lodge
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- 915
- Birmingham, Bull Street
- Aston Expressway
- Erdington
- Wylde Green
- Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
- Falcon Lodge
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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