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Bus routes (70s and 80s)

Tidd

proper brummie kid
Hi, I'm a newbie. It's been a number of years since I was in Birmingham, but I lived in the city for most of the 70s and 80s. I have a memory of many bus routes, but I wonder if you could fill in my gaps, or confirm my memories? And do any of them still exist? (Please do forgive me if this has been asked before...)


5 / 7 - I seem to remember this went from Colmore Row to the Portland Rd area. I have a vague memory (right or wrong?) that it was 7 in one direction then 5 in the other.

9 - that's an easy one. Out on the Hagley Road as far as Quinton.

11 - the Outer Circle! Is there any more to say? Legendary.

21 (and / or 22?) - all I remember about this one was that I used it to get from Edgbaston (York Road) to the far side of the University. Other than that, I know nothing about it.

35 - for some reason I associate this with the 50 but I can't remember why.

48 - went from the City Centre out by the back such as John Bright Street? and passed through to Balsall Heath, maybe terminating there?

50 - did the Moseley/Alcester Road run, through Moseley and Kings Heath. Did it terminate at Maypole?

61 / 62 / 63 - the famous trio that did the Bristol Road, one to Rednal, one to Rubery, and (I think) one to Frankley. There was a night service on these.

What I can't now remember is which services did the Pershore Road, and which did Dudley Road.

Any confirmation would be greatly appreciated, and if any still exist. My bet would be that the Bristol Road buses, also the Outer Circle, are still there ....
 
There are some images of a BCT route map here.
Interesting, thank you. Unfortunately, probably due to Flickr, I found it very hard to scroll those maps once expanded - they leapt all over the place! Also, I wonder if they're perhaps older than 70s/80s? Not sure .
 
From memory: 64 to 67 buses to Short heath , Erdington and Pype Hayes from town.
 
Think it was the 21 that I used to catch to the QE (late 80s), down Broad St, over 5 ways, past the Botanical Gardens towards Harborne then left at the Green Man.
 
The Portland Road bus terminated at the Birmingham/Smethwick border, there was a Bundy clock. It was handy because if I heard it go down to the terminus I knew I had time to run for it before it turned round.
rosie.
 
The present bus system is much better than it has ever been. The new buses are much better faster, cleaner, warm comfortable. The timetables are mostly reliable though provision is sometimes odd - why so many 14s for instance. For people who pay (I am a pensioner ) I think fares, particularly for short journeys are crazy (bring back the 10p fare). Some of the passengers should be ejected - persistent coughers, litter droppers, music players, crazy kids, drunks, etc.
 
Hi, I'm a newbie. It's been a number of years since I was in Birmingham, but I lived in the city for most of the 70s and 80s. I have a memory of many bus routes, but I wonder if you could fill in my gaps, or confirm my memories? And do any of them still exist? (Please do forgive me if this has been asked before...)


5 / 7 - I seem to remember this went from Colmore Row to the Portland Rd area. I have a vague memory (right or wrong?) that it was 7 in one direction then 5 in the other.

9 - that's an easy one. Out on the Hagley Road as far as Quinton.

11 - the Outer Circle! Is there any more to say? Legendary.

21 (and / or 22?) - all I remember about this one was that I used it to get from Edgbaston (York Road) to the far side of the University. Other than that, I know nothing about it.

35 - for some reason I associate this with the 50 but I can't remember why.

48 - went from the City Centre out by the back such as John Bright Street? and passed through to Balsall Heath, maybe terminating there?

50 - did the Moseley/Alcester Road run, through Moseley and Kings Heath. Did it terminate at Maypole?

61 / 62 / 63 - the famous trio that did the Bristol Road, one to Rednal, one to Rubery, and (I think) one to Frankley. There was a night service on these.

What I can't now remember is which services did the Pershore Road, and which did Dudley Road.

Any confirmation would be greatly appreciated, and if any still exist. My bet would be that the Bristol Road buses, also the Outer Circle, are still there ....
Here's my bus map (both sides) from about 1973. Annoyingly it's not dated, but it's definitely 1973 plus or minus a year. Maybe some Brum Bus expert out there can pinpoint the date more precisely.
 

Attachments

  • 1-Brum bus map c. 1973-001.jpg
    1-Brum bus map c. 1973-001.jpg
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  • 2-Brum bus map c. 1973 reverse side-001.jpg
    2-Brum bus map c. 1973 reverse side-001.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 39
It is a PTE map which would date it post October 1969 which is the time scale Tidd asked about.
I lost interest in the PTE when they absorbed all the West Midlands major operators.
 
The Portland Road bus terminated at the Birmingham/Smethwick border, there was a Bundy clock. It was handy because if I heard it go down to the terminus I knew I had time to run for it before it turned round.
rosie.
I'm pretty sure the 7 termination was near the Shireland pub, perhaps opposite Selsey Road? I used to live in Gilbert Road, and I didn't think the 7 went on from there (though it may have done!)

I don't know what a Bundy clock is, but I do remember vaguely there was some device next to the wall by the bus stop.
 
The 17 A AND B STOPPED OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE ON MOAT LANE Yardley
I used to live just round the corner from the Spinney (bus terminus) at the end of Witton Lodge Rd and Court Lane.
Number 7 bus to Villa Park (I think?)
As kids we used to hand around there, picking up bus tickets looking for reversible numbers! I think we were easily pleased. Ha!
 
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