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Centrebus

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Remember these ? This Birmingham Post article describes the service. I never went on one of these, but I’m sure plenty of other members must have used them. Viv.

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We had many minibuses as well as midi buses down here in Cornwall. They were only used on tendered route’s (council subsidised route’s) and the Drivers paid less than the commercial route’s. The Minibuses were all Mercedes and not a bad motor to drive although the route’s that were hail and ride, with some passengers wanting to be dropped off at their front door, a real pain to operate.
 
Wolverhampton had a bus that circled the centre until quite recently . Very useful us with bad knees
 
Used to drive these on a few occasions with WMPT back in the 80´s one of the most boring routes you could have as a driver, short trips not much of a lay over at Masshouse car park in and out again think it was every 1/2 a hour ¿, can´t remember was it a 1.00 a trip ¿
 
In more recent times, the 'Centre Bus' moniker passed onto the 101 route, which I think was originally just a circle around the city, using Leyland Nationals. Latterly, the route ran into the city from Handsworth, and connected Snow Hill, New Street and the town hall, using MCW Metrobuses branded for it. There was latterly the 77 route ran by Pete's Travel using low floor Darts that served the same purpose, and then the free S1 'Station Link' bus ran by Central Connect. I can't remember when the service ended, but the job has mostly been taken up by the 16 route now, which still connects Snow Hill, New Street and the markets, in a one way loop.

mikejee said:
Wolverhampton had a bus that circled the centre until quite recently . Very useful us with bad knees
Click to expand...

I believe it was 'suspended' due to COVID measures, but I've not heard of any plans to bring it back, even with stuff opening back up now.
 
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“The nature of the Birmingham Centrebus service provided by the West Midlands PTE has changed a good deal since one of the Commer minibuses was painted in a conspicuous orange livery in the summer of 1973.” T. W. Moore.

( Buses in the Seventies Publication date 1976)
 
If you get the gist of this article, well done ! Didn't know there was a clockwise and anti-clockwise bus. Thought it was one continuous loop.

Viv.

Screenshot_20230802_172135_Chrome.jpgSource: British Newspaper Archive
 

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Nothing new for Brum: the three circles routes - 8, 11 and 19 - had them but were they never described as that, maybe Brummies, at the time, knew where they were going. :laughing:
 
Radiorails said:
Nothing new for Brum: the three circles routes - 8, 11 and 19 - had them but were they never described as that, maybe Brummies, at the time, knew where they were going. :laughing:
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Only after operation passed from the Corporation to WMPTE did the 8 & 11 get "A" & "C" suffixes to denote Anticlockwise and Clockwise.
 
dmjames said:
In more recent times, the 'Centre Bus' moniker passed onto the 101 route, which I think was originally just a circle around the city, using Leyland Nationals. Latterly, the route ran into the city from Handsworth, and connected Snow Hill, New Street and the town hall, using MCW Metrobuses branded for it. There was latterly the 77 route ran by Pete's Travel using low floor Darts that served the same purpose, and then the free S1 'Station Link' bus ran by Central Connect. I can't remember when the service ended, but the job has mostly been taken up by the 16 route now, which still connects Snow Hill, New Street and the markets, in a one way loop.



I believe it was 'suspended' due to COVID measures, but I've not heard of any plans to bring it back, even with stuff opening back up now.
Click to expand...
I went on the 101 a couple of times , cant remember much about it apart from the fact it had a stop by the Shakespeare public house on Summer Row
 
As a circle bus, the 11 is the oldest of the circle routes in Brum and only that and the 8 might be termed as that now
The word "termed" is carefully chosen as the 11 presently is NOT a circle bus.
Now the 11 is a disaster, and some people suggest driver shortages as a reason. but waiting for the 11 which goes Perry Barr to Acock Green via Erdington or Via Handsworth means that there are two 11A and 11C services running, which can be lengthy. I have known people to use cars instead. Timekeeping is not the best and waits in excess of 30 minutes not uncommon
 
Engine problems in 1986 resulted in 6 National single-deckers being withdrawn and replaced with double-deckers. Must have been confusing for passengers who'd have become used to the single-deckers. Presumably the single-deckers came back into use after fixing the fault.

Viv
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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
The 101 took over the 70, not 76, bus route.

The 70 used to run along Grove Lane and was the local bus service for Handsworth Grammar School.
At the same time the route of the 96, if I recall, was incorporated which meant the 101 ran down Ninevah Road to join up with the other route
that travelled via Winson Green and came into Birmingham via the Jewellery Quarter and Newhall Street.
The original 70 from the Uplands ran down the Holyhead Road, through Hockley, along Great Hampton Street and then to the terminus in Livery Street and then with the road alteration went on to terminate at Snow Hill.
and the longer journey via Winson Green, an inconvenience for some, who preferred the shorter route.
Later the 101 was extended to the new terminus at Handsworth Cemetery
 
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