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Centrebus

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.

Wolverhampton had a bus that circled the centre until quite recently . Very useful us with bad knees

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.

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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:
 
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:
Only after operation passed from the Corporation to WMPTE did the 8 & 11 get "A" & "C" suffixes to denote Anticlockwise and Clockwise.
 
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.
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
 
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