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No 8 Bus Route

There were in the late 1950's clocks
Clockwise Sherlock St after turning off Belgrave Rd, I think Ivy Bush, outside Hockley Garage,Satley, and I though maybe one on Golden Hillock Rd.
Anti Clockwise Outside Highgate Rd Garage, I think also on Golden Hillock Rd further down from the clockwise one, Aston X (?) Monument Rd, this I'm not sure of, it may have been after the bus turned from Monument Rd onto Hagley Rd towards town.
4 anti clock 5 clockwise, so I obviously have my locations wrong, probably one of the ones of Golden Hillock Rd.
Glad if anyone can confirm/correct my ancient memory.
 
The only Bundy clock I remember on the number 8 route with any certainty was this one here outside the Brewers Arms on Highgate Rd at the junction of Stoney Lane.
 

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I don't recall a clock at the Ivy Bush in either direction but then I was not too familiar with the route other than Hagley Road -Five Ways -Islington Row. Also I don't remember how long ago the the anti-clockwise route was diverted along Plough and Harrow Road when that end of Monument Road became one way. The bus stops are still there in Monument Road but with Not in Use on them instead of the route number.
 
Hi Tardebigge
The clock on Monument rd was on the bridge between Springhill and the Ivy Bush, anti clockwise (heading towards the Ivy Bush).
 
Hi everyone, brand new to the site and fascinated by all the different forums.

We used to live in a Doctors surgery on Monument Road,just down from the junction of Waterworks Road
and Plough & Harrow Road. The number 8 bus stop towards the Ivy Bush was a little way up the road, the stop towards Ladywood Road was directly opposite. Many of our relatives seemed to live on or very near the 8 route,consequently we travelled both ways on the 8. Never did go all the way around in one journey but definitely travelled the whole route in one way or the other. Most fun was going to Sparkbrook to my Nans. The route was up the hill of Belgrave Road crossing Moseley Road at the traffic lights and going down under the iron rail bridge. We were always sure that the bus would not fit under and hit the bridge. Happily it never did, particularly as we liked to sit upstairs at the front.

Happy days,long gone.
 
welcome to the forum not sure when you lived in monument road but can you remember if there was a bus stop/shelter for the no 8 coming up icknield st just before it crosses over spring hill to go up monument road

lyn
 
NoddKD said:
Hi everyone, brand new to the site and fascinated by all the different forums.

We used to live in a Doctors surgery on Monument Road,just down from the junction of Waterworks Road
and Plough & Harrow Road. The number 8 bus stop towards the Ivy Bush was a little way up the road, the stop towards Ladywood Road was directly opposite. Many of our relatives seemed to live on or very near the 8 route,consequently we travelled both ways on the 8. Never did go all the way around in one journey but definitely travelled the whole route in one way or the other. Most fun was going to Sparkbrook to my Nans. The route was up the hill of Belgrave Road crossing Moseley Road at the traffic lights and going down under the iron rail bridge. We were always sure that the bus would not fit under and hit the bridge. Happily it never did, particularly as we liked to sit upstairs at the front.

Happy days,long gone.
Click to expand...
Hi NoddKD, welcome
Maybe you have already seen us all going round in circles in the thread below
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...ed-for-this-bus-if-possible.49551/post-634018
oldmohawk
 
Hi Lyn, there was a stop there.
Later we moved to Hockley and used to catch the 8 to the library at SpringhI'll, the stop was just down from there.
 
Can't honestly say that I recall a shelter. Just remember getting off opposite the library. Sorry.
 
Lyn
I would take issue with the caption in that book. If the no. 8 is opposite Spring Hill Library and it does look like the library opposite then the bus would be in Icknield Street facing the Dudley Road junction. I think the junction behind the bus is the Camden Street junction
 
Astoness said:
welcome to the forum not sure when you lived in monument road but can you remember if there was a bus stop/shelter for the no 8 coming up icknield st just before it crosses over spring hill to go up monument road

lyn
Click to expand...
Hi Lyn, the stop in that direction was immediately in Monument Rd after crossing over Spring Hill the stop before that was outside the public toilets at the bottom of Warstone Lane.
 
Dave Smith said:
Hi I worked as a conductor on the 8A & 8C in '63 I remember tickets being issured to the queues at Aston X But it was soon stopped because passengers soon realised the conductor on the bus didn't know how far they had paid to travel to,so they only paid the minimum fare and would travel as far as Statford Rd. By the way the A & C following the number 8 indicated the bus was travelling in a anti-clockwise or clockwise direction Dave
Click to expand...
hi I know this is a long shot but i am trying to find a mate who was a conductor on the no 8 route probably 65-1966
carnt remember his surname his first name was mick about 18-20 yrs old short fair hair a bit of a jack the lad loved chatting up the girls o the 8 route. as i say it is a long shot
 
hi I know this is a long shot but i am trying to find a mate who was a conductor on the no 8 route probably 65-1970
carnt remember his surname his first name was mick about 18-20 yrs old short fair hair a bit of a jack the lad loved chatting up the girls on the 8 route. as i say it is a long shot, think he may of moved onto the 9 route as i remember he used to like a young blonde girl that used to get on and off the 8 at Aston cross. As i say i would love to find him!
 
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mrpastry said:
Hi All
I worked at Hockley Garage from Nov 1963 to Nov 1971 ... The No 8 route in those days was a killer for the "Guard" (Conductor) you would start a shift at 5am and not get off the platform after the first half hour in service until you returned to garage after 9 am. The A C & E number was not used under BCT and was something that I think was started in the late 70's .
Regards
Rich
Keep smiling
Click to expand...
hi I know this is a long shot but i am trying to find a mate who was a conductor on the no 8 route probably 65-1970
carnt remember his surname his first name was mick about 18-20 yrs old short fair hair a bit of a jack the lad loved chatting up the girls on the 8 route. as i say it is a long shot, think he may of moved onto the 9 route as i remember he used to like a young blonde girl that used to get on and off the 8 at Aston cross. As i say i would love to find him!
 
The Inner Circle 8 route today is a shadow of the intensive service it was from its inception in 1926 (complete circle from 1928). Peak times were a bus every two minutes.
Over the history of the routes roads that it traversed have changed quite a few times principally due to demolitions in the densely populated inner areas of the city and re-location or demise of much of the city's former industries.
The A and C I believe date from the 1960's. It is interesting that most of the city's citizens knew which way the buses gyrated - as they also knew which way to the city and which way home :D - but presumably with the a new population arriving it was not so clear for them.
There is a good book entitled The Inner Circle, Birmingham;s No.8 Bus Route in the Images of England Series. It has been mentioned on this Forum before but I recommend to anyone interested in the route and the history of the areas it served get a copy.
 
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