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A Destination Blind in the Bull Ring Shopping Center

H

horsencart

master brummie
horsencart said:
In one of the shops in the Bull Ring Shopping Center there hans a destination blind https://www.flickr.com/photos/transport_photos/5709436563/ now i think that where they have hung the destination blind was is very close? to where the buse made there way into and out of the city, I think that this s where the destination blind would be https://www.flickr.com/photos/transport_photos/5555893722/in/set-72157626339774888/ I may be wrong of course but it is certainly in the same area
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Very interesting.Seems to be a Lea Hall Garage blind from one of their tin front buses,since they worked the 28 route for many years.
 
I'm intrigued now Arriva - how can you tell which bus it may have come from and did the driver roll the guide on at each stop to show the next one?
I can remember the Midland Red drivers between Tamworth and Sutton/ Birmingham rolling the destination at the front of the bus at the start of the journey, but not during the journey.
Horencart, was it for sale or just on display - did the shop know anything about its history or why it is placed there?
I must have a closer look next time I'm in town!!
Sue
 
That looks like a Washwood Heath garage blind to me - of the age when the first Fleetlines were coming in, as there is a 'display number' between each display on both sides - the 'Standards' had the conductor's winding handles on the offside, and the early Fleetlines on the nearside, and the conductor would turn until the number of the required display was showing - he could not see the whole display from inside.

did the driver roll the guide on at each stop to show the next one?
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No Sue, each one is the destination point of a "short working" of the route, used when only running part way. This was used mainly at rush hours, when certain sections of some routes were very busy, but it was not necessary (or economic) to run extra buses over the whole route.
 
I was in the shop today and I noted that they are selling framed? single destinations for £145.00 I may be wrong about the price to but I aint that much out to be honest just one look at the price had me walking very smartly out of the shop there was one or two Midland Red destintations but the rest appeared to be BCT/WMPTE I was going to take photo but my bottle had gone by then
 
As originally used, these short workings were shown alone,ie without any route number at all. With the arrival of tin front buses,with separate 3 digit number blinds,many short workings were given a suffix letter ,usually working out from the city centre to the outer terminus,from A onwards,with longer routes going as far as J,K,and (I think ) even L in a couple of cases.

I can remember Hockley Garage journeys showing 70F,72F,74F,75F,16F and even (although slightly off route ),96F.
 
horsencart said:
I was in the shop today and I noted that they are selling framed? single destinations for £145.00 I may be wrong about the price to but I aint that much out to be honest just one look at the price had me walking very smartly out of the shop there was one or two Midland Red destintations but the rest appeared to be BCT/WMPTE I was going to take photo but my bottle had gone by then
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That is a regular money making racket on Ebay as well these days, carving up destination blinds & sticking the parts in frames to be offered for sale at ridiculous prices. Personally I feel that cutting up blinds that may well be rare and sought after by enthusiasts is pure vandalism.......
 
"I feel that cutting up blinds that may well be rare and sought after by enthusiasts is pure vandalism......." Too bl**dy right! Too much of the ££££ and not enough thought of heritage and legacy. Imagine if some 14th century bod had cut up the Bayeux Tapestry and sold it? Or the Turin Shroud (regardless of its origin)?

They should be taken out and shot!
 
I don't think the destination Blinds have been hung there as a memory for buses that used to pass that way before the New Bull Ring was built. I have seen this Blind in Selfridges and similar outlets. I think but not sure that they are part of 'Old Memorabilia' that is made in China.
 
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