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Birmingham buses

The 99 route, using new-look buses with the three track numeral box as the single destination blind was unusable, was not a success. It lasted only until 15th. May after three months service.
A later 99 route was introduced in April 1967 called the Rubery Express. It was a limited stop service an originally used single deck buses and later double deck buses. It was passed to WMPTE - for whom I have little interest.
 
Hi,

And later still, the 99 route from Lanchester Way Smiths Wood to the city Centre.

It had a special L shaped roadway built into the corner of Lanchester Way and
Auckland Drive for the buses to turn and park, and a Bundy Clock.

The Bundy clock went many years ago, but as I left in 2017 I don't know if the
99 is still running.

Kind regards
Dave
 
Ted Bott's last duty seems to be on 14 route with Crossley GOE 647 - 1647 - which was a complete bus, chassis, engine and bodywork supplied from Crossley. There were 10 supplied (1646 - 1655) but 1647 was unique in having features, such as sliding windows, instead the previous wind down ones which were to be found on BCT buses in the future. The bus was to exhibition standard and new in June 1949. It was withdrawn in June 1964.
 
“The queue of buses in Colmore Row, Birmingham. Buses and cars tock 45 minutes to get from Five Ways to Corporation-street.
Outward-bound traffic moved at snail pace because of congestion at the scissors crossing of Victoria Square.”
(January 1950, Eveng Despatch)


IMG_0563.jpeg


IMG_0566.jpegIMG_0568.jpeg
 
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Two similar style buses, although the window arrangements are different. One is in Harborne (Princes Corner) the other location unknown. When did open top buses go out of general use ?Screenshot_20240613_072400_Chrome.jpg

Screenshot_20240613_072331_Chrome.jpg

Is this one in Selly Oak a similar model ?

Screenshot_20240613_071847_Chrome.jpg
 
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Vivienne14 said:
This is supposed to be on a Birmingham street in 1925. Is it a trolley bus ? Sensibly, this one has a roofed upper deck.

View attachment 192423
Click to expand...

that photo looks familiar to me viv...going back a few years now to some research i was doing...wonder if its nechells park road with stanley road on the right..my dad was in a nursing home there..could be on the nechells park road thread..

lyn
 
Vivienne14 said:
Two similar style buses, although the window arrangements are different. One is in Harborne (Princes Corner) the other location unknown. When did open top buses go out of general use ?View attachment 192421

View attachment 192420

Is this one in Selly Oak a similar model ?

View attachment 192422
Click to expand...
The one at Harborne is a German Dourkopp, in service with a forerunner of the Midland Red sometime between 1904-7. Birmingham no. 62 was an AEC, very similar to the London General 'S' type, and the one at Selly Oak is a Daimler, one of a small fleet operating feeder services from Rednal, Rubery, Longbridge and Northfield to the tram terminal at Selly Oak. As the tramway was extended, the feeder routes got shorter until the trams reached the city boundaries, when they ceased. With the coming of WW1, the army requisitioned the Daimler chassis and the service continued using Tilling Stevens chassis'ed buses, more of which were purchased to have the former Daimler bodies fitted to.
 
There's also a Midland Red thread here. Members will be interested in your photos. Thanks.

Lloyd

Post in thread 'Midland Red'

Pedrocut said:
February 1950, Midland Red to lengthen buses.
(Evening Despatch)

View attachment 192298
Click to expand...
How it was done - all of the post-war single deckers in existence so far were rebuilt with an extension to the rearmost bay of the body (and bolt-on rear chassis extensions) and seat spacings adjusted to fit an extra row of seats.
  • Appreciate
 
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