Old street pics..

[Phil]

Now at the top of the hill (10) we pass by on the left Gowan Road (11) and on the right College Rd (12). Further up as we pass the Morris Commercial Club we can see the Parkfield café (13) next door and Parkfield Rd itself (14).

 

[Rob Scott]

Thanks for these wonderful photo's Phil, this is a real walk down memory lane for me, so close to home !

Rob

 

[brummie nick]

In post #1027 pic 4 of the Arden Oak Pub, Does anyone know the year it would have been taken.? I would have thought late 60's or early 70's.
Thanks
Nick

 

[Phil]

Hi Nick

The photo of the Arden Oak was taken in 1965.

 

[brummie nick]

Hi Nick

The photo of the Arden Oak was taken in 1965.

Thanks Phil.
Nick

 

[Phil]

As our bus trundles on we approach Brook Hill Rd with it's branch of the Co op on the one corner (15) and on the other The Brook Hill public House (16). As we make our way up the hill again we can look back and see Rockville Rd and Southalls factory (17)where half the women resident in the area worked. Next we pass by the Cotterills Lane junction on the right (18) and we finish this section approaching Belchers Lane (19).

 

[Phil]

We are heading now toward the island at Belchers Lane (20) where we find the the Pelham Arms (21) on the right as we pass by on the way toward the Capitol Cinema (22). Passing by the Capitol (23) on the left we pass over the railway bridge and come to the row of shops on the other side of the bridge. (24).


Myself I never travelled past this point of the 55 bus, so I am a little hazy as to it's route. So if I go wrong or stray off the path please tell me, not that there are many more photos of the route from here onward. So if anybody else has one please don't be afraid to add it.

 

[Phil]

Right I fear that unless someone can furnish me with details of the route of the No 55 after Burnley Lane this will be the last post on this bus route as I have no idea of the route past this point. As well as photos of the areas further out being very thin on the ground.


We are now passing an old Corn supply (24) in the row of shops near Bankdale rd, next comes the shops by Woodwells Rd (25) then we approach a butchers a grocers and a car sales (26) on the corner of Burnley Lane. On the other corner is the Ward End public house (27) and finally we enter Burnley Lane itself (28).

 

[stars]

Hi Phill
I know the 55 bus went from Burnley lane to the heathway shard end, but i can't
remember the names of the roads.

Regards Stars

 

[wendyP]

The 55 bus went from Burney Lane up Stechford Road and then Hodge Hill Road and up past Bucklands End Lane, Brook Meadow Road and up tom Shard End.

 

[Rob Scott]

Hi Phil
In the late 1970's the 55 turned left at the bottom of Burney Lane into Stechford Lane then immediately right into Stechford Road, turned right into Hodge Hill Road, then down to turn left into Buckland End, turning right into the Heathway and then left into Shard End Crescent. At this point it turned left into Packington Avenue along to Hurst Lane. I believe it terminated in Hurst Lane but cannot remember any more that that I'm afraid. Thanks once again for these terrific photo's, brings back lots of good memories.

 

[terryb18]

Robs correct, it used to terminate in Hurst Lane, then the route was extended by turning right into Freasley Rd, left into Longmeadow Crescent past the girls school, then up to the junction of Longmeadow Crescent/Kitsland Rd where it turned round ready for the return journey.

Terry

 

[Phil]

Thanks for the info lads, I'll see if I can do anything with it and come up with the rest of the route.

 

[Phil]

Right armed with this latest information I will attempt to continue our bus ride, but please bear with me because I am out of my depth here. So if I get lost don't forget 4 bells please.

We continue on down Burnley Lane until we reach Stechford Lane (1) we turn into Stechford Rd (2) and continue on (3) until we reach Hodge Hill Rd where we fork right and pass by the Raven ph (4) Our next photo is Maggoty Lane (5) the predecessor of Bucklands End Rd.

 

[terryb18]

You are doing well so far Phil, though Maggoty Lane is a new one on me. A bit further on you will come to the Heathway where the bus takes you up to Shard End Crescent.

Terry

 

[Phil]

Terry

The information with the photo says Hodge Hill Farm Maggoty Lane which became Bucklands End Lane. Another interesting fact that I came across is about Mitchell farm that once stood on the site of the Harlequin public house. It was the home of Abraham Thornton who was accused of the murder of Mary Ashford after a dance at the Tyburn House pub in 1817. He was acquitted twice of the murder the second time after challenging Mary's brother to a duel.

 

[terryb18]

Yes Phil, I have a book with that story in it,all fascinating stuff. The Harlequin was one of my regular drinking spots. I celebrated my 21st there, it was a good pub in its day.

Terry

 

[Phil]

Time to bring this bus ride to an end, with these last sequence of photos. I understand that this service has terminated in a number of places over the years, but I think I can manage Kitsland Rd though if the photo I use in anywhere near the terminus I haven't got a clue.

With the end of the route, if anybody wants to suggest another route or main road out of Birmingham I am willing to have a go. Can I suggest that if you want another bus route that if you can supply me with details of the route it would be helpful as I never was a great one for using buses before I was 18 and after that I never did.


Now we are on Heath Way passing the Harlequin Public House (6) that was recently mentioned. Next we arrive at Shard End Crescent (7) soon we are moving on to Packinton Avenue (8) looking very bleak, with Hurst Lane (9) not looking much better and finally reaching the end of our journey at Kitsland Rd (10).

 

[Vivienne14]

Well done Phil. It's an interesting way to view the suburbs through time. I'd be very happy to see the #29/29A route (later 90, 91). I only know the stretch of the route from the Odeon New St, Snow Hill, Corporation St, Bull St, Constitiution Hill, Great Hampton Street, Hampton Road, Villa Road, Aldridge Rd, Perry Barr Park, College Rd, Kingstanding Rd, junction with Hawthorne Rd, and then on to the Kingstanding Circle. But I'm sure other members could chip in with more details up along to the Pheasey Estate etc. After all, this is quite a long bus route. Viv.

 

[oldMohawk]

I second that Viv - When Phil recently went from Lancaster Place through Newtown and on to Perry Barr, he took us up the Walsall Road. I was hoping he would bear right from Perry Barr along the Aldridge Road and I might have seen a decent photo of the garage on the corner of Wellhead Lane. I bought my first car from there in 1964 when it was a Rootes dealership. Lots of interesting things further along the road with a choice of going to Kingstanding or New Oscott.
oldmohawk

 

[Phil]

If someone can post the complete route of the 29 bus, I will see what I can do. I'll start having a trawl through my photos to see what I can come up with.

 

[oldMohawk]

From my memory the 29a route after Perry Barr, was along Aldridge Rd, College Rd, then bearing left along the Kingstanding Rd to the Circle, then up Kettlehouse Rd, Bandywood Rd, Lambeth Rd, crossing the Queslett Rd to Collingwood Drive on the Pheasey Estate.
Phil (oldmohawk)

 

[Vivienne14]

Been also trying to remember the city centre part of the route. It went along Constitution Hill, up Snow Hill, onto Colmore Circus (not sure if that was always the name but I mean the road that circuled the Gaumont cinema). Then it went on to Priory Queensway (Old Square), then I think down Bull St, on to High St and around into New St. From New St it went up Corporation St, back onto Bull St past Grey's then down onto Snow Hill again. I've seen photos of the #29 bus in Union Street too, but I think this must have been on diversion (and pre-pedestrianisation, of course!). Actually, thinking about it, a large part of the city centre route is now pedestrianised - High St, New St - and it sounds like the new trams will also remove the Corporation St part of the route too. Progress eh? Viv.

 

[A Sparks]

I thought the 29A and the 33 went out of town the same way as the 51 and 52.
i.e Corporation Street to the Fire Station and then down the road that goes to Newtown/ Lozells?

But maybe my memory is totally wrong....!!

 

[oldMohawk]

I remember that 29 and 29a buses came up Soho Hill then along Hamstead Road turning right into Villa Road where I used to catch the bus on the way home from Handsworth Technical School. The bus then went down Heathfield Road to turn left into Birchfield Road.

 

[Astonian]

sparkie ;
it used to come down from corporation street then down constitution hill straight down to hockley brook where i used to catch it
then turn into hamstead rd to go to great barr theasey estates and the terminus was at the top of the hill in the theasey estates
i used to go there every sunday morning for dinner at my aunty floss ,s whom lived half way down the hill from the terminus
they was semi detached houses ; this was in the fiftys ; astonian;;

 

[Pete Ex Pat]

If I remember the 29a went up to collinwood drive pheasy estate terminus at the roundabout. and the 29 used to have kingstanding cicle as it's terminus. I remember that they used to go to the other side of town via digbeth and over to baldwins lane ?? can't say I know where that is to be honest but I think that the over all route was quite a long one. If you are looking for Bus Trips what about the good old No8 inner circle or the grand old No11 outer circle route. But me thinks the later would take to long to put together ..


Regards Pete

 

[Astonian]

hi pete i reckon you could be right ; all i can recall is the 29a bus took you to pheasy estates and yes it came through hockley brook and up the hill and turned into hamstead rd and around that time it was the terminus at the round about clock in and during those years there used to be a copper in a white coat doing point duty ; from keyon street hockley which ever way you wanted to get to the keyon street nick was up the constitution hill or go up ickneild street and up warstone lane or even qicker inthose days pickford street up the side of the cemetry ; astonian;;

 

[Pete Ex Pat]

Yes it did come down by the side of snow hill and up and and along great hampton street down through hockley brook up to hamstead road turned right along to villa road turned right along to villa cross Pub and Cinima and down heathefileld road to birchfield road, then turned left and on down through past the the birchfield harriers running ground, and along past wellhead lane bus depot, on past perry barr park and on past the boars head pub then left just past harry lucas's sports ground on the colledge road and up past the golden hiend pub to hawthorn road the straight on to kingstandig circle... and if you can understand my directions Good ????? I think that the route I have given is wright as I used the 29 & 29a often enough to get home to kingstanding dormington road. lived there for a number of years .... but as for the other side of town no idea at all..

hi pete i reckon you could be right ; all i can recall is the 29a bus took you to pheasy estates and yes it came through hockley brook and up the hill and turned into hamstead rd and around that time it was the terminus at the round about clock in and during those years there used to be a copper in a white coat doing point duty ; from keyon street hockley which ever way you wanted to get to the keyon street nick was up the constitution hill or go up ickneild street and up warstone lane or even qicker inthose days pickford street up the side of the cemetry ; astonian;;

 

[Phil]

Didn't I read on the forum a couple of days ago about a member who had just purchased a book that gave all the Birmingham bus routes up until 1975. He is the chap that could soon sort this out. I might see if I can find out the name of the book and but a copy myself.