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Communications

Buses Through Great Barr

These pages are divided into two parts. The early years where all services were operated by major operators who later became West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive, and more recent opertations post-deregulation with many new services and operators.

West Bromwich Corporation Transport

W.B.C.T.D. opened a new route, the 6, to Hamstead to assist miners in getting to work at the colliery, in February 1920. The route became the 406 when taken over by West Midlands Passemger Transport Executive.

A more unusual operation occured in the Summer of 1926 when a tours licence was issued that allowed the Corporation to run an evening tour from Dartmouth Square to Barr Beacon, returning with a half-hour stop at Red House Park.

Birmingham City Transport

2 Ivy Bush to Hamstead

The 2 service orginally ran from the Ivy Bush,Hagley Road to Monument Road, Hamstead Road, Browne's Green (Handsworth Wood) in 1916 and was extended to Hamstead in 1932. The 2B ran from Hamstead to the Ivy Bush and on to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Selly Oak in 1939.

16 Hamstead to Birmingham

The 16 originally ran from Birmingham City centre to Friary Road in Handsworth Wood in 1925. Extended as the 16A to Beauchamp Avenue on 27th October 1937 it finally reached Hamstead when extended on 3rd December 1937. The 16A was renumbered 16 on 7th December 1958. A further short extension was made to a new turning circle at Hamstead Village on 10th December 1961. The 16 became a cross city service in 1929 when linked to the 15, buses from Hamstead showing 16 when terminating at the City, or 15 when working through to Yardley. The 15 itself being extended towards Whittington Oval (1949).

The terminus at Hamstead was actually in West Bromwich and was shared with the W.B.C.T.D. 6 service.

51 Birminghan to Scott Arms

The 51 was originally a Midland Red service and was taken over on 4th May 1958, terminating at Scott Arms.

 On 1 October 1969 West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) tookover Walsall Corporation Transport so the service then became a jointly operated one between Midland Red and WMPTE. This situation prevailed until 3 December 1973 when WMPTE acquired most of the Midland Red bus operations in the West Midlands including service 118. Thus service 118 became operated solely by WMPTE. The use of service number 118 ceased around 1975 when the local Birmingham city service between Birmingham and Scott Arms (service 51) became co-ordinated with the 118 service. Buses operating from Walsall to Birmingham now used service number 51 instead of 118. Those journeys that did not operate the full length of the route used service designation 51E, the "E" indicating an exception to operating the full length of route. In this instance the vast majority of 51E journeys were journeys operating between Birmingham and Scott Arms.

29 Birmingham to Pheasey Estate

Buses came to the new Pheasey Estate area when the 29 was extended from Kingstanding to Hillingford Avenue on 19th August 1940. This section from Kingstanding became the 29A in 1941 when services were curtailed at Kingstanding. The 29A was renumbered 90 on 29th November 1964 for services to Pheasey Estate. Return service number 91.

Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company (Midland Red)

The 118 Birmingham through to Walsall service was operated jointly with Walsall CT. The 119 became Birminghams 51 in 1958. The origins of service 118 go back to the early part of the 20th century when a service was introduced between Walsall and Birmingham by a company that later became widely known as "Midland Red". The service was numbered 118 for many years. Around 1968 service 118 became a jointly operated service between Midland Red and new-to-the-route Walsall Corporation Transport

Walsall Corporation Transport

Walsall occupying one corner of Great Barr also ran its services through the area. The 118 Birmingham to Walsall service was operated jointly with BMMO. The 53 ran jointly with West Bromwich CT through Queslett and onto Streetly via Barr Beacon.

Around 1968 service 118 became a jointly operated service between Midland Red and new-to-the-route Walsall Corporation Transport. As a result, for transport enthusiasts the 118 service became a very interesting one since both operators often used vehicles that were unique to themselves. Midland Red often used buses of it's own manufacture (ie. BMMO) whilst Walsall Corporation had various specially modified types of manufacturers buses ranging from "short" Daimler Fleetlines to what was once the largest double deck service bus in the UK, ie. 56 (XDH56G) a 35 feet 10 inches long low-height Daimler CR36 with an 86 seater Northern Counties body. [Wikipedia]

West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive

On 1st October 1969 the buses of Birmingham, Walsall and West Bromwich became part of the new PTE. West Bromwich's 6 was renumbered 406 while Birmingham services retained their numbers.

De-Regulation of Buses - 1986 to date

The deregulation of bus services led to the replacement of WMPTE with Travel West Midlands on 26th October 1986. While the main services to Great Barr carried on there were many new companies plying for trade and new services fulfilling the needs of passengers. A number of routes are now operated by multiple companies. Centro develops and promotes bus travel in the West Midlands.

2007 - Network West Midlands

Network West Midlands is the name that connects all public transport in the West Midlands metropolitan area. This includes Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Coventry, Walsall, Solihull and Wolverhampton.

It clearly identifies the complete network of bus, rail and Metro services that are easily accessible to most people in the West Midlands.

Centro launched Network West Midlands in 2006. Complete roll-out was achieved in December 2007. Network West Midlands signage is installed at all bus, train and Metro stops.

 

Centro bus map Click on the map above for current service details from Network West Midlands bus services

Bus Routes (Numerical Order)

5 West Bromwich - Pheasey - Sutton Coldfield

Renumbering of 451 from 28 October 2012

16 Birmingham - Hamstead and Scott Arms

Service 16 links Birmingham with Hamstead and peak hour service 16A links Birmingham to Scott Arms, Great Barr.

  •  March 2009 GRS Travel operate a regular service on route 16A 7 days a week
  • 22 June 2008 - Travel Express withdraw operations on this service.
  • 7 May 2008 - Diamond Bus slightly reduce the overall frequency on service 16 and withdraw the evening service.
  • 27 April 2008 - Diamond Bus night service 16N is withdrawn.
  • December 2007 - National Express West Midlands Scania OmniLink start appearing on the route. These will replace the MCW Metrobus and Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 16 branded vehicles.
  • 30 July 2006 - Diamond Bus introduce a evening and Sunday service.

28 Small Heath to Scott Arms via Erdington

Travel WM service. Also operted from Shady Lane by Zaks coaches.

39 Birmingham - Pheasey via Walsall Rd, Aldridge Rd

Travel West Midlands Birmingham - Pheasey via Walsall Rd, Aldridge Rd. Service Withdrawn 31/1/05 - facility covered by a revised service 997

46 Scott Arms to West Bromwich/Londonderry via Hamstead Village

Renumbering of 406  on 28 October 2012 and extension to Londonderry 

46A 46S Birmingham - Pheasey via Lozells, Perry Barr

46 route curtailed at Perry Barr, through services to Pheasey numbered 46A (27/2/05)

51 Birmingham to Walall

bus51 (21K)


Since deregulation (26 October 1986) service 51 has been consistently operated by West Midlands Travel. Various other operators seeing the route as a busy one have attempted to compete but have all subsequently withdrawn from the service. Such operators have included Tame Valley Travel, Birmingham Coach Company (later known as Diamond Bus), Chase Bus Services, Zaks Coaches (now  Rotala)  and A2Z Travel.

406 / 406H West Bromwich to Scott Arms

The addition of H to various West Bromwich services indicated that the sevices travel past Sandwell General Hospital. [Travel WM]. Renumbered 46 on 28 October 2012 and extended to Londonderry.

407H Europa Village (West Bromwich) to Scott Arms

424 Perry Beeches – Scott Arms – Hamstead – Perry Barr – Birmingham (was operated by Zaks, currently VIP Contracts)

ROUTE DETAILS : From Beeches Road,Aldridge Road then via: Beeches Road, Castleton Road, Thornbridge Avenue, Haddon Road, Curbar Road, Rowdale Road, Longstone Road, Thornbridge Avenue, Beeches Road, Turnberry Road, Thetford Road, Duxford Road, Booths Farm Road, Perrywood Road, Calshot Road, Cardington Avenue, Mildenhall Road, Hamble Road, Queslett Road, Scott Arms, Newton Road, Jayshaw Avenue, Gorse Farm Road, Appleton Avenue, Spouthouse Lane, Hamstead Road, Old Walsall Road, Kingsdown Avenue, Tower Hill, Rocky Lane, Walsall Road, Harrier Way, Birchfield Road, Aston Lane, Stoneleigh Road, The Broadway, Bevington Road and on to City.

Return via: Haddon Road then Thornbridge Avenue, Aldridge Road, to Beeches Road,Aldridge Road.

425 Scott Arms - Hamstead Village - Pear Tree Estate (was Zaks, VIP Contacts)

Scott Arms, Rokeby Road, Longleat, Monksfield Ave, Pear Tree Estate, Tanhouse Ave, Valley Road, Hamstead Village

451 West Bromwich - Pheasey - Sutton Coldfield

On 28 October this route was re-numbered 5 as part of a re-organisation of services.

654 Hamstead Village to Perry Barr

654A Tanhouse Avenue to Perry Barr

655 Great Barr - Asda (Queslett) - Pheasey - Barr Beacon - Aldridge

Petes Travel.

997 Birmingham to Walsall via Pheasey

Travel West Midlands launched their brand new £1m Premier 997 bus service on Sunday 30th January 2005. This limited stop, fast timetable service saw 9 brand new Wright's Gemini Double-Decked vehicles operating on the route, all of which have the latest "CrystalEyes" multi-media CCTV technology fitted for the benefit of customers. The vehicles are fitted with semi-coach seating which give an enhanced all round seat pitch, adding to passenger comfort. With additional features such as low-floor, easy access vehicles we hope that these high quality internal and external specifications will give benefits for both existing and potential passengers. (Travel WM).

Bus Operators

Travel West Midlands

Travel West Midlands (formerly West Midlands Travel) was established as a Company on 26th October 1986, following the 1985 Transport Act and deregulation of bus services.

The Company took over the operation of the bus fleet formerly run by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (known as the 'Corporation Buses' and now as CENTRO) and was a private limited company whose sole shareholder was the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority. In December 1991, the company was sold to its employees in the form of a 100% Employee Share Ownership Plan, the first of its kind in Britain.

In April 1995 Travel West Midlands merged with National Express Group (NX Group), a public limited company which is listed on the stock exchange.

Currently the largest bus operator in the West Midlands region with nearly 600 bus routes, Travel West Midlands operates a fleet of 1,800 buses and carries nearly one million passengers every working day.

Zaks Buses (CentralConnect)

Zak’s Bus and Coach Services Ltd. was acquired by Rotala Group plc. (October 2006) The Zak’s operations will be integrated with those of Flights Hallmark, and the bus services of both companies operate under the Centralconnect brand name.

 

 VIP Contracts

 Formed in 1994 in Hockley, Birmingham this operator runs the 424/5 routes in the area.

 

Communication links form a key part of any community. The area includes crossings of the River Tame, major road links between Birmingham, Walsall and West Bromwich, togther with canals and more recently Motorway links. These pages look at communication links in Great Barr.

  • Motorways
  • Canals
  • Railway
  • Rivers
  • Buses
  • Post Offices
  • Telephone Exchanges
Outline communications in B43

map: rail line at Hamstead

The Grand Junction Railway was opened in 1837 with Hamstead suburban station being opened in 1862. It was renamed in 1875 as Great Barr.

In those days, both platforms were on the same side, one on the Perry Barr side of the road bridge, where today's platform is, and the other on the Hamstead side of the road bridge, opposite the signal box and the colliery siding. Eventually this arrangement had to be changed because as the number of people crossing the tracks increased then so did the fatalities caused by approaching trains. The station was relocated in 1899.

Map: Station 1890 (9K)

The station was renamed to its original name of Hamstead in 1974.

Entrances are in Rocky Lane and the Old Walsall Road.

Hamstead rail-rocky (57K)

Hamstead Station(32K)

Station Masters

  • 1888 Thomas Benton
  • 1904 Francis Leadbeater
  • 1937 Harold Robinson

The following videos of Hamstead are provided from You Tube

 

M5 M6 Motorways

A significant part of Great Barr is affected by the M6 and M5 motorways which connect along the B43 boundary.

map: great barr

At Great Barr on the Walsall Road the M6 junction 7 provides access to the Motorway.

map: area around junction 7

To the North the M6 cuts along the edge of the Great Barr Hall site, crossing over the Queslett Road by the Walsall - Sandwell Boundary.

To the East the M5 arm of the Ray Hall interchange bridges Wilderness Lane before crossing the Tame Valley canal and heading for West Bromwich under the Newton Road.

The M6 Bescott to Ray Hall triangle section (J9 to J8) was started in May 1968 and opened in May 1970

The M6 Ray Hall to Great Barr section (J8 to J7) was started in May 1968 and opened in July 1970. The M5 link from West Bromwich to the M6 (J8) section was started in June 1967 and opened in May 1970.

Copyright 2020 Great Barr Past and Present, Anthony Lewis

Administrator