West Midlands bus route 529

The 529 is a bus route in the West Midlands, United Kingdom. It is operated by National Express West Midlands every day of the week.

The route links the town of Walsall with The City of Wolverhampton quickly and directly (compared to service 333 which goes through several estates along the way). Despite it being a popular commuter route, bus is the only mode of transport between the two areas.

History

  • 1965 - Service 29 (jointly operated by Walsall Corporation Transport and Wolverhampton Corporation Transport) becomes the first trolleybus route to be converted to full Motor Bus operation, due to work on Junction 10 of the M6.
  • 1975 - Service 29 is renumbered Service 529 as part of West Midlands PTE's programme to standardise its service numbering arrangements (5xx being Wolverhampton's designated numbering range).
  • Early 1990's - Details AbOUT the 529 frequency and operators is unclear, but it is known that West Midlands Travel operate a Timesaver service between Wolverhampton and Birmingham International Airport via Walsall (Service 966). The frequency of the 529 is currently unknown, but it known that WMT use MCW Metrobuses on the route.
  • Mid-1990's - Chase Bus Services and National Express West Midlands (then West Midlands Travel operate the 529. Chase use Leyland Nationals on the route, whilst WMT use branded Volvo B10Bs.
  • 1997 - West Midlands Travel, by now Travel West Midlands start using brand new route branded Volvo B10L buses on the route. These buses are powered by Compressed NATURAL Gas (CNG), and make the 529 the first bus route in the whole of the United Kingdom to be operated by such buses.
  • 1998 - TWM run the 529 at 6 minute daytime frequency, whilst Chase run the service every 15 minutes Monday - Friday and 20 minutes on a Saturday. Evening and Sunday journeys are only run by TWM at a twenty minute frequency. At the same time Chase Bus Services route 5 follows the same route as the 529 between Walsall and Willenhall, before proceeding to Bilston at a twenty minute frequency.
  • 1999 - Chase Bus Services completely withdraw off the 529 and shorten the frequency of the 5 to half hourly. Travel West Midlands frequency on the 529 remains the same.
  • 2001 - Chase Bus Services completely withdraw off the 5. At the same time Travel West Midlands slightly reduce the frequency on the 529 to every 7 minutes and start using route branded Dennis Trident 2s on the route, in place of the Gas Buses due to the higher capacity.
  • 2005 - A2Z Travel briefly begin operating on the 529 at an irregular frequency. Within six months they come off the service.
  • 2006 - Travel West Midlands begin gradually removing the 529 branded from its vehicles. The buses are repainted and put into route 51 branding (Walsall - Birmingham), whilst the older Plaxton President-bodied Volvo B7TLs off the 51 are debranded, repainted but not rebranded and used on the 529.
  • Early 2007 - A2Z Travel start operating on the 529 on Sundays only at a twenty minute frequency.
  • Mid 2007 - Travel West Midlands increase the Sunday frequency on the 529, so that it now operates every 15 minutes.
  • Late 2007 - The Volvo B7TLs are transferred from Walsall to Acocks Green garage for route 1. A few Dennis Trident 2s are transferred from Wolverhampton to cover, but for a short period the 529 is being operated by a mixture of the Gas Buses, Trident 2s and the remaining Volvo B7TLs.
  • 2008 - Walsalls allocation of Wright Eclipse Gemini-bodied Volvo B7TLs are replaced on service 997 to Birmingham by brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 vehicles. These buses are used on the 529 along with Dennis Trident 2s. To this day, the mixture of these two vehicles is the allocation on the 529. Additionally, A2Z Travel increase its Sunday frequency to every 15 minutes.
  • January 2009 - A2Z Travel withdraw off the 529.

Events

  • 1965 - The service becomes the first Walsall Trolleybus route to be operated by Motor Buses
  • 1997 - The services becomes the first in the UK to be operated using buses running on Compressed Natural Gas.
  • 1998 - The Gas Buses are temporarily withdrawn from service due to a fault.
  • 1998 - A sniper shoots out windows on five buses on the 529 route.
  • 2001 - A bus driver on the 529 had a gun pulled out on him, after getting into an argument with a passenger over a fare.
  • 2003 - A yob hurls a firework at a bus running on the 529 on a Sunday Evening. Luckily no serious injuries or damage is caused.
  • 2005 - Two passengers attacked a fellow passenger on a 529 service, before disembarking and throwing missiles at the vehicle.

When London Midland withdrew its rail service between Wolverhampton and Walsall, they usually advised passengers to use the 529 bus service.

It is also worth noting that the Gas Buses are now converted to run on Conventional Diesel.

Future

With proposals to build a Midland Metro extension linking Wolverhampton and Walsall, the frequency of the route is at risk of being less frequent.

It has also been revealed that National Express West Midlands is to undertake 'big' changes on the route in 2009, with the possibly of an Express service being introduced between the two areas. Six months into the year and no details or alterations have yet been announced, taking into account The 50-day notice period required to alter services.

Route

  • Walsall (Walsall Bus Station)
  • Alumwell
  • Bentley
  • Willenhall
  • Neachells
  • Wolverhampton (Wolverhampton bus station)