West Midlands bus routes 56, 56A & X56

Services 56, 56A, X56 (Diamond) and X56 (Midland Rider) are four major bus routes in the Walsall and Birmingham areas of the West Midlands, England. The 56 and X56 (between Birmingham and Brownhills West) are operated by Diamond Bus, the 56A is also operated by Diamond Bus and the X56 between Birmingham and Boney Hay is operated by Midland Rider. A similar route is followed between Aldridge and Birmingham by Diamond Bus early morning service 158.

Present

The 56 is the main service along the corridor. The route, which is operated solely by Diamond Bus, runs using branded Dennis Darts during Monday - Friday daytime peak hours only and during the same time periods on a Saturday, and links Birmingham City Centre with Brownhills West via Perry Barr, Kingstanding, Aldridge and Brownhills Town Centre. The service runs at a frequency ranging from every 10 to 30 Minutes, with an additional journey added during school term time on behalf of St Francis of Assisi School between Birmingham and Aldridge.

The X56, between Birmingham and Brownhills West is an identical working of the 56, with the exception of it being limited stop between Kingstanding and Birmingham City Centre. This service operates during off-peak daytime hours on weekdays, and during the same time period on Saturdays, and is again operated by Diamond Bus using most commonly Dennis Darts.

The other X56 is run by Midland Rider and only runs Monday - Friday, with one journey Birmingham bound in the morning peak, and the return journey in the evening peak. The service links Birmingham with Boney Hay via Perry Barr, Kingstanding, Streetly, Brownhills, Brownhills West, Ogley Hay and Chasetown. As a result of serving Streetly, Aldridge is bypassed. This version of the X56 does not stop between Birmingham City Centre and Kingstanding. Normally the route is operated by either step-entry Dennis Darts, a Leyland Lynx or sometimes a Volvo B6LE.

Finally, the 56A is a subsidised evening and Sunday only service, operated by Diamond Bus. The route is very similar to the 56, with the exception of a slight variation in that it also serves the Hundred Acre area. The 56A is run using low floor Dennis Darts.

Another service following a similar route is the peak only service 158. Operated by Diamond Bus, just one Birmingham bound service operates during early mornings on Weekdays, with the return in the Evening peak. The 158 links Bloxwich with Birmingham via Shelfield, Aldridge, Kingstanding and Perry Barr.

History

56 Route

Pre-1999 Route was operated by then Travel West Midlands, who used service number 995. This route ran half-hourly Monday - Friday peek times and hourly Monday - Saturday daytimes. The first 4 journeys each-way everyday, extended from The Rising Sun, and again the last 4 journeys both-ways, extending to the Rising Sun. All other journeys route 995, used roundabout at the top of the shops as its terminus. Until 1998 the route was run under Perry Barr garage. In the early part of 1998 the route transferred from Perry Barr, to operate from the Walsall Garage. The garage operated it for a year, until finally in the mid part of 1999 TWM withdrawing operations off the route. However this was not the end of Travel West Midlands on this route though.

From 1998 TWM gradually started withdrawing their service, dropping all Saturday services, but keeping only Monday - Friday operations, then in the later part of 2001 the garage withdrew all but peek time service and gradually cut these back keeping just 6 journeys operating as route 995. Until in later part of 2006 Walsall garage, left all but one journey on the route. Finally they withdrew all operations combined this one early morning journey, as 997A and continue to run this journey Monday's - Friday's.

In 1999, it is known that instead of the 56, a route numbered the 156 was operated by Arriva Midlands at an hourly Monday - Saturday daytime frequency. The route linked Birmingham with Cannock, following the same route as the current 56 service between Birmingham City Centre and Brownhills West, but then extending to Cannock via Norton Canes and Hednesford.

An evening service, also numbered the 156 was also operated by Arriva Midlands. This was the exact same route as the current 56A service.

In 2000, Arriva Midlands lost the evening and Sunday service to Pete's Travel (the service was subsidised).

In 2001, Arriva Midlands shortened the daytime journey of the 156, so that it terminated it terminated in Brownhills West, and maintained the hourly frequency.

By 2003, Arriva Midlands had extended the service back to Cannock, whilst Diamond Bus, who were then known as Birmingham Coach Company, had also introduced Monday - Saturday daytime journeys on the shortened 156 route (Birmingham - Brownhills West). Both services ran to an hourly frequency. Pete's Travel (who were integrated into the Diamond Bus fleet following a take-over by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005), continued to operate the evening service.

By 2004, Arriva Midlands had withdrawn off the 156, whilst by 2007, Diamond Bus had renumbered the service 56 and were operating it to a twenty minute daytime frequency, as well as continuing to run the 56A (by now Pete's Travel was Diamond Bus).

The frequency of the 56 was reduced to half hourly in 2008, whilst Diamond Bus also lost the contract for the 56A, it instead being won by A2Z Travel. In 2009, Diamond Bus changed some of the journeys to limited stop, therefore creating the X56, whilst in April of the same year, A2Z Travels licence was revoked. As a result Choice Travel won the new contract, before renaming themselves Midland in June 2009. In October of the same year they lost the contract for the 56A, with Diamond Bus regaining it and therefore operating 56 services all day Monday - Saturday.

Previously, a similar route between Brownhills and Birmingham was followed by National Express West Midlands and Pete's Travel service 995, which has since been withdrawn.

Boxing Day

National Express West Midlands, the regions largest bus operator. Yet to be defeated on running the route, were subsidised to operate the 56A between 2004 and 2008. However in 2009, lost the contract to Diamond Bus, who operated the service on Boxing Day.

Future

No known changes are due.

The 56, 56A, 56X, X56 and 158 routes are under review, as part of the North Walsall bus network review. However, it is likely that the outcomes of the review, would result in this route receiving minimal changes.

Routes

56, 56A & X56 - Diamond Bus

• Birmingham City Centre
• Perry Barr
• Kingstanding
• Hundred Acre
• Aldridge
• Brownhills
• Brownhills West

X56 - Midland Rider

• Birmingham City Centre
• Perry Barr
• Kingstanding
• Hundred Acre
• Streetly
• Brownhills
• Brownhills West
• Ogley Hay
• Chasetown
• Boney Hay

158 - Diamond Bus

• Birmingham City Centre
• Perry Barr
• Kingstanding
• Hundred Acre
• Aldridge
• Shelfield
• Bloxwich