Go West Midlands
Encyclopedia
- This company has been sold, for more recent developments, see Central Connect.
Go West Midlands was a bus company based in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was owned by Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
and was formed through Go-Ahead buying Probus Management Limited
Probus Management
Probus Management was a bus operator in the West Midlands. It mainly had a distinctive all over yellow livery. In 2006 it became part of Go West Midlands, and in 2008 was sold by Go-Ahead to become part of Central Connect.-History:...
(trading as People's Express
People's Express
People's Express was the trading name of Salelink, a bus company in the West Midlands which was acquired by Probus Management in 1998 and then by the Go-Ahead Group in 2006....
, and before that Pete's Travel) and Birmingham Coach Company (trading as Diamond Bus) and merging the two. Bus services were operated throughout the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
under the Diamond name.
Go West Midlands was seen as the second biggest operator in the West Midlands with National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
(Travel West Midlands at the time) being the biggest.
In 2006, Diamond relaunched their image, by increasing its frequency on route 16, which basically matched that of Travel West Midlands and increased its frequencies on the 17, 63, 64, 74 and 87.
However, in November 2007, Diamond withdrew its services on the 17 and 63 and majorly altered its operations on services 74 and 87 (cutting parts of the route off completely).
Diamond also lost many Centro and Staffordshire County contracts to other operators since Go-Ahead took over and stopped many of their school services.
On 3 March 2008 Go-Ahead
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
announced that it had sold Go West Midlands to Rotala Group subsidiary Central Connect. To make significant cost savings, Rotala plans to integrate the Diamond branding into its existing business. Currently, buses are losing their "we're part of the Go-Ahead Group" branding on the Diamond livery.
Fares
Before the sale, Diamond operated a fare system that was similar to its competitors within the West Midlands Metropolitan area. The fares and fare structure was similar to that of Travel West MidlandsNational Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
- £1.10 for a 'short hop' and £1.50 for an unlimited single journey ticket. Diamond differed by offering cheaper day tickets on a much more limited network of buses. A Diamond 'freedom' day ticket cost £2, whereas a child was £1. The ticket was also valid on the Friday and Saturday night services that Diamond ran across Birmingham (it was not, however, valid on the 5N and 58N as they are Central Connect
Central Connect
Connect Buses is the brand name used to cover all aspects of the Rotala Group bus operations. It operates in a number of mainly urban places in the United Kingdom, with the regional brand names reflecting the places served.-Central Connect/Blue Diamond:...
Centro subsidised services). Week tickets were £7 for adults, child were £3.50 and a monthly pass was £25 for adults, £12.50 for children.
On journeys that go outside the West Midlands boundary (Service 64 and 146 for example) fares increased at various rates.
Diamond, unlike Travel West Midlands
National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
, did give change.
Diamond routes
Before the takeover, Diamond ran the following routes:| Service | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham, Town Hall, Moseley, Acocks Green Village | Early Sunday morning trips only (Centro Contract) |
| 9N | Birmingham, Broad Street, Hagley Road, Halesowen Bus Station | Night Service |
| 14N | Birmingham, Broad Street, Chelmsley Wood & Alum Rock, Stechford | Night service |
| 16 | Birmingham, Corporation Street, Handsworth Wood, Hamstead Village | |
| 16N | Birmingham, Broad Street, Pheasey & Hamstead, Kingstanding | Night service |
| 22N | Birmingham, Broad Street, Harborne & Bartley Green, Kitwell | Night Service |
| 50 | Birmingham, Kings Heath and Maypole, Druids Heath | |
| 50N | Birmingham, Broad Street, Kings Heath and Maypole, Druids Heath | Night Service |
| 56 | Birmingham, Aldridge, Brownhills West | Weekdays only |
| 56A | Birmingham, Aldridge, Hundred Acre, Brownhills West | Evenings and Sundays only |
| 57 | Redditch, Woodrow, Matchborough Circular | |
| 58 | Redditch, Matchborough Circular | |
| 63N | Birmingham Broad Street, Bristol Road, Rubery | Night Service |
| 64 | Birmingham, Rubery & Lickey End, Bromsgrove | |
| 74/74E | Birmingham, West Bromwich Bus Station, Dudley Port | |
| 81 | Birmingham, Smethwick & Warley, Brandhall | Evenings and Sundays (Centro contract) |
| 86 | Woodgate Valley South, Weoley Castle Square, Rubery Great Park | |
| 87/87E | Birmingham, Smethwick and Oldbury, Tividale | |
| 93 | Bromsgrove, Charford | Worcester County Contract |
| 97 | Birmingham, Bordesley Green, Chelmsley Wood | |
| 104N | Birmingham Broad Street, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield | Night service |
| 119 | Sutton Coldfield, Falcon Lodge | |
| 120 | Birmingham, Londonderry & Oldbury, Dudley | Now only 2 early morning trips on M-F and Sat kept. Maj withdrawn |
| 146 | Birmingham, Kings Norton and Alvechurch, Redditch | Majority of services extended to Evesham on 246 |
| 158 | Birmingham, Kingstanding, Bloxwich | Centro Contract |
| 200 | Oldbury, Bearwood, Brandhall | Circular (Centro Contract) |
| 201 | Oldbury, Brandhall, Bearwood | Circular (Centro Contract) |
| 205 | Dudley, Portway, Blackheath | |
| 209 | Dudley, Oakham, Merry Hill | Centro contract |
| 213 | Brierley Hill, Cradley Heath, Fatherless Barn | Centro Contract |
| 245 | Merry Hill, Cradley Heath and Netherton, Dudley | Centro Contract |
| 247 | Redditch, Alcester and Bidford Upon Avon, Evesham | |
| 266 | Wall Heath, Merry Hill, Waterfront West | Centro Contract |
| 267 | Stourbridge, Ashwood Park, Kingswinford | |
| 298 | Stourbridge, Pedmore Fields | |
| 299 | Stourbridge, Pedmore Fields | |
| 300 | Merry Hill, Dudley and Wednesbury, Walsall | Sunday Service |
| 342 | Walsall, Willenhall, Beechdale | Centro Contract |
| 343 | Catshill, Hewell Park, Redditch | Sunday Service |
| 357 | Walsall, Aldridge | Centro Contract |
| 399 | Walsall, Wednesbury | |
| 401 | West Bromwich, Bilston | |
| 401E | Yew Tree, Walsall | |
| 402 | West Bromwich, Tipton | |
| 404 | West Bromwich, Walsall | |
| 410 | West Bromwich, Friar Park, Wednesbury | |
| 451 | West Bromwich, Sutton Coldfield | |
| 510 | Wolverhampton, Perton | Centro Contract |
| 532 | Wolverhampton, Northwood Park | Circular, Centro Contract |
| 533 | Wolverhampton, Northwood Park | Circular, Centro Contract |
| 544 | Wolverhampton, Bilston, Dudley | Centro Contract |
| 581 | Wolverhampton, Merry Hill | Sunday Service/ Centro contract |
| 600 | Erdington | Circular |
| 836 | Minworth, The Arthur Terry School The Arthur Terry School The Arthur Terry School is a secondary school and Sixth form centre in the Four Oaks area of Sutton Coldfield, England. Its current headmaster is Mr. C. Stone.-Admissions:... |
School Contract |