Birmingham Bus Bash at Birmingham Moseley Rugby - 4th September 2022

The Birmingham Bus Bash for 2022 was held at Birmingham Mosely Rugby, at Billesley Common, on Sunday 4th September 2022 (near Yardley Wood Road). Elliott popped along on Sunday afternoon around half an hour before it finished for the day. Not as many buses here like the 2017 Bus Bash at Cannon Hill Park. Was also free bus rides to The Transport Museum, Wythall. 

This is the first Bus Bash I have been to since the Birmingham Bus Bash 2017 at Cannon Hill Park. The 2022 Bus Bash was the first one since 2019 to be in person (2020 and 2021 was online only during the pandemic). This bus bash seemed a bit smaller with less buses than before. But still had a prescence from National Express West Midlands / Coventry and The Transport Museum, Wythall. Was the usual free bus rides towards the museum from Birmingham Moseley Rugby (Billesley Common) and back.

 

National Express West Midlands / National Express Coventry

In the field in front of the pitch of Birmingham Moseley Rugby (while a women's rugby game was on). There was line up of modern National Express West Midlands and National Express Coventry heritage livery buses. Plus a Hydrogen and Electric bus (not heritage livery).

From left to right: National Express West Midlands 4780, 4535, 1834, 2102, 4722, 4679. National Express Coventry 4453 and 875. National Express West Midlands 4651 and National Express West Midlands Hydrogen H1013. National Express Coventry Electric E038.

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Heritage%20Lvy%20BBB%2004092022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Heritage%20Lvy%20BBB%2004092022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Heritage%20Lvy%20BBB%2004092022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Heritage%20Lvy%20BBB%2004092022%20(4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Heritage%20Lvy%20BBB%2004092022%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Midland Red West

I'd only see Midland Red West about 6 days before at The Transport Museum, Wythall on the August Bank Holiday Monday. But saw it again from the Maypole on Alcester Road South. I'd caught a 50 down to the Maypole to pop to the Starbucks Coffee Drive Thru, and was thinking of catching a no 2 bus to Billesley on Maypole Lane, but then remembered the 2 doesn't run to the Maypole on Sunday's, so walked back to Alcester Road South to catch a 50 to Wheelers Lane. And then would walk to Birmingham Moseley Rugby via the back entrance road.

Midland Red West 544 was taking visitors for free from Birmingham Moseley Rugby (venue of the Birmingham Bus Bash 2022) to The Transport Museum, Wythall.

I later saw it again on leaving the Bus Bash, this time it was on Yardley Wood Road and Brook Lane in Billesley (but was in a bus stop waiting to catch an 11A, and it was raining).

dndimg alt="Midland Red West" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MRW%20544%20Alcester%20Rd%20S%20Maypole%2004092022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Midland Red West" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MRW%20544%20Alcester%20Rd%20S%20Maypole%2004092022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Midland Red West" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MRW%20544%20Alcester%20Rd%20S%20Maypole%2004092022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Yellow Buses

At the Bus Bash, I saw this pair of yellow buses. The first on the left was the Midland Red Towing bus. To the right of that was the Children's Party Bus. Piccadilly Whip ice cream van was to the right of the Party Bus. I'd previously seen the Midland Red Towing bus at The Transport Museum, Wythall over the August Bank Holiday Monday.

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Yellow%20bus%20BBB%2004092022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Yellow%20bus%20BBB%2004092022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Yellow%20bus%20BBB%2004092022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Birmingham City Transport and coaches

It's Birmingham City Transport 2222 again. I once caught that from Snow Hill Queensway to the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre back in September 2018 (four years ago). Next to the BCT bus was two coaches including: National Express XC 262 and Mighty Travels. I saw BCT 2222, JOJ 222 one last time from the bus stop on Yardley Wood Road (opposite Billesley Community Fire Station). Didn't get a photo, but it was raining, and I was in the bus stop waiting for the 11A at the time. I think it went back to Acocks Green Bus Garage.

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20NX%20BBBB%2004092022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20NX%20BBBB%2004092022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20NX%20BBBB%2004092022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20NX%20BBBB%2004092022%20(4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

WMPTE / NXWM / TWM

Next up we see WM Travel 2462, National Express West Midlands 669 and Travel West Midlands 313. I'd last saw WM 2462 on car park shuttle bus duties at The Transport Museum, Wythall on the August Bank Holiday Monday, but have seen it at previous bus garage open days as well.

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMT%20TWM%20BBBB%2004092022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMT%20TWM%20BBBB%2004092022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Bus Bash" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMT%20TWM%20BBBB%2004092022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Timesaver

Waiting for my bus to go home, I saw the blue Timesaver bus again. It was heading from Yardley Wood Road onto Brook Lane around the island. Was in the bus stop opposite Billesley Community Fire Station, so did not get a new photo of it. Here's one from 2013, when I rode it from Acocks Green to Yardley Wood bus garages on the Open Day.

dndimg alt="Timesaver 900 2018" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Timesaver%20900%20Yardley%20Wood%20Bus%20Garage%202018%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos by Elliott Brown

 

Visit to The Transport Museum, Wythall over the August Bank Holiday Monday 2022

On previous Bank Holiday weekends, I'd seen heritage buses from the collection of The Transport Museum, Wythall on the Alcester Road (south of the Maypole in Hollywood) or at Bristol Street or Suffolk Street Queensway (near The Alex Theatre, but CAZ stopped that). Finally went on the August Bank Holiday Monday 2022, plus rode a bus on a loop via Earlswood.

The Transport Museum, Wythall is located at Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcestershire, B47 6JA. On the Event Days of the August Bank Holiday weekend, Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th August 2022, visitors could park their cars at Phoenix Group and get a free shuttle bus to the museum. Visitors could also get a free bus from the Maypole or from Wythall Station. As it was an Event Day, there was also free bus rides around the area. They used to also have buses going towards The Alexandra Theatre, but I'm unsure if they still do this since the Clean Air Zone came into force in 2021.

 

Car Park Shuttle buses

Bus route 758 from Phoenix Group to The Transport Museum, Wythall. We went on Travel West Midlands 4001 both ways, from the car park to the museum and back later that day. It was the first low floor bus in the fleet, also had seats to lift up for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWM%204001%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWM%204001%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TWM%204001%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Other buses on the Car Park Shuttle route 758 included West Midlands Travel 4613, National Express West Midlands 4321 and West Midlands Travel 2462. I'd earlier seen NXWM 4321 passing the Becketts Farm Flower Field on shuttle bus duties. And later saw it coming back on a Midland Red bus from a half hour bus ride to Earlswood and back.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/CPS%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/CPS%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/CPS%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/CPS%20TMW%2029082022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Midland Red

This Midland Red bus was no 1902 with Mercian branding. Was parked next to a Birmingham City Transport bus, no 486.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Midland Red West 544 was one of the buses used for free bus rides on the Event Day.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Midland Red 4255 was in a new exhibition. The Barn Find Exhibition. Buses and old milk floats found in barns, and left unrestored, as they were as they were discovered.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

More Midland Red buses in the garage to the north west of the site. No 5399, plus a couple of others to the left.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

As we exited the milk float exhibit, saw this Midland Red bus, for route M33 Malvern Link.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

In the repair shed was some familiar buses. An unidentifed Midland Red bus on the left and to the right, one destined for Gloucester on the X72.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Time for a free bus ride. The 13:15 was supposed to go to Beoley via Alvechurch, but the driver did not know the route. So the bus we went on went from Wythall towards Earlswood and back on a half hour journey. It was Midland Red 5767.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

On leaving Wythall on the car park shuttle, saw from the top deck, Midland Red 5656, originally the Birmingham London Motorway Express on route ME1.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland%20Red%20TMW%2029082022%20(11).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Birmingham City Transport

Seen inside of The Power Hall was these Birmingham City Transport buses. You could sit in 0-9926 and have your photo taken with it.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20TMW%2029082022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20TMW%2029082022%20(5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Seen outside of the engine repair shed was this pair of Birmingham City Transport buses 3009 and 486. Out so people could have bus rides on them.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%203009%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Birmingham City Transport 486 later spotted on Chapel Lane, heading back towards the museum. From the Midland Red bus we were on, which was on Hill Lane at the time. Our bus on the half our round trip towards Earlswood and back to Wythall via the A435.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20486%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

It's been almost four years since I've seen Birmingham City Transport 2548. Inside the repair shed, licence plate missing at the front.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%202548%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

West Bromwich Corporation

This West Bromwich Corporation bus was one that you could go inside. And was parked up next to a Birmingham Fire Engine, in The Power Hall.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMC%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WBC%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Walsall Corporation

Bus no 56 from Walsall Corporation was inside of the repair shed.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WalC%2056%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Bus no 116 was in the Midland Red repair shed. This is the first time since I last saw it at the Birmingham Bus Bash in Cannon Hill Park in 2017. I previously caught it on the road in Bromsgrove back in 2013. Some of it's wheels was off.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WalC%20116%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WalC%20116%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WalC%20116%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Wolverhampton Corporation

This trolley bus was from Wolverhampton with overhead pantograph. The conductor would have to move it with a pole. It was seen in The Power Hall.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WolvC%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WolvC%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

West Midlands Travel

This West Midlands Travel bus no 4527 was parked outside on the Event Day.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMT%204527%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Various including Midland Red, Birmingham City Transport etc

A variety of different buses from around the West Midlands in this garage, including several Midland Red buses, Birmingham City Transport, West Midlands Travel and Travel West Midlands. The no 47 bus stood out for me, no 2811, as I may have ridden this bus back in the 1990s or early 2000s. The Metrobus was withdrawn from service in 2010.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MR%20BCT%20WMT%20TMW%2029082022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MR%20BCT%20WMT%20TMW%2029082022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MR%20BCT%20WMT%20TMW%2029082022%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MR%20BCT%20WMT%20TMW%2029082022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos by Elliott Brown