£5 Bus Challenge - Can I cross the whole of the West Midlands?
Backpack Travels
4,952 views
How far can you travel across the Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) network using just a single £5.50 nBus day ticket?
In Part 1 of this public transport challenge, I start at the most easterly point of the network in Warwickshire and make my way through Coventry and all the way into Birmingham City Center—testing out all-electric double-deckers, hunting down bargain 50p snacks, tracking my route with new software, and debating whether cheap bus fares are undercutting local rail lines.
Along the way, we take a look at the National Express fleet with very comfy seats, navigate tricky route maps that don't help to explain where it is or isn't valid, explore Birmingham Airport's aviation history, and travel through the heart of Digbeth where the tram STILL doesn't run.
📍 Route & Highlights in Part 1:
Bus 1: National Express Coventry #3 (Warwickshire Shopping Park to Coventry City Centre)
Bus 2: National Express Coventry X1 (Coventry Bus Station to Birmingham Albert Street via BHX Airport, Sheldon & Digbeth)
Both buses were ADL Enviro400 EV (BYD powered electric double-deckers)
Testing: Loch More journey tracking app - I was contacted by the developer of Loch More to try out the tracking app, for full disclosure I was provided with a premium subscription. I'll give my full verdict on the app in next week's episode. You can download your copy of it:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id67875...
Website: https://lochmore.com/
💬 Question of the day: Is capping bus fares a vital lifeline for passengers, or does it unfairly undercut local train lines? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed the video, please hit the Like button, consider Subscribing, or become a channel member for just 99p/month to support future transit challenges! ☕
Support the Channel:
☕ Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/backpacktravels
⭐ Become a Channel Member for 99p: @backpack-travels-uk
#WestMidlands #BusChallenge #TransportForWestMidlands #NationalExpress #Coventry #Birmingham #PublicTransport #TransitVlog #nBus #ukbuses
20 Comments
The service is actually one of Midland Red's earliest routes, being one of the first interurban services out of Birmingham in October 1914. It would become the 159 in 1928, surviving all the way to 1985, when the weekday service was replaced by the 900 through to Halesowen.
Deregulation would see the end of the 159, the 900 gaining a Sunday service, as well as a short extension from Halesowen-Hasbury.
The route would be split in Birmingham in September 1988 (the 19 taking over Hasbury) and renumbered X1 in December 2016.
£10.50 for the day, £30 for the week and it covers you from Weymouth (via Swanage) to Bournemouth/Poole and then onto both Southampton or Salisbury and Swindon.
In Coventry main gripe is the distance between train and bus station, I’ve fast walked that journey far too many times now to get the 148 back to Hinckley. For multimode to work bus and train stations need to be next to each other.
£5 Bus Challenge - Can I cross the whole of the West Midlands?
Backpack Travels
4,952 views
How far can you travel across the Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) network using just a single £5.50 nBus day ticket?
In Part 1 of this public transport challenge, I start at the most easterly point of the network in Warwickshire and make my way through Coventry and all the way into Birmingham City Center—testing out all-electric double-deckers, hunting down bargain 50p snacks, tracking my route with new software, and debating whether cheap bus fares are undercutting local rail lines.
Along the way, we take a look at the National Express fleet with very comfy seats, navigate tricky route maps that don't help to explain where it is or isn't valid, explore Birmingham Airport's aviation history, and travel through the heart of Digbeth where the tram STILL doesn't run.
📍 Route & Highlights in Part 1:
Bus 1: National Express Coventry #3 (Warwickshire Shopping Park to Coventry City Centre)
Bus 2: National Express Coventry X1 (Coventry Bus Station to Birmingham Albert Street via BHX Airport, Sheldon & Digbeth)
Both buses were ADL Enviro400 EV (BYD powered electric double-deckers)
Testing: Loch More journey tracking app - I was contacted by the developer of Loch More to try out the tracking app, for full disclosure I was provided with a premium subscription. I'll give my full verdict on the app in next week's episode. You can download your copy of it:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id67875...
Website: https://lochmore.com/
💬 Question of the day: Is capping bus fares a vital lifeline for passengers, or does it unfairly undercut local train lines? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed the video, please hit the Like button, consider Subscribing, or become a channel member for just 99p/month to support future transit challenges! ☕
Support the Channel:
☕ Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/backpacktravels
⭐ Become a Channel Member for 99p: @backpack-travels-uk
#WestMidlands #BusChallenge #TransportForWestMidlands #NationalExpress #Coventry #Birmingham #PublicTransport #TransitVlog #nBus #ukbuses