West Midlands bus route 19

19
Overview
Operator	Choice Travel
Vehicle	Dennis Dart or Optare Solo
Route
Start	Walsall
Via	Harden, Goscote & Blakenall
End	Bloxwich

The 19 is a bus route operating in the West Midlands, England.

The service link Walsall with Bloxwich via the deprived areas of Goscote, Harden and Blakenall.

The service was previously operated by NXWM and Arriva Midlands who operated it as route 319 during daytime hours, but in mid-2008 NXWM rerouted the service creating the 319A and in late 2008 Arriva Midlands withdrew from the route causing the slightly random number.

History

Service number 49 was used for many years for this route, it originating from Walsall Corporation Transport, being taken over by West Midlands Transport Exceutive on 1 October 1969. Towards the end of 1970 the 49 service was one of the first in Walsall to be converted permanently to one man operation. Initially the buses used a fare box plus a TIM motorised ticket machine. On conversion to one man operation the fare scale was simplified in view of the farebox and no change given mode of operation. The TIM ticket machines were subsequently replaced by Bell Punch Autofare ticket machines. In recent years Wayfarer ticket machines have been used. In 2008, almost 38 years after introduction the farebox and no change given system, this is still in use.

1999 - National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands) operates the 319 to Bloxwich at a half hourly Monday - Friday daytime frequency, as do Chase Bus Services. During the evenings TWM operate the service at an hourly frequency.

Both companies operate then service at an hourly Saturday morning frequency, before turning it into a half hourly one for the remainder of the day. TWM then operate the service on the evening at an hourly frequency and then all day Sunday, again at an hourly frequency. TWM use Volvo B6LEs with Wright Crusader buses on the route, whilst Chase Bus Services use Leyland Nationals.

2000 - The evening and Sunday service is extended to the Turnberry Estate. The frequency remains the same. This change is due to subsidisation from the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.
Early-2007 - Chase Bus Services is taken over by Arriva Midlands.
Early-2008 - Evening services on the 319 switch to Choice Travel, following a round of tendering by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.
Mid-2008 - NXWM reroute the 319 in the Goscote area and renumber it the 319A.
Late-2008 - Arriva Midlands withdraw off the 319.
April 2010 - The North Walsall Network Review is taking place. This will see major changes occurring to the corridor. Both current journeys on the 319 and 319A are withdrawn, with Midland retaining the route during Monday - Saturday daytimes running between Walsall and Bloxwich. This is following the evening line of route and will be numbered service 19, running every 20 minutes.

Places served

Walsall Bus Station
Harden
Goscote
Blakenall
Bloxwich

Bus routes in the West Midlands

Birmingham and Solihull	5 6 31 X20 Stratford Road 7 8A 8C Inner Circle 9 140 141 192 Hagley Road 11A 11C Outer Circle 28 28A 28B Line 33 37 Warwick Road 45 47 Pershore Road 50 51 X51 Walsall Road 58 60 900 957 Coventry Road 61 62 63 Bristol Road 82 82 87 89 Dudley Road 144 451 'Sutton Lines'

Coventry	1 2 11 19 19W 19X 21 21C 21W 27 42 81 81E 81W 82 801 900 X17 PRN PRS Park and Ride U1 U2 U12 U17 Unibus

Sandwell & Dudley	9 140 141 192 Hagley Road 410 451

Walsall	1 2 5 19 22 51 X51 Walsall Road 77 332 549 369 370 370A 404 529

Wolverhampton	79 126 529

Bus Stations	Bearwood Bilston Halesowen Coventry (Pool Meadow) Cradley Heath Digbeth (Birmingham National Express) Dudley Merry Hill Walsall (St Pauls) Wednesbury West Bromwich Wolverhampton (Pipers Row)