West Midlands bus routes 401E and 405
The 305, 401E & 405 are three bus services in the West Midlands, England. The 401E is operated by Diamond Bus, whilst the 305 & 405 are operated by the West Midlands biggest bus operator, National Express West Midlands. The 405 links Walsall with West Bromwich, whilst the 305 and 401E are identical shortened workings between Walsall and the Yew Tree Estate.
History
- Mid-1990s - National Express West Midlands (then Travel West Midlands) operated service 401 from Walsall - Bilston via West Bromwich.
- Late-1990s - Travel West Midlands shortened the 401 to operate between West Bromwich and Bilston only, with the exception of the first few and last few journeys of the day extending to Walsall for access to the bus garage.
- Late-1990s - Pete's Travel (later People's Express then Diamond Bus), start operating the 401 from between West Bromwich and Bilston. They also start new service 401E between Walsall and The Yew Tree Estate.
- 2000 - Travel West Midlands shorten their evening service on the 405, so that it now terminates in West Bromwich (like the daytime service), instead of Princes End. The frequency of the normal daytime service is also increased from every 20 minutes to every 15.
- 2000 - Travel West Midlands withdraw their service 405A which ran Monday - Saturday daytime between Stone Cross and West Bromwich.
- 2000 - Pete's Travel introduce new service 405E between The Yew Tree Estate and West Bromwich at a half hourly daytime frequency.
- 2001 - The 401 journeys to/from Bilston from Walsall are withdrawn.
- 2001 - Pete's Travel service 405E is withdrawn. The frequency of the 405 is also decreased back to 20 minutes.
- 2003 - Travel West Midlands increase the frequency of the 405 again, to every 15 minutes Monday - Saturday daytime.
- 2005 - Travel West Midlands introduce service 405A, running via Walsall and West Bromwich, but missing out Bescot at a half hourly Sunday morning frequency.
- November 2007 - Service 405E between Walsall - The Yew Tree Estate is introduced at a fifteen minute frequency during daytime off-peak hours.
- August 2008 - Service 405A is withdrawn by National Express West Midlands. These journeys are replaced by normal 405 services.
- November 2008 - Service 405E between West Bromwich and The Yew Tree Estate is reintroduced by Diamond Bus, running at a half hourly Monday - Saturday frequency.
- August 2009 - Diamond Bus withdraw their 405E journeys due to a lack of patronage.
- September 2009 - National Express West Midlands reroute the 405E service so that it now serves more of The Yew Tree Estate, following a similar route as Diamond Bus service 401E. The service is also renumbered the 305, but continues to run to the same frequency as the 405E did.
- April 2011 - National Express West Midlands change the timetable of the 405 so it can interwork with route 406.
- June 2011 - National Express West Midlands withdraw route 305.
- July 2011 - National Express West Midlands transfer route 405 and 406 to West Bromwich garage.
Present
Currently, National Express West Midlands operate the full length 405 between Walsall and West Bromwich at a fifteen minute frequency during daytime hours, and every half hour during the Evening and on Sundays.
Diamond Bus also operate an identical shortened working of the 405 between Walsall and The Yew Tree Estate, however this is numbered the 401E. This service runs at a fifteen minute frequency, throughout Monday - Saturday daytimes. There is no evening or Sunday on this service.
Although NXWM are supposed to use low floor Volvo B6LEs with Wright Crusader Bodywork on the 405, it has been known in the past for Dennis Trident 2s, MCW Metrobuses, Volvo B10Ls (with both Wright Liberator and Alexander Ultra bodywork), Volvo B7TLs (with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork) and Leyland Lynx to operate the service.
The service is almost always operated with Volvo B6LE Wright Crusaders. Sometimes a Scania K230 Omnilink may appear on the service in the evenings.
Diamond Bus use 'Yew Tree Connection' branded Optare Solo's on the 401E.
Future
405 has been transferred to the West Bromwich depot.
Current route
Service 405 (NXWM)
Service 401E (DIA)
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| Birmingham and Solihull |
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| Coventry |
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| Sandwell & Dudley |
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| Walsall |
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| Wolverhampton |
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| Bus Stations |
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