World Famous Number 11 Builds to Special Celebration on 11/11/11
National Express West Midlands are calling on customers, local residents and amateur historians to contact them with their memories of the famous Number 11 Outer Circle bus.
National Express West Midlands which operates the world famous bus route are asking people to contact them with their memories, stories and memorabilia from the number 11 route at number11@nationalexpress.com as part of a campaign to celebrate the service on 11/11/11.
The Number 11 launched in 1926, known to Birmingham residents as the Outer Circle is Europe’s longest local bus service covering a marathon 26 miles passing 19 shopping centres, six hospitals, over 40 pubs and 233 schools, colleges and universities.
The famous number 11 is recognisable to local residents by its distinctive green banners promoting the services 8 minute frequency.
In the five days prior to 11/11/11 (Monday to Friday, 7-11 November) National Express West Midlands will be focusing daily on a strand of the number 11 legend including the music inspired by the route, literary and historical places of interest along the Outer Circle, the customers who use the service, the staff who make the Number 11 the world famous service that it is and most importantly as part of the second cities everyday life.
Music
The Number 11 has inspired music from Duran Duran and Jethro Tull to the Welsh National Opera. It is rumoured that Simon Le Bon wrote the hit ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ on the route between Perry Barr and Kings Heath, while Martin Barre of Jethro Tull wrote a instrumental call ‘The Outer Circle’ about his journey’s on the service. The route also passes the former home of Birmingham’s most famous rocker Ozzy Osbourne.
Literary and historical interest
Across the route's 266 bus stops, passengers can get off at Birmingham’s most interesting literary sites such as the homes of J.R.R. Tolkien and W.H. Auden’s, as well as close to the homes of some of the city’s historical figures such as Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
‘All Rounder’ Trips
The route gives such a comprehensive view of places of interest in Birmingham that in the 1930’s it became a tourist attraction with half day trips being advertised as Bank Holiday days out. Families who took the trip were known locally as ‘All Rounders’. National Express would love to hear from residents who were taken on the route as a child for family days out and see any photos that existed from their ‘All Rounder’ trips.
Drivers with decades of experience
The Number 11, like many other routes across the West Midlands, has drivers that have driven the service for decades, forming friendships with their colleagues and the customers they pick up everyday.
Bus driver Jimmy Brown is the longest serving member of staff on the number 11 route having worked on the outer circle for over 41 years. Jimmy started work on the Number 11 in April 1970 as a conductor before moving to the driver’s seat in the mid 1970’s.
Part of Birmingham’s everyday life
National Express West Midlands Number 11 provides a daily lifeline to thousands of Birmingham residents linking them to work, study and medical facilities across the city, and the route also drops passengers at some of the cities biggest attractions including Cadbury World and Villa Park. National Express West Midlands would like to hear from customers who use the route everyday to find out where they are going i.e. Work or college as well as any interesting and funny stories they have from their journeys.
Jimmy Brown, the longest serving driver on the famous Number 11 said:
“It is great to be part of something that is as famous as the number 11. Although the route has stayed the same, some things have changed quite a lot like the amount of traffic around the city and the development of buildings like the amazing QE hospital.”
“On the route you really get to see so much of Birmingham from the recognisable University in Selly Oak and Cadbury World in Bournville to some of the regions only remaining prefabs in Moseley.”
Peter Coates, Interim Managing Director, National Express West Midlands said:
“We are very proud of our world famous Number 11 service. It has inspired hit music and carried some of Birmingham’s most famous faces but more importantly it provides thousands of local people with daily travel to work, college and hospital appointments.”
“It is easy to see why families in the 1930’s spent days out on the Number 11, you see some famous places as well as getting a great feel for the real Birmingham, the small parish churches, the neighbourhood parks, the suburban local pubs and other symbols of the city’s everyday life.”
“Put simply anyone who wants to see the real Birmingham can do so from the Number 11.”
Published 6th October 2011