Outer Circle Bus

11/11/2025

It was fourteen years ago today at 11 am that we took an old Birmingham bus around the Outer Circle to celebrate the date of 11-11-11. We ran another 8 similar tours and raised hundreds of pounds for local charities. Thanks to everyone who was involved especially Pam & the guys at Wythall Transport Museum.
The bus we used on the day, and the subsequent eight tours was ex-BCT 2976 which is now in preservation at Wythall Museum of Transport.

24/04/2023

In spite of the fact that it's almost three years since my last post, folk are still "liking" this page. Thanks to everyone who has clicked!
We still keep memories of the Outer Circle alive in the illustrated talk that we give to history groups, WI, U3A etc. Several times a month.
If anyone wants their group to hear (and see) it go to www.outercirclebus.com to find out more.
We also have a few more talks, amongst which are the Inner Circle the No 8, Post War Prefabs, and Second City Executions!

22/07/2020

It's the final part (stage 40) of our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle. Which takes us past a new pool and back to Sarehole Mill:

As we travel along this short stretch of Yardley Wood Road, on our right we may catch sight of what is called Moseley New Pool. This was created about 250 years ago by constructing a dam across a s…

20/07/2020

In stage 39 of our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle we go through Kings Heath to hear about an old pub, and old house a subterranean toilet and we will end up in a road where the Outer Circle no longer runs:

As we continue north along Vicarage Road, on our right is the Grade II Listed Ye Olde Red Lion public house. Built in 1903 this was probably the first Birmingham ‘reformed’ pub, part of…

20/07/2020

Our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle now takes us along Vicarage Road towards Kings Heath in stage 38. We'll meet the Cartlands, the Pratts but take care, someone may commit a MURDER!

At the top of the hill where Fordhouse Lane climbs out of the Rea valley we go across what is called Pineapple Bridge which was widened in the the 1930s to accommodate the Outer Circle. After cross…

19/07/2020

A crashing tram, a treasure trove and a guillotine - we must be going though Cotteridge on our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle:

We’re still on Linden Road, but as we approach Cotteridge it becomes Watford Road. We then turn left in Cotteridge and we can see on our right, the site of Cotteridge Bus garage now occupied …

19/07/2020

If you like the idea of a "real" Selly Oak being chopped down, old houses that get moved about and chocolate then join us on stage 36 of our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle:
https://outercirclebus.com/then-now/then-now-on-the-outer-circle-stage-36/
As a bonus, here is the Bournville Carillon with a tune played for carers on the 4th of July 2020:
https://youtu.be/EOwDexWOx-c

After the canal bridge, at the foot of the hill, on our right is the old Selly Oak bus garage, which opened in 1927 as a tramcar depot. It was converted to a bus garage in 1952 when the Bristol Roa…

18/07/2020

After the QE we see the "Lapal Canal" once called the Dudley Number 2 canal, and we arrive at the old Selly Oak bus garage. This is Stage 35 of Our "Virtual" Tour of the Outer Circle:

We are going around the new roundabout which is called the Harborne Island – funny that, it isn’t in Harborne and to everyone except Brummies, it isn’t an “island”. This stands at the at the southe…