The bus route with unique place in Brummie history

The famous bus has been carrying passengers since the late 1940s

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the number 50?

If you are from Birmingham, it might be the iconic bus which takes passengers from the city centre to Druids Heath.

Services run every five minutes, passing busy neighbourhoods like Maypole, Kings Heath and Moseley along the way.

In fact, operator National Express West Midlands claims the number 50 is among the busiest routes in Europe.

It's not just five million passenger journeys a year that make the route significant - it is one with a unique history too.

This bus turns 75 in October, and historians say it helps tell a story of the city's post-war recovery.

Bus enthusiast Denis Chick said the 50 had entered bus folklore

Denis Chick, an enthusiast and volunteer at Transport Museum Wythall, explained the service was designed to get people to the and from the city centre as housing estates sprung up around South Birmingham in the latter part of the 20th Century.

He said it had since gained legendary status and entered bus folklore.

"Because it's so old the route needs to be celebrated," he said.

"It's made a massive contribution to moving people in Birmingham for 75 years. Long may it reign."

National Express West Midlands is asking people to share their stories

The 50 originally terminated at the Maypole but was extended in 1981 to collect passengers from Druids Heath.

The seven-mile journey now takes about 40 minutes from the beginning to the end.

Some of its 75-year birthday celebrations started early.

In May, Mr Chick and his colleagues provided free rides on historical buses that had served the route since the late 1940s.

"It has always been a busy service," said the museum's collections manager, Malcolm Keeley.

"We're delighted to be celebrating its 75th birthday and wonder just how many millions of passengers the 50 has carried during all those years."

The route serves parts of South Birmingham and is run by National Express West Midlands

National Express has asked travellers past and present to share their stories and memories ahead of the October milestone.

"The 50 bus route has long been a Brummie favourite," said customer and marketing director Catherine Woolfe.

“It is a vital part of daily life for a lot of passengers along the route and we’d love to hear their recollections.

"It may be memories of when they travelled on the 50 as a child, when they met their now wives or husbands onboard, or if they struck up a friendship which is still going strong many years later."