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I thought I'd start this thread to talk about bus services in Bristol back in the old days before First Bristol took over. Rather than post about it in the First South West & Wales thread! Some people may be able to share facts about those days, and some people who weren't around then may be interested to know about some of the old services from years ago.
I will start by talking about the old 77 service back in the 1980's, and a few of the other buses in the 70 series. Pre October 1986 the 77 ran from Henbury-Hartcliffe. Normal Monday-Saturday frequency was every 30 minutes. Running via the direct route to Gloucester Road(straight down Pen Park Road, not all through Southmead!), down to Broadmead, From the Haymarket it then turned to the right straight into the Horsefair, then through to Temple Way, Redcliffe Way, Redliffe Hill, Coronation Road and into Southville(I can't recall the exact route through Southville, if anyone does know please let us know!), then onto Winterstoke Road, Hartcliffe Way, Hawkfield Road, and terminating at Bishport Avenue Lay-by(now one of the numerous old lay-by's which no longer has buses terminating and starting there).
The 77 was grouped with service 78. Which ran from Southmead, Arnside Road/Greystoke Avenue lay-by to Hartcliffe. Ran via Southmead Road, Monks Park Avenue, then as per the 77 service to Redcliffe Hill. Then through Bedminster, and then if I recall correctly Hartcliffe Way, into Headley Park, Whitchurch Road, Hareclive Road, and Bishport Avenue.
In the early 1980's the service was still served by Bristol Lodekka's. But around 1983/1984 it then became served by the far more modern looking Leyland Olympian's. Though occasionally you'd see the odd Bristol VR on this service.
From October 1st 1986 with the bus deregulations, the Leyland Olympians were taken off this service to be replaced with Bristol VR's. The service then went to every 10 minutes! And the route was changed! The southern terminating point of the route became Inns Court Green! From Henbury down to the Haymarket the route remained the same. However from there it would then run via the Centre, on through to Bedminster, then St. Johns Lane and into Knowle West and terminating at Inns Court Green lay-by. I think the 78 also then ran into and terminated there too too, but took a slightly different route from the Centre running via Redcliffe Way, Temple Gate(for Temple Meads station) and Clarence Road before Bedminster.
The 75 back in those days, the northern terminating destination would be Carrefoure. And I'm pretty sure the southern terminating point pre October 1986 would have been Hartcliffe. Back in those days also it ran a longer route into Centre, via Patchway, Little Stoke, Parkway Station, up Station Road, and onto Gloucester Road North. From October 1986 however, does anyone know/remember what the southern terminating was? As it couldn't have been Hartcliffe then(find out why in the next paragraph). Was it also Knowle West along with the 74, 77, and 78? Or was it the Centre?
From October 1986, none of the services in the 70 range served or terminated at Hartcliffe. New services were introduced. The 44 and 45 which ran from Hartcliffe-Park Estate, and the 47, 48, and 49 which ran from Hartcliffe-Blackhorse. At the time the 44 and 45 were Leyland Olympians, and the 47, 48, and 49 were Bristol VR's! So there was a good choice back in those days for people living in Hartcliffe whether to get Bristol VR or a more modern Leyland Olympian into town!
Just a few years later around 1989/1990 the services did a bit of a swap. The 74, 77, and 78 terminated at Hartcliffe again. And the 47, 48, and 49 were routed to Inns Court Green. Whilst the 44 and 45 were no longer a cross-city service, and both became Centre-Park Estate services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Pre October 1986, there was also services 71 & 72 which ran from Filton Church-Knowle West. 71 ran via Filton Avenue and Ashley Down, 72 ran via Filton Avenue and Gloucester Road. After Redcliffe Hill think they turned off at the roundabout into York Road, St. John's Lane and on into Knowle West.
Some good photos here relating to all the above....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/12124117436/in/pool-1553414@N22
A Bristol VR on service 72 pictured at Haymarket, on it's way to Hartcliffe.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/10492957766/in/pool-1553414@N22
A Bristol VR on service 77 pictured at Haymarket, on it's way to Inns Court Green. With a 49 to Hartcliffe just behind.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/6062761801/in/set-72157623984544519
A Leyland Olypian on the 45 to Hartcliffe. Also at the same location.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/166044101/in/set-72157594232293978
Going back a little earlier, back to mid 1970's. I like this photo here of a double decker bus(don't know the model of this bus!) on a 77 making it's way along Temple Way enroute to Hartcliffe. With the old Clerical Medical building on the left. I miss that old building with it's distinctive charactor and it's orange windows! The building was demolished during the late 1990's.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/3248542392/in/set-72157594232293978
Good photo here from 1980. At the Centre, a Bristol Lodekka on a 73 service to Patchway Shadow Factory. And a Bristol VR on service 72 to Filton just behind!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/3572130473/in/set-72157594232293978
At Filton Church, in May 1980 two Bristol Lodekka's. One on a 73 to the Centre, and another on the 87 to probably California Farm!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/5286382554/in/set-72157594232293978
May 1979. And a Bristol Lodekka on service 79 to Hartcliffe. To the left the old Fairfax House department store, which was demolished in 1988 to build The Galleries shopping centre. I don't remember the service 79 myself. Anyone know more about this route?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A few more photos I've picked from Flickr....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/7995938443/
April 1991. Gloucester Road North(just before the Filton Roundabout). And a Bristol VR on a 75 to Hartcliffe. Notice the Mountstevens bakery, I think they're all gone now and instead we've got all these Greggs! Looks very 1980's this scene! The Mountstevens bakery itself looks very 1970's!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/11930502166/in/pool-576952@N20
This photo here from probably the late 1970's or early 1980's. A Bristol RE just leaving Bristol Bus Station on a 79 service to Filton! Interesting that there was a service from the Bus Station only going as far as Filton. And this is a completely different service to the other 79 service that went from Hartcliffe to an unknown northern terminus. There was also apparantly another 79 service that was completely different too, that went to Hanham! Though perhaps this may be the same 79 that went to Filton but was routed to call at Bristol Bus Station? If anyone has any knowledge of these services please let us know.
And a few photos now of some buses which had all over advertising livery. There were a good number of these back in the 80's and 90's. Something that you don't see much of now, at least not in the Bristol area anyway. A shame as it would add a little more colour and variation to the current Bristol bus scene!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23207961@N07/9120833658/in/pool-576952@N20/
August 1998. Penn Street, Broadmead. And a Leyland Olympian on a 41 to Park Estate. All the shops and buildings seen here now long demolished, and in it's place Cabot Circus. Plus of course no longer any Leyland Olympians in normal service in Bristol. This photo is very much history!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8615623@N04/6291966975/in/pool-576952@N20
Mid to late 1980's I would expect. And a Leyland Olympian just pulling into Bristol Bus Station about to work a 351 service to Weston-Super-Mare
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6249806839/in/pool-576952@N20/
November 1979. The Haymarket. And a Bristol VR on a 22 to Lockleaze.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6158420855/in/pool-576952@N20/
November 1979. Baldwin Street, Bristol. And a Leyland National on a 52 service to Blackhorse. The old Gaumont Cinema seen here, which sadly closed down in the early 1980's. The building then housed Busby's Nightclub!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6250337054/in/pool-576952@N20/
Also November 1979. And a Bristol VR just running into the Haymarket with a 76 service to Hartcliffe. I do not remember there being a 76 service back then. So would be interested to know if anyone knows/remembers the routing of this service, in particular the route north of Broadmead and where it terminated at. Did this terminate at Southmead and was later renumbered 78?
Well, that's it from me for the time being.
I will start by talking about the old 77 service back in the 1980's, and a few of the other buses in the 70 series. Pre October 1986 the 77 ran from Henbury-Hartcliffe. Normal Monday-Saturday frequency was every 30 minutes. Running via the direct route to Gloucester Road(straight down Pen Park Road, not all through Southmead!), down to Broadmead, From the Haymarket it then turned to the right straight into the Horsefair, then through to Temple Way, Redcliffe Way, Redliffe Hill, Coronation Road and into Southville(I can't recall the exact route through Southville, if anyone does know please let us know!), then onto Winterstoke Road, Hartcliffe Way, Hawkfield Road, and terminating at Bishport Avenue Lay-by(now one of the numerous old lay-by's which no longer has buses terminating and starting there).
The 77 was grouped with service 78. Which ran from Southmead, Arnside Road/Greystoke Avenue lay-by to Hartcliffe. Ran via Southmead Road, Monks Park Avenue, then as per the 77 service to Redcliffe Hill. Then through Bedminster, and then if I recall correctly Hartcliffe Way, into Headley Park, Whitchurch Road, Hareclive Road, and Bishport Avenue.
In the early 1980's the service was still served by Bristol Lodekka's. But around 1983/1984 it then became served by the far more modern looking Leyland Olympian's. Though occasionally you'd see the odd Bristol VR on this service.
From October 1st 1986 with the bus deregulations, the Leyland Olympians were taken off this service to be replaced with Bristol VR's. The service then went to every 10 minutes! And the route was changed! The southern terminating point of the route became Inns Court Green! From Henbury down to the Haymarket the route remained the same. However from there it would then run via the Centre, on through to Bedminster, then St. Johns Lane and into Knowle West and terminating at Inns Court Green lay-by. I think the 78 also then ran into and terminated there too too, but took a slightly different route from the Centre running via Redcliffe Way, Temple Gate(for Temple Meads station) and Clarence Road before Bedminster.
The 75 back in those days, the northern terminating destination would be Carrefoure. And I'm pretty sure the southern terminating point pre October 1986 would have been Hartcliffe. Back in those days also it ran a longer route into Centre, via Patchway, Little Stoke, Parkway Station, up Station Road, and onto Gloucester Road North. From October 1986 however, does anyone know/remember what the southern terminating was? As it couldn't have been Hartcliffe then(find out why in the next paragraph). Was it also Knowle West along with the 74, 77, and 78? Or was it the Centre?
From October 1986, none of the services in the 70 range served or terminated at Hartcliffe. New services were introduced. The 44 and 45 which ran from Hartcliffe-Park Estate, and the 47, 48, and 49 which ran from Hartcliffe-Blackhorse. At the time the 44 and 45 were Leyland Olympians, and the 47, 48, and 49 were Bristol VR's! So there was a good choice back in those days for people living in Hartcliffe whether to get Bristol VR or a more modern Leyland Olympian into town!
Just a few years later around 1989/1990 the services did a bit of a swap. The 74, 77, and 78 terminated at Hartcliffe again. And the 47, 48, and 49 were routed to Inns Court Green. Whilst the 44 and 45 were no longer a cross-city service, and both became Centre-Park Estate services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Pre October 1986, there was also services 71 & 72 which ran from Filton Church-Knowle West. 71 ran via Filton Avenue and Ashley Down, 72 ran via Filton Avenue and Gloucester Road. After Redcliffe Hill think they turned off at the roundabout into York Road, St. John's Lane and on into Knowle West.
Some good photos here relating to all the above....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/12124117436/in/pool-1553414@N22
A Bristol VR on service 72 pictured at Haymarket, on it's way to Hartcliffe.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/10492957766/in/pool-1553414@N22
A Bristol VR on service 77 pictured at Haymarket, on it's way to Inns Court Green. With a 49 to Hartcliffe just behind.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/6062761801/in/set-72157623984544519
A Leyland Olypian on the 45 to Hartcliffe. Also at the same location.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/166044101/in/set-72157594232293978
Going back a little earlier, back to mid 1970's. I like this photo here of a double decker bus(don't know the model of this bus!) on a 77 making it's way along Temple Way enroute to Hartcliffe. With the old Clerical Medical building on the left. I miss that old building with it's distinctive charactor and it's orange windows! The building was demolished during the late 1990's.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/3248542392/in/set-72157594232293978
Good photo here from 1980. At the Centre, a Bristol Lodekka on a 73 service to Patchway Shadow Factory. And a Bristol VR on service 72 to Filton just behind!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/3572130473/in/set-72157594232293978
At Filton Church, in May 1980 two Bristol Lodekka's. One on a 73 to the Centre, and another on the 87 to probably California Farm!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/5286382554/in/set-72157594232293978
May 1979. And a Bristol Lodekka on service 79 to Hartcliffe. To the left the old Fairfax House department store, which was demolished in 1988 to build The Galleries shopping centre. I don't remember the service 79 myself. Anyone know more about this route?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A few more photos I've picked from Flickr....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/7995938443/
April 1991. Gloucester Road North(just before the Filton Roundabout). And a Bristol VR on a 75 to Hartcliffe. Notice the Mountstevens bakery, I think they're all gone now and instead we've got all these Greggs! Looks very 1980's this scene! The Mountstevens bakery itself looks very 1970's!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/11930502166/in/pool-576952@N20
This photo here from probably the late 1970's or early 1980's. A Bristol RE just leaving Bristol Bus Station on a 79 service to Filton! Interesting that there was a service from the Bus Station only going as far as Filton. And this is a completely different service to the other 79 service that went from Hartcliffe to an unknown northern terminus. There was also apparantly another 79 service that was completely different too, that went to Hanham! Though perhaps this may be the same 79 that went to Filton but was routed to call at Bristol Bus Station? If anyone has any knowledge of these services please let us know.
And a few photos now of some buses which had all over advertising livery. There were a good number of these back in the 80's and 90's. Something that you don't see much of now, at least not in the Bristol area anyway. A shame as it would add a little more colour and variation to the current Bristol bus scene!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23207961@N07/9120833658/in/pool-576952@N20/
August 1998. Penn Street, Broadmead. And a Leyland Olympian on a 41 to Park Estate. All the shops and buildings seen here now long demolished, and in it's place Cabot Circus. Plus of course no longer any Leyland Olympians in normal service in Bristol. This photo is very much history!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8615623@N04/6291966975/in/pool-576952@N20
Mid to late 1980's I would expect. And a Leyland Olympian just pulling into Bristol Bus Station about to work a 351 service to Weston-Super-Mare
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6249806839/in/pool-576952@N20/
November 1979. The Haymarket. And a Bristol VR on a 22 to Lockleaze.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6158420855/in/pool-576952@N20/
November 1979. Baldwin Street, Bristol. And a Leyland National on a 52 service to Blackhorse. The old Gaumont Cinema seen here, which sadly closed down in the early 1980's. The building then housed Busby's Nightclub!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/6250337054/in/pool-576952@N20/
Also November 1979. And a Bristol VR just running into the Haymarket with a 76 service to Hartcliffe. I do not remember there being a 76 service back then. So would be interested to know if anyone knows/remembers the routing of this service, in particular the route north of Broadmead and where it terminated at. Did this terminate at Southmead and was later renumbered 78?
Well, that's it from me for the time being.
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