Bus routes which have never quite taken off

SCH117X · 29 Jun 2019

I mentioned the X59 between Harrogate and Skipton in an earlier posting; originally it was part of a somewhat crazy NYCC plan which saw it interconnect en-route with a 60 between Otley and Pateley Bridge - the idea was to provide journeys opportunities that otherwise did not exist but there were and still are buses between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge, Harrogate and Otley and Otley and Skipton so the 60 was one those Rural Bus Granted services that the driver typically was the only person on board. On Saturdays it did venture to the top of Nidderdale beyond Pateley so Saturday journeys on a fine day had a few walkers on board. Once it reached to the top of the valley the bus then did an return out of service working back to Harrogate for a crew change -running it as an express service between Pateley and Harrogate might have attracted some custom. The 60 consequently did not last long.
Meanwhile in Harrogate their have been various routes set up and quickly withdrawn providing direct services to the Hospital.

RailUK Forums

nctx · 29 Jun 2019

Trent Barton had a few during Alex Hornby's time , zoom the fast bus between Long Eaton and Derby was launched . They put the best Drivers Derby had on it. It even won a bus award. Hornby and Trent Barton put out press releases saying how many pax it was carrying etc etc.

cnjb8 · 29 Jun 2019

nctx said:
Trent Barton had a few during Alex Hornby's time , zoom the fast bus between Long Eaton and Derby was launched . They put the best Drivers Derby had on it. It even won a bus award. Hornby and Trent Barton put out press releases saying how many pax it was carrying etc etc.

It seemed to be going well when they upgraded the service from Optare Solo's to Scania/Wright Solar's. Notts and Derby replaced it with their 12 service but that didn't take off either.

Old Yard Dog · 29 Jun 2019

One of the buses I miss most is the A1 from Kings Cross and (particularly) Euston to Heathrow Airport. It is now almost impossible to get from the north-west to Heathrow by public transport without multiple changes of vehicle. Not much fun with heavy luggage. Even Crossrail, when it opens, will require a taxi to Tottenham Court Road.

Busaholic · 29 Jun 2019

Old Yard Dog said:
One of the buses I miss most is the A1 from Kings Cross and (particularly) Euston to Heathrow Airport. It is now almost impossible to get from the north-west to Heathrow by public transport without multiple changes of vehicle. Not much fun with heavy luggage. Even Crossrail, when it opens, will require a taxi to Tottenham Court Road.

I'd choose Farringdon personally!

Statto · 29 Jun 2019

Summer 87 Midland Red West launched a route, X55 Liverpool-Birkenhead-Chester-Shrewsbury-Ludlow-Hereford-Newport-Cardiff-Swansea with one through journey a day, & positioning journeys Hereford to/from Liverpool/Swansea, this didn't last long & was withdrawn January 88
More on thee X55
http://midlandred.net/service/timetable/search.php?service=x55&operator=mrw&sortby=service

Ianno87 · 29 Jun 2019

Old Yard Dog said:
One of the buses I miss most is the A1 from Kings Cross and (particularly) Euston to Heathrow Airport. It is now almost impossible to get from the north-west to Heathrow by public transport without multiple changes of vehicle. Not much fun with heavy luggage. Even Crossrail, when it opens, will require a taxi to Tottenham Court Road.

Not many years to wait and it'll be a single change off HS2 at Old Oak Common.

Busaholic · 29 Jun 2019

Ianno87 said:
Not many years to wait and it'll be a single change off HS2 at Old Oak Common.

Years or centuries? : lol:

43055 · 29 Jun 2019

Wardle Transport X50 Between Hanley (Stoke) - Uttoxeter and Derby which lasted a few years. It was more late 50 than X50 but it did prove to be a good school bus for me when it did run.

Looks like the Midland Classic 405 between Ashboune and Burton is being withdrawn next month after starting in April.

Simon75 · 29 Jun 2019

X53 PMT/First Hanley to Ashbourne

Simon75 · 29 Jun 2019

X18 Hanley to Sheffield
Was split as 118/218 operated First Potteries/First South Yorkshire buses connected in Buxton
118 then run by Wardle Transport the D&G
Currently a 16 operates Hanley to Buxton, then 65/65A Buxton to Sheffield. Buses dont connect

madannie77 · 29 Jun 2019

Simon75 said:
X18 Hanley to Sheffield
Was split as 118/218 operated First Potteries/First South Yorkshire buses connected in Buxton
118 then run by Wardle Transport the D&G
Currently a 16 operates Hanley to Buxton, then 65/65A Buxton to Sheffield. Buses dont connect

As the X18 Hanley to Sheffield was formerly the X23 and before that the 208 and before that the 28 (Trent & Potteries joint service) which started in the mid 1970s it lasted quite a while. It even had extensions to and from Keele University.

route101 · 30 Jun 2019

43055 said:
Wardle Transport X50 Between Hanley (Stoke) - Uttoxeter and Derby which lasted a few years. It was more late 50 than X50 but it did prove to be a good school bus for me when it did run.

Looks like the Midland Classic 405 between Ashboune and Burton is being withdrawn next month after starting in April.

Is there any buses still doing Stoke to Derby?

Alex 2901 · 30 Jun 2019

route101 said:
Is there any buses still doing Stoke to Derby?

Nope, last one would've been the X50 a good couple of years ago.

Round in the West Midlands, some interesting ideas were used in Arriva's attempts to compete in the West Midlands:

The shortest lived of these was the 4A, between Wolverhampton and Pendeford, which started in late 2014 (might have been October), and was withdrawn in April 2015. Don't think I ever saw more than 3 people on it (including the driver!)

The strangest "innovation" was the 310, between Willenhall and Merry Hill Centre, started in 2013 and withdrawn by July 2014 (the section between Willenhall and Wednesbury still remains as the 310, now run by Diamond). The 310 replaced the 327 and 610, with a commercial extension up to Merry Hill Centre, via Russells Hall Hospital. Again, it was very poorly used, not helped by the convoluted route (Wednesbury to Merry Hill took nearly an hour, iirc, going around the back roads of Tipton and Great Bridge, Willenhall to Merry Hill was 90 minutes, which, while quicker than the alternative option of Wolverhampton then Merry Hill, still wasn't particularly quick), and on the few occasions I did do the full route, I was the only person onboard from Merry Hill, to at least Dudley.

Ianno87 · 30 Jun 2019

Simon75 said:
X18 Hanley to Sheffield
Was split as 118/218 operated First Potteries/First South Yorkshire buses connected in Buxton
118 then run by Wardle Transport the D&G
Currently a 16 operates Hanley to Buxton, then 65/65A Buxton to Sheffield. Buses dont connect

madannie77 said:
As the X18 Hanley to Sheffield was formerly the X23 and before that the 208 and before that the 28 (Trent & Potteries joint service) which started in the mid 1970s it lasted quite a while. It even had extensions to and from Keele University.

The X18 was a useful oddity for many years in that you could use a Greater Manchester Wayfarer in it to reach Sheffield City Centre - the only route that was valid to do so.

route101 · 1 Jul 2019

Ianno87 said:
The X18 was a useful oddity for many years in that you could use a Greater Manchester Wayfarer in it to reach Sheffield City Centre - the only route that was valid to do so.

Is there bus route between Sheffield and Manchester ?

route101 · 1 Jul 2019

Alex 2901 said:
Nope, last one would've been the X50 a good couple of years ago.

Round in the West Midlands, some interesting ideas were used in Arriva's attempts to compete in the West Midlands:

The shortest lived of these was the 4A, between Wolverhampton and Pendeford, which started in late 2014 (might have been October), and was withdrawn in April 2015. Don't think I ever saw more than 3 people on it (including the driver!)

The strangest "innovation" was the 310, between Willenhall and Merry Hill Centre, started in 2013 and withdrawn by July 2014 (the section between Willenhall and Wednesbury still remains as the 310, now run by Diamond). The 310 replaced the 327 and 610, with a commercial extension up to Merry Hill Centre, via Russells Hall Hospital. Again, it was very poorly used, not helped by the convoluted route (Wednesbury to Merry Hill took nearly an hour, iirc, going around the back roads of Tipton and Great Bridge, Willenhall to Merry Hill was 90 minutes, which, while quicker than the alternative option of Wolverhampton then Merry Hill, still wasn't particularly quick), and on the few occasions I did do the full route, I was the only person onboard from Merry Hill, to at least Dudley.

Do any Nat Ex or Megabus go via the A50?

AndyHudds · 1 Jul 2019

Yorks185 said:
Halifax to various major shopping centres:

- The M62 to White Rose (then onto Leeds) & more recently the X80 (also serving Birstall Retail Pk,but only in 1 direction)

- The M60 to Trafford Centre (Starting in Bradford) what was then replaced by an extension to service 560 (or possibly 561)

- X36/7 to Meadowhall via Huddersfield (The Huddersfield - Halifax express link could work these days,with the various roadworks in West Vale frequently holding up the 503)

If i remember correctly First also tried a summer service from Halifax to Chester Zoo,think it only lasted a year or 2

The Halifax-Huddersfield fast express would be a massive improvement in the current 503. The 503 is a busy route anyway with people travelling end to end, I use it end to end regularly and it irks me I have to endure West Vale and Elland so why not have an express calling at CRH, Elland slip road at Lowfields, Ainley Top and Birchencliffe lights then fast in to Huddersfield.

TheGrandWazoo · 1 Jul 2019

Buses from Teesside Airport to Teesside....

Think they’ve had three goes at it. The 80 ran via there from Darlington to Stockton but was cut back to be Darlington to Airport in 1985 (I.e. before deregulation).

It then disappeared until RBC money (?) was the 20 extended there from Yarm in the mid 2000s.

Now I may be wrong but I think I recall the Darlington to Airport service 12 (successor to the 80) was extended to/from Stockton - need someone to confirm that though

johnnychips · 1 Jul 2019

route101 said:
Is there bus route between Sheffield and Manchester ?

No, I think three National Express a day. There used to be a Ribble/Sheffield X48 service that ran twice a day, three times at weekends; then there was Richardson’s Xforty-something that ran to the airport about two-hourly, and that may have been bought out by South Yorkshire. That was during the 80s.

43055 · 1 Jul 2019

route101 said:
Do any Nat Ex or Megabus go via the A50?

Never seen any on the A50 and the route map at Derby bus station shows Birmingham as the next stop to the west for National Express.

Simon75 · 1 Jul 2019

route101 said:
Do any Nat Ex or Megabus go via the A50?

Yes the 441 National Express London to Manchester operates via Leicester, Loughborough's and Derby, then A50 to Hanley before Manchester

Kuyoyo · 1 Jul 2019

TheGrandWazoo said:
Buses from Teesside Airport to Teesside....

Think they’ve had three goes at it. The 80 ran via there from Darlington to Stockton but was cut back to be Darlington to Airport in 1985 (I.e. before deregulation).

It then disappeared until RBC money (?) was the 20 extended there from Yarm in the mid 2000s.

Now I may be wrong but I think I recall the Darlington to Airport service 12 (successor to the 80) was extended to/from Stockton - need someone to confirm that though

Teesside Airport Buses
Indeed, the 12 (formerly the 74) was extended to Middlesbrough about 2008 until 2011 (when Stockton Council axed part of their Supported Network Funding, the 12/20 having received funding to provide a service to the villages of Elton and Longnewton). The 12 replaced parts of both the Airport 20s and the short journeys which ran to Elton (the Airport service reverted to its pre-2006 route between the Airport and Longnewton as a result) with the Yarm-Middlesbrough journeys numbered 12A (and lasting for a further 3 months after the Middlesbrough extension was axed before it was replaced by an extension of the X6). Indeed, the Airport is now not served by any bus service - the closest the 12 gets is the nearby Tres Spa Business Park at peak times - the daytime 12s now terminate in a loop at Middleton St George.

madannie77 · 1 Jul 2019

johnnychips said:
No, I think three National Express a day. There used to be a Ribble/Sheffield X48 service that ran twice a day, three times at weekends; then there was Richardson’s Xforty-something that ran to the airport about two-hourly, and that may have been bought out by South Yorkshire. That was during the 80s.

The Richardsons service to Manchester Airport was X49, which I think started at deregulation. Richardsons also had a route 44 linking Sheffield and Greasbrough and an express night service from Sheffield to Doncaster at one point, amongst others. They were bought out by South Yorkshire Transport in 1989.

The Sheffield to Manchester 48/X48 service was a long lasting service, having been started before WW2 and lasting until deregulation, having been operated by North Western & Sheffield JOC before the changes brought about by the 1968 Transport Act changed that to Ribble and Sheffield Transport.

tbtc · 2 Jul 2019

madannie77 said:
Richardsons also had a route 44 linking Sheffield and Greasbrough

This is another example of a route that has ebbed and flowed over the years.

There's currently a FSY 36 every hour from Sheffield to the estates of northern Rotherham (Kimberworth, Greasbrough) - a relatively unloved route that is sometimes allocated one of the very few B10BLEs, and combines parts of various old routes around Grimesthorpe (in SYT days, the 34/35/39 and the frequent 93).

After the 44 was withdrawn there were no through buses from northern Rotherham (i.e. anything between the A629 and A630 corridors) - Rotherham routes ran into Rotherham bus station and you needed a connection there for Sheffield (other than the 277/278/X78 corridor along the A630).

Then, due to insufficient staff at Olive Grove, some "Sheffield" routes were run by Midland Road depot (Rotherham). So the 17 (Sheffield - Parson Cross - Meadowhall) interworked with the 43 (Meadowhall - Greasbrough - Rotherham). This was later an official through service every half hour, taking about three weeks to get from Sheffield to Rotherham but all with the number 17 on the front of the bus. Then, again, cut back, the 17 being one of those marginal routes that is chopped and changed by First (to plug the gaps left by cuts to other routes).

Tables turned, and now "Rotherham" routes are run out of Olive Grove, with Midland Road closed down.

But, to find a way of tormenting drivers by forcing them to navigate Standon Road with a full sized bus (a bit of route frequently avoided due to badly parked cars), First have extended the City - Grimesthorpe - Meadowhall service through to Greasbrough and Rotherham (to replace the successor to the 43).

In a year or two there may be no Sheffield - Greasbrough service again, but we keep going around and around.

TheGrandWazoo · 2 Jul 2019

Kuyoyo said:
Teesside Airport Buses
Indeed, the 12 (formerly the 74) was extended to Middlesbrough about 2008 until 2011 (when Stockton Council axed part of their Supported Network Funding, the 12/20 having received funding to provide a service to the villages of Elton and Longnewton). The 12 replaced parts of both the Airport 20s and the short journeys which ran to Elton (the Airport service reverted to its pre-2006 route between the Airport and Longnewton as a result) with the Yarm-Middlesbrough journeys numbered 12A (and lasting for a further 3 months after the Middlesbrough extension was axed before it was replaced by an extension of the X6). Indeed, the Airport is now not served by any bus service - the closest the 12 gets is the nearby Tres Spa Business Park at peak times - the daytime 12s now terminate in a loop at Middleton St George.

Thanks for that. I couldn't remember if it was the under the 12 or 74 number that it worked under.

Of course, it is pale shadow of its self. Apparently, annual passenger figures fell from 912k in 2006 to 131k in 2017.... no wonder running buses there doesn't make sense.

madannie77 · 2 Jul 2019

tbtc said:
This is another example of a route that has ebbed and flowed over the years.

There's currently a FSY 36 every hour from Sheffield to the estates of northern Rotherham (Kimberworth, Greasbrough) - a relatively unloved route that is sometimes allocated one of the very few B10BLEs, and combines parts of various old routes around Grimesthorpe (in SYT days, the 34/35/39 and the frequent 93).

After the 44 was withdrawn there were no through buses from northern Rotherham (i.e. anything between the A629 and A630 corridors) - Rotherham routes ran into Rotherham bus station and you needed a connection there for Sheffield (other than the 277/278/X78 corridor along the A630).

Then, due to insufficient staff at Olive Grove, some "Sheffield" routes were run by Midland Road depot (Rotherham). So the 17 (Sheffield - Parson Cross - Meadowhall) interworked with the 43 (Meadowhall - Greasbrough - Rotherham). This was later an official through service every half hour, taking about three weeks to get from Sheffield to Rotherham but all with the number 17 on the front of the bus. Then, again, cut back, the 17 being one of those marginal routes that is chopped and changed by First (to plug the gaps left by cuts to other routes).

Tables turned, and now "Rotherham" routes are run out of Olive Grove, with Midland Road closed down.

But, to find a way of tormenting drivers by forcing them to navigate Standon Road with a full sized bus (a bit of route frequently avoided due to badly parked cars), First have extended the City - Grimesthorpe - Meadowhall service through to Greasbrough and Rotherham (to replace the successor to the 43).

In a year or two there may be no Sheffield - Greasbrough service again, but we keep going around and around.

Thanks for that history. It always puzzled me that there was no link from Sheffield to Kimberworth Park & Greasbrough until Richardsons 44, and although I know of the current 36 I was unsure of what had happened after the demise of the 44.

Hophead · 2 Jul 2019

TheGrandWazoo said:
Thanks for that. I couldn't remember if it was the under the 12 or 74 number that it worked under.

Of course, it is pale shadow of its self. Apparently, annual passenger figures fell from 912k in 2006 to 131k in 2017.... no wonder running buses there doesn't make sense.

Good job there's a railway station to take up the slack then

tbtc · 3 Jul 2019

madannie77 said:
Thanks for that history. It always puzzled me that there was no link from Sheffield to Kimberworth Park & Greasbrough until Richardsons 44, and although I know of the current 36 I was unsure of what had happened after the demise of the 44.

It's a funny one - sometimes in the UK there's enough demand to generate a service from "suburban town" into "nearby city", sometimes the town's network is simply radial into the town centre, where people are expected to change to travel through to the "city".

In the case of northern Rotherham, there has always seemed sufficient population to warrant some kind of Sheffield link but I guess it was always easier to run services along the Don Valley from central Rotherham into Sheffield, especially in the days of separate garages.

Thorpe Hesley (and the A629 corridor) is another area that has had/ lost/ gained Sheffield services. There was the 258/X58 in SYT days (which ran through Shiregreen at times, IIRC), there was the Sheffield Omnibus 73 (?) which ran via Meadowhall. I think Sheffield Omnibus later ran a version of the 72 (with a suffix) as Sheffield - Lane Top - Chapletown - Thorpe Hesley?. There have been versions of tagging on "Sheffield - High Green" onto "High Green - Rotherham" to provide a "round the houses" direct service which may suit the time-rich pensioners preferring a direct bus (a decade ago it was the 66, now it's the 135) but that's come and gone over the years.

I suppose another local corridor is Meadowhall to Treeton/ Swallownest/ Dinnington, which has been tried at various times (251/321/400/ X50/X60 etc) - one of those corridors where there's probably a bus-full of potential passengers but you can't route a service via all of the intermediate places so end up with a confused mess that tries to offer a fast service whilst also ticking as many boxes as possible and ends up being neither nowt nor summat...

route101 · 3 Jul 2019

Simon75 said:
Yes the 441 National Express London to Manchester operates via Leicester, Loughborough's and Derby, then A50 to Hanley before Manchester

I see , thanks

Bus routes which have never quite taken off

Established Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

On Moderation

On Moderation

Member

Established Member

Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

On Moderation

Member

Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member