Best bus services in the UK to film a full route timelapse

[SouthEastBuses]

Hi guys,

welcome to a new thread I'm creating. If you film bus full route timelapses (or "Full route visuals") like I do in the UK, this might be the one for you.

I'd love to hear everybody's opinions on the best bus routes in the UK to do a timelapse.

 

[johnnychips]

77/77a Stagecoach Keswick-Buttermere-Keswick circular.

It does help that this has been voted, somewhere, as the most scenic bus route in Britain.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

77/77a Stagecoach Keswick-Buttermere-Keswick circular.

It does help that this has been voted, somewhere, as the most scenic bus route in Britain.

I thought the Transdev Coastliner 840 was the most scenic bus route in the UK?

 

[johnnychips]

I thought the Transdev Coastliner 840 was the most scenic bus route in the UK?

As I implied, I am sure there have been many surveys done and opinions put forward. The 840 is very scenic between Pickering and Whitby, but I’m not sure about the preceding part of the journey from Leeds.

 

[peterblue]

There are loads. What region would you like to do? What things do you like e.g. rural, urban, sea?

I don't think 840's the most scenic route. Particularly not the first 2/3 of the route. I'd second the recommendation for the 77/77A circulars but you would have to wait til next summer season (March) to do those.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Ahh, okay. Everybody has different opinions really, lol

 

[SouthEastBuses]

There are loads. What region would you like to do? What things do you like e.g. rural, urban, sea?

I don't think 840's the most scenic route. Particularly not the first 2/3 of the route. I'd second the recommendation for the 77/77A circulars but you would have to wait til next summer season (March) to do those.

Any of the 3, and anywhere in the UK that isn't my local area (in this case the South East of England, Sussex/Surrey/Kent/Hampshire counties).

I can give you a recommendation to my area.

Rural: 291 (Metrobus Crawley) from Crawley to Tunbridge Wells.
Urban: 5 (Brighton & Hove) from Hangleton to Patcham, but also the Crawley Fastway routes to be fair
Sea: Coaster 12/12A/12X/13X (Brighton & Hove) From Brighton to Eastbourne.

I also recommend the Coastliner 700, a mix of all three and is the longest route in my area, running from Portsmouth to Brighton. However, you are required to change at Chichester and Littlehampton (idk why).

 

[Ianno87]

If you wanted 'urban', the old 22 from Bolton to Stockport would've been a belter - a real variety of Greater Manchester's suburbs.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

North Scotland Stagecoach coach services like the X98 or X99 could also be potentially scenic routes to film.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

If you wanted 'urban', the old 22 from Bolton to Stockport would've been a belter - a real variety of Greater Manchester's suburbs.

Something as good as that, but in Birmingham, would be the 11/11A/11C Outer Circle (by National Express West Midlands). But I'm a bit sceptical about doing the full outer circles as apparently the route has been voted as one of the least safest buses in Birmingham.

 

[gingerheid]

Fort William to Portree?

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Fort William to Portree?

True, that could also work

 

[306024]

77/77a Stagecoach Keswick-Buttermere-Keswick circular.

It does help that this has been voted, somewhere, as the most scenic bus route in Britain.

Lovely route, but for contrast I’d go for TfL route 11 in London. Liverpool St to Fulham, passing many tourist sites.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Honister Rambler is very scenic, but I'm not sure it'd be good for a video. It's a Solo and the view out the front isn't brilliant.

So if you're wanting a good video, you want a route that'll give you a decker and you want to nab the front seats.

Beyond that, depends what sort of route you want. The X18 up here is an interesting one, bouncing its way up the Northumberland coast to Berwick. The 685 Newcastle-Carlisle is too, if you're on one of the decker boards, as is the X93 Middlesbrough-Whitby-Scarborough. 555 in the Lakes likewise.

If you want urban grime, the Birmingham outer circle would do, or the 192 in Manchester.

 

[Jordan Adam]

As mentioned already the X98/X99 offers some dramatic views. Especially around the Berriedale Braes where there's some very challenging road conditions.

1:30 - 3:30 in particular

However that aside i could give countless examples in the West / North Scotland region.

The 31 from Aviemore to Cairngorm for example, funnily enough the most frequent bus service in that region at hourly..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aaron-sneddon/8385293084
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mals_uk_buses/18438119116
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37070919@N06/26958352447

Pretty much every route in Skye, Deeside, West Aberdeenshire, even some of the routes in the Buchan area are quite fun (Although in terms of the "Buchan Xpress" the 63 is far better than the 60).

 

[NorthOxonian]

The B3 from Keighley down to Hebden Bridge is a great run over the moors.

There seems to be a northern bias in a lot of these suggestions, so I'll try to come up with some southern suggestions. The 49 in Wiltshire is a great run and includes the Avebury stone circle, the pleasant market town of Devizes, and plenty of glorious scenery. The 620 and 69 form one continuous service running from Bath all the way up to Stroud, and includes several particularly stunning sections (especially before Pucklechurch and the last section into Stroud). There are a few lovely routes out of Salisbury, and the X7 has a great contrast between the bucolic New Forest and gritty urban Southampton.

The downside is many of these end up allocated single deckers (B3 and 620), which might make it harder to film the visual.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

The B3 from Keighley down to Hebden Bridge is a great run over the moors.

There seems to be a northern bias in a lot of these suggestions, so I'll try to come up with some southern suggestions. The 49 in Wiltshire is a great run and includes the Avebury stone circle, the pleasant market town of Devizes, and plenty of glorious scenery. The 620 and 69 form one continuous service running from Bath all the way up to Stroud, and includes several particularly stunning sections (especially before Pucklechurch and the last section into Stroud). There are a few lovely routes out of Salisbury, and the X7 has a great contrast between the bucolic New Forest and gritty urban Southampton.

The downside is many of these end up allocated single deckers (B3 and 620), which might make it harder to film the visual.

No problem for me, I will normally do it backwards, or, in the case of some type of buses that offer front seats (such as Mercedes-Benz Citaros or B7RLE Wright Eclipse 2s), to film it frontwards like I would normally do on a double decker.

About the 49, I'm planning to do that soon. Also have plans to do the S6, 51, 55.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Also, I discovered a First route that goes from Bath to Salisbury, which I believe is the D1. Is that a good route to film?

EDIT: It appears to be allocated with 11 reg B7RLE Eclipse 2s ex Bristol Airport A1

 

[NorthOxonian]

About the 49, I'm planning to do that soon. Also have plans to do the S6, 51, 55.

Ah, as someone who lives in Oxford but has family in the west of Wiltshire, I know all four pretty well. I'd recommend trying to do the X5 to Salisbury too (whilst the journey is a little bland and the service is pretty poor, it's still fine).

With regards to the D1, I've never been on it, but the section along the Avon looks quite nice. The one pitfall is most journeys terminate at an industrial estate on the outskirts of Warminster - through journeys to Salisbury seem rather infrequent. You're spoiled for choice in that part of the world though - the other two D routes are rather good, and the X31 from Chippenham to Bath is a decent route as well (after Corsham anyway). It helps that Wiltshire Council have a decent rover ticket which covers a lot of routes, even heading some distance out of the county, so you can mix and match operators really easily.

 

[matt_world2004]

N29 if you want an action film

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Ah, as someone who lives in Oxford but has family in the west of Wiltshire, I know all four pretty well. I'd recommend trying to do the X5 to Salisbury too (whilst the journey is a little bland and the service is pretty poor, it's still fine).

With regards to the D1, I've never been on it, but the section along the Avon looks quite nice. The one pitfall is most journeys terminate at an industrial estate on the outskirts of Warminster - through journeys to Salisbury seem rather infrequent. You're spoiled for choice in that part of the world though - the other two D routes are rather good, and the X31 from Chippenham to Bath is a decent route as well (after Corsham anyway). It helps that Wiltshire Council have a decent rover ticket which covers a lot of routes, even heading some distance out of the county, so you can mix and match operators really easily.

I'm moving to Oxford next year for Uni! I will be in Oxford Brookes. So when I'm at Brookes, that will be the best time for me to timelapse the Wiltshire routes.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

N29 if you want an action film

Brighton one? Could do, just a night version of a Regency 29 lol

 

[matt_world2004]

Brighton one? Could do, just a night version of a Regency 29 lol

London one . N29 bus of crime

 

[Tetchytyke]

N29 if you want an action film

Blade Runner?

 

[matt_world2004]

Blade Runner?

Mad Max:Beyond thunder dome.

 

[AM9]

Of the central London buses, the No. 12 from Liverpool St to Fulham Broadway is probably the best one left if end to end video is a must. Currenly using NBFL, the upper deck front seats would give a good view through the City of London passing Bank, St Pauls, Fleet St., The Royal Courts, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, The Houses of Parliament, Victoria St, The Kings Road and Chelsea. The route 100 would also be interesting passing through Wapping, Aldgate, London Wall , St Pauls, to King Edward Street. Unfortunately, this route is operated with single-deck buses so a video might not be that good.

 

[xc170]

Something as good as that, but in Birmingham, would be the 11/11A/11C Outer Circle (by National Express West Midlands). But I'm a bit sceptical about doing the full outer circles as apparently the route has been voted as one of the least safest buses in Birmingham.

Beat me to it.

It's certainly an interesting route, it's been 10 years since I last did the full route, it passes through some rough but I can't say I felt unsafe, I'm not sure I'd want to do it now though.

It would make for an interesting video.

 

[LancasterRed]

Surely one of the Jurassic Coast buses would be a good one to go with? Specially designed buses with larger windows to see and film more than usual and some stunning views, not least around Lyme Regis and Swyre on the X53.

 

[delt1c]

No longer running in but Eastern Scottish 27 Edinburgh to Glasgow took some beating. Covered some fantastic Industrial areas and variety and in places scenery

 

[EnviroExplorer]

The Outer Circle has already been mentioned, so the route I’d recommend in the West Midlands is the X1 Birmingham to Coventry. Departing Birmingham it operates down the dual carriageway Coventry Road, near the Snow Hill Railway lines for a short while, then through Yardley and Sheldon. After Sheldon it turns off at the Cargo Terminal, to go down a bus only road round the perimeter of the Airport, then serves the main passenger terminal and International Station. After the Station there is another fast section on the A45 Coventry Road before turning off into the countryside. Picturesque Meriden (which is sometimes referred to as the exact centre of the country) is the next place of interest, before another sprint up the A45 down to Parkhill Drive Estate in Coventry. It then follows the A4114 through Allesley and into Coventry City Centre.

All in all, the most varied route the West Midland has to offer! Certainly an enjoyable journey (it’s a Platinum specification MMC400 with USB/Wi-Fi etc too)