To be fair, there hadn't been one for quite a while before Hulleys tried it. There used to be a bus from the Manchester direction which ended up at Strines but I have no idea when that last operated.
Looking back at a 1988 timetable, the 58 on Saturday and Sunday appears to be operated from the Chesterfield side. On Saturdays you got two round trips to Macclesfield, but on Sunday it started from Barrow Hill and there was a connection in Macclesfield for Jodrell Bank and Tatton Park!
I think that connection at Macclesfield would've been on a Sunday for one of Cheshire County Council's Summer Sunday services, the X24 which East Midland ran from Glossop to Macclesfield and Tatton Park.
Just spotted the typo in my original, it was on Sunday you got the connection to Tatton Park. It was on the X24 but it isn't clear where this started from as it's not listed in the timetable. If it was Glossop then presumably it didn't run via Buxton as that isn't listed as an intermediate stop.
Actually at #5 and #10, although I appreciate those are getting a long way back now.
The X24 started at Glossop and then ran via the old E24 route from New Mills to Macclesfield and then on to Tatton Park. There was also a 57 from Macclefield which I assume went to Buxton and possibly on down to Ashbourne.
I rode the B3 for the first time a couple of weeks ago, a lovely route that I cant wait to do again!
Yep. Been closed since last Monday 2nd June 2025. Collapsed culverts on the main A6033 road over the top, from Hebden Bridge to/from Oxenhope. Road due to be closed for ~7 weeks.
Thank you, have added to the list!
Very true on both those. Similarly, the Hexham to Allenheads and to Bellingham are also delightful
And now with service to Kielder on Saturdays - timed to connect at Bellingham with the service from Hexham. I've not had a chance to do it yet but imagine it is pretty impressive.
Only been to the Isle of Man once and we actually went on the afternoon express between Douglas and Ramsay. At Ramsay, the weather wasn't fine, but in Douglas it started to rain and by the time we were up on the mountain road it was so bad we couldn't see a thing!!! We did do the journey from Peel to Curraghs Wildlife Park and that was really nice.
Could also add the 171's sister route, the 172, which also operates between Newton Abbot and Tavistock, but goes via Ashburton and Dartmeet, rather than Moretonhampstead. (@tram21, both these routes are in Devon, not Cornwall).
One around there I've always fancied doing but never got round to is the 7 - Todmorden to Bacup/Rossendale over the hills. It does look like it becomes a suburban slog after Bacup, though I'm sure a relatively scenic one!
Yes, it's superb on a fine, clear Summer's day - or Winter's day for that matter. I often use it to reach the East Lancashire Railway from Calderdale.
The 'suburban slog' as you describe it between Bacup and Rawtenstall is a fascinating journey along a steep sided valley with remains of old railway lines and substantial quarry workings high on the surrounding hills. A great journey especially on a double-decker which the 7 usually is during the week as it serves a school in Todmorden.
I agree - I did the Bacup to Todmorden (8) just before Covid and it was a lovely run even on a winter's afternoon. Even on a Saturday, it was a B7TL/Gemini
I’ll have to give that a go.
