• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Bus bashing

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
We've had a thread for aircraft, so why not buses?

I've been trying to keep a record of all the different types of bus, and all the different numbers of route, I've been on. Although I can't comment on the former at this stage (I shall give it a try in due course), I can say that between numbers 1 and 30 (including prefixes and suffixes, e.g. 7A and X14 for 7 and 14) I have been on a route that has had every number apart from 16 and 28, both of which are absent from Bath and peak-only in the Southend area; I have also been told to try without London, in which case the famous 11 may be out as well. Beyond 30, the set becomes slightly more sparse in the 30s, but then becomes flat again in the 40s (Bristol and Chelmsford both have large numbers of 40-series routes).

Sad I know, but I wondered if anyone else might want to give it a go, both including and not including London? Obviously some numbers are harder than others; can anyone else claim the numbers 418 and 419 for instance? :p

Just to clarify, the number is the bit that matters. A route numbered A1X would be treated as 1.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

sonic2009

Established Member
Joined
19 Jan 2010
Messages
4,915
Location
Crewe
Tewkesbury has a series of 40s.

41 Cheltenham - Northway via Coombe Hill, Gupshill Manor, Tewkesbury.

42 Cheltenham - Northway via Coombe Hill, Wheatpieces, Tewkesbury.

43 Tewkesbury - Gotherington via Wheatpieces, Stoke Orchard, Bishops Cleeve

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
 

trentside

Established Member
Fares Advisor
Joined
14 Aug 2010
Messages
3,337
Location
Messroom
I never really kept a record of different buses I've travelled on. I do know that for awhile Stagecoach 16455, P151KWJ, was on pretty much every service I used for a few weeks at the beginning of the year. It even turned up once on a route that's normally allocated our bio-methane powered Solos. It was withdrawn earlier in the month, in favour of some awful ex-Hull Olympians of similar vintage.

I've sometimes travelled to other areas to get a ride on rare vehicle types. Like many people the one I went furthest for was to get some rides on the Chase Leyland Nationals before Arriva withdrew them. I also try to get out and try any new Stagecoach East Midlands vehicles, though I'm a bit behind with that at the moment.
 

Blindtraveler

Established Member
Joined
28 Feb 2011
Messages
9,600
Location
Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
well fleat numbers present a challenge for me as anyone (theres 2 in this thread) who has met me wil understand. I can however claim a 99, thanks to Stagecoaches v handy and reliable X99 Inverness to Scrabster service, opperated by 2011 Plaxton Panthers. Also 2 months ago managed a 97 in the form of the connecting X97 service from Dunbeath to Wick and Gills Bay which can throw 6ut anything from a dart to a coach.

A year ago I bagged a 400 - a mini pointer dart from what I recall on E and M Horsburghs Livingstom to Edinburgh Royal infirmary (avoids city centre by using A720 city bypass)

a 253 is a regular for me in the shape of Perimans Edinburgh to Berwick upon tweed run which I use weeky as far as Hadington. 99percent of the time its Solo SRs but 1 board on a Saturday sees his 1 write volvo B7RLE on it and at Xmas (boxing day I think) his 2009 touring Plaxton Panther was on 1 run and was well loaded too.

 

Pyromaniac

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Messages
86
Location
Colchester
First from Chelmsford have the 31/31X and 36 to Maldon/Southminster and South Woodham Ferrers respectively. 33 used to run to Bishops Stortford and was withdrawn. 35 used to run to Southend and was withdrawn. First in Essex also pretty much cover 61-76 around Colchester.

Interesting knowing that back in the day the 33 and 35 were simply known as the Diamond service (with a diamond shape for the route "number") and ran Southend - Bishops Stortford. Was around at the start of the Pointer II revolution but not sure when it was dropped.

Not forgetting First Dorset have the impressive 31 from Weymouth to Axminster as well.
 

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
Interesting knowing that back in the day the 33 and 35 were simply known as the Diamond service (with a diamond shape for the route "number") and ran Southend - Bishops Stortford. Was around at the start of the Pointer II revolution but not sure when it was dropped.

I went on both 33 and Diamond variants, but never the 35 (or the 11 before them); similarly, I am yet to go on the Regal-operated 3 which uses Leyland Lynxes! I found an old 35 timetable from roughly December 2005 a few days ago, and that didn't last long at all. It must be a good six years since First dumped the route now. Of course, with the X30 around, who (in Southend) needs it anyway? Interesting that the Diamond initially ran via the Airport but was rerouted as it was considered "inconvenient" - now, as of the 5th of the month, we've gone full circle as the X30 now not only serves the Airport, but is the first public route to actually run on site...
 

VTPreston_Tez

Member
Joined
26 Jan 2012
Messages
1,159
Location
Preston
Not forgetting First Dorset have the impressive 31 from Weymouth to Axminster as well.

That's nothing compared to its sister X53, which passes my old home (hooray). I would be willing to bash it with anyone, anytime.
However, the 31 does traverse some impressive hills.

If you're looking for 40s, there's the 40/41 from Preston to Lancaster/Morecambe and the 44 from Preston to Ingol.
 

Schnellzug

Established Member
Joined
22 Aug 2011
Messages
2,926
Location
Evercreech Junction
On a similar, if tangental, note, what about different types of Bus that people have ridden in? (And come to that, has anyone kept a record of every fleetnumber and/or reg of every single bus they've ever ridden in)? What about route numbers? Well, I'll work on it and see what I can come up with. :|
 

anthony263

Established Member
Joined
19 Aug 2008
Messages
6,518
Location
South Wales
I do sometimes keep note of any buses I have ridden on or driven.

However I do photograph buses a lot particulary if they are new or unusual vehicles.

one of my favourites vehicles was a leyland lynz which someone kindly filmed their trip on an posted on youtube.

One vehicle I hated was a BMC falcon which struggled to get around a roundaboput in Llantwit Major although that said it did have a nice interior.

One bus I have enjoyed driveing was a Merecedes-Benz 709D (lots of thrash from that)

I hoping to spend a day traveling on and photographing the last of Stagecoach South Wales Volvo B10m's on service 172 Aberdare- Porthcawl as the new Enviro 300/Scannia's are due to arrive within in next few weeks. In fact I even have my eye on preserving one of them as it was the final Alexander PS body even built and the last step entrance bus Stagecoach ever ordered.
 

mbonwick

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2006
Messages
6,257
Location
Kendal
In fact I even have my eye on preserving one of them as it was the final Alexander PS body even built and the last step entrance bus Stagecoach ever ordered.

Last PS built, last Stagecoach B10M. Last Single deck step entrance for Stagecoach.

However there were several batches of Volvo Olympians ordered for various subsidaries after R792DHB was delivered.
 

anthony263

Established Member
Joined
19 Aug 2008
Messages
6,518
Location
South Wales
Last PS built, last Stagecoach B10M. Last Single deck step entrance for Stagecoach.

However there were several batches of Volvo Olympians ordered for various subsidaries after R792DHB was delivered.

Well I am going on what I have been told so if it is wrong as you have suggested then I am happy to be corrected.

Anyway thanks for posting that bit of info.
 

mbonwick

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2006
Messages
6,257
Location
Kendal
PS is the body, to give its full name, Alexander PS.

I've never seen this confirmed, but I believe it originated from P-series, Singapore as it was originally intended for SBS before Stagecoach saw how good it was and started ordering large numbers for the UK.
 

Schnellzug

Established Member
Joined
22 Aug 2011
Messages
2,926
Location
Evercreech Junction
Thre was an article about it in Buses the other month. It's a development of the P type (like those D-GHY things Badgerline used to have) that was intended, so they say, for Singapore, hence the S. I only know this because that was what it said in Buses, I wish to emphasise.
 

gnolife

Established Member
Joined
4 Nov 2010
Messages
2,028
Location
Johnstone
I'm going for trying to get every route in Manchester, end to end, where covered by my ticket (where a route heads beyond the boundary, I'll just hop off before), at the moment I've done all the 0YYs, 1YYs, 7YYs and XYYs :D
 

theblackwatch

Established Member
Joined
15 Feb 2006
Messages
10,714
When the Routemaster's were being withdrawn and down to the last 8 routes or so, I decided to cover them all in their entirety (not by doing the whole route on one single bus though, I got off at various points for pictures). I did it over several visits to London, doing one or two each time in between train moves. It was a really good way of seeing London properly, not just the tourist spots - none of these sightseeing buses bother to take you through the delights of Hackney and Brixton!

Also, on the year of the 50th anniversary of the Routemasters (2004), I decided one day that I would ride on 50 examples in one day. It was easily accomplished on Oxford Street, although many of my moves weren't even the distance of one stop.
 

Pyromaniac

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Messages
86
Location
Colchester
Ivo said:
I went on both 33 and Diamond variants, but never the 35 (or the 11 before them); similarly, I am yet to go on the Regal-operated 3 which uses Leyland Lynxes! I found an old 35 timetable from roughly December 2005 a few days ago, and that didn't last long at all. It must be a good six years since First dumped the route now. Of course, with the X30 around, who (in Southend) needs it anyway? Interesting that the Diamond initially ran via the Airport but was rerouted as it was considered "inconvenient" - now, as of the 5th of the month, we've gone full circle as the X30 now not only serves the Airport, but is the first public route to actually run on site...

35 went through various Independants including the infamous Stansted Transit before taking the bullet. Regal's 3 does take a few people mainly because it hits the smaller villages on its way to Chelmsford picking up the free pass army (from observations waiting for the X30 in Chelmsford). I've done the 11A on Sunday a couple times though.

I have already been through SEN on the X30 on the first weekend. Quite impressive getting a 12m bus to turn round without reversing on the little mini-roundabout (had 66799 both ways ironically). Both times cars parked on the "pick up/drop off spot" where our bus stop is so sat in the road. On the return a SqueasyJet had just unloaded, surprisingly busy!
 

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
I had one of the coaches (not sure which; 20801 maybe) doing it, and getting around that little roundabout was a struggle. It was also the first time I'd been on St Laurence Way, which was a bit of a treat as well.

Something that may not surprise you of all people: On Saturday, I did nine different routes, as follows: Southend 1; Chelmsford X30; Stansted 5; Cambridge 7; Bedford X5; Oxford 66; Swindon 55A; Bath 231; Bath SPA1 (locations shown are the places the routes are run from). Guess which was the least reliable?

Yep. The first one. Even at 0815 on a Saturday.
 

Pyromaniac

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Messages
86
Location
Colchester
Something that may not surprise you of all people: On Saturday, I did nine different routes, as follows: Southend 1; Chelmsford X30; Stansted 5; Cambridge 7; Bedford X5; Oxford 66; Swindon 55A; Bath 231; Bath SPA1 (locations shown are the places the routes are run from). Guess which was the least reliable?

Yep. The first one. Even at 0815 on a Saturday.

Pahahahaha! :lol:

You have no idea how hilarious I find that. To be honest I'm still waiting to see/hear how the Sunday duties are working now after the last changes in Southend...
 

martinsh

Established Member
Joined
27 Jan 2011
Messages
1,743
Location
Considering a move to Memphis
When the Routemaster's were being withdrawn and down to the last 8 routes or so, I decided to cover them all in their entirety (not by doing the whole route on one single bus though, I got off at various points for pictures). I did it over several visits to London, doing one or two each time in between train moves. It was a really good way of seeing London properly, not just the tourist spots - none of these sightseeing buses bother to take you through the delights of Hackney and Brixton!
.

Back in July 2004 I managed to ride on every remaining Routemaster route (15 of them) in one day. [ Not whole length of each route of course ]

I've been on route 6317 - I bet no-one else has ! [ See attached photo ]
 

Attachments

  • DV5839.JPG
    DV5839.JPG
    339.2 KB · Views: 29

madannie77

Member
Joined
12 May 2009
Messages
404
Location
The Station Garden of Eden
On a similar, if tangental, note, what about different types of Bus that people have ridden in? (And come to that, has anyone kept a record of every fleetnumber and/or reg of every single bus they've ever ridden in)? What about route numbers? Well, I'll work on it and see what I can come up with. :|

Sad to relate that I have (theoretically) got a record of the fleetnumber of every bus I have travelled on since 1980 as well as what the journey was :-?:smile:

NURSE!!!!!
 

martinsh

Established Member
Joined
27 Jan 2011
Messages
1,743
Location
Considering a move to Memphis
Sad to relate that I have (theoretically) got a record of the fleetnumber of every bus I have travelled on since 1980 as well as what the journey was :-?:smile:

Thats nothing. My friend (who unfortunately died a couple of years ago) had records going back to the 1950s !

Personally, I have some information in an old DOS database somewhere ...
 

Schnellzug

Established Member
Joined
22 Aug 2011
Messages
2,926
Location
Evercreech Junction
oH YES, i WAS GOING TO(caps lock) say, I'm very pleased to announce that I managed to ride on my first 12 registration buses at the Weekend! :D Two of the new B7RLE/Exlipse with Wilts & Dorset, 2252/7 (HJ12 GVR/GVX)! I know, this excites you almost as much as it does me! <:D
 

Nym

Established Member
Joined
2 Mar 2007
Messages
9,098
Location
Somewhere, not in London
Done my 12 reg bus, wasn't particularly present, was a KERS fitted Stagecoach on the 197 in Manchester. (Sorry, "Hybrid Drive")...
 

jp4712

Member
Joined
1 May 2009
Messages
469
Okay, I'll bite. As far as I know here is the list of every type of service bus I rode on up to about 1990, after that I lost interest in the modern boxes:

AEC Regent V
AEC Renown
AEC Reliance
AEC Routemaster
AEC Swift
Bedford OB
Bedford SB
Bedford VAL
Bedford VAM
Bedford VAS
Bedford YRQ
Bristol VR
Bristol LH
Bristol RE
Daimler CVG6
Daimler Fleetline
Dennis Dominator
Dennis Domino
Dennis Falcon
Dennis Lancet
Ford R1014/R1114
Guy Arab
Leyland Atlantean
Leyland National
Leyland Panther
Leyland Olympian
Leyland PD2
Leyland PD3
Leyland Tiger
Leyland Tiger Cub
MCW Metrobus
Metro-Scania
Scania BR112DH
Scania Metropolitan
Seddon IV-236
Seddon Pennine
Seddon RU
Volvo B58
Volvo Citybus

I'm not counting preserved stuff that I rode on, and I'm doing this from memory so I may have missed out one or two. Happy days!

It's hard to pick a favourite, and much easier to pick the terrible ones. In this category I'd put anything by Ford or Bedford (except the OB I sampled in the Wset Country, superb) and possibly the Volvo Citybuses bought by GM Buses. The Bristol LH and VR were rough 'n' ready but the RE - especially the coach ones - were lovely. And I'd give my eye teeth to ride again on a Lancashire United Seddon RU, they were similar to the Bristol RE but seemed somehow to have more character.

Paul
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top