Christmas Day bus services 2021

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

With just over a week to go until the 'big day', I've started this thread to create a list of bus / coach services running on Christmas day across the UK, disregarding those which operate in the early hours of the 25th by virtue of being 'last buses' on Christmas Eve. Those I've identified so far as running are, in no particular order:

Southern Vectis: a network of 5 routes
Morebus: M1 and M2 each operating hourly, offering a combined 30 minute frequency over common sections
Oxford Bus Company: Airline operating between Oxford and Heathrow
Metrobus: Fastway 10 operating twice hourly throughout the day and night
Arriva Essex: routes 133, 309 and 510
Stagecoach Highlands: Dounreay works Service 276 will operate a normal Saturday service.
Stagecoach Manchester: special service on route 43
Stagecoach Merseyside: a network of 12 routes tendered by Merseytravel. Not clear if Stagecoach operate all of these
First Berkshire: Sunday service on routes 7, RA1 and RA2.
The Lothian 'group' have 18 services running
Black Prince are running 2 routes
1950's Vintage Bus Hire are again running 2 RTs between Roehampton and Putney Bridge Station over TfL route 430
National Express are running 13 routes
Megabus are running to 28 locations
Citylink 900 will link Edinburgh with Glasgow

 

[route101]

Bluestar are running the 18X on Xmas day.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Bluestar are running the 18X on Xmas day.

Also the 1X

 

[route101]

Also the 1X

Not sure what the X denotes, a variation on the route!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Route 43 in Manchester is the service between Manchester City Centre (Piccadilly Gardens) and Manchester Airport via the Wilmslow Road corridor.

Has for a number of years been the only service operating in Greater Manchester on Christmas Day.

Hourly service planned on Saturday 25th December 2021, departing Manchester City Centre at 0905, then xx05 until 1905.

Similar times from the Airport, although the last one is at 2005. Fifty-five minutes journey time, each way.

Believe four drivers are required to operate the day's service(s).

 

[Siemens Trains]

Not sure if someone has already mentioned it but First are running services X25, X26 and X38 next Saturday, under contract to West Lothian Council.
Details of their Christmas & New Year schedules are in the link below.

Festive Service Levels | South East and Central Scotland | First Bus

Over the festive period, we will operate revised journeys from Friday 24th December 2021 until Tusday 4th January 2021. Please see below information on service levels affecting First Midland and First West Lothian. First Midland Service Levels

www.firstbus.co.uk

 

[GusB]

The purpose of this thread was to provide a list of services that are running on Christmas day, not to debate the rights and wrongs.

I have moved that debate to the following thread:

Running bus and coach services on Christmas day - is it greed?

Mod note - Discussion has been split from this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/christmas-day-bus-services-2021.226151/ Some local bus routes running fair enough. There is absolutely no need for inter city coaches to run. Pure greed.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Busaholic]

With just over a week to go until the 'big day', I've started this thread to create a list of bus / coach services running on Christmas day across the UK, disregarding those which operate in the early hours of the 25th by virtue of being 'last buses' on Christmas Eve. Those I've identified so far as running are, in no particular order:


1950's Vintage Bus Hire are again running 2 RTs between Roehampton and Putney Bridge Station over TfL route 430

Anyone know why this route is chosen above any other? Seems to be well patronised from the photos I've seen, but the clientele largely appear to be enthusiasts. some of whom probably travelled many miles to get there.

 

[Deerfold]

After around 25 years of having 3 hourly volunteer vintage bus services on Christmas Day, this is the second year Keighley doesn't have any. It's not clear if they still return post-Covid.

 

[scotrail158713]

Ember electric coach service appears to be running 2 return services between Edinburgh and Dundee

 

[mjc]

In Stoke I don’t think that First or D&G are running anything but PMT Preservation Trust (825 Preservation Group on Facebook) is running a limited service using preserved bus serving the main hospital.

825 preservation group

On a different note. We are doin a xmas day event serving the local hospital. University hospital of north staffs. Aiding those that need to get there over the festive day. Staff and guest visitors....

www.facebook.com

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

First Glasgow used to run the 500 airport bus on Xmas day but it hasn't run last few years. As far as I know the 900 Glasgow - Edinburgh will be the only bus in Glasgow on Christmas day.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

First Glasgow used to run the 500 airport bus on Xmas day but it hasn't run last few years. As far as I know the 900 Glasgow - Edinburgh will be the only bus in Glasgow on Christmas day.

It never ran on Christmas Day - it was New Years Day it ran on a 20 minute service. The last time any First bus ran in Glasgow on Christmas Day was Christmas 2009.

 

[gunn13]

It never ran on Christmas Day - it was New Years Day it ran on a 20 minute service. The last time any First bus ran in Glasgow on Christmas Day was Christmas 2009.

Out of interest, would you happen to know any previous First Glasgow Christmas Day service patterns? I have a strong recollection of there being a skeleton service with at least the 36 and 61 running on Christmas Day sometime around 2007/8 but I have never been able to find any evidence of it! Whenever I mention it to others, nobody else seems to remember it.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Out of interest, would you happen to know any previous First Glasgow Christmas Day service patterns? I have a strong recollection of there being a skeleton service with at least the 36 and 61 running on Christmas Day sometime around 2007/8 but I have never been able to find any evidence of it! Whenever I mention it to others, nobody else seems to remember it.

First Glasgow operated the 5, 12, 18, 20, 36, 38, 40, 41, 45, 54, 57, 61, 62, 66, 75, 88, 205, 240 and 267 on Christmas Day and New Years Day up until around 10 years ago. Most timetables were every 60 minutes between 0800 and 2000 approx.

Strathclyde's Buses provided a similar range of services on the same dates in the late 80s and early 90s. I cannot recall if Clydeside or Kelvin Central operated anything.

 

[gunn13]

First Glasgow operated the 5, 12, 18, 20, 36, 38, 40, 41, 45, 54, 57, 61, 62, 66, 75, 88, 205, 240 and 267 on Christmas Day and New Years Day up until around 10 years ago. Most timetables were every 60 minutes between 0800 and 2000 approx.

Strathclyde's Buses provided a similar range of services on the same dates in the late 80s and early 90s. I cannot recall if Clydeside or Kelvin Central operated anything.

Amazing! Thanks for this. Would love to see some level of Xmas Day service again around Glasgow, I would definitely use it!

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Can remember in 2010 an article about them not running that year in the Evening Times with it saying bah humbus.

 

[route101]

Amazing! Thanks for this. Would love to see some level of Xmas Day service again around Glasgow, I would definitely use it!

At that time the night buses ran throughout the week too.

I think my Dad used it when he didn't have a car. I suppose its ok if you don't have to connect to another service.

 

[pgfb1306]

Flixbus running a few routes. Whippet are running 001 Newcastle - Leeds - London, 002 Bradford - Leeds - London, 005 Derby - Leicester - London, 006 Cambridge - London and 023 Manchester - Birmingham - London. And Turner's Cardiff - Bristol - London. Are Ridleys doing anything today??

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Symphony Coaches had an Enviro 40D in Hounslow this morning, I am assuming on some form of shuttle for airport workers at Heathrow. It was labelled ‘Bus 2’ so there was probably at least one more out there somewhere.

 

[Wessexbuses]

Operating the Morebus & Bluestar Services today including swaps are

Bluestar
1X - 1242(HF68 DYJ)
18X - 1235(HF68 DXZ), 1252(HF68 DXW)

Morebus
M1 - 1123 (HF58 GZC), 1198(HW58 GZN), 1626(HF66 CEJ)
M2 - 1021(YN06 JWY), 1101(HW08 AOP), 1104(HW08 AOT)

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Amazing! Thanks for this. Would love to see some level of Xmas Day service again around Glasgow, I would definitely use it!

No problem. From memory volunteers were asked to work on one or other or both days and they were paid double time. Unfortunately there wasn't enough demand on Xmas day.

 

[TheSel]

Merseytravel tendered 44, Formby to Crossens via Southport Hospital (generally an Arriva Merseyside commercial service worked by Southport depot) is being worked by Stagecoach (Gillmoss depot) Solo 47331 - PX06FYB today. A couple of pictures (my own) below.

 

[Steddenm]

Had an email from Hannons Coaches saying that the Glasgow-Belfast-Lisburn-Lurgan will be operating a normal service today. Three minutes later an email saying they aren't as Stena aren't running ships Cairnryan-Belfast.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Diamond are operating Hotel Hoppa services serving Heathrow.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Diamond are operating Hotel Hoppa services serving Heathrow.

They also had at least one vehicle out doing the DHL (the courier/parcel delivery firm) staff shuttle, although I guess that probably doesn't count for this thread, not being a public service.