Disappointing/memorable for the wrong reasons bus trips

[Martin1988]

Has anyone on here ever had a disappointing bus or coach trip? For example one where you travelled on a particular route and were disappointed by the vehicle, had to suffer a busy journey, a delayed journey or difficult passengers?

I didn't really enjoy the old 265 route between Bath and Salisbury the first time I rode it due to the bus being absolutely rammed (largely with Concessionary passholders) and also due to one passenger who tried to get me and the other occupant of the back seat moved because his friend who liked the back seat was getting on. I also remember one instance where I went to ride the old South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach 462 route which normally got full sized coaches and on that particular occasion, the journey I rode on had a Lance Verde allocated instead.

A particularly memorable for the wrong reasons journey for me was on 11th March 2020 when I rode the Megabus back from Nottingham to Bristol and at the start of the journey the BBC broke the news that Covid 19 had been declared a pandemic- thus signifying what was the start of over a year of madness.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Travelling on the First Bus route RA2 from Heathrow Airport to Guildford one cold winter's evening... an inaudible discussion ensued between the driver and a passenger at the front of the bus - we then pulled over, the driver turned around and asked "Right, who hasn't paid?" (or words to that effect).

With no response from any of the passengers, the driver became increasingly irate and threatened to kick everyone off if said fare-dodger didn't "own up". After five more minutes of interrogation, he did kick us all off, and instructed us - in a primary school esque manner - to line up against the bus, and re-enter one-by-one showing our tickets to him for the second time.

Alas, I didn't see anybody get sold a ticket so I can only assume everybody had a ticket and we were just made to stand in the cold for no reason.

---

Similarly, a more recent encounter from the "gift that keeps on giving" that is the RA2 bus route: Travelling from Guildford to Heathrow Airport to catch an early flight... the 05:28 departure didn't turn up, but then two buses arrived in time for the 06:09 departure.

Turned out one of them was the 05:28 running 40 minutes late. Worried about being late for my flight, my hopes were redeemed by the fantastic, but absolutely crazy, driver at the wheel.

He was pushing that Wright Eclipse to its absolute limit, speeding down those roads, swinging the thing around those roundabouts, flashing his headlights and honking at every car in front of us.

We ended up arriving into Heathrow Terminal 3 only 10 minutes late, meaning we had completed a timetabled 1h 20m journey in a mere 49m.

I've never felt so terrified but relieved in my life.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't think I've been disappointed because I didn't get X vehicle type... Life's too short for worrying about that sort of thing.

The only real disappointments are related to three things:

• The behaviour of other passengers (like the racist, conspiracy theory fuelled idiot I had to endure on a Stagecoach bus in the Forest of Dean recently)
• Vehicle breakdowns like being sat on a knackered Leyland National 2 outside Darlington after the driveshaft failed
• The appalling quality of certain vehicles - the two that stand out are an Arriva Plaxton Prestige from Durham to Darlington, and a First Scania Omnicity from Hanley to Uttoxeter where I nearly lost my fillings

 

[Busaholic]

Travelling on the First Bus route RA2 from Heathrow Airport to Guildford one cold winter's evening... an inaudible discussion ensued between the driver and a passenger at the front of the bus - we then pulled over, the driver turned around and asked "Right, who hasn't paid?" (or words to that effect).

With no response from any of the passengers, the driver became increasingly irate and threatened to kick everyone off if said fare-dodger didn't "own up". After five more minutes of interrogation, he did kick us all off, and instructed us - in a primary school esque manner - to line up against the bus, and re-enter one-by-one showing our tickets to him for the second time.

Alas, I didn't see anybody get sold a ticket so I can only assume everybody had a ticket and we were just made to stand in the cold for no reason.

I'd like to think that was the last time he ever drove a bus. He was obviously just the type of person that certain train companies wanted as RPIs!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I'd like to think that was the last time he ever drove a bus. He was obviously just the type of person that certain train companies wanted as RPIs!

Unfortunately not, I still see him semi-regularly on the route. He always comes across as somewhat militant in his manner.

 

[Andyh82]

I think any journey where you have gone out of your way to travel on it because it’s a scenic route that you haven’t been on before, and either

It’s raining so all the windows are steamed up and you can’t see a thing
It’s unusually busy so you are sat on the aisle side next to someone else
A single decker is provided on a service that is usually a double deck

A couple of examples, the last time I did the Atlantic Coaster in Cornwall it was throwing it down so I had to sit downstairs on an open top bus, all I could see was hedges through the steamed up windows, and when I did the 59 Skipton to Harrogate Saturdays only service, a single deck was provided when it’s almost always a double.

 

[YorkRailFan]

In August 2022, I was traveling with Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, I had this extremely rude driver at least twice while I was up in the lakes, they didn't accept me paying with cash or contactless card for my ticket, they shouted at people on the street when turning and were actually incapable of driving, they actually ended up having a mini fit over a coach coming towards us on a small road.

Another time, I was getting off the bus in Windermere, the bus had stopped at the bus stop, I got out of my seat, driver decided to close the doors and drive forward, causing a bottle in my rucksack to fall out, the driver then stopped, I lunged to pick it up, they then moved forward again causing me to hit my back on one of the steps inside the bus. I then grabbed a pole by the drivers cab and stood up, the driver then said to me that they couldn't drive properly because I was "in their way" when I clearly wasn't. To clarify, the bus was terminating at Windermere so wasn't in any means continuing to another bus stop. The driver then finally let me off after the whole ordeal, and then started shouting over the fact that another bus was at the bus stop where they were meant to be because they were so late. Not a great end to a holiday, to make things worse, Northern had cancelled my train from Windermere to Manchester and TPE had then cancelled my onward train.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I think any journey where you have gone out of your way to travel on it because it’s a scenic route that you haven’t been on before, and either

It’s raining so all the windows are steamed up and you can’t see a thing...

Yep. Supposedly scenic bus trip on the Isle of Skye from Kyle of Lochalsh/Kykeakin to Armadale Pier (via Broadford). Could scarcely see a thing. The isle's not called the "Misty Isle" for no good reason!

 

[JD2168]

One miserable journey I remember is coming back from Bakewell to Sheffield on a First ALX400 decker on 240 via Fox House. Would have been great but the bus had contravision all over the windows preventing a good view.

Suiting on a Tates Travel X12 from Barnsley to Rotherham via M1, one of the ex Dublin Crusaders they had failed at Thorpe Hesley because a wheel nut had come off the bus.

Some of the strange allocations Stagecoach have put on the X19 from Barnsley to Doncaster have produced a poor journey, an Optare Solo on one journey, full for entire journey with some stood up, some very underpowered Darts like Enviro300 27565 last week which pretty much died on every hill.

 

[LUYMun]

My memorable encounters on buses sometimes involve picking up some... interesting passengers. One such was on Stagecoach South's 18 from Aldershot to Bordon, embarking an irate man near Farnham who claimed that he was unfairly dismissed from the bus operator (despite getting on said company's bus and travelling to other side of town). From what I'm told by the driver, he was someone who worked for Stagecoach but didn't have good relations with management, and is now throwing a tantrum on every bus he was on. Not much explained further than that, and I haven't heard of the guy since then.

I've been on a broken down vehicle once, this being an ADL E400MMC usually reserved for the Gold 1 services, only for this to turn up on the route 10 (Farnborough - Church Crookham), due to a faulty gearbox. An engineer arrived to check on the problem, but could do nothing more until a towing lorry could arrive. This was not helped by another irate man who went on a tangent about how shocking the local buses were, and being quite verbally abusive to the driver for not resolving the issue. As such, it was left to me, the angry man and an elderly lady to wait another hour for the next bus to turn up.

Stretching the use of "bus" to rail replacement coach here: I once boarded an all stations service from Farnborough, the first stop being Brookwood. It was initially uneventful, going along Mytchett Place Road, but then at the junction with the B3012 (near Pirbright Junction on the railway), the coach made a left turn, heading back in the Farnborough direction. We ended up at Frimley High Street, when the driver made an announcement that Brookwood would be aborted. We then promptly hurried along to pass through Lightwater and Chobham as via points to ultimately reach Woking. Upon arrival, I missed my connecting train which resulted in me being late to a meeting.

Just a few to mention!

 

[90sWereBetter]

I had an appalling X1 journey about 12 months ago with a driver who quite frankly should be in a different profession. The first half of the journey was fine between Norwich and Yarmouth, save for the driver driving a bit too fast and close to other vehicles on the A47 (bearing in mind it was a Friday evening in November).

Between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft though, oh dear! Every time someone pressed the bell, the driver would slow the bus to a crawl (even on main roads like Southtown Road and the dual carriageway between Gorleston and Hopton), and then mutter/remonstrate at passengers who'd dared to get out of the seats before the bus stopped. As this was a evening peak service, this meant every. single. stop was the same nonsense. He was also overshooting bus stops for no apparent reason. As a result we ended up about 10-15 minutes late despite the traffic being relatively light.

Eventually, when it was my stop he decided to give me an earful for getting out of my seat before the bus had stopped. Unfortunately for his sake, he didn't realise I was a former First Eastern Counties employee who still had contacts with the management team, who was absolutely fuming about the awful journey home from work I'd just experienced...

 

[Mzzzs]

A couple of years ago on a 382 bus in North London, the bus pulled out then got side swiped by a white van at at a unusually high speed for the road.
The front right wheel came off and the right side was badly damaged.

 

[Martin1988]

Thanks to those who have contributed so far. It is clear there are a lot of interesting examples.

A memorable one for me was on a National Express coach between Birmingham and Leicester. I was sat in the second row and had the music on my Ipod up quite loud because the passengers sat behind me were talking loudly. About 10 minutes away from Leicester the driver stopped the coach at the side of a road, came up to me and told me off in front of all the passengers for having my music on too loudly. I don't mind admitting I found that a bit humiliating and interestingly there seemed to be no issues with other passengers talking loudly either in person or on their phones.

Another example was the first couple of days at college in September 2009. On the way home on first evening, route 680 between Filton and Yate had a Van Hool Coach from South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach on it and I thought 'great, we're going to get coaches allocated this term'. Then the next evening the service had a Merc Benz Vario minibus on it with the driver stating there had been a problem the night before and that was why there had been a coach allocated.

 

[Deerfold]

Some years ago, I caught the 0100 Megabus from London to Leeds. The doors had just been shut and I was grateful that it wasn't too busy and so for at least most of the journey I had a double seat to myself. Then the doors reopened to let a latecomer board. Of course they then sat next to me. They stank more than anyone I've ever sat next to. They then dropped off quickly and kept resting their head on my shoulder.

The only good news was that after the break at Leicester Forest East, when they reboarded, they sat next to someone else.

 

[Gloster]

Travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus from Borlänge to Uppsala in Sweden in March 1992 with the radio blaring out non-stop news about a major tram crash in Gothenburg. It was clear by the time we reached Uppsala that there were quite a few dead: thirteen, as it turned out.

 

[Busaholic]

Travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus from Borlänge to Uppsala in Sweden in March 1992 with the radio blaring out non-stop news about a major tram crash in Gothenburg. It was clear by the time we reached Uppsala that there were quite a few dead: thirteen, as it turned out.

I used to have to go to school on a Saturday morning, which irked me. The only upside was that my bus route was reliable on that day, unlike the other days of the week. Just the once, the scheduled bus didn't turn up so I had to wait twelve minutes for the next. During the course of the journey another passenger enquired about the missing bus and our conductor reported it had crashed off the A2 Rochester Way through a fence into a house. Only later did we hear the driver had had a heart attack and died at the scene: nobody else was injured, the bus being almost empty.

 

[Deerfold]

I used to have to go to school on a Saturday morning, which irked me. The only upside was that my bus route was reliable on that day, unlike the other days of the week. Just the once, the scheduled bus didn't turn up so I had to wait twelve minutes for the next. During the course of the journey another passenger enquired about the missing bus and our conductor reported it had crashed off the A2 Rochester Way through a fence into a house. Only later did we hear the driver had had a heart attack and died at the scene: nobody else was injured, the bus being almost empty.

I spent 10 weeks working in Chadderton, near Oldham. It took 2 buses to go home via Oldham or Rochdale. About 6 weeks in, I caught the 562 bus towards Halifax from Oldham which was hourly (with one extra peak 556). As we went through Cunning Corner we saw the service from an hour earlier which had gone through a wall and was hanging over a drop. Apparently it had only had the driver on board who managed to get out of the rear emergency exit (as the front door was over the drop). It took several hours to get it back on the road. I travelled via Rochdale for a couple of days before I got fed up with the slightly longer journey time (and earlier start).

 

[rg177]

I can remember some truly odd RRB journeys. One in SWT land (as-was) where the driver admitted at the start of the journey that he had absolutely no idea where he was going yet still drove like a lunatic, predictably missing out some stops on the way. On another (unplanned) RRB, when I was trying to get to Grosmont, the driver said that most people wanted Whitby so he didn't see why he should have to go anywhere else!

My favourite memory from a London bus is an early morning service in West London where we narrowly smashed into a lamppost as I was about to get off. All it does is bash the wing mirror inwards. The driver sighed, put the handbrake on, opened the doors and said "oh mate, push that out again would you?"

I complied and we moved further along to my stop. At least he was happy

 

[Travelmonkey]

Me and my partner were staying at the hotel on the gordano service area on the edge of Bristol so needed bus In & out, well we went for the last bus of the night 1st of it was a Gemini swapped in for a streetdeck, 2nd it was 20 mins late and struggling by the time it got too us, and then to add to the annoyance drunk lads downstairs kept ringing the bell for each stop in the end it cost us a further 30mins of slowness due to the constant stoppages for no alighters as well as the bus struggling to make it up the hills,

 

[Simon75]

I once caught the last journey of the former x18 Sheffield to Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent), at about 17.00 in the winter when it was dark. Unfortunately, unlike when it's light, you don't see much of the Peak District.

 

[DunsBus]

I remember an enthusiasts' tour in Edinburgh being abandoned at the first photostop after the bus, a preserved ex-Lothian Olympian, lost all of its air pressure. One guy had come all the way from England especially for the tour and ended up with a 20-minute run to show for his efforts.

 

[James101]

Two memorable journeys, the first a return from Manchester to Blackpool in about 2012/3 on Classic Bus North West X70. A ‘normal’ journey should have sufficed as interesting enough, what with it inexplicably being operated by ex-London bendy Citaros. About 30 minutes late leaving Albert Square, friendly driver and only myself as a passenger. Lost more time en route despite reasonably clear roads as, unsurprisingly, such vehicles were not designed intense motorway running in mind.

I think it was junction 3 of the M55 where the driver left the motorway and explained she’s heading back to Manchester to make up for lost time and a shuttle bus would meet us to transfer onto Blackpool. Sure enough, within a few minutes a Routemaster turned up with a dozen or so dazed and cold pensioners (it was November) and we were swapped over right there on the motorway overbridge. Sped the rest of the way to Blackpool, I sat downstairs, as a regular passenger, open platform without protection. Granted, most are sensible enough not to beee protection, but a H&S shocker by today’s standards.

I had a pleasant enough day in Blackpool, there was a fairly interesting fleet at the time. Heading back to Manchester about 18:00 the same bus and driver as earlier in the day, 12 hours since my outbound bus must have left Blackpool in the morning and still a return trip for her to drive…? She filled the beast up at the Esso garage at the coach park, in service, with 3 passengers on. Slow progress to the East Lancs Road approaching Salford when the Citaro succumbed to the abuse, the saloon filled with smoke and we stopped on the hard shoulder. Driver valiantly attempted to call local taxi firms but got no where as non were too keen on the roadside pick up and the dangers that entailed.

Ultimately a manager (honestly can’t remember who now but it may well have been who some may be thinking off, he genuinely said he’d been at a meeting in Preston that day…) arrived in his own Ford Focus and took us all into Manchester in that.

Count the flaws as much as you like, it was a nightmare for regular passengers but in all honest a good laugh for me!




Next up, in November 2020, through my work, I genuinely needed to collect a commercial vehicle from Sheffield and bring it back to Congleton and return it 48 hours later. I got the train there via Stockport and planned the same in reverse two days later.

On dropping the vehicle back in Sheffield, however, I found all trains via Stockport cancelled for the evening, remember both areas were under ‘Tier 4’ restrictions at the time. Feeling adventurous, I elect to get the, then new, X57 from Hulleys at 18:20 ish back to Manchester. When I get to the Interchange, it’s 18:20 on the dot and there’s only me the rats to ask for help.

I messaged Hulleys on Facebook, no tracking, to ask if I’d missed the 18:20 but no, very helpfully they said it hadn’t arrived back into Sheffield yet, bingo. I risked a dash to the loo and it was just on stand as a came out, just caught it and the driver was really very friendly, perhaps happy to have a passenger!

A few minutes in I get another thoughtful message from Hulleys asking if I’d got on the bus okay. Thanking them for their concern, they replied that it was this drivers first run on the X57. Sure enough not long into the journey the driver was telling me this himself and was asking my directions for the journey past Glossop! It was a interesting journey with a couple wrong turns and reverses and the interior lights firmly off to reduce glare on the windscreen over the Snake Pass.

Taking the title of this thread with a pinch of salt, I was genuinely grateful for a warm bus and a friendly driver on a cold winter night across the Peaks.

 

[Martin1988]

I remember an enthusiasts' tour in Edinburgh being abandoned at the first photostop after the bus, a preserved ex-Lothian Olympian, lost all of its air pressure. One guy had come all the way from England especially for the tour and ended up with a 20-minute run to show for his efforts.

That must have been really disappointing for everyone on the tour.

I remember on a Sunday in April 2019 setting out on an enthusiasts trip from Bristol to the Brooklands Running Day which was being worked by a vehicle from North Somerset Coaches (an Ikarus I think). We headed up the M4 to Swindon where we stopped for a break and then oddly headed in the direction of Royal Wootton Bassett. I assumed we were going to pick somebody up but we continued towards Chippenham and then Bath. At this point I enquired as to what was going on and was told we were heading back as there was a potential problem with the vehicle. They then continued back towards Bristol where I was dropped off on the Wells Road near the Three Lamps Junction.

I subsequently ended up spending the rest of the day doing the 376 to Wells, the 126 to Weston, the X5 to to Cribbs Causeway and the T2 to Thornbury and then back to Bristol before meeting up with a fellow enthusiast for a Burger King.

 

[route101]

Its usually the overnight coach services that produce drama for me. Always some oddities on them.

 

[DunsBus]

That must have been really disappointing for everyone on the tour.

It was. I remember us all getting back on board after getting photos and eagerly awaiting the next leg of the tour. However, the bus refused to move and the initial thought that it was the "sensitive edge" (the centre door interlock) acting up. Much revving later, it still refused to move and after much activity, a loud hiss from underneath confirmed the worst and that both us and the bus would be going no further. The one saving grace was where it happened, at Ocean Terminal, as it meant there was no shortage of service buses to get us back into Edinburgh city centre.

I remember on a Sunday in April 2019 setting out on an enthusiasts trip from Bristol to the Brooklands Running Day which was being worked by a vehicle from North Somerset Coaches (an Ikarus I think). We headed up the M4 to Swindon where we stopped for a break and then oddly headed in the direction of Royal Wootton Bassett. I assumed we were going to pick somebody up but we continued towards Chippenham and then Bath. At this point I enquired as to what was going on and was told we were heading back as there was a potential problem with the vehicle. They then continued back towards Bristol where I was dropped off on the Wells Road near the Three Lamps Junction.

I subsequently ended up spending the rest of the day doing the 376 to Wells, the 126 to Weston, the X5 to to Cribbs Causeway and the T2 to Thornbury and then back to Bristol before meeting up with a fellow enthusiast for a Burger King.

That must have been a real letdown. That said, at least the problem was spotted early on and the decision being made then to abandon the run.