Night buses

[Mutant Lemming]

Well somehow I managed to get from Wavertree to the airport by bus at 2am on a Thursday morning about 4 years ago !

There was a spell when the 86 ran a service 7 nights a week to the airport which was also augmented by other operators running weekend services as far as Garston.

The problem that bus operators have with regards to night services is that Liverpool at one stage had more black cabs (i. e. ones that pick up anywhere on the street) per head of population than anywhere else in Europe. They were also relatively cheap and even now for a short journey it's almost as cheap to jump in a cab ( the other week a fiver for three of us to go about 2 miles - would have been 3 x £1.80 bus fares) to take you where you want to go when you want to. Even now that taxis are a bit more expensive (though so are walk up and night bus fares) and not hanging around every street corner like they used to do, a taxi culture still pervades.

The only seven nights a week bus service is the one through the tunnel although there always has been a seven nights a week service back to the days when it was run jointly between Liverpool and Birkenhead Corporations.

 

[Statto]

You can still get to Birkenhead every night and to New Brighton, West Kirby and Runcorn at the weekends.

I'm sure route 86 (city to airport) used to run 24 hours but it doesn't appear to do so any more.

Most of the Liverpool night buses only run Saturday night, Sunday mornings, theres also local night buses Saturday night/Sunday mornings to Liverpool districts, although there was a more intensive weekend night network just before MTL sold out to Arriva. The daily night tunnel bus Liverpool-Birkenhead has been running since the 70s, & in the PTE days was the only route using the Birkenhead tunnel.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

. The daily night tunnel bus Liverpool-Birkenhead has been running since the 70s, & in the PTE days was the only route using the Birkenhead tunnel.

I am not sure how far the night tunnel bus goes back but it appears in the 1967 Birkenhead Municipal Transport timetable - operating a seven night a week service as a joint service with Liverpool City Transport.

 

[BrummyBoy]

Interesting, given that (AIUI) nowadays the National Express West Midlands services avoid Broad Street late at night at the weekends (was there much trouble that forced such diversions?)

Belive the reason was traffic.

 

[tbtc]

Belive the reason was traffic.

Cheers

West Street (Sheffield's "equivalent") gets horribly busy with taxis strewn all over the place late at night at the weekends, but I didn't know whether it was because of this that the NX buses diverted away from Broad Street at such times (or whether there had been any "incidents")

 

[Smethwickian]

Cheers

West Street (Sheffield's "equivalent") gets horribly busy with taxis strewn all over the place late at night at the weekends, but I didn't know whether it was because of this that the NX buses diverted away from Broad Street at such times (or whether there had been any "incidents")

Mainly due to traffic I would think. There are tailbacks some nights because the layout of most of Broad Street isn't terribly helpful when there are queues of buses, minicabs setting down everywhere, black cabs picking up, private cars trying to park, stag-party stretch limos cruising back and forth and converted fire engines carrying hen parties groping scantily clad hunks - and large numbers of inebriated people wandering all over the place.

Spent a year in Sheffield when a good deal younger - happy (if occasionally blurry) memories of places like the Frog & Parrot in West Street, if nowhere else.

 

[bb21]

Routes serving East Midlands Airport run 24/7. Branded "Skylink", one route goes to Nottingham and the other to Derby, Loughborough and Leicester. They are hourly at night throughout the week.

Leicester had a small nightbus network, N1-N6, a good few years back, which was run by First in cooperation with the city and county council on a trial basis on Friday and Saturday nights with departures from St Margarets Bus Station at midnight, 0100 and 0200. The trial didn't last long though.

Currently, discounting Skylink, the last departure from the city centre, I believe, on Mondays to Saturdays is the 2340 Oadby Grange service on the 31, and on Sundays the 2333 South Wigston service on the 47, both run by Arriva Midlands.

The last inbound service, during term time, is the 2355 arrival from the Halls of Residence on the 80 on Mondays to Saturdays, and the 2330 arrival from Oadby Grange on the 31 during university holidays. On Sundays, again, it is the 2300 arrival on the 31. There is a later inbound departure on Mondays to Saturdays to reach the CityPlus Saver area, the 2340 departure from Hinckley on the 158, terminating at the western boundary of the Saver area at Braunstone Crossroads at 0008. All run by Arriva Midlands.

 

[district]

Ashford (Kent) has really early finishes... I think the last bus from AFK to Singleton/Stanhope (twice the size of the normal route!) is just after 10.

 

[Welshman]

Concerning Night Buses - we enjoyed a few days' break in deepest West Wales recently, and I was amazed to find Richards Bros run a Night Service - 412 from Haverfordwest to Newport via Fishguard Square, departing 0215 on Sunday mornings! [And it's not in connection with the Irish Ferries as it doesn't serve Fishguard Harbour]. They obviously know how to party in Pembrokeshire!

I found that fascinating, especially as I used to live in a village of 700 or so in Lincolnshire, which enjoyed a service of 4 buses a day into the nearest town, Sleaford, only 7 miles away. And the last bus back was 1615!

 

[LexyBoy]

The X39/X40 between Reading and Oxford runs overnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and pretty late the rest of the week.

Don't know if it still runs, but there used to be a 2300 departure on the 14 from Gloucester to Stroud (arriving near midnight) - practically a night service considering most buses finish around 6 pm!

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Most of the Liverpool night buses only run Saturday night, Sunday mornings, theres also local night buses Saturday night/Sunday mornings to Liverpool districts, although there was a more intensive weekend night network just before MTL sold out to Arriva. The daily night tunnel bus Liverpool-Birkenhead has been running since the 70s, & in the PTE days was the only route using the Birkenhead tunnel.

Liverpool no longer has ANY night bus services operating within the city.
There are cross-river services (one route running all week and a few more at the weekend) and a service to Widnes and Runcorn that doesn't set down in the city.
The rest of the network was gradually withdrawn with most of the key city routes now finishing by midnight.

 

[telstarbox]

True.

There were a good number of Sheffield Night Buses (in SYT days), back when all "last buses" were 23:15. These Night Buses had different routes to the "Day Buses", there were also "Early Bird"/ "Workers" services in the early hours of the morning (taking people to heavy industry...).

Under Mainline these were gradually merged/ withdrawn (with one bus having to do a bigger loop, meaning a less direct journey), but Nightclubs sponsored various buses (including ones to and from a "super club" in the Don Valley, miles from anywhere).

First withdrew many of the remaining night buses, or replaced them with (weekend) midnight departures on their busiest services. However, they did introduce a 24/hr service on the 52 to Crookes (later extended hourly to Woodhouse) - this was before the 24/hr services were introduced in Glasgow, but it didn't lead to any more late night Sheffield services.

The 52 was cut back to midnight, and for a long time there were no late night services (other than a short-lived Student 80A/80C loop, since withdrawn).

TM Travel introduced three services (N1/ N2/ N3) last year, but they didn't last long (all were completely different to any "day" routes, and generally in areas that TM Travel don't run any "day" buses in.

Stagecoach are introducing a half hourly N52 at weekends from the end of this month (same route as the "day" service, but with different timing points, to suit the pubs on West Street etc).

Whilst Sheffield currently has no night buses, Barnsley has one (the Stagecoach N66, similar to the daytime 66), despite not having the same student population - it appears to be working well.

If you're out in a group of 4 or more it's often cheaper in Sheffield to get a taxi back even after midnight. Also if you've just missed a night bus, you probably won't want to wait 30 mins/an hour for the next one!

 

[Deerfold]

Routes serving East Midlands Airport run 24/7. Branded "Skylink", one route goes to Nottingham and the other to Derby, Loughborough and Leicester. They are hourly at night throughout the week.

Trent Barton's indigo also runs hourly overnight from East Midland Airport to Nottingham via Beeston - these are timed approximately opposite the clockface from Skylink (Nottingham via Clifton).

 

[Zamracene749]

Between Durham and Stockton on Tees there are services running as late as 0243 on the x1, fridays and saturdays only in co-operation with Durham uni.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

The Wigan 598 and Manchester 39 are timetabled to operate a through Service Manchester-Leigh-Wigan and First Day or Night tickets are valid or £5 Singles are available. think only from Manchester though...

Bolton also used to operate a Nightbus network using the old 582 buses but was withdrawn due to poor use.

Rochdale had a Free nightbus using a Metroline T-KLD Decker but i think this service has been withdrawn?

The Wigan 695 is part funded by Lancashire county council and TFGM and operates the 375/385 day route as far as the Labour club.

 

[dvboy]

The 79 was superseded by the 75. I believe the 75 follows the old 79 route (which follows the metro until at least West Brom iirc) but it terminates at Wednesbury instead of Wolverhampton. It's not entirely surprising because I can't imagine anyone riding the 79 from Brum to Wolves the time is horrendous even without the infamous Soho Road traffic

Unless you were really strapped for cash, you'd take the train from Birmingham-Wolverhampton or the other way. No-one takes the Metro end-to-end unless they have a Metro & Bus season already, or the trains are buggered because it is more expensive than the train, as well as being slower.

 

[Mojo]

Unless you were really strapped for cash...

For customers travelling off-peak if you are willing to be restricted to Virgin, or if you have a Railcard, the train is cheaper than the bus.

 

[dvboy]

For customers travelling off-peak if you are willing to be restricted to Virgin, or if you have a Railcard, the train is cheaper than the bus.

You could still take the 126 for £1.80!

 

[Mojo]

You could still take the 126 for £1.80!

Only if you want to do a single journey, but how many people only want to do this? The train is far cheaper for a return.

 

[dvboy]

Only if you want to do a single journey, but how many people only want to do this? The train is far cheaper for a return.

Only on the Virgin Only fare or with a Railcard as you said. Or after 18:30.

An off-peak day return is £4.60.

 

[John55]

"I am not sure how far the night tunnel bus goes back but it appears in the 1967 Birkenhead Municipal Transport timetable - operating a seven night a week service as a joint service with Liverpool City Transport."

The tunnel buses first appeared as emergency transport during WW2 when the river was closed by mines.

In less fraught times the buses were introduced as ferry replacement services when the Woodsjde ferry stopped running a night service. I don't have the books to hand but I think this was in the late 50s perhaps just into the 60s.

 

[BrummyBoy]

Only if you want to do a single journey, but how many people only want to do this? The train is far cheaper for a return.

Its rather long but i've done it before.