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Through the depot in service? (Yorkshire Traction, others?)

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Brooke

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The discussion about Transdev buying Yorkshire Tiger prompted a question...

When I was a young kid in the mid 80s, we used to get the Yorkshire Traction 236 home to Highburton from Huddersfield. There was one particular bus around 2.30pm that we loved to get, because after it swopped drivers at Waterloo, it proceeded to drive right through the lanes inside the shed to get fuelled up and then through the bus wash before setting off again.

Which makes we wonder: Am I the only person that remembers this happening with Yorkshire Traction? Was it common elsewhere or was it a unique thing?!
 
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duncombec

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Belper Bus Station is actually inside the depot - and not only do Trent services use it, but the Transpeak Service (operated by High Peak/Centrebus) also use it.
 

Polarbear

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Stagecoach used to do this sometimes on southbound services between Birkenhead and New Ferry. It's often a driver swap on the main road outside, but if they need to change the vehicle over for any reason, buses have been known to divert through the yard with the swap being undertaken there.
 

jonesy3001

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If you catch the 6a from Lancaster to Morecambe, if a driver change is required sometimes they call into Morecambe depot as it's on the route when they go through the white lund industrial estate.
 

61653 HTAFC

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The discussion about Transdev buying Yorkshire Tiger prompted a question...

When I was a young kid in the mid 80s, we used to get the Yorkshire Traction 236 home to Highburton from Huddersfield. There was one particular bus around 2.30pm that we loved to get, because after it swopped drivers at Waterloo, it proceeded to drive right through the lanes inside the shed to get fuelled up and then through the bus wash before setting off again.

Which makes we wonder: Am I the only person that remembers this happening with Yorkshire Traction? Was it common elsewhere or was it a unique thing?!
I remember it happening once or twice on services to/from Clayton West in the 1980s (grandparents lived in Scissett). Also happened more recently a few times under Arriva and Centrebus ownership. With the state of the fleet, it's unsurprisingly quite common to be driven into the yard to swap vehicles... but going through the depot building itself is rarer.

The Southport to Wigan Arriva services used to change drivers in Skelmersdale depot, but again it wasn't normal to enter the shed with passengers on board.
 

Pit_buzzer

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I experienced it with yorkshire traction at Shafton, on one occasion they did a vehicle swap with the inbound bus stopping door to door with the replacement and passengers stepping directly from one bus to the other. Usually it was just in and out with a change of driver
 

Dai Corner

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Bristol Omnibus's Weston-super-Mare and Marlborough Street premisses were combined bus stations and depots within the same buildings. The vast majority of services started or terminated there, of course, but there may have been some just calling.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Aside from bus depots that were co-located with bus stations (e.g. Bristol, Darlington, Weston super Mare, Norwich), there were a few others that I can think of.

United/Arriva's Richmond depot was located on the edge of town and so driver changeovers would routinely happen there, but during the evening, they would have to divert the two all day boards on the main Darlington to Catterick route via the depot to get refuelled. Ribble's Garstang depot was on the Lancaster to Blackpool/Preston routes and vehicles would reverse in on occasion rather be sat on the road outside whilst waiting for a driver.

I do remember getting the night NX404 from London to St Austell. On arrival at Plymouth, it diverted into and through Laira Bridge depot for a driver change to do the Plymouth to Penzance so got to see all those ageing VRs.

I seem to also recall a time where passengers were permitted to walk through the depot building at Malton to use the toilets.
 

Roilshead

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With respect to previous posters - there is a world of difference between the OP regarding entering what were otherwise solely running depots in service, and using a combined depot-bus station facility designed for that purpose . . . the latter might make good thread in its own right.

The only three times I can remember entering a depot environs on service were: mid-1980s, Midland Red North, Cannock depot for refuel; c2006, Arriva North West, Skelmersdale depot, driver changeover; c2008, Go Whippet, Fenstanton depot, refuel.
 

Pacerman99

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Go South Coast do this with their seasonal New Forest Tour open topper - some journeys on the blue route pop into Lymington depot to change drivers.
 

Taunton

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Bristol Omnibus's Weston-super-Mare ... combined bus stations and depots within the same buildings. The vast majority of services started or terminated there, of course, but there may have been some just calling.
I can remember this one from the 1960s, on the Weston seafront. When returning from a day on the beach the bus to Highbridge would be facing the depot and could be boarded, whereupon it started, went inside the depot building to U-turn, and (greatest excitement for one of tender age) went slowly through the washing machine, fully operating, before emerging.
 

Brooke

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I remember it happening once or twice on services to/from Clayton West in the 1980s (grandparents lived in Scissett). Also happened more recently a few times under Arriva and Centrebus ownership. With the state of the fleet, it's unsurprisingly quite common to be driven into the yard to swap vehicles... but going through the depot building itself is rarer.

The Southport to Wigan Arriva services used to change drivers in Skelmersdale depot, but again it wasn't normal to enter the shed with passengers on board.
Ah, not just me that remembers it then! Good to know! I remember that a lot of 235/236 trips did a driver swop out on the road, but this one journey always went through.

And yes, familiar with the trip into the yard to swop buses as well! Had this happen with other operators too (K Line, and their predecessor Pride of the Road), but never with First.

With respect to previous posters - there is a world of difference between the OP regarding entering what were otherwise solely running depots in service, and using a combined depot-bus station facility designed for that purpose . . . the latter might make good thread in its own right.

Could be an interesting thread as you say! I can’t think of any in West Yorkshire, probably due to Metros love of a big, fancy bus station - but I’m sure there must be a lot elsewhere
 

ANDREW_D_WEBB

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Buses entering Winchester’s former bus station went through the depot.
 
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hst43102

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I experienced it with yorkshire traction at Shafton, on one occasion they did a vehicle swap with the inbound bus stopping door to door with the replacement and passengers stepping directly from one bus to the other. Usually it was just in and out with a change of driver
Surely the mirrors would get in the way?
 

Statto

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Not really a bus station/depot, but Arriva North West operate some services that call into Runcorn depot for driver changes whilst in passenger service, mainly buses on 82A & X30
 

Simon75

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A couple of years ago I travelled on a Arriva 38 Macclesfield to Crewe and it went via the outstation to swap buses, due to a faulty ticket machines.

PMT also swapped buses in Burslem and Crewe due to faulty buses.
 
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bobslack1982

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The Transpeak when it went from Nottingham to Manchester stopped at Dove Holes bus depot for crew changes if I remember correctly.
 
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JRT

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As mentioned on another thread, when National Express had a ‘hub’ system (1960-1980s), the ‘Sheffield Interchange’ at Charlotte Road was in fact part of a bus depot used as a bus station for 40 minutes.

The X33 White Rose Express via Heckmondwike ( 1990s ) sometimes did crew changeover at Caldaire’s Beck Lane/ Station Road garage, but I don't think the buses actually went inside.

In modern times, health and safety regs tend to ban the public from actually traveling into the depot, so the First Bradford staff bus to Hammerton Street dropped normal people outside the former office before continuing into the depot.

Similarly First Huddersfield service bus 200 drops passengers on the street outside before continuing through the gates. Unfortunately a passenger didn't know where the terminus was and stayed on, to the horror of the driver and two staff on board! I had to stay on the bus until it returned back to the street!!
 
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This isn't its route in normal service, but I used to get the 144 in London towards Edmonton to school. One day I was surprised when my bus did a quick loop through Wood Green depot! In hindsight, I'd guess there were some roadworks at Wood Green Station that meant we couldn't turn right onto Lordship Lane, and this was the diversion solution
 

M60lad

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I can remember when Stagecoach Manchester's Princess Road Depot was still open due to security reasons in the evening most if not all driver change overs were done actually in the depot rather than on the road.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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With respect to previous posters - there is a world of difference between the OP regarding entering what were otherwise solely running depots in service, and using a combined depot-bus station facility designed for that purpose . . . the latter might make good thread in its own right.
Rather than a thread, co-located facilities off the top of my head were (and a few still are): St Andrews, Kelso, Berwick, Nairn, Dundee, Livingston, Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Ashington, Blyth, Newcastle (Gallowgate), Whitley Bay, Hartlepool, Darlington, Northallerton, Stokesley, Pickering, Pocklington, Hornsea, Elloughton, Hull (Ferensway), Wetherby, Pateley Bridge, Grassington, Malton, Lincoln, Newark, Scunthorpe, Southport, Northwich, Macclesfield, Crewe, Cheadle, Rhyl, Haverfordwest, Abergavenny, Bridgend, Cinderford, Monmouth, Bristol, Weston super Mare, Bridgwater, Minehead, Camborne, Falmouth, Paignton, Newton Abbot, Exeter, Exmouth, Truro, Ilfracombe, Bridport, Weymouth, Amesbury, Trowbridge, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole, Woolston, Basingstoke, Andover, Winchester, Shankliln, Portsmouth (Hyde Park), Fareham, Eastbourne, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Uckfield, Lewes, Eastbourne, High Wycombe, Hounslow, Leysdown, Dorking, St Albans, Wood Green (E National), Southend, Chelmsford, Colchester, Maldon, Braintree, Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Felixstowe, Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Birmingham (Digbeth), Kettering, Northampton, Longton, Belper, Ashbourne, Oswestry, Walton on the Naze, Tredegar.... sure there's others I've missed
the ‘Sheffield Interchange’ was in fact the Olive Grove bus depot used as a bus station for 40 minutes.
That was Charlotte Road, former home of SUT, which was opposite what was then called East Bank depot of SYPTE, and is now the parking area opposite what we now call Olive Grove
 

Redmike

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The Transpeak when it went from
Nottingham to Manchester stopped at Dove Holes bus depot for crew changes if I remember correctly.
Back in Trent days they definitely went into the old Buxton depot for driver changes on the Transpeak.
 

Dai Corner

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I can remember this one from the 1960s, on the Weston seafront. When returning from a day on the beach the bus to Highbridge would be facing the depot and could be boarded, whereupon it started, went inside the depot building to U-turn, and (greatest excitement for one of tender age) went slowly through the washing machine, fully operating, before emerging.
I wonder whether the wash was a scheduled operation or whether it was done purely to amuse the children?
 

Kieran1990

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Until its closure in the early 2010’s, Arriva Surrey & West Sussex on the 53/63 Guildford to Cranleigh used to go via Cranleigh depot to change drivers.
 
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John B

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As mentioned on another thread, when National Express had a ‘hub’ system (1960-1980s), the ‘Sheffield Interchange’ was in fact the Olive Grove bus depot used as a bus station for 40 minutes.

The X33 White Rose Express via Heckmondwike ( 1990s ) sometimes did crew changeover at Caldaire’s Frost Hill depot but I don't think buses actually went inside.

In modern times, health and safety regs tend to ban the public from actually traveling into the depot, so the First Bradford staff bus to Hammerton Street dropped normal people outside the former office before continuing into the depot.

Similarly First Huddersfield service bus 200 drops passengers on the street outside before continuing through the gates. Unfortunately a passenger didn't know where the terminus was and stayed on, to the horror of the driver and two staff on board! I had to stay on the bus until it returned back to the street!!
The X33 sometimes did changeovers at Heckmondwike Beck Lane/ Station Road garage, not Frost Hill which in the nineties was a National Travel North East depot.
 

Whisky Papa

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Possibly stretching the point, in 2014 we had an unscheduled trip into this De Lijn garage in Budingen, in Belgiums's Flemish Brabant province. The driver on the Tienen - Diest service 22 had removed his kerbside mirror when trying to pass a badly parked lorry in one of the previous villages (I didn't think it would fit, but views from the saloon can be misleading, plus it was nine years since I'd driven a bus myself). Unlike the Google view, there was only one vehicle in the garage at the time, a rather older single-decker than the damaged one, which the driver indicated the passengers should board and we continued on our way a few minutes late.

Nearer home, I seem to remember Arriva Scotland West's depot on the outskirts of Johnstone being a calling point for a driver relief on a journey to Lochwinnoch, but I can't recall now if we entered the premises or stayed on the road outside.
 

David Verity

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Ribble and Standerwick used to route expresses through the garage at Kendal to access the apron at the far end of the garage which passed for a coach station. And the single deck garage at Worthing doubled as the Southdown coach station.
 

Ken H

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Buses used to go through Grassington depot to get to the bus stand. Depots still there but its a royal mail facility now.
 
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