Trivia: Britain's Strangest Bus Routes

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi all.

After reading this very interesting article about strange bus routes in London, it got me thinking...

What are some strange (or unique) bus routes within Britain as a whole?

Obviously this can be for a variety of reasons, but I'm going to start things off with the ridiculously short Rosso route 13, which operates as a circular between Rawtenstall Bus Station and New Hall Hay. The loop itself takes just six minutes and the outward journey to New Hall Hay takes just two minutes!

Good luck, and I look forward to reading some nominations!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hi all.

After reading this very interesting article about strange bus routes in London, it got me thinking...

What are some strange (or unique) bus routes within Britain as a whole?

Obviously this can be for a variety of reasons, but I'm going to start things off with the ridiculously short Rosso route 13, which operates as a circular between Rawtenstall Bus Station and New Hall Hay. The loop itself takes just six minutes and the outward journey to New Hall Hay takes just two minutes!

Good luck, and I look forward to reading some nominations!

477 to Holy Island - operates to a tidetable
50 Bournemouth to Swanage - operates via a chain ferry

 

[scosutsut]

ScotRail 398 is pretty strange all round! It plugs a strange gap in an otherwise very well served city.

Glasgow Stations Bus Link

Free bus service between Glasgow Central and Queen Street stations.

www.scotrail.co.uk

 

[Statto]

Hi all.

After reading this very interesting article about strange bus routes in London, it got me thinking...

What are some strange (or unique) bus routes within Britain as a whole?

Obviously this can be for a variety of reasons, but I'm going to start things off with the ridiculously short Rosso route 13, which operates as a circular between Rawtenstall Bus Station and New Hall Hay. The loop itself takes just six minutes and the outward journey to New Hall Hay takes just two minutes!

Good luck, and I look forward to reading some nominations!

I would argue the X26 isn't strange as there are other express routes in London[607 & X68], however i would say the 607 is strange that's the only 6xx in London with a regular frequency, the other 6xx in London are school routes

 

[Llandudno]

Merseytravel subsidise the 129 bus every Sunday from Liscard to Frankby Cemetery.

It operates one round trip per week with 35 minutes to ‘visit the cemetery’

I remember when I worked for Merseytravel in the 1980s we surveyed usage of the route and on the survey date in question, five people travelled on the outward journey but only 4 came back! Scary stuff!

I can’t believe that 30+ years on rate payers money is still being spent subsidising such a route!

 

[matt_world2004]

969 bus route. Runs only six times a week which is very unusual for a TfL route.

 

[Statto]

Merseytravel subsidise the 129 bus every Sunday from Liscard to Frankby Cemetery.

It operates one round trip per week with 35 minutes to ‘visit the cemetery’

I remember when I worked for Merseytravel in the 1980s we surveyed usage of the route and on the survey date in question, five people travelled on the outward journey but only 4 came back! Scary stuff!

I can’t believe that 30+ years on rate payers money is still being spent subsidising such a route!

Opps i forgot about that route & it passes my home too I'm not sure how much it costs Merseytravel to put the route on but it's a waste of money, i don't think i've seen anyone on it

 

[ValleyLines142]

I would argue the X26 isn't strange as there are other express routes in London[607 & X68], however i would say the 607 is strange that's the only 6xx in London with a regular frequency, the other 6xx in London are school routes

Don't forget the X140 too.

The heritage 15 is also worth a mention as well, despite being cut back to weekends/bank holidays only.

 

[Andyh82]

Merseytravel subsidise the 129 bus every Sunday from Liscard to Frankby Cemetery.

It operates one round trip per week with 35 minutes to ‘visit the cemetery’

I remember when I worked for Merseytravel in the 1980s we surveyed usage of the route and on the survey date in question, five people travelled on the outward journey but only 4 came back! Scary stuff!

I can’t believe that 30+ years on rate payers money is still being spent subsidising such a route!

There used to be a cemetery bus in Blackburn as well, service 39 that ran once a day run by Lancashire United and latterly Rigbys Coaches. I think it disappeared with the council budget cuts about 5 years ago.

 

[Geordie driver]

I forget the number, but we had a subsided route between 2 hospitals in Newcastle, the RVI and the general. IIRC it operated for about a year, and as far as I am aware it never carried a single passenger.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I forget the number, but we had a subsided route between 2 hospitals in Newcastle, the RVI and the general. IIRC it operated for about a year, and as far as I am aware it never carried a single passenger.

That really isn't that far as the crow flies. Granted, if you have impaired mobility, it's a long way but otherwise, it isn't a great distance

 

[Geordie driver]

That really isn't that far as the crow flies. Granted, if you have impaired mobility, it's a long way but otherwise, it isn't a great distance

I think the main idea was staff travelling between the two hospitals, as you say you could walk it in a short time. Wonder how much money they wasted on that.

Another one, pre dereg, we had a once a week service to a Psychiatric hospital in Northumberland on a Saturday afternoon, Newcastle to St Mary's at stannington. It was quite busy and you had to stay on the bus at the hospital as it would fill up with residents trying to escape.

 

[Pat1105]

The 637 (Walsall Bus Station - Manor Hospital) is a rather strange one. It’s only 0.7 of a mile between the two, but the service goes ‘round the houses’ via Pleck to get there. It takes 52 minutes to do a round trip and operates an hourly frequency. It is subsidised, but why it goes to Manor Hospital (which is served by the more direct 36 & 39) rather than just terminating in Pleck puzzles me.

 

[Dorsetbus]

32 Poole to Bournemouth. Goes everywhere and picks up no one.

 

[Kuyoyo]

I forget the number, but we had a subsided route between 2 hospitals in Newcastle, the RVI and the general. IIRC it operated for about a year, and as far as I am aware it never carried a single passenger.

That really isn't that far as the crow flies. Granted, if you have impaired mobility, it's a long way but otherwise, it isn't a great distance

Since somewhat returned
Until July 2014, the 3 Newcastle Hospitals (General, RVI and Freeman) were linked by a shuttle bus operated by Classic of Annfield Plain (then part of the TGM Group). In early 2014, Classic was wound down and a small amount of the operation moved to the main Arriva fleet. On the 20th July 2014, the shuttle service was replaced - between RVI and General Hospital by an extension of the 46 (Featherstone Grove to Newcastle Haymarket) every 30 minutes, with a connection at Regent Centre onto a new service 553 to Freeman Hospital. Since Summer 2019, the contract within the NHS was revised - the RVI to General Hospital link is now operated separately from the 46 as a 47 (using a full size VDL Pulsar branded up) and Go North East provide a closed-door service H between RVI and Freeman Hospital every 20 minutes on weekdays only normally using 2 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters with EVM bodywork (presently it's using 2 Streetlites to help with social distancing). The 553 also still operates but since 2016 has merged with a Nexus contract route from Freeman Hospital to Battle Hill - with the Freeman-Regent Centre section running weekdays only.

 

[bussnapperwm]

The former 999 service in Walsall - usually 9xx routes were limited stop, but the 999 ran Walsall to Manor Hospital all stops. The Thandi 335 service near enough follows the same route

 

[175mph]

Fridays only Scunthorpe to Dragonby 327 service, especially when Dragonby is only a short walk from a bus stop on the road to Roxby and Winterton served by the half-hourly 350 service from Scunthorpe to Hull and back.

 

[riceuten]

There is (or was until very recently) a bus in Manchester that operated from Flixton (a suburb on the edge of the city) to Piccadilly Bus Station - bus 255. Twice a day in the morning, in one direction only, the bus takes a parallel road to its normal line of route and operates via Church Road and bypasses Urmston Station (numbered bus 253). The oddity is that there is no reverse working at all and people who live on Church Road coming back in the evening then need to walk the 10-15 minute walk from the 255's normal line of route heading out towards Flixton. Stagecoach have their reasoning, I suppose, but I imagine passenger convenience isn't one of them

 

[Statto]

The former 999 service in Walsall - usually 9xx routes were limited stop, but the 999 ran Walsall to Manor Hospital all stops. The Thandi 335 service near enough follows the same route

I wonder if that was numbered 999, serving the hospital & subtle reference to the emergency services phone number?

 

[BradK2017]

There is (or was until very recently) a bus in Manchester that operated from Flixton (a suburb on the edge of the city) to Piccadilly Bus Station - bus 255. Twice a day in the morning, in one direction only, the bus takes a parallel road to its normal line of route and operates via Church Road and bypasses Urmston Station (numbered bus 253). The oddity is that there is no reverse working at all and people who live on Church Road coming back in the evening then need to walk the 10-15 minute walk from the 255's normal line of route heading out towards Flixton. Stagecoach have their reasoning, I suppose, but I imagine passenger convenience isn't one of them

I Always assumed the point of the 253 was to allow students a quicker journey to Uni/Colleges around Oxford Road area on a morning.

Another one in Manchester is the once a day (M-Fri) in one direction service 108,running from Timperley near Wythenshawe into Manchester - Odd that it does not have a return journey meaning anyone from Timperley or the Wythenshawe Park area can get a direct bus on a morning into the city,but on a evening have to either get a bus into Wythenshawe bus stn & change or use the tram & walk.

 

[Tetchytyke]

RVI to General Hospital link is now operated separately from the 46 as a 47 (using a full size VDL Pulsar branded up)

They're using a Pulsar now? Unless it's for social distancing...why? The Solo usually carried fresh air whenever I caught it (Haymarket to the Dental Hospital when it was raining, mostly!)

If you want weird bus routes, some of the stuff Bus Vannin run here is just bizarre.

 

[Kuyoyo]

They're using a Pulsar now? Unless it's for social distancing...why? The Solo usually carried fresh air whenever I caught it (Haymarket to the Dental Hospital when it was raining, mostly!)

Nope, been allocated a Pulsar since they split that end from the 46 - as requested by Newcastle NHS Trust. The morning peak extra turns are on the front of a 43 board (both at present with the Sunday style timetables and normally) so can throw up anything. As for social distancing, they're using deckers on there at present - Sapphire E400 working it today according to Bus Times.

 

[riceuten]

I Always assumed the point of the 253 was to allow students a quicker journey to Uni/Colleges around Oxford Road area on a morning.

Another one in Manchester is the once a day (M-Fri) in one direction service 108,running from Timperley near Wythenshawe into Manchester - Odd that it does not have a return journey meaning anyone from Timperley or the Wythenshawe Park area can get a direct bus on a morning into the city,but on a evening have to either get a bus into Wythenshawe bus stn & change or use the tram & walk.

Any student going to any of the educational establishments from Urmston or Flixton (or indeed Chassen Road) to Oxford Road onwards is indubitably going to take the train (10-12 minutes) rather than the bus (somewhat longer than that). And there will be few, if any of them, living on Church Road, even if they did.

I remember the 108 being a regular service is the 1970s and 1980s, and travelling to see Altrincham FC on it.

 

[James101]

Tavistock Country Bus 112 is scheduled to operate only every fifth Saturday from April to September only. Of course so few months actually have a fifth Saturday it would have only ran two journeys in 2020.

 

[Enthusiast]

My favourite is the route 50 "Breezer" from Swanage to Bournemouth. It's open top in the summer and the bus crosses the mouth of Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks chain ferry.

Favourite "quirky" route in London from my earlier "Red Rover" days was the route 235 from Richmond Station to the top of Richmond Hill (Friars Stile Road). The journey of about half a mile took six minutes and the route required 1 RT from Twickenham Garage. I believe the usual duty for the driver and conductor involved 18 round trips. Sounds like an interesting day!

 

[_toommm_]

Tavistock Country Bus 112 is scheduled to operate only every fifth Saturday from April to September only. Of course so few months actually have a fifth Saturday it would have only ran two journeys in 2020.

Are you sure it's not just 1 in every 5 Saturdays as opposed to the literal 5th Saturday in any month? Otherwise that's pretty weird...

EDIT: Ignore me, I've just looked out of the timetable. Very weird indeed!

 

[martinsh]

Favourite "quirky" route in London from my earlier "Red Rover" days was the route 235 from Richmond Station to the top of Richmond Hill (Friars Stile Road). The journey of about half a mile took six minutes and the route required 1 RT from Twickenham Garage. I believe the usual duty for the driver and conductor involved 18 round trips. Sounds like an interesting day!

This route passed to Contintal Pioneer (sometimes in the 1970s I think) who used an RF painted blue (amongst other vehicles)

 

[RHolmes]

A historical route that was rather bizarre was the Merseytravel funded 203 service (Halebank to Broadgreen/Alder Hey Hospitals) operated by Halton Transport. It ran 364 days a year with 2 return journeys around 1pm and 6pm and 3pm and 8pm on the return.

The earlier service ran to Alder Hey Children’s hospital whereas the later only ran as far as Broadgreen Hospital. I believe the service had a layover of just over an hour at each hospital for visiting times and had its own 28 seater Marshall capital Dennis dart unique to the fleet from new.

It was withdrawn due to low usage in the mid to late 2000’s

 

[Statto]

A historical route that was rather bizarre was the Merseytravel funded 203 service (Halebank to Broadgreen/Alder Hey Hospitals) operated by Halton Transport. It ran 364 days a year with 2 return journeys around 1pm and 6pm and 3pm and 8pm on the return.

The earlier service ran to Alder Hey Children’s hospital whereas the later only ran as far as Broadgreen Hospital. I believe the service had a layover of just over an hour at each hospital for visiting times and had its own 28 seater Marshall capital Dennis dart unique to the fleet from new.

It was withdrawn due to low usage in the mid to late 2000’s

There's a Merseytravel tendered 201 Speke-Royal Liverpool Hospital think this operates everyday of the year including Christmas Day, but only 3 journeys in each direction, was operated by Halton Transport but now Arriva since Halton went under

Merseytravel withdrew the tendered evening & Sunday 118/119 New Brighton-Mill Park via Arrowe Park without any replacement a couple of years ago in the big Wirral network changes, but tendered a Christmas Day version last Christmas think numbred H3.

 

[Statto]

Speaking of strange routes, before the network changes a couple of years ago, Dunriding Lane in St Helens had an earlier first service on Sundays than the first service the rest of the week, Sunday service being 122 first service before 9am, rest of the week, think 70 then 139 first service was after 09.30.