[Trivia] Lopsided Loops (Circles with different frequencies in each direction) - historic or current examples welcome

[tbtc]

What examples are there of loops/circles with different frequencies in each direction?

There are still some proper "circular" routes in the UK (although fewer than at deregulation, as operators focus on reliability and allocating resources to the busier sections), and many "linear" services that have a loop near the terminus.

Usually such loops either see all buses follow the same direction or have an equal frequency in each direction.

Most of the "loops" around Sheffield are either one direction only (e.g. the 120 around Fulwood, the 88 around Ecclesall) or are the same frequency both ways round (e.g. the 61/62 around the Loxley Valley, the 75/76 around Shiregreen)

But there are some places in the UK where the frequency differs between clockwise and anti-clockwise (although all journeys do do the full loop).

For example, in South Yorkshire the Supertram "Link" service used to loop round Stocksbridge every ten minutes in a clockwise direction - this was later changed to every twenty minutes in each direction - but when the *tram* frequency was reduced to every twelve minutes, Stagecoach amended the pre-Covid timetable so that it was three buses per hour clockwise and two buses per hour anticlockwise (so a 12-12-24 frequency one way and a 24-36 frequency the other).

Historic/current examples welcome - the "loop" section only needs to form a part of the overall service - the only criteria is that the buses need to do the full "loop" (e.g. there are other places where the western side might see a different frequency to the eastern side - e.g. some circulars that have an enhanced frequency over a certain section - but I am talking about places where all journeys do the full loop, it's just that the frequency in each direction differs)

 

[adrock1976]

The Abronhill area of Cumbernauld (famous for the Bill Forsyth 1981 film Gregory's Girl) in general has the Stagecoach X25 (every 20 minutes at present) running in a loop from Blackthorn Roundabout via Rowan Road, right turn Moss Road, left turn into Rowan Road, and back to the roundabout to head south. The stops on the opposite side of those roads do see other bus services but are every 60 minutes (such as the Dunns Coaches 49) or infrequent (such as the Canavan Travel 42).

The 343 runs in a clockwise loop only between Cumbernauld Town Centre and Seafar every 30 minutes, departing the TC South bus stop running via Central Way, Glasgow Road, Seafar Roundabout, Seafar Road, Braehead Roundabout, and Central Way to back where the bus started. Similar for the Stagecoach X28 too. The opposite side of Seafar Road does not see a circular service, but the SPT Stuarts Coaches 403A which runs late evenings and Sundays maintaining the link to the town centre every 60 minutes.

 

[GusB]

Stagecoach Bluebird 33a/c. I haven't used it recently, but when the service reaches Lossiemouth it can go clockwise past the High School and RAF base and then into town, or anti-clockwise.
When I last used it (approx 10 years ago) it was on a 20 minute frequency from Elgin, with two going clockwise and one going the other way around Lossie. It was handier for getting to work than getting home.

 

[neilmc]

The Stagecoach Cumbria 77/77a circulars from Keswick via Honister Pass run 7 per day clockwise (77a) and only 4 anti-clockwise.

 

[AB93]

Infrequent shoppers/school Metrobus service 318 is out and back between Epsom and Great Tattenhams, but then does a large loop around Burgh Heath, Banstead and Nork.

4 journeys run anti-clockwise, only 2 clockwise.

 

[edwin_m]

Nottingham City Transport 8 and 9 have a one way loop at the city end and a larger loop traversed in opposite directions at the West Bridgford end. The east side of the loop is busier so all the morning peak hour buses are 8s, with one exception to serve the local school, then they go to the same frequency during the day with some extra 9s in the afternoon peak and in the evening only the eastern half of the loop runs.

I believe the 13/14 Manchester-Oldham-Saddleworth had unequal frequencies in the pre-PTE days.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Stagecoach Bluebird 33a/c. I haven't used it recently, but when the service reaches Lossiemouth it can go clockwise past the High School and RAF base and then into town, or anti-clockwise.
When I last used it (approx 10 years ago) it was on a 20 minute frequency from Elgin, with two going clockwise and one going the other way around Lossie. It was handier for getting to work than getting home.

The routes are still the same albeit every 30 minutes now (hourly each).

 

[43055]

Morebus X8, X8A has a 60/30 frequency around Blandford. The X8 continues to Poole and runs every hour while the X8A just goes around the town every half hour.

 

[Deerfold]

In Keighley the K14, K15 and K16 are all large circulars that go in both directions.

The K14 is Sundays only route. 4 anti-clockwise, 2 clockwise.
The K15 runs 2 each way Mondays to Fridays, but an extra anti-clockwise on a Saturday.
The K16 runs 4 anti-clockwise Monday to Friday and 2 clockwise. One clockwise only runs part of the route on schooldays. On Saturdays there's 3 anti-clockwise and 2 clockwise.

 

[Westcountryman]

Morebus X8, X8A has a 60/30 frequency around Blandford. The X8 continues to Poole and runs every hour while the X8A just goes around the town every half hour.

This is currently true, but as the services are effectively separate, does it meet the original criteria. The X8 runs from Poole, round Blandford, then back to Poole, the X8A is a Blandford town service. The X8A was put on to serve the new Lidl store, and locals expected it to be free. I have never seen more than 2 people on it, and when any subsidy runs out, I expect it to end.