Trivia: Narrowest Roads Served By Buses

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi people.

Last week, I embarked on a somewhat lengthy trip down to Midhurst in the heart of the lovely South Downs National Park. Whilst I was there, I took a trip along the 92 bus route which runs from Midhurst to Petersfield. Shortly after leaving Midhurst, the bus entered a small village called Stedham, and I was quite surprised at how narrow the roads were.

I didn't get a photo myself, as of course I was on the bus, however this photo from Google Street View demonstrates how narrow these roads actually were:



So, this got me thinking: which are the narrowest roads, in the United Kingdom, regularly served by buses? By that, I mean on normal, timetabled bus routes, and not by tourist coaches, etc.

I'd be interested to hear some ideas!

 

[40145 Panther]

Lodge Lane, Delph, on the First Greater Manchester 350 route. Most of the road is a single track one-way street in a cutting that leads to Friarmere Road. Its pavement is a good ten feet above the road. I have had the joy of being on this route several times, under the present 350 route and its predecessor, the 355 (the July 1986 - October 2004 incarnation of that route rather than MCT Travel's Sunday and Bank Holiday version).

 

[vlad]

The Arriva Midlands 825 manages to squeeze itself through this railway bridge in Little Haywood carrying the Colwich to Stone line. The interesting thing is that the buses used on that route are technically higher than the 10' low bridge.

 

[Alexbus12]

Rossos 480 might come into this, not often, but when 2 buses end up meeting at the same point, one has to reverse all the way back...

 

[Busaholic]

First Cornwall, route 16, hourly in the most part, the section between Gulval and Ludgvan: mostly single track, so two cars can't pass each other. When the A30 nearby is blocked and it's used as a rat run it can be fun e.g. car transporter meets bus, as occurred a week or two ago. Backing up when there are so many behind you, particularly if they are unconversant with Cornish lanes, can be even more fun!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Lodge Lane, Delph, on the First Greater Manchester 350 route. Most of the road is a single track one-way street in a cutting that leads to Friarmere Road. Its pavement is a good ten feet above the road. I have had the joy of being on this route several times, under the present 350 route and its predecessor, the 355 (the July 1986 - October 2004 incarnation of that route rather than MCT Travel's Sunday and Bank Holiday version).

The Arriva Midlands 825 manages to squeeze itself through this railway bridge in Little Haywood carrying the Colwich to Stone line. The interesting thing is that the buses used on that route are technically higher than the 10' low bridge.

Wow! Both quite impressive! After seeing Lodge Lane on Street View, I'd love to one day take a ride on the route 350 up through Delph, looks like great fun.

But the Google search "Oldham bus 350" brings up pictures of some double deckers! Must be super thrilling to be on one of those going up Lodge Lane, haha. I'd expect something along the lines of an Optare Solo to navigate roads of that size.

Rossos 480 might come into this, not often, but when 2 buses end up meeting at the same point, one has to reverse all the way back...

First Cornwall, route 16, hourly in the most part, the section between Gulval and Ludgvan: mostly single track, so two cars can't pass each other. When the A30 nearby is blocked and it's used as a rat run it can be fun e.g. car transporter meets bus, as occurred a week or two ago. Backing up when there are so many behind you, particularly if they are unconversant with Cornish lanes, can be even more fun!

Haha, both of these certainly sound like an interesting experience to have! They also remind me of this video I once saw on YouTube:

Which also just so happens to be in Cornwall!

 

[WHL Spotter]

The 302 route operated by Garelochhead Coaches the section between Lochgoilhead and Carrick is very narrow. During the school holidays the Dunoon bus meets it on this section.

 

[dgl]

The road through Lyme Regis is pretty narrow in places and so is the route to Broadwindsor taken by the Yeovil to Bridport bus.

 

[jammy36]

Stagecoach's 217 service to the Morwenstow villages passes along some very tight lanes, plus plenty of in service reverses. The run in to Gooseham from Shop being a good example of the type of lane served. Okay in a slimline Solo, but tricky in anything bigger.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

The 302 route operated by Garelochhead Coaches the section between Lochgoilhead and Carrick is very narrow. During the school holidays the Dunoon bus meets it on this section.

That section of the route looks lovely! Bonus points for it being scenic journey, ahahah.

The road through Lyme Regis is pretty narrow in places and so is the route to Broadwindsor taken by the Yeovil to Bridport bus.

Speaking of narrow roads in Lyme Regis, that reminds me, doesn't Mousehole also have some really narrow roads for buses?

Stagecoach's 217 service to the Morwenstow villages passes along some very tight lanes, plus plenty of in service reverses. The run in to Gooseham from Shop being a good example of the type of lane served. Okay in a slimline Solo, but tricky in anything bigger.

View attachment 66360

Wow, that route definitely does run down lots of narrow roads!

And funnily enough, most of these narrow roads happen to be in Cornwall!

 

[nr758123]

404 Fishguard-St Davids, which detours down an impossibly narrow road to Strumble Head

 

[fgwrich]

Surely one of the winners of this has to be First Kernow's M6 which, with the right (specific) solos for the route can make it around the very narrow streets and corners of Mousehole. When they aren't available, they turn back on the main road outside of the village.

You've also got the 24 & 25 passing through some pretty narrow streets in the Fowey area.

 

[carlberry]

The Arriva Midlands 825 manages to squeeze itself through this railway bridge in Little Haywood carrying the Colwich to Stone line. The interesting thing is that the buses used on that route are technically higher than the 10' low bridge.

As it's a triangle that's OK. If it had been a circle then there's a legal problem even if there isn't a physical issue!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

404 Fishguard-St Davids, which detours down an impossibly narrow road to Strumble Head

That route also looks pretty steep with some very sharp corners! I imagine it must be quite a challenge for the drivers.

Surely one of the winners of this has to be First Kernow's M6 which, with the right (specific) solos for the route can make it around the very narrow streets and corners of Mousehole. When they aren't available, they turn back on the main road outside of the village.

You've also got the 24 & 25 passing through some pretty narrow streets in the Fowey area.

I agree, I definitely think this has to be one of the winners, because as a result of the Google search "Mousehole bus M6", I found this astonishing photo of the 6 bus route (which I don't expect differs too much from the M6?) navigating this outrageously tight corner on a very narrow road in Mousehole!

 

[Andyh82]

This is a good pic of First Kernow’s M6 as well

https://www.flickr.com/photos/148271010@N03/47635057132/

 

[Busaholic]

That route also looks pretty steep with some very sharp corners! I imagine it must be quite a challenge for the drivers.

I agree, I definitely think this has to be one of the winners, because as a result of the Google search "Mousehole bus M6", I found this astonishing photo of the 6 bus route (which I don't expect differs too much from the M6?) navigating this outrageously tight corner on a very narrow road in Mousehole!

View attachment 66366

It was on the M6 - there isn't a 6 as such. Mind you, the route gets allocated double deckers on occasion which, to add to the joy, as they can't get into the village proper terminate on the outskirts and do a full reversing manoeuvre instead! The buses on the M6 get used on the 16 too (see my post above.)

 

[Busaholic]

Wow! Both quite impressive! After seeing Lodge Lane on Street View, I'd love to one day take a ride on the route 350 up through Delph, looks like great fun.

But the Google search "Oldham bus 350" brings up pictures of some double deckers! Must be super thrilling to be on one of those going up Lodge Lane, haha. I'd expect something along the lines of an Optare Solo to navigate roads of that size.


Haha, both of these certainly sound like an interesting experience to have! They also remind me of this video I once saw on YouTube:

Which also just so happens to be in Cornwall!

And with a nice 'Cornish hedge' to the left of the car - you'd be left with more than a bit of topiary if you went into that!

 

[fgwrich]

Sticking with Cornwall, Kernow’s 87 between Truro and Newquay also sees some pretty tight areas, particularly this lane in St Agnes. And yes, this route is served by full hight, full fat Enviro 400 MMCs. I take my hat off to the drivers who manage that route on a daily basis!

 

[Flange Squeal]

Not sure if this strictly counts, but Southern Vectis route 1 has a tight turn into the Red Jet pontoon in Cowes.

VIDEO: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobsmithgl100/7810385608/

PHOTO: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/35529764363/

PHOTO (note the position of front nearside corner against wall and rear nearside corner against bollard): https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/36338343595/

 

[Caleb2010]

The old Southern National 210 from Bridport to Weymouth used to go down some lovely farm tracks - I mean narrow roads between Litton Cheyney and Abbotsbury & around Rodden. Used to be tight in a yellow Ford transit, it was hell if it was replaced with an LH or Dart.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Sticking with Cornwall, Kernow’s 87 between Truro and Newquay also sees some pretty tight areas, particularly this lane in St Agnes. And yes, this route is served by full hight, full fat Enviro 400 MMCs. I take my hat off to the drivers who manage that route on a daily basis!

This seems to be a good shout. I've just searched up and watched a video of a bus journey on the route 87 through St Agnes, and some of those roads are indeed very narrow!

I swear Cornwall's roads have something against buses!

Not sure if this strictly counts, but Southern Vectis route 1 has a tight turn into the Red Jet pontoon in Cowes.

VIDEO: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobsmithgl100/7810385608/

PHOTO: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/35529764363/

PHOTO (note the position of front nearside corner against wall and rear nearside corner against bollard): https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/36338343595/

I'd say this counts. That is certainly very impressive, and I imagine it must take great skill to manoeuvre a full-sized bus around such a tight corner!

The old Southern National 210 from Bridport to Weymouth used to go down some lovely farm tracks - I mean narrow roads between Litton Cheyney and Abbotsbury & around Rodden. Used to be tight in a yellow Ford transit, it was hell if it was replaced with an LH or Dart.

Another good shout. After seeing some images on Google Street View, the roads around that area do seem very narrow, with some spectacular scenery too!

 

[PaulMc7]

The main one First Glasgow run that I think of is the 31 through Carmunnock Village and Waterside Road on the way out of Carmunnock towards East Kilbride is also very narrow. The route is mainly double decker buses too

 

[vlad]

Not sure if this strictly counts, but Southern Vectis route 1 has a tight turn into the Red Jet pontoon in Cowes.

Plenty of drivers round here have difficulty turning onto a side road without running over the pavement, making that even more impressive!

 

[richw]

Sticking with Cornwall, Kernow’s 87 between Truro and Newquay also sees some pretty tight areas, particularly this lane in St Agnes. And yes, this route is served by full hight, full fat Enviro 400 MMCs. I take my hat off to the drivers who manage that route on a daily basis!

That isn’t even the tightest part on the 87 in st Agnes. That bits fairly easy cos it’s on a straight. Outside the shop is tight being on a corner with a bollard. Also going through Goonown and Goonbell is tight due to the way cars park.

Staying in Kernow, several points on the A5, St Mawgan bridge, Porthcothan bridge and Harlyn bridge are all tight to swing on to due to being narrow and entering on a bend. Numerous other points on the A5 both sides of the bus brush the hedges

 

[causton]

Staying in Kernow, several points on the A5, St Mawgan bridge, Porthcothan bridge and Harlyn bridge are all tight to swing on to due to being narrow and entering on a bend. Numerous other points on the A5 both sides of the bus brush the hedges

When you said A5 I thought you meant the road and was very, very confused! So the A5 is also a bus route as well, that makes sense now

 

[philthetube]

The Arriva Midlands 825 manages to squeeze itself through this railway bridge in Little Haywood carrying the Colwich to Stone line. The interesting thing is that the buses used on that route are technically higher than the 10' low bridge.

As it's a triangle that's OK. If it had been a circle then there's a legal problem even if there isn't a physical issue!

You learn something every day. Thanks.

 

[oldman]

There is a narrow bridge at Pennyghael on Mull, which is not all that difficult, but for the size of the West Coast Motors service bus.