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Trivia: Restricted Area Bus Routes

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Slower Travel

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I've just discovered that the #14 bus from Southend goes to the mysterious Foulness Island. The island is owned by the MOD, and visitors need special permission to go there.

Needless to say, it's now on my list :lol:

Are there - or have there been - any other services in peacetime which passengers need the right paperwork to go the full route? If you've been on the 14, what was it like?
 
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ANDREW_D_WEBB

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Not sure if it a ‘service’ in the true sense of the word, but there are buses which link the different Heathrow terminals ‘airside’, only open to passengers making connections between flights.

The annual Imberbus route 23a also goes onto MOD property, although passengers require no special paperwork beyond a valid ticket.
 

Ianno87

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Not sure if it a ‘service’ in the true sense of the word, but there are buses which link the different Heathrow terminals ‘airside’, only open to passengers making connections between flights.

The annual Imberbus route 23a also goes onto MOD property, although passengers require no special paperwork beyond a valid ticket.

In years gone by (well pre-9/11 etc), TfL bus routes used to use the 'Airside' tunnel between the Central Terminal Area and Terminal 4.
 

ANDREW_D_WEBB

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The National Express operated British Airways staff shuttle services which link the Waterside HQ with various sites around the airport are available to non BA employees on production of a permission letter from BA
 

aliceh

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The Unilink U1 and U6 go to the Oceanography Centre inside Southampton docks, and always used to have a note in the timetable to say there was no public access. I'm not sure if this still applies.
 

CD

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Wilts & Dorset 183 Blandford to Salisbury used to do a full circuit inside Blandford Army camp. A member of the armed forces would board the bus at the camp entrance, then check the lower and upper decks for dodgy characters, and stay on the vehicle until it returned to the exit. Obviously only military and their families were allowed to board or alight inside the camp.
 

flymo

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Drove a service bus inside a Chinese PLA camp in Hong Kong, the route 6A used to terminate inside the Stanley Fort camp (British Army before 1997) until they moved the terminus to outside the main gate some time later. The young guys on the gate I think took a photo with me, such a long time ago now...
 

darloscott

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Again not a service as such but when my company helped out at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Hull we operated a Park & Ride route to DST (former RAF) Leconfield and the buses had a separate entrance that took us across the site complete with army allowing us through the gates.
 

M60lad

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I'm pretty sure Prestonbus 75 service from Preston-Fleetwood still goes round Weeton Camp and a member of the camp gets on and rides round the cirucit of the camp then gets off back at the entrance again.
 

Merle Haggard

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One of the variations of the Birch Bros later UC London-Rushden services called in at Chicksands USAF base.
Once inside the base it really did seem like you had suddenly been transported to the USA; from what I remember, open plan front gardens with mail-boxes by the road, fire-hydrants and almost all the cars were US models; the dress of those in civilian clothes was also in the US style. I think that the coach still kept left, though.
Don't ever remember anyone getting on or off, but there was a security check by an archetypal slouching G.I. with gun on entry.
 

M28361M

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Not in the same league as an army camp, but many years ago I remember going on holiday with my parents to Morecambe and staying at the Pontin's at Middleton Towers (which was in a fairly abject state, in its final year before closure).

Heysham Travel and Stagecoach Ribble both ran buses from Morecambe town centre which ran into the camp and terminated there, with a bus turning circle located just inside the camp gates. On at least one occasion the camp's security guard climbed on board and insisted on seeing everyone's chalet keys to confirm they were actually staying there before letting the bus through the gate.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Wilts & Dorset 183 Blandford to Salisbury used to do a full circuit inside Blandford Army camp. A member of the armed forces would board the bus at the camp entrance, then check the lower and upper decks for dodgy characters, and stay on the vehicle until it returned to the exit. Obviously only military and their families were allowed to board or alight inside the camp.

Experienced that one (though think it was the 184 - was the 183 part of Shaftesbury to Blandford?) and yes, that was the drill.

Mentioned before but another example were services to RAF Leeming in my youth, that arrived at the main gate and had to go inside the base to turn round. Passengers getting off would have their credentials checked.
 
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Experienced that one (though think it was the 184 - was the 183 part of Shaftesbury to Blandford?) and yes, that was the drill.

From here: https://uktransport.fandom.com/wiki/Services_of_Wilts_&_Dorset
  • 184: Blandford Forum - Blandford Camp - Sixpenny Handley - Salisbury
Route 184 originally operated between Weymouth and Salisbury via Blandford, but was split in two due to the length with the 184 operating between Blandford and Salisbury and a new route formed with the remainder of the route, the 183, between Weymouth and Blandford.
  • 185: Blandford Forum - Pimperne - Blandford Camp - Blandford Forum
Also from here: https://assets.publishing.service.g...ent_data/file/224840/np-2482-23-july-2013.pdf

PH0006209/130 Operating between Salisbury and Blandford given service number 184 effective from 28-Aug-2013. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PH0006209/131 HANTS & DORSET MOTOR SERVICES LTD T/A DAMORY COACHES, 2-8 PARKSTONE ROAD POOLE BH15 2PR Operating between Blandford and Weymouth given service number 183 effective from 28-Aug-2013. To amend Timetable.
 
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Stagecoach Devon 95 enters and terminates within Devon Cliffs holiday park at Sandy Bay Exmouth.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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From here: https://uktransport.fandom.com/wiki/Services_of_Wilts_&_Dorset
  • 184: Blandford Forum - Blandford Camp - Sixpenny Handley - Salisbury
Route 184 originally operated between Weymouth and Salisbury via Blandford, but was split in two due to the length with the 184 operating between Blandford and Salisbury and a new route formed with the remainder of the route, the 183, between Weymouth and Blandford.
  • 185: Blandford Forum - Pimperne - Blandford Camp - Blandford Forum
Also from here: https://assets.publishing.service.g...ent_data/file/224840/np-2482-23-july-2013.pdf

PH0006209/130 Operating between Salisbury and Blandford given service number 184 effective from 28-Aug-2013. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PH0006209/131 HANTS & DORSET MOTOR SERVICES LTD T/A DAMORY COACHES, 2-8 PARKSTONE ROAD POOLE BH15 2PR Operating between Blandford and Weymouth given service number 183 effective from 28-Aug-2013. To amend Timetable.

Thanks for that. I knew the 184 went around the camp but confess I couldn't remember that the EU 50km split meant the southern half became the 183. When I first travelled on the 184, there were 185/186 as well but I can't recall the differences - it was 30 years ago,

However, thanks for saving my sanity in that I recalled that the 183 had been used before as one of the Shaftesbury to Bournemouth routes (that was renumbered from the X13). Think the 182 was previously the 139.
 
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henairs

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Thanks for that. I knew the 184 went around the camp but confess I couldn't remember that the EU 50km split meant the southern half became the 183. When I first travelled on the 184, there were 185/186 as well but I can't recall the differences - it was 30 years ago,

However, thanks for saving my sanity in that I recalled that the 183 had been used before as one of the Shaftesbury to Bournemouth routes (that was renumbered from the X13). Think the 182 was previously the 139.
Hi Wazoo,
That brings back memories. Many years ago when the scratch card Explorer tickets were still in use (NBC days) we often used to do the 59 Yeovil to Shaftsbury service service with a Leyland National to catch the X13 from Shaftsbury through to Poole for a day on Wilts and Dorset. A nice WD VR would take us to Poole which was a Blandford based vehicle when a depot was located there.
Way back then there was a Blandford camp/Blandford service.
Only done the ride through the camp once with a Cadet 34xx class a good few years after the Shaftsbury runs had passed to Damory using a Solo.
Cheers, Mike
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Hi Wazoo,
That brings back memories. Many years ago when the scratch card Explorer tickets were still in use (NBC days) we often used to do the 59 Yeovil to Shaftsbury service service with a Leyland National to catch the X13 from Shaftsbury through to Poole for a day on Wilts and Dorset. A nice WD VR would take us to Poole which was a Blandford based vehicle when a depot was located there.
Way back then there was a Blandford camp/Blandford service.
Only done the ride through the camp once with a Cadet 34xx class a good few years after the Shaftsbury runs had passed to Damory using a Solo.
Cheers, Mike

You lucky soul. It meant to do the X13 in those days but never did. It was >30 years later when I finally did Blandford to Shaftesbury in the last days of Damory's big Dorset network with the X9 to Gillingham.

My first visit to Blandford (and Dorset actually) involved a loop round on the 184 and yes, it was a fine W&D VR on the full 184 from Salisbury to Weymouth on a lovely Saturday afternoon.
 

Flange Squeal

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The hourly Woking to Farnborough route used to run through two army camps, over restricted roads between them.

Buses heading west (from Woking towards Farnborough) would enter Pirbright Camp and get searched by soldiers inside, outside and underneath with a mirror on a stick. Buses would then continue through the camp and along the internal MOD roads over the shooting ranges to Deepcut Barracks. There, they'd get a second (sometimes slightly less in-depth because they knew you'd have been checked at Pirbright) checking over. The reverse would happen in the opposite direction - full check as you enter Deepcut Barracks, and your second check as you passed through Pirbright Camp. This arrangement lasted through the Alder Valley days into the Guildford & West Surrey (London & Country) era of the 1990s. It changed during that latter period though, to be diverted via publicly accessible roads which increased the journey somewhat. I'm not sure if there was a particular event that caused it, or just toughening up of security measures.

One incident did occur shortly before the change in the 1990s though. Upon arrival at Farnborough, drivers were supposed to double check their buses for any left items before heading back towards Woking. The length of time the two searches took varied depending on how keen the soldiers on duty were that day, plus also the hourly service made them a handy tool for training purposes which obviously made the process even slower. This often meant you arrived into Farnborough late and sometimes had virtually no layover anyway, particularly if you needed to nip into the shopping centre to use the loo! On this particular day, the driver didn't check the bus on their layover in Farnborough town centre and set off back towards Woking. Upon arrival at Deepcut they were searched, and let through. At the second checkpoint though, an unattended bag was found on the back seat. Because the driver hadn't checked the bus, they couldn't be certain if it had been left by someone on the previous journey, or by someone getting off earlier on during the current journey. As a result the army took no chances. Whether it was really necessary or just wanting to prove a point, the army decided to get their robot out. They blew out the rear window so the robotic's arm could reach in an retieve the bag, and the bus driver taken into the camp to be interviewed. As it turned out it was just innocent lost property though - a squaddie's belongings, including a reasonably-sized stash of naughty magazines!

I've knocked up a quick map attached. Blue hash markings show army land - the top is the restricted access land mentioned above.

- Red line (7.5 miles) is the old route through both camps and along the restricted roads.

- Yellow line (9.3 miles) is the revised route, showing that Pirbright Camp became a 'double run', with buses doing a three-point turn (or just about in one go in a Mini Pointer Dart!) at Slade Road.

- Green line (10.8 miles) is a later routing after a bridge over the railway near Deepcut used on the original yellow diversionary route had a weight restriction put on it. This increased time even more as it meant an even longer double run via Frimley Green was required to serve Deepcut.

Today, the route is White Bus' 48, with just one return trip per day running west of Pirbright Camp (as per green route to the main road past Deepcut, but then staying on that and running northwards off the map to Frimley Park Hospital, instead of retracing its steps back to Frimley Green and then Farnborough).

brookwoodtomytchett.jpg
 

RT4038

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One of the variations of the Birch Bros later UC London-Rushden services called in at Chicksands USAF base.
Once inside the base it really did seem like you had suddenly been transported to the USA; from what I remember, open plan front gardens with mail-boxes by the road, fire-hydrants and almost all the cars were US models; the dress of those in civilian clothes was also in the US style. I think that the coach still kept left, though.
Don't ever remember anyone getting on or off, but there was a security check by an archetypal slouching G.I. with gun on entry.

As I recall, passengers could only board and alight at the gatehouses at each end of the camp.
 

cambran

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Another route that had an armed guard was Richards Brothers Haverfordwest -St Davids Route which entered Brawdy RAF base. I don't know when this started but I remember the guard boarding at the gatehouse and riding on the bus round the base. Later the bus turned at the gates without entering the camp.
 

M-Train

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Non-UK again...in Hong Kong, the border village of Sha Tau Kok is served by the 78K, and in this case only the terminus is in the restricted area. Only residents are allowed that far (but there is a border checkpoint there, accessible to all by coach/lorry!)
 
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Redmike

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Wilts & Dorset 183 Blandford to Salisbury used to do a full circuit inside Blandford Army camp. A member of the armed forces would board the bus at the camp entrance, then check the lower and upper decks for dodgy characters, and stay on the vehicle until it returned to the exit. Obviously only military and their families were allowed to board or alight inside the camp.
Badgerline's 126 used to do the same at RAF Locking just outside Weston.
 

bussikuski179

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Again non-UK, but Helsinki bus line 86 goes quite a long way into the Santahamina military zone. At the gates a military police officer boards to check everyone is OK to go in, kicks people with inappropriate paperwork off and the bus goes in to terminate there.
 

telstarbox

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I've just discovered that the #14 bus from Southend goes to the mysterious Foulness Island. The island is owned by the MOD, and visitors need special permission to go there.

Needless to say, it's now on my list :lol:

Are there - or have there been - any other services in peacetime which passengers need the right paperwork to go the full route? If you've been on the 14, what was it like?
In previous years "outsiders" can visit the Foulness Heritage Centre on summer Sundays, not sure about this year with coronavirus though.
 

Lukeo2311

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None UK route, the bus I use to get to work everyday goes through the Canberra Jail before It goes to the area I work in. There is a sign stating you must be on offical jail business and a list of banned items you are not to bring etc, I've only ever seen a couple of people getting on/off there (a few none desirable people who looked like they just visted someone etc and the rare staff of the facility getting the bus). All bus stops in Canberra have a number and the one at the jail is numbered 6666 (makes me wonder who chose it! at the Transport Canberra office)
 

neilmc

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I recall getting the bus from Scunthorpe to Lincoln and venturing inside RAF Scampton, but this was around thirty years ago.
 

DorkingMain

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London's 175 to the Dagenham Ford Works. Security would sometimes check the bus at the entrance and kick off anyone who wasn't a Ford employee or visitor.
 

Statto

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Been reading on the 14, & to get to Foulness it seems you need to be an M.O.D Permit holder to go from Landwick Police Lodge to Foulness
.
 

175mph

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I recall getting the bus from Scunthorpe to Lincoln and venturing inside RAF Scampton, but this was around thirty years ago.
Was the route via Kirton In Lindsey? The 103 from Scunthorpe to Lincoln via Kirton On Lindsey calls at RAF Scampton according to the attached timetable.

There's no street view imagery available of the actual road for obvious reasons, nearest I could get of it was the A15 going past, but the route goes down Scampton Way, as seen here and it looks like an ordinary housing estate, then it turns around in a car park, (which is the makeshift bus stop for RAF Scampton) then goes the other way back out onto the A15 again.
 

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