Trivia: Minimalist Bus Stations

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Do they now refer to it as a bus station, in timetables it was always just Bangor "Cloc" wasn't it?

I'm afraid I am unsure about how it was referred to in the timetables, but bustimes.org does refer to it as "Bangor Bus Station."

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm afraid I am unsure about how it was referred to in the timetables, but bustimes.org does refer to it as "Bangor Bus Station."

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It's an odd one. It was always Bangor Cloc and that persists in the county timetables but Arriva now call it the bus station despite the location not changing, just the shelters being improved.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

A cynic might suggest that with the PTE area projects being under political control there is an element of "build something nice for the poor people so they'll still vote for us". Which I suppose does have something in common with Communist states, if you replaced "so they'll still vote for us" with "so they won't revolt".

The town of Morley is another West Yorkshire town with no bus station, it instead has a bus hub which is a collection of four or five shelters but this isn't mentioned in timetables where the timing point "Morley Town Hall" is displayed instead. Elland is another one whose "bus station" is the two shelters on Southgate.

Something like Bath is a great example of what it should be like. As well as it being adjacent to the rail station, more importantly it's next to the main traffic objective of the Southgate development. The majority of local services don't call into the bus station (some do) but serve roadside stops immediately outside. Passengers for country services get the ability to wait for their half hourly (or worse) service in a modern, dry facility.

Should Keynsham have a bus station of similar ilk? Of course not, given the size of the town and the nature of the road network etc.

If Keynsham was in West Yorkshire it would have been isused with a monolith the size of Cleckheaton's six stand bus station or at least the outlandish shelter at Bradford, Hall Ings. If Trowbridge was, it'd have the Morley/Heckmondwike treatment of a bus hub outside of Castle Place. Technically the three stops outside could be called a bus station (and a minimallist one at that) as its in a prime location.

 

[Andyh82]

The town of Morley is another West Yorkshire town with no bus station, it instead has a bus hub which is a collection of four or five shelters but this isn't mentioned in timetables where the timing point "Morley Town Hall" is displayed instead. Elland is another one whose "bus station" is the two shelters on Southgate.



If Keynsham was in West Yorkshire it would have been isused with a monolith the size of Cleckheaton's six stand bus station or at least the outlandish shelter at Bradford, Hall Ings. If Trowbridge was, it'd have the Morley/Heckmondwike treatment of a bus hub outside of Castle Place. Technically the three stops outside could be called a bus station (and a minimallist one at that) as its in a prime location.

The ‘outlandish shelter’ wasn’t Metro’s doing so you can’t really group it in the same breath as other West Yorkshire bus stations. This was a Bradford City Council project built around the same time as City Park

 

[Deerfold]

The ‘outlandish shelter’ wasn’t Metro’s doing so you can’t really group it in the same breath as other West Yorkshire bus stations. This was a Bradford City Council project built around the same time as City Park

And it's one of those marvellous ones that looks fairly grand but is almost useless at providing shelter.

 

[gnolife]

Yeah i went there many moons back - it is similar to it's Nr Neighbour New Mills I (seem to recall)

You should probably get a better map, New Mills and Hatfield are nowhere near each other

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

You should probably get a better map, New Mills and Hatfield are nowhere near each other

Someone confusing Hatfield with Hadfield?

 

[S&CLER]

Someone confusing Hatfield with Hadfield?

More likely with Hayfield, which is near New Mills and has a small bus station on the old railway site; t and y are adjacent on a keyboard.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

More likely with Hayfield, which is near New Mills and has a small bus station on the old railway site; t and y are adjacent on a keyboard.

Ah, that sounds likely. Just wondered if we had a closet League of Gentleman fan.....

 

[Megafuss]

I'd love to know the history of Wellow Bus Station on the Isle of Wight

It's literally a shelter on a road. A rather pretty one though

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Pat1105]

Market Drayton bus station only has 3 DIRO stands and a shelter.

 

[LancasterRed]

Weymouth at least has the decency to not call itself a bus station.

Never knew Morecambe had a bus station which nominates itself as a candidate I suppose. Given this knowledge, I had to check Burton and Sutton Coldfield which from my experience have similar situations.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Weymouth at least has the decency to not call itself a bus station.

Never knew Morecambe had a bus station which nominates itself as a candidate I suppose. Given this knowledge, I had to check Burton and Sutton Coldfield which from my experience have similar situations.

Burton did have a bus station until about mid 80s at Wetmore Road near Burton Bridge.

Weymouth also had a bus station but it was really the yard outside the depot!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Middlesbrough was ahead of its time and even now, it's still very effective....which is why the council want to demolish it and move it across town.

It's a great bus station, and perfectly situated right next to the shops, so of course they want to move it.

That's what you get when your elected mayor (Ben Houchen, for it is he) has the IQ of a goldfish.

I have always thought it to be a missed opportunity though; the location is away from the main shopping centre and the design is poor.

The design is terrible, the wind cuts right through the place and it's just needlessly spread out. It's also a long old walk out to the stops for the Ryhope Road services, which bizarrely have their own mini bus station separated from the rest of it.

It's not that long a walk to the shops though, under 5 mins and you're in the new bit of The Bridges, the bit built on the old Central bus station.

Neither Go nor Stagecoach use it for their local cross-city services, but Stagecoach also don't use it for their longer-distance services, which seems silly. The "distance from the shops" doesn't wash with me, buses on the Economic routes layover up past the Winter Gardens (further away) and the X24 lays over on Holmeside, it's just typical Busways penny-pinching.

As for minimalist, I'll suggest Wooler. Its an example of being both minimalist and, at the same time, bigger than needed for a few buses a day:

https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/images-a.jpimedia.uk/imagefetch/http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/webimage/Prestige.Item.1.96660224!image/image.jpg?width=640

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The design is terrible, the wind cuts right through the place and it's just needlessly spread out. It's also a long old walk out to the stops for the Ryhope Road services, which bizarrely have their own mini bus station separated from the rest of it.

It's not that long a walk to the shops though, under 5 mins and you're in the new bit of The Bridges, the bit built on the old Central bus station.

Neither Go nor Stagecoach use it for their local cross-city services, but Stagecoach also don't use it for their longer-distance services, which seems silly. The "distance from the shops" doesn't wash with me, buses on the Economic routes layover up past the Winter Gardens (further away) and the X24 lays over on Holmeside, it's just typical Busways penny-pinching.

Sunderland is indeed a terrible bus station for all the reasons that you cite. Poor design with little cover over a massive site and whilst it's a 5 min walk to the main shopping areas, it really isn't centrally located, not when you consider the position with Eldon Square, as an example. Essentially, Stagecoach worked out that they were paying £30k a year to park their buses when they didn't need to. It's money they didn't need to spend.


There are some truly minimalist ones being highlighted on here with Hayfield and Market Drayton; I must have been to the latter but confess I can't recall it. Mention of Bangor's set of bus shelters now being called a bus station reminded me of Caernarfon and its effort https://www.google.com/maps/@53.140...4!1shxqSLxpCKwo-Zh5RBwBJDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

 

[[.n]]

East Croydon Bus Station is pretty dire, unless its changed recently the stops (in the station part) don't have countdown displays

 

[Deerfold]

East Croydon Bus Station is pretty dire, unless its changed recently the stops (in the station part) don't have countdown displays

That may be due to the non-standard bus shelters it's made of.

A long time ago it was part of my job to decide which shelters got Countdown signs (according to a very long list of criteria). There were some stops which we'd have loved to out them on, but couldn't (Waterloo Bridge - not possible to put power in, Brixton Station - narrow shelter due to narrow pavements - worries that if installed sideways people would step into the road to look at them). the East Croydon upgrades in 2017 were after my time, but may have made it impossible to re-install the screens.

 

[Statto]

Sunderland is indeed a terrible bus station for all the reasons that you cite. Poor design with little cover over a massive site and whilst it's a 5 min walk to the main shopping areas, it really isn't centrally located, not when you consider the position with Eldon Square, as an example. Essentially, Stagecoach worked out that they were paying £30k a year to park their buses when they didn't need to. It's money they didn't need to spend.


There are some truly minimalist ones being highlighted on here with Hayfield and Market Drayton; I must have been to the latter but confess I can't recall it. Mention of Bangor's set of bus shelters now being called a bus station reminded me of Caernarfon and its effort https://www.google.com/maps/@53.140...4!1shxqSLxpCKwo-Zh5RBwBJDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Sunderland is the old Park Lane bus station mainly used by Northern/United, the old Central bus station closed when Park Lane was redeveloped to the current bus station.

Although it requires a larger area for buses, i very much prefer sawtooth style bus stations, than the likes of Sunderland, Wolverhampton, passenger area is normally one concourse like at Leeds & Huddersfield & the new Wigan bus station, as it's easier to change buses

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sunderland is the old Park Lane bus station mainly used by Northern/United, the old Central bus station closed when Park Lane was redeveloped to the current bus station.

Although it requires a larger area for buses, i very much prefer sawtooth style bus stations, than the likes of Sunderland, Wolverhampton, passenger area is normally one concourse like at Leeds & Huddersfield & the new Wigan bus station, as it's easier to change buses

Saw tooth design doesn't really require any larger space - just depends on the intensity of operations. It's why most modern, non PTE financed bus stations tend to be that design

I vividly remember the old Sunderland bus stations. I was more au fait with Park Lane as it was the terminus for the main country services operated by United and Northern so a usual arrival point for someone on an Explorer ticket. The old CBS was a terrible place, dimly listed and dangerous for drivers (as the concrete could become very slippy in wet weather).

 

[CBlue]

I don't know if the bus stations in Spalding or Bourne have been mentioned, but both are a open bit of concrete with a bus shelter or two plonked on them. Just want you want in the windy Fenlands.

Special mention can go to Colchester which opened their new "Bus Station" by renaming a row of on-street bus shelters that were already there.

 

[[.n]]

That may be due to the non-standard bus shelters it's made of.

A long time ago it was part of my job to decide which shelters got Countdown signs (according to a very long list of criteria). There were some stops which we'd have loved to out them on, but couldn't (Waterloo Bridge - not possible to put power in, Brixton Station - narrow shelter due to narrow pavements - worries that if installed sideways people would step into the road to look at them). the East Croydon upgrades in 2017 were after my time, but may have made it impossible to re-install the screens.

Ta, interesting to know, in my opinion absolutely no reason why at East Croydon that any decision should have been made that prevented Countdown signs being available, Its a major transport hub, and the stops that aren't in the "bus station part", all have them. The Tram has them etc.

 

[Pat1105]

Darlaston Bus Station is a collection of a few stands. I wouldn’t call it a bus station, as it is just a row of stops on each site of the road. Most people refer to is as ‘Darlaston Asda’ stop.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't know if the bus stations in Spalding or Bourne have been mentioned, but both are a open bit of concrete with a bus shelter or two plonked on them. Just want you want in the windy Fenlands.

Special mention can go to Colchester which opened their new "Bus Station" by renaming a row of on-street bus shelters that were already there.

I remember going for job interview in Spalding - snow on the ground and it's pretty desolate in winter anyway (if you've seen the film Fargo). The bus station is bleak and unchanged for years!

Darlaston Bus Station is a collection of a few stands. I wouldn’t call it a bus station, as it is just a row of stops on each site of the road. Most people refer to is as ‘Darlaston Asda’ stop.

IIRC, it wasn't called a bus station for a few years. It seemed to acquire the name when the Asda opened. The set of stops on the Asda side are as much of a minimalist bus station as others quoted, just that most in WM tend to be much grander affairs so by the low bar nationally, it probably counts. However, you do also have Gornal Wood and the Great Bridge Interchange - the latter being two bus shelters served by the 30 and 74/74A.

 

[Pat1105]

I remember going for job interview in Spalding - snow on the ground and it's pretty desolate in winter anyway (if you've seen the film Fargo). The bus station is bleak and unchanged for years!




IIRC, it wasn't called a bus station for a few years. It seemed to acquire the name when the Asda opened. The set of stops on the Asda side are as much of a minimalist bus station as others quoted, just that most in WM tend to be much grander affairs so by the low bar nationally, it probably counts. However, you do also have Gornal Wood and the Great Bridge Interchange - the latter being two bus shelters served by the 30 and 74/74A.

I always just refer to it as ‘Asda’.

 

[johnnychips]

I can think of too many like say Ashbourne that has like 2 stands ... many on the edge of Big City's equate to this i think

Yes. And the public toilet in addition to the two shelters that might have entitled it to be called a ‘bus station’ closed last year.

 

[M28361M]

There is Woodside bus station in Birkenhead which at one point was a fairly substantial structure with multiple stands and toilet facilities, but in recent years became increasingly run down as many services were cut back to terminate at the newer and larger bus station in Birkenhead town centre. A few years ago the building was pulled down and replaced by a couple of standard shelters.

Before: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woodside_bus_station,_Birkenhead.JPG
After: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woodside_bus_station,_Birkenhead_(revamped)_(2).JPG

 

[ian1944]

Taking the Borders Buses route from Edinburgh to Jedburgh gives the chance to see three in succession. Earlston and St Boswells have turning circles with a shelter (that at the latter being like a single brick garage with no door, rather than the usual half a greenhouse), Jed's one is a bit more respectable with three outlined bus bays and a large shelter. Apart from being a focus for local busesl, Jedburgh was a stop on the erstwhile scenic NX 383 between Edinburgh and Wrexham via Gala, Carter Bar, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, Ripon, Harrogate, Leeds, Bradford, Oldham, Manchester CS and airport, Warrington and Chester.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Taking the Borders Buses route from Edinburgh to Jedburgh gives the chance to see three in succession. Earlston and St Boswells have turning circles with a shelter (that at the latter being like a single brick garage with no door, rather than the usual half a greenhouse), Jed's one is a bit more respectable with three outlined bus bays and a large shelter. Apart from being a focus for local busesl, Jedburgh was a stop on the erstwhile scenic NX 383 between Edinburgh and Wrexham via Gala, Carter Bar, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, Ripon, Harrogate, Leeds, Bradford, Oldham, Manchester CS and airport, Warrington and Chester.

Earlston isn't officially referenced as such but St Boswells is officially a bus stance and I've been on the 67 and seen the interchange in action!

Jedburgh has been there for years and has barely changed in that time. As a kid, we'd travel from the North East to see relatives in Edinburgh, and Jedburgh was the natural stopping off point to nip to the toilet, usually on a Friday or Sunday evening. Would stop for 15 mins, in time to see a couple of green Eastern Scottish Seddons with minimal passengers.

 

[PeterC]

One that was "minimalised" was Abergavenny. From an island site with facilities for both passengers and staff it was moved across the car park, with, IIRC, two shelters for four bays.

Staying that part of Wales Varteg, rightly, lost its designation as a bus station. The only facilities that it ever had were for Western Welsh crews and these have long since been demolished. The layby still exists but most buses now seem to run through to Blaenavon.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

One that was "minimalised" was Abergavenny. From an island site with facilities for both passengers and staff it was moved across the car park, with, IIRC, two shelters for four bays.

Staying that part of Wales Varteg, rightly, lost its designation as a bus station. The only facilities that it ever had were for Western Welsh crews and these have long since been demolished. The layby still exists but most buses now seem to run through to Blaenavon.

I've only known Aber since the early 90s but it hasn't changed that much, has it? It still has the distinctly average snack bar and there's toilets too. There was the Tourist Information and I think there was a crew facility there round the back; that may have gone when they closed the outstation there?

Had forgotten about Varteg and didn't realise that it had any sort of facilities at all.

Aside from Wrexham, Newport, Bridgend, Blackwood and Swansea, I'm struggling to think of many decent Welsh bus stations TBH. Some are large but awful (Merthyr, Prestatyn) or busy and basic (Rhyl. Tonypandy, Aberdare, Neath).

Many are just fairly minimalist and are a couple of bus shelters in a yard or by the site of the road - see Monmouth, Abergavenny, Talbot Green, Caernarfon, Gorseinon. I remember waiting in the latter one winters afternoon, dusk falling, waiting for my ex London First Marshall Dart, with the only facilities being the sort of public toilets where a local councillor would've been arrested for importuning in the 1950s. Bleak doesn't cover it....