Trivia: More than one operator on town services

[northwichcat]

In my local area evening and sunday services have recently been reinstated after probably 10+ years thanks to the additional funding from the failed HS2 expansion.

I doubt it's that scheme. The government have made 'failed HS2' funding available for other transport schemes from the 25/26 financial year. Councils are supposed to be consulting during 24/25 on their plans of how to spend it - a good way of delaying the release of funding until after the General Election but putting out a positive press release before it!

There is also BSIP support, which is separate, that has led to some councils reversing service cuts or introducing new services during 23/24.

 

[RustySpoons]

I doubt it's that scheme. The government have made 'failed HS2' funding available for other transport schemes from the 25/26 financial year. Councils are supposed to be consulting during 24/25 on their plans of how to spend it - a good way of delaying the release of funding until after the General Election but putting out a positive press release before it!

There is also BSIP support, which is separate, that has led to some councils reversing service cuts or introducing new services during 23/24.

Apologies, you're right. I do believe it is the BSIP support that's funding it. I'd just been reading about the HS2 debacle and got my wires crossed.

 

[Grahamk748]

In Northampton Stagecoach run route 8 from Blackthorn to Kings Heath via the town centre, Britannia bus also run the town centre to Kings heath part, they take a different route out of town but the Kings Heath part of the route is pretty much the same.

 

[Wiggy49]

Visited Lichfield at the weekend.
Got throughly confused with the town services 31 and 32 where Chaserider run the services in the morning and evening peaks, yet Diamond Bus East Midlands run during the daytime, with little comment on each others websites of the alternative operator.
Hence assumed the last bus was 14.15 looking at the Diamond timetable, only to find later trips on google bus stop info.

Could not find out if operators accept each others return tickets.

 

[biscuit71]

Visited Lichfield at the weekend.
Got throughly confused with the town services 31 and 32 where Chaserider run the services in the morning and evening peaks, yet Diamond Bus East Midlands run during the daytime, with little comment on each others websites of the alternative operator.
Hence assumed the last bus was 14.15 looking at the Diamond timetable, only to find later trips on google bus stop info.

Could not find out if operators accept each others return tickets.

Chaserider no longer running the early morning or early evening, the route has been taken over by bus link( no website) will not accept any other companies tickets.

 

[GusB]

Chaserider no longer running the early morning or early evening, the route has been taken over by bus link( no website) will not accept any other companies tickets.

The matter is being discussed here:

Chaserider

Now Staffordshire Bus News thread is closed, here is the thread for all things Chaserider specific. Of note, Chaserider to launch a new 35A/36 route between Walsall - Aldridge - Leighswood/Lichfield (http://www.chaserider.co.uk/): This is a new service commencing 23rd July 2023...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

Scunthorpe town route 6 is operated by Hornsby's and Stagecoach with each running every 30 minutes to give a 15 minute frequency.

 

[renegademaster]

Theirs a London bus in the i think Maida Vale area with most services run by one operator, and school time services run by I think Abellio/Transport UK, I am trying to remember which

 

[liamf656]

Before the pandemic Oswestry had the 401 service, ran in the mornings and evenings by Arriva using an Optare Solo, and off peak by Tanat Valley using a double decker

 

[Roger1973]

Scunthorpe town route 6 is operated by Hornsby's and Stagecoach with each running every 30 minutes to give a 15 minute frequency.

There can't be many like that still in existence. It used to be less uncommon, but increasingly rare now. I think the background is that it was once operated jointly by Hornsby's and AN Other, but Lincolnshire Road Car (as then was) bought out the AN Other. (May even date back to when Enterprise sold out in the early 1950s.)

Theirs a London bus in the i think Maida Vale area with most services run by one operator, and school time services run by I think Abellio/Transport UK, I am trying to remember which

I know there have been a few like that - in some cases where the regular service is midi-bus, but there's a school journey or two that need a double decker. As far as TFL are concerned, the school journey is contracted as separate route 123S or 123D (S for School or D for double deck) but the public see both as route 123. (using route number 123 as an example - I don't think the real route 123 has ever had this.)

Although I thought they had all been re-numbered in to the 600+ sequence by now.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

There can't be many like that still in existence. It used to be less uncommon, but increasingly rare now. I think the background is that it was once operated jointly by Hornsby's and AN Other, but Lincolnshire Road Car (as then was) bought out the AN Other. (May even date back to when Enterprise sold out in the early 1950s.)

I'm not sure about the earlier history. I know in the 1980s (when I believe it was the 336) it was a three way operation between Lincolnshire Road Car, Hornsby's and Ubique. Ubique only had one vehicle and I understand that if it wasn't available one of the other partners would supply a replacement.

 

[joieman]

Leicester - Service 20 (City Centre to Blackmore Drive) Mon-Sat is operated by Centrebus which runs via Leicester Royal Infirmary but Sunday services are operated by Vectare which follow a different route via Braunstone Gate.

Also in Leicester, the Saturday 22B between Birstall and Evington is operated by First, whereas the rest of the route (22, city centre - Evington, and 22A, Barrow-upon-Soar - Birstall - city centre - Evington) is operated by Centrebus.
In the Soar Valley to the north, following the withdrawal of the Kinchbus 2 beyond Sileby, the transportation system down there has become a lot more complicated:
Kinchbus 2, originally ran Loughborough - Quorn - Barrow-upon-Soar - Sileby - Cossington - Birstall - Belgrave - Leicester, but now runs between Loughborough and Sileby only;
Vectare 2X, introduced after the 2 was cut; identical to the original service 2 except for running via Abbey Lane instead of Belgrave in Leicester, and only runs in the early mornings and late evenings;
Centrebus 27, existed prior to the truncation of the 2; runs Loughborough - Walton-on-the-Wolds - Barrow-upon-Soar - Seagrave - Sileby, with the first run beginning in and the last run continuing to Mountsorrel - Rothley - Syston - Thurmaston.
Centrebus 27X, introduced earlier this year, replacing a midday round trip of the 27. Avoids Walton-on-the-Wolds and Seagrave, making it quite similar to the 2 except for not serving Quorn.
Centrebus 128, ran three times a day, with the first two round trips being Leicester - Birstall - then straight up the A6 to Barrow-upon-Soar - Sileby - Cossington - Birstall - Leicester, with the final round trip travelling back through the villages instead of going up the A6; superseded by the 22A.
Centrebus 22A, previously mentioned, originally Evington - Leicester - Belgrave - then around the houses in Birstall, before the old 128 route was added from Birstall onwards as a rather awkward appendage, even keeping the around-the-houses bit in Birstall!
The additional trouble is that the buses all seem to run at similar times to each other in the villages.

 

[overthewater]

I'm not sure about the earlier history. I know in the 1980s (when I believe it was the 336) it was a three way operation between Lincolnshire Road Car, Hornsby's and Ubique. Ubique only had one vehicle and I understand that if it wasn't available one of the other partners would supply a replacement.

I had never heard of Ubique so had to look them up, I take it these were the only two owned?


* https://flic.kr/p/drG1iM
* https://flic.kr/p/2m5m6g6

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

I had never heard of Ubique so had to look them up, I take it these were the only two owned?


* https://flic.kr/p/drG1iM
* https://flic.kr/p/2m5m6g6

VOD 545S replaced DFU 95L. According to my 1986 "Interesting Independents" book they owned a Yeates Europa bodied Bedford SBG before DFU. I've never seen a photo of that one, and the book doesn't mention when operations started.
I say "they" but I get the impression it was a one-man band, a Mr Millard from Brigg.
I vaguely remember reading an article years ago from someone who had driven for Ubique for around 1 week per year whilst the proprietor went on holiday, but I can't remember where I saw it.

 

[Cambus731]

In the early 1990s for a few years, the 7 Perth city service from Hillend to Scone was operated jointly by Stagecoach and Strathtay to a 15 minute frequency. Strathtay generally used Metrobuses with Alexander bodywork while Stagecoach used Bristol VRTs later replaced by Leyland Olympians with ECW bodywork transferred from Northern Scottish

 

[TheSel]

Don't think this one has been mentioned before - 329 St Helens ~ Warrington.

Arriva - generally every half hour Monday - Saturday, hourly on Sundays.
Link Network - 5 return journeys, Monday to Friday only.

Same route, but Link Network's timings are less generous.

 

[YorkRailFan]

The 178 (Okehampton-Newton Abbott) is jointly operated by Country Bus (Devon) and Stagecoach South West. Country Bus operates 1 round trip Newton Abbott Okehampton service and another round trip Moretonhampstead-Newton Abbott service. Whilst Stagecoach operates 1 round trip Whiddon Down-Newton Abbott service and another round trip Whiddon Down-Bovey Tracey service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Aug 2024 ==

Reliance and East Yorkshire (North Riding) both jointly operate the 31X (York-Easingwold-Helmsley-Kirkbymoorside) with Reliance operating 1 Kirkbymoorside-York return and 1 Easingwold-Kirkbymoorside return with EY operating 1 York-Kirkbymoorside return service on school days, with 2 return services between York and Kirkbymoorside on Saturdays/School Holidays.