Bus routes that only run on one day a year.

[stadler]

These three bus routes all only run on one day a year:

• 13 - Brighton to Eastbourne - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 22B - Brighton to Woodingdean - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 50 - Hailsham to Eastbourne - Cuckmere Buses - New Years Day only

All three of these routes have consistently run on only one day a year for at least the past fifteen years and possibly even longer.

Can anyone think of any other one day a year bus routes like this?

I am not talking about one off routes that have run one year only and that was it. It has to have consistently run every year for multiple years in a row. So a route that consistently runs one day a year only every single year.

I would be interested in any other examples anywhere in the country?

 

[higthomas]

I think the Imberbus 23A would fulfill your description.

 

[JGurney]

These three bus routes all only run on one day a year:

• 13 - Brighton to Eastbourne - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 22B - Brighton to Woodingdean - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 50 - Hailsham to Eastbourne - Cuckmere Buses - New Years Day only

Do any of these serve any stops not served on any other days?

 

[jumble]

These three bus routes all only run on one day a year:

• 13 - Brighton to Eastbourne - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 22B - Brighton to Woodingdean - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 50 - Hailsham to Eastbourne - Cuckmere Buses - New Years Day only

All three of these routes have consistently run on only one day a year for at least the past fifteen years and possibly even longer.

Can anyone think of any other one day a year bus routes like this?

I am not talking about one off routes that have run one year only and that was it. It has to have consistently run every year for multiple years in a row. So a route that consistently runs one day a year only every single year.

I would be interested in any other examples anywhere in the country?

430 Putney Bridge to Roehampton Christmas day only
Has run since at least 2019
Nice touch is a plaque on the bus stop at Putney
430 XMAS Day
( We travelled on this yesterday)
Regards Summer and Calleigh the cocker spaniels

 

[Kite159]

X1 between Lakeside & Southend?

Ensignbus

bustimes.org

(Slightly different as it runs late evening/early mornings but I'm sure Salisbury Reds run a special service to/from Stonehenge for the longest day)

 

[GatwickDepress]

Black Prince's X51 from Morley to St James' Hospital in Leeds. Was previously a commercial route, but has run on Christmas Day only as a free bus now for several years.

 

[Flange Squeal]

This doesn’t technically qualify but I thought it interesting enough to highlight, as it typically only runs a couple of times per year. Tavistock Country Bus route 112 between Tavistock and Dawlish, which operates between April and September only, on the fifth Saturday of the month.

 

[Qwerty133]

Don't think it has a number but in Leicester there is an annual service from the Birstall Park and Ride to the Diwali celebrations on Belgrave Road.

 

[stadler]

Do any of these serve any stops not served on any other days?

No they do not. All bus stops and all sections of route are served daily by other routes. This is probably for another thread but that does bring up the interesting question of what the least served bus stop is.

 

[gka472l]

A couple of the Merseyside Christmas Day routes are unique to the day

The H1 on the Wirral

Vehicles – H1 – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

The 62A in Liverpool (the normal 62 operated by Arriva is different, only the section between Fazakerley Hospital at Bootle is common)

Vehicles – 62A – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

The 12A in Liverpool (different from the normal Arriva 12 as that doesn't serve Huyton)

Vehicles – 12A – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

HTH

 

[stadler]

This doesn’t technically qualify but I thought it interesting enough to highlight, as it typically only runs a couple of times per year. Tavistock Country Bus route 112 between Tavistock and Dawlish, which operates between April and September only, on the fifth Saturday of the month.

Does that definitely still run? There is no mention of it on their website. Even if it is just an April to September service i would think there would still be a mention of it online like most other operators with seasonal routes do. Maybe not but it makes me wonder if it is withdrawn?

 

[Flange Squeal]

Does that definitely still run? There is no mention of it on their website. Even if it is just an April to September service i would think there would still be a mention of it online like most other operators with seasonal routes do. Maybe not but it makes me wonder if it is withdrawn?

It appeared for me by going on their website then clicking ‘Saturday Timetables’ in the menu and scrolling down the page.

Saturday Timetables - Tavistock Country Bus

Concessionary Passes for the elderly or disabled are accepted on all our services.Our services are “Hail and Ride”. The bus will stop anywhere on its route

tavistockcountrybus.co.uk

 

[stadler]

It appeared for me by going on their website then clicking ‘Saturday Timetables’ in the menu and scrolling down the page.

Saturday Timetables - Tavistock Country Bus

Concessionary Passes for the elderly or disabled are accepted on all our services.Our services are “Hail and Ride”. The bus will stop anywhere on its route

tavistockcountrybus.co.uk

Ah thank you. I think when i searched for the website it took me to the weekday page which is why i missed it. That certainly must be one of the least frequent routes that exist. I am amazed that it actually exists as it is not even for a special day or occasion like the other examples in this thread are. Next year in 2025 the 112 will only operate on two days. The following year in 2026 the 112 will only operate on one day.

 

[Vexed]

Bluestar (Go-Ahead) suffix their Christmas Day only routes with an X. The 1X combines the 1 and 2 together (so functionally a 1 via Eastleigh) and has been running for a few years.

Bluestar

bustimes.org

Only the 1X is on bustimes.org but all three are on Google Maps

17X is a newer route (unsure of when it was introduced, definitely post covid) running as far as I can tell the same as the 17.

18X used to run under the normal 18 number until it gained an extension to Aldermoor/General Hospital in 2020. This gives an impressive half hourly frequency between the hospital and city centre combined with the 17X.

Christmas and New Year Bus Times 2025

Plan your journeys for the festive period...

www.bluestarbus.co.uk

I've also put the above Bluestar page on the Internet Archie so it's available forever as the above will probably be overwritten for next year.

Christmas and New Years bus times 2024

Find out how our buses will be running over the Christmas period.

web.archive.org

My historical knowledge isn't great as I only go to uni in Southampton, but as far as I can find out the 1X only started just under 10 years ago and the other two are more recent, so these don't quite fit your criteria. Nevertheless it's good to see expansion instead of routes being withdrawnm

 

[MotCO]

What about route 22 and 25 (Godstone to East Grinstead, operated via different routes) operated on the Lowish Floor Running Day by Bromley Bus Preservation Group? It has operated for the last two - three years, maybe more, and it's free!

 

[WibbleWobble]

Bluestar (Go-Ahead) suffix their Christmas Day only routes with an X. The 1X combines the 1 and 2 together (so functionally a 1 via Eastleigh) and has been running for a few years.

Bluestar

bustimes.org

Only the 1X is on bustimes.org but all three are on Google Maps

17X is a newer route (unsure of when it was introduced, definitely post covid) running as far as I can tell the same as the 17.

18X used to run under the normal 18 number until it gained an extension to Aldermoor/General Hospital in 2020. This gives an impressive half hourly frequency between the hospital and city centre combined with the 17X.

Christmas and New Year Bus Times 2025

Plan your journeys for the festive period...

www.bluestarbus.co.uk

I've also put the above Bluestar page on the Internet Archie so it's available forever as the above will probably be overwritten for next year.

Christmas and New Years bus times 2024

Find out how our buses will be running over the Christmas period.

web.archive.org

My historical knowledge isn't great as I only go to uni in Southampton, but as far as I can find out the 1X only started just under 10 years ago and the other two are more recent, so these don't quite fit your criteria. Nevertheless it's good to see expansion instead of routes being withdrawnm

Bluestar 18 Christmas Day service started in 2017 - the service was extended to the General Hospital back then as the primary aim was to serve it. It was only renumbered 18X when the 1X commenced (2019 I think, I can't find it on the Web Archive), 17X starting in 2022.

All three Christmas Day services are designed to serve hospitals. 17X stops outside both the General and Royal South Hants, 18X stops outside the General and near the RSH, whilst the 1X serves the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester (with connections available at Southampton for the others).

 

[Busoccultation]

X1 between Lakeside & Southend?

Ensignbus

bustimes.org

(Slightly different as it runs late evening/early mornings but I'm sure Salisbury Reds run a special service to/from Stonehenge for the longest day)

Yes, along with the X2, which runs alongside the X1 between Southend and Basildon. The X2 then continues to Upminster Station for onward Tube connections.

 

[Harpo]

Ensign’s former annual running day services only operated on that day.

 

[SW Buses]

These three bus routes all only run on one day a year:

• 13 - Brighton to Eastbourne - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 22B - Brighton to Woodingdean - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 50 - Hailsham to Eastbourne - Cuckmere Buses - New Years Day only

All three of these routes have consistently run on only one day a year for at least the past fifteen years and possibly even longer.

Can anyone think of any other one day a year bus routes like this?

I am not talking about one off routes that have run one year only and that was it. It has to have consistently run every year for multiple years in a row. So a route that consistently runs one day a year only every single year.

I would be interested in any other examples anywhere in the country

These three bus routes all only run on one day a year:

• 13 - Brighton to Eastbourne - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 22B - Brighton to Woodingdean - Go Ahead Brighton & Hove - Boxing Day only

• 50 - Hailsham to Eastbourne - Cuckmere Buses - New Years Day only

All three of these routes have consistently run on only one day a year for at least the past fifteen years and possibly even longer.

Can anyone think of any other one day a year bus routes like this?

I am not talking about one off routes that have run one year only and that was it. It has to have consistently run every year for multiple years in a row. So a route that consistently runs one day a year only every single year.

I would be interested in any other examples anywhere in the country?

Is the 13 in Brighton a variant of the usual 13X?

 

[stadler]

Is the 13 in Brighton a variant of the usual 13X?

Yes it is indeed. The one and only difference is that the 13 stops at all bus stops and the 13X is a limited stop service. Otherwise the route is identical.

 

[richw]

deleted

 

[Ridercross]

National Express West Midlands run several routes once a year to the Saturday night Himley Park bonfire near Dudley.

November 2024 - Staffordshire County Council

www.staffordshire.gov.uk

These routes were traditionally free to travel on, but in 2024 a flat fare of £1 was charged.

 

[JonathanH]

Ensignbus 32X only runs from Dorking, Reigate and Redhill to Brockham Bonfire once a year.

 

[MotCO]

Not quite a once a year, but Tavistock community bus has a service registered to run on the 5th Saturday of the month. They run outings to different locations each Saturday.
Each destination is registered as 1st Saturday of month, 2nd Saturday etc.

In 2024 the 5 Saturday service ran in March, June, August and November
In 2025 it will run in March, May, August and November

I seem to recall that there is a rural route that runs on something like the fifth Sunday of the month, so it hardly ever runs. Can't remember where it is.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Not quite a once a year, but Tavistock community bus has a service registered to run on the 5th Saturday of the month. They run outings to different locations each Saturday.
Each destination is registered as 1st Saturday of month, 2nd Saturday etc.

In 2024 the 5 Saturday service ran in March, June, August and November
In 2025 it will run in March, May, August and November

A different service to the one mentioned in posts 7/11/12/13?

 

[AwkwardHail]

X1 between Lakeside & Southend?

Ensignbus

bustimes.org

(Slightly different as it runs late evening/early mornings but I'm sure Salisbury Reds run a special service to/from Stonehenge for the longest day)

Salisbury Reds also run this (service 333) on the shortest day (most recently on 21/12/2024)

 

[richw]

deleted

 

[WibbleWobble]

Salisbury Reds also run this (service 333) on the shortest day (most recently on 21/12/2024)

Runs twice a year - also runs for the Summer Solstice, up to Stonehenge the evening before and back down through the night and the following morning (so a total of three days per year).

 

[markymark2000]

A couple of the Merseyside Christmas Day routes are unique to the day

The H1 on the Wirral

Vehicles – H1 – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

The 62A in Liverpool (the normal 62 operated by Arriva is different, only the section between Fazakerley Hospital at Bootle is common)

Vehicles – 62A – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

The 12A in Liverpool (different from the normal Arriva 12 as that doesn't serve Huyton)

Vehicles – 12A – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

HTH

Most of the Merseytravel Christmas Day routes are unique to the day.
12A, as you say is similar to Arrivas 12/13 services but extends to Huyton when the core services don't.
21A runs from Liverpool One (other days the Kirkby services start from Queens Square) and plods around more of the estates in Kirkby.
62A, as you said.
201 doesn't serve Queens Square normally, it only runs to/from Royal Liverpool Hopsital.

H1, H2, H3 are old Merseytravel routes that no longer exist as they weren't viable and didn't carry enough passengers (yet somehow justified as being 'essential' on Christmas day.....)

 

[JD2168]

The 46 in Sheffield ran for the only time in 2024 on Boxing Day from First between Sheffield Centre, Heeley, Newfield Green & Herdings following the route of the 11 which was discontinued in September.

The 20a in Sheffield only runs on New Year’s Day & Boxing Day & does a different loop of Parson Cross recreating the old 97 loop in the area which ran until 2015