Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks for the clarification, but it also makes me wonder why they are using branded vehicles on a contract. Does it 'not matter' at this time of year as tourist numbers are lower? The services they are branded for seem to be mostly E300s at the moment, so capacity might explain why the MMCs saw more using during half-term. (Although as it is half-term this week in Co Durham you'd have thought the Lakes would be as busy with tourists)

I'm assuming 11125 is OTR though, as it's not tracked in 10 days, stopped part-way through the day and isn't a Lillyhall bus. I believe it had a new engine towards the end of it's time in Chesterfield as well.

I would suspect it's because of age requirements for the contract; the 16 plates are similarly often only seen tracking sporadically on weekdays. Whether the requirement is higher at the moment....? During Cumbria half term, I guess it makes sense to use the newer vehicles and with higher capacity. However, if you don't have them for Durham half term...perhaps not quite as big an uplift?

 

[route101]

Nice to see the 555 increasing in frequency in the lower part of the summer season rather than just school holidays. It can get quite busy in June.

The article above about the importance of printed publicity is interesting. How can Stagecoach distribute their timetable so far and wide, if you picked one up everytime you saw one, you’d come back with 50 copies, yet other places either print nothing, or have a very limited supply in a very limited location.

I believe the decision to print timetables is done at a local level. I noticed a few weeks ago there is a new West Cumbria Booklet alongside the Carlisle and Lakes booklet. The lakes booklet is easy to find but the other two are at Carlisle Bus Station or on the buses.

 

[Teapot42]

I would suspect it's because of age requirements for the contract; the 16 plates are similarly often only seen tracking sporadically on weekdays.

Surely age requirements don't disappear over the summer though? Unless they've negotiated the contract which allows them to use older vehicles during the peak tourist season.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Surely age requirements don't disappear over the summer though? Unless they've negotiated the contract which allows them to use older vehicles during the peak tourist season.

Unless there is a cascade due?

 

[Acathater]

Yes an interesting decision to compete on the route. The Bus Users Group speculate that it has been prompted by them losing the contract for the 88 and 89, so they're looking for something profitable (and operationally convenient) to run.

Lonsdale Buses announces new services and new buses!

Three of the new Volvo buses that have joined the fleet. Photo (c) Lonsdale Buses Lonsdale Buses has announced two new bus services that will start on 27th October. Service 83 will link Brookhouse,…

lancasterbususers.com

This 85 service is degenerating into stupidity.
It runs over half of the full route of the 5, starting at Morecambe station. Both the 85 and 5 are allocated to stand 1 with the 5 running five minutes after the 85. What is happening in reality is the 85 is waiting for the 5 to appear, blocking it from the stand and forcing it to stop at stand 2 - which blocks the 6 from using stand 2.... Then the 85 departs five minutes late with the 5 trailing it. Happily the Stagecoach drivers seem disinclined to try and force the issue
Lonsdale are running over just half of the route, with no evening or Sunday service (which on the 5 is subsidised). It's impossible that both companies can make money on it, so it's probably only a matter of time before Stagecoach pulls the plug and the full route is lost - with Overton, Middleton and parts of Heysham losing the service completely, and the rest of the route losing evenings and weekends.
It's like the deregulation games thirty years late

 

[route101]

Nice to see 7 and X7 service on the map. Is there any demand for more service between Penrith to Kendal via Shap every day?

 

[Steve440]

This 85 service is degenerating into stupidity.
It runs over half over the full route of the 5, starting at Morecambe station. Both the 85 and 5 are allocated to stand 1 with the 5 running five minutes after the 85. What is happening in reality is the 85 is waiting for the 5 to appear, blocking it from the stand and forcing it to stop at stand 2 - which blocks the 6 from using stand 2.... Then the 85 departs five minutes late with the 5 trailing it. Happily the Stagecoach drivers seem disinclined to try and force the issue
Lonsdale are running over just half of the route, with no evening or Sunday service (which on the 5 is subsidised). It's impossible that both companies can make money on it, so it's probably only a matter of time before Stagecoach pulls the plug and the full route is lost - with Overton, Middleton and parts of Heysham losing the service completely, and the rest of the route losing evenings and weekends.
It's like the deregulation games thirty years late

There is nothing very clever about running a bus five minutes in front of another. I thought all that sort of stupidity had disappeared.

 

[Tetchytyke]

This 85 service is degenerating into stupidity.

Independent or major, I have very little time for operators who resort to this sort of stupidity. Compete by all means, but running a couple of minutes ahead of the other operator is just silliness. If the incumbent runs hourly, why not run on the opposite side of the hour to them.

I slag off Stagecoach when they do this sort of thing, so I can't not slag off Lonsdale Buses when they do it too.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

This 85 service is degenerating into stupidity.
It runs over half of the full route of the 5, starting at Morecambe station. Both the 85 and 5 are allocated to stand 1 with the 5 running five minutes after the 85. What is happening in reality is the 85 is waiting for the 5 to appear, blocking it from the stand and forcing it to stop at stand 2 - which blocks the 6 from using stand 2.... Then the 85 departs five minutes late with the 5 trailing it. Happily the Stagecoach drivers seem disinclined to try and force the issue
Lonsdale are running over just half of the route, with no evening or Sunday service (which on the 5 is subsidised). It's impossible that both companies can make money on it, so it's probably only a matter of time before Stagecoach pulls the plug and the full route is lost - with Overton, Middleton and parts of Heysham losing the service completely, and the rest of the route losing evenings and weekends.
It's like the deregulation games thirty years late

Difficult to have any sympathy for Stagecoach given what they did for Lancaster City Transport. But what goes around comes around. I suspect I know who has the deepest pockets though.

 

[Acathater]

Difficult to have any sympathy for Stagecoach given what they did for Lancaster City Transport. But what goes around comes around. I suspect I know who has the deepest pockets though.

I don't disagree over the sympathy, but the real issue is the effect it will have on passengers when there's the inevitable withdrawal from the route by Stagecoach. That will lose half the route, lose the evening services, and lose the Sunday service

 

[Tetchytyke]

I don't disagree over the sympathy, but the real issue is the effect it will have on passengers when there's the inevitable withdrawal from the route by Stagecoach. That will lose half the route, lose the evening services, and lose the Sunday service

The bits of the route south of Morecambe and the evening/Sunday service is tendered, isn't it?

That's the only reason why Lonsdale muscling in would make any sense, if they were trying to push Stagecoach off in order to secure the tender later.

 

[Ballyheigue]

The bits of the route south of Morecambe and the evening/Sunday service is tendered, isn't it?

That's the only reason why Lonsdale muscling in would make any sense, if they were trying to push Stagecoach off in order to secure the tender later.

I think it's a case of having drivers for the now lost 89 contract who are on permanent contracts and finding them work to do rather than having to go through the cost of a redundancy process. The only work that would fit their hours will have been the 83/5 as all the other work they have gained is daytime shopper stuff a handful of days a week.

 

[Acathater]

Posters have started appearing this week on Stagecoach's local buses to push "The Bay Micropub Trail"

The Bay Micropub Trail

This ale trail is a laid-back wander along Morecambe Bay, starting in Carnforth, rolling through Hest Bank, onto Morecambe, and wrapping up in Heysham – no rush, no rules, just good beer and good c…

micropubadventures.co.uk

Essentially they're offering it as a hop-on/off pub crawl along the number 5 route Heysham-Morecambe-Carnforth, using the £6 Bay Day Rider ticket

This ale trail is a laid-back wander along Morecambe Bay, starting in Carnforth, rolling through Hest Bank, onto Morecambe, and wrapping up in Heysham – no rush, no rules, just good beer and good company. It’s all about popping into friendly micropubs along the way, each one doing its own thing with a small bar, a cracking selection of ales, and plenty of chat if you fancy it. Expect blackboards instead of bar menus, locals happy to point you towards their favourite pint, and that nice feeling you get when the next stop is only a short stroll away. Take your time, follow the curve of the bay, and let the beer do the planning.

One of the best bits about this trail is how easy it is to follow – it’s pretty much all on the number 5 bus. From Carnforth through Morecambe and out to Heysham, most of the pubs sit right along the route, so you just stay on the same bus, hop off for a pint, then hop back on when you’re ready for the next one. There are only a couple of small tweaks along the way: a quick change onto the 100 or 1a for one pub, and a short walk to reach another. Nothing complicated, nothing stressful – just buses, micropubs, and deciding whether you fancy “one more” before moving on.

The Stagecoach Bay DayRider costs £6 for a full day of unlimited travel (prices correct as of January 2026) and lets you ride across the whole Bay area, including journeys to and from Lancaster and surrounding areas — perfect whether you’re local or travelling in for the day. Links below have full details of the ticket and the area it covers.

 

[chiltern trev]

I believe the decision to print timetables is done at a local level. I noticed a few weeks ago there is a new West Cumbria Booklet alongside the Carlisle and Lakes booklet. The lakes booklet is easy to find but the other two are at Carlisle Bus Station or on the buses.

Also the map in The Lakes booklet now covers a bigger area - all of Cumbria Inc Whitehaven, Carlisle and Barrow and Lancaster and Morecambe and out to Brampton

 

[mangad]

With the summer timetable having started, the 78 appears to being run by Kendal. One of the older open tops (19754) has been tracking on the 599, and there's been the former Lakesider branded vehicles (now repainted in Lakes Connection) running on the 78. Looking at Bustimes, the other older open top vehicles at Lillyhall and Carlisle haven't tracked so far this year, including the 20 year old former Peak Sightseer bus. No open tops have so far run on the 508 so far.

 

[Russel]

With the summer timetable having started, the 78 appears to being run by Kendal. One of the older open tops (19754) has been tracking on the 599, and there's been the former Lakesider branded vehicles (now repainted in Lakes Connection) running on the 78. Looking at Bustimes, the other older open top vehicles at Lillyhall and Carlisle haven't tracked so far this year, including the 20 year old former Peak Sightseer bus. No open tops have so far run on the 508 so far.

Is the B7TL still around?

Thought I'd read it was being scrapped at the end of the season last year.

 

[mangad]

Is the B7TL still around?

Thought I'd read it was being scrapped at the end of the season last year.

It's not tracked this year so far.

 

[gingerheid]

Just looking at the summer Lakes printed guide.

The map shows a 517 from Ambleside to Little Langdale that doesn't seem to appear anywhere else in the booklet, or on bustimes. Which is the error? Does the route exist?

 

[skifans]

Just looking at the summer Lakes printed guide.

The map shows a 517 from Ambleside to Little Langdale that doesn't seem to appear anywhere else in the booklet, or on bustimes. Which is the error? Does the route exist?

Last summer it runs on a more limited basis to the rest of the routes - weekends in July and August only. I'd guess they are expecting similar again.

Last summer's timetable is at: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s.../Lakes Connection/Summer 25/517_Summer 25.pdf

 

[gingerheid]

Last summer it runs on a more limited basis to the rest of the routes - weekends in July and August only. I'd guess they are expecting similar again.

Last summer's timetable is at: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes Connection/Summer 25/517_Summer 25.pdf

Thanks!

 

[satters]

Does anyone know what the bus does before the first 509 from Keswick, school run or dead milage?

 

[peterblue]

Does anyone know what the bus does before the first 509 from Keswick, school run or dead milage?

Likely running dead from Kendal.

 

[adam rogan]

I visited the lakes a few weeks ago and was eager to get on the bus that was introduced a year or so ago from Penrith to Kendal via Kirkby Stephen only to discover that it was axed due to low patronage. Did anyone get this while it was on and do you think they would reintroduce it again with new funding?

 

[Ballyheigue]

I visited the lakes a few weeks ago and was eager to get on the bus that was introduced a year or so ago from Penrith to Kendal via Kirkby Stephen only to discover that it was axed due to low patronage. Did anyone get this while it was on and do you think they would reintroduce it again with new funding?

I didn't even know Stagecoach ran this route, I thought it was Kirkby Lonsdale Buses that took on the Penrith service Cumbria Classic Coaches had? You possibly may also be thinking of the 106 Penrith, Shap, Kendal bus.

 

[adam rogan]

I didn't even know Stagecoach ran this route, I thought it was Kirkby Lonsdale Buses that took on the Penrith service Cumbria Classic Coaches had? You possibly may also be thinking of the 106 Penrith, Shap, Kendal bus.

Yes, I think that is the one. I have discovered that Kirkby Lonsdale now run this on certain days, so next time I'm up there I'll give it a go.

Popular bus routes reintroduced | Westmorland and Furness Council

Westmorland and Furness Council, working with Lonsdale Buses, has introduced three new services from Monday.

www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

 

[Strathtay 260]

Likely running dead from Kendal.

Correct

 

[RELL6L]

I visited the lakes a few weeks ago and was eager to get on the bus that was introduced a year or so ago from Penrith to Kendal via Kirkby Stephen only to discover that it was axed due to low patronage. Did anyone get this while it was on and do you think they would reintroduce it again with new funding?

A bit longer ago! I did this, the 563, in September 2024. I reported on this in the trips thread, post 881. I don’t think it lasted much longer.

I think it can still be done in part on certain days of the week with a change in Kirkby Stephen. Worth attempting as it is very scenic.

 

[Galactic142]

I travelled on the 563 from Appleby to Kendal a few years ago - It's an incredibly scenic route but between Kirkby and Sedburgh I'm pretty sure I was the only person on it. The best bit was the section betweeen Nateby and Sedburgh, where the bus turned off the main A685 and went on narrow lanes down into the valley that takes you past Cautley Spout.

Disappointed to see it's not on the map this year, but not entirely surprised.

 

[tram21]

I think it can still be done in part on certain days of the week with a change in Kirkby Stephen. Worth attempting as it is very scenic

Do you know how?

 

[peterblue]

Do you know how?

Western Dales bus - look for the one from Kendal via Sedburgh to Kirkby Stephen. I think that's the S6 on Fridays