Bus services that require reversing (except in bus stations)

[PH Wales]

I should know that - went on that last year

Well oddly now during the school holidays, due to a road closure of the B4317 between Pontyberem, where I live and Ponthenri, there are now 3 buses doing 1 reversal each! The 195 diverts via Llanonn, not serving Ponthenri and only reverses in Pontyberem. The 197 additionally calls at Ponthenri, so reverses there before going back to Pontyates and resuming it's usual route and there is a totally new temporary service the 195a between Llanelli and Ponthenri to link up with the 197 for passengers that want to travel to/from Carmarthen. All this for a 100 yard road closure

 

[richard13]

East Devon

20 Seaton - Taunton reverses at Hemyock
157 Exmouth - Sidmouth reverses at Otterton.
Both into side streets to go back the way they came.

 

[Forty29]

Two more services that no longer run unfortunately are the then Thames Valley 1/1A from Reading to the top of Victoria Road in Wargrave during the 60/ 70's and possibly earlier, that used to reverse down a country lane on a sharp bend. The location is far too busy these days to allow it. A bus stop at the bottom of the said road still exists.
More recently the then 27 from Oxford to Bicester continued into Launton village and reversed into a quiet road by a large pond. Lack of customers ended both routes.

 

[mm333]

Two services serve the church in Manby, Lincolnshire and then reverse back through the village. Grayscroft’s service 1 from Alford-Louth and PC Coaches’ 50 from Louth to Mablethorpe.

They come off the B1200, head through Manby to the church and turn round to go back through Manby to the B1200.

 

[ricoblade]

Stagecoach East Midlands, 95 Gainsborough to Retford, driver has to reverse the bus twice on this route, one at Bole Village and the 2nd at North Leverton

And its sister service the 98 (Gainsborough to Doncaster) in Misterton and West Stockwith (I assume the 97 (Gainsborough to Retford via Clayworth) does the same but haven't been on it through those villages).

I fotgot to add that I was once on a 99 (Doncaster to Retford) that turned down Station Road in Ranskill and then reversed. All the 99s I've been on since hace never done this move.

 

[izvor]

Four more en-route reversals in Kent come to mind: Regent Coaches 667 at Chartham Hatch, Stagecoach 1X at Chilham, Felborough Close, Stagecoach 11 at Wickhambreaux, and Stagecoach 976 (all that's left of the old 123) at Egerton Forstal.

 

[adam rogan]

Is it Llandegla - I think they stopped serving the village for a while but the locals protested for its return.

I think it might be. It's been a while since I went on this route but i do remember it going down a road, turning back into a side road and going back out again. I may go back on it when I get time to check out Arriva's new ultroliners and explore that neck of the woods.

 

[Justin Tyme]

Another thing to ponder: how many of these are (often or sometimes) double deck?

I know Stagecoach Midlands 76 and 85 (mentioned a few days ago) are - in fact before it changed operators the 85 was the only NX Bus reversal as far as I know.

 

[YorkRailFan]

85 Newquay - Truro at Holywell Bay

The 87 also reverses at Holywell Bay

 

[farwest]

Plenty in Cornwall 6 and 8 for a start.

 

[YorkRailFan]

East Yorkshire 196 reverses in Aughton. East Yorkshire 195 reverses in Melbourne Thornton, Everingham & Seaton Ross. York Pullman X36 also reverses in Everingham & Seaton Ross.

 

[Statto]

G23 reverses in Harlech.

The T3C has a couple of places where that reverses, certainly when the service runs through to Barmouth

 

[RT4038]

Stagecoach Midlands have
- 27 Stratford to Pebworth(one at Welford)
- 41 Nuneaton to Baddesley Ensor(one in Birchley Heath and one in Baxterley)
- 76 Stratford to Banbury(one in Middle Tysoe)
- 85 Coventry to Rugby(one in Monks Kirby)

The 51 (Stratford-Moreton) reverses at Stretton-on-Fosse, mid journey. There are other places where buses have to reverse at the terminal (or intermediate turning point) without passengers on board such as the 1 / 2 and 51 reverse at Moreton Station and 50 at Lower Brailes.

 

[markymark2000]

A few that I can think of on the Lloyds Coaches network.
T2 reverses in Gellilydan.
T3C buses reverse while in service in Llandderfel and Llanuwchllyn.
G21/G24 both reverse in Llanegryn.
G23 reverses at Top Harlech
G24 on the school day 14:43 from Tywyn to Dolgellau via Aberllefenni you reverse in Corris on the A487 into a layby there so the bus can turn down towards Aberllefenni. Then in Aberllefenni you reverse, and then again back at Corris you reverse in the layby so you can go towards Dolgelleu.

 

[samashtonpalla]

Regional Transport T1 reverses into Wroxeter Roman City on the return journey to Ironbridge, it's a sightseeing tour route so maybe doesn't count but is a useful service as it's the only service in the area on a Sunday so I assume is popular on a Sunday.

Also in Salop let's not forget the number of reverses on the 576 Salop-Baschurch/Oswestry (TVC), the reverse at Queen Street, Much Wenlock on the 436/7(Select/Arriva), the 2 to Castlefields (Arriva), and probably more that I can't remember OTTOMH...

 

[SalopBuses]

Also in Salop let's not forget the number of reverses on the 576 Salop-Baschurch/Oswestry (TVC), the reverse at Queen Street, Much Wenlock on the 436/7(Select/Arriva), the 2 to Castlefields (Arriva), and probably more that I can't remember OTTOMH...

Most if not all services that go into Much Wenlock have to reverse, the 103 in Telford also reverses in Roden to serve Marlebrook Way

 

[vlad]

Another couple in Cornwall that I don't think have been mentioned yet. There must be plenty of these in the country.

The 34 from Redruth to Lizard reverses at Ruan Minor and Kuggar and then reverses again at the terminus in Lizard.

The 493 Truro/Feock loop reverses at Harcourt then again in the car park at Trelissick.

 

[satters]

Also in Salop let's not forget the number of reverses on the 576 Salop-Baschurch/Oswestry (TVC), the reverse at Queen Street, Much Wenlock on the 436/7(Select/Arriva), the 2 to Castlefields (Arriva), and probably more that I can't remember OTTOMH...

I have seen a 437 when passing through Much Wenlock (on a 436) but cannot find a 437 timetable

 

[markymark2000]

I have seen a 437 when passing through Much Wenlock (on a 436) but cannot find a 437 timetable

It's currently operated by Arriva. In typical Arriva style, they haven't been bothered to add the timetable to their website, and they have fudged their open data and are using the internal service number rather than external, so it's not showing up properly on bustimes.

7437 - Bus Station - The Square

Arriva Midlands North

bustimes.org

 

[SalopBuses]

I have seen a 437 when passing through Much Wenlock (on a 436) but cannot find a 437 timetable

It transferred from Tanat Valley Coaches to Arriva Midlands North about a week ago BUT they messed up the timetable on BODS, they put 7437, the 7 being the Shrewsbury Depot internal code, also neither Tanat or Arriva have published online about the service changes and last time I checked the 437 does not show anywhere on the Arriva app as they have also marked it as a closed door service on BODS when it is not.

 

[sammyg901]

More recently the then 27 from Oxford to Bicester continued into Launton village and reversed into a quiet road by a large pond. Lack of customers ended both routes.

Launton stops then got picked up by the Red Rose Travel 17 to/from Aylesbury diverting off of the A41 but this had some frequency cuts at one point so hopefully survives !

The Red Rose Travel 16 reverses on the infrequent diversion into Westcott village

 

[Caleb2010]

Stagecoach North Scotland services 36 & 37A reverse in Craigellachie on the Elgin - Dufftown/Aviemore services.

 

[LiviCrazy]

A related question of which companies do and which don’t allow reversing without a banksman. Seems to be a common myth online now that buses legally can’t reverse without banksman.

We had a while in West Lothian where First and Lothian Country would meet head on in narrow villages and the First Bus would either have to reverse or the driver would have to get out and guide the Lothian Country as Lothian had the no reversing policy.

 

[NorthKent1989]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but the Pulham bus route 801 from Chipping Norton to Cheltenham does a reverse move at Moreton-In-Marsh station due to how cramped the bus stop and car park is

 

[j_walker1804]

7D/88/89/89A/89B all do a three point turn under the Forth rail bridge in North Queensferry.

 

[65477]

Although it is a heritage route the Zero 2 Bus Museum route 721 reverses on it's call at the Colne Valley Railway.

 

[padbus]

Dartline service T (Exeter High Street - Topsham Quay - Woodbury) reverses into a purpose built turning point between a former quayside warehouse and a busy pub beer garden in the car park at Topsham Quay. Despite the unattractive former warehouse (now used as an antiques centre) Topsham is a delightful place to visit. Service T to the quay only runs 3 times a day but the very much more frequent service 57 (Exeter Bus Station - Exmouth) serves the town from where the quay is with easy walking distance.

 

[Ianigsy]

West Coast Motors’ 95 (Craignure-Tobermory) does a three point turn on the journeys which serve Fishnish ferry terminal.