Buses taking the wrong route

[MotCO]

Bus drivers are only human, and there must be many occasions when they have inadvertently taken the wrong route. What examples can you recall?

I can think of two.

1. Route 77A in London used to be Kings Cross to Raynes Park, but a couple of buses used to be extended in the morning and afternoon peak to Worcester Park Station via New Malden. At New Malden, the route required a left turn, but on one occasion, the bus went straight on and was halfway to Kingston before the driver realised his mistake and consulted a bus driver coming the other way to find out why he was lost. He must have been 1.5 miles off route.
2. In a second example, the driver observed a Diversion road sign in Kingston Road, Norbiton, and dutifully turned left. Unbeknown to him, this diversion was only for traffic intending to turn left at the next set of traffic lights, and our bus was going straight on. The driver then had to execute a three-point turn to return to the correct route.

What other examples can you think of?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Many times this has happened in Grimsby.
10 to Waltham, once went down Freeman Street, and driver messed up and turned right to try and get back on route, went up Railway Street, and then Orwell Street, and ended up back near Albion Street.
7s, often miss the Curzon Avenue section and have to loop round to pick up.
2 to Riby Square, was headed back to Europarc, with the bus returning down Victoria Street to both destinations, we had to go via Corporation Bridge and Alexandra Road to get back.
Also been on a 4 that thought it was a 3 and turned wrong way onto Freeman Street, but before people complained, other passengers had got on assuming it was a 3 for some reason.

 

[Dai Corner]

Newport Transport have several routes with variations going either clockwise or anti-clockwise round the estates. Although I've never been in one at the time, Im sure drivers must occasionally go the wrong way round. At least passengers will get where they wanted to go, albeit on the wrong side of the road.

 

[Gloster]

Ten or more years ago I was heading from Ryde Bus Station to the large Tesco south of the town and caught a Bembridge bus, which in those days used to serve the Tesco before turning off the main Brading Road a bit further on. We went out of the bus station, east along the Esplanade to the Dover Street roundabout, back along the Esplanade and then left into George Street: so far, so good. However, half way up George Street the driver turned right into Cross Street, the route used by the Newport, East Cowes and town services. He realised almost as soon as he had turned (so I presume from his brief - and mild - expletive), but it was too late to back and fill so he had to continue. We went along Cross Street, right into Union Street and down to the roundabout at the bottom, eastwards along the Esplanade past the bus station (the only time I have done that bit of road in a bus), round the Dover Steet roundabout again, back along the Esplanade again and the left again into George Street. This time we did go straight across the junction with Cross Street.

I have also had a Newport-Ryde via the main road bus taking the East Cowes road at the roundabout and a Ryde-Newport bus, also via the main road, heading off down the alternative back route at the top of Wootton. In both cases the drivers had to do a lot of backing and filling. On another occasion a new Newport driver filling in on a Ryde duty on the Ryde-East Cowes route missed the turning for Hefford Road and took us along the Old Road; this was when the service went round the estate. The top of the vehicle got quite a belting from the trees.

 

[PeterC]

In London, in the late 80s, a driver on a westbound 11 turned right into London Wall when I was on board.

Locally drivers on my village's route will skip deviations on lightly loaded outbound journeys if not required by passengers from the town centre. I have been the only passenger on the first outbound trip after the school run and had the regular driver take me straight home skipping a small housing estate and another village.

 

[96tommy]

When the bridge was closed in Tadcaster, to get to the other side we had to get a special bus service which went from the Town Centre, along the A64 to Bilbrough Top then back on it self coming off at the Ford garage to the bus station (the same route the Coastliner takes when travelling towards Leeds). One day when travelling form the Town Centre to the Bus Station (a 30 second journey which was now over 15 minutes), the driver missed the exit to the east side of the town and the bus station and we ended up where we began, fortunately he didn't miss it at the second attempt!

 

[High Dyke]

Did that a few times over the years; usually on town service routes. One particular estate had clockwise and anti-clockwise alternating services. Many a time I got so far along the route one way before someone pointed out I should've been going the other way round. Equally one destination had three different routes from the town centre. You could spend all morning doing one particular route of that service, but then change the route after your break - a simple misread of the running card meant you were going wrong. A couple of times an unscheduled diversion took place to get back to the correct route.

 

[Tom Gallacher]

In 1974 I was in the Royal Navy, based at Rosyth. As I was from Glasgow I would go home every weekend and normally travel back by train via Edinburgh on the Monday morning. The early morning start on the Monday was a killer (up at 5am) so one November weekend I decided that I would travel back on the Sunday evening. As I had plenty of time I thought that I'd get the express bus service from Glasgow to Dunfermline where I could catch the bus to the dockyard. The bus left Glasgow at 7pm with a journey time of about just over an hour.

The bus was a single decker but crewed with both driver and conductress. As a bit of a bus enthusiast I sat in the first row of seats so I could watch the driver doing his job (I was only a nipper at the time). The route was to take us through Cumbernauld, Kincardine Bridge and then Dunfermline. About half an hour into the journey a shout comes out from one of the passengers "Hey driver, are you no gaun tae Cumbernauld". The driver stopped the bus and asked the passengers "is anyone getting aff at Cumbernauld?" Nobody answered so he started up again and we continued on our way. It turned out that he had missed the turn-off for Cumbernauld and had taken the next road which was the A73 heading for Airdrie. Unfazed he continued along this road until we got to what I now know was the A89 and headed towards Bathgate. We passed through a couple of villages and suddenly he stops to pick up a passenger. The oncoming passenger asks the driver if he's going to some place I'd never heard of and the driver asks "do you know how to get there?". Aye, was the reply so the says "jump on".

After dropping him off we headed off on our merry way again only to find ourselves on what seemed to be a farm track. The road was too narrow to turn around so he had to get the conductress to guide him out in reverse. Eventually, more through luck than skill, we came across a road sign showing Kincardine Bridge and followed that. The rest of the trip was uneventful but we didn't get into Dunfermline bus station until around 11.30pm which meant that I had missed to last bus to Rosyth. When the bus arrived the driver was met by a furious inspector and some choice words were exchanged. After they had finished I asked the Inspector if the bus company would pay for my taxi to the dockyard as the last bus had departed. His reply consisted of two words with the last one ending in "off".

I never travelled that way again.

 

[Geordie driver]

In 20 years I went the wrong way many times, often when I was day dreaming of going home, I would set off in the direction of home. I would also " accidently" go off route if I needed the toilet, passengers or not, if you need to go, you need to go.

Occasionally they would send you on a route you didn't know, if I was spare ( spares are long gone now as far as I am aware) and feeling generous ( I.E. depending on if the supervisor was in my good books or not) I would agree to this, just make sure you don't hit a bridge or get stuck somewhere too narrow. If I went off route it was nowt to do with me.

To be fair, normally some old geezers on the bus would help and you could have a laugh together.

As a passenger I have helped several new drivers over the years on routes , as companies have cut back on the amount of route learning they get.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I once had to direct a Stagecoach driver around Manchester Airport after he got stuck trying to do a 3 point turn in the bus station having tried to go in the wrong way! Not sure how long he lasted in the job...

 

[40129]

Many years ago, was riding the S9 (Shrewsbury - Harlescott - Sundorne - Shrewsbury) when the driver somehow missed the left turn into Mount Pleasant Road and had to detour up Heathgates, right around the circle at the top, back down Heathgates and then right into Mount Pleasant Road. She claimed she thought she was working the M10 (the counter clockwise alternate to the S9) even though the journeys were 30 minutes apart and drivers worked the same route for their entire shift.

More recently, I was on a 4/44* in Telford when the driver turned left into Haybridge Road towards Hadley as thought they were working the 5/55*. They only realized their error when a female passenger asked him which one of them had made a "big mistake". Thankfully, he resisted the temptation to turn right Haybridge Roundabout and take a short cut along the A5223 to Ketley Brook as this would have resulted in 3 stops being missed out just after the evening schedule (30 min vice 10 min headway) kicked in. (* at some point the 44 and 55 were renumbered 4 and 5 but I can't remember whether this preceded the aforementioned incident)

More seriously, I once rode a rail replacement bus in West London when the driver took the wrong road entirely and came uncomfortably close to hitting a low bridge. Thankfully, he realized in time and was able to execute a three point turn. However, he still ended up at Ealing Broadway instead of Greenford. Cue a major argument between GWR barrier staff and passengers re the validity , or otherwise of subway tickets on the direct train to Greenford

 

[Bletchleyite]

More seriously, I once rode a rail replacement bus in West London when the driver took the wrong road entirely and came uncomfortably close to hitting a low bridge. Thankfully, he realized in time and was able to execute a three point turn. However, he still ended up at Ealing Broadway instead of Greenford. Cue a major argument between GWR barrier staff and passengers re the validity , or otherwise of subway tickets on the direct train to Greenford

I've had to direct rail replacement more times than I can count. Made easier now by the use of satnav, though.

 

[WM Bus]

Bus drivers are only human, and there must be many occasions when they have inadvertently taken the wrong route. What examples can you recall?

I saw one recently, 877 school service (which goes up the 72 route normally) went the same way as the normal X2 service. Old Lode Lane instead of Hobs Moat Road. Though it seemed to clear all the stops on there and help the X2 out.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Prior to dereg, the main Middlesbrough - Scarborough moors route (257/258) operated by United's Scarborough and Middlesbrough depots. It operated via Lingdale on the edge of the moors.

At dereg, it became the 93 and was routed directly via the A171 between Charltons and Scaling Dam, and was the sole responsibility of Whitby depot. However, in 1987, they did the seasonal uplift with Middlesbrough doing a couple of extra round trips. I duly got one of these (on a very shabby ex Northern Leopard) and the Middlesbrough driver duly followed the old route via Lingdale, adding on a few miles and about 20 mins to the journey!


Sadly, the most notable instances are those (with injuries or deaths) when vehicles are on the wrong route and a decker and low bridge meet.

 

[Trackman]

Well. I stopped one the other day as the driver didn't know where to turn as there were two sort similar junctions with traffic lights.
It's next left? he said - I said no, the next one!
Apparently he was new to the job and made him learn something daft like 8 new bus routes in a week.
This route was a more complicated long distance one and he said his head was spinning.

 

[peterblue]

I've seen it on rail replacements more than buses. Only time I can recall a bus driver going off-route was during the first day of a new route (one taken over from another op)

 

[MotCO]

I've seen it on rail replacements more than buses. Only time I can recall a bus driver going off-route was during the first day of a new route (one taken over from another op)

This reminds me of when Metrobus of Orpington took over route 61 as one of the earlier TfL tendering tranches. Rumour has it that passengers had to help direct the drivers on the first day!

 

[SteveHFC]

Not so much going the wrong route, but more not knowing what the possible diversionary routes were. Stagecoach 99 from Luton to Milton Keynes, which normally runs on the M1 between J11 and J13. Motorway was closed between J11 and J12 and driver had no idea where to go. Myself and another passenger discussed what we thought was the best option and then directed him to J12 via Houghton Regis and Toddington.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I’d imagine all of the buses that hit railway bridges have taken the wrong route (unless an over height bus was mistakenly provided)

 

[357317]

A few years back, on a Chingford-Hackney Downs London Overground rail replacement service, had a driver go straight ahead along Shernhall Street instead of taking a left onto Prospect Hill (heading towards WC from Wood Street). Initially thought nothing of it, and presumed the driver was just going to go via Bell Corner. Alas, we sped straight past it and were heading for Tottenham Hale. As we passed Blackhorse Road Station, it was evident that he was lost. Pointed it out to him, and we did a U turn (luckily Forest Road was quite a wide road, pre cycle lanes) and I guided him back to Walthamstow Central via Hoe Street. Quite the eventful night, only added about 5 or so minutes to the journey itself so not the end of the world.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

1. Not a wrong turn away from the route, but rather a case of the driver not knowing about a diversion to avoid a closed road - Stagecoach route 2 in Guildford, we turned down Woodbridge Hill, driving past clear "road closed" signs and then spent the next however long trying to do a U-turn on a not-very-wide road, blocked in by barricades on one side!
2. MD Coaches route 671 in Okehampton - totally clueless driver (who I won't further criticise because he was actually really helpful and friendly), but claimed the bus didn't go where I asked for a ticket to, to which the passengers already onboard who clearly knew the route better had to shout out to correct him. En route, missed turns and evidently little knowledge of the route, with (what appeared to be) the regular passengers having to give him directions!

 

[Deerfold]

In the 90s, on the now long-gone 562 Halifax to Oldham service, First Manchester took over half the Sunday journeys from First Calderdale (eventually it came to be largely run by them). First Manchester didn't seem to have heard of route training and regularly sent out drivers with just a list of roads they should go along. Often they'd approach King Cross and instead of a left turn to serve the centre (and the stop I usually got off at on a Sunday morning), they went flying straight along the bypass, missing out 2 stops.

Even worse, between trips on the 562, the same bus and driver did a short run Halifax - Commons on the old 561. Several drivers got lost trying to find this hamlet. I once directed a driver who, when I was getting off the bus at Ripponden, asked if I knew where he was supposed to go. I offered to accompany him to the terminus and back.

As the roads got narrower, he asked me 4 times if I was sure that was the route, until we got to the terminus and I explained to the incredulous driver that this was where he did a 3-point turn.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Nov 2021 ==

I’d imagine all of the buses that hit railway bridges have taken the wrong route (unless an over height bus was mistakenly provided)

Most (but not all) buses that hit bridges are not on routes and are taking short cuts back to the depot or are on an emergency diversion.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

At the end of a running day centred on Warminster I ended up navigating the driver through Trowbridge on a feeder service returning to Chippenham.

 

[miklcct]

Citybus A21 to Tsim Sha Tsui accidentally left the motorway one exit early (there are 2 exits in short distance), and from that exit it was not possible to get back to the correct exit as the entry back would have gone past the correct exit!

 

[Dave W]

141 diverted on an obscenely convoluted route to avoid roadworks near Moorfields Eye Hospital. Three passengers had to help the driver reverse out of a residential cul de sac. I’m surprised it didn’t make twitter, especially since it was at an obscene hour and a fair number of passengers were “with drink” (no comment for myself!) - I found it greatly amusing naturally...

 

[739678]

Reading Tom Gallacher above, it is is interesting to see that some things never change...
On Halloween this year I boarded the X24 bus at Glasgow at 11.20, heading for St Andrews. Having reached the motorway, the driver proceeded along the M8 instead of the M80, which lead to a phone call to the depot next to a services near Whitburn. Reached Dunfermline via the Forth Bridge after the driver asked if anyone was going to Cumbernauld, etc.
On Twitter, Stagecoach said the bus had been diverted...

 

[462cd]

When the 86 out of Liverpool goes straight ahead at Allerton Maze, if the driver sees the lights go red just before reaching the junction then they can turn left, then immediately do a 180 at the roundabout and rejoin on a green light. When I used to use that bus there were a few occasions when a passenger would get up and start an angry rant about how the driver was an idiot who didn't know the route, and then have to quietly re-take their seat.

View attachment 105809

 

[Statto]

I was on an 84-Crewe-Chester when the driver got lost at Tarporley, these were before the days of GPS tracking, google maps & all that, fortunately i had a Cheshire Atlas on me, so was able to direct the driver to Tarvin

​

 

[duncombec]

It's interesting seeing some of the reasons behind the "unscheduled diversions".

The regular service here loops around the housing estate, goes straight over the roundabout, along the ridge, left down the second hill, then right at the bottom along the valley into town. At this time, it was every 12-15 minutes.
My school bus, by contrast, looped around the housing estate, turned left at the roundabout down the first hill, then left at the bottom along the valley in the other direction towards the secondary schools. This was a morning only service, so operated a single journey.

Whilst some school buses (strictly speaking, public buses primarily designed for the transport of school children and operating on school days only) was on the general rota, meaning it was a pretty rare thing that drivers would be called to drive this single journey route, that was similar yet different to what they usually did in this area. This being in the days when the running boards were a sheet of A5 with just start and finish points of each journey included, not the A4 sheets with interim points, hints, tips and instructions that the company uses now.

Whilst not a frequent occurrence, it happened maybe once a year that a driver went on autopilot and crossed the roundabout, leading to a double-decker bus full of schoolkids* telling (almost invariably) him he'd gone wrong. Fortunately, there was a cul-de-sac a short way past the roundabout in which the driver could execute a 3-point turn. There were regular passengers from the three stops that would have been missed had the long way around been taken, so that was the only option.

* All of the schools here are in the same direction, along the same stretch of road, needing the same school bus. So it wasn't even a homogenous school load, but covered seven separate schools (three single-sex grammars, two mixed comprehensives, and two single-sex comprehensives) with the "friendly rivalry" and variety of start/finish times that went with it. If the bus was delayed for any reason, it inevitably ended up joining the queue of pupils being driven by car, meaning a "simple" error of 2-3 minutes could easily become one of 10-15.

 

[Bishopstone]

Only happened to me once, as a passenger, where the driver of a TfL route 366, leaving Ilford, must have daydreamed he was doing a 145, and missed the turn into the Loxford estate. He quickly realised his error and picked-up the line of route via some tightly parked estate roads.