Longest running or permanent bus replacements?

[Howardh]

Can't remember the last time the Saturday night 00.30 (or equivalent time) train from Piccadilly northwards to Bolton/Preston was an actual train. Must have been years ago, maybe the last time one left @ 01.20?!

Anyhow, made me wonder if there are any services out there running a rail replacement bus and, frankly, there's no intention of running a rail service again? Covering permanently closed lines doesn't count!

Thanks!

 

[Thomas6187]

That bus has been running since December 2008.

 

[northwichcat]

The Stone-Stafford local service has been a bus for over 10 years with Norton Bridge station not being served by trains: http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/13,13a_2016-06-12.pdf and also http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/14,14a,14b_2016-09-05.pdf

It also depends how you define bus replacements. Some bus services were introduced in the 1960s to replace rail services on lines which closed and they still run. However, rail tickets aren't usually accepted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It also depends how you define bus replacements. Some bus services were introduced in the 1960s to replace rail services on lines which closed and they still run. However, rail tickets aren't usually accepted.

And some appear to fulfil that role but actually came much later, like the "Beeching bus" X5 Oxford-Cambridge route which is actually nothing of the sort.

 

[Howardh]

The Stone-Stafford local service has been a bus for over 10 years with Norton Bridge station not being served by trains: http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/13,13a_2016-06-12.pdf and also http://dgbus.co.uk/assets/14,14a,14b_2016-09-05.pdf

It also depends how you define bus replacements. Some bus services were introduced in the 1960s to replace rail services on lines which closed and they still run. However, rail tickets aren't usually accepted.

Yeh, I mentioned not to use buses covering lines permanently closed! I appreciate there are plenty of those around, which are probably now just local bus services rather than ex-rail (if you see what I mean!).Think "accepting a rail ticket" is the key phrase - although think "only" should be included.

 

[richw]

Yeh, I mentioned not to use buses covering lines permanently closed! I appreciate there are plenty of those around, which are probably now just local bus services rather than ex-rail (if you see what I mean!).Think "accepting a rail ticket" is the key phrase - although think "only" should be included.

Through rail tickets are still available to many of those locations, type in "bus" as a search term to GWR's app in destination gives a list of all of them.

Padstow, st Agnes, Helston and Mevagissey are examples I know of, but there are around 25 results.

 

[theageofthetra]

Through rail tickets are still available to many of those locations, type in "bus" as a search term to GWR's app in destination gives a list of all of them.

Padstow, st Agnes, Helston and Mevagissey are examples I know of, but there are around 25 results.

Out of interest can you get railcard or Priv discounts on those through tickets?

 

[tbtc]

There must have been a number of long running replacement bus services when the line was closed at places like Dawlish.

There's also the "lack of staff" / "lack of fit stock" cases. For example, Arriva Trains Northern turned the Leeds - Pontefract line into a replacement bus service for months due to the lack of drivers inherited from "Northern Spirit". This helped with the situation at Leeds Station which was being redeveloped at the time ("Leeds First") and platform space was limited (hence the temporary station at Whitehall).


Are the overnight buses from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly "permanent", out of interest?

 

[PermitToTravel]

I think it's just for a month or so. They're definitely usually trains

 

[rishtonlad]

The last train on a Saturday from Preston towards colne has been a bus for longer than a care to recall from Blackburn, any one know the reason why.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The 0250 bus from Watford Junction to Milton Keynes on a Saturday night/Sunday morning has to be a definite contender, it's been like that ever since I moved to London four years ago and it's been going strong longer than that. I doubt it'll ever return as a train given the bit from Euston to Watford at 0200 is effectively an Overground service on the DC lines...

 

[richw]

Out of interest can you get railcard or Priv discounts on those through tickets?

I've just checked, liskeard to Helston Bus £14.00 without railcard, Devon and Cornwall railcard £9.25, so you'd buy a ride Cornwall in reality for that option, unless a souvenir ticket was the wish!

I've now played with all options in Cornwall and all are more expensive from liskeard as an origin than a Ride Cornwall

 

[DarloRich]

The last train on a Saturday from Preston towards colne has been a bus for longer than a care to recall from Blackburn, any one know the reason why.

to allow for a longer engineering possession?

 

[rishtonlad]

there cant be engineering every satu8rday night into Sunday morning every week surely.

 

[AndyNLondon]

Does a planned long-term bustitution that hasn't started yet count? If so, then Govia's current proposal for Hertford North-Stevenage deserves a mention:

Regrettably, we are therefore left with very limited options. Taking everything into account we propose to curtail trains to and from Moorgate at Watton-at-Stone and operate rail replacement buses between Hertford North / Watton-at-Stone and Stevenage from May 2018 until further notice.

This will, on average affect 1,100 passengers per day however 104,000 passengers per day will benefit from improved frequencies and additional carriages.

At this time we do not know when the terminating platform at Stevenage will be delivered but will keep passengers updated.

 

[30907]

there cant be engineering every satu8rday night into Sunday morning every week surely.

Maybe not, but every time I use any of the local stations there seem to be late night and early morning weekday bustitutions advertised for all or part of the route.

 

[Bald Rick]

there cant be engineering every satu8rday night into Sunday morning every week surely.

There certainly can. It could be the time of the weekly track patrol.

 

[W230]

That bus has been running since December 2008.

I used this service back in 2001 and very handy it was too! I didn't realise it's now a bus. How can that be allowed on this sort of long term temporary (basically permanent) basis?! If it's never going to run then surely shouldn't be listed as a service.

As mentioned obviously engineering works sometimes play a part. But not every Saturday night since 2008!!

 

[AnonymousUser1]

There certainly can. It could be the time of the weekly track patrol.

this is something the railway has to deal with - it;s why the 'night tube' in London village isn't all week you have to have sometime to do it ...

or would you rather have 7 hours of no services in the day time as the ?French ? do on some of their rural lines

 

[causton]

I used this service back in 2001 and very handy it was too! I didn't realise it's now a bus. How can that be allowed on this sort of long term temporary (basically permanent) basis?! If it's never going to run then surely shouldn't be listed as a service.

As mentioned obviously engineering works sometimes play a part. But not every Saturday night since 2008!!

Would you rather:
- The bus is cancelled and nothing runs
- The routine maintenance* isn't done and the train derails
- The engineering work* happens at another time and inconveniences people at a busier time

*swap either of these 2 around

Any better ideas that won't break the bank?

 

[SprinterMan]

ATW's final Saturday night Cardiff to Holyhead train has been a bus between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead for god knows how long. The bust used to serve every request stop but now runs fast, stopping at Bangor only. I believe it is a bus because the signal box is shut.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P14381/2016/10/08/advanced

Adam

 

[W230]

Would you rather:
- The bus is cancelled and nothing runs
- The routine maintenance* isn't done and the train derails
- The engineering work* happens at another time and inconveniences people at a busier time

*swap either of these 2 around

Any better ideas that won't break the bank?

Hahaha you don't need to convince me of the reasons why - i'm well aware of those.

But personally I would rather it wasn't advertised as a train in the first place, though it probably says bus replacement on the site. If it never runs (which seems to be the case) then I can't see how it is a rail replacement. It's a night bus!