Longest trip without repeating operator

[Teapot42]

Seeing a post about the 'useless bus trip' on Facebook has led me to wonder what other novelty journeys are possible. One I've come up with - what's the furthest you can get by bus before you have no option but to use an operator for the second time?

No specific starting point, and to make it more challenging I'd count groups (and TfL / Bee Network etc) as one operator.

For example, starting in Chesterfield I could get a Stagecoach X66 to Buxton, a High Peak 199 to Manchester Airport, the D&G 130 to Macclesfield, then Aimees 108 to Leek. From Leek I can get to Hanley with First, where you can add Scraggs and Stantons of Stoke but then nothing further without a repeat.

That's a decent run, but I'm sure further is possible - over to you!

 

[stevieinselby]

[deleted, asked a stupid question]

 

[Redmike]

Arriva's X64 could get you from Hanley to Shrewsbury and then you could head to Wales or down to Ludlow.

 

[Simon75]

Seeing a post about the 'useless bus trip' on Facebook has led me to wonder what other novelty journeys are possible. One I've come up with - what's the furthest you can get by bus before you have no option but to use an operator for the second time?

No specific starting point, and to make it more challenging I'd count groups (and TfL / Bee Network etc) as one operator.

For example, starting in Chesterfield I could get a Stagecoach X66 to Buxton, a High Peak 199 to Manchester Airport, the D&G 130 to Macclesfield, then Aimees 108 to Leek. From Leek I can get to Hanley with First, where you can add Scraggs and Stantons of Stoke but then nothing further without a repeat.

That's a decent run, but I'm sure further is possible - over to you!

From Hanley to Shrewsbury 64 (Arriva Midlands)
Shrewsbury to Ludlow 435 (Minsterley)
Ludlow to Leominster 490 (Sargeants Brothers )

 

[duncombec]

TfL 358 Crystal Palace - Orpington > Go-Coach 3 Orpington - Sevenoaks > Arriva 402 Sevenoaks - Tunbridge Wells > B&H 29 Tunbridge Wells - Brighton > Stagecoach 700 Brighton - Worthing (and onto Durrington).

After that, it depends if you count the 700 as a through service ending up in Portsmouth despite being divided into three, or only the relevant section. If only the relevant section, Compass Bus 69 (on Tuesdays and Fridays) Worthing - Alfold is probably the longest. If the 700 is one route, then add X4/X5 to Southampton.

As an alternative at the "northern" end, Chalkwell 326 Sittingbourne - Rainham> Nu-Venture 130 Rainham - Maidstone, Arriva 7 Maidstone - Tunbridge Wells.

 

[JD2168]

Sheffield then either X2 or X3 to Doncaster on First then Hornsbys 399 to Scunthorpe then Stagecoach 350 to Hull

Doncaster then First X3 to Sheffield then Stagecoach X17 to Matlock then High Peak TransPeak to Derby or Buxton.

 

[stevieinselby]

From the northern outskirts of Aberdeen, to Holmfirth in West Yorkshire - a straight-line distance of 250 miles
E1 (Ember): Bridge of Don to Edinburgh
X95 (Borders): Edinburgh to Carlisle
685 (Stagecoach): Carlisle to Newcastle
X10 (Go-Ahead): Newcastle to Middlesbrough
X93 (Arriva): Middlesbrough to Scarborough
843 (Transdev): Scarborough to Leeds
508 (First): Leeds to Halifax
HX3 (South Pennine): Halifax to Holmfirth

All running generally at least every hour ... except the very last leg, which runs 3 journeys on a Saturday only.

 

[nathanclass323]

For example, starting in Chesterfield I could get a Stagecoach X66 to Buxton, a High Peak 199 to Manchester Airport, the D&G 130 to Macclesfield, then Aimees 108 to Leek. From Leek I can get to Hanley with First, where you can add Scraggs and Stantons of Stoke but then nothing further without a repeat.

Does this not break the rules as D&G and High Peak are both Centrebus Group?

If smaller groups are allowed (Centrebus, Wellglade etc.), then you could certainly start from Leicester and use the Skylink (Kinchbus) to Derby then the Comet (trentbarton) to Chesterfield. Even an Arriva service from somewhere further afield into Leicester, but I’m unfortunately not too familiar with Leicester.

 

[Deerfold]

First Leeds X84 to Ilkley. Transdev 64 to Skipton, Lonsdale 580/581/81 (one through trip) to Lancaster, Stagecoach 555 to Keswick.

If Wright's 888 comes back this Summer you could continue to Newcastle then on Arriva's X15 to Berwick, and Borders Buses 60 to Galashiels.

 

[stevieinselby]

From the northern outskirts of Aberdeen, to Holmfirth in West Yorkshire - a straight-line distance of 250 miles
E1 (Ember): Bridge of Don to Edinburgh
X95 (Borders): Edinburgh to Carlisle
685 (Stagecoach): Carlisle to Newcastle
X10 (Go-Ahead): Newcastle to Middlesbrough
X93 (Arriva): Middlesbrough to Scarborough
843 (Transdev): Scarborough to Leeds
508 (First): Leeds to Halifax
HX3 (South Pennine): Halifax to Holmfirth

All running generally at least every hour ... except the very last leg, which runs 3 journeys on a Saturday only.

Uig (Isle of Skye) to Stocksbridge (near Sheffield) - a straight line distance of 340 miles
915 (Citylink) - Uig to Glasgow
X1 (JMB) - Glasgow to Hamilton
266 (First) - Hamilton to Shotts
23 (Stuarts) - Shotts to Whitburn
X18 (Lothian) - Whitburn to Edinburgh
X95 (Borders) - Edinburgh to Carlisle
685 (Stagecoach) - Carlisle to Newcastle
X10 (Go-Ahead) - Newcastle to Middlesbrough
X93 (Arriva) - Middlesbrough to Scarborough
843 (Transdev) - Scarborough to Leeds
116 (Station Coaches) - Leeds to Wakefield
96 (Globe) - Wakefield to Barnsley
34 (South Pennine) - Barnsley to Stocksbridge

 

[Teapot42]

Does this not break the rules as D&G and High Peak are both Centrebus Group?

Ah, drat, I'd not spotted that. Even though High Peak are only half owned by Centerbus I think you are right, I'll have to disqualify myself...

Back to the drawing board! Maybe Bee network then head north via the Witch way...

 

[Statto]

T4 Cardiff - Newtown, Stagecoach
T12 Newtown - Wrexham, Lloyds, Coaches/Tanant Valley Coaches
1 Wrexham - Chester, Arriva
82 Chester - Northwich, D&G
9/9A Northwich - Warrington, Warringtons Own
329 Warrington - St Helens, Link Network
152 St Helens - Southport Huyton Travel
347 Southport - Chorley, Vision Bus
2/2A Chorley - Blackburn, The Blackburn Bus Company

Although the T4 & T12 are part of TrawsCymru network, they operated are separate companies, i'm assuming this is allowed, if not

436 Bridgnorth - Shrewsbury, Select Bus Services
X75 Shrewsbury - Newtown, Celtic Travel,

 

[Omnidekkalover]

You could theoretically go (breaks would have to be factored in)
Llandudno-Bangor (5) (Arriva)
Bangor-aberystwyth (T2) (Lloyds)
Aberystwyth-Llandrindod (X47) (Celtic Travel)
Llandrindod-Cardiff (T4) (Stagecoach)
Cardiff-Newport (30) (Cardiff bus journey for reasons)
Newport-Monmouth (60) (Newport bus)
Monmouth-Ross-on-Wye (34) (Nick Maddy Coaches)
Ross-on-Wye-Ledbury (232) (DRM Bus)
Finally
Ledbury-Worcester (417) First

 

[JKP]

Newtown St Boswells to Edinburgh by Borders Buses 51
Edinburgh to Inverness by Scottish Citylink
Inverness to Durness by the Durness Bus

The above is possible in a day.

 

[TheSel]

T4 Cardiff - Newtown, Stagecoach
T12 Newtown - Wrexham, Lloyds, Coaches/Tanant Valley Coaches
1 Wrexham - Chester, Arriva
82 Chester - Northwich, D&G
9/9A Northwich - Warrington, Warringtons Own
329 Warrington - St Helens, Link Network
152 St Helens - Southport Huyton Travel
347 Southport - Chorley, Vision Bus
2/2A Chorley - Blackburn, The Blackburn Bus Company

To 'bookend' this, could you start with Aberystwyth to Cardiff on the T1C operated by Mid Wales travel, and conclude with the 33 Blackburn - Darwen operated by 'Moving People' ?

Not in one day, obvs!

 

[joieman]

Even an Arriva service from somewhere further afield into Leicester, but I’m unfortunately not too familiar with Leicester.

The extremities of Arriva's Leicestershire network are Shepshed (16/127), Swadlincote (29/29A/29B/29S/X29), Coventry (X6), Rugby (X84), Market Harborough (X3) and Melton Mowbray (5/5A/X5).

 

[markymark2000]

To 'bookend' this, could you start with Aberystwyth to Cardiff on the T1C operated by Mid Wales travel, and conclude with the 33 Blackburn - Darwen operated by 'Moving People' ?

Not in one day, obvs!

If you really wanted to extend on this. Start from Holyhead.
Holyhead - Amlwch 61 Lewis-Y-Llan
Almwch - Llangefni 31 Eifions
Llangefni - Bangor 42/42A OR Jones
Bangor - Aberystwyth T2 Lloyds (this work as the T12 from Newtown to Wrexham is almost exclusively ran by Tanat).

 

[Djb1]

To 'bookend' this, could you start with Aberystwyth to Cardiff on the T1C operated by Mid Wales travel, and conclude with the 33 Blackburn - Darwen operated by 'Moving People' ?

Not in one day, obvs!

This one could actually be extended further by not going direct to Blackburn.

114 Chorley to Preston (tyrers)

Hotline 152 Preston to Burnley (Blackburn bus co)

591 Burnley to Halifax. (First)

This may then open up some more extensions but my local knowledge ends.

(Or Preston - clitheroe followed by clitheroe - settle, settle - Skipton Skipton - Harrogate….)

 

[scosutsut]

I think this is a case of following the letter but not spirit of the rules...

Ullapool - Inverness (D+E coaches 61)
Inverness - Aberdeen (Megabus M96)
Aberdeen - Edinburgh (Ember E1)
Edinburgh - London (Flixbus UKXN10)
London - Penzance (NatEx 404/6)

I haven't explored the possibility to extending it at either end

 

[Teapot42]

I think this is a case of following the letter but not spirit of the rules...

Going to have to show the red card on this one I'm afraid - from the original post:

what's the furthest you can get by bus

If you included coaches then Flixbus operate to Amsterdam and probably further on to the continent direct from the UK!
(Actually just realised I didn't specify within the UK... The odd extreme option from overseas for the novelty would be interesting, but it's meant to be UK)

 

[scosutsut]

Going to have to show the red card on this one I'm afraid

Straight red, devastated! (Also fair!)