Most circuitous bus route

[geoffk]

In this neck of the woods, the First 18 takes around two hours to get from central Sheffield to Hillsborough (around two miles away) - https://bustimes.org/services/18-sheffield-meadowhall#map - Sheffield has had various versions of an "outer circle" but generally without a western side to the circle, meaning the service ended up becoming more like a spiral (same with the old 2/59) due to the city's geography.

When I was a student in the 60s it was the 2 and 3 and it WAS a full circle. I sometimes spent a Sunday afternoon riding all the way round (nearly 2 hours).

There seem to be more and more of these indirect routes and many are the result of local authorities combining separate routes to save money on retendering. As a result they are unattractive for end-to-end journeys but often with no direct alternative. The various incarnations of the Todmorden - Bacup - Rawtenstall service have included detours round housing estates, making for a tedious end to end journey. A colleague of mine used to refer to these as Heineken routes - they reach the parts other routes cannot reach!

 

[CBlue]

Myalls of Bassingbourn service C2 runs through a large number of villages, and seems to double back several times before arriving at St Neots. Takes 90 minutes end to end

C2 - Hatley - St Neots

C G Myall & Son

bustimes.org

 

[geoffk]

Myalls of Bassingbourn service C2 runs through a large number of villages, and seems to double back several times before arriving at St Neots. Takes 90 minutes end to end

C2 - Hatley - St Neots

C G Myall & Son

bustimes.org

I don't know this area at all but guess that the users of this once a week bus all know each other and the driver, are not in a hurry and use the long journey to have a natter. It's a social event as well as a shopping trip. There must be many other "market day" services to which this applies.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I've just discovered this madly circuitous bus route(?) in Suffolk. Strangely, it only appears on Bus Checker as "St Edmu" (rather than a number), and I can't seem to find it on bustimes.org, which suggests to me that it's probably some sort of demand-responsive thing?

But either way, the route map is shown below:

 

[kez19]

I’ll add another Strathtay 57 route between Dundee and Perth via Blairgowrie this is another route that’s about 2 hours, the only thing I will add I didn’t know it went as far as the Aviva call centre (I thought it terminated at Perth Bus station)

https://bustimes.org/services/57-dundee-perth-3#map

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've just discovered this madly circuitous bus route(?) in Suffolk. Strangely, it only appears on Bus Checker as "St Edmu" (rather than a number), and I can't seem to find it on bustimes.org, which suggests to me that it's probably some sort of demand-responsive thing?

Yeah, I believe it's this:

About

communities.suffolkonboard.com

Connecting Communities is a transport service provided by Suffolk County Council designed to help people travel around the county of Suffolk who might not have access to a regular bus service.

A demand responsive service which I guess bustimes.org has misinterpreted to produce that mess.

 

[vlad]

The First PMT 11 runs pretty much a V-shaped route Newcastle - Longton - Newcastle (map here) - it takes an hour to do something that a direct bus (the 101) is timetabled to do in 15 minutes.

 

[Deerfold]

Yeah, I believe it's this:

About

communities.suffolkonboard.com

A demand responsive service which I guess bustimes.org has misinterpreted to produce that mess.

It's not on bustimes.

 

[jfisher21]

London Buses 358 from Orpington to Crystal Palace is pretty indirect, going via Green Street Green and Farnborough to get to Bromley, then via Eden Park and Elmers End to get to Beckenham. 227 from Bromley - Crystal Palace goes down a straight road really!

 

[PeterC]

I've just discovered this madly circuitous bus route(?) in Suffolk. Strangely, it only appears on Bus Checker as "St Edmu" (rather than a number), and I can't seem to find it on bustimes.org, which suggests to me that it's probably some sort of demand-responsive thing?

But either way, the route map is shown below:

View attachment 87034

Even normal routes get maps like that when there are a number of variations on different days.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's not on bustimes.

Sorry, Bus Checker. I misread the original post.

Either way, it's a DRT service, so the map presumably shows the roads over which it is registered to operate but it won't, in any given journey, do all of them.

 

[Springs Branch]

Several "big city" circular services have already been noted, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Manchester's long-standing 53.
In its current Go NorthWest manifestation, the 53 is even more indirect than the historic MCT/Selnec/GMT route.

A traveller wanting to get from Tesco at Cheetham Hill to Salford Shopping Centre at Pendleton has the option of:
- a 52 - fairly direct via Higher Broughton, taking just over 20 minutes.
- or a 53 - via Blackley, Gorton, Sportcity, Longsight, Rusholme, Old Trafford and Salford Quays, taking 1½ to 1¾ hr.

 

[harz99]

Back in the day the outer London service 115 in the 50s/60s/early 70s between Croydon Airport and Wallington via Mitcham, Streatham and Thornton Heath pond must have been one of the most circuitous routes in the LT area. Up to an hour end to end in a horseshoe loop versus approximately 10 minutes direct via Stafford Road.

 

[Statto]

61 Bootle-Aigburth can be considered circuitous to, takes 70 minutes, the 60 takes 50 minutes.

https://merseytravel.adidocdn.dev/timetables/Bus/61-LIV11Oct20.pdf

The old 61A Bootle-Aigburth was even more circuitous taking an extra 10 minutes than the 61 as it went via Netherton, & Aintree

I was going to say 49 Solihull-Northfields the section from Longbridge to Northfields via Frankley which took about 35 minutes, the direct 63 takes about 15 minutes, now has been cut to Great Park-Solihull

 

[Bletchleyite]

Several "big city" circular services have already been noted, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Manchester's long-standing 53.
In its current Go NorthWest manifestation, the 53 is even more indirect than the historic MCT/Selnec/GMT route.

A traveller wanting to get from Tesco at Cheetham Hill to Salford Shopping Centre at Pendleton has the option of:
- a 52 - fairly direct via Higher Broughton, taking just over 20 minutes.
- or a 53 - via Blackley, Gorton, Sportcity, Longsight, Rusholme, Old Trafford and Salford Quays, taking 1½ to 1¾ hr.

To be fair, the 53 isn't intended for that journey, it's a bit like suggesting to take the Birmingham outer circle route (I forget its number) half way round rather than going across the city centre which will invariably be quicker and more frequent. A railway comparison is that Northern service (if it still exists) from Liverpool to Crewe via Manchester - it simply is not intended (even though it would be valid on a through Any Permitted fare) to be used for that journey, it is a link-up of two services done that way for operational convenience and to enable intermediate journeys. Using such a service for a through journey is something that would only be done by an enthusiast or someone who got confused.

 

[Statto]

Back in the day the outer London service 115 in the 50s/60s/early 70s between Croydon Airport and Wallington via Mitcham, Streatham and Thornton Heath pond must have been one of the most circuitous routes in the LT area. Up to an hour end to end in a horseshoe loop versus approximately 10 minutes direct via Stafford Road.

Speaking of London the 61 Bromley North-Chislehurst is 12 miles end to end even though each terminus is 3 miles away, 61 takes around 55 minutes whilst the direct 162 takes 20 minutes

 

[Whistler40145]

I've just discovered this madly circuitous bus route(?) in Suffolk. Strangely, it only appears on Bus Checker as "St Edmu" (rather than a number), and I can't seem to find it on bustimes.org, which suggests to me that it's probably some sort of demand-responsive thing?

But either way, the route map is shown below:

View attachment 87034

How long does the whole route take?

 

[Glenn1969]

Halifax to Huddersfield has 5 variations

503 (direct in 30mins)
536 (eves and Suns via Stainland but not Elland in about 40mins)
537 (via Elland, Stainland and Outlane in about 50mons)
343 (via West Vale, Greetland, West Vale, Elland, Blackley, Weatherhill, Lindley and HRI in about an hour)
549 (via Hipperholme, Brighouse, Rastrick, Cowcliffe and Birkby in about 1hr 15)

Woe betide anyone who gets on the wrong one!

 

[Statto]

To be fair, the 53 isn't intended for that journey, it's a bit like suggesting to take the Birmingham outer circle route (I forget its number) half way round rather than going across the city centre which will invariably be quicker and more frequent. A railway comparison is that Northern service (if it still exists) from Liverpool to Crewe via Manchester - it simply is not intended (even though it would be valid on a through Any Permitted fare) to be used for that journey, it is a link-up of two services done that way for operational convenience and to enable intermediate journeys. Using such a service for a through journey is something that would only be done by an enthusiast or someone who got confused.

11A/11C, depending on time of day, they can take anything from 2 to 3 hours to do a full circuit, i've done a full circuit on the Outer Circle.

 

[Bletchleyite]

11A/11C, depending on time of day, they can take anything from 2 to 3 hours to do a full circuit, i've done a full circuit on the Outer Circle.

There was a similar "part circle" of Manchester, route 400 I think, which was steadily eroded and died off quite recently. When I was familiar with it it did Bolton to Stockport. The only sensible way to do that actual journey, other than just riding the whole thing because you're an enthusiast and want to, would be by train. However, it was useful for a whole host of intermediate journeys not served by the railway (and now served by separate bus routes, mostly).

There was also London Stationlink, which I did all the way round (Vic-Vic) once just because I could. But the purpose of that was moving wheelchair users between railway stations in the days when basically no other London public transport other than the dial-a-ride service was accessible (the buses in use had something like 4 or 6 wheelchair bays and almost no seats) - it was never intended for anyone else to use it, really. It is probably a lot more use, on the background of a 100% accessible bus network, in its newer form on the north side (the 205), though there is now no south side equivalent (there was a 705 for a bit but it died off).

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

How long does the whole route take?

Bus Checker has it down for a mere 16 minutes.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Several "big city" circular services have already been noted, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Manchester's long-standing 53.
In its current Go NorthWest manifestation, the 53 is even more indirect than the historic MCT/Selnec/GMT route.

A traveller wanting to get from Tesco at Cheetham Hill to Salford Shopping Centre at Pendleton has the option of:
- a 52 - fairly direct via Higher Broughton, taking just over 20 minutes.
- or a 53 - via Blackley, Gorton, Sportcity, Longsight, Rusholme, Old Trafford and Salford Quays, taking 1½ to 1¾ hr.

This reminded me of another example where routes have obviously been combined in the past to produce circuitous routes.

If you arrive at Ryde on the Isle of Wight, and wish to get to Newport, you'll find four different buses which connect the towns. One of these, route 9, is fast and direct. It takes a little over half an hour and runs every 10 minutes, with two route variations serving different roads out of Newport.

The other three are much more winding. Route 2 heads south, running parallel to the railway and down through Sandown and Shanklin, before then cutting across to Newport - this takes just under an hour and a half. Route 8 starts off going away from Newport - east to Bembridge - before going back to Newport via Sandown and some very pretty rural parts of the island. But most extreme of all is route 3, which heads all the way to Ventnor on the southern tip of the island, then heads back up to Newport - this takes nearly two hours end to end!

That said, there's certainly an argument for using a service like the 3 over the 9. If you're a leisure traveller with plenty of time, the beautiful scenery especially around Ventnor is well worth seeing, and the fares on all routes are actually very similar (a single on the 9 is £3.50, versus £4.50 for the other routes).

 

[Statto]

There was a similar "part circle" of Manchester, route 400 I think, which was steadily eroded and died off quite recently. When I was familiar with it it did Bolton to Stockport. The only sensible way to do that actual journey, other than just riding the whole thing because you're an enthusiast and want to, would be by train. However, it was useful for a whole host of intermediate journeys not served by the railway (and now served by separate bus routes, mostly).

There was also London Stationlink, which I did all the way round (Vic-Vic) once just because I could. But the purpose of that was moving wheelchair users between railway stations in the days when basically no other London public transport other than the dial-a-ride service was accessible (the buses in use had something like 4 or 6 wheelchair bays and almost no seats) - it was never intended for anyone else to use it, really. It is probably a lot more use, on the background of a 100% accessible bus network, in its newer form on the north side (the 205), though there is now no south side equivalent (there was a 705 for a bit but it died off).

The 400 was my favourite route in GM land, took 1 hour 50 minutes end to end[was quicker than the old 22 when that went Bolton-Stockport], main purpose was to provide a faster link between the towns of Bolton-Bury-Rochdale-Oldham-Aston-Stockport, the 400 was extended via Wythenshawe to Manchester Airport, then the Airport extension became a summer Sunday service, the 400 was branded as Trans Lancs Express which was strange branding as Stockport was in Cheshire, plus the route was GM after the 74 boundary change.

There was a 401 was just as circuitous, originally Wigan-Oldham, via Chadderton-Middleton-Heywood, then 400 to Bolton then Westhaughton to Wigan via most of the 540 now 7. 401 was later changed to Bolton-Stockport with the route from Ashton-Stockport via most of the 330

 

[Bristol LHS]

The old 638 in Tyne and Wear was a bit of a classic. Sunderland - Ryton (a random village on the western outskirts of Gateshead) in two hours, a journey which takes about 30 minutes in the car, and which very few people would be likely to make. Lasted beyond deregulation, well into the 90s at least.

1976 timetable on the North East Buses site: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/bygone/assets/TWPTE/612638639641August1976.pdf

 

[Statto]

NXWM 27 Maypole-Longbridge takes 75 minutes, the 49 takes around 30 minutes as it takes in a few South Birmingham suburbs

https://www.networkwestmidlands.com/media/3645/birmingham_area_map_web.pdf

https://nxbus.co.uk/media/3724/b027_01nov20.pdf

 

[Hophead]

Crawley town services converge on the bus station in the town centre. They are, in the main, cross-town, with little obvious link between the termini. Route 1 runs between Tollgate Hill & Bewbush and takes around 40 minutes to do the journey. Google tells me that I could walk the 2 miles between the two in 39 minutes (though I reckon I could knock 5 minutes off that). The 2 sides of the route are as little as 650 metres apart along Bewbush Drive at one point.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The old 638 in Tyne and Wear was a bit of a classic. Sunderland - Ryton (a random village on the western outskirts of Gateshead) in two hours, a journey which takes about 30 minutes in the car, and which very few people would be likely to make. Lasted beyond deregulation, well into the 90s at least.

1976 timetable on the North East Buses site: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/bygone/assets/TWPTE/612638639641August1976.pdf

I remember it but don't think I ever did that one. I think it was just a few overlapping routes joined together.

One that is a Frankenstein route is the X4 from Middlesbrough - Redcar - Saltburn - Loftus - Whitby. It is a stitching together of what were the X73 (Middlesbrough to Saltburn express), part of the 62 from Saltburn to Loftus, and the southern bit of the old 255/256, X56, 5 (at various times). It takes 1h 53 against the direct X93 Middlesbrough to Whitby taking 1h 08.

Another current North East example is the 56 from Durham to Bishop Auckland, which originated as a TMS route. It goes via Bowburn and West Cornforth to Ferryhill, and used to run from there to Spennymoor but now runs to Bishop. It takes 71 mins which is about double the direct routes with GNE's X21 taking 34 mins whilst Arriva's 6 takes 38 mins.

 

[Llandudno]

In the days before deregulation there was the 92 on Merseyside that than ran from Halewood to Crosby, from recollection it took 2.5hrs end to end.

OAPs couldn’t use their passes in the afternoon peak in those days (4pm-6pm) so used to board the 92 just before 4pm and stay on the 92 until after 6pm and then catch another bus.
Cheaper than heating the house in the winter months, make sure you take a flask and sandwiches, but beware no toilet on board!

 

[Kahuna47]

There's a fun one between Bolton and Bury which I used to work:

471: 25 mins (direct via Breightmet)
524: 45 mins (via Radcliffe and Little Lever)
511: 60 mins (via various estates and villages)

The best bit about the 511 was you used to pass the 471s the 'wrong way' at Breightmet, so had a lot of panic-stricken non-locals who just saw Bolton on the front and neglected to have a quick check of the timetables!

 

[M60lad]

Not forgetting the 480 Bury-Bolton route which is the most scenic of the routes between Bury and Bolton taking in Tottington, Holcolmbe Brook & Greenmount.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Dec 2020 ==

Another circuitous route that doesnt run anymore was GTL (Merseyside) route 217 which ran Liverpool-Halewood via the most indirect route possible as it headed towards Fazarkerley and Kirkby first then heading towards Huyton and Gateacre then Halewood.