Trivia - Bus Stop Oddities

[James101]

In the spirit of the recent trivia threads. Any strange or unusual bus stops or stopping arrangements around the country?

Two I can think of:

1) Three bus stops in a little over 100M in Whitchurch. Not in the town centre or by a school or landmark, just a regular residential street All are are marked with a bus-stop flag and observed by one route - the town circular.



2) An unusual bus terminus in Greatham, nr. Hartlepool. The since withdrawn 527 would serve the village and then trundle a further mile down the road to serve Greatham Station/Sharwoods Curry Factory. The service lasted until 2011 even though the station and factory had laid closed, derelict and ultimately demolished since the 1990s, the bus turning in what was the factory car park. Something of the station and a turning circles can be seen below:

 

[PeterC]

There are still a few trolleybus turning circles around London.

One example here: https://goo.gl/maps/ugWMjaPx4GxMAY5o6

No buses use this facility in normal service.

 

[delticdave]

There are still a few trolleybus turning circles around London.

One example here: https://goo.gl/maps/ugWMjaPx4GxMAY5o6

No buses use this facility in normal service.

That particular turning circle was used to turn the rush-hour 625 trolleys that were worked by Wood Green depot, rather than continuing to the Napier Arms. (I'm old enough to have ridden trolleys in N.East London & we lived in Walthamstow........)

 

[jp4712]

This is my favourite, taken many years ago in Prestwich, Greater Manchester.

An oxymoronic Greater Manchester bus stop, Gardner Rd Prestwich, April 1984 by Paul Williams, on Flickr

 

[ValleyLines142]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

 

[richw]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

numerous examples in Cornwall, or immediate reverse turn after picking up in a dead end at various “coves” around the coast.

 

[richw]

1) Three bus stops in a little over 100M in Whitchurch. Not in the town centre or by a school or landmark, just a regular residential street All are are marked with a bus-stop flag and observed by one route - the town circular.

The Newquay town circular 58, it’s always been a done thing to drop passengers by their house. There is no marked stops in the residential streets!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

Quite a few I can recall. There is an urban myth that some bus enthusiasts trot out that buses can't reverse in service with passengers on them.



Not the only place with former trolleybus turning circles. This one is in Darlington....

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

numerous examples in Cornwall, or immediate reverse turn after picking up in a dead end at various “coves” around the coast.

Places like Mevagissey springs to mind. Sennen Cove has signage from First to ensure people don't park in the turning area. In fact, there are a few places where they put have signage.

 

[carlberry]

Quite a few I can recall. There is an urban myth that some bus enthusiasts trot out that buses can't reverse in service with passengers on them.

From pre de-reg days it used to be something that formed part of the discussion with the unions whenever a new route/change was proposed. Some Bristol area routes remained conductor worked for many years purely because it involved reversing. And I'm been on numerous buses where the driver has quoted this made up 'law' when faced with a particularly difficult car driver who's not aware their car is fitted with gears that allow it to go in a range of directions!

 

[richw]

Places like Mevagissey springs to mind. Sennen Cove has signage from First to ensure people don't park in the turning area. In fact, there are a few places where they put have signage.

Hayle by the Haven holiday park. Constantine bay, Holywell bay, fowey (definitely meets original question, photo attached), pentire on the Newquay town 58, and meva you mentioned are the ones spring to mind on routes I know.

edit—- st Ives bus station being a obvious candidate

 

[richw]

From pre de-reg days it used to be something that formed part of the discussion with the unions whenever a new route/change was proposed. Some Bristol area routes remained conductor worked for many years purely because it involved reversing. And I'm been on numerous buses where the driver has quoted this made up 'law' when faced with a particularly difficult car driver who's not aware their car is fitted with gears that allow it to go in a range of directions!

I’ve heard it from drivers moving to Cornwall from places like London, they seem shocked at any of the above places I mentioned in previous post and question the practice.
Meeting another bus on routes like the A5 here in Cornwall if we weren’t allowed to reverse we’d sit there forever more. I was taught only reverse if it’s the best option, me reversing 1/2 a bus length or a car driver reversing 1/2 mile which is the better option? As a professional driver I know how to and was trained to reverse safely, having seen some car drivers reverse I dread to think where they got their licence! I once encountered a car driver who whilst trying to reverse for me, he hit the Cornish stone hedge 4 times in his fairly new jaguar.
I wouldn’t even consider a reverse though for a car if the car only had a short distance to reverse !

 

[RT4038]

From pre de-reg days it used to be something that formed part of the discussion with the unions whenever a new route/change was proposed. Some Bristol area routes remained conductor worked for many years purely because it involved reversing. And I'm been on numerous buses where the driver has quoted this made up 'law' when faced with a particularly difficult car driver who's not aware their car is fitted with gears that allow it to go in a range of directions!

At one time, approval had to be obtained from the Traffic Commissioner for each instance of One Man Operated buses reversing. Abolished about '75 I think, by which time it had become quite widespread.

 

[James101]

This flag mounted directly on a terraced house in Stoke-on-Trent. It’s effectiveness in keeping parked cars away clearly limited!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hayle by the Haven holiday park. Constantine bay, Holywell bay, fowey (definitely meets original question, photo attached), pentire on the Newquay town 58, and meva you mentioned are the ones spring to mind on routes I know.

edit—- st Ives bus station being a obvious candidate

Yeah, should've remembered the ones at the Safe Harbour in Fowey, the double run on the A4 at Hayle, and the one at Holywell Bay. Been on the A5 a couple of years ago but don't recall Constantine though.

To be honest, there's quite a few in rural areas. This one is just down the road from me https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751...Dv-RFcnAf-Zdnwfk-28gjjhs-TCY7em-VPoxSQ-FT6hMn

In mid Wales, the Llandovery to Carmarthen service has to perform reverses twice with double runs in Llangadog and at Cwrt Henri https://www.google.com/maps/@51.887...73.163025&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656

From pre de-reg days it used to be something that formed part of the discussion with the unions whenever a new route/change was proposed. Some Bristol area routes remained conductor worked for many years purely because it involved reversing. And I'm been on numerous buses where the driver has quoted this made up 'law' when faced with a particularly difficult car driver who's not aware their car is fitted with gears that allow it to go in a range of directions!

At one time, approval had to be obtained from the Traffic Commissioner for each instance of One Man Operated buses reversing. Abolished about '75 I think, by which time it had become quite widespread.

Indeed but it's been trotted out by some folk in recent years who probably don't remember the sepia tinted days of pre-1986.

 

[PeterC]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

In Bucks Red Rose 71/73 do this at the Whelpley Hill terminus. The stop is just in a side road so the bus turns part way round the turning circle then backs up to the stop. It have seen plenty of examples of buses reversing after serving locations off the main route but this is the only one I know where they actually back up to the stop itself.

 

[richw]

Been on the A5 a couple of years ago but don't recall Constantine though.

In summer only alternate services go there. Winter is every service

 

[Pat1105]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

Arriva Shrewsbury route 2 (Town Centre - Hawthorne Estate) requires a reverse manoeuvre at the top of Miller’s Green

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

In summer only alternate services go there. Winter is every service

That might be it....or my fading memory

 

[Whisky Papa]

Not sure how common this is across the country but some stops require buses to reverse in to them. First South & West Wales route 10 to Hendrefoelan Student Village in Swansea for instance, I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes and also I know a Lothian route does too, possibly the 31?

Somebody else might be better acquainted with the current First Halifax situation, but when I was driving at the Todmorden garage (up to 2003) there were numerous reverses at termini (or calling points in some cases). In Todmorden itself, Longfield and Woodhouse Grove were on minibus routes but had been served by full-sized vehicles pre-deregulation, and are now served by TLC routes. Mankinholes was no longer required as it had been incorporated into a circular minibus service, but that had been a very tight fit with a sngle-decker. Worst of the lot was Cloughfoot on the very fast A681 towards Bacup, which by my time was only used by school buses, but caused me many a worrying moment.
The routes in Hebden Bridge included reverses at Blackshaw Head, Shore Road Top and Cragg Vale that were mostly minibus but with some full-size buses, while Old Town (then the hourly 593 from Halifax) was used by full size buses during the day. Some 593s also went via Crimsworth, so an additional reverse there! Down in the valley floor, Eaves and Fairfield were served by short minibus services from Hebden Bridge, the former being a fairly tight fit even in a Mercedes 709.
In later years we also ran a school service from Booth and Midgley to Calder High school which required a reverse at both of those settlements, and possibly another one on the afternoon trip if you met the service bus (574/5) in the wrong place .

 

[Hophead]

There are still a few trolleybus turning circles around London.

One example here: https://goo.gl/maps/ugWMjaPx4GxMAY5o6

No buses use this facility in normal service.

There is a former Brighton Corporation tram turning circle on Ditchling Road, junction of Surrenden Road. Trolleybuses later operated the route This stop is also notable for a tram shelter: there are a few more dotted around the city, including further down Ditchling Road, though the bus stop is a little adrift of the shelter (now there's another topic - shelters nowhere their stop!).

 

[Busaholic]

Hayle by the Haven holiday park. Constantine bay, Holywell bay, fowey (definitely meets original question, photo attached), pentire on the Newquay town 58, and meva you mentioned are the ones spring to mind on routes I know.

edit—- st Ives bus station being a obvious candidate

Perranuthnoe, which has seen various permutations over the years as deviations from through routes (on occasion, with long pauses in one direction) or even as a destination in its own right, as used to be the case in Western National days of yore.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I believe a terminus of one of First Halifax's routes...

The one I'm thinking of is the 560 that terminates at Commons that is on the outskirts of Rishworth, there is also the turning bay at Hepworth and turning cirlces at Holme and Parkhead, the latter is on the outskirts of Upperthong heading towards Greenfield.

First Huddersfield use to use the turning area on Deep Lane, Clifton for the long withdrawn service 380, as you can see in the link its quite a tight turn which is even more suprising when as long as twelve years a go deckers were used. https://goo.gl/maps/hC8HgrhHCXDWp2C17

The CT Calderdale service 258 also used the turning area until the tender was handed over to the now ceased TJ Walsh who trimmed it at either end.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

No issues with tight turns at this spot https://www.google.com/maps/@53.864...4!1sXU_xZam8SHWpUuV8qaQDlw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I'd imagine there's a lot still around in places like Bradford, Maidstone, Bournemouth and Reading that all had extensive trolleybus systems

 

[vlad]

If we're talking about unusual turning circles there's this one apparently in the middle of nowhere on the A621 on the edge of Sheffield. Road signs say "Bus terminus ahead" which makes it sound much grander than it actually is.

 

[py_megapixel]

Quite a few I can recall. There is an urban myth that some bus enthusiasts trot out that buses can't reverse in service with passengers on them.

A counter-example, at some bus stations all buses must reverse because there is a building directly forward from the perspective of vehicles parked in the bus stands. I believe Gloucester is an example of this.

Also occasionally a bus will need to reverse if the driver slightly misjudged in a lay-by type stop, to allow them to turn safely back onto the road.

So yes. That's completely false.

 

[py_megapixel]

I don't know if this is common elsewhere in the country, but in rural Cheshire there are lots of bus stop signs which are completely blank, with not even a timetable mounted on the pole. I am unware if this is a bad batch which faded quickly, a mistake, or a deliberate effort to save on printing costs founded on the assumption that local residents will know roughly where stops are and when buses serve them

 

[DunsBus]

The former Stoneybank bus terminus at Mucklets Avenue, on the western edge of Musselburgh, was situated right next to an electricity pylon. So that was what appeared on the LRT fare stage lists for the 15/15A and, at various other times between 1986 and 2000, the 58, 75 and 85: Mucklets Avenue (Pylon).

 

[markymark2000]

In Macclesfield on the High Peak 14, the terminus in Langley requires you to 3 point turn into Forest Drive.

Still in Cheshire but this time Cheshire East, there is a terminus in Parkgate which is between two roads. This is used by Arriva Birkenheads 487 service on an evening or Sunday (can't remember which)

Spoiler: Photo

Just over the border in Wales, you have a 3 point turn in Northop Hall at Bryn Gwyn Ln. This used to be used by the Flintshire 9/X9 tender (which was ran by Stagecoach. An Eclipse was regularly used on this route) and route 8. Now it's only used used by route 8.

 

[Busaholic]

I don't know if this is common elsewhere in the country, but in rural Cheshire there are lots of bus stop signs which are completely blank, with not even a timetable mounted on the pole. I am unware if this is a bad batch which faded quickly, a mistake, or a deliberate effort to save on printing costs founded on the assumption that local residents will know roughly where stops are and when buses serve them

We have a lot of these bus stops in Cornwall i.e. which appear to have faded very quickly. I can only assume they were part of a bad batch which also got sent to Cheshire. I suspect a final process got missed out.