Trivia: Historically Short Routes Now Long Routes

[Statto]

Following on from this thread

Trivia: Historically longer bus routes

I think you're probably right (again!). Looking again at timetables, the 133 took 2 hours to complete its trip. I thought the Sunday No 9 (Mortlake to Becontree) would be longer, but the journey time is only 1h 45mins. Not very scientific I know, but provides a guide. It makes up for all the...

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What routes that were once short but are now long?

7 Liverpool - Warrington, the traditional route was Liverpool - Huyton, back in the day was the number 40. The Crosville H5 Liverpool - Warrington was the traditional route & much more direct, Arriva then made a few changes in the early 00s, Arriva withdrew the H5 but extended the 6 which was Liverpool - Huyton to Warrington as replacement for the H5, then Arriva reduced the 6 to one journey each way Monday to Saturday, but extended the 7 to Warrington replacing the 6

10, Liverpool - St Helens, the traditional route was Liverpool - Prescot, at d,reg Merseybus extended the 10 to St Helens via Eccleston Park with the 10A via Rainhill & Thatto Heath, these replaced the old 7, 8 St Helens - Prescot circulars

471 Bolton - Rochdale, the traditional route was Bury - Rochdale, the Bury - Bolton route was 509, 510, in the mid 90s GMN Buses extended the 470 & 471 to Bolton, 470 went via Darn Hill in Heywood rather than the direct route which the 471 did, & still does

 

[Deerfold]

In Halifax the 566 (then 531/3) ran Halifax - Mill Bank - Ripponden. 557 Halifax - Greetland - Barkisland - Ripponden. They've been combined into a circular 561/562 service covering both

 

[Dai Corner]

Stagecoach South Wales 23 used to be an urban route Newport-Cwmbran-Pontpyool but has fairly recently been extended to Abergavenny and Hereford.

The Pontypool-Hereford section used to be part of the X3 which is now only Cwmbran-Cardiff so fits in the other thread.

 

[Enthusiast]

In the 1960s route 235 was the shortest London Transport red bus route. It ran from Richmond Station to Richmond Hill (Friars Stile Road). It covered about 700 yards and was scheduled to take six minutes. I travelled on it a number of times and it rarely took more than three minutes.

The route was discontinued in 1966. The route number was used in a number of reincarnations in the Croydon, Banstead and Chingford areas and from 1996 was used for a service between Sunbury Village and Brentford, where it remains in service today. The journey is scheduled to take a little over one hour. Since December 2023 the route has been operated exclusively by Dennis Enviro 200 fully electric buses.

London has many bus routes which have covered essentially the same route for decades (although most of them have seen their routes substantially shortened). But it also has quite a few route numbers similar to the 235, which have been used in a number of entirely different locations.

Currently the shortest London red bus route is the 389. This is a local route in the Barnet area, running from Western Way to The Spires - a distance of under two miles. It provides just five return trips a day, Monday to Saturday, hourly between about 10am and 2pm.

 

[Deerfold]

In the 1960s route 235 was the shortest London Transport red bus route. It ran from Richmond Station to Richmond Hill (Friars Stile Road). It covered about 700 yards and was scheduled to take six minutes. I travelled on it a number of times and it rarely took more than three minutes.

The route was discontinued in 1966. The route number was used in a number of reincarnations in the Croydon, Banstead and Chingford areas and from 1996 was used for a service between Sunbury Village and Brentford, where it remains in service today. The journey is scheduled to take a little over one hour. Since December 2023 the route has been operated exclusively by Dennis Enviro 200 fully electric buses.

London has many bus routes which have covered essentially the same route for decades (although most of them have seen their routes substantially shortened). But it also has quite a few route numbers similar to the 235, which have been used in a number of entirely different locations.

Currently the shortest London red bus route is the 389. This is a local route in the Barnet area, running from Western Way to The Spires - a distance of under two miles. It provides just five return trips a day, Monday to Saturday, hourly between about 10am and 2pm.

That's not really the same route getting longer, just two routes with the same number.

Route 5 from Canning Town to Becontree was extended in 2006 along the route of the withdrawn 5 to Barking.

 

[hst43102]

Stagecoach Oxfordshire's S2 has been extended from Oxford to Witney, to Cheltenham, to replace route 853 previously operated by Swanbrook Coaches.

 

[Simon75]

8 Crewe to Wistaston , now Wistaston to Crewe , Sydney and Elm Drive ( replacing 8, 14, 16)

 

[318266]

McGill's 66 was Paisley - Dykebar, recently extended to Neilston via Barrhead to replace the 54.

 

[Enthusiast]

That's not really the same route getting longer, just two routes with the same number.

Yes I understand that. I was simply introducing it as a point of interest (or not, perhaps).

Route 5 from Canning Town to Becontree was extended in 2006 along the route of the withdrawn 5 to Barking.

Actually prior to 2006 route 5 already ran from Canning Town to Becontree (via Barking). It had done so since 1990. In 2006 it was extended beyond Becontree to Romford Market, over the route of withdrawn route 87, which it still serves today. Prior to 1990 it would have been considered a central London bus, running from Becontree to (variously) Old Street, Holborn and Waterloo. So I guess it deserves mention both in this thread (routes that have become longer) and the other (routes that have become shorter).

 

[Deerfold]

Actually prior to 2006 route 5 already ran from Canning Town to Becontree (via Barking). It had done so since 1990. In 2006 it was extended beyond Becontree to Romford Market, over the route of withdrawn route 87, which it still serves today. Prior to 1990 it would have been considered a central London bus, running from Becontree to (variously) Old Street, Holborn and Waterloo. So I guess it deserves mention both in this thread (routes that have become longer) and the other (routes that have become shorter).

Looks like I had chunkier fingers (or brain) than I thought, yesterday. Thanks.

 

[Fundee on Tay]

As of this week the Stagecoach East Scotland 39 has made another change!

In the past it’s variously been Stracathro - Montrose - Arbroath - Dundee, Montrose - Arbroath - Dundee, Arbroath - Dundee - Perth and Arbroath - Dundee.

It’s extension this time round is from the 20 or so mile route from Arbroath - Dundee - Kingoodie to Arbroath - Dundee - Perth (via Errol as 39, Glendoick as 39A), taking the route up to around 40 miles