joseph
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Post by joseph on Jul 31, 2020 14:00:04 GMT 1
There are many historical and current individual bus journeys, and entire services, that are unusual (and in some cases don't seem to make any sense) throughout Yorkshire.
I've been reading recently on the forum about all the historical routes around the Barkisland/Ripponden/Sowerby area. I remember one route in the late 90s/early 00s which was the 559 to Dean Head every 2 hours. Dean Head has nothing, yet had probably the best rural bus service going with journeys running late into the evening! It was probably a convienient place to turn buses for some reason or another, but the nearest large settlement on it's route to justify such a level of service was Barkisland which had a road network where buses could turn around without the need to go up to Dean Head. Now I know there is Krumlin, but I hardly think that justifies a 2 hourly bus all day til late, maybe 4 to 6 journeys a day.
There are also those services where one journey in one direction only diverts to serve a location with no return. I think one was a service in the Yeadon area by Rhodes (or someone else) where a couple of morning peak journeys extended up to the Airport with no return journeys. You also had that period in the 90s where the Airport was served from Bradford, but with nothing from Leeds, and even then the Bradford service consisted of a brilliant hourly evening/Sunday service, but for the rest of the week it was only served by a handful of Mon to Fri peak journeys.
I remember an operator (Taylors?) who did a couple of positioning journeys what looked unusual, one was numbered 025 I think, and ran from the Drysalters pub in Beeston, Leeds to somewhere like Wakefield or Dewsbury. The second was a service from Morley that I think was numbered 019, but I can't remember where it ran to.
There was also an operator in the Holmfirth area called SJK who had really specific timetables, they actually had a timing point on what seemed like every road they served lol.
There are many other examples out there so looking forward to reading them.
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Jul 31, 2020 20:07:27 GMT 1
Just thought of a couple of modern day oddities, the X49 Esholt to Shipley which is probably a journey ran in service in the hope of making something from a bus returning to the depot. Also the 653 Bradford to Pool then back to Bradford first thing with no evening peak bus returning to Pool.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jul 31, 2020 22:55:45 GMT 1
Sometimes the early mornings/ evening/ Sunday tendered journeys remained after the daytime commercial service was withdrawn
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Post by Burnside on Aug 1, 2020 19:43:01 GMT 1
Sometimes the early mornings/ evening/ Sunday tendered journeys remained after the daytime commercial service was withdrawn Which reminded me of the W5 years ago. During the day it ran between Ilkley and Otley via the back roads of Burley, up to the Fox roundabout and down into Otley via West Busk Lane. Evening journeys extended through to/from Bradford, i believe, to provide a service in place of the 653/654 which finished around 6 or 7pm. However, when the daytime service between Bradford and Otley via Shipley was withdrawn, the W5 kept going for a good few years, meaning the only bus service between Ilkley and Bradford ran after 7pm! Latterly it was operated by TLC, with 1 bus working up from Bradford and the other starting in Ilkley, but didn't involve a mass of dead mileage as i think they'd started a limited 653 service by then so it came off that, ran empty to Ilkley then did the first W5 to Bradford, but previous to TLC it was operated by First. IIRC, the daytime journeys between Otley and Ilkley were run by Leeds, but the evening service was run by Bradford and a number of occasions saw L-PWR Volvo Olympians allocated, which would have been enormous 'fun' for the driver to try and manouevre around Burley Village! It is odd that Metro fund the current 653. I can understand the use of the Bradford bound journey, but the bus to Pool being at like 5.30am is utterly pointless other than to get the bus there to come back! As for the X49, even before Tiger took over the 649 route, there was at least one journey a day that avoided Garsdale Crescent and Baildon, the only difference being it still ran as a 649, not under a separate number. Other examples i can think of are the K13, which has 1 journey starting at East Morton and is the only bus of the day running directly between East Morton and Thwaites Bridge/Parkwood Street and the 781 (even more so now it doesn't even serve Leeds!). |
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Aug 1, 2020 20:08:59 GMT 1
I too can't understand why the 653 is still funded as anybody using it will find getting back really difficult. The only thing I can think of is that it's using one bus to provide an early bus on three sections of other routes, these being between Pool and Otley, as well as Otley and Guiseley, and Guiseley and Bradford.
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Post by deerfold on Aug 3, 2020 15:53:14 GMT 1
Sometimes the early mornings/ evening/ Sunday tendered journeys remained after the daytime commercial service was withdrawn Which reminded me of the W5 years ago. During the day it ran between Ilkley and Otley via the back roads of Burley, up to the Fox roundabout and down into Otley via West Busk Lane. Evening journeys extended through to/from Bradford, i believe, to provide a service in place of the 653/654 which finished around 6 or 7pm. However, when the daytime service between Bradford and Otley via Shipley was withdrawn, the W5 kept going for a good few years, meaning the only bus service between Ilkley and Bradford ran after 7pm! Latterly it was operated by TLC, with 1 bus working up from Bradford and the other starting in Ilkley, but didn't involve a mass of dead mileage as i think they'd started a limited 653 service by then so it came off that, ran empty to Ilkley then did the first W5 to Bradford, but previous to TLC it was operated by First. IIRC, the daytime journeys between Otley and Ilkley were run by Leeds, but the evening service was run by Bradford and a number of occasions saw L-PWR Volvo Olympians allocated, which would have been enormous 'fun' for the driver to try and manouevre around Burley Village! Of course by then it wasn't the W5, but the 963. The last journey had two buses at the same time for part of the route as one turned round early. I had a most surprising journey on this once. I was a bit snoozy as I'd been out in the pub in Otley and caught the 963. I noticed a liquid on the floor approach my backpack and realised there were two teenage girls squatting and urinating in front of the back seat. I was somewhat flabbergasted. They left the bus shortly afterwards (!). I did mention it to the driver. One of the most surprising routes was the 324 run by Town Bus Huddersfield. It ran one bus an hour between Meltham and Huddersfield where First Kingfisher were running every 10 minutes. On 24 September 1996 it was extended to Halifax roughly along the 503 route (where there was also a First bus every 10 minutes). Some trips extended to or from Honley. There was an hour gap in services at lunchtime. The last bus from Meltham to Halifax was at 1558, with a part journey at 1658 and Friday & Saturday journeys at 1930 and 2030 with the 2030 continuing to Honley. The last bus from Halifax to Meltham was also at 1558, with a trip to Huddersfield at 1722 and trips from Huddersfield to Meltham at 1835 and 2000(FS). The last of these on any given day extended to Honley. The timetable did not mention what routes to Honley were taken. There was a very odd route 90 in the late 90s - I never managed to pick up a timetable for it, but saw them in timetable cases. This went from Sowerby to Sowerby Bridge to Halifax via the 579 route (except it went up Rochdale Road instead of Pye Nest Road). Then to Huddersfield, via something rather like the 343 route (but without the modern sideshow up to Greetland). Then to Honley. The total travel time was over 2 hours per trip. I don't believe the route ever actually ran with the company involved ceasing operations before putting a bus into service. Shame it was before cameraphones. |
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Aug 3, 2020 19:01:29 GMT 1
Ah, the service 90 has just triggered in my head another bizzare route from a company who went bust before it ever ran, may be the same company as this too was the late 90s. I can't remember the number, but it was timed to run weekends and school holidays only and it's route was from Keighley to Rawtenstall via Haworth, Oxenhope, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, and I think Burnley, if not Bacup. I think it was designed to link the East Lancs and KWVR railways.
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Post by deerfold on Aug 7, 2020 19:06:19 GMT 1
Ah, the service 90 has just triggered in my head another bizzare route from a company who went bust before it ever ran, may be the same company as this too was the late 90s. I can't remember the number, but it was timed to run weekends and school holidays only and it's route was from Keighley to Rawtenstall via Haworth, Oxenhope, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, and I think Burnley, if not Bacup. I think it was designed to link the East Lancs and KWVR railways. I had quite forgotten that. That does ring a bell, but I don't think it was the same company. |
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Aug 23, 2020 9:45:05 GMT 1
Going slightly off topic, although sort of related as it was, imo, an unusual occourance, I remember Black Prince had to amend the Sunday evening journeys on the 67A between Troydale and Old Farnley due to attacks on buses through the rural bit. Apparently, yobs used to hide in the wooded areas and stone the buses, now bearing in mind how rural this section is, that sounds really unusual.
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Steve Macz403
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Aug 24, 2020 17:49:58 GMT 1
Going slightly off topic, although sort of related as it was, imo, an unusual occourance, I remember Black Prince had to amend the Sunday evening journeys on the 67A between Troydale and Old Farnley due to attacks on buses through the rural bit. Apparently, yobs used to hide in the wooded areas and stone the buses, now bearing in mind how rural this section is, that sounds really unusual. I think i do remember a route like that. I think they sent the evening and sunday 66A or 67A via the main roads. So via Troydale and Pudsey went via Swinnow and Ring Road, Butt Lane to the top of the hill to Old Farnley and back down Stonebridge Lane. Then also missing out the Blue hill lane and Fawcett Lane section, sending them around the Ring road and back up Lower Wortley Road back round to Leysholme then normal route through Armley back roads to Leeds. |
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Post by tinrocket on Sept 5, 2020 11:01:39 GMT 1
I remember a number 27 bus from Leeds to Temple Newsam in the late 90s which unusually was a return journey very early morning. I think it was swept by the 'Overground' changes in 2001.
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Sept 5, 2020 15:41:34 GMT 1
I remember a number 27 bus from Leeds to Temple Newsam in the late 90s which unusually was a return journey very early morning. I think it was swept by the 'Overground' changes in 2001. Ah, that I believe had 2 purposes. The outbound journey carried early morning farm and grounds staff to Temple Newsam, as well as workers to Cross Green Ind Est on the way. The return carried workers from East Leeds areas to Cross Green Ind Est, as well as East End Park residents to Leeds, although if I remember correctly, it ran within a few minutes of a 26 from Ivy Street to Leeds. |
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on Sept 7, 2020 14:36:45 GMT 1
In response to the mysterious journeys seen by 'deerfold' - I have searched through my notes and found out a few more details - but not complete!
* Route 90 was first mentioned in June 1996 and was scheduled to be operated by 'Townbus' (Meltham) from Sowerby - Sowerby Bridge - Halifax - Elland - Lower Edge = Rastrick - Brackenhall - Huddersfield Mon-Sat Hourly daytime. I am led to believe it never ran.
* First Huddersfield (or Kingfisher as it was then) introduced a retaliatory service 383 which ran from Huddersfield - Brackenhall - Rastrick - Elland mirroring that end of the route. I have this service as running for about 3 months from 28/06/96 - 30/09/96
* I have noted on 09/08/96 a route 345 run by Townbus from Huddersfield - Elland by the above route and think it ran unreliably for about 6 weeks.
* Finally, I have a route 324 running from 24/09/96 from Halifax - West Vale - Elland - Weatherhill - Huddersfield - Meltham - running Mon-Sat hourly. The last note is an observation a month later stating the bus was missing and I presume was withdrawn around this date (Oct 1996).
Fascinating material and this one has given me quite a challenge!
Any other members with any more historical information on 'Townbus' would be very welcome.
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Post by deerfold on Sept 7, 2020 15:51:32 GMT 1
Meltham has definitely had some oddities.
7 Aug 1995 Yorkshire Blue Bus 320.
Bradley - Huddersfield - Netherton - Meltham Every 20 minutes.
But none of the journeys runs through. They're 2 entirely separate routes Bradley - Huddersfield and Huddersfield to Meltham.
They compete with Yorkshire Rider's 320(/1/2/4) which do run through.
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