Last bus/coach journey before the start of the Covid restrictions

[Martin2012]

If anyone is happy to answer I'd be interested to find out what their last 'normal' bus/coach journey before the start of the Covid restrictions last March involved?

On Monday 9th March I did a trip from Bristol to London catching a Megabus from Bristol at around 0300 in the morning and then catching Sn-Ap home later that evening.

On Wednesday 11th March I did a return trip from Bristol to Nottingham with Megabus on the M38 service.

At the time everything felt normal and as such it was a real shock when things changed so quickly less than a week later. Also found it hard to believe that fast forward two weeks and all the services I travelled on that week had been withdrawn.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Probably the trip on March 12th - I went from Newcastle to Knaresborough by bus via Durham, Darlington, Richmond, Ripon and Harrogate (returning via Ripon and Richmond, then cheating by getting a train back from Darlo).

It did feel much more normal than now, but even then there was definitely something in the air and people were sanitising more.

The last trip which was truly normal and when the virus wasn't on my mind at all would have been another couple of weeks before that. I had a splendid jaunt around the Yorkshire Coast including finally riding the 843 service and meeting some friends in Scarborough. Had you told me when I was sat in the pub there that we'd be in lockdown a month later, and normal life wouldn't be back for well over a year, I'd have laughed at you!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The last one I remember was in Feb 2020 (I might have gone into Bath by bus later but I can't recall). I visited Worcester after doing a ParkRun locally and had a good four hours to kill so I had a trip to Pershore and back, and then sampled some of the city services with refurbished Citaros, and some Streetlites. I think Covid had just begun to enter the public consciousness.

My last one was First Worcester Streetlite 63360 - what a way to end normality Didn't travel on a bus from then until probably August but compared to the important things in life, it's hardly a sacrifice!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Goodness, that's a long time ago! Using my dated photo album as a reference, I think my last (normal) bus journey would've been to my local out-of-town coach pickup point at about 04:00 am to catch a National Express coach to London, where I spent the day walking around and exploring, shopping and almost passing out at the £80 tins of foie gras in Fortnum & Mason () before doing the same journey in reverse to come home.

 

[scotrail158713]

I refereed a couple of youth football games on the 8th of March and got the train and the bus to and from them. Nothing felt unusual about it at the time, however thinking back Edinburgh Waverley was rather busy as Scotland were playing at Murrayfield for the 6 Nations. That was the last time I was in any sort of a crowded place. It’s crazy how much changed in the 10-14 days after that though.

 

[peterblue]

Had a few days in Norfolk/Cambridgeshire in February 2020 (for the new Excel among other things) that was the last major trip I had prior to the pandemic.

 

[Strathclyder]

My last pre-lockdown bus trip was in the late afternoon of March 9th, from Partick Interchange to Faifley on First Glasgow's Route 2 (a bog-standard E300 was the vehicle in question) after a day of bashing the Glasgow Subway (I thought, in retrospect rather stupidly, that the old Met-Cam stock would be withdrawn for good sometime last year). At any rate, I'm glad I bashed it when I did, given how completely and utterly everything changed less than 3 weeks later.

 

[LAIRA]

My last rides were in Leeds on 11th March when I rode from the railway station to the bus station and back on the 4 and 4G. buses concerned were 35627 and 35572. We were on a five day bash and had arrived in Leeds from Staylybridge on the train.

 

[cnjb8]

Mines a bit boring, a trip into Nottingham City Centre on one of the Locallink electric Solo SRs

 

[Geordie driver]

Dudley ( North Tyneside) to Newcastle January 28th 2020 for a meet up with my old bus driving pals, bus was 20 minutes late and rammed, single decker on a match day. It was a right laugh, everyone cracking on, 5 hours in the 3 Bulls then a bus home about 7pm, can't remember that journey.
Happy days.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Dudley ( North Tyneside) to Newcastle January 28th 2020 for a meet up with my old bus driving pals, bus was 20 minutes late and rammed, single decker on a match day. It was a right laugh, everyone cracking on, 5 hours in the 3 Bulls then a bus home about 7pm, can't remember that journey.
Happy days.

The Three Bulls Heads on Percy Street? Been a few years since I've been there!

 

[GatwickDepress]

The last trip I remember before schools closed and we were all locked down was the 22A from Ore village into Hastings town centre to pick up some glasses and then a 21 to college. Both were Enviro200s.

 

[Geordie driver]

The Three Bulls Heads on Percy Street? Been a few years since I've been there!

Indeed. I have spent enough money in there over the years to buy the building several times over. Half way between the Haymarket and Gallowgate, just a boozer, nowt special, how I miss it. I am a once a year drinker now and then it's during the day, the idea of a weekend night time drink in town fills me with horror.

 

[route101]

Last one was quite late on compared to others. Friday the 20th of March, 31 from Glasgow to East Kilbride. This would be the last time I got the 31 to East Kilbride as it was withdrawn to East Kilbride in late April. I didn't get on a bus until mid May after that.

Took Citylink 900 on the 18th of March, was really quiet by that point.

As for this lockdown, bit different been using the bus least once a week.

 

[APT618S]

First Streetlite 47666 SN15 ACJ in Southampton on 21 Mar 2020

 

[JonathanH]

My last journeys were

6 March 2020 - Megabus 23:45 from London Victoria to Preston - YY66FFT - I recall that one group wore masks on the journey but it was well loaded and otherwise 'normal'

8 March 2020 - Replacement bus - 19:05 from Reigate to Purley - LX09FBF - not many people aboard as befits a Sunday evening

8 March 2020 - Replacement bus - 21:44 from Stevenage to Alexandra Palace - YX17NNH - all principal stations via Welwyn - not particularly well loaded

9 March 2020 - Replacement bus - 00:46 from Purley to Redhill - 978VYD - I think there were about three passengers

The only bus journeys since have been on the London route 405 in December 2020 - 23:10 from South Croydon to Redhill on 7 December 2020 (SK70BVB) which was fairly empty and 17:17 from Redhill to Croydon Town Centre on 15 December 2020 (SK70BVJ) which was a bit busier but not well loaded.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Indeed. I have spent enough money in there over the years to buy the building several times over. Half way between the Haymarket and Gallowgate, just a boozer, nowt special, how I miss it. I am a once a year drinker now and then it's during the day, the idea of a weekend night time drink in town fills me with horror.

I remember it (as you do) before Eldon Garden was built. There were some pubs that I never did get the chance to frequent like the Northumberland Arms and the Farmers Rest, both near Haymarket bus station, the latter being demolished for it.

Anyhow, we digress before the mods zap us! Maybe that's an idea for a thread...

 

[TheSel]

A 'Northern Tenners' ticket on Wednesday 18 March 2020:

Southport - Wigan Wallgate 150137
Wigan North Western - Preston 319361
Preston - Bradford Interchange 195103
Bradford Forster Sq - Shipley 333001
Shipley - Cononley 333007
Cononley - Skipton 333004
Skipton - Carnforth 158872
Carnforth - Wigan NW 195126
Wigan Wallgate - Southport 156427

Best photo of the day - 66789 at Cononley on 6M37 Arcow Quarry stone train



Sooner Lockdown is over the better!

 

[northrob]

My last trip pre-Covid was on 18th March going home with my better half after an impromptu night out on First York 69278. We sensed that the writing was likely to be on the wall for a while for pubs so enjoyed it while we could.

My last day out (as opposed the my usual commute to the office or nights out) was a trip to East Lothian on the 7th March where I went from Edinburgh to North Berwick (Service X5) on East Coast Buses 10060; North Berwick to Dunbar on Eve Coaches (Service 120) YJ62FZR and then back to Edinburgh (Service X7) on ECB 10064.

Considering I was usually out and about on transport adventures nearly every Saturday pre-Covid, the subsequent months were certainly a change from what I was used to. I managed to get a few trips done between July & September, so it’s not been a total drought since then. Having said that, the last bus I was on was First York 37254 after another night out on the 2nd November...

 

[mlambeuk]

Last bus ride was from Leeds bus station to Leeds Bradford airport. Last coach journey was from to Alicante airport from the hotel i was staying at, Both were back in September 2019.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Friday 20th March. A local bus journey to go for a walk. I travelled principally because I had an m-ticket to use up and thought things might get worse and it would expire before I could use it. It was not a pleasant experience with NEDS commenting that they should be isolating but weren't prepared to miss the last day at college. That was the last time I used any kind of mechanical transportation, not even a bike. Although I have received goods delivered to home by van and car.

10th March was my last train journey, a walk to town to get some groceries from Morrisons (instead of my local Tesco) and the train home.

 

[RELL6L]

My last trip before the first lockdown last March was in East Anglia in early February:
Started at Attleborough, to Norwich, Aylsham, North Walsham, Great Yarmouth, Bungay, Norwich, Attleborough. Not particularly exciting but then we had no idea what was to happen next!

I did manage five proper trips during the summer and autumn before we were locked down again, including two days in Cornwall and one in Yorkshire.
The last of these was from Longport in the Potteries in September and went to: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Cheddleton, Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Whaley Bridge, Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Crewe (train), Newcastle under Lyme, Longport.

Honourable mention also in September for a 5 minute trip from Porthclais to St Justinians on the 403 Celtic Coaster around St Davids, a short run unconnected to all the other journeys I have ever made. This was to walk back, which took over 3 hours, and is thoroughly recommended on a nice day. This way round - it takes 55 minutes to come back on the bus!

 

[bobslack1982]

It was probably on the 100 from Newcastle to the MetroCentre at some time in early March 2020. Didn’t attach any significance to it at the time as I didn’t realise it would be the last time I’d be on any public transport for several months thereafter!

In August and September I used public transport quite a bit - particularly Transdev in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

 

[padbus]

The last bus I travelled on before lockdown was a TITSA tri-axle Scania from Puerto de la Cruz to San Cristobal de La Laguna in Tenerife on 14 March 2020. Sunday 15 March was spent locked down in our hotel. The last coach I travelled on was on 16 March to Tenerife South airport for a packed EasyJet flight back to Bristol.

 

[Martin2012]

Thanks to all those who have taken the time to respond. I've found it really interesting.

I've been on Bristol's buses a number of times for work purposes throughout all 3 lockdowns. Has been strange being on buses which normally would have been really busy but have only a handful of passengers on.

Leisure wise I've not been on many trips since March. I did a return trip from Bristol to London on 2nd July 2020 which was the day Flixbus launched. Going to Victoria Coach Station in the new normal felt quite a shock as did going to Victoria Train Station and seeing none of the catering outlets were open, even for takeaway. Ended up taking the Greenline service to Luton and back and Luton felt much more normal than Victoria did. There were about 4 passengers on the Outbound Flixbus journey to London (two of which were enthusiasts) and I was the only passenger on the return journey.

I also had a few days in Cheshire during October in which I used the Crewe to Chester and Crewe to Macclesfield routes as well as going on the Alsager to Congleton, Congleton to Leighton and Leighton to Alsager routes plus a few trips between Crewe and Haslington on First Potteries Service 3 (Haslington has some great pubs). That was the week before the "Tiers" were brought in and remember the papers reporting that the North West was in line for Tier 3 restrictions. Remember feeling really sorry for the residents of Haslington who were sat in the pubs and restaurants eating and drinking in a safe and civilised manner.

 

[madannie77]

March 7th last year: First 39251 on route V2 from Atherton to Princess Street in Manchester, after a day spent riding and photographing the buses of Jim Stones.

 

[extendedpaul]

On Saturday March 14 Sheffield to London with National Express, on Sunday March 15 Sloane Square to Victoria on the C1 Bus, both following live entertainment shows (musical theatre).

The Saturday trains between Sheffield and Rotherham were very quiet as the football matches had been cancelled and at the concert on Sunday evening everyone was talking about the likelihood of "curtains down" being enforced within the next few days, as it was.

 

[richw]

I was driving a First Kernow route 27 Truro to Bodmin at the time of the announcement if that counts.

 

[Mills444]

My last trip was on Morebus 1675 on an X3 from Salisbury on the 29.02.2020 after enjoying two of the new electric buses for the Park and ride network.

Included are
901 at Britford Park & ride


902 at Petersfingure P&R site

 

[TechDan2002]

Last journey I made pre lockdown 1 would have been the Truro College to Falmouth 231 on Friday 20th March 2020. Proved to be the last 231 I’d ride for over 5 months! Last time I was on a bus before current lockdown was 29th December 2020, yet to go on a bus since.