Most circuitous bus route

[Deerfold]

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!

The 343 is fun, going through West Vale twice, 12 minutes apart. For a while it used to extend to Barkisland, taking even longer (about another half hour).

When I was in my teens I had a Metrocard for West Yorkshire - I was in Leeds and walking to the bus station to get a 508 to Halifax (At the time taking about an hour). A 226 showing "Halifax" stopped at a stop I was walking past and I jumped on, thinking a different route might be interesting (I knew the 223 and 224 took a similar amount of time as the 508 despite a completely different route). It was a longer version of today's 255 and took 2 hours. I didn't make that mistake again.

 

[Statto]

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.

217 was a great route started by Merseybus in the late 80s, Monday to Saturday daytime replacement for the 17C which was cut to Broadway & renumbered 17A, Stagecoach cut the 217 to todays version

300 Liverpool-Southport via Maghull is quite circuitous too, meanders out to West Lancashire to serve a couple of villages taking 20 minutes longer than the direct 47 & X2, & because a section is in a different county, unless it's changed, pre paid Merseytravel passes & saveaways can't be used between Lydiate & near Southport General Hospital,, one of the quirks that PTE tickets can be used at both ends but not for a section in another county, ENCTS passes can be used on the full route after 09.30 Monday to Friday.

 

[mark-h]

Lothian's service 49 is timetabled to take 72 minutes between Fort Kinnaird and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The more direct service 400 is timetabled to take 9 minutes.

 

[Eyersey468]

The 195 that EYMS`s Pocklington depot used to run until the council withdrew the funding went round the houses quite a bit. It ran between Pocklington and York round a number of villages and it always seemed like you were the same distance from where you had started after an hour of driving round.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

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!

I did the 549 to Halifax about 3 years ago. I had time to waste and it was home to the last B10BLEs so thought I'd give it a try; I quite liked the route TBH

The 195 that EYMS`s Pocklington depot used to run until the council withdrew the funding went round the houses quite a bit. It ran between Pocklington and York round a number of villages and it always seemed like you were the same distance from where you had started after an hour of driving round.

THAT is one service that I did catch in error. I was young and not as switched on as I might have been so ended up on a highbridge VR with about 5 pensioners as we ground around Elvington and Melbourne etc. It took 70 mins whilst the direct 744/6 (at that time) did it in about half the time. The old timetable is seen here.... https://cbneeymsst.blob.core.windows.net/timetables/[528]EY 195 TT.pdf

 

[scotrail158713]

Lothian's service 49 is timetabled to take 72 minutes between Fort Kinnaird and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The more direct service 400 is timetabled to take 9 minutes.
View attachment 87176

I was trying to think of one in Edinburgh/Lothian’s - this is definitely it!
To a lesser extent is probably the 36. It is timetabled for 1h20m from the Gyle to Ocean Terminal - due to a tour of southern Edinburgh - whereas the more direct 22 is timetabled at 58m.

 

[adrock1976]

West Midlands Travel used to run the 247 and 248 (both routes I knew very well before I left the West Mids) that were Stourbridge - Dudley - Stourbridge circulars which were neither the fastest or the most direct route (the 245/246 and the later 311/313 when the former got incorporated was both the fastest and direct route).

The route from Stourbridge was via Junction Station, Foley Arms, Wynall, Belmont Road, Lye Cross, Thorns Road, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Stourbridge Road, Dudley, Blowers Green Road, Halesowen Road, Old Hill Cross, Haden Cross (or Old Hill Station for the 247A/248A), Halesowen, the old Hagley Road, Hasbury, Dunstall Road, Beecher Road, Fatherless Barn, Oldnall Road, Wynall, Foley Arms, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Between Stourbridge, Lye Cross, and Halesowen, there was the faster and more frequent 9, Stourbridge and Merry Hill Centre the 291/292 (later incorporated with the 298/299), Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and Dudley the above mentioned 245/246.

Halesowen, Old Hill Cross, Merry Hill Centre, and Brierley Hill had the option of the 137.

 

[Sprinter107]

West Midlands Travel used to run the 247 and 248 (both routes I knew very well before I left the West Mids) that were Stourbridge - Dudley - Stourbridge circulars which were neither the fastest or the most direct route (the 245/246 and the later 311/313 when the former got incorporated was both the fastest and direct route).

The route from Stourbridge was via Junction Station, Foley Arms, Wynall, Belmont Road, Lye Cross, Thorns Road, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Stourbridge Road, Dudley, Blowers Green Road, Halesowen Road, Old Hill Cross, Haden Cross (or Old Hill Station for the 247A/248A), Halesowen, the old Hagley Road, Hasbury, Dunstall Road, Beecher Road, Fatherless Barn, Oldnall Road, Wynall, Foley Arms, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Between Stourbridge, Lye Cross, and Halesowen, there was the faster and more frequent 9, Stourbridge and Merry Hill Centre the 291/292 (later incorporated with the 298/299), Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and Dudley the above mentioned 245/246.

Halesowen, Old Hill Cross, Merry Hill Centre, and Brierley Hill had the option of the 137.

Somebody was asking me about those routes the other day, and while I can remember seeing them, in both Stourbridge and Dudley, I couldn't think what route they took, so thanks for posting that. I'm sure it was Lynx buses that worked it when i remembered it, possibly from Quinton garage, as I think Dudley garage had possibly closed ?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Somebody was asking me about those routes the other day, and while I can remember seeing them, in both Stourbridge and Dudley, I couldn't think what route they took, so thanks for posting that. I'm sure it was Lynx buses that worked it when i remembered it, possibly from Quinton garage, as I think Dudley garage had possibly closed ?

I think you're probably right. It was Dudley until 1993, and then Quinton until 1997. Assume it was Pensnett after that?

 

[Statto]

I have a spring 1996 Birmingham map, & one circular route was Your Bus Service route A6Y/C6Y [all Your Bus Service routes ended in Y] the route went via 37 to Solihull, then 6 to Robin Hood Lane, Yardley Wood, Kings Heath, Cotteridge, Northfield then Bristol Road back to City Centre.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I think you're probably right. It was Dudley until 1993, and then Quinton until 1997. Assume it was Pensnett after that?

WB took it over from Quinton, then Pensnett in 2000 taking the B6LEs that came with it and the 293/4/5/6/7.

 

[bussnapperwm]

West Midlands Travel used to run the 247 and 248 (both routes I knew very well before I left the West Mids) that were Stourbridge - Dudley - Stourbridge circulars which were neither the fastest or the most direct route (the 245/246 and the later 311/313 when the former got incorporated was both the fastest and direct route).

The route from Stourbridge was via Junction Station, Foley Arms, Wynall, Belmont Road, Lye Cross, Thorns Road, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Stourbridge Road, Dudley, Blowers Green Road, Halesowen Road, Old Hill Cross, Haden Cross (or Old Hill Station for the 247A/248A), Halesowen, the old Hagley Road, Hasbury, Dunstall Road, Beecher Road, Fatherless Barn, Oldnall Road, Wynall, Foley Arms, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Between Stourbridge, Lye Cross, and Halesowen, there was the faster and more frequent 9, Stourbridge and Merry Hill Centre the 291/292 (later incorporated with the 298/299), Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and Dudley the above mentioned 245/246.

Halesowen, Old Hill Cross, Merry Hill Centre, and Brierley Hill had the option of the 137.

Iirc there was a 248C variation that served Halesowen College in lieu of Hasbury and a 246 varient running Dudley to Halesowen early morning

 

[kez19]

Lothian's service 49 is timetabled to take 72 minutes between Fort Kinnaird and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The more direct service 400 is timetabled to take 9 minutes.

I remember a few years back I took was the #30 to Musselburgh which took a while to get there but then discovered one of their Lothian Country buses was quicker back to the City Centre (possibly #113)?

 

[Statto]

I remember after d-reg there was a few lengthy routes in Liverpool, which could be done by quicker services

11 Liverpool-Huyton via West Derby Road, Green Lane, Old Swan, Alder Hey, Yew Tree Lane, Finch Lane, Page Moss, a loop via Stockbridge Village back to Page Moss then to Huyton, this took about 70 minutes, quickest buses then took 35-40 minutes

87 Liverpool-Garston which went via Grove Street, Smithdown Road, Childwall, Woolton, Gateacre, Belle Valle, Naylorsfield, Netherley, Halewood, Hunts Cross, Speke Road, to Garston, took 90 minutes end to end, even the intermediate points where/are served by quicker routes, Liverpool-Garston takes around 30 minutes on the 82.

47 Liverpool-Netherley via the 86 to Lodge Lane then down Lodge Lane, Ullet Road, Smithdown Road to Penny Lane, then via ChildwallBarnham Drive, Grange Lane, Lee Park, Belle Vale to Netherley, quickest route is 79

91 Liverpool-Crosby, direct Bootle then the fun begins then via Bootle Cemetery, Bridal Road, Netherton, Thornton, Chesterfield Road, Northern Road, Crosby then a loop back to Crosby via Endbutt Lane, Kingsway, Waterloo, Brighton Le Sands, Crosby, took about 80/90 minutes when the quicker buses took around 50 minutes

F3 Liverpool-Kirkby, this went via the current 8/9/10/10A/10B to Old Swan, 61 to Black Bull Longmoor Lane, James Halt Avenue, Bewley Drive, Moorgate Road to Kirkby Admin this took 80 minutes maybe longer

Quite a few routes follow a circuitous route in Kirkby today too.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

When first ran the No. 11 to Pudsey (the old 60A route) from Seacroft; that was a hell of a long way round.

Firstly going around every back street in Seacroft, then into Leeds and up to Green Hill lane (turn around), Old Farnley, Troydale (turn around) then finally Pudsey.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Another bit of slow-coastering are the Arriva routes from Newcastle to Berwick. Historically, you had a "fast" route 505 (now X15) that ran via the A1 from Newcastle - Morpeth - Alnwick - Berwick. Working with this was the 501 that followed the same A1 route to Alnwick before heading to the coast to Bamburgh and Seahouses with one or two a day running to Belford. In addition, there was the 518 that ran from Newcastle to Morpeth before heading to the coast and going via Amble and Alnmouth and finishing at Alnwick.

Arriva effectively integrated the 501/505 between Newcastle into the X15 but not the coastal bit of the 501. That was instead tagged onto the 518 and extended from Bamburgh to run via Belford to Berwick.

X15 takes about 2 and a half hours whilst the X18 takes four hours to get to Berwick. Or you could get the train in under 45 mins!!!

 

[L401CJF]

Arriva Merseyside route 423 on the Wirral is quite a trek, but went through a phase of being even more so. It previously and currently runs from Liverpool to Seacombe Ferry via Woodside, Birkenhead, Prenton, Arrowe Park, Upton, Moreton Cross, Town Meadow, Moreton Cross, (Sandbrook Estate until 2017 bus review), Leasowe, Wallasey Village, Liscard, Seacombe Ferry. It takes an hour and 15mins end to end there abouts. When it emerges from the tunnel in Birkenhead it is approximately 1 mile (5mins) away from the terminus in Seacombe but continues for another hour at least. If the tunnel is closed and has to divert via Wallasey Tunnel, it actually passes under the terminus in Seacombe.

It went through a phase around 2017 where it continued from Seacombe back via Hamilton Square to Birkenhead Bus Station (so serviced the bus station twice on each trip in both directions!)

 

[Statto]

Arriva Merseyside route 423 on the Wirral is quite a trek, but went through a phase of being even more so. It previously and currently runs from Liverpool to Seacombe Ferry via Woodside, Birkenhead, Prenton, Arrowe Park, Upton, Moreton Cross, Town Meadow, Moreton Cross, (Sandbrook Estate until 2017 bus review), Leasowe, Wallasey Village, Liscard, Seacombe Ferry. It takes an hour and 15mins end to end there abouts. When it emerges from the tunnel in Birkenhead it is approximately 1 mile (5mins) away from the terminus in Seacombe but continues for another hour at least. If the tunnel is closed and has to divert via Wallasey Tunnel, it actually passes under the terminus in Seacombe.

It went through a phase around 2017 where it continued from Seacombe back via Hamilton Square to Birkenhead Bus Station (so serviced the bus station twice on each trip in both directions!)

Already mentioned as it's my local route.

West Midlands Travel used to run the 247 and 248 (both routes I knew very well before I left the West Mids) that were Stourbridge - Dudley - Stourbridge circulars which were neither the fastest or the most direct route (the 245/246 and the later 311/313 when the former got incorporated was both the fastest and direct route).

The route from Stourbridge was via Junction Station, Foley Arms, Wynall, Belmont Road, Lye Cross, Thorns Road, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, Russells Hall Hospital, Stourbridge Road, Dudley, Blowers Green Road, Halesowen Road, Old Hill Cross, Haden Cross (or Old Hill Station for the 247A/248A), Halesowen, the old Hagley Road, Hasbury, Dunstall Road, Beecher Road, Fatherless Barn, Oldnall Road, Wynall, Foley Arms, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Between Stourbridge, Lye Cross, and Halesowen, there was the faster and more frequent 9, Stourbridge and Merry Hill Centre the 291/292 (later incorporated with the 298/299), Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and Dudley the above mentioned 245/246.

Halesowen, Old Hill Cross, Merry Hill Centre, and Brierley Hill had the option of the 137.

I've found a 2001 Sandwell & Dudley map which shows the 247/248, there was a 247A/248A main difference between Old Hill & Halesowen were the 247A/248A went via Station Road, Lodgefield Road instead of the direct route via Halesowen Road & Maiden Hill Road 247/248. Birmingham Coach Company also ran buses on the 247/248 on the full route but had no 247A/248A

The direct route Dudley-Stourbridge was 311/312/313/313A which were later cut to Walsall-Dudley & Dudley-Stourbridge replaced by 246

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Not far from where I live I'd say the Loop in Eastbourne is kinda interesting.

Loop - Eastbourne Town Centre - Eastbourne Town Centre

Stagecoach South East

bustimes.org

5 and 5A can also be rather confusing to understand.

5A - Sovereign Harbour North Macquarie Quay - Eastbourne Town Centre Gildredge Road

Stagecoach South East

bustimes.org

And I'd say the same as the 7 and 9 in Worthing.

7 - Lancing - High Salvington

Stagecoach South

bustimes.org

9 - Holmbush Shopping Centre - Arundel

Stagecoach South

bustimes.org

 

[Statto]

7 Woolaston junction-Dudley this replaces most of the old 247/248 between Stourbridge & Dudley via Lye, takes 77 minutes for a full trip were as the 8 takes 50 minutes

https://nxbus.co.uk/media/3630/d007_30aug20.pdf

https://www.networkwestmidlands.com/media/3648/sandwell_and_dudley_area_map_web.pdf

 

[scotrail158713]

I remember a few years back I took was the #30 to Musselburgh which took a while to get there but then discovered one of their Lothian Country buses was quicker back to the City Centre (possibly #113)?

I made that mistake once - never again!
The timetable for the 44 (I’d guess the 113 is very similar) gives 37 minutes from Musselburgh Police Station to Princes Street, whilst the 30 gives 50 minutes. 13 minutes difference but it feels like even longer than that.

 

[kez19]

I made that mistake once - never again!
The timetable for the 44 (I’d guess the 113 is very similar) gives 37 minutes from Musselburgh Police Station to Princes Street, whilst the 30 gives 50 minutes. 13 minutes difference but it feels like even longer than that.

For me it was just a day out but felt the bus I thought direct was like a tour bus..

again I admit if not familiar with an area you go with a route closest (that’s me anyway)

If I also remember correctly from the Ocean Terminal end there is quite alot of links to the Airport, routes vary? (unless its changed now?)

Was there different routes to Holyrood too? I'm looking on Lothian site and see the #35 but I am sure the last time I was there it was a different one, sure it was a shorter route from the City Centre?

*correct me in anything I have said as i'm not local to the Edinburgh area.

 

[Statto]

82 Birmingham-Bearwood, takes 40 minutes, fastest buses 9/126/X8/X10 take about 20 minutes, main route is Cape Hill-Birmingham complementing the 87 over that section

https://nxbus.co.uk/media/3674/b082-87_30aug20.pdf

 

[L401CJF]

Already mentioned as it's my local route.



I've found a 2001 Sandwell & Dudley map which shows the 247/248, there was a 247A/248A main difference between Old Hill & Halesowen were the 247A/248A went via Station Road, Lodgefield Road instead of the direct route via Halesowen Road & Maiden Hill Road 247/248. Birmingham Coach Company also ran buses on the 247/248 on the full route but had no 247A/248A

The direct route Dudley-Stourbridge was 311/312/313/313A which were later cut to Walsall-Dudley & Dudley-Stourbridge replaced by 246

Yeah you've already mentioned the 423, but didn't mention that it used to be even longer than it currently is by serving Birkenhead BS twice!

 

[Statto]

I'd forgotten about the extension from Seacombe to Birkenhead, mostly to serve the college near Twelve Quays.

Wirral has had a long history of circuitous routes dating long way before the PTE was formed, Crosville had
F34 Park Station-Liscard via West Kirby which took 65 minutes, the quickest route at the time 11 took 10-15 minutes
F15 Woodside-Burton via Eastham, Hooton & Neston, this took 67 minutes, about 50 minutes Woodside-Neston, quicker & more frequent services on the F17/F18 Woodside-Neston which took 40 minutes

Across the Mersey you had H20-H24 Liverpool-Chester via Runcorn, which took nearly 2 hours, it was quicker getting the ferry to Woodside[when ferry was more frequent & ran all day back then], then C1/C3/C4 to Chester

Quite a few routes which went Liverpool-Huyton-Prescot via Whiston, the quickest routes were the 10/510/H2/H3/H4, the current 61 Liverpool-Runcorn formerly Halton Transport is very circuitous taking not far off 2 hours end to end, when there are quicker routes to Prescot, Whiston, Farnworth, Widnes & Runcorn

X12 Birmingham-Solihull takes around 90-100 minutes meanders through Chelmsley Wood, Castle Bromwich, fastest buses Birmingham-Solihull take 45-50 minutes, X12 is partly a replacement for the old 966 Castle Bromwich-Solihull which brings me to

966 when it was first introduced as part of the WMT timesaver network, was Wolverhampton-Birmingham Airport, via Walsall, Aldridge, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood later cut to Walsall-Birmingham Airport, i remember getting this a few times Walsall-Airport which even then took 90 minutes, before being altered to operate Sutton Coldfield-Solihull, then cut further to Erdington-Solihull before being withdrawn a couple of years ago