Today I made a three - that became four - leg circular trip on Stagecoach South (Alton - Petersfield - Winchester - Alton) to kill some time on an otherwise miserable day off work, and covering some infrequent countryside routes I've wanted to do for a while but never got around to. I got to Alton High Street stops A/B, in Hampshire, around ten minutes prior to my first bus. I watched ALX400-bodied Trident 18517 (NDZ 3017, formerly GX06 DXR) from Guildford Peasmarsh depot leave on the 0955 65 to Guildford, followed soon after by sister Trident 18519 (NDZ 3019, formerly GX06 DXT) passing by on the Alton town circular 9. This departed from the more discreet Stop C a short distance up the road, however the driver did appear to be looking for any passengers at A/B as he passed. Neither route requires a decker in the holidays, but during term time the near-hourly 65 carries school/college flows and the limited 9 (five journeys on weekdays between 1000-1220) is sandwiched between college routes so the daytime journeys are often deckers. Aldershot depot in particular seems to keep the Tridents active in the holidays with them often cropping up, sometimes on routes that rarely see deckers such as the 4/5 Aldershot to Farnham locals. My bus pulled in on time at 1004.
#1 - 38 1000 Alton to Petersfield (1100)
Enviro 200MMC - 26164 (SN67 WWJ)
Stagecoach South (Portsmouth depot)
8 passengers, max 7 at once
This is another route that usually sees deckers due to college loadings (tending to be Coastliner buses branded for the Portsmouth to Chichester route 700) but, unlike the 9 and 65, saloons are common on the 38 outside of term time. Timings are primarily arranged around school and college flows, with daytime infill journeys catering for some shopping opportunities. It used to be a lot more frequent, with journeys continuing to Havant as route 37. Five of us boarded our 67-reg beachball liveried Enviro 200MMC, with one already on board who was soon traded for a new passenger at Alton Sainsbury’s. We then proceeded past the community hospital and recently built leisure centre, through the tight village of Chawton (where the bus stop directly outside author Jane Austen’s house was obstructed by a Porsche which was a squeeze to pass) and out into the countryside. Having only slowed since Alton Sainsbury’s for junctions and the Porsche, some very spirited running continued past the purple lavender fields along the B3006 Selborne Road, through the tight eponymous village, before diverting up into Greatham village and passing the down-in-the-dumps looking military facility at Longmoor where we finally stopped to pick up another passenger, making seven on board now. We wait time here as, despite the spirited running, we are only a minute or two early. The boarding passenger commented to the driver about being on time, and looking at recent BusTimes.org tracking it would appear the spirited running is needed to meet the timetable - especially if you've had to stop for any passengers unlike us!
We continue through Liss Forest, across a level crossing over the Waterloo to Portsmouth ‘Direct’ railway line, into Liss itself where we drop off our young Alton Sainsbury’s shopper. We have arrived here around three minutes early, with timings seemingly not requiring as much ‘effort’ along this stretch as we have become a bit more sedate now. This low and steady pace continues for the remainder of our trip into Petersfield, entering the town through the residential “Moggs Mead”. The town centre is served on time at 1058, with four alighting, with myself and the remaining passenger continuing the extra minute to the railway station where we arrived a minute early. I’d say two thirds were concessions and a third farepayers. Overall the bus itself was a smooth ride (as much as road surface and earlier 'spirited' conditions allowed) and not too rattly for an Enviro. The station is a two platform affair with level crossing and signal box at one end, although I believe the latter is on borrowed time soon to be wiped out by the ongoing resignalling scheme. It’s a 52 minute wait for my next bus so I peruse the vicinity including the station where I see a 450 arrive en route to Portsmouth, although the station bus and train display shows ‘Buses from the forecourt’ bound for London Waterloo only and the train column empty, so I think something has gone a bit awry with that system! I then walk the 10-15 minutes round the corner to Petersfield Tesco where my next bus actually starts its journey from, some seven minutes before it reaches the railway station.
#2 - 67 1145 Petersfield to Winchester (1301)
Enviro 200MMC - 37422 (YX65 PYY)
Stagecoach South (Winchester depot)
11 passengers, max 7 at once
The 67 is another route that used to be more frequent but now survives as a reduced school/college flow route, however it does offer slightly more than the 38 in terms of "other" journey opportunities. This has been reflected in the not too distant past where - from memory - Stagecoach took on some college day Winchester to West Meon Hut journeys commercially, with independent Xelabus operating contracted journeys beyond there to/from Petersfield and days outside of term time. Through passengers on college days had to change buses in a layby, hoping that connections would be met. A new timetable started today (and on display at Tesco) which saw the Saturday 0725 Petersfield to Winchester and Mon-Sat 1750 Winchester to Petersfield journeys both withdrawn over the Petersfield to West Meon Hut section. At 1138, Enviro 200 36828 (GX62 BDV) pulled in with the 1130 Petersfield Station to Havant route 37 to Havant, albeit wearing pink branding advertising the every 12 min Havant & Waterlooville route 39, which in reality appears to be every 15 min frequency now - not a rare bit out outdated branding within the Stagecoach South area. My bus was due at 1136 to depart at 1145, however Enviro 200MMC 37422 (YX65 PYY) in the new local livery arrives at departure time, with the driver boarding me then getting out to make a phone call. It appears an inbound passenger has told him a road closure at West Meon has reopened and he was querying this with the office for the return journey. We therefore left a few minutes late with only me on board, but picking up four in Petersfield town centre and a further two at the railway station. With seven on board, we drop two off on the outskirts of town.
As the journey progresses along some narrow country roads, regularly having to slow suddenly to pass vehicles between bursts of power, it appears this 65-plate has possibly had a harder life than our previous two year younger 67-plate, with it being full of what I’d personally consider more than the usual “ADL rattles”, accompanied by a certain ‘scream’ sound at times. Having departed Petersfield Tesco three mins late and proceeding non stop along the A272, we leave dive off at Langrish onto narrow roads to arrive in East Meon two late. One assumes the office told the driver to stick with the diversion as, instead of continuing to West Meon village, we reverse into Church Street to retrace our steps back to Langrish and turn left back onto the A272 Winchester Road. This takes us off-route through Bordean direct to West Meon Hut, avoiding West Meon village itself. The driver appears to enjoy driving this stretch of single carriageway road, which is wider than the usual route allowing a bit of speed through long winding curves bordered by nothing but fields and hedgerows. Having had to double-back earlier but the diversion avoiding West Meon village, we pass West Meon Hut just two mins late. Nearly 25 mins after dropping off our last passenger on the outskirts of Petersfield at 1059, all five of us remaining have made it to Bramdean before another passenger joins us. After passing the Hinton Ampner National Trust property, one of the Petersfield town centre boarders leaves at the next village of Cheriton, with its narrow approach over a stream and the need for the driver to carefully edge inches from a high brick retaining wall and aid hedge trimming. As we leave Cheriton a young male boards bringing us back up to 6. The driver takes this opportunity to readjust his nearside mirror, and a quick check of the duty card shows him we are now on time.
New Alresford is the only intermediate settlement of any real size along the 67’s hour and a quarter length, however there is no real way to serve the main central stops due to the road layout without making a lengthy double run. Our Bramdean joiner therefore alights at the top of Jacklyns Lane. Here we also spy a maroon, cream and orange Optare Solo of local independent operator Cresta Coaches, hiding in the entrance of Perins School during its lunchtime layover between journeys on Alresford to Ropley local route 240, which runs Mondays and Thursdays only. Alresford is the terminus of the preserved Mid-Hants Railway ‘Watercress Line’. South Western Railway services operate between London Waterloo and Alton, from where heritage steam and diesel trains run for 10 miles to Alresford. The missing stretch of mainline Alton - Four Marks - Ropley - Alresford - Winchester is today served by the successful Stagecoach 64 which now runs half-hourly seven days a week following various frequency enhancements over the years. The 64 runs direct between Alresford and Winchester though, where as the Alresford to Winchester railway ran via the small village of Itchen Abbas. This is where the 67 steps in, running via this slightly longer but more country road route (27 mins on the 67 vs 20 mins on the 64 along the dual-carriageway A31). In Itchen Abbas we pick up a passenger to replace the Alresford leaver, so still six on board. In Kings Worthy we make another pick up, bringing us back to our 7 maximum on board at one time - as was also he case on the 38. Can we beat it? We reach a hill and the engine seemingly cuts out, so the driver brings us to a controlled stop. After a bit of fiddling we are back on the move, albeit two mins late. We arrive at Winchester bus station one minute late at 1302. Overall we’d had a fair split of concessions and farepayers, with two concessions and two younger farepayers travelling all the way from Petersfield to Winchester.
#3 - 67 1320 Winchester to New Alresford (1301)
Enviro 200MMC - 37422 (YX65 PYY)
Stagecoach South (Winchester depot)
6 passengers, max 5 at once
I had intended to catch the 1315 Winchester to Alton route 64, which takes the aforementioned direct route out of Winchester to New Alresford, then shadows the Watercress Line back to Alton, arriving at Alton station 1405. The route appeared at this point to be in the hands of two of the branded Enviro 400MMC deckers, an ALX400 Trident decker, and an Enviro 200 saloon. The saloon was on the 1315 journey... I therefore decided to sack this off and raid the Reeve's Bakery instead. With the day's constant drizzle seeming to be well set in, rather than wait half hour in Winchester I instead caught 37422 (YX65 PYY) again on the 1320 67, where it was due to arrive at Ladycroft Crossroads on the edge of New Alresford at 1346. I would then wait there for just over ten minutes to catch the next 64 at 1359, which would get me into Alton just after 1430. The driver only arrived at the bus at 1320, so by the time he was set up we left five late. Five of us boarded, with one jumping off in the shopping area where another boarded. We lost two in Kings Worthy and one in Itchen Abbas, leaving myself and one concession on board when I alighted on the outskirts of New Alresford three mins late. I knew where to get off thanks to the next stop display and announcements functioning, unlike the previous two journeys. I’d say this was a fairly even split of concessions and farepayers.
#4 - 64 1359 New Alresford to Alton (1405)
Enviro 400MMC - 10890 (YX67 VCC)
Stagecoach South (Winchester depot)
Approx 30-35 passengers, approx 20 at once
With ten minutes to wait at a bus stop which was starting to be strangled by the roadside shrubbery, I see local liveried and route 64 branded Enviro 400MMC 10891 (YX67 VCD) splashing its way past in the Winchester direction. My ride is in the hands of sister branded 10890 (YX67 VCC) which trundles down the hill on time. Although the Petersfield-bound 67 does stop at stops on the opposite side of a road in New Alresford to the Alton-bound 64, and closer to the shops, I opted for this stop served by both routes on the outskirts of the village to take in the diversion into the residential area of Alresford that the 64 makes before it reaches the village centre. It also meant if there was a group boarding - or indeed alighting - in Alresford centre, I might get a better choice of seat.
There were probably around 20 on board, split fairly evenly between upper and lower decks, and maybe two thirds fare payers and a third concessions. This bus also had functioning next stop displays and announcements, making a 50% success rate across the three vehicles over four journeys. We stopped to drop off at most stops through New Alresford's main residential area, with what appeared to be mainly people returning from school holiday leisure time in Winchester. In the charming village centre of New Alresford, we replaced some of these passengers with a family and a number of individuals. Leaving the village, double deck buses have to pass under the Watercress Line at an angle which takes them into the path of approaching traffic due to the shape/angle of the arched bridge. We are soon onto the A31, along which we pass the Winchester-bound Trident near to the preserved Ropley Station approach road, and which we follow through the gradually expanding village of Four Marks all the way to the Chawton Roundabout on the outskirts of Alton. Here we deviate to take in the Sports Centre and Community Hospital, as per our 38 earlier, and continue to retrace our steps under the tall - and recently rebuilt - ‘The Butts’ Mid-Hants Railway bridge with its prominent Watercress Line banners alongside. The bridge was rebuilt around 2018/2019 alongside major changes to the road layout below, with there being some controversy locally with the demolition of the brick arch and replacement with a steel span. This included graffiti at the time with the year of its construction and ‘LSWR’, alongside the year of its demolition and the word ‘Vandals’. Personally I don’t think the overall structure is that bad, however I might’ve painted it a dark green to contrast the brickwork and look a bit more welcoming as one of the two main gateways into the town, rather than leaving it in what just looks like a rusty orange/brown colour. We arrive into Alton on time - as we have been most of the way - with a couple alighting and one boarding near the Sports Centre. Around seven of us alight in the town centre, with five (plus two boarding) continuing onwards towards the railway station.
Opposite is route 700 'Coastliner' yellow distance liveried Enviro 300 saloon 27653 (GX10 KZF) on layover waiting to work the 1440 Alton to Guildford route 65 journey. This is once of a few I believe being displaced from the south coast and now residing at Guildford's two depots, most regularly seen on Enviro 300 routes 34/35 (Guildford - Woking - Camberley) and 91 (Woking - Goldsworth Park - Knaphill). Others include 27650/4 (GX10 KZC/G). As mentioned earlier, the yellow and previous beachball Coastliner liveries aren't strangers to Alton, with Portsmouth depot regularly putting them on the 38 during Alton College term times. Alton is an interesting place with its most local Stagecoach premises being an outstation in Farringdon only handling a couple of vehicles these days for the 64 and Peter Symonds College 64X. It's actually five other Stagecoach depots further afield that operate most routes through the town, including their own town circular route. These are Aldershot (9/65X), Basingstoke (13), Guildford-Peasmarsh (65), Portsmouth-Farlington (38/38X) and Winchester (64). Local independent operator Cresta Coaches also run contracted Tue/Fri 206/208 circular routes which link local villages with Alton town centre three times each day, as well as commercial afternoon 664 Eggars School - Alton - Sports Centre school route withdrawn by Stagecoach earlier this year (Stagecoach continue to operate this section in the morning but no afternoon return).
The three images below show the Petersfield departure board displaying trains where buses should be, a South Western Railway Desiro arriving over the level crossing past the signal box, and the third shows a Cancer Research UK liveried pink Enviro 400 classic style pulling under the iconic Winchester Bus Station arch.
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Thanks again for a lovely travelogue
