Where have you been by bus?

[Ivo]

Pretty simple, really. Just like this thread, only specific to buses! (Buses must be operating a normal PSV route to count, but merely passing through without getting off is OK as are "local" routes usually operated by coaches e.g. Service X5.)

I will restrict my answers to England's 50 largest settlements only, partly to prevent listing too much but also because my only locations outside of England are Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Belfast, and, uh, Wexford (:?).

London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Leicester, Coventry, Hull, Bradford, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Reading, Derby, Dudley, Newcastle, Northampton, Portsmouth, Luton, Preston, Milton Keynes, Sunderland, Norwich, Walsall, Bournemouth, Southend, Swindon, Huddersfield, Poole, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bolton, Ipswich, Telford, York, West Bromwich, Peterborough, Stockport, Brighton, Slough, Gloucester, Watford, Rotherham, Cambridge, Exeter

Hmm... Got some work to do then, especially among second-tier cities such as Bradford, Hull and Plymouth

Anyone else want to try? I would like to remind you all that the 50 settlements listed above are all in England, but are in order.

 

[overthewater]

I have traveled on First service X95 From Edinburgh - Carlisle all the way - 3H 20m

 

[Spaceflower]

All over North East from Ashington/Lynemouth in the north to Scarborough in the south and Eastgate to the west.

Ripley, Heanor and Ilkeston routes out of Nottingham.

Several West Yorks routes out of Leeds to Old Farnley, Ferrybridge, Castleford, Otley road/Lawnswood.

York-Tadcaster.

Knottingley-Doncaster.

Bangor-Menai Bridge.

Probably Blackpool when very young....

Amsterdam and Paris

That be it....

 

[MK Tom]

Not much here...

London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Leicester, Coventry, Hull, Bradford, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Reading, Derby, Dudley, Newcastle, Northampton, Portsmouth, Luton, Preston, Milton Keynes, Sunderland, Norwich, Walsall, Bournemouth, Southend, Swindon, Huddersfield, Poole, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bolton, Ipswich, Telford, York, West Bromwich, Peterborough, Stockport, Brighton, Slough, Gloucester, Watford, Rotherham, Cambridge, Exeter

Wow... pretty bad. To be fair to myself, most of my bus travel is in towns too small to appear here, like Rugby, Bedford, Aylesbury and so on.

 

[bb21]

I have traveled on First service X95 From Edinburgh - Carlisle all the way - 3H 20m

I see your X95, and raise you X53, Exeter - Bournemouth, over 5 hours.

 

[High Dyke]

I used to do Grantham - Lincoln and back 3 times a day.

 

[W-on-Sea]

London (all over, lots), Birmingham (a few times, not widely), Bristol, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Reading, Southend, Swindon, Oxford, Blackpool (long ago), York, Brighton, Slough, Gloucester, Watford;

Elsewhere in the UK (with no proper criteria other than being relatively substantial settlements): Cardiff, Swansea; Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Inverness, Cumbernauld, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Ayr; Belfast, (London/)Derry , Armagh, Portadown, Craigavon, Limavady.

 

[SS4]

Pretty simple, really. Just like this thread, only specific to buses! (Buses must be operating a normal PSV route to count, but merely passing through without getting off is OK as are "local" routes usually operated by coaches e.g. Service X5.)

I will restrict my answers to England's 50 largest settlements only, partly to prevent listing too much but also because my only locations outside of England are Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Belfast, and, uh, Wexford (:?).

London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Leicester, Coventry, Hull, Bradford, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Reading, Derby, Dudley, Newcastle, Northampton, Portsmouth, Luton, Preston, Milton Keynes, Sunderland, Norwich, Walsall, Bournemouth, Southend, Swindon, Huddersfield, Poole, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bolton, Ipswich, Telford, York, West Bromwich, Peterborough, Stockport, Brighton, Slough, Gloucester, Watford, Rotherham, Cambridge, Exeter

Hmm... Got some work to do then, especially among second-tier cities such as Bradford, Hull and Plymouth

Anyone else want to try? I would like to remind you all that the 50 settlements listed above are all in England, but are in order.

I guess having the ENTCS pass helps (apologies if I've got the wrong acronym)

To save everyone a lot of time: Birmingham with two journeys in London and one in Wolverhampton

Even in Brum it's mainly in North Birmingham with the occasional trip to town

 

[overthewater]

I see your X95, and raise you X53, Exeter - Bournemouth, over 5 hours.

I raise you a return trip on the same bus back, so a 45min gap but that is 7 hours

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Done:
London, Brum, Leeds, Manchester, Stoke, Nottingham, Newcastle, Preston, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Notlob, Stockport and Brighton.

Plus, dubiosly, Poole - passing through Sandbanks enroute from Bournemouth to Swanage.

And, even more dubiously, Bradford - if Oxenhope falls under that jurisdiction...

If Rochdale FC supporters club coaches count then Coventry, Plymouth and Warsaw can also be added!

 

[SS4]

Done:
London, Brum, Leeds, Manchester, Stoke, Nottingham, Newcastle, Preston, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Notlob, Stockport and Brighton.

Plus, dubiosly, Poole - passing through Sandbanks enroute from Bournemouth to Swanage.

And, even more dubiously, Bradford - if Oxenhope falls under that jurisdiction...

If Rochdale FC supporters club coaches count then Coventry, Plymouth and Warsaw can also be added!

Rochdale, now playing in Europe

 

[Ivo]

I guess having the ENTCS pass helps (apologies if I've got the wrong acronym)

The ENCTS () pass does certainly help, but I should add that there are several places that I have only ever done without it, i.e. before receiving it. Examples include some of East Anglia (Clacton, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth), Lincoln, Scarborough, Rye and - from the first list - Brighton. Come to think of it, I believe that even Canvey Island - that close to home! - falls into this category (although I almost went there literally last week). There are several places that I have also only passed through, as opposed to actually visiting, since getting it too.

You can tell that, unlike with railway stuff, I was interested in going all over by bus before Uni as well after from 2009 onwards. The next place on my hit list is Dursley, as its route to Thornbury is being withdrawn soon and I want to use the 311 while I still can.

 

[wintonian]

Can we have a thread for where you haven't been by bus? It might make it easier for me, particularly if I restrict myself to the kingdom of Wessex and the Home Counties.

 

[Zamracene749]

Lands end, John o Groats and pretty much everywhere in between!

Been a bus basher for about 35 years, with the interest waning slightly in the last 10.
Notable gaps in my UK bus coverage list are north east Kent, West Wales, the Boston area of Lincolnshire and the Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester areas. Tips for cool journeys I've missed are welcome

 

[Ivo]

Can we have a thread for where you haven't been by bus? It might make it easier for me, particularly if I restrict myself to the kingdom of Wessex and the Home Counties.

As far as I'm concerned, knock yourself out I'm sure I would be one of the first posters.

...that doesn't sound too good does it?

Lands end, John o Groats and pretty much everywhere in between!

Been a bus basher for about 35 years, with the interest waning slightly in the last 10.
Notable gaps in my UK bus coverage list are north east Kent, West Wales, the Boston area of Lincolnshire and the Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester areas. Tips for cool journeys I've missed are welcome

Gloucester may be a bit of a hole for the most part but its bus service is pretty good. Get yourself down for a journey to and from Cheltenham - use the 10 in one direction and the 94 in the other. Both are part of the Stagecoach Gold group - you won't be disappointed

Of the two, I've done the 94 a few times but never the 10. I haven't been to the area in the time it's been a Gold route.

 

[Class172]

Hmmm... my extensive use (not) of buses includes:

144 Worcester-Droitwich Spa-Bromsgrove
157 The Ridings (Droitwich)
W1 Worcester Park & Ride
4 Green Lane-Broadgate (Coventry)
20 Trafalgar Square - Regent St.
Oxford Pear Tree P&R

 

[wintonian]

Well the furthest north is the Inverness - Fort William bus, didn't want to risk Scrabster while I was there.

Furthest South is the no. 6 Newport - Ventnor


Furthest West would be the Penzance - Lands End bus

and the furthest east might be the Dover Priory - Dover docks bus, though I'll have to think about that one.

Unless I count foreign parts in which case the bus to Doolin, Munster would be the furthest West.

I can't be botherd with the rest ATM.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

North: Luss to Arrochar
East: Folkestone to Hythe (or Malia to Ag Nik)
South: Bournemouth to Swanage (or Crete, as above)
West - see North, although Barnstaple to Croyde Bay must run it close.

 

[martinsh]

I have travelled to the following places by bus (all from Riga)

Bauska, Cesis, Dobele, Gulbene, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Kuldiga, Liepaja, Limbazi, Ogre, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Talsi, Tukums, Valmiera.

Whilst outside Lativa, I have travelled by bus from

Denver - Loveland (CO)
Palo Alto - Mountain View (CA)
Toronto - Niagara Falls
Santander - Bilbao
Sorrento - Positano
Villars- Aigle

Plus most of those places listed by Ivo ...

 

[anthony263]

Porthcawl, Trecco Bay Holiday Park (Can I get away with this one seing as it is near Porthcawl), Bridgend, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, Barry, Aberdare,, Swansea, Port Talbot, Neath, Llanelli, Brecon, Severn Tunnel Junction, Penarth, Talbot Green, Pencoed, Porth, Pontypridd, Blackwood, Treforest, Newbridge, Hereford, Abergavenny, Gloucester, Chepstow, Nailsea, Bristol, Bath, Weston Super Mare, Bristol Airport, Cardiff Airport.

Here is a question, Can I get away with listing places where I have been at the wheel of the bus/coach?

 

[Ivo]

Within 15 miles of Bath, I think the biggest place I have never at least passed through by bus is Chipping Sodbury, with its enormous population of 5,500

Porthcawl, Trecco Bay Holiday Park (Can I get away with this one seing as it is near Porthcawl), Bridgend, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, Barry, Aberdare,, Swansea, Port Talbot, Neath, Llanelli, Brecon, Severn Tunnel Junction, Penarth, Talbot Green, Pencoed, Porth, Pontypridd, Blackwood, Treforest, Newbridge, Hereford, Abergavenny, Gloucester, Chepstow, Nailsea, Bristol, Bath, Weston Super Mare, Bristol Airport, Cardiff Airport.

Here is a question, Can I get away with listing places where I have been at the wheel of the bus/coach?

You tell us - it's your answer. Some people would allow it; some wouldn't.

I personally would allow it, but would identify places that were only visited or passed through whilst driving a bus.

Good to see you remembered to add Nailsea I can't remember if you joined us to Thornbury or not though?

 

[anthony263]

Ok places I visisted whilst driving a bus/coach:

Swansea city centre, Llansamlet, Skewen, Neath, Sandfields estate, Westlands estate, Port Talbot, Margam, Taibacch, Pontardulais, Ammanford, Pontardawe, Ystradgynlais, Lougher, Gowerton, Penclawd, Gorseinon, Crofty, Llangennech, Uplands, Brynill, West Cross, Blackpil, Grenfel Park, SA1, Fforestfach, Bridgend

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hmmm.... did a lot in my youth before I settled down etc...

London - a few one day travelcards around Greenwich, Kingston, W'stow

Birmingham/Wolverhampton/Dudley/West Brom/Walsall - quite a few WMT one dayers on Fleetlines, Metrobuses and Lynxes up to 2004

Liverpool - only a fleeting visit on a First service to/from Heswall, once!

Leeds - used to enjoy visiting when the 36 was a United/West Yorkshire service plus loads of Yorkshire Rider/West Riding and into the First/Arriva era

Sheffield/Rotherham - occasional X78 from Doncaster but not much

Bristol - all over the city in old Cityline/Badgerline (pre First) days when VRs still did the X39. Still have the odd day on First (last one was New Years Eve) but a Bristol Rider beckons

Manchester/Bolton/Stockport - mainly south side Stretford and Chorlton but occasionally round to Bolton and Bury with last time in 2011

Leicester/Coventry - not since Midland Fox days c.1996 including one visit on 158 Hinckley to Cov

Hull/York - every so often since 1987 on EYMS/Arriva and YC services with last one in Dec 2012

Bradford/Huddersfield - in the old Yorkshire Rider days esp. Halifax to Huddersfield route

Nottingham/Derby - mid 1990s/early 2000s when Trent and Barton were separate IDs and they still had Nationals (just) and Deltas

Plymouth - only once and I think I did a trip and back to Torpoint and then went to Callington

Sunderland, Newcastle, Middlesbrough - from pre-dereg days when United ran from Berwick to Scarborough! Most recently in Feb 2013

Preston/Blackpool - travelled on the first Lynx when Ribble had it in 1988 as well as highbridge VRs (all pre Stagecoach)

Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Poole - since early 1990s when Provincial was still employee owned and ran Nationals, W&D had VRs and Fleetlines etc

Northampton, Luton, Milton Keynes, Watford - it's where I live now so plenty of Stagecoach UC and Arriva Shires

Swindon/Gloucester - since early 1990s before it became Stagecoach and both Swindon and Cheltenham had Starsky and Hutch liveries!

Oxford - had a spell when I did it a bit on the 66 and S3, both pre-Gold (just) but not since 2011

Telford - I used to do the odd Arriva Mids North when I lived in Birmingham, so used to go to Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth

Peterborough and Cambridge - first done in 1990 when it was still Cambus and Viscount

Exeter - not for a while but did X64 when it was Western National plus the services down to Exmouth

Brighton - a good few runs on B&H and Stagecoach (when the latter still had the old Southdown depot in Eastbourne)

Stoke/Slough/Ipswich/Reading/Norwich/Southend - am I really missing out???

Not bad but I am getting on now!

 

[TRN481V]

I have travelled all the way from Southport in Merseyside to Edinburgh using scheduled bus services, breaking my journey in Dumfries. Only cost me £1.00 as well - I was working for Stagecoach at the time so only had to pay for the Citylink from Glasgow to Edinburgh!

 

[Ivo]

I have travelled all the way from Southport in Merseyside to Edinburgh using scheduled bus services, breaking my journey in Dumfries. Only cost me £1.00 as well - I was working for Stagecoach at the time so only had to pay for the Citylink from Glasgow to Edinburgh!

Define "breaking journey" - as in staying overnight?

My best is the rather unoriginal (and repeated) Bath to Southend or vice-versa, via Cambridge on the X5 coach. I must have done it about ten times between the two directions by now. This has always been done in one day, usually roughly 0930 to roughly 2200.

 

[bb21]

I think the four extremes will be easier to do than drawing up the complete list. For me I have:

West/South - Land's End
North - Portree
East - Folkstone

 

[Liam]

South - London (Croydon)
North - Elgin
West - Galway
East - Aberdeen

Other places I have been:

In Scotland: Inverness, Kyle, Oban, Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, Ayr, Gala, Aviemore, Fort William, Pitlochry, Falkirk and almost every Stagecoach route in Fife.

Outside of Scotland: Carlisle, Belfast, Derry, Enniskillen, Cork, Dublin, Sligo,

 

[stut]

Hmm, go on then. A mixed bag for me.

London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Manchester, Leicester, Coventry, Hull, Bradford, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Reading, Derby, Dudley, Newcastle, Northampton, Portsmouth, Luton, Preston, Milton Keynes, Sunderland, Norwich, Walsall, Bournemouth, Southend, Swindon, Huddersfield, Poole, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bolton, Ipswich, Telford, York, West Bromwich, Peterborough, Stockport, Brighton, Slough, Gloucester, Watford, Rotherham, Cambridge, Exeter.

 

[Polarbear]

Oh gosh, where to start!

I've travelled around the UK using buses for more than 30 years now & to be honest, I've travelled in most of the UK at some point in those years using a bus or two.

My best long distance run was a day spent travelling on stage carriage services from Chester to London on a route that can't be fully replicated today.

Chester - Manchester (service X3)
Manchester - Derby (X1)
Derby - Leicester
Leicester - Northampton
Northampton - Bedford
Bedford - Luton
Luton - London (757)

For fast train back home.

Last Saturday was spent tootling around Cheshire on a GHA day rover. £5.00 to get from Chester to Macclesfield, Wilmslow & Altrincham was a good deal!

 

[markie73]

I've had the pleasure of taking the 28 from Taunton to Minehead just recently, what a torture that one is at least an hour and a half on an Eclipse!.

Done the Northampton to Bedford route on a Stagecoach Dart, its not a long jorney but rough enough on one of those Darts.

X4 Northampton to Peterborough quite a long journey but much better since Stagecoach introduced the X4 gold with those new buses on this route.