Yeovil Junction Bus 68

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi all,

I've got to be in Yeovil next week, and can't really afford to be late.

I'm planning on taking the train down to Yeovil Junction and then the hourly bus 68 into the town (as the route from Yeovil Junction is unwalkable).

I'll have seven minutes to make the bus at Yeovil Junction, but if the train is delayed, would the bus wait? I would hope so considering this is primarily a shuttle to the station - and is timed to connect with the trains - but have a feeling it doesn't.

I'm aware the route was run by South West Coaches until recently, when Somerset County Council took over, but I can't find any information on this new service (apart from the page on bustimes.org).

So as a final point - purely out of interest - does anybody know what type of vehicles operate this route now?

Thanks.

 

[henairs]

Hi all,

I've got to be in Yeovil next week, and can't really afford to be late.

I'm planning on taking the train down to Yeovil Junction and then the hourly bus 68 into the town (as the route from Yeovil Junction is unwalkable).

I'll have seven minutes to make the bus at Yeovil Junction, but if the train is delayed, would the bus wait? I would hope so considering this is primarily a shuttle to the station - and is timed to connect with the trains - but have a feeling it doesn't.

I'm aware the route was run by South West Coaches until recently, when Somerset County Council took over, but I can't find any information on this new service (apart from the page on bustimes.org).

So as a final point - purely out of interest - does anybody know what type of vehicles operate this route now?

Thanks.

Hi,
Hopefully you will make the bus into town which starts at Barwick a small village close by.
These days it’s one of Somerset County Council's 68 plate mini buses.
By the way you mention a 7 minute connection I’m assuming your arriving from the Salisbury direction on an Exeter service.
Sometimes it is possible to change at Sherborne for an X11 from the stop outside that station towards Yeovil.
You will need to check South West Coaches' X11 Timetable to see if that was an option should your train be late.
Agreed the walk to town from Junction station is awful and always has been having walked, cycled and driven it.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi,
Hopefully you will make the bus into town which starts at Barwick a small village close by.
These days it’s one of SCCs 68 plate mini buses.
By the way you mention a 7 minute connection I’m assuming your arriving from the Salisbury direction on an Exeter service.
Sometimes it is possible to change at Sherborne for an X11 from the stop outside that station towards Yeovil.
You will need to check SWCs X11 Timetable to see if that was an option should your train be late.
Agreed the walk to town from Junction station is awful and always has been having walked, cycled and driven it.

Hi, thanks very much for the information - very helpful.

I will indeed be arriving from the Salisbury direction, so it's good to learn I've got the X11 as an alternative.

 

[embers25]

The bus never waits even 1 minute in my experience.

 

[richard13]

Regrettably the train has been struggling with time keeping to the extent of cancellations for various track issues this autumn. The fixed single track makes the operation inflexible.

As above, the bus doesn't wait - it is just a regular local service that goes via the station.

The change at Sherborne to X11 (occasionally) at the station or X10 & 58 across town on Greenhill (xx:25?) is always worth checking out, but I think the bus leaves just ahead of the train, which is unhelpful.

I am not sure on the taxi situation either at the station or Yeovil generally.

You ought to be prepared for a non connection, or leave a spare hour!

 

[henairs]

Hi, thanks very much for the information - very helpful.

I will indeed be arriving from the Salisbury direction, so it's good to learn I've got the X11 as an alternative.

Further to earlier notes I have looked up X11 times for you which from stop by car park entrance on station side of road are 0803/1033/1130/1430/1710.
Although not brilliant times from train to bus their are good cafe’s in Sherborne with an Excellant station cafe as well as a few more pricier options in the town. Yeovil junction has no facilities whatsoever.
As also mentioned there is a bus at 25 mins past hour on services 58/X10 from Greenhill shelter top of main shopping street on the main A30 road.
Recently the train operating company South West Trains have reinstated the hourly timetable but trains are due into Sherborne at around 32 mins past hour so always misses buses in true rail-bus operating set up.
Sorry it’s not better but guess most operating managers are car enthusiasts.

 

[geoffk]

We have some good rail/bus connections at Okehampton now but sadly these seems to be the exception. Mainland Europe seems to be able to do these things properly. I think you would have to be an enthusiast even to consider this type of journey unless buses were very frequent.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Thanks to all who've replied, and thanks again @henairs.

It's a shame the provision of public transport is so poor in this area of the country.

Looks like my best option is to bail at Sherborne where there are better options for travel into Yeovil, but I'll see how things pan out on the day.

---

Update: I made the journey in question yesterday, and (unsurprisingly) the train was late, but we were given an estimated arrival time of 45 minutes past the hour into Yeovil Junction - with the bus being timetabled to depart at the same time.

Given this, I decided to risk it and I'm pleased to say that the bus did indeed wait for the train (in fact there were quite a few transferring from the train).

It's just a shame that later on in my journey, the tsunami of incompetence we all know as First Bus let me down and left me stranded in a rural village in the cold and dark because the driver couldn't be bothered to serve the village - but that's another story!

 

[henairs]

Thanks to all who've replied, and thanks again @henairs.

It's a shame the provision of public transport is so poor in this area of the country.

Looks like my best option is to bail at Sherborne where there are better options for travel into Yeovil, but I'll see how things pan out on the day.

---

Update: I made the journey in question yesterday, and (unsurprisingly) the train was late, but we were given an estimated arrival time of 45 minutes past the hour into Yeovil Junction - with the bus being timetabled to depart at the same time.

Given this, I decided to risk it and I'm pleased to say that the bus did indeed wait for the train (in fact there were quite a few transferring from the train).

It's just a shame that later on in my journey, the tsunami of incompetence we all know as First Bus let me down and left me stranded in a rural village in the cold and dark because the driver couldn't be bothered to serve the village - but that's another story!

Hi There,
Only just noticed this message so sorry for delay in reply. Glad you made the 68 at the junction.
I wonder if the village you mention may have been Kingsdon as you say a service failed to serve there ? later in your day.
The reason I wondered is because if it was Kingsdon then the 1610 77A from Yeovil to G/bury is not timetabled to serve the village as it heads to Street for a college run so gets a quicker pathway including using Ilchester road in Yeovil instead of Mudford road/Coombe St Lane as the 77 does.
As in this case if a different route is taken on a regular journey often a letter is added after the route number.
Just my curious speculation of course but wondered if it was an example like the above.
Hope you were not stranded for to long given how cold it’s been lately

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Hi There,
Only just noticed this message so sorry for delay in reply. Glad you made the 68 at the junction.
I wonder if the village you mention may have been Kingsdon as you say a service failed to serve there ? later in your day.
The reason I wondered is because if it was Kingsdon then the 1610 77A from Yeovil to G/bury is not timetabled to serve the village as it heads to Street for a college run so gets a quicker pathway including using Ilchester road in Yeovil instead of Mudford road/Coombe St Lane as the 77 does.
As in this case if a different route is taken on a regular journey often a letter is added after the route number.
Just my curious speculation of course but wondered if it was an example like the above.
Hope you were not stranded for to long given how cold it’s been lately

Hi again, no worries at all.

Yes, the village was in fact Kingsdon - you clearly know your stuff haha. I'm aware that the 77A doesn't serve the village, but the bus I was waiting for was the 77 at 15:42 back to Yeovil which is timetabled through the village.

Felt like a right kick in the teeth seeing the bus heading straight down the main road on bustimes.org (picture attached).

It was another hour before the next bus, which thankfully did this time serve the village, but by this point it was already getting dark and of course very cold too!

I have written a complaint to First Bus so just a case of seeing what they say now.