#AYearOfBuses 166: X66 Metrocentre – Gateshead
Today’s winner on #AYearOfBuses comes with its own family of colourful gnomes! Go North East’s Metrocentre shuttle, the X66, runs every few minutes between Gateshead Interchange and the intu Metrocentre. It’s currently home to a fleet of navy blue branded Wright Streetlites, which feature their own array of colourful characters. Herbert, Sherbet, Maggot and Rusty […]
#AYearOfBuses 152: Hotline Preston – Burnley
Welcome to June! Today’s winner on #AYearOfBuses is a route steeped in history, being the first route which Ribble Motor Services ran when they were formed in 1919. Named after the river flowing through Preston, Ribble began in 1919 when three entrepreneurs bought out James Hodson, who’d started a bus service nine years earlier linking […]
#AYearOfBuses 97: Leeds – Guiseley
Introducing a new ‘quality’ brand for the city, First Leeds’ 97 is our focus for today, here on #AYearOfBuses. Part of a package of improvements for the city, First’s 97 joins the ‘LeedsCity’ network of routes running between Leeds, the University and Headingley, with the 97 itself continuing to the suburb of Guiseley. In 2018, […]
#AYearOfBuses 96: Woolwich – Bluewater
We’re taking a look at a London bus route which can trace its history to the days of trolleybuses today on #AYearOfBuses. Now in the capable hands of Stagecoach London, the 96 originally began in 1959 as a direct replacement for trolleybus route 696, as part of London Transport’s trolleybus conversion scheme. It runs between […]
#AYearOfBuses 72: Hyperlink Leeds – Bradford
Before Elon Musk’s Hyperloop, there was Hyperlink – First’s attempt to create a rapid transit corridor between Leeds and Bradford. It’s day 72 on #AYearOfBuses. Now sadly dead and buried, Hyperlink launched between Leeds and Bradford in 2012 and was seen as a bus rapid transit-based replacement for the cancelled Leeds Supertram project – and for accommodating […]
#AYearOfBuses 51: Rhyl – Denbigh & Wrexham
One of North Wales most scenic bus routes, Arriva’s 51 & X51 is today’s winner on #AYearOfBuses. Starting in the blustery coastal town of Rhyl, MAX 51 runs through the Vale of Clywyd, down to the picturesque market town of Denbigh, where it connects with the X51 to Wrexham. From Denbigh, the X51 passes through […]
#AYearOfBuses 36: Ripon – Harrogate – Leeds
There was only ever going to be one winner for day 36 on #AYearOfBuses – it’s The Harrogate Bus Company’s 36, linking the town with Ripon and Leeds using those signature high-spec double deckers. Back in 2003, a bus company from Yorkshire blew apart the UK bus industry when it revealed the first of 12 […]
#AYearOfBuses 13: the Orange routes Reading – Woodley
We’re sticking with the South of England for day 13 on #AYearOfBuses, with this zesty entry from Reading Buses. 6 of these fantastically bright orange Wright StreetDecks upgraded Reading’s routes to and from Woodley, the 13 and 14, in September 2016. They were the product of a number of trials at Reading Buses, which even […]
#AYearOfBuses 12: Coaster Brighton – Eastbourne
We’re heading to the South Coast for day 12 on #AYearOfBuses, for yet another of Britain’s most scenic bus routes – Brighton & Hove’s Coaster. Coaster 12, 12A, 12X and their faster touristy cousin, the 13X, come together to create a bus every 10 mins during the peak season along the South Coast, running from […]
#AYearOfBuses 7: The Star Portsmouth – Wecock Farm
Plain sailing into day 7 of #AYearOfBuses, we’re heading to the South Coast today for First’s The Star. The Star launched in 2013 with a fleet of 26 new Wright Streetlites, wearing a deep purple livery and a new name reflecting the identity of the city of Portsmouth. In fact, each bus is named after […]