Bus Timetables in 1980 on the Travel West Yorks forum.

Railways, trams, buses, etc.
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p
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Post by p »

Just thought I'd let people on here know I've found an interesting thread on the Travel West Yorks forum about a Leeds bus timetable book for 1980. www.travelwestyorks.proboards.com

p
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Post by p »

Whislt trawling through the posts on the section of the TWY forum mentioned above, some routes described had weird frequencies, for example routes such as the 42/66 amongst many others had higher frequencies on an afternoon than on a morning, the 61/2 circulars had a 45 min evening and Sunday frequency, the 52 had an additional odd journey running something like Mon to Thurs from Leeds to Tingley Mill and Fri from Morley to Tingley Mill, the X51 had strange Sunday evening journeys but no journeys elsewhere on Sunday. Does anyone know the reason behind these strange timetables?

raveydavey
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Post by raveydavey »

At a guess, it was probably something as simple as passenger demand at those times. A lot fewer people had cars back then and fares were relatively cheap.Unlike Worst nowadays, who seem happy to have near empty buses running around the city on "every 10 minute services" during the day and then next to nothing running after 6pm or at weekends...That said, there are posters on here who will be far better informed than me!    
Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act – George Orwell

BLAKEY
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Post by BLAKEY »

"At a guess, it was probably something as simple as passenger demand at those times."Spot on there ravedavey - you have it in the proverbial "nutshell."Another infuriating anomaly nowadays, in the post 1986 de-regulation farce, are the "X" services which have slightly faster times stopping at fewer places on existing busy routes - most of these, with a few notable exceptions, can be seen running around practically empty. Sensibly based exceptions are the excellent X 84 to Otley/Ilkley/Skipton where limited stops within Leeds are essential to avoid longer distance passengers being left when the vehicles would otherwise be full of short riders for whom other local services are adequate. Another, arguably less justified, is the X6 from Huddersfield to Bradford and Leeds which does save time and changing for many.    This is a complex and fascinating topic for those of us involved directly and has always interested me greatly - I'll get mi' coit - I can hear yawning all over the area
There's nothing like keeping the past alive - it makes us relieved to reflect that any bad times have gone, and happy to relive all the joyful and fascinating experiences of our own and other folks' earlier days.

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tyke bhoy
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Post by tyke bhoy »

You will rarely see an X41 running light on passengers but then there are only 3 a day in each direction. Wakefield to Leeds in the morning and Leeds to Wakefield late afternoon. It is only supposed to stop at 4 stops on the 110 route and goes to the North west of Leeds city centre instead of south east
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raveydavey
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Post by raveydavey »

BLAKEY wrote: "At a guess, it was probably something as simple as passenger demand at those times."Spot on there ravedavey - you have it in the proverbial "nutshell."Another infuriating anomaly nowadays, in the post 1986 de-regulation farce, are the "X" services which have slightly faster times stopping at fewer places on existing busy routes - most of these, with a few notable exceptions, can be seen running around practically empty. Sensibly based exceptions are the excellent X 84 to Otley/Ilkley/Skipton where limited stops within Leeds are essential to avoid longer distance passengers being left when the vehicles would otherwise be full of short riders for whom other local services are adequate. Another, arguably less justified, is the X6 from Huddersfield to Bradford and Leeds which does save time and changing for many.    This is a complex and fascinating topic for those of us involved directly and has always interested me greatly - I'll get mi' coit - I can hear yawning all over the area No yawning here Blakey!I can remember the X16 - a fantastic limited stop service direct to Leeds from Seacroft via Wykebeck Valley Road and York Road. But it was totally undone by being scheduled to leave Seacroft Bus station from a different stand to the 'ordinary' 16 several minutes after the regular service bus - meaning that by the time it caught up the earlier 16 had picked up most of the possible passengers under the old "a bus at the stop is worth two in the timetable" rule.Plus the return journey from Leeds started from a stop at the top of Kirkgate not used by any other services (I think) and out of site of the normal 16 stop meaning a near empty X16 often passed a long queue outside 'Stop and Shop' waiting for the regular service. No use for those of us who boarded on Boar Lane either!I can't understand for the life of me why with all these every 8 or 10 minute services that they can't run every third one at the peaks as a limited stop service. Not only would it mean people got to or from work that much quicker, but it would ease the crush loadings on the rest of the route.
Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act – George Orwell

BLAKEY
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Post by BLAKEY »

Actually perhaps I didn't make quite clear what my criticism of the "X"s is I was really referring to the new generation of all day Monday to Saturday affairs of which there are a good few and they are a total waste of vehicles and staff.    The previous Leeds "Fastaways"to Cookridge, Tinshill, Swarcliffe etc were generally good and well used, and at one time the advantage was sufficient to warrant a premium of twopence extra compared with the standard fare - I have to say that its a good job that the Trade Descriptions Act was not in force in my driving days or there would have been many demands for refunds of the excess - I was never in the Formula One Class , many of my colleagues achieving fast times by hurtling up the offside of queueing traffic in Headingley Lane and then forcing their way in where it narrows before the Oak/Skyrac in a modern version of "Tram Pinch." Also of course I imagine that the peak time extras on the 110 Kettlethorpe service are greatly valued by the passengers - a far cry from the West Riding Tramways origin of such a service in prewar days.
There's nothing like keeping the past alive - it makes us relieved to reflect that any bad times have gone, and happy to relive all the joyful and fascinating experiences of our own and other folks' earlier days.

romeo to control
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Re: Bus Timetables in 1980 on the Travel West Yorks forum.

Post by romeo to control »

It was the USA style sloping windows that gave the AEC Swifts the illusion of speed and the bus lanes that ended when they were most needed.
The real problem was the fact that so many people were trying to get into a outdated road system at the same time and leave at the same time,would park and ride have solved it,I wonder!!!!
Treat others as you would wish to be treatedBAF

romeo to control
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Re: Bus Timetables in 1980 on the Travel West Yorks forum.

Post by romeo to control »

You were in the Morris Marina class Blakey with comfort stops and the odd cap doff.
Treat others as you would wish to be treatedBAF

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