All routes through Buxton are operated by single-decker buses, and boarding at the Sylvan Park terminus in Buxton is advisable to bag the best seat. On the first morning we board a Peak Buses ex Blackpool Transport Mercedes Benz Citaro for the 10.15am TP (Trans-Peak) service to Derby, a journey of 2 hours 1 minute. The service departs via the railway station, town centre and Market Place (the central interchange point in the town) and where an issue with the Ticketer ticket machine arose. For a time, the destination blind alters to ‘out of service’, but having completed the ticket machine equivalent of ctrl-alt-delete, the problem is resolved and the destination blind reverts to ‘Derby’ and we depart a few minutes down. A short distance along the A515 the service turns right into Harpur Hill, a small modern mixed housing development, running parallel to the A515 which we soon rejoin only to immediately turn off left and head across open countryside to join the A6. The major road and open countryside make for a fast journey until turning right into the small village of Taddington where the charming narrow main street has no passengers and it is soon back onto the A6. Before long, it is a right turn off the A6 into Ashford in the Water, where the maidens' garlands were made to mark the deaths of virgins in the village until 1801. This is a pretty village with traditional stone cottages, a village green, pond and cricket pitch, and is popular with visitors. The narrow streets were never meant for 12-meter Mercedes Benz Citaros and on-street parking didn’t help, but the effort is rewarded with half-a-dozen passengers boarding. Within a short distance we are back on the A6 and nine minutes later pulling into Bakewell. The town, famous for its tarts (puddings, not ladies) and Hulleys buses, now sadly departed, although waiting in the town square is a double-decker in Hulleys colours with Andrews of Tideswell lettering. Rather than use the bus stops around the main Rutland Square interchange, we remain on the A6 and use a stop in Matlock Street where sufficient number of passengers board to see us depart with a standing load, despite the fact we now share the route to Derby with Trentbarton ‘the sixes 6.1’. From Bakewell to Matlock is a steady, scenic run along the A6 with just two stops for passengers to alight. The majority of passengers alight at the bus stop outside Matlock bus station and enough board for us to depart with all seats taken. Leaving the town centre, crossing the River Derwent and re-joining the A6 we climb steadily to Matlock Bath and onward to Belper where we enter the Trentbarton bus station/depot, a relic from the 1950s. After a short lay-over and being transported back to childhood bus journeys by the surroundings, the final section of the journey is through semi-urban surroundings and through small settlements, like Duffield that produce few additional passengers. Surprisingly, for such a long journey, we arrive into the splendid modern Derby bus station on time. Two hours sitting on a seat only meant for short urban trips means leaving the bus slowly with a neanderthal stance until the ability to stand upright returns.
Derby’s modern bus station is a large edifice unlike many of its contemporaries and acts as a focal point for Trentbarton and Arriva services. For those of us with long memories, however, it has none of the nostalgia of the previous 1930s circular bus station with its island shelters. But, no time to linger, we need to board a Red Arrow for the onward journey to Nottingham.
Trentbarton Red Arrow service operates every ten minutes from Derby to Nottingham, only stopping on route at Queen's Medical Centre and Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham before reaching the terminus at Victoria bus station, with most of the journey being along dual carriageways in particular Brian Clough Way. The contrast in vehicle between the previous journey and this one could not be more extreme. Red Arrow is operated by 25 registration, high floor Yutong T122HDH coaches. Admittedly we had to pay for the pleasure, senior citizen passes are not accepted but what a joy!
Nottingham city centre is awash with buses: the majority operated by Nottingham City Transport and a few routes by Trentbarton and certainly fewer than I remember from previous visits. Where once you could focus bus watching around Old Market Square, pedestrianisation means the bus stops are now dispersed into side streets with only a handful of services calling on the western side of the square. Kings Street, Queen Street, Upper and Lower Parliament Street and Milton Street offer the best locations for viewing most routes. Nottingham City Transport has a modern bus fleet including the largest UK fleet of Scania N280UD gas buses with Alexander Dennis bodies. Latest additions include electric single-deckers from Yutong and double-decker WrightBus StreetDeck Ultroliners. To the south of the city centre, despite recent redevelopment, Broadmarsh Bus Station still has little on offer to justify a visit unless you are after National Express. After two hours around the city centre, it is time to head for home.
The return journey on this occasion is a repeat of the outward journey. Leaving Nottingham in heavy traffic, the Yutong T122HDH decides to demonstrate its emergency breaking prowess approaching Queen's Medical Centre roundabout. Despite plenty of room around the coach and the driver with his foot on the accelerator, the vehicle electronics decide otherwise and bring us to an immediate emergency stop in a very dangerous manoeuvre. The driver’s apology makes it clear he had no input to the situation. Arriving back in Derby there is plenty of time for a good look at the buses not using the bus station. The city centre is soulless. There are some fine old buildings but the area lacks focus. Back at the bus station the Transpeak 16.30 departure is on time and, although schools are out and the rush-hour starting, we make quick progress out of the city centre and before long are waiting time in a bus stop, the first of many such waits to come on this journey. The longest wait of nearly fifteen minutes, rather than the timetabled seven, being at Matlock railway station. Due to the one-way road system in Matlock the bus is unable to access the bus station in this direction, leaving passengers with a long walk to and from the town centre to make onward connections. We eventually arrive into Buxton on time at 18.32 and, in need of some exercise, alight in the Market Place which is the final timing point although the bus does continue through the town centre and head north along the A6 to Fairfield, the location of the High Peak bus depot. Time to head for the pub and recover ready for tomorrow’s trip.
Day two, back at the Sylvan Park terminus in Buxton for the 11.10 departure of Stagecoach service 65 to Sheffield. A standard Stagecoach Enviro200 with a full seated load of passengers arrives on time, the bus originating from the Chesterfield depot. The 65 loops around the town centre calling at the Market Place from where we depart with a dozen passengers on-board, before joining the A6 and climbing the narrow gorge where the road runs parallel to the railway line. We emerge to a wonderful expansive view across the Peaks National Park. After a short distance the bus turns left heading for Millers Dale, denoted by the two magnificent viaducts which now carry the Monsal Trail; a long-distance walking trail along the former railway track which I can recommend. Continuing to climb through the valley, the route turns right along a narrow lane into the village of Litton - a small typical Peak village of 675 residents with a large church and village green where the bus shelter is located. A few yards further along and we reverse into a side road before retracing our journey back to the main road, turning right and continuing towards Tideswell where a three minute layover is timetabled in. The bus stop located outside the public toilets gives our driver a comfort break whilst we enjoy the village scenery. Tideswell is home to St John the Baptist Church, due its size is known as ‘Cathedral of the Peak’ and dominates this lovely village. Climbing out of the village and crossing the busy A623, where well-known local coach Andrews have their depot, we continue across the wide expanse of open countryside and enter Great Hucklow. Returning to open countryside, then passing through Foolow and reaching Eyam, a village that has become a magnet for tourists especially walkers, and at last we start to pick up more passengers. After making a very sharp right- hand turn at the village green, it is only a short distance before we finally join the A623 and arrive at Calver, and make a left turn just before the former Whites of Calver depot. From here the route makes a steady climb onto open moorland at The Fox House pub where the last passenger boards, by now we almost have a full seated load. From now on, it is down hill all the way into Sheffield, this must be the longest hill decent/climb of any bus route in England as the signpost tells us it is eight miles into the centre of Sheffield. The first passengers alight at Furnival Square, whilst the majority, ourselves included, alight at Paternoster Row from where the bus continued empty into the Interchange and then on to the Meadowhall out-of-town shopping centre.
Sheffield has an extensive bus network dominated by First Bus and Stagecoach. TM Travel part of the Wellglade Group has a number of services departing from the interchange where Andrews of Tideswell also terminate their services taken over from Hulleys. The interchange is a rather sad looking monstrosity; little used since the majority of First and Stagecoach services avoid the area. Buses are best observed on Arundel Gate between Furnival Square and High Street. Both major fleets have local variations to their corporate liveries and First currently have a selection of heritage liveries on several of their fleet. TM Travel still have a large fleet of Optare Solos and a couple of tatty double-deckers in service, whilst Andrews are using newly painted Dennis Darts, the smart appearance belies their age, sadly the same could not be said for their drivers.
The homeward journey commences at 3.40pm from the Interchange: onboard the same vehicle and with the same driver from this morning’s journey. Passenger numbers are high: the majority boarding between the Interchange and city ring road. Early rush hour traffic makes slow progress out of Sheffield but time is easily made up during a pleasant ride through the wonderful Peak District scenery in the late afternoon dappled sunlight, and we arrive back in Buxton on time at 5.26pm.
Buxton provides an excellent location with plenty of affordable accommodation and, for bus travellers, services heading off in all directions including Manchester Airport. For such a small town it has intense bus service levels. The only hour of the day when there is no bus through the town is between 2am and 3am.
