Barcelona

 

Two centuries, two decades, three ways.

TMB 1803 MAN NL273F CNG with Castrosua body rounds the fountain on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes in 2019.

It is very seldom that I visit a foreign location more than once but Barcelona is an exception. The first occasion was in 1973 travelling by coach, a French registered Mercedes Benz 0305, from Boulogne via Paris and Madrid. In 2010 it was a lot quicker, with a cheap Easyjet flight and short ‘Aerobus’ hop into the city centre aboard a three-axial Neoplan. The 2019 journey was a long, tiring, day trip from London St Pancras via Paris on Eurostar and French TGV right into the heart of Barcelona.

A Société des usines Chausson with Pegaso engine from the 1973 visit.

In 1973 the city was a commercial hub with a vast expanse of docks and it traded on its Gaudi connection to attract a small number of tourists. The south of the city, towards the docks, was generally out-of-bounds to tourists after dark, apart from those seeking the comfort of a lady for the night. By 2010 the dock area had been gentrified and now housed a large marina and expensive shopping centres, whilst the city at large had become trendy, resulting in a major increase in tourists. 2019 was a shock: the city was overrun by visitors and large numbers of migrants from Africa, boosted by day visitors from cruise ships. The one constant throughout has been the never-ending building of Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, construction work having commenced on 19th March 1882 and projected to be completed within the current decade.  

 

A Pegaso 6035 artic again from the 1973 visit.

The metropolitan area of Barcelona has 164 municipalities covering an area of 636 sq km with a population of 5.5m. Passenger services are provided by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) with a fleet of 1140 buses and it has additional responsibility for the metro, tram, regional railway, urban railway, city sightseeing buses and the funicular railway. The bus network carries 203m passenger per annum on 109 routes (three D routes, eight H routes, seventeen V routes, seventy-four red routes, seventeen night services and three sightseeing routes).

TUSsal (Transports Urbans i Serveis Generals, Societat Anònima Laboral), MAN NL223 with Caetano body on route B20 from the Barri Oliveres suburb into the city centre Sant Pere terminus. Photographed in 2010 outside La Sagrada Familia Cathedral.

Horse-drawn trams were introduced to the city in 1872, followed by steam trams in 1877. Buses were introduced in 1906 with the first permanent urban bus service beginning in 1922. Services were affected by the ravages of the Civil War. Many of the tram lines were damaged by air-raids and were sabotaged. In addition to this, there was very little capital available with which to run the transport system. In the aftermath of war, the network was gradually repaired and reinstated. In 1951, the municipal government gradually began to take over the management of transport services which had previously been run by private companies and by 1958 what has become TMB had been formed.

 

Left: Aerobus Scania K360 with Castrosua Magnus body at the Plaça de Catalunya city centre terminus in 2019. Right: Aerobus Neoplan N4420 L Centroliner at the Plaça de Catalunya city centre terminus in 2010.

Today the fleet is fairly modern, thanks in no small part to funding from the European Investment Bank with a €73.5 million loan in 2019 for the purchase of 254 buses. This is in addition to €32.5 million invested by TMB in 2018. The last major upgrade took place in the early 2000s and by 2007 the entire fleet was low-floor and wheelchair accessible. Today the investment is centred around environmentally friendly vehicles. The latest funding will provide the city with 116 new electric buses, 63 hybrids and 75 using latest generation compressed natural gas. The renewal will also cover Barcelona’s 20 diesel-powered double-decker tourist buses, which will be replaced with hybrids. The first 105 arrived in late 2019, this year will see another 75 and in 2021 the final 74. These arrivals will complement the 350 existing hybrid buses already in the fleet. Much of the new fleet will be provided by MAN Truck & Bus Iberia, SA, although in 2020 an order was placed for 14 Solaris Urbino Electric and 9 Irizar iZe electric artics for service on route H16.

 

Left: This small MAN was used in 2010 to transport shoppers from the city centre to the up-market shopping areas. Fitted out in rather lavish style with tables, table lamps with frilly lampshades and window curtains. Right: TCC (Transports Ciutat Comtal) Mercedes Benz Citaro at Plaça de Catalunya in 2019.

The TMB operation is best described as functional with the operational fleet, colour schemes and infrastructure meeting the needs of a modern-day city without any major efforts to promote itself. The city architecture does however provide a wonderful backdrop for the bus photographer providing you can avoid the crowds.     

TMB 3613, Solaris Urbino artic hybrid H18 on the Passeig de Colom segregated busway opposite the marina in 2019.

One of England's best bus rides

One of England's best bus rides.

Late December may seem an odd time to ride a scenic route but on a clear day with few passengers what could be better.

840 Transdev Coastliner Leeds to Whitby. Timetable

Boarding a Volvo with Wrights body at Leeds Bus Station and sitting upstairs in one of the single armchair style seats with a clear view through one of the double glazed windows (no misting-up on wet days), the journey starts with an uninspiring plod through the hinterland of Leeds before the first burst of speed along the A64 then turning off into Tadcaster. Before reaching the heart of this small market town the route take a short diversion though a typical sixties housing estate. The town is dominated by the John Smiths Brewery and several of its pubs, once through the centre and over the river bridge, the service enters the small bus station. Before long the route re-joins the A64 until the outskirts of York.

York is not a city to dismiss by just taking a bus straight through, it has so much history with in the well preserved walls it deserves at least two days exploration. For today however a chance to stretch the legs and take refreshments on a two hour break. For a good value snack I recommend Baileys café or for a delicious breakfast try Brew and Brownie, both on Museum Street.  

Refreshed and back on the bus, the northern suburbs of York are left behind, replaced by flat farm land as the bus makes its way through narrow lanes before eventually joining the A64 and a swift run into Malton. Malton, 'home of the Coastliner' it proudly proclaims on the wall of the bus station which also acts as the depot with clear views into the garage from the top deck. Leaving the town through the narrow streets that lead on to the A169 and a short journey in the countryside before entering Pickering. Rather than entering the town centre, where the bus stops also act as a connection to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway the bus turns right and stops on the main road. After a short drive along the A170 the bus arrives at the beautiful village of Thornton-le-Dale where the bus stops are located in the centre of a small village green come roundabout, from where the bus makes a loop before taking a narrow road to commence the climb onto the Moors.  
From this point on the true joy of travelling on the top deck of a bus comes into its own. The North Yorkshire Moors open up in front of you as the road ungulates across the vast open space with Fylingdales radar station being one of the few signs of habitation. The coast comes into view just before the bus turns off the A169 and heads for Goathland via a steep narrow road over a single track bridge, past the railway station and up into the village centre. The bus continues through the village before making a 360° turn back to the village bus stop. This is a great jumping off point for walkers and home to the TV series Heartbeat, well worth spending time here on any other day. But, onward, the bus retraces the route back onto the A169 before starting the long decent down Blue Bank and turning right following the river through Esk Dale. At Briggswath as the bus turns left an old sign warns bus drivers to 'Stop and engage low gear' as the final climb towards Whitby begins.

Whitby is entered via a narrow descent onto the harbour front. The bus makes its final stop opposite the small bus station before disappearing to lay-over outside the Co-Op. A wonderful ride aboard a comfortable bus with superb driver. Plenty of time now to stretch the legs around this beautiful seaside town dominated by the Abbey. For a pleasant light meal or just a cup of tea I recommend the Seamans Mission just off the harbour wall in Haggersgate.

Ever onward. 

X93 Arriva Whitby to Scarborough. Timetable

The hourly service departs Whitby bus station and runs down the dramatic coastline via Robin Hood's Bay , where the National Park meets the coast and on into Scarborough. After the first leg of this trip, this journey comes as a bit of a shock. The bus was an ageing single decker Optare Solo with rough engine and mad driver, which rather spoiled the journey. Part of the reason for this swift journey is down to Arriva keeping the timetabled journey to under one hour, so only requiring two buses on the route. Despite the rapid ride we still arrived in Scarborough a few minutes late. The terminus is located on street adjacent to the railway station and just one stop down from the next departure point.

Scarborough is a pleasant traditional British seaside town split in two. The town centre where the bus stops has the normal high street stores, but beyond those after a steep decent you will find two wide sweeping bays.

843 Transdev Coastliner Scarborough to Leeds. Timetable      

The final leg of the day and it is back to the top deck and comfortable seats for a journey along the A64, with sweeping views across flat farmland towards the Moors. The road is busy but no delays are experienced and the bus arrives into Malton bus station on time. The remainder of the journey retraces this mornings route via York to Leeds. 

A grand day out.  

Transdev photo album