Model Railway Forum

Roll up. Roll up. A long distance bus journey of a lifetime. Britain's first long distance bus service.
If you have to ask the price, you cannot afford it (so the saying goes).

The date 27th August 1900
The Journey London to Leeds
The journey took 2 days!

Glencairn

It's amazing what one post in here can do to me! I spent some time searching and came up with this:

In 1838 the world's first long-distance trunk railway linked London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool. The Stockton & Darlington Railway opened in 1825 in the North-East of England to carry coal. The first passenger railway to link two major towns was the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, which opened in 1830.

National Express can push out almost as far at times. I took 5 hours from Stanstead to Norwich. The bus broke down just as it entered the M11 slip outside the airport. No mobile signal, so we had to wait for a passing police car to call for back up. Second bus shed a belt at Thetford. I could have walked home from there. By this time the next bus on the schedule was not far behind.

As a young lad in the early to late 1950s, I with a member of my family would make the 'Annual Trip' from Leeds to Cramlington, Northumberland; to see my American born family.

The journey from Leeds Wellington Street bus station to Newcastle took nearly all day. Leaving at 09.30, stopping at what seemed every town and city northwards and arriving in Newcastle at nearly four o'clock. A 'luxury' of a break at Leeming Bar Services; hoping another bus had not arrived just before us. If there was, a big queue meant a quick cup of tea and sandwich. (The Services are still there at Leeming Bar.)

Our journey did not stop at Newcastle. Another hour long journey to Cramlington to do; arriving just in time for tea.

A an aside. In the book 'Glory Days Northern General' on page 54 there is a picture of a Commer Commando bus, built in 1948, departing Leeds Wellington Street in July 1953. In the third seat from the back is a young Master Glencairn.

Glencairn