I know… I could find something witty to write about Christmas, something like Santa is not delivering presents this year as he is shielding. Instead it is just your bog-standard Christmas bus update.
As usual, every one of the big operators is doing something different. You can already find the updates for First Hampshire and Stagecoach South, so it can only be the turn of the GoAhead Group. GoAhead are the only operator on our patch running Christmas Day services this year, and regular Christmas Day users will probably already know what is coming.
Sunday 20th December to Christmas Eve
Across all the GoAhead companies, there is a normal weekday service, right up to Christmas Eve, right up to the end of service. So technically, if you are riding the last Christmas Eve buses, you might be able to look up and find Santa’s Sleigh.
Ironically, the national rail network is usually pretty good at uploading the schedule for 1X01 North Pole International to North Pole International – it has not appeared quite yet though.
Exceptions
There are a few minor exceptions to the “normal weekday service” though.
- Bus for BU: As you would expect, with no Bournemouth University session, there is no Bus for BU. The only UNIBUS that will run is a special hourly service on the U3 to Boscombe and Southbourne.
- Salisbury: to Andover on joint service Activ8 will be running to a Saturday timetable – Stagecoach South are indeed running a Saturday timetable most of the week. Also on Christmas Eve the 2105 departure from Andover (run by Stagecoach) will not run.
Christmas Day – Ho, Ho, Ho; Special Service
The only operator running on Christmas Day has a number of services across many of it’s operating areas.
- Bluestar: are running their usual pair of services. These are running as flat-fare specials, although season and concessionary passes will also be accepted.
Bluestar 1X will run Southampton – Eastleigh – Chandlers Ford – Winchester as their usual hybrid of routes 1 and 2.
Bluestar 18X will run Thornhill – Southampton – Millbrook – General Hospital – Lordshill as their usual hybrid of routes 17 and 18.
- more: are again running their usual pair of services. These are running as flat-fare specials, although again seasons and concessionary passes are accepted.
more m1 and m2 will both run Poole to Bournemouth providing a half-hourly service.
more m1 will then continue to Castlepoint and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
more m2 will continue to Southbourne and Christchurch.
- Southern Vectis: have always run a slightly more expansive service than most. It has always been impressive to me, that core routes have enjoyed a regular 365 day service. Moreso, that unlike the mainland services, these run will into the evening.
Hourly services will run on routes 1 (Newport – Cowes), 3 (Newport – Ventnor – Shanklin – Ryde) and 9 (Newport – Wootton – Ryde)
Two-hourly services will run on routes 5 (Newport – Whippingham – East Cowes) and 7 (Newport – Yarmouth – Totland)
All timetables are in a hand PDF download here. - Damory / Excelsior are running no services on Christmas Day
Boxing Day
There is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to Boxing Day. Some of the GoAhead operating area run a Sunday service and some a special service.
- Bluestar: will run a Sunday service on all it’s usual Sunday routes. The only exception to that is the Bluestar 6 to Lymington, which will not operate and is technically a sub-contracted service to morebus.
- more: will run some services to a Sunday timetable. The normally Sunday services which will not run are:
Route 11 (Poole to Alderney and Kinson),
Route X1 (Bournemouth to Christchurch, New Milton and Lymington)
Route X6 (Bournemouth to Ringwood, Verwood and Ferndown)
All UNIBUS routes for Bournemouth University - Southern Vectis: will run a full Sunday service on it’s usual Sunday routes.
- Stagecoach & Salisbury Reds joint service activ8 to and from Andover will run a Sunday service
- Damory / Excelsior Coaches: will not operate any services.
Sunday 27th December & Monday 28th December
Santa Claus is working overtime this year as Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. This means that most GoAhead operators are running two days of Sunday services.
The usual non-Sunday services will not run.
Tuesday 29th to New Years Eve
Across the GoAhead companies, it’s a mixed bag. Some of the companies are running a weekday service, some a Saturday Service
- Bluestar: Will run a Saturday service on most routes. Weekday timetables will run on the following though:
Routes 35 and 36 in Romsey
Route 39 to Nomansland on Wednesday
Routes T3 and T4 on Tuesday and New Years Eve
Routes H1 and H2 on Wednesday - more: Will also run a Saturday service, with weekday services on
Routes X1 / X2 / X3 / X6 from Bournemouth out to the New Forest, Ringwood and Lymington
Route X8 from Poole to Blandford
Routes 38 / 112 / 119 / 191 / 193 through the New Forest (on their relevant days)
RINGO & CANGO
UNIBUS will only run a special hourly service on the U3 - Southern Vectis: will continue to run normal weekday services
- Stagecoach & Salisbury Reds joint service activ8 to and from Andover run a Saturday service. Also on New Years Eve the 2105 departure from Andover (run by Stagecoach) will not run.
- Damory / Excelsior Coaches: will run their normal weekday services
New Years Day – Special Service
The only operator running on New Years Day has a number of services across many of it’s operating areas.
- Bluestar are running the following routes:
Every 20 Minutes: BS17 (Weston – City – Lordshill), BS18 (Millbrook – City – Thornhill)
Hourly: BS1 (Winchester), BS2 (Eastleigh & Fair Oak), BS7 (Woolston & Sholing), BS9 (Hythe & Fawley or Langley), BS12 (Calmore), BS16 (Bitterne & Townhill Park)
Two Hourly: BS4 (Romsey) - more are running Special services on:
Routes m1 & m2 between Poole, Bournemouth and Castlepoint / Southbourne
Routes 8 & 9 to Hamworthy and Upton
Route 13 to Ferndown and Wimbourne
It will also run a Sunday service on:
Routes 5 & 6 to Oakdale & Canford Heath
Routes 16 & 17 between Bournemouth and Poole via Alderney
Route X3 to Ringwood and Salisbury - Southern Vectis will be running a full Sunday service.
- Damory / Excelsior Coaches will not run any services
Saturday 2nd January
A full and normal Saturday timetable will operate and the normal timetable resumes across all of the GoAhead depots, including schools services from Monday 4th where appropriate.
…. and finally – a reminder
It is the festive season. It is a different festive season this year for obvious reasons, but whatever you are planning, whichever bubbles you are forming and however much coal Santa brings: