Bus Stop bell, Bus Stop bell, Bus Stop bell rock
Drunken men swing and Bus Stop bells ring
Snowing and blowing up fights in the pubs
Now the Bus Stop hop has begun
Bus Stop bell, Bus Stop bell, Bus Stop bell rock
Bus Stop bells chime all the ruddy time
Dancing and prancing in Guildhall Square
All, the Uni Students still there!
I don’t know why I bother, each new post is getting worse and worse. I might change the interlude at some point; suggestions on a post card, postage stamp or carrier pigeon please.
We are starting to see the First Bus Christmas schedules filter though, so while I know that some people have some complaints and reservations about the service levels, lets dive straight in.
I have yet to get down to see the replacement market for the German Christmas market yet. So if you are heading into Southampton, then do let us know in the comments below if the S&D Leisure Christmas Market is better than the previous one from Wela Märkets. I must admit that I used to enjoy going to the Salisbury Christmas market and getting a stash of cheese truckles; but I hear that is also not coming back this year!
These are the Christmas timetable and service levels for First Southampton:
Christmas Eve (Saturday)
First Southampton will run a normal Saturday service until around 1930 when the “all day” services will start to wind down. Most services will run their full timetable though, so if your service is not listed below then it will finish at the usual time (including First Solent’s Solent Ranger X4 and X5 services).
- City Red 2 will run it’s last end-to-end trips at 1909 from Weston to City and Millbrook, and 1933 from Millbrook to City and Weston
- Later services from Weston to City (only) at 1929 and 1949 – Later services from Millbook at 2003 to “Holy Family Church” only
NOW I think that is a typo as the Holy Family Church is on Redbridge Hill, Millbrook. Either that, or you might as well just not advertise it for a few stops. I wonder if someone means Holyrood Church in the city centre. I also could not find a bus stop named “Holy Family Church” but there is one called “Holyrood Church”.Ignore me… As Lee points out below, there is a stop; although when I first searched for it on the City Red website it came back as “No results” – must have been my fat fingers.
- City Red 3 will run it’s last end-to-end trips at 1919 from Lordshill to Thornhill, and 1920 Thornhill to Lordshill
- A later service will run from Lordshill to City (only) at 1939
- City Red 7 will run it’s last trips at 1943 from the City to Townhill and 1942 from Townhill to the City.
- A later trip at 2002 will run Townhill Park to Portswood Only
Christmas Day (Sunday) and Boxing Day (Monday)
First Southampton will run No Services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
That does surprise me, because Southampton are playing Brighton & Hove Albion at St Marys Stadium on Boxing Day. You would have thought that this quasi-local derby would have attracted at least a Special Service on the cross-town routes.
Shhhh – I bet even the company that no longer exists (but I can not name for fear of lynching) would have run a Sunday service…..
Tuesday 27 December
All City Red services will run to a Sunday timetable on the Bank Holiday, except for City Red 9 and City Red 13 which will run to a special timetable (TBC).
Wednesday 28 December to Friday 30 December
First Southampton will run a full Saturday City Red service
New Years Eve (Saturday)
Copy and Paste Time……
First Southampton will run a normal Saturday service until around 1930 when the “all day” services will start to wind down. Most services will run their full timetable though, so if your service is not listed below then it will finish at the usual time (including First Solent’s Solent Ranger X4 and X5 services).
- City Red 2 will run it’s last end-to-end trips at 1909 from Weston to City and Millbrook, and 1933 from Millbrook to City and Weston
- Later services from Weston to City (only) at 1929 and 1949 – Later services from Millbook at 2003 to “Holy Family Church” only
- City Red 3 will run it’s last end-to-end trips at 1919 from Lordshill to Thornhill, and 1920 Thornhill to Lordshill
- A later service will run from Lordshill to City (only) at 1939
- City Red 7 will run it’s last trips at 1943 from the City to Townhill and 1942 from Townhill to the City.
- A later trip at 2002 will run Townhill Park to Portswood Only
New Years Day (Sunday)
NO SERVICE
Monday 2 January 2023
All services will run a Sunday service. Presumably this means there will be no City Red 9 or City Red 13.
Tuesday 3 January
Normal services resume!
If anything changes, then I am sure that First Southampton will update their news page on the subject. You can find it here on their website.
I can confirm that holy family church does exist. It’s the last timing point before you leave Millbrook, having done the complete loop around the estate.
Strange how the City Red website could not find it at first unless it was my fat fingers. I even found the church itself but could not see the bus stop – thanks for correcting me.
It will be the Last Christmas for First in Southampton following the news that they are to leave the city in Feb 23!
We will still have the X4 and X5
Would explain the poor Christmas service offering this year.