Category: Featured Bus Routes

The featured bus route for December 2019 is Route 202. It runs between City Gresham Street and Northbridge via North Sydney and Cammeray and is operated by State Transit.

Route 202 started out life without a route number, operating as a tram replacement service for the outer edge of the Wynyard to Northbridge tram service after the structure of Suspension Bridge was found to be unsafe for trams to travel over. Originally the service only operated between the northern end of Suspension Bridge to The Knoll, Northbridge from 28 May 1936. Shortly after, this service was extended to Willoughby Road in order to provide a connection to tram services to Wynyard on Willoughby Road. From 4 April 1937 the service was further extended to North Sydney Station and given a Route number, Route 2. 

From 1 August 1937, Route 2 became the first regularly scheduled bus service to operate across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The service was extended to Wynyard due to pressure to provide a through service between Northbridge & the City, as the previous tram service had. No other bus services operated across the Sydney Harbour Bridge until tram services north of the bridge began to be decommissioned and replaced with bus services. 

From 10 September 1939, the service was rerouted via Suspension Bridge on its re-opening and also renumbered 202. From this date, the service replaced the Wynyard to Suspension Bridge tram service. The tram service was however, reinstated from 30 June 1941 to 11 January 1948 and Route 202 operated alongside the trams between Suspension Bridge and Wynyard. From 12 January 1948, Route 202 permanently replaced tram services.

From 22 March 1953, short workings of Route 202 were replaced with new routes. This included Route 200 from Wynyard to Cammeray Bridge and Route 201 from Wynyard to Northbridge Junction. From 30 June 1958, the city terminus altered from Wynyard to Martin Place, to provide for additional routes being terminated at Wynyard when North Sydney tram routes were replaced by buses. From 4 January 1972 the city terminus altered from Martin Place to Gresham St, due to construction work on the Eastern Suburbs Railway in Martin Place. From 7 October 1975, Night, Saturday afternoon & Sunday services replaced by 208. 

From 11 September 1988, Route 202 once again started terminating at Wynyard. Services on weekends also recommended at various points throughout the 1990s. From 4 October 2015 the city terminus altered from Wynyard to Bridge St as a result of light rail construction in George St/new CBD bus network.  From 5 September 2016,  Peak hour service curtailed to run North Sydney to Northbridge (Clive Park), but continued to run City (Bridge St) to Northbridge (Clive Park) at other times. 204 express trips continued to provide a service to the City in peak hours.

Today State Transit operates the service out of their Willoughby Depot. It operates every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and Hourly on Sundays. Services run between 6am and 9pm on weekdays and 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with peak hour services only operating between North Sydney and Northbridge.

Our featured bus route for November 2019 is Route 686 between Katoomba and Echo Point via Scenic World, operated by CDC Blue Mountains Transit.

November 2019 marks 100 years from when services first began between Katoomba Station and Echo Point. In September 1919 a proposal was put to council by Bertha Tweedie to run a motorbus service between the railway station and Echo Point. Her application was approved on the timetable, route and fares submitted and she commenced the service on November 17, 1919. After a falling out with the council, her rights to the service were stripped in 1922.

A variety of different operators have run a service between Katoomba Station and Echo Point over the past 100 years. From 2001, this service was operated by Pearce Mountainlink, later Blue Mountains Bus Co. The previously unnumbered Katoomba to Echo Point “Trolley Tours” services were given number 696. From 5 September 2005, route 696 was modified to so that selected trips would service the Scenic Skyway. 

From 31 December 2007, the service was renumbered Route 686 and all services began to operate to Scenic World. As of 2014, the service was taken over by CDC Blue Mountains  Transit and the “Trolley Tours” Branding abandoned. 

Route 686 is to this date the most popular bus service in the Blue Mountains, regularly carrying full loads at crush capacity all week. It operates between 7am and 7pm, with service frequency varying from every 30 minutes during the week, to every 10 minutes on weekends.

 

The featured bus route for October 2019 is Route 601. It runs between Parramatta and Rouse Hill via Northmead, Baulkham Hills, Hills Showground and North Kellyville and is operated by CDC Hillsbus.

Route 601 came into existence on 30 May 1983, when there was a reorganisation and renumbering of Route 200 and its various branches. At this time it was operated by Parramatta Bus Co. (Bosnjak family). Parramatta Bus Co. rebranded as Westbus from 1984. On 3 February 1988 the route was extended to Windsor Shops and later on 11 November 1988 the terminus in Windsor was moved from the shops to the station.

From 20 March 2000, route 601 was truncated to run Parramatta – Rouse Hill (Mile End Rd). Rouse Hill (Mile End Rd) – Windsor station replaced by the new route 608. In December of 2004, Westbus was rebranded Hillsbus. From 11 March 2007, route 601 was truncated to operate Parramatta – Kellyville (loop via Acres Rd to Glenrowan Av) in connection with opening of the North West T-way. Service between Parramatta & Rouse Hill replaced by T64 & T65. From 11 May 2009, route 601 was re-extended from Kellyville (Acres Rd) to Rouse Hill Town Centre, as a result of Ministry of Transport review of Region 4.

Today CDC Hillsbus operates Route 601 out of its depots in Northmead and Seven Hills. it operates every 15 minutes all day on weekdays from 5am to midnight and every 30 minutes on weekends between 7am and 11pm. 

The featured Bus Route for September 2019 is Route 870. Route 870 runs between Liverpool and Campbelltown via Glenfield and Ingleburn, and is operated by Interline.

The current Route 870 has its history in a variety of different services that have been modified and amalgamated over the years. The earliest known predecessor dates back to an unknown date early in World War Two, when Route 94 began between Liverpool and Ingleburn. By 1952 Route 92 began servicing the corridor between Campbelltown and Ingleburn, with that service later renumbered and extended to Macquarie Fields as Route 102 in 1953.

After operating a variety of different exact routings under their 1925 system Route numbers (exact details are hard to determine), the routes were eventually renumbered into the Sydney Route Numbering System. Route 102 was spilt into a variety of different services, amongst them Route 870 between Macquarie Fields and Macurthur from 4 December 1983. Route 94 became Route 864 from Liverpool to Glenquarie and Route 866 from Liverpool to Ingleburn on 24 July 1995.

By 1995, Route 870 was being operated between Glenfield and Campbelltown by Interline. Route 864 and 866 were being operated by Busabout. From November 1998, Route 864 was extended to operate from Liverpool to Ingleburn, whilst Route 866 was extended to serve Denham Court.

As part of the Ministry of Transport review of Liverpool and Campbelltown area routes, the decision was made to amalgamate routes 864, 866 and 870 into one new single Route 870 from 18 August 2008. This new Route 870 was joined operated by Busabout and Interline and operated along the current route between Liverpool and Campbelltown via Glenfield and Ingleburn. As part of the competitive tendering of Region 2, Interline became the sole operator of Route 870 from 1 July 2014.

Today Route 870 operates hourly between 6am and 9pm Monday to Saturday. It operates every 30 minutes during weekday peaks and every two hours on a Sunday.

This month our featured bus route is Route 458, which runs between Burwood and Ryde via Strathfield, Concord Hospital and Rhodes. It is operated by State Transit.

The corridor between Burwood and Ryde has been serviced by many bus routes throughout history. The earliest know predecessor to route 458 was route 59. Commencing service between City York Street and Concord on 27 January 1933, Route 59 was one of the original DGT bus services. Upon the opening of the Ryde Bridge on 8 December 1935, the service was extended to Ryde. It was renumbered into the Sydney three digit numbering system as Route 959 on 3 November 1940.

From 1 September 1941, Route 959 trips that diverted via Concord Hospital were renumbered 958. On 21 September 1941, Route 958 became its own distinct route, operating between Burwood and Concord Hospital. On 29 August 1943, Route 958 was renumbered Route 458. Route 458 retained a similar route and timetable between 1943 and 1990.

On 7 October 1990, Route 458 was extended to Ryde, replacing 459 services. From 24 June 2001, selected peak hour services were extended to run to/from Macquarie Centre. 10 September 2006 saw evening and Sunday service introduced. From 4 November 2007, the service was rerouted via Rhodes shops, replacing Route 460. From 4 June 2017, all services were changed to run between Burwood and Ryde only.

Route 458 is operated out of State Transits’ Ryde Depot. It operates a half hourly frequency between 6am and Midnight Monday through Saturday and hourly between 8am and 10pm on Sundays.

EDITORS NOTE – We are moving the “Featured Bus Route” series from the end of the month to the beginning of the month from this month. Going forward, “Featured Bus Route” series posts will be published on or around the first Sunday of the month. We are also looking for an idea of what routes and information that our readers would like to see published in future editions of the Featured Bus Route series. Please let us know by using the contact form or sending us an email. 

For July 2019, our featured bus route is Route 962 between Miranda and East Hills via Sutherland, Menai, Illawong, Padstow, Revesby and UWS Millperra.  It is operated by Transdev NSW.

On 11 February 1935, Route 237 between Sutherland and Woronora Rover was commenced by GH Ramsay. By December 1948 the service was transferred to Mayman Bros and it was later rerouted to Prince Edward Park in Woronora. From 1956 school trips were operated as far as Menai, with the service later extending to Padstow via Menai on all journeys from November 1980. By 1984, the operator had become Menai Bus Service.

From 16 November 1987, Route 237 was renumbered into the Sydney Region Route Numbering System. Routes 960-961-962-963 operated a shared trunk route between Sutherland and Menai, with the four routes all branching off beyond this point to cover different parts of the previous Route 237. Route 962 operated along the stretch between Sutherland and Menai only. In August 1989, the service was transferred to Deanes Coaches, who then later changed their name to Southtrans in July 1989.

From 8 November 1989, Route 962 was extended from Menai to Padstow, with selected services extending to Bankstown. From 12 October 1992 the service was modified to operate between Miranda and Bankstown via Sutherland, Menai and Padstow. From September 1994, the service was truncated back to Padstow instead of Bankstown. Route 961 was absorbed into Route 962 from 20 October 1997, which meant that all Miranda to Padstow services were now numbered 962.

By June 2002, Route 962 was being operated by Connex NSW. Later, on 22 July 2002, the service was curtailed to operate between Sutherland and Padstow only. This truncation was only short lived, with services to Miranda resuming on 12 May 2003.

On 18 May 2006, the service was transferred to Veolia Transport. As a result of the Ministry of Transport review of Region 10 all Route 962 services operated between Miranda and Bankstown from 28 May 2006. A trial extension of the route to Cronulla on weekends was introduced for a 6 month trial on 21 September 2009 as part of the Ministry of Transport review of Region 11. This extension was later made permanent. On 1 July 2013, Veolia Transport merged with Transdev, with the combined entity operating as Transdev NSW.

Most recently, on 2 December 2018, Route 962 was rerouted to East Hills via Revesby and UWS Milperra, with the Padstow to Bankstown corridor now serviced by the M92. Additionally, weekend services to Cronulla were also discontinued at this time. This meant that Route 962 now operated Miranda to East Hills via Sutherland, Menai, Illawong, Padstow, Revesby and UWS Milperra.

Route 962 operates every 15-20 minutes during weekday peak hour and every 30 minutes during weekday off-peak and on Saturdays. Monday through Saturday the service operates between 6am and Midnight.  On Sundays Route 962 is an hourly service operating between 8am and 8pm only.

This is our 250th Post – Thank you to all of our loyal readers who have stuck with us for all these years. 

For June 2019 our featured bus route will be Route 197 between Macquarie University and Mona Vale via Gordon, St Ives and Terry Hills. Route 197 is operated by CDC Forest Coach Lines.

Route 197 has a relatively short history, with operation stretching back to 2008. Despite this, there is a very long and complex history behind how Route 197 came into being.

In April 1949, Route 161 between Narrabeen to Terry Hills commenced. A complex operating history seeing it run by at least 6 different bus companies on a variety of slightly differing routes followed. By March 1979, two routes with the 161 route number were operating – Narrabeen to Elanora Heights and Pymble to Mona Vale, both by Warringah Bus Lines.

From 1990, the two services were renumbered into Route 195 between Pymble to Mona Vale and 196 between Narrabeen and Ingleside, both operated by Shorelink. From 31 August 1991 both services transferred to Forest Coach Lines. 

In a reorganisation of Forest Coach Lines routes on 27 July 1992, Pymble to Mona Vale 195 trips were renumbered 196, with the previous 196 trips from Narrabeen to Elanora Heights absorbed into the new 196 timetable. From 26 October 1998, some peak hour services during University semester extended to Macquarie University. For a short period in 2003, these services were number M196. From 7 June 2004, the service is altered to Gordon to Mona Vale, however Macquarie University services remain unchanged.

As a result of the Ministry of Transport review of Region 14, Macquarie University to Mona Vale services were renumbered as Route 197 from 24 November 2008, whilst Gordon to Mona Vale shortworkings remained Route 196.

Currently, the service operates every 15 minutes towards Macquarie Park in the AM peak and every 20 minutes towards Mona Vale during the afternoon and PM peak. At other times the service runs its full length hourly, with short runnings providing a half hourly service between Austlink and Macquarie Park on weekdays. Services operate between 7am and 10pm on Weekdays, 9am to 8pm on weekends.

 

 

 

This month our featured bus route is Route 610X between Rouse Hill and City – QVB via Castle Hill and the M2 Motorway. It is operated by CDC Hillsbus.

The Bosnjak family, then owners of Westbus, announced that from 29 April 1996 they would operate a new weekday service between Castle Hill and the CBD. This service was designated the 610 and operated from Castle Hill shops off peak and Tuckwell Road in peak hours and operated express via Victoria Road to City – Wynyard. Upon the opening of the M2 Motorway on 28 May 1997, the service was rerouted via the new motorway and the city terminus was altered to Railway Square. From 22 June 1998 weekend services were introduced. Later, on 20 March 2000, peak hour services were extended to Knightsbridge.

From 28 August 2000, a new variation of Route 610 was introduced, sharing the same route between Railway Square and Castle Hill, before deviating to Kellyville. In mid 2004, the operator change from Westbus to Hillsbus, and in 2005, ownership transfer from the Bosnjak family to Comfort Delgro Cabcharge (CDC).

On March 11 2007, Kellyville services were extended to Rouse Hill (Adelphi Street) as part of wider rolling changes due to the staged opening of the North West T-Way. From 16 April 2007 a number of services were rerouted through the Cross City Tunnel and renumbered 610X. Later, upon the service was extended to Rouse Hill Town Centre upon its opening on 25 September 2007. As part of the implementation of the Ministry of Transport review of Region 4, all Knightsbridge services were rebranded as route 652X.

Between 20 December 2010 and 25 May 2019, short workings between the CBD and Castle Hill were renumbered M61 as part of the Metrobus network of high capacity turn up and go services. During this time, 610X continued to operate in its full length between the CBD and Rouse Hill only. On 4 October 2015, the CBD terminus for the 610X was changed from Railway Square to City – QVB in conjunction with works for the CBD and South East light rail project.

Today, a large majority of 610x trips operate as short workings between City – QVB and Castle Hill Station, with selected peak hour and late night services extending to Rouse Hill. The service operates at a variable frequency ranging from every 5 to 20 minutes across the day. All night services operate on Friday and Saturday nights, with services operating between 5am and 1am on other days.

This service is one of a number across Sydney to be operated by Double Decker buses.

 

For this month our featured bus route is Route 740 operated by Busways Western Sydney. It operates between Plumpton Marketplace and Macqaurie Park via Quakers Hill, Stanhope Gardens and the M2 Hills Motorway.

Originally operated as Route 750, this route was one of many new routes introduced upon the opening of the new Hills Motorway on 27 May 1997. Predominately these were new express direct CBD trips from the Hills District, taking advantage of the new bus lanes provided to allow for a quicker trip from the North West into the CBD. In addition to these services, Busways began a service to connect Western Sydney to the new employment hub in Macquarie Park. Route 750 began as a service between Mt Druitt and Macquarie Centre via Blacktown, the M2 and Epping Station in 1997. By February of 1999 most trips had been altered to operate between Emerton and Macquarie Centre via Quakers Hill, the M2 and Epping Station, whilst some trips retained the destination of Mt Druitt via Blacktown. Also at this time, selected weekday services began operating as far as the University of Western Sydney Penrith Campus during semester.

On 27 July 2002, Route 750 was spilt into two different routes both showing the same route number. The existing Emerton to Macquarie Centre via Quakers Hill service was retained but had all non peak hour services cut. There was also an end to Mt Druitt via Blacktown and University of Western Sydney diversion services. A duplicate route 750 began at this time and operated between St Marys and Hebersham, with semester time extensions to the University of Western Sydney in lieu of the other route 750. This duplicate arrangement latest until January 2004, and caused some slight confusion in the shared section between Emerton and Hebersham.

From 28 January 2004, the current operating scenario of route 740 was set up. Still opertaing as route 750, the service was curtailed to operate along the current Plumpton to Macqaurie Park via Quakers Hill, Stanhope Gardens and the M2 Hills Motorway. This decision was made due to the poor patronage of the route west of Plumpton. Additionally the duplicate service was ceased at this time without the provision of a replacement.

In 2009, the Ministry of Transport review of Region 1 bus services came into effect. It suggested wide ranging changes to bus services across Sydney, but the only change suggested for this route was a change in number from 750 to 740, a change which was adopted and Route 740 replaced Route 750 in its entirety form 11 October 2009.

Since then, there have been two changes to Route 740. From 17 January 2011, the service was rerouted to skip Epping station and run express along the M2 all the way to Macquarie Park. Later, on 29 October 2011, the service was extended from Macquarie Centre to Macquarie Park.

Currently, Route 740 is operates a weekday peak hour only service, with service between 6am and 10am towards Macquarie Park, and service between 4pm and 8pm towards Plumpton Marketplace. Services during these times operate every half and hour in direction of peak. There are also two anti peak services, operating between 5pm and 6pm towards Macquarie Park and between 7:30am and 8:30am towards Plumpton Marketplace. The service is operated by Busways Western Sydney from their Blacktown depot. It is primarily operated by standard 12m buses, however double decker services are provided on select services.

After 22 years in service, route 740 will be withdrawn after the last service on May 24 2019, as part of changes to bus services for Sydney Metro Northwest.

 

 

As requested, we once again return to State Transit Region 9 in the Eastern Suburbs for our featured bus route this month. Route 314 operates between Bondi Junction and Coogee via Charing Cross and Randwick Junction.

The Cross-Country tram line was one of a very few tram lines in Sydney that did not operate to or from the Sydney CBD. Instead it followed the Coogee line from Coogee Beach to Randwick Junction, then traversed through North Randwick to connect up with the Bronte line in Waverley. From there it travelled along the Bronte line to Bondi Junction, with some services continuing onto Waverley Depot or Bondi Beach. It began operations in 1887 and was electrified in 1902.

In 1954, the decision was made to replace the Cross-Country line with bus services. From the November 14, 1954, Route 314 bus services replaced the line between Bondi Junction and Coogee Beach. It followed a very similar route to the previous tram line, with slight alterations away from tram only corridors in North Randwick and Coogee. Route 314 saw a large increase in frequency upon the opening of the Eastern Suburbs rail line to Bondi Junction in 1979, when it was designated one of the feeder bus services to the new line. This meant it was one of the few routes in Sydney allowing for  multi-modal ticketing to be used on the service, which was a first for the time. Since then Route 314 hasn’t undergone many changes, only receiving small deviations from its original 1954 routing and successive timetable changes throughout the decades.

Today Route 314 operates a full time service between 6am and 11pm seven days a week. It has co-ordinated timetabling with route 313 (also between Bondi Junction and Coogee via different route), with each route operating every 30 minute on Weekdays and Saturdays and hourly on Sundays, This allows for a consistent 15/30 minute frequency on the Bondi Junction to Coogee corridor between 8am and 5pm. The service is operated by State Transit from its Waverley depot.