Your not wrong Mark...Shrewsbury bus stations an absolute dump, considering it's the main Shropshire Town and welcomes visitors from all over. In regards to the tight timetabling, that's usually put together by somebody sat in an office miles away, whose never been to that area. Or, Councils put them together in areas like Shropshire where they subsidise most services. I'd presume Minsterley Motors don't use the "Greenroad" safety App that observes drivers braking/accelerating/cornering etc. The longer vehicle is probably used as this route may get busier at particular times, i.e: with school kids or during market Days Apologises for the essay, but that's a bus drivers perspective

As a bus driver with 28 years of experience, I can tell you that time tables are usually set by desk jockeys who couldn't tell the difference between a bus and a bunch of grapes.

Beautiful part of the world as it blurred past the window :D

"I had a banana to calm my nerves" - this kind of voiceover gem is what has me coming back again and again. Golden ❤

As a bus driver I always try and drive as smoothly as possible but I do sympathise with this driver as were simply not given enough time and it's sometimes necessary to rush, the timetables are pretty much set by people who don't even have a bus licence.

Hi Mark, another great video. Your experience definitely reminds me of the Diamond bus route covering Redditch--Bromsgrove--Kidderminster in my neck of the woods. We often joke that the driver "is on a promise" because of the dangerous speeds, much of the route on narrow, rural roads. Yet, surprise surprise, they more or less JUST about adhere to the timetable so I agree with you that it appears these guys are under a lot of pressure to get their timings right. Honestly, at times it's like being at Blackpool Pleasure Beach riding the Mad Mouse! Keep up the great work, cheers for now.

I drive buses down country roads on two routes that are funded by the council, therefore they send the timetables. What you find currently is a lot of timetables were set during covid and havent been adjusted yet for the change in traffic/patronage. I find myself having to put my foot down but i know when and when i shouldnt be going for it (usual bends or tighter places), otherwise id be running a good 20 mins late, at peak time the traffic is so bad that regularly buses run upwards of 40 mins late on a regular basis. The driver should of been prepared to stop instead of harshly breaking in my view. The council know full well that roads have been back to being busy for about 2 years now but they dont want to know about it

Shrewsbury Always reminds me of my time as Manager of the Burlton Inn quite a few years ago now! This is also when I discovered hay fever at harvest time. Me being a City dweller. Thanks for the Day out.

I've worked at NX on the Coach side for 8 years. Working in such a busy station with the same timetable every day you can soon pick out the 'problem services' which never seem to eun to time. Some service run with ludicrous timings not even possible on a motorbike. When it is fed back you get the usual 'we'll take a look' and thats as farvas it goes.

My Dad used to do the Oswestry to Shrewsbury bus trip for GHA Coaches on a Saturday about 15 or so years back. I joined him on the first one of the day once leaving the depot in Ruabon at about 9am to leave Oswestry at about half nine. He dropped me off in Shrewsbury at just about opening time. I got a train home. A horrible run

I didn't realize that Crosville got to Shrewsbury as it was pretty firmly Midland Red territory.Maybe National Welsh got in to Shrewsbury to from the south as well.Crossville was a unique NBC subsidiary in that it ran services in Wales and England mainly just the Midlands but some of it's services got north of the Mersey encountering Ribble.

Hi Mark. Wow, that was an exciting journey. I love public transport but I think the train would take it for me. Anyway, another great video. Cheers D

I had a friend driving for a interstate trucking company and the time he was given to get between Brisbane and Sydney was impossible to do it in, eventually the union became involved and some very steep fines where handed out and that changed their attitude, if you are delivering public transport safety should be the first priority . Good to see you arrived in one piece, take care and thanks.

Hi, Mark. Well worth waiting for. I know most of those roads and lanes well from my days as a fax engineer for well known telecoms company. Both my wife and I love Ludlow and always stop there if we are in the area.😊😊

I've done that trip loads of times Mark as I used to live in both Ludlow and Shrewsbury and whilst it's an excellent Shropshire Hills day ranger scenic bus route along the lines of what they have in the Yorkshire Dales and Dartmoor, you are right - nearly everyone in both Ludlow and Craven Arms prefers the train to get into Shrewsbury for speed. Before deregulation, the bus was the farthest south Midland Red North 'Hotspur' would run, and it was numbered 956. Then it was renumbered 435 when Midland Red West got it (along with the 436 bus to Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth) and operated from Ludlow. Then it lost the tender to Whittle/Go Whittle and operated from their former base in Ludlow and for many years it has been Minsterley Motors. The good thing about Shrewsbury bus station was that when it opened, it was convenient for both the Darwin and the Riverside shopping centres - the sad demise of both those places have of course contributed to the sad demise of the bus station.

Just found your site and have subscribed. For four years until July last year, I would use the X75 Celtic Travel route from Welshpool to Shrewsbury on a Welsh bus pass (you get them aged 60 in Wales). That is a lovely run all the way to Llangurig from Shrewsbury and I used it often. I personally don't agree with the verdict on Shrewsbury bus station. I like to have a focal point to get transport and never had any problems with this location. Okay, it was occasionally under water due to the close proximity of the River Severn but it was a five minute walk to the railway station and you can take escalators from the bus station up into the Darwin Centre. When I heard that they were thinking of closing the bus station down my heart sank and I expected them to relocate to the other side of the Welsh Bridge at Frankwell...nice location but an inconvenient interchange distance from the railway station. Shrewsbury, btw, is lovely!!! I think that, judging from my numerous experiences of train delays on Transport for Wales train services I would certainly have taken the bus in preference, especially at a price of two pounds compared to nearly ten quid on the traIn (if it runs anywhere near right time). I used Minsterley Motors only a handful of times but always found them to be fine, and Arriva too with the one exception of a journey from Shrewsbury to Wem and back last summer when my driver could have won an award for the most unfriendly and unhelpful employee...my enquiry was dismissed with contempt and a lad asking for information from him was treated equally as contemptuously. Such a shame because the majority of bus drivers do a great job in often very trying conditions. Just as an aside, Celtic Travel, based in Llanidloes, have a great website that gives information on any service alterations and I found that the X75 between Welshpool and Shrewsbury was tangibly more reliable than the train.

This video on a "quiet run in the country" was so entertaining and funny for all the wrong reasons. A very uncomfortable trip for you but OMG your facial expressions and your commentary did have us truly LOLing. Lovely countryside and villages but I think we'll skip using the bus if we get to explore Shropshire in the future.

Brilliant video one Route I didn't do when I lived in Shropshire, some of those route I don't know how there get worked out and speaking to some drivers its drivers hours as well. Some routes don't allow for traffic at peek times

Highly agree! Optare Solo bus will be perfect for this route. Plus: front axle in this bus is at very front, so tight corners are easy. Our bus operator in Derbyshire replaced Optare buses to bigger ones, only because high demand. But before replacement, I always was amazed how many people can squeeze into one ;)

Loved the video, Mark. I chuckled at the 'I had a banana to calm my nerves' 😂 It needs to be on a T-shirt. Just sat binge watching your videos now. Good work. Andy.

Our local bus from Yeovil to Dorchester is a bit like this. White knuckle ride most of the way! Plenty of narrow back roads too! Has to be experienced to believe! Enjoyed your video,thank you.

Another brilliant informative video! Absolutely love Shrewsbury, cracking town! Haven't done any of the local buses around the area but have done most of the trains, including down to Ludlow and Llandrindrod Wells! I've passed the bus station last year and for some reason it was empty, almost abandoned? I thought it was closed, maybe it was!

Strong preference for rail on that journey. Personal that trains are better. Buses have to endure traffic and poor road surfaces. TFW have unfortunately been using joined up 'dogboxes' at times on Marches route. Thoroughly inadequate and unsuitable for mid to long distances. As video showed newer vehicles are used now.

I must say I have travelled on the 435 and my experience was nothing like yours. I travelled on an Optare Versa and an Optare Metrocity and whilst they could probably be described as "No Frills", they were comfortable enough and got me from A to B without a problem. The driving pace was not too fast and not too slow. Certainly not the white knuckle ride you describe. For a proper white knuckle ride, I dare you to try the 77/77A Honister Rambler from Keswick. The service runs from late March to early November and caters for tourists to a beautiful part of the Lake District. The buses hurtle around the circular route at an alarming pace, taking in Catbells, Seatoller, Honister Pass, Buttermere, Low Lorton and Whinlatter Forest. Last time I was on it, the Optare Solo and Solo SR used were full of bumps and scrapes associated with trying to keep to tight times on very tight and narrow country roads. At one point a fresh scrape was added whilst I was on board. That was October last year towards the end of the season, so maybe the buses are spending time in the workshop during the winter months being tidied up ready for this year's wacky races.

I took a similar bus journey from Shrewsbury back in 2020. Through some narrow roads then to top it all the bus broke down! Shrewsbury Bus Station wasn’t looking its finest but I loved seeing new places and Ditherington is a place name which has stuck with me.

Great video and very fair comments. These sorts of bus journeys are very familiar to me in West Yorkshire cities.

You should do the S6 between Oxford and Swindon because it’s class

Great watch and can’t beat rallying by bus!!

Hooray! Finally I’ve heard someone pronounce Shrewsbury properly!

Thoroughly enjoyable trip - was a bit quick of pace ! Mind you I suppose if you were standing in the rain with your shopping at the bus stop you would be quite happy for that service to be battering down down the country roads to you ! Keep up with these visits around Shropshire -always enjoyed travelling around the county !

Brilliant video as always Mark. Depending on how far the train station is from the town centre, I I think I would take the train. Hope all is well, take care

Looks like great fun - nothing for the fainthearted, of course. 🤣

I live in Lincolnshire and it's exactly the same. Narrow country lanes. Not built for modern automatic buses. Whacky Races. Interesting video Mark. 👍

That sure was a bumpy bus ride. I went to a friends Register Office Wedding in Ludlow. Was a really nice place to visit. Glad I was in a car though 😊 Hope your next journey is much better 🤗

Thanks Mark very enjoyable video I have never been in the area so it’s great to see 👍

one of my favourite places Ludlow brilliant walks and Christmas market. Some years ago a good walking mate of mine used the train to walk between Church Stretton Craven Arms Ludlow Leominster. Cracking walk and excellent Cardiff to Manchester line.

I thought the video title was Shrewsbury to London on the bus 😂😂 which would be a cool bus route , anyway I saw it was to Ludlow instead the title when I clicked on the video but it’s still a good video anyway 👍🏼

This video reminds me of my University days where I explored parts of the Midlands by Midland Red buses. The wildly indirect nature of some of their rural routes doesn't seem to have changed! If you are chilled out, the journeys could be a lovely leisurely ramble around some lovely countryside.....but in general I'm far too impatient a person for this to happen very often!

Hi Mark. Phew, what a fast driver..... I got jittery watching you bombing around those lanes. Was the driver in a hurry to get to the next world. Glad I wasn't aboard. The bus looked more like park and ride bus. The window next to you was shaking. Nice to see anyway. See you on the next one. Hope u are well. Don't have nightmares. Best wishes David and Beverley Norfolk

Hi think you need to come to the West Midlands and try the outer circle 11a or the 11c or the x1 from Birmingham to Coventry

You've been spoilt by the luxury of National Express coaches!

Similar to Optare Solo, used to be popular with Stagecoach Highlands and Stagecoach Bluebird in Aberdeenshire, most gone now. Always have a bit of a pocket rocket reputation, always thought there were a bit jerky to travel on as the wheels forward of the driver a door.

Hi Mark, I agree with what everyone else is saying. I'm a bus driver in Plymouth and our duties are set by the Exeter office. They dont seem to get there own rosters right, let alone ours. I do sympathise with drivers. The timetables are a guide however and it is better to run late and safe rather than rush through. I get complaints that I'm a minute late sometimes. How ridiculous! That green road safety system is an interesting one. Its on my buses and each time a particular bus is serviced, its seems the system is fiddled around with. I may then get an event on one bus but not on the other for driving exactly the same way. Cheers

I totally agree with your statement about the tight timetables. My local bus routes have a very tight timetable, unfortunately there are drivers who will drive slow on purpose which causes delays on a regular basis. Some drivers drive too quickly at times just to try and keep to time which I totally empathise with them.

So much excitement. And that's just finding the bus. I said Shrewsbury was interesting.

Quality video mark. I’ve only been Ludlow once and that was for the horse racing 😂

Think I would rather the train take the strain then leave me life in hands of this bus driver! Looks lovely area though. Another great vid Mark 👍

Seems like a LOT of fun to ride though, think of it like a nicer alternative to a rollercoaster. Personally, I prefer this type of pace over the sluggishness of city buses.

I really enjoyed visiting The Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre. Thank you for another brilliant video

Hi Mark, thanks for that, very enjoyable to watch if not to travel on! I noticed there was a return journey on the 435 at 12:20 from Ludlow so assuming it doesn't interwork with another service in Ludlow that's an eight-minute turnaround for the driver. If you don't mind me pointing out a small error, you make a reference to the CoastRIDER services from Leeds; they're actually CoastLINER! Looking forward to the next video.

Hi Mark, good video as an old driver it's the same everywhere I used to drive around Brighton and its busy

Another bus route to try, and if you can do it nearer christmas, the peak sightseer from Chatsworth to Bakewell and back. That would be perfect doing it when the christmas lights are on

Hi Mark, Minsterley Motors works out of Stiperstones up in the hills above now.

I use the bus a lot in East Yorkshire and they use Enviro 400s and the seats are comfortable as the journey time from Bridlington to Hull is 2 hours . I think the bus was to big for the country lanes and the width of the bus. May be they should use Dennis Dart buses they are shorter and would cope with the lanes. A great video and I enjoy all the modes of transport you do video’s on.

Did this in 1983 in the opposite direction. I was working at NatEx in Edgbaston for a couple of weeks updating prestel pages and general enquiries. Went Birmingham-Ludlow - Shrewsbury-Birmingham on the middle saturday of my time staying in Erdington. I cannot remember the vehicles - S12s? I should have transparancies somewhere. All Midland Red and the MAP local identities had just recently come in before the division of Midland Red (which had already lost garagea and routes to the WMPTE transfer some 9 or so years earlier. I had done a quick visit to Birmingham a couple of Saturdays prior to see where I might be staying travelling up from Oxford on the ?Joint? South Midland/Midland Red Oxford Birmingham bus service. Decent time on that , I suppose I could have stayed in Oxford and commuted daily - would have been fun. I actually lived in London so Mondays it was the X90 to Oxford from Victoria. (sometimes back via the 390 on a friday or saturday to get off at Heathrow Bus Station and then Local route to Kingston.

As an enthusiast (one that loves a Metrocity) I would have loved this ride

Have the bus company commented on this video( may not have seen it) If they have seen it they probably (sadly) don't see it as a complaint. Good information for future travellers Thanks

Hi Mark, shame on the people who design these timetables, putting the driver under so much pressure, no thought for the paying public getting thrown around, sometimes the drivers dont even have time to let people sit down before moving off, its ridiculous , thanks for sharing that bud 👍

I did 40 years "on the buses" and retired 10 years ago. When I started in `72, on London Country, we had plenty of time on our routes, with recovery time built in at turnrounds. Then in the mid 80`s, along came deregulation and privatisation. This meant greedy bosses screwing every minute out of journeys with short or no turn round times. Then, instead of timetable planners who had worked actually "on the platform" and were promoted off the road, we got university kids in all our managerial jobs, with their diploma and no experience. This meant foot down and no time for the passengers, which is probably why bus drivers have a rep for being miserable. I left the buses and went coach driving. Much less stress, though long hours and more interesting.

Yea I don't go on day trips much but when I do I enjoy its 60 years age for bus pass here Scotland sadly I helieve its 66 in England BUT you said I never knew price cap of £2 I never knew so that's fantastic country buses can give amazing views I had a beautiful journey in summer from dundee too blairgowrie giving chance when I in England not much chance yet but when I do will see some beautiful villages towns BUSES yea they can nip on at times in a double decker erm wow 😊😊😊 thank you you do these bus videos good cheers mate have a good week have you done dundee or Perth too blairgowrie ? Worth a try when up this neck woods beautiful keep up good work hold on tight now 😊 better than slow slow buses that take forever

I've done the 435 route from Shrewsbury to Ludlow. Tbh, it was fine. Quite a good route too tbh

A banana to calm your nerves😂😂. That was some journey! Must be so stressful for the drivers having to keep to a strict time.

The thing with Optare buses when fitted with the Cummins ISB6.7 engine (rather than the 4.2-litre Mercedes) is that Optare don't restrict the throttle response or set low engine speeds for gear changes like Alexander Dennis (for example) would do, so abrupt and quick acceleration is available to the driver.

Hi Mark, Thanks for the video...Lets hope it reaches the right people....I had to wonder what would have happened if a group of kids were out riding their ponies out on those roads....Does not bear thinking about... I'd love to see the reaction of the bus being held up by a traction engine chuffing along the road

I agree with you the speed down those lanes was mad!

I find catching a bus at some locations can be stressful. Lack of signage or general information, having to second guess where the bus will leave from, especially if the designated stand is occupied. My favourite is Preston, while I found Chester pretty bad. Even basic information like maps or details near the entrance that list the bus routes and where they leave from. Leigh is another bad one. The pedestrian route isn't easy to navigate and finding the right bus stand can be fun. The biggest joke of a bus station is the recently rebuilt one at Ormskirk. A horseshoe drive with a series of bus shelters, which at best each can give up to five waiting passengers shelter on a wet and windy winter's day. There's zero facilities, no central bus maps or route-stand information area, no real-time information. The council having the neck to call it a bus station is the biggest laugh.

My son used to take this bus from Shrewsbury to Church Stretton to go to school as had moved from Church Stretton ,Howver the way the timetables ran he took the train in the end as otherwise he had to wait in the town for an hour for the school to open and a long wait at the end of the day as well .

Lol 😳 cheaper than going to the fair Mark IV named it mad Max ride for £2 quid ✅ I personally would take the bus and thanks for showing your followers were to get the fairground journey all the best John 😊

I travelled on the Chinese bus network during my five years there. Your bus journey reminded me of that not what I would expect in the UK.

crazy Experience there Mark but nice!!

Thanks

Insane. A much more relaxing ride for you to have a go on would be the number 70 from Plymouth over to Cremyll via the Torpoint Ferry. An absolute gem, I have to do it every time I'm in Plymouth. You wonder how they can possibly get a whacking great double-decker through some of those villages. (By leaving paint on the walls is how.) Spectacular coastal views, and a pub at the end! Also Mount Edgcumbe country house, and you can get the Cremyll Ferry from right outside the pub for a shorter ride back into Plymouth.

Hope you took the train back!

I used to live on newtown wales and went shresbury a lot hasnt it changed good video

I have travelled on thes 125 bus service stourbridge to bridgnorth via highley and i found from bewdley to bridgnorth section on the narrow roads the bus is going very fast i would not like to drive that fast. so i can agree with you. thanks for a truthfull report.

Good video mate, definitely a look at the "real" service. As many have said, I doubt the driver has much choice. Shame really.

A fellow Shrew :D

Such driving stile is something that I got used over the years in Malta (some drivers too tend to speed over here in narrow roads). Anyway, Shropshire looks like a lovely place to visit and about Shrewsbury I did not know of its significant Medieval history. Might need to pay a visit

This is what is like on Jersey, CI. Wide buses on single track roads trying to pass one another, but hey they only got 30mph at best.

Unfortunately, sometimes the timetables are written so they work with another route or to keep the number of buses down . I remember a rural route for which you got 50 minutes. And you would struggle to do it in a car , especially with all the hills , but the county council timed it - and that’s how it was . You was always chasing your tail and in the wet the buses we had were very lively

I'd love to visit Shrewsbury, have you visited the prison? Also reminds me that my aunty had a bad accident on a bus operated by stagecoach, not sure how much compensation she got but its probably going to run into a couple of hundred thousand pounds.

Do love Shrewsbury, when I lived in Wolverhampton I’d travel there a few times.

I use the 21 from Lakeside of Ellesmere to Reabrook (with my disabled concessionary pass), and I can't remember the last time I saw someone pay for it instead of using a concessionary pass!

That's worst driving have seen on PSV bus . Good job none of the older ones weren't standing waiting get off 😊

I've worked in road haulage for over forty years and can tell you that most, if not all transport managers I've come across have little or not experience and some haven't been on the road for over twenty yrs, no wonder the time tables are way out.

I don't mean to a bully or anything but if ride comfort you are after then sitting at the very back is not a good idea, I would avoid all the rows beyond the back wheel if I were you. To me, the safety and stability of modern busses are underestimated. The ride looked quite speedy but I wouldn't call it reckless or safety compromising. My view is, when you have good road conditions that favours speedy driving then it is not a bad idea to speed up a notch.

Hope you got the train back Mark!!

thanks for highlighting these timetable issues.I am a driver in a rural setting and have to constantly flirt with legality to complete my journeys on time.i call my route the hamster wheel because once youre in the cab you cant get out again for a breath of air as you are constantly chasing your tail.my theory is that the route was timed at 0400 on christmas morning on a motorbike and god forbid that you stop to pick up or alight passengers as there is little or no allowance made for this.from a drivers point of view it is frustrating and more than a little depressing and some of these route planners should be in jail.one theory i heard is that they cane the drivers this way to fit more journeys in during the daily operating period.it really is awful mark.please consider the poor bugger in the driving seat on your entertaining journeys.cheers pal.

Very interesting tale featuring some splendid Shropshire towns and villages . I hear that Ludlow is a brilliant place . is it possible to travel around the area at two quid a pop ? That sounds a bargain -- even if it was a white-knuckle ride ! I must say you appeared more at home on the Malaysian train .

The timetable scheduler obviously drove the route on a motorbike at 4am on Christmas morning.

great country trip but don't think that it's only your local bus driver that has to drive like that it's just the same I Sydney and almost any other major city in Australia as with contracts operators have to get the most out of they drivers. look forward to your next video trip

I think they've extended the £2 fare cap till end of next year.. your area looks nice 👍

Yea, that was a bit too rushed, Mark. Lovely countryside and would have been better savoured than expressed. I think Minsterley needs to re-assess its priorities on this line (and others?) You are lucky to live in a nice part of the UK 🙂 Paul in Oz [a nice part called Adelaide].

Pretty brisk pace probably a time too adhere to. I think I would prefer rail 😅travel always; but if on a budget it’s good. Lovely part of the country.👍🏻

Ill take that bus with room over my TFW trip from Shrewsbury to Ludlow.Yet again a overcrowded 2 car train on a long distance route. They need to up their game.

i've been a driver in Manchester for 10+ years i suspect you will find it's a combination of the local council setting unrealistic timetables because it's a tendered paid for route and having spent part of my life living in Ludlow and Church Stretton the A49 is a vert unforgiving road especially in a large vehicle

If i had been on that bus going at that speed i would have fainted if i had not got off first.

Guessing it depends on how quickly you need to get between Shrewsbury and Ludlow,and vice versa. Whilst the bus journey would be free for me (one of the few peak of being visually-impaired…I get free bus travel in England) although given the limited (?) onboard facilities, I’d probably be tempted to take the train with a railcard discount. What we didn’t see in the video Mark, was you dashing into a pub in Ludlow to get a pint to calm your nerves after that experience…!!

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone says, if that bus had to do a sharp stop then it's being driven to fast for the road conditions. If the drivers feel they have to drive at that speed , In order to keep time, then someone somewhere needs a talking to.

It's really disappointing isn't it when you're really looking forward to something and it all goes a bit Pete Tong. Nevertheless, another great video, as the honesty is what makes it. It is a route I am very familiar with on the Train, as 20 years ago I'd go between Wolverhampton and Hereford regularly. I love a bit of History so will have to check out Church Stretton, but will go by Train 😂.