On the busses...

[Gob]

A retired couple spent their summer holiday travelling the length of England for free using just their bus passes.

Michael and Jacqui Burden hopped from one local service to another as they meandered over 500 miles from their Devon home to Carlisle.

The journey involved 28 buses, 15 different bus companies, took seven and a half days - and didn’t cost them a penny in fares.

They had hoped to reach John O’Groats but settled for the far north of England when they found their free passes didn’t cover Scotland.

The thrifty pair, both in their 60s, mapped out a route involving 28 different villages, towns and cities before setting off on July 29.

Their route took them through the West Country and Bristol to Coventry and Leicester in the Midlands and then through Manchester and West Yorkshire to Carlisle in Cumbria.

They also saved more money by staying with friends and relatives across the country and spent the remaining nights in bargain hotels and B&Bs.

Mr Burden, a retired laboratory scientist, said: 'I was the damn fool who came up with the idea.

'I’ve only ever used buses occasionally but I just loved the idea of it.

'My wife is a superb organiser so she looked into the accommodation and the routes.

'Then we finished our breakfast on the Monday morning, packed up our luggage and headed to the bus stop.

'We could have planned a shorter route but we enjoyed meandering from place to place - it was more of a quiet adventure than a military campaign.

'Most of the buses were on time and, overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

'You see the sorts of places that you would normally miss when you’re shooting past in the car.'

The couple, from Clyst Honiton, just outside Exeter in Devon, saved a total of £120.85 per person on the fares.

However, they spent virtually the nearly same amount travelling home on the train after buying first class tickets at £103 each.

Mrs Burden, a music teacher, said: 'We only saved about £17 each but we felt we deserved a little indulgence on the way back.

'People have said, "for goodness sake, why didn’t you take the car?"

'We have two - a Skoda estate and a Peugeot 106 - but where’s the fun in that?

'We had an amazing time, we met lots of different people and we really enjoyed listening to the different dialects as people got on and off the buses.

'We could have done it quicker but we took the scenic route.

'We even had time to stop off for an opera en route - we were hardly slumming it.'
Mr and Mrs Burden, who have three sons and five grandchildren, kept a diary of their holiday listing the buses they took.

And they loved their free bus trip so much they are already planning another jaunt to Norwich.

Under the government’s free bus pass scheme eligible older people are entitled to free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England once they hit pension age.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own separate schemes.

Mr Burden urged other OAPs to take advantage of the perk.

He said: 'We’re well-travelled people, having been to Antarctica, South America, Tahiti, the States loads of time, you name it.

'But I can genuinely say this was one of our best ever trips.'

AROUND THE COUNTRY IN SEVEN AND A HALF DAYS: A DIARY

Day one: Exeter to Tiverton (Stagecoach), Tiverton to Taunton (First), Taunton to Wells (First) Wells to Bristol (First), Bristol to Yate (First).

Total distance: 106 miles and the fare saved was £29.10 each.

'Nearly missed our first bus at Exeter as the scheduled stand was changed with no indication until the last minute.'

Day two: Yate to Old Sodbury (Wessex Red), Old Sodbury to Tetbury (Cotswold CVS), Tetbury to Stroud (Cotswold Green), Stroud to Cheltenham (Stagecoach), Cheltenham to Bredon (Astons Coaches)

Total distance: 55 miles and the fare saved was £13.15 each.

'Not many stops made in rural areas. The route took us through many beautiful Cotswold villages, including Painswick, where there are 99 yew trees in the churchyard.'

Day three: Bredon to Evesham (Astons Coaches), Evesham to Stratford-upon-Avon (Stagecoach), Stratford to Coventry (Stagecoach), Coventry to Leicester (Mike de Courcy Coaches)

Total distance: 73 miles and the fare saved £17.25 each.

'The route initially took us through many villages, including Salford Priors, where there were vast fields of runner beans, all in wigwam bamboo frames.'

Day four: Leicester to Derby (Kinch Bus - Skylink), Derby to Buxton (Transpeak Service),

Total distance: 72 miles and the fare saved £12.40 each.

'Buses were crowded, interesting journey. Lots of day-trippers to Loughborough, also called in at East Midlands Airport, delivering some airline cabin staff and passengers.'

Day five: Buxton to Manchester (Transpeak Service), Manchester to Nelson (The Witch Way), Nelson to Keighley (Mainline), Keighley to Haworth (TransDev).

Total distance: 77 miles and the fare saved £18.40 each

'In Stockport passed massive railway viaduct with 27 arches, still in use after 170 years! Also went past the McVities’s factory and the bus was filled with the delightful aroma of chocolate digestives.'
Freebie: And this was all they needed to get them to Carlisle during their seven day journey

Freebie: And this was all they needed to get them to Carlisle during their seven day journey

Day six: Haworth to Keighley (TransDev), Keighley to Skipton (TransDev).

Total distance: 14 miles and the fare saved £6.00 each.

'Took a trip on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, one station at Oakworth was used as a location for the The Railway Children, filmed in 1970.'

Day seven: Skipton to Settle (Malham Tarn Shuttle), Settle to Ingleton (Malham Tarn Shuttle).

Total distance: 27 miles and the fare saved £8.00 each.

'As it was a Sunday, Ingleton was as far as we could go, there were no buses till the following day.'

[Sean]

From the title I thought this was going to be an audio recording thread...

[Lord Jim]

From the title I thought this was going to be an audio recording thread...

I thought it was going to be some Ashes thingy...

[rubato]

Has anyone done a study comparing the rates of OCD in the UK vs the rest of the world?

Trainspotting, now this.

yrs,
rubato

[Sue U]

they found their free passes didn’t cover Scotland.

Supply your own punchline here.