29 March sees routes 218 (Sheffield to Bakewell) and 272 (Sheffield to Castleton) switch their Sunday service to the British Summer Time schedules.
23 May is when the 2026 season for the Peak Sightseer open top bus tours launches. Again there are two routes planned, the Red tour from Chatsworth to Bakewell and Blue tour from Chatsworth to Castleton. They will run daily until 19 September then Saturdays only to 10 October. Further details haven’t been announced as yet, keep an eye on stagecoachbus.com.
In Sheffield First bus have registered a number of timetable changes from 3 May. Details have not yet been announced at the time of going to press.
On Supertram, rail replacement works are taking place between Sheffield Station and Gleadless Townend (Blue and Purple routes) from 28 March to 12 April with replacement buses in operation. Buses replace trams on the Meadowhall/Parkgate line over the Mayday bank holiday weekend. There are also engineering works in the Rotherham area on some Saturday evenings – the 11, 18 and 25 April – with replacement buses from 1730hrs onwards.
April is expected to see the opening of the new Tram Train station at Magna, just in time for the Rotherham Real Ale & Music festival there! The Tram Train service runs from Sheffield Cathedral to Parkgate via Attercliffe, Meadowhall South and Rotherham Central station. Look out for news on this online at supertram.com.
National Rail timetables change for the summer season on 17 May.
As we arrive into Spring, it is a time of year that is great to head out to pubs in Derbyshire and there are a number of regular bus routes from Sheffield to take you there:
65 to Buxton via Calver, Tideswell and Litton (Stagecoach)
218 to Bakewell via Baslow and Chatsworth (TM Travel)
257 to Bakewell via Bamford and Eyam (Andrew’s of Tideswell)
272 to Castleton via the Hope Valley (First bus and High Peak)
X17 to Wirksworth via Chesterfield and Matlock (Stagecoach)
Check out the features in the last few issues of Beer Matters for Peak District pubs along bus routes, if you don’t have a printed copy you can download PDFs from sheffield.camra.org.uk.
For general public transport information in our area online visit travelsouthyorkshire.com or travelderbyshire.co.uk. You can also track buses live on a map at bustimes.org, an independent website that will also show you timetables for individual stops.
The Hope Valley train is the popular local train service operated by Northern between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly that stops at stations in villages down the Hope Valley including Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope and Edale within our branch area. Also within Sheffield it calls at Dore & Totley station. The service is generally hourly and runs all day every day except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The 272 bus, operated jointly by First bus and High Peak, runs on a roughly hourly frequency in the daytime with a couple of evening journeys provided too. It sets off from Sheffield Interchange and heads out the city via Ecclesall Road and Whirlow to Fox House and Surprise Corner before dropping down into the valley at Hathersage and then parrallels the railway though Bamford and Hope before continuing up to Castleton with some journeys branching off to do a double run down to Bradwell, where it does a loop around the village via the infamous “Bradwell Gap”.
As well as the country pubs featured below the 272 bus passes Intrepid Brewery in Brough (keep an eye on their social media for occasional open days held over the summer with a pop up bar and food truck) and the High Peak Wine & Beer shop in Castleton if you want cans or bottles to take home.
On bus 272 and other local buses the maximum single fare is still £3 per ride or a Derbyshire wayfarer pass offers all day unlimited travel for £9. There is also a train inclusive Wayfarer option for £17. A return train ticket from Sheffield to Edale currently costs £11.50 after 9am and allows break of journey on route (prices correct at time of going to press).
The pubs in Castleton were previously featured in our guide to bus route 173 (Castleton to Bakewell) so descriptions aren’t repeated here.
In the summer a “Peak Sightseer” open top bus service usually operates in the area as well, a separate tour ticket is required for this, look out for an announcement from Stagecoach regarding their plans for the 2026 season.
The Fox House is something of a landmark at the Sheffield boundary on the edge of the Peak District and is part of the Mitchell & Butler owned “Vintage Inns” chain offering beer, dining, rooms and a beer garden with views over the moors!
A venue run by the Longbow group, a small local chain. This is primarily a hotel and regularly hosts weddings – however the bar and restaurant is normally open to the public. It is located at the end of the station drive, a short distance outside the village.
A smart bar, restaurant and hotel with patio area at rear operated by Longbow Venues Group who also have venues in Grindleford, Owler Bar, Ashford in the Water, Rowsley and Bakewell. The cask ale choice includes a house badged beer from Thornbridge.
A down to earth, lively pub with a mix of younger locals playing pool or table football, older regulars propping up the bar whilst hikers and other visitors to the areas dining with a typical pub grub menu. Accommodation is also available here
The only pub left in the village and is community owned but leased out to a local company to operate. A recent refurbishment has cleverly divided the pub into sections to give the feel of tap room, games room, lounge and restaurant. The cask ale range features local beers, usually from Intrepid and Eyam, alongside a well known brand. The pub shares the building with a post office and tea room and there is an outdoor drinking area alongside the car park. The pub is a 1 mile uphill walk from the railway station and 272 bus, the 257 bus will take you there.
Large roadside pub, open plan but with distinct areas around the island bar. There is a big screen showing sporting events and pool table. Dogs and walkers welcome.
Welcoming village inn traditionally decorated with multiple drinking areas including a pool room and area laid out for good value food. French windows overlook the large beer garden. Walkers and dogs welcome.
Imposing roadside pub opposite the village church. A spacious interior includes two large open plan areas either side of the bar, one area a comfortable lounge, and the other a tap room including traditional pub games.
Exposed low beams and stone walls lend a rustic feel to this quiet relaxed village local, dating from 1676 and just uphill from the village green. A popular community pub offering a very diverse range of entertainments, complemented by a choice of cask ales from Bradfield Brewery.
Historical pub with bar, restaurant, hotel rooms and an attached tea room. The pub bit is spread across two rooms, both with a fire lit in winter! A range of traditional cask ales can be found on the bar along with an extensive Scotch whisky collection. Beer festivals are held most bank holiday weekends in a marquee on the car park.
A cosy country inn dating from 1578 with an open plan bar area and a smaller room at a lower level that was probably originally used to house animals, but now is mainly used as a dining area. Home cooked meals using local produce are served lunchtimes and evenings. 4 cask ales are available and the pub also offers accommodation.
A pub and hotel located next to the railway station surrounded by hills! The range of cask ales usually includes choices from Abbeydale and Torrside among others and a food menu of pub classics is offered.
Located in the part of the village up the hill from the railway station and at the start of the Pennine Way footpath, this classic old pub offers beer, food and accommodation with outdoor seating at the rear.
The 257 bus, operated by Andrews of Tideswell, is one of the regular but lesser known bus links from Sheffield to the Peak District, leaving Sheffield Interchange hourly in the daytime every day except Sunday, running to Eyam and Bakewell via “the scenic route” taking in Crosspool, Yorkshire Bridge, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford, Calver, Stoney Middleton, Eyam, Baslow and Bakewell.
The 65 bus, operated by Stagecoach, runs from Sheffield Interchange a more direct route to Grindleford via Ecclesall and Fox House then follows the same route to Eyam as the 257. It continues beyond Eyam to Foolow and on to Buxton via Great Hucklow, Tideswell, Litton and Millers Dale. This bus is less regular, running about once every 2 hours, although it does operate seven days a week!
Most of both bus routes are within the Sheffield & District CAMRA branch area – our patch stretches to Millers Dale on the 65 whilst on the 257 Baslow and Bakewell is the only part not in our area. The majority of both routes offer some breathtaking Peak District scenery as well as great country pubs!
This pub sits quite close to the junction on the A57 where the road heads on a viaduct over the reservoirs and up onto the Snake Pass. The recently reopened pub is leased from Batemans Brewery (a family business based in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire) by the same people at the Psalter in Sharrow, Sheffield and has a cosy bar and restaurant (full food menu launches in January) plus hotel rooms. Bus 257, 257a or 257b.
This pub is on the road to Bamford just a short distance beyond Derwent dam with a traditional bar, separate restaurant and hotel rooms. Bus 257, 257a or 257b.
The only pub left in the village and is community owned but leased out to a local company to operate. A recent refurbishment has cleverly divided the pub into sections to give the feel of tap room, games room, lounge and restaurant. The cask ale range features local beers, usually from Intrepid and Eyam, alongside a well known brand. The pub shares the building with a post office and tea room and there is an outdoor drinking area alongside the car park. Bus 257, 257a or 257b.
A smart bar, restaurant and hotel with patio area at rear operated by Longbow Venues Group who also have venues in Grindleford, Owler Bar, Ashford in the Water, Rowsley and Bakewell. The cask ale choice includes a house badged beer from Thornbridge. Bus 257, 257a or 272.
A down to earth, lively pub with a mix of younger locals playing pool or table football, older regulars propping up the bar whilst hikers and other visitors to the areas dining with a typical pub grub menu. Accommodation is also available here. Bus 257, 257a or 272.
Located a short distance out of Hathersage on the road to Grindleford is this traditional pub, restaurant and hotel that also benefits from a choice of outdoor drinking areas in a rural setting. Bus 257 or 257a.
Another Longbow venue, this is primarily a hotel and regularly hosts weddings, however the bar and restaurant is normally open to the public. It is located at the end of the station drive, a short distance outside the village. Bus 65.
In the centre of the village on Sir Willam Road, this hotel, bar and restaurant sits on the side of the hill that rises out of the village, which is in the bottom of the Hope Valley with the beer garden enjoying an attractive setting! Bus 65, 257 or 257a.
Reopened in August 2025 when the Refined Pub Group took on the lease, this is a cosy pub with food located at the cusp of the river Derwent that manages to be both traditional and modern in style at the same time! It also has a great beer garden. The beer range includes some local choices such as Abbeydale, Peak Ales and Thornbridge alongside the mainstream brands. Bus 66, X66, 257 or 257b (or walk from routes 65 at Calver Sough).
Handpumps on the bar at the Calver Arms. Photo: James Brown.Calver Arms. Photo: Richard Allen
Recently bought by a local businessman, renamed and refurbished. It has a modern, smart feel but with some cosy, traditional touches. There are two rooms, the smaller of which can be used for functions or dining occasions – at other times it adopts the role of a sports bar. Food is a menu of pub classics. Three cask ales available.Buses 65, 66, X66, 257, 257a or 257b.
A freehouse that has been a village pub since 1821 with a changing selection of real ales, extensive gin range, pub classic food menu, beer garden and hotel rooms. Buses 65, 66, X66, 257, 257a or 257b.
Toll Bar Fish & Chips – photo: Richard Allen
A special mention in Stoney Middleton is the Toll Bar fish & chip shop. As well as excellent food they stock bottled beer from Eyam Brewery and the riverside garden has a local history information board that tells you about all the pubs that used to exist in the village!
Village pub, restaurant and hotel rooms. Three cask ales are available, generally from local breweries such as Peak Ales or Eyam. Has a beer garden. Bus 65, 66, 257, 257a or 257b.
Standing in the picturesque, limestone hamlet of Foolow, this pub has several rooms including a cosy bar and restaurant. There are hotel rooms upstairs and a beer garden outside. Their mantra is old skool done well. Bus 65, 66 or 257b.
Hidden off the main road down below by the river Wye, this pub has three rooms including a tap room with pool table, traditional lounge and dining room. Bus 65.
Watch out for a small number of route variations on the 257 around 3/4pm – the 257a uses a different route between Eyam and Bakewell (via Wardlow Mires and Monsal Head) whilst the 257b uses a different route between Eyam and Bamford (via Foolow, Bradwell and Hope)!
Bus timetables and route maps are available from Travel Derbyshire. Fares are currently capped at £3 per ride, however if you are exploring the area then a Derbyshire Wayfarer all day bus pass may be better value costing £9. Those tickets are available from the bus driver or on the Travelmaster app, which also offers live bus departure information.
Bus 173 is a handy little rural bus operated by Andrew’s of Tideswell that shuttles up and down once every two hours between Castleton and Bakewell via a number of villages passing some fantastic country pubs along the way. The route from Castleton as far as Great Longstone is in the Sheffield & District CAMRA branch area. Ashford in the Water and Bakewell is covered by the Chesterfield CAMRA branch.
A number of branch members including your Beer Matters editor have recently enjoyed a few days out visiting some of the pubs on the route and we’ve featured a few of the highlights here, however a full list of pubs along our part of the route is provided!
On our trips we’ve travelled from Sheffield using the 218 bus to Bakewell or the 65 to Tideswell or Litton in order to connect with the 173 and travel up and down between some of the pubs on the route, finishing in one of Bradwell, Hope or Castleton and catching the 272 bus back to Sheffield.
All the buses in the area charge no more than £3 a ride for single fares, however better value is the Derbyshire Wayfarer all day bus pass costing £9, you can buy that from the bus driver or on the Travelmaster app.
A Robinsons pub with a range of their cask ales, including Old Tom strong dark ale on our visit and traditional pub grub. It is a characterful pub with huge displays of tankards and ornaments, pub cat and friendly bar service.
A cosy Thornbridge Brewery pub known for its food. If you can’t get a table in the pub itself head for the beer garden at rear with both indoor and outdoor areas available!
Stables Bar, Monsal Head (also served by bus 257a once a day!)
Run by the same management as the Packhorse Inn, the Stables bar is in an outbuilding behind the Monsal Head Hotel and has a range of cask ales and serves food. Head outside for a breathtaking view over the valley!
Three Stags’ Heads, Wardlow Mires (also served by bus 257a and X66, both once a day! Note two buses a day on the 173 use an alternative route via Cressbrookdale and bypass Wardlow)
An absolutely legendary little pub where time has stood still. Leave your attitude and expectation at the door, buy a pint of ale (cash only), sit down in front of the fire and enjoy beer & conversation whilst taking in some of the eccentricities and history on display. Included in CAMRA’s national inventory of historic pub interiors.
Cosy old multi roomed country pub with a range of mainly local cask ales, home cooked food and hotel rooms. Management and staff are friendly and organise special events from time to time.
Friendly local pub split into three areas. As you walk in there are lounge areas to your left and right with the bar at the far left, then up some steps there is a further area with a pool table. Two cask ales are available.
Recently reopened under the new management of Atlantik Inns, this pub is leased from Greene King Brewery and has a lounge, dining room, games room and courtyard.
Open in November and December on selected Fridays and Saturdays as a pop up bar, this is in an empty industrial unit and featuring a range of their beer on cask and keg with merchandise also available to buy. The unit is due to be converted into a proper tap bar and shop in the new year following a crowdfunding campaign. The Friday night sessions also feature Sunshine Pizza Oven trading outside.
Operated by Atlantik Inns who lease the pub from Robinsons Brewery, this is a classic pub that has recently benefited from a huge investment in renovation and refurbishment. It still has a multi room style layout with areas for both drinkers and diners. Cask ale from Robinsons brewery is available. The pub made headlines recently for having a dedicated space in the car park for tractors.
Classic village multi roomed pub with a couple of real ales and food available.
Blind Bull, Little Hucklow (a 7 minute walk from the bus stop, also served by bus 257b once a day)
In a village located down a country lane off the main road the buses use, this 12th century Inn spent a few years derelict before recently being restored and reopened, winning a national CAMRA Pub Design Award in the process. It is independently run, smart and offers ale, good food and hotel rooms.
White Hart, Bradwell (also served by bus 257b and 272)
A traditional stone flag floored local pub, now run by Bradfield Brewery. Note being in Derbyshire the Yorkshire Farmer ale is rebadged as White Hart ale!
Old Hall Hotel, Hope (also served by bus 62, 257b and 272)
This is a popular venue featuring a bar with cask ales (mainly well known brands including Theakstons) and an extensive Scotch Whisky selection, restaurant, tea room and hotel rooms. A beer festival is held in a marquee outside on most bank holiday weekends featuring beers from Derbyshire and Scotland along with live music and food.
Woodroffe Arms, Hope (also served by bus 62, 257b and 272)
Traditional local pub offering ale, food and sport on tv.
Cosy old pub down a country lane towards Edale with two rooms on split levels and a beer garden. Cask ales and food available, also offers accommodation.
SwissTap Tap, Castleton (also served by bus 62 and 272)
A micropub located across two rooms on the ground floor of the Swiss House Bed & Breakfast house. Two cask ales from Abbeydale brewery are available and TV screens show sporting action.
As we head into summer, it is a great time to be heading out into the countryside to visit some of the wonderful country pubs on our patch! In Sheffield & District we are lucky to have the Peak District National Park offering a rural landscape that is breathtakingly beautiful and some useful bus and train links to get you around. For this month’s PUBlic Transport column I thought I’d highlight a few of the routes to try.
A Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket offers unlimited travel all day on any local bus or train in Derbyshire (except the Peak Sightseer tour) plus direct services between Sheffield City Centre and Derbyshire. The bus only ticket costs £9 whilst the bus and train option costs £17. Note you can’t use trains on weekdays before 9am. Alternatively at the moment there is a government funded bus deal where the maximum single fare is capped at just £3.
THE HOPE VALLEY LINE (along with buses 257 and 272)
Northern run an hourly local train service between Sheffield and Manchester that calls at Grindleford, Hathersage, Hope and Edale. Running parallel to the railway is bus route 272 Sheffield-Castleton which serves Fox House, Hathersage, Brough, Bradwell, Hope and Castleton. Both also serve Bamford railway station, however the village itself is a mile up the hill from there, which is served by bus 257 from Sheffield.
There are four pubs in Hathersage that serve real ale. The more down to earth venue in the centre of the village is the Little John Hotel where the tap room features a pool table and table football. A bit of a walk down the road past the railway station to Leadmill Bridge brings you to the Plough Inn with a fantastic choice of outdoor drinking areas. Elsewhere in the village is the George and the Scotsman’s Pack. Alternatively up in the hills with a spectacular view over the valley is the Millstone.
Bamford has just the one pub – the Anglers Rest, offering up to 6 cask ales including some from local breweries, however further up the road is the Yorkshire Bridge Inn and Ladybower Inn, located near the famous Derwent Dams and enjoy a wonderful setting by the reservoirs.
In Bradwell there are two pubs, including the White Hart, which is run by Bradfield Brewery. The bus also passes through Brough, home of Intrepid Brewery.
Hope is where you will find the Old Hall Hotel which hosts a beer & cider festival on most bank holiday weekends whilst across the road is the Woodroffe Arms, a tradional local, whilst down the lane towards Edale is the Cheshire Cheese Inn where you can enjoy cosy dining inside or al fresco drinking in their beer garden.
Castleton has enough pubs in the village for a full days pub crawl as well as a really good specialist off licence, whilst Edale has a couple of pubs including the Old Nag’s Head, which sits at the start of the Pennine Way footpath.
BUS 173 – BAKEWELL TO CASTLETON
If you are travelling from Sheffield, you can connect onto this rural minibus service by using the 218 to Bakewell or at the other end of the route you can connect at Hope from the train or bus 272. Alternatively bus 65 from Sheffield serves Litton and Tideswell. The single vehicle on route 173 shuttles up and down providing a departure once every 2 hours linking a number of villages and offering a scenic ride. Note this bus doesn’t run evenings or Sundays. Check the timetable carefully for the two trips a day that divert via Cressbrookdale.
In Great Longstone you’ll find a couple of pubs and in Little Longstone is the Packhorse Inn, a cosy little pub offering Thornbridge beer and home cooked food. Up the hill from here on the main road junction is Monsal Head with a view over the valley including the former railway viaduct below. You can take in the sights sat outside the Stables Bar behind the Monsal Head Hotel, which is also serves Thornbridge beer.
At Wardlow Mires is the legendary Three Stags’ Heads, a historical, no nonsense small two room pub listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory. A choice of local ales is available.
In Litton is the Red Lion, a cosy cottage style pub with real ales and food
Next along the route is Tideswell, there are three pubs here – the George Inn, Star and Horse & Jockey. A short distance outside the village and also on the bus route is the Anchor, which had its moment of fame as a result of providing tractor spaces in the car park catering for local farmers popping in for lunch!
BUS 65 – SHEFFIELD TO BUXTON
This bus service runs about once every 2 hours during the daytime, 7 days a week. There is no evening service. It serves a number of villages along the way including Grindleford, Calver, Eyam, Foolow, Great Hucklow, Tideswell, Litton and Millers Dale.
At Calver you’ll find the Calver Arms, Eyam the Miners Arms and in Foolow the Bulls Head. Great Hucklow is home to Eyam Brewery along with the Queen Anne pub. Hidden away from the main road at Millers Dale by the river is the Angler’s Rest.
BUS 257 – SHEFFIELD TO BAKEWELL (the long way round)
This bus provides an hourly service out of Sheffield via Yorkshire Bridge to Bamford seven days a week (no evening service) with buses continuing to Bakewell Monday to Saturday. There are some route variations at certain times of day to cater for rural school travel, however the core route runs via Hathersage, Grindleford, Calver, Stoney Middleton, Eyam and Baslow. If you are travelling from Sheffield to Baslow or Bakewell then bus 218 is more direct. The only village on this route not previously mentioned for buses 65, 173 or 272 is Stoney Middleton, here you will find the Moon Inn.
BUS X17 – BARNSLEY TO WIRKSWORTH
This bus links Sheffield, Chesterfield, Matlock, Matlock Bath, Cromford and Wirksworth.
PEAK SIGHTSEER – OPEN TOP BUS TOURS
Mentioned before and covering some of the above areas, two routes operate from 24 May until 25 October, with a daily service up to 21 September. The Red Route is a circular tour from Chatsworth House to Bakewell whilst the Blue route is a linear tour from Chatsworth House to Castleton via Baslow, Calver, Grindleford, Hathersage and Hope. Buses run daytime only on an hourly frequency and a couple of feeder trips run from Meadowhead, Woodseats, Millhouses and Totley. The tour ticket costs £12 and you can hop on and off as much as you like so can visit a pub or two along the way as well as enjoy the scenery!
BUS 61/62 – HILLSBOROUGH – BRADFIELD
These buses run a circular route from Hillsborough Interchange (you can connect with trams and other buses there) taking in Loxley, Bradfield, Dungworth and Stannington and run all day every day except Sunday. Pubs along the way include the Wisewood Inn (home of Loxley Brewery), Nags Head Inn (Bradfield Brewery’s original tap), Old Horns Inn (offering a fantastic view over the valley) and Bradfield Plough.
NEWS
First bus are no longer using X (formerly Twitter) and are directing customers to their app and website for service updates and information.
Rail replacement works take place on Supertram 24 to 30 May (between Cathedral and Middlewood/Malin Bridge), 28 July to 15 August (between Sheffield Station and Gleadless) and 16 to 29 August (between Hillsborough and Middlewood). Replacement buses will operate on the closed sections of route. Additionally Tram Train is not serving Rotherham on Saturday evenings until 25 October to allow a new station at Magna to be built – hopefully it will be open in time for Great British Beer Festival Winter next February!
Some changes in the Peak District part of our branch area already with Hulleys of Baslow going out of business, however the good news is all the routes continue to run with the service provided by new operators. The 271/272 Sheffield to Castleton has High Peak buses whilst the 173 Bakewell to Castleton along with the Monday to Saturday service on the 257 Sheffield to Bakewell via Bamford is in the hands of Andrews of Tideswell. The Summer Sunday service on route 257 is being provided by South Pennine Community Transport. Unrelated to the Hulleys situation, Bus 218 from Sheffield to Bakewell via Totley, which is operated by TM Travel, has now moved to the summer schedule with an improved Sunday frequency. Timetables at derbysbus.info.
Service changes in South Yorkshire and Chesterfield take place from 27 April. The 95a and 95b Walkley to Crystal Peaks are cut back to just run Walkley to Sheffield Interchange and the 75a Jordanthorpe to Fox Hill is cut back to Shiregreen. New service X11 is introduced providing a fast link between Sheffield, Waverley, Kimberworth and Maltby with many journeys extended to Doncaster. A number of other routes have timetable changes. Details are available at travelsouthyorkshire.com.
24 May sees the return of Stagecoach’s Peak Sightseer open top tour buses running from Chatsworth House to Bakewell (Red Route) and Castleton (Blue route). A couple of feeder trips are also available from Meadowhead, Woodseats, Millhouses and Totley. A ticket costs £12 for adults and £7 for concessions with a group deal available for up to 5 people travelling together for £30. Details at stagecoachbus.com.
Stagecoach’s Chesterfield depot has almost completed the introduction of brand new electric buses with a fleet of 18 single deckers and 39 double deckers. As well as being quieter and having better acceleration than the diesel buses they replace they also feature USB phone charging sockets, next stop announcements and air conditioning.In Sheffield look out for these buses on routes 42/43/44, 50/50a (Sheffield to Chesterfield) and X17 (Barnsley to Wirksworth) along with the Sunday service on route 65 (Meadowhall to Buxton).
1 September sees changes to some Sheffield bus routes following the public consultation last month previously featured in this column. There have been some tweaks following the consultation such as the 6 continuing to serve Greystones and the Walkley buses retaining the traditional 95 number. Some further changes are coming up in October which will be the Chesterfield based buses and at the time of writing this was still at consultation, the only proposals affecting Sheffield is a change to the X17 route near Meadowhall and a renumbering of the 43a to 42.
The biggest changes are in North and East Sheffield, all the details can be found at travelsouthyorkshire.com.
The summer rail replacement works on Supertram conclude on 1 September, however there will be some weekend engineering works in September and October, check their website for details.
So, what are the headlines in terms of going to the pub? Well, the Greystones pub becomes easier to get to with bus 82 (Stannington to Millhouses) changing its route to run via Greystones and this bus has an evening service! The buses serving the Harlequin near Kelham Island are changing, with the 95/95a replaced by the 75/75a (Jordanthorpe to Chapeltown/Fox Hill) – the 7/8 and 83 continue to serve the area with a revised timetable. Those travelling in an evening wanting to get to/from Worrall, Oughtibridge, Deepcar and Stocksbridge will be pleased to see an evening service introduced to route 57a. Travel to the Wisewood Inn on a Sunday becomes possible on the new timetables too with the 52a extended up beyond Hillsborough to Loxley 7 days a week although evening service remains limited to the rural bus 61/62.
There are still frustrations with the bus network and the mayor’s priorities with a lack of funding available for evening and Sunday tendered services, for example Bradway doesn’t have any buses in an evening whilst Nether Edge gets a bus once every 2 hours!
During July bus operators have been holding a consultation on proposed changes to bus timetables and routes from 1 September to reflect demand building back up differently post covid.
Bus route 8 from Ecclesfield to Birley will be split with some journeys running to Dyke Vale Road instead of Birley Lane tram stop, replacing route 41 which will be withdrawn. The 8/8a from Crystal Peaks is withdrawn and replaced by new local minibus services M44/M45.
The 1a and 11 Herdings to Chapeltown will be withdrawn with the 47/48 Herdings-Shiregreen making a comeback with changes to the 75 replacing the 1a to Chapeltown.
The 95/95a is also to be withdrawn with the Meadowhall end of the route replaced by changes to the 75 whilst Walkley will be served by new routes 54/55/55a which will run from Walkley to Handsworth via Sheffield Parkway then continuing to either Rotherham via Treeton (replacing withdrawn route 73) or to Crystal Peaks via either Aston or Woodhouse.
Greystones gets a better service with route 82 diverted that way with the 6 changed to run more directly on Ecclesall Road instead of via Greystones.
On route 52 buses will be extended beyond Crookes to Hillsborough all day whilst on the 52a there will be an improved Loxley/Wisewood service including the introduction of a Sunday service.
There are changes to the 88 Ecclesfield to Bents Green with increased frequencies and a different route in the Firth Park area.
Stocksbridge and Worrall see some improvement too with the 57a running later into the evening.
The 41, 42, X54 and X74 are both withdrawn and replaced by a new network of routes numbered 70/70a/71/71a.
South Pennine Community Transport will be running a series of one day a week buses from Holmfirth – Monday to Meadowhall, Wednesday to Castleton and Thursday to Hillsborough
Meanwhile Supertram has a programme of rail replacement works over the summer holidays as follows:
20 July to 2 August: Blue route closed between Gleadless Townend and Halfway with trams running to Herdings Park instead of Halfway. Replacement buses to connect Gleadless to Halfway.
3 August to 11 August: Blue and Purple route closed between Sheffield Station and Herdings Park. The Blue route to operate in two parts with replacement buses running Sheffield City Centre to Gleadless to connect.
12 August to 1 September: Yellow route closed between Hillsborough and Middlewood with trams running to Malin Bridge instead of Middlewood.
There is also expected to be some disruption to Tram Train services to Rotherham at weekends from September onwards as work begins to build a new station at Magna, which the joint SYMCA/Network Rail project team are aiming to have ready for the summer 2025 National Rail timetable commencing next May.
Meanwhile on the Derbyshire buses there is some disruption caused by long term roadworks affecting bus 272 in Bradwell and bus 65 in Grindleford until September, altered timetables at derbysbus.info.
The weekend of 11-13 May sees some changes to Derbyshire buses.
In Killamarsh service 80 to Chesterfield has a change of operator and route, with First South Yorkshire replacing Hulleys of Baslow. A direct bus to Sheffield is once again introduced with First bus 120k – this is the existing 120 with one bus an hour extended beyond Crystal Peaks. Timetables are available from Derbyshire County Council at derbysbus.info
In the Peak District Stagecoach’s Peak Sightseer open top bus service makes a return for 2024, this time with two routes – Blue route from Chatsworth to Castleton on an hourly frequency and Red route from Chatsworth to Bakewell every half hour. There are also some feeder trips at the start and end of day with pick ups at Meadowhead, Woodseats, Ecclesall and Totley. The ticket price this year is £9.50 for an adult or £25 for a group of 5 people with discounts offered for concessionary pass holders and Wayfarer ticket holders. The ticket is a “Gold DayRider” offering all day unlimited hop-on-hop-off travel on the Peak Sightseer services plus all other Stagecoach buses in the area. More information online at stagecoachbus.com
Also in our area with less significant timetable or route changes are buses 65, 208, 257, 272 and X17 whilst on Supertram there is engineering work from 25 May to 2 June – details at travelsouthyorkshire.com.
Peak Sightseer open top buses – Red routePeak Sightseer open top buses – Blue route
A new Demand Responsive bus service has launched in North East Derbyshire called Travel Derbyshire On Demand, funded by the county council’s bus service improvement plan.
This is a minibus service operated by Derbyshire Community Transport that is open to all and is designed to cater for journeys not served by regular scheduled buses. The fare is a flat £4 per ride for adults (Derbyshire Wayfarer tickets also accepted) and you need to book your journey in advance either on their app or on the phone. The system then designs a bus route around all the passengers wanting to travel around that time.
This bus is available for pretty much any journey within North East Derbyshire and operates on weekdays between 7am and 7pm and on Saturdays between 8am and 5pm.
The area of operation stretches from Dronfield, Ridgeway and Eckington in the north down as far south as Alfreton. There’s some good rural pubs in that area this bus could be useful for getting to in an afternoon!
In other news, the Sheffield City Centre “Sheffield Connect” bus service sees improvements from 8 April. The existing service will be numbered SC1 and operate longer hours – 7am to 7pm – and a second route, SC2 will be introduced running from Sheffield Interchange to the Moor then along Arundel Gate, down to Millsands (for Kelham Island) and back to the Interchange via Castlegate and Flat Street. At the same time the existing minibuses are due to be replaced with electric single deckers too.
