Sheffield Speedy Service to MSA

Fast? Direct? How Come?

It is not really possible to offer a clear guide as to the running time of existing services between Sheffield, Meadowhell and Rotherham But below is a sample of the X1/X2

Midday Monday to Friday it works out at somewhere around 39 minutes. The problem is First's AI, Awful Interference with sensible travel plans.

The parallel X3 route is similar ...

... with a running time of 36 minutes - approximately.

The X6 timetable is spectacularly faster than both ...

... at a mind blowing 30 minutes running time. The 1730 from Sheffield is the exception, but it will encounter peak hour cloggage, so the extra 10 minutes is probably necessary.

There will be people in Sheffield who can identify MSA - an interpretation which remained beyond fbb sitting at his laptop in Seaton, Devon.

First's publicity is utterly useless.

But (and fbb never thought he would ever write this), thank goodness for Travel South Yorkshire (TSY), the brand of the PTE now calling itself a "Combined Authority".

TSY has produced a non-printed leaflet with no map and a pitiful lack of detail ...

... BUT it does help with those farcical First point times.

It looks as if MSA might be Motorway Service Area. 

TSY says it is at Brinsworth whilst the correct address is ...

... Whiston.

At the motorway roundabout, it is nearer to Brinsworth in geographical terms ...

... but, despite this, it really is in the Whiston village postal area. And who knows the thinking behind postal delivery area names?

"It" is at Junction 33 on the M1 and "It" opened on Friday 17th January 2025.

The bus times are clearly designed for shift patterns at the nosh house; more formally a brand new motorway service area.

But "direct"?

The X1/X2 is ORANGE

The X3 is LIGHT BLUE

The new X6 is LIGHT GREEN

Now listen here First Bus! That GREEN route may be the fastest way between Sheffield and Rotherham but not in a million bus miles is it direct!

Dictionary definition.

direct

adjective

going in a straight line towards somewhere or someone without stopping or changing direction

The main services building is squeezed in between the M1 (left) and the fast road from Sheffield, the A630, right. The picture below is drone delivered whilst building work was still ongoing. The view is looking due east.

Like so many service areas you can sit outside and enjoy your "meal' to the calming roar of traffic and the sweet smell of badly tuned exhausts.

But an explore inside reveals a better sort of service area. Sadly, no more can you experience steak pie, chips and peas followed by stodge and custard. 

But the usual suspects are within, espied after enjoying the "water feature".

The fast food consumer is faced with a bewildering choice of "names", all delivering the same "plastic" food as ever, delicious but probably not good for you!

There are additional drive-thrus outside and one more inside with which fbb is not familiar.

Most retail units are arranged to look like "shops|" (rememer them?) built round a market square.

There's Waitrose and W H Snith at the end.

Oh my! It's just like being down town!

If you have any change from your coffee and wad at Pret, you can spend it in the "funhouse". 

Yay!

Outside there are lots of these ...

Some sources suggest that "filling up" with these on fast charge is significantly more expensive than petrol or diesel.

And there's more?

All the above are on the south of the M1. On the north is the HGV park (lorries to fbb, trucks to the more youthful reader.

Joining the two is a tunnel.

So, where is the X6 bus stop?

fbb's Sheffield chum, David, who lives nearby, took a short trip to the services on Sunday, especially for fbb, and from there took a ride on the X6 from MSA into Rotherham and back.

And here comes the bus!

Thanks, David!

More tomorrow.

 Next X6 Bus Ride blog : Wednesday 22 Jan