Baffling Bovisand Bus Part 2

But Beautiful Beach?

Unlike Exeter, Plymouth is not welcome by the management of Devon Bus publicity as it is a Unitary Authority outside the jurisdiction of Devon County Council. Whilst Exeter city bus services are embraced by the County, Plymouth routes do not exist, apart from those that run cross boundary.

So Bovisand is banished from bus publicity in Devon. Readers may remember that it doesn't feature on the Plymouth network map either.

Poor banished and beleaguered Bovisand.

So what delights welcome bus passengers at the terminus?

That's it! There is no quaint Devon village with colour washed cottages serving delectable cream teas.  There is a bus stop sign, car park and a caff. More recent pictures show a more welcoming establishment!

Remember to have your sandy boots and wet dog handy!

Google Earth confirns the set-up elegantly.

Centre left is the bus terminus with a road down to the caravan site. 

There us a footpath from bus terminus and car park down to the beach. 

And up after a tiring day!

On the opposite side of the sandy cove is Bovisand Park.

This is a substantial community of chalet properties ...

... accessed by a road from Down Thomas.  Bottom centre in the above Google Earth view is a more substantial nosh house ...

... with toilets adjacent,

Here it is all arrayed on a full map of Bovisand.

Fort Bovisand looks much more interesting than anything else ...

... but, despite an ominous notice, the green diamonds on the map show that the private road is part of a major national footpath, so we can explore!

None of the buildings is open to the public and part of the site is developed as very posh houses.

A little further round the corner is Fort Bovisand itself ...

... anhance with what, historically, was known as a "casement".  The casements are the arches in which the heavy cannon would be parked. The present infill may be a later 'improvement'.

Higher above this construction are the mor obvious fort structures.

Also on site is Bovisand Harbour.

This was not used for fishing, ferries or forays of a defensive nature. Small tender boats based here would service the bigger vessels.

Yes, fbb knows that there is a paucity of public transport provision or promotion in this blog so far.

So, at last, here is the timetable for the current operator if the service 54.

The full text in the red panel is as follows.

  Operates Saturday 23rd May 2026 

 until Sunday 31st May 2026 and  

  Saturday 25th July 2026 until  

  Sunday 6th September 2026 inc   

So it is not much of a service, is it? The timetable is a mess with easily forgettable times. 

Last year, such a long time ago, buses ran hourly ...

... and at the same times each hour.

Presumably someone decided that the route was 'too tight' to get a round trip in an equally round hour. Or did the lads and lasses demand extra layover for a 'one bus in steam' schedule?

Either way, this year's timetable is sufficiently unattractive and inevitably unmemorable to ensure that passenger numbers will decline.

Quiz Answers 11 to 20

The Sea Breezer served Seaview, Isle of Wight.

This is Tilbury Riverside which used to have a railway station on the LTS Tilbury loop; and a ferry from Gravesend. Now only the local bus remains.

Edinburgh. The registration is Scottish and the colour (madder) is ubiquitous.

One of the raft of open top bus services withdrawn on a policy whim by First.

Used to serve extensive industrial activity at Taunton. The edifice still stands, awaiting rejuvenation.

Cardiff. The Edinburgh-ish colour gave way to a more garish orange. Now mainly blue.

A Seaton tram traversing the Seaton Wetlands.

Great Western Railway - too easy, despite the very un-GWR splashers!

Famously twin shunters from the now abandoned Tinsley Yard, Sheffield.

Norway, specifically Fredrikstadt, south of Oslo.

  Next BBC Bus Boost blog : Friday 8 May