Colin writes: After years of disruption to the buses that are routed through Lowgates at Staveley, the bridge carrying the A619 over the railway line to Oxcroft had to be replaced. This took place over the weekend of 15/16 May 2010.

The 77 followed its usual route to Lowgates, where it was diverted along Fan Road, Erin Road to M1 Jnc 29A where it joined the M1 north to Jnc 30 where it picked up the route to Barlborough.

Route 70 (Killamarsh) operated to Lowgates then to Eckington via Eckington Road (part of the old route 10 to Rotherham).

Route 46 operated via Duckmanton to Bolsover with a shuttle operating Lowgates, Woodthorpe to Bolsover.

Passengers for destinations from Lowgates to Barlborough and Renishaw to Eckinton then walked over a temporary footbridge to catch a shuttle bus for onward travel. Three shuttles were in operation, 3 Olympians on loan from Rawmarsh, 16500 (P150 KWJ) Eckington Shuttle, 16876 (P923 RYO) Mastin Moor shuttle and 16879 (R275 LGH) Barlborough shuttle.

TM Travel route 46 goes from Staveley along A619 to Norbriggs then through Woodthorpe, Shuttlewood to Bolsover. As they couldn't get across the bridge TM Travel had to have a shuttle as well (photograph 25).

We caught a route 80 to Duckmanton where we got photographs of 77's on the M1 carrying passengers. Here is a selection of the pics taken over the weekend.

I have included shots of the bridge over the railway line. The shot of the 77 coming over the bridge was taken this morning (17 May 2010: photograph 18).