Harrogate bus route 36

Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL at Harrogate bus station in March 2008
Overview
Operator	Harrogate Bus Company
Vehicle	Volvo B5TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3
Route
Start	Ripon
Via	South Stainley Ripley Killinghall Harrogate bus station Pannal Harewood Moortown
End	Leeds City bus station

Route 36 is a bus service operated by Harrogate Bus Company between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds, serving the commuter market between Harrogate and Leeds as well as the more rural hinterland between Ripon and Harrogate. It is an example of a premium service characterised by more luxurious vehicles compared to those used on other commuter lines, which in combination with a high service frequency has significantly increased ridership and influenced the modal split in favour of public transport.

Trains on the Leeds–Northallerton Railway had provided much of the public transport services between Ripon and Leeds from 1848 until 1967 when passenger services were cut back to Harrogate. Since then, Ripon has only had bus services.

Route 36 began operating using a fleet of Leyland Lynxs. In the 1990s, they were replaced by a fleet of Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLEs and Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympians.

In October 2003, Harrogate & District relaunched route 36 with fourteen Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs with leather seats. The improvements lead to an increase in patronage by 18 % in 2006 alone. In 2010, the fleet was refurbished and remodelled with a new livery and 2+1 seating on the upper deck.

In January 2016, route 36 was again relaunched with fourteen new Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs.

Seven of the fourteen B7TLs (3601-07) were transferred to Blackburn Bus Company for use on its new Red Express service to Manchester. A further five (3608-12) were transferred to Yorkshire Coastliner for use on its new CityZap service between Leeds and York. The remaining two (3613/14) were kept by Harrogate Bus Company as spare buses.