The Witch Way

X43
Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL on the M66 motorway in May 2008
Overview
Operator	Transdev in Burnley & Pendle
Garage	Burnley
Vehicle	Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2
Predecessors	Ribble Motor Services Stagecoach North West GM Buses
Route
Start	Skipton, Nelson , Burnley
Via	Colne M65 Burnley Rawtenstall M66 Prestwich
End	Manchester, Chorlton Street
Length	28 miles (45 km)
Service
Level	Daily
Frequency	Monday-Saturday daytime: 15 (Burnley-Manchester) 30 (Skipton-Manchester) Sunday daytime: 30 (Burnley-Manchester) 60 (Grassington-Manchester) Evenings: 60 (Skipton-Manchester)
Route map Skipton bus station Thornton-in-Craven North Yorkshire / Lancashire boundary Barnoldswick Fern Lea Avenue Salterforth Kelbrook Foulridge Colne Bus Station M65 motorway Burnley bus station Summit Crawshawbooth Rawtenstall Bank Street M66 motorway Lancashire / Greater Manchester boundary M60 motorway Prestwich Higher Broughton Deansgate Manchester, Chorlton Street This diagram: ← {{{previous_line}}}  {{{system_nav}}}  {{{next_line}}} →

The Witch Way is the branding for long-standing English bus route X43, which runs between Grassington , Skipton , Nelson , Burnley and Manchester. The service is currently operated by Transdev in Burnley & Pendle.

The route has operated continuously since 1948. It was previously operated by Ribble Motor Services, Stagecoach North West and Burnley & Pendle, while GM Buses briefly competed with Stagecoach on the route. During its history it has served several places no longer on the present route, including Bury and the Trafford Centre.

The service was rebranded as The Witch Way in 2005 to coincide with the introduction of new vehicles. It had previously been branded as The X43 and before then was unbranded. Between 1982 and 1986 the route was known as Timesaver, with buses carrying dedicated liveries.

Route X43 was introduced between Colne and Manchester by Ribble Motor Services in 1948, replacing another route between Burnley and Manchester. In the early 1950s it was extended to start from Skipton. In 1978, the route was rerouted to use the new M66 motorway, bypassing Bury. Some journeys continued to serve the traditional route, as route number 743.

Ribble Motor Services was privatised in 1986 in a management buyout. In April 1989 it was sold to Stagecoach. In 1992, in response to competition on route 192, GM Buses used its Charterplan coaching subsidiary to compete with route X43 between Manchester and Burnley. The competition ended in 1994 following Stagecoach's withdrawal from route 192. Stagecoach went on to acquire the southern half of GM Buses in February 1996.