Once thoroughly stuck on the steep, sharply angled Dunedin corner, the Ritchies bus proved most unwilling to shift, despite the attentions of a large tow truck and a cheerful crowd of onlookers enjoying the spectacle.
Ritchies regional manager Malcolm Budd said the driver, recently employed from Christchurch, was about to start his school run and took a wrong turn.
Once he was in Buccleugh St, and unaware of the terrain, he continued until he could continue no more.
With police present and plenty of residents there for the show, a Reilly's heavy salvage truck first tried to winch the bus, its rear wheels spinning and smoking, up the hill.
When that did not work, the tow truck dragged the back of the bus sideways, away from a crash barrier it was resting on, allowing it to slowly reverse the about 400m back down the street.
Mr Budd said the driver had ``learned a lesson'' and the bus had no serious damage.
