Is it necessary to run a bus wire around the layout?
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Always better to have the bus wire, but not absolutely necessary for every layout.
Not necessarily.
Most layouts require that you have multiple connections from your transformer to your track layout in order to avoid areas of low voltage where your engine can slow down, stop, sputter, etc. If your layout is small enough, you may not need to run a bus wire because there won't be much voltage loss around a short length track.
Many transformers have only 1 or 2 output terminals, so running a bus wire is one way to distribute power all around your layout. Think of a bus wire as simply an extension of an output terminal on your transformer which you can then tap into to route power to all areas of your track/layout.
One alternative to a bus wire would be to run wires from your transformer's output terminals to a distribution panel (like the one below) and then run paired wires out from the panel to various track connections all around the layout. This will also distribute power to all areas of your layout.
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Interesting thank you.
Necessary? Only when you get big enough to need it... beyond a jumper / extender or two.
