North East Buses

(07 Mar 2014, 5:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Anyone got any plans for tomorrow? We're forecast clouds but I think I'm gonna have to get myself out... This school week has dragged.

A Northumberland Trip of Blyth for me! - Not bothering with Ashington as I need to get back home for a party tomorrow nights. I think I've photoed 7367 and the Spectras though, only rode 640 though.

(07 Mar 2014, 5:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Anyone got any plans for tomorrow? We're forecast clouds but I think I'm gonna have to get myself out... This school week has dragged.

I'm thinking both Sunderland and Newcastle. Want to try and photo some Lime B10s, and then over to Newcastle to try and get the remaining Citylink Versas and Crusader Mercs that I haven't photo'd. Hopefully it'll stay dry.

Mainly GNE turf tomorrow, but ANE will come in small doses to help me clear some of the "needs", and it'll give me an opportunity to have a look at the new ANE depot at Ashington too...

Sunderland - Gateshead - Wallsend - Cramlington - Ashington - Cobalt Business Park - Newcastle - Gateshead - Durham - Consett - Hexham - Newcastle - Sunderland

(07 Mar 2014, 7:39 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Mainly GNE turf tomorrow, but ANE will come in small doses to help me clear some of the "needs", and it'll give me an opportunity to have a look at the new ANE depot at Ashington too...

Sunderland - Gateshead - Wallsend - Cramlington - Ashington - Cobalt Business Park - Newcastle - Gateshead - Durham - Consett - Hexham - Newcastle - Sunderland

Think I'll do Ashington/Cramlington another time! Need to photo lots of the Blyth Geminis though first.

(07 Mar 2014, 7:39 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Mainly GNE turf tomorrow, but ANE will come in small doses to help me clear some of the "needs", and it'll give me an opportunity to have a look at the new ANE depot at Ashington too...

Sunderland - Gateshead - Wallsend - Cramlington - Ashington - Cobalt Business Park - Newcastle - Gateshead - Durham - Consett - Hexham - Newcastle - Sunderland

You have to be tall to photo over the fence but the majority of the yard is photographable... I struggled today but luckily had a helper

(07 Mar 2014, 7:58 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]You have to be tall to photo over the fence but the majority of the yard is photographable... I struggled today but luckily had a helper

The Yellow Pages??

Not going to Blyth, going out with friends, I'll go.in a few weeks

Never usually list my trips, but like the train one the other week - there's always a first.

x1 - Houghton
20a - Sunderland
x36 - Heworth
94 - TVTE
28a - Chester
8 - Galleries
4 - Home

Didn't bother with fleet numbers, but all normal allocations.

Not sure if this is the right place, but I want to get back my old photos from my laptop.

Do softwares such as ''Undelete Plus'' work?

(09 Mar 2014, 12:55 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Not sure if this is the right place, but I want to get back my old photos from my laptop.

Do softwares such as ''Undelete Plus'' work?

Try using something like Recuva if anything. Gets a good write up.

(09 Mar 2014, 5:33 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Try using something like Recuva if anything. Gets a good write up.

Thanks, I'll try that sometime.

Had a good trip out to Hull today in the car with 2 other mates... Set off from Teesside at about 7am and stopped at Shearings' Normanton interchange on the way, friendly people there allowed us to wander round and photograph the various Shearings and National Holidays coaches there, including some of Shearings' 63 plate Setras... A quick stop at Ferrybridge services found Silverdale's Tourliner MX10DFN.

Back on the road to Goole where we stopped at an operator called Cairngorm Travel, an unusual name for a Yorkshire based company but they gladly allowed us to photograph the coaches in the yard, a few Neoplan tri-axle's.

We also stopped at Acklam's of Beverley but unfortunately the only driver there was just going out with a Cheetah so couldn't allow us in. We moved on to Jim Bell Coaches in Hull but this yard was all locked up, although the majority could be photographed through the fence.

Just around the corner was Lords Coaches, who kindly allowed us into their yard, where we found a couple of coaches and service buses, including former GNE 3897 (R255LGH) and Stagecoach Yorkshire B6 S129WKY (former 31029) which I have photographed in Barnsley previously!

Our next stop was Ellie Rose where we struck lucky in that a driver was there cleaning a couple of coaches so we were allowed in, and told that Sundays aren't usually a good day to visit. In the yard were a large selection of Volvo Olympians both ex Stagecoach and ex Arriva with various bodywork. We were told that a lot of the older stuff had gone due to age restrictions on the council school runs. A number of older coaches are also operated with various Paramounts and older Irizars seen in the yard. We had a quick look at National Holidays' Hull base but there wasn't much there, however there was a 14 plate Setra photographable, which was a bonus!

After that we went into Hull itself and parked in one of the city centre car parks near the Interchange, although the high sun caused many problems including the layover bays which were absolutely hopeless for the sun. The roundabout at the top of the interchange is always a good place though as the buses do a 180 so its always possible to find an angle in the sun. There were a few spots around the city centre too. We didn't spend as much time as I'd have liked in the centre but it gave me a good idea and a good selection of the local Stagecoach and EYMS were photographed, including Stagecoach's 24192, wearing its special gold livery celebrating local boxer Luke Campbell's gold medal at London2012.

After grabbing a bite to eat we caught a Stagecoach Trident on service 2 out to the KC Stadium, a bargain fare of just £1.10 (or free for me with my Arriva staff pass!) where Hull were playing Sunderland. 3 home coaches were in attendance including Acklams' brand new ADL Enviro 400 YX63LHH. Around the back were all the away coaches, with a lot of North East based coaches making the short trip down to Hull.

Bell Bros: W209LPY
Classic: YN06PFD, TUI4739, TUI4841, UGD735, 5579MW
David Dove: M665WCK, BIG8788
Diamond Travel: N2GHW (Bova)
Durham City: JSV487
Gardiners NMC: H5KFC
Gillinghams: FJ55XBB
Jim Hughes: BX06UNH, OTP940, YSV815
Kingsleys: R78VVP
Lee's of Durham: ALL173Y, ELZ3700, FJ58LSF, 891FUO
Longstaffs: DT09LCT (new Irizar)
Overlander: W215JBN, YN09KHG
Pygalls: P167ANR, P168ANR
Scarlet Band: EU05AVT
Stanley Coaches: OK04STX, OO06STX
Style Travel: F5TYL, T531EUB, W44TLC
Swans Travel: BF61HBZ
TM Travel: X783BTT
Weardale: BT08LCT, 8WMS (Van Hool)

Surprised to see so many newer coaches on football work, can tell its the quiet part of the season!
A good day was completed nicely with a stop at Ferrybridge and then Wetherby services which yielded another 14 plate National Holidays Setra, which gave me a total of 4 since Thursday!!

Seen this posted elsewhere, so I thought I'd share.



NEB Calendar also updated.

(13 Mar 2014, 7:02 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]NEB Calendar also updated.

Clicking on the above link directs you to a 'no permission to access' page.

EDIT: It must be my account. For some reason I don't have permission to view the NEB Calendar - a resource I never noticed until now.

Would it be possible to allow me to view this please?

(13 Mar 2014, 8:46 pm)AdamY wrote [ -> ]Clicking on the above link directs you to a 'no permission to access' page.

EDIT: It must be my account. For some reason I don't have permission to view the NEB Calendar - a resource I never noticed until now.

Would it be possible to allow me to view this please?

Liam or Dan will probably need to have a look at the permissions when they're about. I posted it as a public event so everyone should be able to see. Can you not see the calendar view at all?

(13 Mar 2014, 10:10 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Liam or Dan will probably need to have a look at the permissions when they're about. I posted it as a public event so everyone should be able to see. Can you not see the calendar view at all?

I can't either aureolin

I can not view the calendar at all. I've tried clicking on your link and on the 'Calendar' button located next to the 'Games' in the upper left hand corner of the site.

As I said, I've never really noticed it to now. I was curious to see what other events had been posted and whether the list included anything that wasn't already on the NEBPT page.

I cant see it either

Today I went up into Holland.

I started off visiting Roosendal. Was suprised to find Veolia running buses, as I thought they pulled out entirely. After failing to get a day ticket for the trains, I decided to get a return to Utrecht.

To get there from Roosendal, I would have to change at Dordrecht. Having last visted here in 2009, I decided to go out to the bus station (which has been completed since my last visit). The majority of Buses running here are providied by Arriva, including some DAF SB200 / Wright Commanders and Scania Omnilinks. Also running around this time around were some Volvo 7700 Hybrids.

Now Utrecht was a good place, very busy bus station. Lots of the new model Mercedes Benz Citaro in rigid and bendy for. But however my main reason for visiting Utrecht was the Triplearcs. Watching these Van Hool newAGG300s snake around the bus station was very fascinating. Plus got photos of the old batch and the new batch.

After Utrecht, I decided to head back in the direction of Rotterdam (to start using the return part of my ticket), and I ended up alighting at Gouda, again local bus services were provided by Arriva, this time using VDL Citea vehicles. After here, I decided to buy a single fare to Den Haag (The Hauge).

At the Hauge, there isn't many bus services with most transport covered by the pretty extensive tramway. What buses they were belonged to HTM Buzz (suspect they've been taken over by QBuzz) and Veolia. Arriva also provided a QLiner service. HTM and Veolia mainly used MAN Lion's City, all of them being powered by CNG.

Onwards to Rotterdam. Again another place I visited in 2009. However in the time since my last visit, the construction works around Rotterdam Centraal have been completed and looks very impressive. Unfortunatley the transport scene is a lot duller. Non of the High Floor Trams were running past Centraal Station and of the buses I saw, all were Mercedes Benz Citaros (exactly the same model as used by GNE).

I decided to head to Zwijndrecht station to watch some trains pass along this busy stretch of line. Then after around 40 minutes, I headed back to Dodrecht, photoed a few more buses and headed back to Roosendal for my train back to Antwerp.

Tomorrow I'm off to the City of Brussels.

(17 Mar 2014, 10:52 pm)GMitchelhill wrote [ -> ]Today I went up into Holland.

I started off visiting Roosendal. Was suprised to find Veolia running buses, as I thought they pulled out entirely. After failing to get a day ticket for the trains, I decided to get a return to Utrecht.

To get there from Roosendal, I would have to change at Dordrecht. Having last visted here in 2009, I decided to go out to the bus station (which has been completed since my last visit). The majority of Buses running here are providied by Arriva, including some DAF SB200 / Wright Commanders and Scania Omnilinks. Also running around this time around were some Volvo 7700 Hybrids.

Now Utrecht was a good place, very busy bus station. Lots of the new model Mercedes Benz Citaro in rigid and bendy for. But however my main reason for visiting Utrecht was the Triplearcs. Watching these Van Hool newAGG300s snake around the bus station was very fascinating. Plus got photos of the old batch and the new batch.

After Utrecht, I decided to head back in the direction of Rotterdam (to start using the return part of my ticket), and I ended up alighting at Gouda, again local bus services were provided by Arriva, this time using VDL Citea vehicles. After here, I decided to buy a single fare to Den Haag (The Hauge).

At the Hauge, there isn't many bus services with most transport covered by the pretty extensive tramway. What buses they were belonged to HTM Buzz (suspect they've been taken over by QBuzz) and Veolia. Arriva also provided a QLiner service. HTM and Veolia mainly used MAN Lion's City, all of them being powered by CNG.

Onwards to Rotterdam. Again another place I visited in 2009. However in the time since my last visit, the construction works around Rotterdam Centraal have been completed and looks very impressive. Unfortunatley the transport scene is a lot duller. Non of the High Floor Trams were running past Centraal Station and of the buses I saw, all were Mercedes Benz Citaros (exactly the same model as used by GNE).

I decided to head to Zwijndrecht station to watch some trains pass along this busy stretch of line. Then after around 40 minutes, I headed back to Dodrecht, photoed a few more buses and headed back to Roosendal for my train back to Antwerp.

Tomorrow I'm off to the City of Brussels.

Sounds great. Everyone I speak to always speaks highly of Holland. If love to go for non-bus related photography too.

Look forward to seeing the photos.

(18 Mar 2014, 7:17 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Sounds great. Everyone I speak to always speaks highly of Holland. If love to go for non-bus related photography too.

Look forward to seeing the photos.

Been to the Dam 4-5 times now and it is brilliant, I have only ever been on non-bus related photography, I preferred areas of certain coloured lights and coffee shops that sold stuff than your average finest virginia shag

(18 Mar 2014, 2:26 pm)ADLEnviro wrote [ -> ]Be careful there as an Arriva North East staff pass is not valid on Stagecoach East Midlands services. The only official local agreement with Arriva North East is with Stagecoach North East and Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancs, and this looks like the agreement is only on the 85/685.

I've used mine all over the place... as I did when I was at Stagecoach too.

April is going to be a busy month for me...

5th April - Trip to Edinburgh
20th April (Easter Sunday) - Kirkby Stephen Bus Rally (Cumbria)
26th April - Leyland Olympians Running Day (Durham)
27th April - 500 Group's Teesside Running Day (The Transporter, Middlesbrough)

And of course, the regular photo sessions on weekends in between!

(18 Mar 2014, 9:30 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]April is going to be a busy month for me...

5th April - Trip to Edinburgh
20th April (Easter Sunday) - Kirkby Stephen Bus Rally (Cumbria)
26th April - Leyland Olympians Running Day (Durham)
27th April - 500 Group's Teesside Running Day (The Transporter, Middlesbrough)

And of course, the regular photo sessions on weekends in between!

That's when I go lol.
I'll be staying there for two nights, in the centrally located Premier Inn!

(18 Mar 2014, 9:32 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]That's when I go lol.
I'll be staying there for two nights, in the centrally located Premier Inn!

Haha, what a coincidence!

I decided that I had to get myself up to Edinburgh as soon as possible, after seeing the photos of the B5TL/Gemini 3 demonstrator. Have been in touch with a friend who will gladly accompany me, and Stu Montgomery will hopefully be able to find some time to join us at some point too.

End of term had to be the best time to do it, though I fear the rest of the holidays will be very much revision-orientated.

(18 Mar 2014, 9:39 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Haha, what a coincidence!

I decided that I had to get myself up to Edinburgh as soon as possible, after seeing the photos of the B5TL/Gemini 3 demonstrator. Have been in touch with a friend who will gladly accompany me, and Stu Montgomery will hopefully be able to find some time to join us at some point too.

End of term had to be the best time to do it, though I fear the rest of the holidays will be very much revision-orientated.

It's been booked for a while like. Might bump into yous. Won't be there until 2 o'clock as that's the earliest I can check in. Looking forward to be honest, didn't realize how close it was. I'll hopefully be able to see the B5TL too, want to photo loads of other stuff too. It'll be my first bus related trip to Scotland. Going to get to Darlington/Middlesbrough too, as well as a possible trip to Scarborough/Whitby.

Anyone got any plans for the weekend? I'm off today so on my way through Sunderland at the minute. Maybe head over Newcastle after that. On Saturday I've got a 3+ zones buzzfare to make use of, so looking for something to get the most out of that!

(21 Mar 2014, 10:58 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Anyone got any plans for the weekend? I'm off today so on my way through Sunderland at the minute. Maybe head over Newcastle after that. On Saturday I've got a 3+ zones buzzfare to make use of, so looking for something to get the most out of that!

I'm out and about on a Get Around today... See below for my journey details so far (will edit throughout the day):

0711 #56 Stadium of Light to Gateshead (0801) - GNE 6097
0815 #X66 Gateshead to Riverside Depot (0822) - GNE 5347
0846 #10 Metrocentre to Hexham (0945) - GNE 6078
1041 #689 Hexham to Consett (1135ish) - GNE 645
1200 #78 Consett to Stanley (1230) - GNE 4850
1245 #8 Stanley to Chester (1318ish) - GNE 4852
1352 #X22 Chester to Durham (1420ish) - GNE 3865
1440 #265 Durham to Seaham (1536) - GNE 539
1628 #60 Seaham to Sunderland (1700ish) - GNE 5371
1719 #9 Sunderland to Newcastle Rd (1730ish) - GNE 5274

(22 Mar 2014, 8:19 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]I'm out and about on a Get Around today... See below for my journey details so far (will edit throughout the day):

0711 #56 Stadium of Light to Gateshead (0801) - GNE 6097
0815 #X66 Gateshead to Riverside Depot (0822) - GNE 5347
0846 #10 Metrocentre to Hexham (0945) - GNE 6078

Was thinking of Hexham myself, but didn't get up early enough. I think I'll head across Newcastle still though.

Going to get a few trips to elsewhere in the UK this year, possibly Birmingham and Liverpool, as well as the Lakes.