(10 Mar 2015, 8:13 pm)leestransportphotos All I'm trying to do is help people out, not start an argument (which some people are trying to turn this into)

I wouldn't have just made it up! I actually had an argument with the guard because he was telling me it's not valid. Nexus also said the same.

(10 Mar 2015, 8:13 pm)leestransportphotos All I'm trying to do is help people out, not start an argument (which some people are trying to turn this into)

I wouldn't have just made it up! I actually had an argument with the guard because he was telling me it's not valid. Nexus also said the same.

(10 Mar 2015, 10:13 pm)Robert We weren't trying to start an argument (or at least i wasn't) and i think we should lay the topic to rest after this. National Rail is one of the most reliable sources of information so if somebody ever confronts you again when trying to use one, make a point of having that page handy and show the guard that it clearly states that they are valid between Sunderland and Blaydon. It was probably just a money-making exercise.

(10 Mar 2015, 10:31 pm)MrFozz Sorry if I misunderstood this argument, is it about the validity of an explorer between Blaydon and Sunderland on main line trains...

I just took a screenshot from National Rail site and it says Newcastle-Sunderland, no mention of Blaydon



Apologies if I misunderstood the point being made

(10 Mar 2015, 10:31 pm)MrFozz Sorry if I misunderstood this argument, is it about the validity of an explorer between Blaydon and Sunderland on main line trains...

I just took a screenshot from National Rail site and it says Newcastle-Sunderland, no mention of Blaydon



Apologies if I misunderstood the point being made

(12 Mar 2015, 5:06 pm)MarcTheA4 Well, Saturday's Explorer (and review!!) is only a day away...

(12 Mar 2015, 5:33 pm)Tom What have you got planned Marcus?

(12 Mar 2015, 5:35 pm)MarcTheA4 No idea. I found last week that having no plan was great for such a big day, although I am planning on milking the Northern Rail part of it...add a bit of trains to the review.

(12 Mar 2015, 5:06 pm)MarcTheA4 Well, Saturday's Explorer (and review!!) is only a day away...

(12 Mar 2015, 6:06 pm)Jimmi Are we somehow skipping past Friday straight to Saturday!

(12 Mar 2015, 6:33 pm)MarcTheA4 Today is Thursday. Tomorrow is Friday. Then Saturday. Is that not one more day?

(12 Mar 2015, 7:11 pm)tyresmoke Well I decided to have a quick blast out today with a few targets in mind, and I got photos of all of them so I count it as a successful day! Just got home now but didn't go out til just before 10...

0948 Rimswell Shops - Stockton 13 17027
1006 Stockton - North Road Morrisons X66 4651
1043 North Road Morrisons - Darlington X66 4656
1105 Darlington - Neasham Road Matalan 13B 2503
1122 Neasham Road Matalan - Darlington 13B 2849
1140 Darlington - Richmond X26 4644
1323 Richmond - Darlington X26 4646
1400 Darlington - Bishop Auckland X1 1425
1520 Bishop Auckland - Ferryhill 56 2817
1557 Ferryhill - Darlington 7 1517
1750 Darlington - Stockton X66 4656
1832 Stockton - Malcolm Drive 59 22062

Very impressed with all of today's travelling, everything has been on time (more or less) and mostly of good quality. First time I've used the MAX Scanias on the X26/X27 and (since refurb) on the X66 and they're well suited to the role they have, the seats may look uncomfortable but they're really not, and the colour scheme looks worse on photos (I was very critical at first too!) but it's not as obvious when you're onboard. Glad to say they've spent some time screwing them together better too!

Easy to see why the 7 needs deckers too, not even a peak time one and the one I travelled on arrived at Ferryhill with standing passengers and disgorged about 12 college students so thankfully there was a bit more space after that!

Had to have a ride on 2503 before that disappears too, shame it wasn't on something more useful but it filled a gap before going to Richmond for lunchtime... Quite pleased to catch up with former Leven Dart SN06BRV on loan at Dales & District working the town service in Richmond, and Hodgsons sent one of the Darts I hadn't seen before on the 79 too. Shame the (Thursday only!) 79A wasn't something new for me, LDV Maxus W6BUS again.

Managed a shot of 2869 on the X59 to Leyburn (and onwards to Askrigg as svc 59) on the way home, even if it meant missing the 1725 X66 by seconds! That route will become a college days only contract service come April sadly! Shame because it gets decent loadings out of Darlington as far as I could see. That was my main focus today and thankfully managed it.

(12 Mar 2015, 7:29 pm)Jimmi Aye some 7's could do with double deckers, the one I used to get to New College on a morning would often be at full seating and standing capacity. Think this is the now duped journey.

I have to say that I don't think the flooring on the MAX Omnicity's looks too bad, it sort of blends in with the MAX colours I think, if you want to see a hideous MAX interior ride 1415/1416 the greeney bluey coloured seats with navy e-leather... ew!

Would love to ride the 59/X59 route but it's not possible because it only operates in one direction so I could get there but not back, although I think Arriva's Dalesbus offering covers much of this route which I plan to do in the summer and possibly other Dalesbus routes too! I actually came up with a plan using last years timetable when I was bored the other night but unfortunately I made the plan on my now dead Windows Phone so have now forgotten it.

Any ideas on the exact last date the Arriva 59/X59 will run? At some point I want to catch some of the services heading along Abbey Road that don't go down there normally such as the 72 and also the 16A to Newton Aycliffe.

(12 Mar 2015, 7:43 pm)tyresmoke Yeah it was certainly busy on that one so I can only imagine what it must be like on the ones from Framwellgate! Yeah I know what you mean with the seat backs... 4644 has green on it's seat backs!

The last day of the X59 will be May 8th but I am not sure who is running it beyond this date. It was down in the consultation to run college days only but I would assume it will be a closed contract, with Little White Bus running a connecting service from Askrigg down to Leyburn, demand responsive only on the return leg. Another route killed by council funding cuts and a shame as like I said it seemed to have a decent load on it.

As for Dalesbus, the majority of the summer 2015 timetables are now on the Dalesbus website, with several extra bits and pieces (Arriva Yorkshire will now run to Richmond all summer instead of just August for example) - I believe Stephensons are now running York Pullman's diagram this year though it appears Pullman are still running a Saturday service!