(03 May 2015, 12:34 pm)Adam I sent much of yesterday out on buses for one reason or another, so here is my report of the day. I may as well make the most of my £600 Get Around annual pass. As I've said in previous reports, I don't want to invade Marcus' fortress of excellent reviews too much, hence why they're rare. Anyway, here goes, and I do apologise about the length of it:

02:15 #N21 Newcastle Pilgrim Street - Angel of the North (6068)

My day began in Newcastle, where I was partying with uni friends. What else is a 19 year old uni student supposed to do on weekends? It was about 1:45 and my friends were starting to get tired, so we left, raiding McDonald's for some food. It's a delicacy after a night out. With time to spare, I wandered down to Pilgrim Street, where 6068 turned up on the N21. I paid my £3 single to the Angel, and unsurprisingly, that's more or less what I can remember from the journey. After alighting, I walked up the dreaded Longbank and a few other streets, before arriving home at around 3am. I would normally get the N56 and alight at Wrekenton, but this service doesn't run on Friday nights/Saturday mornings.

10:28 #X25 Eighton Banks - Gateshead (4927)

I originally had my alarm on for 8:30, but I didn't hear it go off, and slept in. However, I did peel myself out of bed at 9:40, got showered and ready, before heading down the hill to Rockliffe Way to catch the X25. 4927 was my ride for this journey, which according to my fancy spreadsheet of travel logs, is my most travelled on bus within the GNE fleet. In the slightly rough and hungover state I was, I boarded to find it rather full, only a small number of seats available. I sat around half way up the bus beside a gentleman that looked a little like our very own Andreos. He was even wearing a green hoodie...... Wasn't much to report about the journey as I plugged my earphones in and was faffing with my phone for the journey, catching up with all the comings and goings on my social media channels I'd missed.

11:06 #X66 Gateshead - Metrocentre (5392)

I arrived at Gateshead and wandered over to the X66 stand, where 5391 was picking up passengers to depart on the 10:50. I've already travelled on this one, along with 5393, so I hung back to see what would be doing the 11:00. It turns out this was operated by 5393, but 5392 sparked into life from the parking up area and pulled in behind, ready to do the 11:06. I've never really been a fan of the Streetlites, they sound too "whingey-whiney" for my liking. I sat near the back, on top of the wheelarch on the offside, which makes a canny footrest. The bus left with around 37/38 of the 46 seats taken. Aside from the engine, the journey was good. I love the comfortable seats and the wood-effect flooring and I do look forward to travelling on these in years to come.

11:30 #X43 Metrocentre - Stanley (4897)

We arrived at the Metrocentre bang on time at 11:16, and after a shopping spree lasting a whole 10 minutes, I was back at the bus station, because I'm a man and men simply go into a shop, buy what they want, and leave, a completely different story to women, who have the hoo-ha that is associated with them shopping. I was hoping for an Olympian on the X43 as it has been in the past, but 4897 showed up instead. It pulled into the Metrocentre around 5 minutes late, with a small smattering of standing passengers at the front. I've never been on 4897 prior to yesterday, so was pleased to see it turn up as my ride. Six of us boarded for the return trip to Stanley, and we were greeted by a friendly female driver. En route, we picked up another three passengers, with all nine of us alighting at Stanley, where we arrived around 5 minutes late. As for the bus, I have no complaints. 4897 is a fine vehicle and showed no indication whatsoever that it is 16 years old and getting on a bit.

12:15 #8 Stanley - Pelton Schools (4899)

I was hoping for a Lime Renown, but 4899 is another Renown I've yet to travel on prior to yesterday, so was pleased to see it show up. Around 15 of us boarded at Stanley, and the journey didn't get off to a good start. The driver forgot to put the bus in reverse, so we almost careered into the main concourse of Stanley Bus Station. Almost as good as 4897, 4899 also shows no sign that it is 16 years old. Where they differ though was in the fact that 4899 began to develop a strange buzzing noise at the front of the bus. It was hard to tell whether it was coming from the driver's cab, or whether it was an electrical issue. By the time I got off at Pelton, there was around 30 people on board.

12:42 #34 Pelton Schools - Chester-le-Street (4929)

The reason I alighted at Pelton was to ride a Lambton Worm Versa, as I haven't been on any of them, nor have I travelled on the 34/34A before, so it was the best of both worlds. Therefore, you can imagine my disappointment when 4929 turned up instead. However, of the Chester-le-Street based Y***ERG/ETN batch, 4929 is my least travelled one, so in a way it was good to see it. Relatively quiet, we pulled into CLS with about 10 people on board.

13:15 #36 Chester-le-Street - Houghton-le-Spring (5299)

By this time, the slight hangover had disappeared, and both hunger and thirst had set in. I therefore went to Greggs for a Steak Bake as I wanted something hot instead of a cold sandwich, and then I ventured to Costa a couple of doors down. Out of all the Costas I've visited around the country, CLS's is one of the best. I ordered the usual, a small mocha to take away, and powerwalked down the bank to the market place as it was almost quarter past at the time. There was no sign that the 36 had left, so I waited. A whole 15 minutes later, 5299 came into view. I was slightly disappointed due to the lateness, and that fact I've already been on 5299, but it's a Citaro, one of my favourite bus types. Whilst stood at the bus stop, I'm sure our very own Simmy walked past, but I'm not 100% sure it was him. Journey wise, nothing noteworthy really happened.

13:56 #20A Houghton-le-Spring - Sunderland (4991)

Worst journey of the day in my view. At Houghton, a bunch of 12 young people, around 16 year old, were waiting, as well as a squadron of twirlies. a couple of fare paying passengers, and myself. 4991 came round the bend, and the bus was already half full. It was a pleasant surprise to have 4991 as I haven't been on it since its Orbit days, so it was a little nostalgic getting on it. I found a seat at the very back, and the army of (debatable) banterous youths joined me. It was standing room only once we left Houghton. The traffic on the A690 was very bad, with the next 20 overtaking us. We arrived into Sunderland late, as expected, and to be honest, I was pleased to get off.

14:44 #2A Sunderland Holmeside - Washington Galleries (8327)

Whilst walking down to the stop, 8320 and 8323 both left, so I had a good 10 minute wait for the next one. 8327 approached, another bus which I've yet to travel on. I've been on most of the Simplicity Versas due to the N56, but this one seems to have avoided me until yesterday. Very quiet journey, with various pickings up and droppings off en route, the maximum number of passengers being on at any one time being around 10. An incident with a car had happened at the green bridge (what's it called? Is it Fallowfield Bridge?), with a policeman directing vehicles around the tangle mess of a dunched car, probably a write-off. We arrived into the Galleries bang on time, which was good to see.

15:25 #X1 Washington Galleries - Wrekenton (6052)

Having just missed an X1, I queued for the next one, and 6052 arrived in. A friendly driver greeted everyone as we boarded, leaving with around 20 people on board. The journey was pretty uneventful if I'm honest, but I hadn't been on 6052 for a while.

18:39 #X1 Wrekenton - Newcastle John Dobson Street (6051)

No, I'm not out on the town again, before you ask. Friday night was my "let your hair down" night, and with uni assignments still going on, I was being studious and ventured to the uni library to do work as I work better there than at home. Also, I couldn't give a stuff about the royal baby, the boxing or the drivel that is Saturday night telly, so I felt as if I had to escape. The bus was around a quarter full, as I struggled upstairs with my backpack and a bag of uni books, taking my seat around 3 rows from the back. A very productive night followed, before I had to leave at 23:15ish.

23:30 #X1 Newcastle Eldon Square - Wrekenton (6005)

What a good way to end the day. My favourite Red Arrow. It's still making that amusing noise that's a cross between a whistling kettle and a Paxman Valenta HST. You can't hear it from the outside of the bus, but inside, it's louder than the engine. I unplugged my earphones to listen to it for the whole journey, and it never fails to put a smile on my face. Again, I struggled upstairs with my bags, but I found a seat close enough to the stairs to make it easier for me to get off.

If you're still reading this at this stage, and haven't dozed off, you have to be commended. I hope you found it interesting, but I suspect some of you will find it as being pointless drivel that was a complete waste of time.

I hope to see some of you at the Metrocentre rally tomorrow.

(04 May 2015, 7:45 pm)danpick In my week off school I plan to go to Teesside again and buy a child day tripper at £2.95 and ride the wright cadet/dennis dart's.

(04 May 2015, 7:46 pm)Tom Same, I either want to go there or Durham.

Anyone got any suggestions for Arriva Durham? Possibly some older buses. 

(04 May 2015, 7:52 pm)aureolin Do a run to Sedgefield and back on the X12. It's a canny route.

The oldest stuff you're likely to see in Durham these days are the Lowlanders. I think Darlo still have the oldest stuff in the fleet, unless Stockton are still going strong with some Prestiges?? 

(04 May 2015, 7:52 pm)aureolin Do a run to Sedgefield and back on the X12. It's a canny route.

The oldest stuff you're likely to see in Durham these days are the Lowlanders. I think Darlo still have the oldest stuff in the fleet, unless Stockton are still going strong with some Prestiges?? 

(04 May 2015, 7:56 pm)Tom Aye I might do that, cheers. Then maybe a 21/21A to somewhere.

Do you know where the best places to find the Lowlanders are? 

(04 May 2015, 7:56 pm)northern156 Must say if you're after a Cadet, some of Riverside's examples (I was on one on the 64A) are absolutely astonishing, they're not afraid to kick down and scream!

(04 May 2015, 7:58 pm)Dan The X12 - providing MAXimum comfort when one of the older ones is allocated.

Hopefully less common now with the return of 7619...

(04 May 2015, 8:01 pm)Tom Ah excellent then

Is there much chance of a Cadet being on the 21/21A as there isn't enough Omnicitys to cover the PVR?

(04 May 2015, 8:01 pm)Tom Ah excellent then

Is there much chance of a Cadet being on the 21/21A as there isn't enough Omnicitys to cover the PVR?

(04 May 2015, 8:02 pm)Dan It's been a Pulsar or B10BLE covering for an Omni whenever I've seen it - but obviously those on Teesside are more likely to be able to confirm their last sighting of a Cadet on the 21A (if at all!)

(04 May 2015, 8:08 pm)Jimmi Usually Pulsar's stand in on the 21A or sometimes a Renown although they won't be around at Stockton much longer I think.

No chance of getting one on the 21 as Darlo do the 21.

Lowlanders can pop up on a few different routes - you are probably most likely to find them on: 6, 43, 46/48 and X24 on a Saturday.

For older stuff in County Durham you could get an X reg Dart on the 8/8A. Not really a great deal else old to see in County Durham these days other than the Darts on the 8/8A (when they actually are on the 8/8A) and the Lowlander's.

(04 May 2015, 7:58 pm)danpick I'm more after the Dart versions which Arriva Stocton have as they sounded great when I was on a Get Around.

(04 May 2015, 8:26 pm)tyresmoke Get them while you can! Due to be withdrawn across the next few months... Indeed the first Pulsar has transferred down from Durham (albeit that has/will bin(ned) a B10BLE)

(04 May 2015, 8:39 pm)mb134 Are any of the B10BLE'S DDA compliant?