Jamie M
02 Jun 2016, 4:15 pm
#4,317
Trip: 1/6/16
Time Taken: 4:40 -> 23:30 (18 hours 50 minutes [Door-To-Door])
97 Sunniside - 05:20 -> Newcastle
Got up at 4:40 AM to hike up to Sunniside Front Street to get the first bus of the day. There were a few people on it, obviously all workers. After a 25 minute ride, I got off at Market Street and continued on to Haymarket by foot. Town was dead at this stage, could even hear a pin drop.
309 Haymarket - 06:15 -> North Tyneside Hospital
This was perhaps the most boring of all rides today. It was extremely dull, not helped by the sea fog. Many people took this to Cobalt/Silverlink. I decided that Blyth wasn't on my TO-DO list today, so alighted at North Tyneside Hospital.
17 North Tyneside Hospital - 07:44 -> North Sheilds
I rushed to get on this service since I've not yet had the great pleasure of taking a Dual Door Renown. It was a few minutes later, so I talked to the Driver. He showed me how the steering wheel was disintegrating in his hands, staining them black only after 15 minutes of driving it. He told me they were soon to be gone. The bus sounded ill as it was pulling itself throughout the housing estates. I alighted at North Sheilds Metro.
METRO - North Sheilds Metro - 07:24 -> Whitely Bay
1 - Whitley Bay - 07:38 -> North Sheilds
INTERLUDE
Photography:
Whilst waiting for the 9, after killing some time on the Metro/1, I decided to take a few pictures. Here's the best one I took in my opinion.
9 North Sheilds Metro - 9:07 -> Whitley Bay
This is always one of my favourite trips given the unique trip through the Tyne Tunnel. This bus shifted, nobody alighted.
INTERLUDE
[b][u]Photography + Lunch:[/u][/b]
Took myself to eating some Greggs and having 10 minutes to capture some buses.
I really don't like the livery for these B9s, too obnoxious. However, I feel for the first time I have mastered a B9 turning in without clipping off the roof in my shot. Pretty proud.
20 Sunderland Interchange - 9:02 -> Durham Bus Station
The Streetlite was quiet enough to allow me to sleep. No recollection of anything on this trip.
INTERLUDE
Photography:
I stopped for 15 minutes in Durham to picture a few buses turning in. I tried picturing as they left, but I couldn't find a decent spot.
15 Durham Bus Station - 10:30 -> Consett Bus Station
Quite a quick trip, given the temporary lighting all over the 691. The bus was a bit sluggish up the hills, but not as sluggish as some of the Stanley based B7/Presidents!
INTERLUDE
Photography:
I managed to capture quite a collection of Stanley's buses in this time. I had almost 40 minutes spare and found two nice spots to snap some buses leaving and entering. Here are a few:
78 Consett Bus Station - 13:00 -> Stanley
Bus: 5402
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiepic/27373099826
Standard trip.
INTERLUDE
Photography:
I decided to try and catch some pictures of buses at Stanley, but I ran out of time. Here are one or two of my favourites from this interlude.
8 Stanley Bus Station - 13:40 -> Chester-le-Street
I decided to head over to Chester-le-Street as I needed to charge my phone. Everything was smooth, except for those gear changes when accelerating. Swiftly arrived in Chester-le-Street 30 minutes later.
INTERLUDE
Photography:
I've had very little time to take any pictures in CLS in past times, so now seemed a good time to fix this. I took a picture of 6038 replacing 8303 and the JCN eclipse MK1 on the 21:
X21 Chester-le-Street - 14:27 -> Newcastle
Only took 30 minutes on the return, flew down the A1(M), overtaking a 50 Omnicity whilst at it.
METRO Monument - 15:03 -> Park Lane
Fell asleep for most of this, but can't imagine it was at all interesting on the trip.
INTERLUDE
Photography:
Found myself back at Park Lane with 30 minutes this time. I loitered, whilst capturing a few more buses. Here are a selection:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiepic/26797728573 - NK11FXB on 2A
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiepic/27308977892 - NK53TKE on 238
9 Sunderland Interchange - 16:03 -> Jarrow [WITH VIDEO]
This was quite a comical trip, I recorded inside the Washing-Machine-esque machine as it reached 50MPH. I felt the bus was just going to snap.
27 Jarrow - 16:50 -> Gateshead Interchange
Quite a brisk trip towards Gateshead - hardly any people about. Nout to say about this one.
X71 - Gateshead Interchange - 17:17
I prefer Stanley's President Tridents, but this'n is decent enough. It gets shifting and doesn't smell awful. Enjoyed a smooth ride to near my house.
INTERLUDE
Dinner:
I made myself dinner, even though I was up at 4:40 AM \o/
X70 Sunniside - 17:11 -> Gateshead Interchange
Walked all the way to past Sunniside to be greeted with the sound of 3889 - A president/trident. One of the best ones also, but I still liked 3888 the most. The objective was to get a snap of the sunset over at West Rainton.
METRO - 19:40(ish) - Gateshead Interchange -> Park Lane
I didn't fall asleep this time, although I would have had a more interesting journey if I had. Bleak evening horizon over East Boldon.
20 Sunderland Interchange - 20:05 -> West Rainton
This was extremely busy with people coming from Doxford International.
20 West Rainton - 20:51 -> Sunderland Interchange
The shoot was unsuccessful on two counts:
1) I missed the sunset - There was blue sky also!
2) I'd not accounted for the time it takes to move away from the housing part of W.R.
Brisk journey back. I think the driver wanted to be home quicker!
METRO Sunderland Interchange - 21:33 -> Monument
A total of 3 people on the whole metro train. Only way back to Monument, avoiding the 56 - which my friends tell me is one to avoid on any evening.
INTERLUDE
Photography:
90 minutes of night shots in town. I came across some slightly drunken people, but on the whole quite. I've never been out for shots at this time before - certainly was odd. The movements caused some rather nice looking blurs at times with the light/dark capture. Here are some shots I like:
This is where the issues with a mobile phone really start to show, however I do think they were good for a first attempt.
6 Newcastle Eldon Square - 23:15 -> Sunniside
The last possible ride home and quite a rare working, especially at this time. A suitable way to end the day!
Comment
I did become quite bored a lot during this trip, but on the whole, I enjoyed it. Not many people at all will even be able to get that 05:20 97, or are crazy enough to - but that's life! Please leave feedback on the images et cetera. I don't know how to manage night-shots at all and want general feedback on the locations I took pictures from.
