Bus Related Outings and Reviews
Bus Related Outings and Reviews
(21 Jun 2016, 8:18 pm)Andreos1 I have mentioned in the past, that my job gives me the opportunity to sample public transport in areas I may not normally get to unless I take leave.
Recently, I got the opportunity to travel around the Northern fringes of Oxfordshire, in to the Cotswolds and in to Gloucestershire.
My main goal, was to get some rail miles under my belt (on track I hadn't used) and to get on the Swanbrook 853. I had seen this a few years ago on my first visit to the Witney area and was determined to get some sort of go.
So, after a little bit of digging, I manged to get hold of a Cotswolds One Day Discoverer.
It covers a huge patch and enables unlimited travel on bus and rail over the course of the day.
It is priced at £10.35 and is fantastic value.
Starting off by paying for a return in to Oxford on Thames Travels X40 (which was great value too!), I arrived in to Oxford and made my way to the station, picking a GWR 180 headed for Great Malvern. I hadn't used a GWR Class 180 and it was clear to see the internal differences between their stock and GC.
The free WiFi didn't work.
I arrived in to Moreton on Marsh, having travelled through some lovely countryside and seen the train call at stations that harked back to the days of steam.
Having checked out bus times in this busy working, market town. I waited for a Pulhams Coaches 801. This was due to terminate in Cheltenham, but I didn't fancy sitting on one bus for that sort of trip.
A smart MCW EVO B7 turned up and took a decent load on its journey south. Apart from myself and locals, tourists from various continents boarded. Several disembarked at Stow on the Wold, replaced by similar numbers. There were a couple of stops between major settlements.
I continued to Bourton on the Water, which although pretty, was nothing more than a tourist attraction. Dom Jolly wasn't there either (I was hoping his alter ego vicar character would be pushing people off bridges).
After wandering around, I realised the 90 min frequency that the 801 has wasn't frequent enough. Fortunately the weather was good.
I walked to the bus stop and waited for the next 801. It eventually arrived approx 15mins late and was full of college students. We went on our way, with a standing load and still had people standing when I disembarked in Northleach.
This B7 struggled on hills, although the load may have had some impact.
I saw some other vehicles in the Pulham fleet whilst in Northleach, with a Centro working a local service and an unidentifiable decker on college work, passing through the village.
Northleach was another chocolate box village, although it was very quiet in comparison to the previous two villages/towns I had seen.
This 853 was the last eastbound service of the day and I was keen to get it. Otherwise I would have been stuck! The time I had set aside worked a treat, with the late running 801 giving me 20 mins leeway.
I boarded the 853 (a lovely looking Irizar) and settled in as we re-joined the main road. Unfortunately traffic in Witney and on the approaches to Oxford, meant I didn't get to experience any speed.
We terminated in Oxford and I made my way across the city to pick up the next X39/40 south.
Imagine my delight to see an MCV Merc turn up. The perfect opportunity to compare the two MCV's.
To put it in a nutshell... Pulhams rattled far less, but the Merc engine seemed to pull a lot more.
A long day, with lots of exploring, track and stock ticked off and another patch of the country shaded in.
(21 Jun 2016, 8:18 pm)Andreos1 I have mentioned in the past, that my job gives me the opportunity to sample public transport in areas I may not normally get to unless I take leave.
Recently, I got the opportunity to travel around the Northern fringes of Oxfordshire, in to the Cotswolds and in to Gloucestershire.
My main goal, was to get some rail miles under my belt (on track I hadn't used) and to get on the Swanbrook 853. I had seen this a few years ago on my first visit to the Witney area and was determined to get some sort of go.
So, after a little bit of digging, I manged to get hold of a Cotswolds One Day Discoverer.
It covers a huge patch and enables unlimited travel on bus and rail over the course of the day.
It is priced at £10.35 and is fantastic value.
Starting off by paying for a return in to Oxford on Thames Travels X40 (which was great value too!), I arrived in to Oxford and made my way to the station, picking a GWR 180 headed for Great Malvern. I hadn't used a GWR Class 180 and it was clear to see the internal differences between their stock and GC.
The free WiFi didn't work.
I arrived in to Moreton on Marsh, having travelled through some lovely countryside and seen the train call at stations that harked back to the days of steam.
Having checked out bus times in this busy working, market town. I waited for a Pulhams Coaches 801. This was due to terminate in Cheltenham, but I didn't fancy sitting on one bus for that sort of trip.
A smart MCW EVO B7 turned up and took a decent load on its journey south. Apart from myself and locals, tourists from various continents boarded. Several disembarked at Stow on the Wold, replaced by similar numbers. There were a couple of stops between major settlements.
I continued to Bourton on the Water, which although pretty, was nothing more than a tourist attraction. Dom Jolly wasn't there either (I was hoping his alter ego vicar character would be pushing people off bridges).
After wandering around, I realised the 90 min frequency that the 801 has wasn't frequent enough. Fortunately the weather was good.
I walked to the bus stop and waited for the next 801. It eventually arrived approx 15mins late and was full of college students. We went on our way, with a standing load and still had people standing when I disembarked in Northleach.
This B7 struggled on hills, although the load may have had some impact.
I saw some other vehicles in the Pulham fleet whilst in Northleach, with a Centro working a local service and an unidentifiable decker on college work, passing through the village.
Northleach was another chocolate box village, although it was very quiet in comparison to the previous two villages/towns I had seen.
This 853 was the last eastbound service of the day and I was keen to get it. Otherwise I would have been stuck! The time I had set aside worked a treat, with the late running 801 giving me 20 mins leeway.
I boarded the 853 (a lovely looking Irizar) and settled in as we re-joined the main road. Unfortunately traffic in Witney and on the approaches to Oxford, meant I didn't get to experience any speed.
We terminated in Oxford and I made my way across the city to pick up the next X39/40 south.
Imagine my delight to see an MCV Merc turn up. The perfect opportunity to compare the two MCV's.
To put it in a nutshell... Pulhams rattled far less, but the Merc engine seemed to pull a lot more.
A long day, with lots of exploring, track and stock ticked off and another patch of the country shaded in.
