(10 Aug 2016, 8:10 am)PO51WNF wrote Monday's trip report:Great review and sounds like it was a great (but very long) day out, I am going to try one of the 555 MMCs later in the month
NX 6111 - 05:13 9 to Birmingham
VT 390044 - 06:15 to Lancaster - love these trains
TPE 350404 - 08:14 to Penrith - got harrassed by a cranefly
(this is where STL joined)
Stagecoach 34715 - 09:20 508 to Windermere - what an amazing route! The Kirkstone Pass was without doubt the highlight which the relatively decent Dart struggled up in first/second gear, but the view from the top was amazing. The short journeys to Patterdale were also being operated by a Dart, despite the timetable implying they would be ran with an open top bus.
Stagecoach 17014 - 11:34 599 to Grasmere - after a photo stop outside Windermere station (does not count as a bus station ) we caught this open top Trident to Grasmere, and what a beast it was! We started the journey upstairs but decided to move downstairs to avoid getting hypothermia (despite being August it was freezing).
Stagecoach 10563 - 12:15 555 to Keswick - the connection here was a little tighter than intended, but with a bit of running we made it. My first time on a Voith E400MMC, and I love them! Impressive performance and the engine sounds amazing. Even better the USB chargers work...for now. I did not attempt to use the wi-fi.
Stagecoach 16534 - 13:20 78 to Seatoller - shortly after arriving in Keswick we noticed this antique motor pull in on the 78, so after a quick stop at the Old Keswickian to get lunch we caught it to the scenic Seatoller terminus. A familiar route for me but a new one for STL, and we both were impressed at the performance of the Olympian which was built before either of us was born.
Stagecoach 47722 - 14:00 77A to Keswick - well since I last caught it 3 tears ago this Solo's performance has certainly gone downhill, meaning it struggles to go uphill - which we discovered while climbing the stunning Honister Pass. MPD W214DNO can still be found at the Slate Mine. The 77A is another familiar route for me but one STL said he wanted to do, although by this point he was so tired he fell asleep and missed half of the route
Stagecoach 10555 - 15:30 555 to Grasmere - after arriving back in Keswick we decided we wanted to ride another couple of the new MMCs so caught the appropriately numbered 10555 to the pretty village of Grasmere. This one sounded different to the previous one - particularly when coasting/braking, had a great sounding whine.
Stagecoach 10561 - 16:15 555 to Keswick - back to Keswick on another great bus!
Stagecoach 15921 - 17:20 X4 to Penrith - just our luck to get this, a Scania E400 branded for the 300! Which, although it was "gold" like the buses that are supposed to be on the X4/X5, did not have the USB charging points found on the regular buses - not that this mattered, although STL wanted to use the chargers just for the sake of it.I also am generally not a fan of Scania buses, but this one was not too bad, seemed to have a working kickdown and the driver knew how to drive it!
When we got to Penrith we discovered there were delays on the WCML due to "animals on the line" - baaaaaad timing or just a cow-incidence?
VT 390152 - 18:07 to Lancaster - running over 30 mins late.
VT 221112 - 19:47 to Birmingham New Street - this one follows me around...but it's a Voyager so that can't be too bad.
NX 6108 - 22:15 9 home - amazing bus! 6 speed ZF but revving above 2000rpm with full throttle.
All in all a fantastic day out in one of my favourite parts of the country.
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