(12 Mar 2015, 7:11 pm)tyresmoke wrote 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.
Worth mentioning that I've uploaded my photos of my day out now
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61391443@N...9010151813
Highlights being the Richmond independents and the X59 (2869)