(05 Jul 2015, 3:42 pm)idiot wrote Yep that was me. Although I had to put another layer on as it was getting chilly that was hi viz yellow long sleeve! But no one said hello to me so kinda still anon. Really enjoyed cycling there and would of probably took the same as metro etc. Mind on way back the bloody head wind!
(05 Jul 2015, 4:53 pm)Malarkey wrote Seems to be quite a mixed reaction on the Rally today, Spoke to a few people who said it wasnt worth coming out for due to the small amount Vehicles in attendance and lack of space in what is supposed be to be a Car Park, just looked like a slab of tarmac to me like, would agree with those comments after spending 4 Hours on Buses to go to Whitley Bay and back, this included a 70 Minute trip on the 1 to Gateshead from WB having missed the 308 due to taking a Photo of (H106) was going out on the Shuttle and not seeing the 309 in the distance as I boarded the 1 a few minutes later, didnt see it till I went to sit down as the 1 pulled away.
As I discussed with Aureolin last year on our way back from Seaburn Rally I think something needs to be done with the Rallies to make them more enjoyable, i.e. bringing different Vehicles as we see the same ones every year, although it was nice to see FTN 708W & 33101 at Durham the other week as it was something different to Photograph, I think perhaps merging the Smaller Rallies such as Whitley Bay, Durham & Seaburn together at a Location which is Central to where everyone is travelling from, and is easy to travel to via Public Transport, so then your not doing a Jimmi spending 6 to 7 Hours on Buses to and from the Rally, that is some dedication to the Hobby right there mind, and having the Event at a bigger site such as Herrington Country Park at Penshaw, with the adage of other Vintage Vehicles such as Cars and Trucks etc would make it more interesting, I would also like NEBPT and CDBPG to have an Enthusiast Open Day at there Respective Yards.
So you would have as an Example:
MetroCentre - May
Tyne Tees Run - June
Shildon - July
New Merged Rally - August
(05 Jul 2015, 5:02 pm)Jackamcardle wrote I somewhat agree, it didn't feel half as good as the MetroCentre rally(which was my first one) as I did see some buses that I never have before and I can imagine that you have probably seen those before. At times I got a tad bored where there was no free bus journeys on and resorted to sitting on a bus waiting for something to happen, whereas at the MetroCentre bus rally there was never a dull moment as there were much more different buses and a more exiting atmosphere with more people too.
I may not attend next year to this rally as it was a bit dull, but I may change my mind when it comes to the time as it was nice weather and was better than sitting in the house.
(05 Jul 2015, 5:06 pm)S813 FVK wrote You have to remember, the Metrocentre Coach Park is a lot bigger than where the Whitley Bay Rally was held. Therefore, not as many vehicles can be there which often sends the rally over a cliff for some people. That's why i don't bother going to the smaller rallies such as the events at Howlands and Whitley Bay.
(05 Jul 2015, 5:07 pm)Tom wrote No reason why they couldn't have held it in the car park opposite though, would have been a lot more space!
I agree, Metrocentre is the best one I've been too. The rest I don't normally bother with, but I only went to Whitley Bay because I live near there.
(05 Jul 2015, 1:20 pm)Dan wrote Was it worth travelling all the way from Aycliffe for?
I didn't bother going out in the end. GTA V was more appealing.
(05 Jul 2015, 4:53 pm)Malarkey wrote Seems to be quite a mixed reaction on the Rally today, Spoke to a few people who said it wasnt worth coming out for due to the small amount Vehicles in attendance and lack of space in what is supposed be to be a Car Park, just looked like a slab of tarmac to me like, would agree with those comments after spending 4 Hours on Buses to go to Whitley Bay and back, this included a 70 Minute trip on the 1 to Gateshead from WB having missed the 308 due to taking a Photo of (H106) was going out on the Shuttle and not seeing the 309 in the distance as I boarded the 1 a few minutes later, didnt see it till I went to sit down as the 1 pulled away.
As I discussed with Aureolin last year on our way back from Seaburn Rally I think something needs to be done with the Rallies to make them more enjoyable, i.e. bringing different Vehicles as we see the same ones every year, although it was nice to see FTN 708W & 33101 at Durham the other week as it was something different to Photograph, I think perhaps merging the Smaller Rallies such as Whitley Bay, Durham & Seaburn together at a Location which is Central to where everyone is travelling from, and is easy to travel to via Public Transport, so then your not doing a Jimmi spending 6 to 7 Hours on Buses to and from the Rally, that is some dedication to the Hobby right there mind, and having the Event at a bigger site such as Herrington Country Park at Penshaw, with the adage of other Vintage Vehicles such as Cars and Trucks etc would make it more interesting, I would also like NEBPT and CDBPG to have an Enthusiast Open Day at there Respective Yards.
So you would have as an Example:
MetroCentre - May
Tyne Tees Run - June
Shildon - July
New Merged Rally - August
(05 Jul 2015, 4:53 pm)Malarkey wrote As I discussed with Aureolin last year on our way back from Seaburn Rally I think something needs to be done with the Rallies to make them more enjoyable, i.e. bringing different Vehicles as we see the same ones every year, although it was nice to see FTN 708W & 33101 at Durham the other week as it was something different to Photograph, I think perhaps merging the Smaller Rallies such as Whitley Bay, Durham & Seaburn together at a Location which is Central to where everyone is travelling from, and is easy to travel to via Public Transport, so then your not doing a Jimmi spending 6 to 7 Hours on Buses to and from the Rally, that is some dedication to the Hobby right there mind, and having the Event at a bigger site such as Herrington Country Park at Penshaw, with the adage of other Vintage Vehicles such as Cars and Trucks etc would make it more interesting, I would also like NEBPT and CDBPG to have an Enthusiast Open Day at there Respective Yards.
So you would have as an Example:
MetroCentre - May
Tyne Tees Run - June
Shildon - July
New Merged Rally - August
(05 Jul 2015, 5:02 pm)Jackamcardle wrote I somewhat agree, it didn't feel half as good as the MetroCentre rally(which was my first one) as I did see some buses that I never have before and I can imagine that you have probably seen those before. At times I got a tad bored where there was no free bus journeys on and resorted to sitting on a bus waiting for something to happen, whereas at the MetroCentre bus rally there was never a dull moment as there were much more different buses and a more exiting atmosphere with more people too.
I may not attend next year to this rally as it was a bit dull, but I may change my mind when it comes to the time as it was nice weather and was better than sitting in the house.
(05 Jul 2015, 5:32 pm)Jimmi wrote Finally some praise for the amount of time and effort I dedicate to this hobby, I never normally get anything. It does actually annoy me at times as I get very little praise especially for long outings whilst others get showered for taking photos on their doorstep.
My thoughts on today was so negative as these where the shuttles when I got there:
GNE 6044
GNE 5234
The Eden PPT 446P
The Eden AFB597V
Two of those are service buses which I didn't need to go all the way to Whitley Bay to ride especially as I got the X10 from Newcastle to Peterlee home and I have spent a fair amount of time on the two Eden buses at other rallies this year and did not really want to ride them again especially so soon after Howlands.
One of my other issues was there wasn't much space and the buses ended being parked so close together that I have to put two buses in the same photograph in some cases.
If it's on again next year I'm am unsure if I will attend again but I probably still would as before I got there I was actually enjoying myself but just didn't feel totally myself when I got there and started to feel ill later on and I am still not 100% right now.
Your saying about being easy to be able to get to rallies but Shildon is pretty difficult especially on a Sunday as the only ways to get there is the train which runs about every 2 hours and the Arriva 1B and 5A which both run hourly and if you don't know Shildon it can be tricky to figure out when to get off especially on the 5A made worse by the allocation of EcoCity's on Sundays so you can't use the next stop announcements to figure out when to get off. I can't see me running into many members of NEB if I attend Shildon again this year.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:18 pm)Malarkey wrote As for Shildon, I wouldnt even attempt that on a Sunday unless NEBPT were perhaps offering to take people up for a small fee if any fee at all picking up at Heworth or Gateshead, or perhaps even Washington Services, otherwise it would take around 3 Hours to get there, and same to get back depending on times of Buses etc.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:18 pm)Malarkey wrote Jimmi you deserve some praise, travelling all the way from Newton Aycliffe to Whitley Bay, in terms of mileage covered you have done around 77 to 95 Miles, possibly more if you traveled into Darlington first, and on a Sunday too takes some doing mind, I found it a challenge just to get up this morning and motivate myself to do a 4 Hour round trip, eventually I did get to Whitley Bay but yourself, aureolin etc, Enthusiasts I usually talk to had already been and gone.Thanks!
As for Shildon, I wouldnt even attempt that on a Sunday unless NEBPT were perhaps offering to take people up for a small fee if any fee at all picking up at Heworth or Gateshead, or perhaps even Washington Services, otherwise it would take around 3 Hours to get there, and same to get back depending on times of Buses etc.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:26 pm)Dan wrote Yep, I'd have to set out at about 07:30am to get there for 10:30am...I would have to walk to The Galleries, then probably the 4 to Heworth followed by X10 to Peterlee or Middlesbrough then over towards Darlington to get to Shildon if I set out at 07:30am.
I quite like going round the world to get to bus rallies though, as it's just like a normal outing to me. I enjoyed going to the Transporter Bridge rally in 2014 via Peterlee, Darlington and Stockton on Arriva buses.
As with all rallies, though, it'll be a case of how I feel on the day.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:26 pm)Dan wrote Yep, I'd have to set out at about 07:30am to get there for 10:30am...
I quite like going round the world to get to bus rallies though, as it's just like a normal outing to me. I enjoyed going to the Transporter Bridge rally in 2014 via Peterlee, Darlington and Stockton on Arriva buses.
As with all rallies, though, it'll be a case of how I feel on the day.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:36 pm)Malarkey wrote I would have to walk to The Galleries, then probably the 4 to Heworth followed by X10 to Peterlee or Middlesbrough then over towards Darlington to get to Shildon if I set out at 07:30am.
Just a thought here on my part, Do you think the Rallies would be better attended if held on a Saturday instead of a Sunday, for example with Shildon & Kirkby Stephen, certainly a much better Bus Service on offer on this day of the week particularly to Darlington, then I wouldnt have to do the above, I could get the 50 to Durham then the 7 to Darlington, then whatever to Shildon from there.
(05 Jul 2015, 8:46 am)Tom wrote I feel sorry for you being on an Omnicity for that long. They are way too hot.
(05 Jul 2015, 6:47 pm)Davie wrote At least it wasn't 5274
(05 Jul 2015, 6:53 pm)Malarkey wrote 5266 was nice and cool for the 70 Minutes I endured on it back to Gateshead this afternoon, was no rattling either although there were a few vibrations when idle but other than was a smooth ride, probably the best Omnicity I have been on other than 5260.
(05 Jul 2015, 7:24 pm)Lm2606 wrote Yes I saw and heard you today noisy one
(05 Jul 2015, 7:22 pm)Davie wrote I only enjoyed because Dan was with me, but then again, me and omnicities don't get on well...