I was going to go to Trans Lancs, but I fancy doing this for a change.

Adding a reminder about this event, coming up this Sunday.

Sunday 4th September 2016

Vehicles: Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown R855 PRG; Leyland National Mk2/Leyland FTN 710W; Leyland National Mk1/Leyland YFY 4M. 

Pick-Up Times*: Consett Bus Station 12:15; Stanley Bus Station 12:50; Chester-le-Street 13:20; Durham Millburngate 13:50.

Departing from Consett Bus Station just after midday, we head to Chester-le-Street, replicating the 775 route (nowadays 78), with the opportunity to change vehicles at Stanley. A photostop will be undertaken in the coach park of Beamish Museum, and then again at Chester-le-Street town centre. The convoy will head onwards to Durham Millburngate, via the A167, Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor, covering the 21 route. Following a stop at Millburngate and the opportunity to change vehicles, the 765 route will then be replicated back to Consett, with another photostop at Lanchester Village Green. The expected time of return to Consett should be no later than 15:00*. 

After a successful running day last year, which covered Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle and just about everywhere in between, the Northern National Restoration Group have decided to allow enthusiasts the opportunity to travel on their vehicles once more before the end of the 2016 season. I can definitely vouch that the road run last year was spectacular, just about everyone seemed to have a brilliant time, myself included. One of the key morals at the Northern National Restoration Group is to make all feel welcome on board.

Drivers for the day are scheduled to be: Craig Smith, Ian Robinson, Stephen Foster and Daniel Duffy

Now for the technical stuff...

R855 PRG was new to Chester-le-Street in May 1998 and served with Go North East for 17 years before being withdrawn and sold for preservation. Over the winter, it was restored to it's brand new condition in the iconic Red/Blue/Yellow livery with Easy Access vinyls, before making it's debut on the rally scene at the NEBPT Metrocentre Rally back in May. It's been well received on the whole. Powered by a very prominent ZF 5-speed HP500 gearbox, the engine is mechanically sound and structurally, the body is too. 

FTN 710W is seventeen years older than R855 PRG, and came to the Northern National Restoration Group from the NEBPT in 2013. Since then, it has become a recognisable face at the rallies, and at the age of 35, can still pull like a train. New to Philadelphia depot in 1981, under National Bus Company ownership, the vehicle was withdrawn from the fleet in 2006 after spending it's last few years in the Driver Training fleet. In 1991, it's Leyland 680 engine was altered to a repowered Volvo, and it runs with a Voith gearbox. 

YFY 4M is a Liverpudlian by origin, and is owned by Stephen Foster. A Mk1 Leyland National still running on the original 510 engine it had when new, Steve and YFY 4M have had a journey and a half together to say the least. This is one of two Nationals that Steve owns, and I understand his other one, a Mk2, should be on the rally scene next year, all being well.

* While the times are listed and expected time of return are fairly accurate, given the nature of the routes transversed, no promises can be made with regards to the actual times on the day. It must also be made clear that the route is strictly Consett-Stanley-Chester-le-Street-Durham-Consett, and none of the pick-up points aside from Consett will be returned to. Due to an incident last year, nobody under the age of 16 will be permitted travel unless they're in the company of a responsible adult. 
 
R852 PRG

We are brining A very limited amount of sales stuff for the road run. Buses on the day are CONFERMED as Leyland National 8.3 510 powered YFY4M. Leyland National 2 11.6 THD100E powered FTN710W. Volvo B10BLE 11.6 DH10B powered R855PRG.

Drivers on the day are--- Ian Robinson (4855) Stephen Foster (YFY) Craig Smith and Danial Duffy (4710)
Weather isn't forecast to be sunny but this hasn't put us off before. Should still be A good day out.

Looking forward to it, prob spend most of the time on 4710 (especially down the A167), but will travel the other 2.

I will be getting on the 10:27am 50 from Lambton to Chester-le-Street, then onto the 10:51am 78 from Chester-le-Street up to Consett for 11:43am. With intention of doing the entire run tomorrow, I am really looking forward and hopefully there will be a good turn out and some decent weather, not that the rain bothers me mind.

Also out of curiosity what sort of things will be on sale, as I have started collecting photos of Go North East Vehicles from years gone by to build an Archive of old things I never got the chance to photograph, and photos of vehicles in Red/Yellow and Blue Livery from when I was a kid.

(03 Sep 2016, 1:11 pm)Malarkey wrote I will be getting on the 10:27am 50 from Lambton to Chester-le-Street, then onto the 10:51am 78 from Chester-le-Street up to Consett for 11:43am. With intention of doing the entire run tomorrow, I am really looking forward and hopefully there will be a good turn out and some decent weather, not that the rain bothers me mind.

Also out of curiosity what sort of things will be on sale, as I have started collecting photos of Go North East Vehicles from years gone by to build an Archive of old things I never got the chance to photograph, and photos of vehicles in Red/Yellow and Blue Livery from when I was a kid.

The group doesn't really have that many photos of the Red, Blue and Yellow livery, but there are several sets of official company photographs taken at the likes of Beamish Museum of vehicles from the 1980s when brand new. An MCW Metrobus in the 1900s Town is one of them. I'd imagine these will be available to view and purchase.

Who are we expecting tomorrow then?

(03 Sep 2016, 5:14 pm)R852 PRG wrote The group doesn't really have that many photos of the Red, Blue and Yellow livery, but there are several sets of official company photographs taken at the likes of Beamish Museum of vehicles from the 1980s when brand new. An MCW Metrobus in the 1900s Town is one of them. I'd imagine these will be available to view and purchase.

Who are we expecting tomorrow then?

I'll have a look, as there maybe something of interest.

Went to the one last year and it was enjoyable day out, as such I'll be heading along to this tomorrow, will be getting the 10:53 15A from Durham, may possibly be sharing that bus with some fellow forum members.

Be coming tomorrow for the entire Consett - Consett run and hope to ride on all 3 changing at either Stanley or Chester and Durham for the return leg


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Sadly I cannot make it due to arriving from holiday at 12pm tomorrow so won't, And will probably be too tired to make it.

I was going to come but other stuff (like Metro replacements) have come up. So I'll find a place to get photos of the road run and then I'll do my own thing

(03 Sep 2016, 6:28 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I was going to come but other stuff (like Metro replacements) have come up. So I'll find a place to get photos of the road run and then I'll do my own thing

Can I ask why you would rather go and photograph metro replacements, which you could do anytime throughout the year, rather than participating in this one off event and getting photos of vehicles which you'll only see a handful of times a year at rallies.

(03 Sep 2016, 6:44 pm)Malarkey wrote Can I ask why you would rather go and photograph metro replacements, which you could do anytime throughout the year, rather than participating in this one off event and getting photos of vehicles which you'll only see a handful of times a year at rallies.

I noticed that a number of enthusiasts did Metro Replacements on Monday rather than head to Seaburn, at the end of the day, it's your choice as to what you do but I can't help but feel slightly disappointed that some would rather get Metro Replacements using normal service buses which see normal service work each day rather than supporting the people putting their time, money and effort into preserving stuff that would probably otherwise gone to the scrap heap.

Some people simply don't enjoy preservation and get no joy from restoration perhaps?

Diverse interests and all that

I did Seaburn, then went to get Metro Replacements and Tall Ships, but I have a car, so doesn't take me long to cover the distance between places.

I shall also be in attendence tomorrow, however word to the wise, I've had a busy week at work and I'm tired, so please don't annoy me too much, though I will talk to people, I'm not that anti social, just hope I've had coffee.

Photos from today's Road Run.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...2338890332

Hello.
First thanks to everyone who took the time out today to come on our road run. I hope we put on A good show. We had A diverse line-up of power for everyone to enjoy.
We put this road run on once A year to let people sample our buses on A long run rather than just A quick trip around the block at A rally.
As for some of the comments above.. That's peoples chose. If they want to photograph Metro Replacements that's fine.
The chance to travel on FTN 710W, YFY 4M and R855 PRG mustn't appeal to all. That's fine also.

Big'un didn't want to go, in the end. After Monday's fiasco with delays and poor communication regarding our local gemstone based service, he's a bit wary of our local Sunday services, at the moment.

Went along today, quite enjoyed it. Hopefully it can be done again next year.

Probably surprised the people still on YFY4M in Bishop Auckland this afternoon by photographing it on the roundabout outside the Bus Station, Déjà vu to last year's run. Reason I went to Bishop Auckland was because I preferred to get the X21 to Bish Vegas then get the 5A home arriving home slightly later rather than sit bored in Durham Bus Station for 45 minutes waiting for the 7, especially after waiting 35 minutes for the 15A this morning.

My photos will be uploaded at a later stage as I'm on doing other stuff atm.

Really disappointed that I couldn't go today, I needed to go with my dad to Wynyard for 'work stuff' so I sadly couldn't make it, hopefully it can be redone next year

Such a shame I missed this outing, I'd been really looking forward to it. Next time I'll get some cash out the day before rather than running about madly in an attempt to find a cash machine that worked.

Oh my day got worse, next my partner's bed collapsed and then I tripped over a paving stone and twisted my ankle.

Hopefully I'll attend the NNRG running day next year. If there are any NNRG outings in the autumn or Christmas time could you let us know.

Charles

Great afternoon out, got to ride one which I haven't ridden on (YFY 4M) and the other 2 that I have when they were in service with Go North East. 4710 I have ridden on when I was at primary school when they used it on route 718 when I lived in the Stanley area and 4855 on the Lime services. Hope to do another one in the future.

Photos from the day.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskG5XCqA


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(05 Sep 2016, 9:08 am)Charles41 wrote Such a shame I missed this outing, I'd been really looking forward to it. Next time I'll get some cash out the day before rather than running about madly in an attempt to find a cash machine that worked.

Oh my day got worse, next my partner's bed collapsed and then I tripped over a paving stone and twisted my ankle.

Hopefully I'll attend the NNRG running day next year. If there are any NNRG outings in the autumn or Christmas time could you let us know.

Charles

Good grief Charles, what a day eh!

Like ive said above, I couldn't attend due to being on Holiday.

Though ive enjoyed viewing everyone's photos of the event, One thing ive noticed in 4855 has caught my eye.

Seen in Malarky's photo is a white box in the back of the cab https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ateposted/

What is it? Ive never seen it before.

(05 Sep 2016, 6:07 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Like ive said above, I couldn't attend due to being on Holiday.

Though ive enjoyed viewing everyone's photos of the event, One thing ive noticed in 4855 has caught my eye.

Seen in Malarky's photo is a white box in the back of the cab https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ateposted/

What is it? Ive never seen it before.

USB ports.

(05 Sep 2016, 6:09 pm)R852 PRG wrote USB ports.

Ah right, Cheers

Fantastic road run yesterday. A huge thanks to the NNRG for putting another great day on.

The weather was just about on our side. It started raining just after we left each photo stop.

"next my partner's bed collapsed"

(05 Sep 2016, 7:21 pm)BusLoverMum wrote "next my partner's bed collapsed"

I did not want to go there. 

(05 Sep 2016, 7:22 pm)Adrian wrote I did not want to go there. 

It's fixed now and my ankle is on the mend!