Well, as people already seem eager for the 2017 season, let's look at it shall we.

The first one in the North East area for the large majority is the 500 Group's Teesside Running Day.

The date is presently set for Sunday 23rd April 2017.

As with the past two years, our Bristol VR H106 and Dennis Loline 99 will be attending. More will be revealed as it becomes clear.

Expect the usual attendees (if you have been before you know the regular line-up) with local independents and the large operators sending vehicle along even if only for static display.

Is there any more info on this? How to get there, when it starts etc?

Is there any more info on this? How to get there, when it starts etc?

Usually around 10am. Regular shuttle service from Middlesbrough Bus Station and Stockton High Street.

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Usually around 10am. Regular shuttle service from Middlesbrough Bus Station and Stockton High Street.

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Cheers Dan

The event is next Sunday.

There is currently 18 vehicles booked in to do runs - this is subject to change right up until the start time and indeed until the end of the event. Including static vehicles, there will be 26 vehicles.

The first bus is expected to leave Stockton High Street about 10.15 and the Transporter at 10.30.

Will there be a bus operating over the Transporter Bridge this year?

It's a window of opportunity I've managed to miss at previous 500 Group Running Days I've attended.

Will there be a bus operating over the Transporter Bridge this year?

It's a window of opportunity I've managed to miss at previous 500 Group Running Days I've attended.

Not 100% sure - the Transporter is currently closed for repairs so it will all depend on whether it is fixed by the weekend or not.

Just to remind everyone that it is 
tomorrow.

Like last year, I will try and post what is in attendance as they arrive - plus what vehicles will operate what runs. Might be handy to plan your day then ?

Of course, programmes will be for sale from the Control Vehicle at the Transporter site.

Just to remind everyone that it is 
tomorrow.

Like last year, I will try and post what is in attendance as they arrive - plus what vehicles will operate what runs. Might be handy to plan your day then ?

Of course, programmes will be for sale from the Control Vehicle at the Transporter site.

Thanks Kuyoyo. Do you know what time the first scheduled departure from Transporter is?

Thanks Kuyoyo. Do you know what time the first scheduled departure from Transporter is?

I think it will be 11 - I'm not 100% sure as yet.

Walkergate's MMC 10638 will be there tomorrow as i had to get it ready last night and im sure there sending one of those tri-axle things from Sunderland to if they havnt all fell to bits

I think it will be 11 - I'm not 100% sure as yet.

Cheers, I'm planning to get there early and plan my day around the schedules in the programme.

When do the buses start from Middlesbrough bus station and which stand from if anyone knows ?


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When do the buses start from Middlesbrough bus station and which stand from if anyone knows ?


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It's normally stand 13 in Middlesbrough and last year it was around 10:10 towards Stockton

It's normally stand 13 in Middlesbrough and last year it was around 10:10 towards Stockton

It's Stand 15 now - due to Stand 13 now being in use on Sundays

For the benefit:

H106 will be the first departure from Stockton at 10:45 - Stagecarriage's VR will follow
First departure from Middlesbrough will be R833OVN at 11:00. This also forms the first Transporter at 10:50

Kuyoyo is slacking - buses here already and haven't been noted!

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Kuyoyo is slacking - buses here already and haven't been noted!

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I've been for 6 hours and I'm back home and they still haven't been noted

I've been for 6 hours and I'm back home and they still haven't been noted

Tut, tut!

Fantastic day out today. Think everyone heard me a mile off, with the coughing and spluttering (apologies!) Always think that the 500 Group Running Day is one of the best organised, and most enjoyable, events in the North East. You're never standing around too long before the next bus is there to take you on another journey, and there's always a great variety of buses in attendance.

Thanks to everyone who brought a bus or contributed to the rally today. Let's see how Spillers Wharf compares next week!

Tut, tut!

Fantastic day out today. Think everyone heard me a mile off, with the coughing and spluttering (apologies!) Always think that the 500 Group Running Day is one of the best organised, and most enjoyable, events in the North East. You're never standing around too long before the next bus is there to take you on another journey, and there's always a great variety of buses in attendance.

Thanks to everyone who brought a bus or contributed to the rally today. Let's see how Spillers Wharf compares next week!

Agreed in every way. Clearly a lot of effort is put in by the 500 Group and I'm sure it was appreciated by everyone there today. Everyone I spoke to from the group was wonderfully friendly and I even joined up for their e-newsletter - for £10 a year it's a great read and an absolute bargain. 

Saw a few faces I presumed were from here today but it's always an awkward one approaching someone hoping they are who you think they are!

Good day as always; a real credit to the 500 Group who work hard to make this probably the premier event in the North East's bus enthusiast calendar.

A variety of routes available to experience and enjoy including one that took in an old trolleybus turn around South Bank, Grangetown and Eston as well as a ticketed coach ride up to Great Ayton and Stokesley.

Even Jimmi had no complaints when I last spoke to him at approx 4:00pm - although he still had an X66 journey back to Darlington then onto Newton Aycliffe so we may yet still see something in the annoyance thread

I thought it was a great day out. I'm shattered now though. I got a 1999 Northumberland bus timetable for £2.00. A great bargain.

A well organised and well attended event. Probably the best rally in the north east.

It will be interesting to see what Spillers Wharf is like.

Charles

I also enjoyed today. I arrived with Adrian and MurdnunoC and met with Dan at the south of the Transporter Bridge where vehicles were assembled. We enjoyed a journey to Middlesbrough and back on Stagecarriage's R833OVN (ex-Stagecoach 16833), returning just after 11am. We then acquired some tickets for the coach excursion in the afternoon as well as a programme. Sean, Jimmi, Adrian and myself took a trip to Yarm on MCW Metrobus 3501 (UTN501Y), which was fantastic, but they bailed at Stockton High Street on the return journey. I got back to the Transporter at about 1340, giving me 25 minutes to kill before the Dewsbury Bus Museum's Royal Tiger Doyen departed with the excursion to Great Ayton and Stokesley, in the company of Dan and MurdnunoC; a world away from the industrial Teesside many of us are accustomed to. Following this, I took a trip to Stockton High Street on United Bristol RE 6080 (SHN80L), which sounded amazing. A brief wait at Stockton ensued until the ex-Magic Bus Dennis Dominator, H132GVM, picked up a small load and returned to the Transporter, at which point I called it a day.

Well organised and enough to keep me occupied, as well as five winners for haulage and some good photos, I'll be there next year.

Apologies for not posting anything this morning bar the first departures - while we didn't have any issues like last year, I was still in the deep end helping arrange parking etc etc. Plus the endless changes to the runs.

Over the course of the day, we lost just 3 journeys - two shorts to the bus station at the start and end of the day (the morning one was the 1125 via the Railway Station, the other being the 1615 11 going under Albert Bridge) plus the 1415 11. A few changes late afternoon due to a lack of driver for UTN501Y - which did result in HPK507N providing the last Stockton run.

Indeed the popularity of HPK507N did result in a few extra short Bus Station runs during what were meant to be breaks.

I do believe the majority on here will have heard about the lack of the Eden in attendance this year - while this is a disappointment, it did allow the GM Buses Dennis Dominator to revive the type on Teesside.

There are a few lessons we have learnt this year - and will hopefully bring into practice next year. But once again, the day went without a hitch and hopefully next year will likewise.

Oh, and as a footnote - for anyone who noticed, the lack of our own 99, she's currently parked up requiring work. Sadly, she won't be appearing this season so hopefully this time next year we will be celebrating her return to the road.

My second time of attending this event, and yet another perfect sunny day.

I was really impressed again, and in my opinion, the 500 group's organisation is second to none. Any timetable changes appeared minimal, but completely outside of the group's control, and there was a real variety of buses that turned up to do runs out. I particularly enjoyed my trips out on UTN501Y and B251NVN. I had wanted a ride out on HPK507N, but this had proved to be a real hit. I don't think a single run went out with an empty seat!

It is perhaps a credit to the group and their organisation, that this event seems to constantly attract entrants from outside the North East. Which is something I find few and far between at other NE rallies.

So a big thanks to the 500 Group for a fantastic day out, and of course to the preservationists that supported and allowed us to ride on their fantastic buses.

As MurdnunoC said, I did actually have no complaints for once and had a cracking day at this rally today, as I always do.

Got some cracking haulage on some vehicle's I had yet to sample and a few I have ridden previously getting up to Yarm and Norton plus many laps of Middlesbrough and Stockton.

I didn't get chance to speak or say hi to some of the people there I wanted to say hello to, mainly because of the usual nerves of having to start a conversation setting in at times, plus just been in the wrong places at the wrong times and being around others.

Now the moment you have all been waiting for... It's of course the Jimmi's Transport Photos Flickr plug!
https://flic.kr/s/aHskYjThQ5

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I will be at the Spiiler's Warf event next Sunday although I am uncertain as to what time I will be arriving there yet, as I am now going to a gig that evening in Newcastle, funnily enough just down the road from the rally.

My second time of attending this event, and yet another perfect sunny day.

I was really impressed again, and in my opinion, the 500 group's organisation is second to none. Any timetable changes appeared minimal, but completely outside of the group's control, and there was a real variety of buses that turned up to do runs out. I particularly enjoyed my trips out on UTN501Y and B251NVN. I had wanted a ride out on HPK507N, but this had proved to be a real hit. I don't think a single run went out with an empty seat!

It is perhaps a credit to the group and their organisation, that this event seems to constantly attract entrants from outside the North East. Which is something I find few and far between at other NE rallies.

So a big thanks to the 500 Group for a fantastic day out, and of course to the preservationists that supported and allowed us to ride on their fantastic buses.

BIB: The only run I saw it do that it wasn't fully loaded - and that was the last one at 1600.

Why did the Eden not attend this year?

Charles

As MurdnunoC said, I did actually have no complaints for once and had a cracking day at this rally today, as I always do.

Sounds like you were happy. Make a post in the happiness thread.

Think everyone heard me a mile off, with the coughing and spluttering (apologies!)