This one is creeping up on us, and I noticed that we don't have a thread!

The Durham Vintage Bus Gathering will be held on Sunday 18th June 2017, at the Howlands Park and Ride site in Durham. 

Howlands is located a short walk from the New Inn pub, and can be reached by the Arriva North East 6 or Go North East's X21 service. There will also be a shuttle bus service between North Road in Durham and the rally site. The first shuttle leaves at 1000, and will run every 15 minutes thereafter, according to the timetable on the NEBPT website.

(10 Jun 2017, 10:31 am)Adrian wrote This one is creeping up on us, and I noticed that we don't have a thread!

The Durham Vintage Bus Gathering will be held on Sunday 18th June 2017, at the Howlands Park and Ride site in Durham. 

Howlands is located a short walk from the New Inn pub, and can be reached by the Arriva North East 6 or Go North East's X21 service. There will also be a shuttle bus service between North Road in Durham and the rally site. The first shuttle leaves at 1000, and will run every 15 minutes thereafter, according to the timetable on the NEBPT website.

Thank you for the info.

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(10 Jun 2017, 10:31 am)Adrian wrote This one is creeping up on us, and I noticed that we don't have a thread!

The Durham Vintage Bus Gathering will be held on Sunday 18th June 2017, at the Howlands Park and Ride site in Durham. 

Howlands is located a short walk from the New Inn pub, and can be reached by the Arriva North East 6 or Go North East's X21 service. There will also be a shuttle bus service between North Road in Durham and the rally site. The first shuttle leaves at 1000, and will run every 15 minutes thereafter, according to the timetable on the NEBPT website.

As it's fairly local to us, we'll almost definitely be there.

is there parking at the site or is it best to park in Durham and get X21 or shuttle across?

(10 Jun 2017, 7:27 pm)Pulsar wrote is there parking at the site or is it best to park in Durham and get X21 or shuttle across?

Yes, there is parking on-site.

Preserved ABus DAF SB220GS / Northern Counties Paladin LF ( R891 FNW ) should be set to appear at this rally again depending on whether Maintenance can be finished by then, --
Which is more than 99% Likely as it's only a small job.

I had a trial drive down to Durham this morning and I have to say the road layout is a nightmare. My favourite has to be the junction with a right turn lane marked on the road but the signage states no right turn. Completely contradictory. If your a new driver like me it's not what you need. I nearly ended up going the wrong way down a one way Street and had to do a quick turn in the road to put it right.

I will be attending next Sunday but if I drive I'll be going via nevilles cross to avoid the city centre.

Charles

(11 Jun 2017, 1:59 pm)Charles41 wrote I had a trial drive down to Durham this morning and I have to say the road layout is a nightmare. My favourite has to be the junction with a right turn lane marked on the road  but the signage states no right turn. Completely contradictory. If your a new driver like me it's not what you need. I nearly ended up going the wrong way down a one way Street and had to do a quick turn in the road to put it right.

I will be attending next Sunday but if I drive I'll be going via nevilles cross to avoid the city centre.

Charles

Haha! it doesn't help that there is always a random road or three closed, somewhere!

Assuming you're travelling in from the North, via framwellgate moor or otherwise, Neville's cross and the city centre is 6 and two threes to that site, anyhow. We live East of Durham and often travel round via Neville's cross, to the Arnison centre, if we don't fancy our chances with Sherburn road, Leazes road and Milburngate bridge. If we knew the whole city would be gridlocked, we used t head for West Rainton, across the A690 and take the back road around from there, but that's become a lot hairier, in recent years, so we just go to Hartlepool or Bishop instead, if it's M&S food hall we particularly want!

And to think we're seriously contemplating moving right into the madness!

Wonder what will be in attendence by gne

(14 Jun 2017, 11:31 pm)Jordan2104 wrote Wonder what will be in attendence by gne

I would like to see one of their Metrocentre Mini branded Optare Solos as they are fitted with the more unusual Cummins Engine.
Maybe a Durham Diamond Wright Streetlite as well.
And maybe a Mercedes Benz Citaro.

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Can someone please send that E200 MMC demonstrator along? Would mean I don't have to faff on attempting to find it on the IndiGo North Tyne routes which would take ages for me to travel up there and it's on service's I have zero clue on the routes they take (can manage 19 but would still be a pain to find).

(15 Jun 2017, 8:24 am)Jimmi wrote Can someone please send that E200 MMC demonstrator along?  Would mean I don't have to faff on attempting to find it on the IndiGo North Tyne routes which would take ages for me to travel up there and it's on service's I have zero clue on the routes they take (can manage 19 but would still be a pain to find).

I will let you know if I see it - you will be able to catch it on the 40/41 in Wallsend or Battle Hill Drive, Hadrian Park etc.

(15 Jun 2017, 8:24 am)Jimmi wrote Can someone please send that E200 MMC demonstrator along? Would mean I don't have to faff on attempting to find it on the IndiGo North Tyne routes which would take ages for me to travel up there and it's on service's I have zero clue on the routes they take (can manage 19 but would still be a pain to find).

Oh yer I just remembered they got this that would be a good thing to take.

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(15 Jun 2017, 8:34 am)Tom wrote I will let you know if I see it - you will be able to catch it on the 40/41 in Wallsend or Battle Hill Drive, Hadrian Park etc.

Cheers mate. The issue is finding it and getting somewhere nice and in the sun for a photo which sounds easy enough but I have very limited route knowledge of the 40/41 (and 42/42A). Will probably go after it on Monday if I can be bothered.

(15 Jun 2017, 9:00 am)Jimmi wrote Cheers mate. The issue is finding it and getting somewhere nice and in the sun for a photo which sounds easy enough but I have very limited route knowledge of the 40/41 (and 42/42A). Will probably go after it on Monday if I can be bothered.

Easiest thing to do is stand at Wallsend for approximately an hour and wait for it to turn up, if it's going to Hadrian Park then it does a Anti Clockwise Loop of the estate like the 57 does, so get off at the first stop on the estate and head back on yourself to the main road into the estate and catch it coming back out.

Yep
Maybe Dan can suggest it?

I'm told there's no Arriva attendance this year... health and safety apparently.

(17 Jun 2017, 4:41 pm)omnicity4659 wrote I'm told there's no Arriva attendance this year... health and safety apparently.

Strange. I am sure I read in the NEBPT magazine that they sponsored the event.

(17 Jun 2017, 4:58 pm)Adrian wrote Strange. I am sure I read in the NEBPT magazine that they sponsored the event.

The driver who normally takes stuff said that he was told that Arriva weren't attending. 

(17 Jun 2017, 6:17 pm)omnicity4659 wrote The driver who normally takes stuff said that he was told that Arriva weren't attending. 

Wasn't that the case with the Quayside event, too? Probably too many people hopping on and off buses and messing on with stuff.

It's not like Belmont have anything new and interesting this year, anyhow. Just a few reshuffles and half a paint jobs.

Confirmed Arriva aren't attending.

Gosh, it was hot, there!

(18 Jun 2017, 1:01 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Gosh, it was hot, there!

Not wrong!

Seemed like the rally this year was lacking some stuff, especially Arriva but there's nothing that can really be done about that but a few independents and some preserved stuff was notably absent as well, yet despite the extra space everything was still parked close together?!

I've decided to head home now as I was struggling to go over and talk to anyone else and I cleared any buses of interest to me by about lunchtime, so I didn't see much point in sticking around. TBH I haven't been enjoying the hobby as much recently, especially around here, far more enjoying outings in Yorkshire as it seems like there is more interesting stuff there than there is round here IMO, think I need to start up the further afield outings again.

(18 Jun 2017, 1:54 pm)Jimmi wrote Not wrong!

Seemed like the rally this year was lacking some stuff, especially Arriva but there's nothing that can really be done about that but a few independents and some preserved stuff was notably absent as well, yet despite the extra space everything was still parked close together?!

I've decided to head home now as I was struggling to go over and talk to anyone else and I cleared any buses of interest to me by about lunchtime, so I didn't see much point in sticking around. TBH I haven't been enjoying the hobby as much recently, especially around here, far more enjoying outings in Yorkshire as it seems like there is more interesting stuff there than there is round here IMO, think I need to start up the further afield outings again.

Yorkshire is pretty big, so it's unsurprising that there is more stuff of interest there. Just amongst the bigger players that we don't see in the NE there's transdev and first and then there's large independents like EYMS, which has an interesting fleet, even if the livery can be a bit samey.

One thing that really stood out when we visited York, yesterday, was the lack of streetlites, though it was also apparent that, apart from coastliner and the EYMS x46, most of the vehicles we saw were middle aged at best. Arriva's vehicles were somewhat on the tatty side. Even their solo SRs, which looked incredibly smart from a distance, were scuffed and scraped, closer up.

Anyhow, we got what we set out to achieve from today. Bigun took a load of pics, when we arrived, then we took a ride into town for some lunch. The journeys each way we're on vehicles we hadn't ridden on before. 

I did spy you, but at least we didn't nearly run you over, this year!

(18 Jun 2017, 1:01 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Gosh, it was hot, there!

Aye, but certainly not hot enough for the amount of old blokes walking around with no tops on! Its enough to put you off your dinner.

(18 Jun 2017, 3:19 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, but certainly not hot enough for the amount of old blokes walking around with no tops on! Its enough to put you off your dinner.

Problem is, if you just wear a t-shirt in hot weather like this, you end up with that stupid tan down your arms that stops at whatever length the T-shirt you've been wearing ends, although I suppose it's not really a problem if you aren't going to be seen with no top on.

(18 Jun 2017, 3:33 pm)Jimmi wrote Problem is, if you just wear a t-shirt in hot weather like this, you end up with that stupid tan down your arms that stops at whatever length the T-shirt you've been wearing ends, although I suppose it's not really a problem if you aren't going to be seen with no top on.

You mean you'll look like a drumstick lolly? 

I am felt the rally was a bit of a disappointment, plenty of space but not many buses. I left about half one and had a slow walk into the city centre.

On Tuesday I'm heading to Wallsend to try and track down the new demonstrator.

Charles

(18 Jun 2017, 3:34 pm)Adrian wrote You mean you'll look like a drumstick lolly? 

Essentially, yeah!

(18 Jun 2017, 3:42 pm)Charles41 wrote I am felt the rally was a bit of a disappointment, plenty of space but not many buses. I left about half one and had a slow walk into the city centre.

On Tuesday I'm heading to Wallsend to try and track down the new demonstrator.

Charles

You might spot me on Tuesday then as I'm out looking for photos and haulage on it that day.

(18 Jun 2017, 3:19 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, but certainly not hot enough for the amount of old blokes walking around with no tops on! Its enough to put you off your dinner.

The view didn't improve back home. An awful lot of lobster coloured flesh around. (We're a family of milk bottle white, so a stark contrast!)