(23 Aug 2021, 8:24 pm)Andreos1 wrote https://bbc.in/3mlvUc9I dread to think what my longest trips have been in a day, longest spotter trip day was last year when thanks to COVID cutting the level of service provided by National Express last year, I had a day out from about 09:00 to 23:30 then returning to my start point of Milton Keynes and overnighted on the National Express getting back into Darlington at around 05:20 then the 05:45 7 home... will not be doing that again if I can help it!
Beats travelling back and forth between Eldon Square and the Metrocentre, so that a vehicle can be ticked off!
Got me thinking about the furthest journey I have done in a day by bus (ignored coaches) and I'm struggling.
Longhoughton to Houghton must be up there (got the train up to Alnmouth in the morning, did some work in the area, before heading back home later that evening).
Other than that, it's always been punctuated by rail.
Obviously I've not counted gricing days, where I've started and ended in the same place.
(24 Aug 2021, 6:40 pm)Charles41 wrote When I was about fourteen, my mum and I did Newcastle, Alnwick, Wooler, Berwick and back to Newcastle in one day. We used Explorer tickets.I think it would still be possible in some capacity as I have done so in the past although I got the train back from Alnmouth due to starting a bit further south (Newton Aycliffe)
Don't think you could do that now with the cuts to bus services. It must have been a Saturday when we did it.
Charles
(24 Aug 2021, 6:40 pm)Charles41 wrote When I was about fourteen, my mum and I did Newcastle, Alnwick, Wooler, Berwick and back to Newcastle in one day. We used Explorer tickets.
Don't think you could do that now with the cuts to bus services. It must have been a Saturday when we did it.
Charles
(01 Sep 2021, 12:10 am)mb134 wrote Overall it was an enjoyable day with good company. My initial impressions of Transdev were positive, and had I only sampled the CityZap and Witchway then I think I'd have had my expectations matched. In reality, however, past these core routes, the picture of Transdev Blazefield seems a little less rosy. B10BLEs chugging around on town work seems irresponsible, Y-reg B7TLs being given private plates and put onto services such as Pendle Wizz and Airedale seems off, and the appearance of quite a few of the vehicles certainly wasn't creating any desire (569/X569YUG as a prime example). I find the NE operators come in for, at times well deserved, criticism quite often for issues such as service provision or vehicle standards. We noted at a number of places on our travels today that towns were left with Sunday services of every 2 hours and last buses well before the Mon-Sat counterparts. Then in terms of vehicle standards, to compare to the NE, I often see criticism of ANE using 55-plate B7TLs on peak summer X93 workings - yet Transdev are using Y-reg B7s on things like Pendle Wizz and Airedale without so much as a word said...
I appreciate that all companies have positives and negatives, and don't get me wrong I think Transdev do a lot of things well, but there seems to be a belief in certain enthusiast bubbles that certain companies can do no wrong. Before today, from what I had seen on social media and forums such as this, I had an impression of Transdev Blazefield as being a transport company on the cutting edge. While that is true for a handful of routes, it is also far from the truth for what seems like a substantial part of the network. Having thought about it more, I think I'd honestly take any of the big three in the North East ahead of them.
(01 Sep 2021, 12:10 am)mb134 wrote Overall it was an enjoyable day with good company. My initial impressions of Transdev were positive, and had I only sampled the CityZap and Witchway then I think I'd have had my expectations matched. In reality, however, past these core routes, the picture of Transdev Blazefield seems a little less rosy. B10BLEs chugging around on town work seems irresponsible, Y-reg B7TLs being given private plates and put onto services such as Pendle Wizz and Airedale seems off, and the appearance of quite a few of the vehicles certainly wasn't creating any desire (569/X569YUG as a prime example). I find the NE operators come in for, at times well deserved, criticism quite often for issues such as service provision or vehicle standards. We noted at a number of places on our travels today that towns were left with Sunday services of every 2 hours and last buses well before the Mon-Sat counterparts. Then in terms of vehicle standards, to compare to the NE, I often see criticism of ANE using 55-plate B7TLs on peak summer X93 workings - yet Transdev are using Y-reg B7s on things like Pendle Wizz and Airedale without so much as a word said...
I appreciate that all companies have positives and negatives, and don't get me wrong I think Transdev do a lot of things well, but there seems to be a belief in certain enthusiast bubbles that certain companies can do no wrong. Before today, from what I had seen on social media and forums such as this, I had an impression of Transdev Blazefield as being a transport company on the cutting edge. While that is true for a handful of routes, it is also far from the truth for what seems like a substantial part of the network. Having thought about it more, I think I'd honestly take any of the big three in the North East ahead of them.
(10 Sep 2021, 8:53 pm)col87 wrote If we on about longest distance in a day last year I did Hartlepool- Billingham - Middlesbrough- Parkway Centre - Middlesbrough - Durham - Cathedral - Durham - Newcastle- Metrocentre- Gateshead- Dalton Park - Peterlee - Hartlepool in a single day 13 different buses
Stagecoach Teesside 36 34 10 12
Arriva X12
Go North East 40 21 X47 X66 X10 210( I think can’t remember)
Arriva 24
Stagecoach 7
I want to try do it again soon to beat the 13 buses is anyone able to beat this
(11 Sep 2021, 11:10 am)Ianthegoon wrote More than thirteen buses in a day is easy provided you don't wish to travel too far by any of them!Yes it is something I am planning to try beat at some point and as much of the region as possible however bit difficult in the current circumstances.
I've done the circuit Newcastle - Middlesbrough - Darlington - Durham - Newcastle quite often, always with side excursions and extra journeys to sample different vehicles. Hopefully circumstances will allow me to do something similar again sometime soon!
(22 Sep 2021, 8:30 am)col87 wrote Yesterday I decided to have a ride out to Hexham. I unfortunately did not have a chance to get fleet numbers or registrations and because people rang with important phone calls not much opportunity for photos either.
.....
So in total 10 buses 3 short of my record.
Stagecoach 36 (2) 2 buses
Arriva 24 X12 57 3 Buses
Go North East X6 X10 X1 X85 10 5 Buses
However I had a decent day out and did two new routes so plenty to take from it.