(17 Aug 2014, 8:12 pm)Robert wrote Shame they no longer have it for him to drive! Looks like he struck lucky when he waited 30 years to drive it and drove it just 1 year before it left the fleet. At least he can have fun in that Lodekka they got to replace it!

As an answer to the question (i know you didnt ask it), possibly. I know the plans are to go down for it now we dont have a dog anymore. So much freedom but the house just doesnt feel right without it.

When you lose a dog for whatever reason it does leave a hole in your life, looking after them is like looking after a little furry/hairy child that you love [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

(18 Aug 2014, 4:14 pm)marxistafozzski wrote When you lose a dog for whatever reason it does leave a hole in your life, looking after them is like looking after a little furry/hairy child that you love [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Just doesnt feel right like not doing the things that you used to like standing outside shops with the dog whilst who i was with go in. I will get used to it eventually. It will take a bit of time but hopefully it will clear up.

Todays outing went like this:

1032 #7 Newton Aycliffe - Durham (ANE 1516)
1118 #X2 Durham - Eldon Square (ANE 7627)
1322 #X22 Haymarket - Ashington Bus Station (ANE 7528)
1453 #X20 Ashington Bus Station - Haymarket (ANE 7483)
1555 #X2 Eldon Square - Framwellgate Moor (ANE 7626)
1708 #7 Framwellgate Moor - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 1519)

(18 Aug 2014, 5:49 pm)Jimmi wrote Todays outing went like this:

1032 #7 Newton Aycliffe - Durham (ANE 1516)
1118 #X2 Durham - Eldon Square (ANE 7627)
1322 #X22 Haymarket - Ashington Bus Station (ANE 7528)
1453 #X20 Ashington Bus Station - Haymarket (ANE 7483)
1555 #X2 Eldon Square - Framwellgate Moor (ANE 7626)
1708 #7 Framwellgate Moor - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 1519)

Spectra bashing, very good!

(18 Aug 2014, 8:39 pm)tyresmoke wrote Spectra bashing, very good!

Never thought I'd get to ride one, was so happy to see it pull into the Haymarket at lunchtime, so I abandoned the original plan for the afternoon to catch it up at Ashington back to Newcastle.

My trip to Cumbria yesterday:
0544 #21 Chester le Street – Newcastle (GNE 6063).

0635 #85 Newcastle – Carlisle (ANE 4664).

0932 #508 Carlisle – Windermere (SCNL 34718).

1146 #800 Windermere – Ambleside (SCNL 22121). This was the late running 11.33 service as a result of traffic congestion.

1210 #599 Ambleside – Grasmere (SCNL 17013).

1250 #599 Grasmere – Ambleside (SCNL 17221).

1328 # 555 Ambleside – Keswick (SCNL 18326).

1430 #77 Keswick – Seatoller (SCNL 47474).

1550 #78 Seatoller – Keswick (SCNL 17217).

1735 #554 Keswick – Carlisle (SCNL 16650).

1907 #685 Carlisle – Newcastle (ANE 4661).

2140 #21 Newcastle – Chester le Street (GNE 6058).

(21 Aug 2014, 8:47 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote My trip to Cumbria yesterday:
0544 #21 Chester le Street – Newcastle (GNE 6063).

0635 #85 Newcastle – Carlisle (ANE 4664).

0932 #508 Carlisle – Windermere (SCNL 34718).

1146 #800 Windermere – Ambleside (SCNL 22121). This was the late running 11.33 service as a result of traffic congestion.

1210 #599 Ambleside – Grasmere (SCNL 17013).

1250 #599 Grasmere – Ambleside (SCNL 17221).

1328 # 555 Ambleside – Keswick (SCNL 18326).

1430 #77 Keswick – Seatoller (SCNL 47474).

1550 #78 Seatoller – Keswick (SCNL 17217).

1735 #554 Keswick – Carlisle (SCNL 16650).

1907 #685 Carlisle – Newcastle (ANE 4661).

2140 #21 Newcastle – Chester le Street (GNE 6058).

Sounds like a great trip! Shame you didn't get on a B10M though, my main aim for when I go over the weekend.
The 77 is a beautiful route though. Out of interest, what was the other working on the 78, it seems to be a Olympian recentley.

Also, are the still doing the £4 child explorer?

(21 Aug 2014, 9:35 am)Tom wrote Sounds like a great trip! Shame you didn't get on a B10M though, my main aim for when I go over the weekend.
The 77 is a beautiful route though. Out of interest, what was the other working on the 78, it seems to be a Olympian recentley.

Also, are the still doing the £4 child explorer?

The allocation for the 78 (yesterday) was 2 ALX 400 open tops with fleet numbers 17217 & 17277 and an Olympian in standard Stagecoach livery it was on an S prefix number plate but I did not get the fleet number.
They are still doing The North West Explorer ticket which is what I used purchasing it from the driver on the Arriva 85 in Newcastle. The price of the North West Explorer this year is £10.50 adult and £7.50 child.

(21 Aug 2014, 9:58 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote The allocation for the 78 (yesterday) was 2 ALX 400 open tops with fleet numbers 17217 & 17277 and an Olympian in standard Stagecoach livery it was on an S prefix number plate but I did not get the fleet number.
They are still doing The North West Explorer ticket which is what I used purchasing it from the driver on the Arriva 85 in Newcastle. The price of the North West Explorer this year is £10.50 adult and £7.50 child.

Might have been 16776 (S776RVU)?
Ah they were advertising it for £4 earlier this year so was wondering wheter it was still on.

Was out and about today in the Stanley and Gateshead areas, and this is what I done:

#80 1225 Rosehill to Middle Engine Lane 1239 - GNE 567
#309 1245ish Middle Engine Lane to Newcastle Haymarket 1307 - GNE 6108
#X31 1315 Newcastle Eldon Square to Stanley 1355 - GNE 3889
#X43 1400 Stanley to Metrocentre 1425 - GNE 3832
#X66 1430ish Metrocentre to Gateshead 1440 - GNE 5375
#X36 1450 Gateshead to Heworth 1457 - GNE 4842
#X9 1502 Heworth to Gateshead 1510 - GNE 6045
#1 1514 Gateshead to Rosehill 1550 - GNE 6117

Returned from Filey/Scarborough this morning following yesterday's race against my friends. Had my first ride on an East Yorkshire bus, an Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 bodied Volvo B9TL, carrying fleet number 723.

09:15 #120 Primrose Valley - Scarborough Rail Station (723).

It's the first Volvo B9TL/ADL E400 combination I've been on. It seemed to cope with the challenging route quite well. Country roads and steep hills a plenty.

(23 Aug 2014, 5:36 pm)Adam wrote Had my first ride on an East Yorkshire bus this morning:

09:15 Primrose Valley - Scarborough Rail Station (723). A single was £4.75

Was Rod from On The Yorkshire Buses your driver???

(23 Aug 2014, 5:37 pm)Marcus wrote Was Rod from On The Yorkshire Buses your driver???

He works for hull I think.

(23 Aug 2014, 5:39 pm)Tom wrote He works for hull I think.

Oh yeah, forgot. In the first episode he worked a rural service from a different depot, didn't he?

(23 Aug 2014, 5:39 pm)Marcus wrote Oh yeah, forgot. In the first episode he worked a rural service from a different depot, didn't he?

For Hull - he was usually on City work though

(23 Aug 2014, 5:37 pm)Marcus wrote Was Rod from On The Yorkshire Buses your driver???

No it wasn't Rod. Like Tom says, he mainly does Hull's city routes. I didn't recognise the driver I had. (Just reminded is though, I need to catch up on last night's episode).

Edit: I'm pretty sure the rural route Rod done was either the 163 or 164 to Beverley from somewhere, calling at all the little local villages.

(23 Aug 2014, 5:48 pm)Adam wrote No it wasn't Rod. Like Tom says, he mainly does Hull's city routes. I didn't recognise the driver I had. (Just reminded is though, I need to catch up on last night's episode).

Edit: I'm pretty sure the rural route Rod done was either the 163 or 164 to Beverley from somewhere, calling at all the little local villages.

Yeah, I remember that scene where the woman (think she sounded foreign) got on and said 'to Beverley and back' or something? Then Rod said 'oh, a return?'

(23 Aug 2014, 5:40 pm)Tom wrote For Hull - he was usually on City work though

Think it was Elloughton or something? Ill watch the episode back as im sure they say what depot it is.

Edit: Watched it back and it is indeed out of the Elloughton depot.

I may go to the rally at Seaburn tomorrow, anyone know what bus services go up there and where exactly it's on at.

(24 Aug 2014, 1:36 pm)AIG20 wrote Does anyone know whether any Stagecoach and Go North East vehicles will be attending the Seaburn Rally tomorrow?

I don't think it's ever publicly announced. I'm hoping the Merc demo will be there. I know Dan had pointed out that it should have theoretically went back over the weekend, but I'm hoping that's delayed until Tuesday because of it being a public holiday.

I noticed the Alder Valley liveried Bristol VRTLL open top is scheduled to be there. Something a bit different at least. I don't think that the Tyne and Wear bus preservation group have said what they're taking (or if they even are) yet either.

(24 Aug 2014, 1:52 pm)aureolin wrote I don't think it's ever publicly announced. I'm hoping the Merc demo will be there. I know Dan had pointed out that it should have theoretically went back over the weekend, but I'm hoping that's delayed until Tuesday because of it being a public holiday.

I noticed the Alder Valley liveried Bristol VRTLL open top is scheduled to be there. Something a bit different at least. I don't think that the Tyne and Wear bus preservation group have said what they're taking (or if they even are) yet either.

The merc is on the 78 today - definitely hasn't gone back yet.

(24 Aug 2014, 1:52 pm)aureolin wrote I don't think it's ever publicly announced. I'm hoping the Merc demo will be there. I know Dan had pointed out that it should have theoretically went back over the weekend, but I'm hoping that's delayed until Tuesday because of it being a public holiday.

I noticed the Alder Valley liveried Bristol VRTLL open top is scheduled to be there. Something a bit different at least. I don't think that the Tyne and Wear bus preservation group have said what they're taking (or if they even are) yet either.

List of Vehicles which have been entered so far, looks like the same Vehicles as Last Year and the Year Before, Preserved wise.
http://www.nebpt.co.uk/index.asp?pg=3&event=494

(24 Aug 2014, 2:24 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote List of Vehicles which have been entered so far, looks like the same Vehicles as Last Year and the Year Before, Preserved wise.
http://www.nebpt.co.uk/index.asp?pg=3&event=494

Pass...............

Think I may give Seaburn a miss now as most of the buses on that list I've already seen and I Don't want to pay £3 to see them again plus I don't know the area so I'll possibly get lost, will probably still be in the Sunderland area tomorrow though.

(24 Aug 2014, 4:59 pm)Jimmi wrote Think I may give Seaburn a miss now as most of the buses on that list I've already seen and I Don't want to pay £3 to see them again plus I don't know the area so I'll possibly get lost, will probably still be in the Sunderland area tomorrow though.

I've been humming and haring over it most of the day. I kind of want to go in case there's a few surprises turn up, but I reckon if it's a massive let down, it'll kill any enthusiasm I have left these days.

I'll be heading over from Washington, so may get over early, and then at least I've got the rest of the day to play with.

My knees are in great pain so I may not be going out at all yet.

If you were thinking of heading over today, I'd probably save your £3. Stagecoach have brought one gas bus, arriva have brought nowt, and GNE have brought nowt.

(25 Aug 2014, 10:05 am)aureolin wrote If you were thinking of heading over today, I'd probably save your £3. Stagecoach have brought one gas bus, arriva have brought nowt, and GNE have brought nowt.

Glad i didn't go, it seems to get worse of the last few years.....

Least stagecoach brought something...

(25 Aug 2014, 10:07 am)Michael wrote Glad i didn't go, it seems to get worse of the last few years.....

Least stagecoach brought something...

Can't blame them if I'm honest. There's more than enough preserved buses locally without having to be propped up by large operators, to the extent the Metro Centre was in May.

(24 Aug 2014, 2:24 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote List of Vehicles which have been entered so far, looks like the same Vehicles as Last Year and the Year Before, Preserved wise.
http://www.nebpt.co.uk/index.asp?pg=3&event=494

It always is the same vehicles. Why pay to see them when you can go to the Metrocentre, Howlands and other bus events and see most of those buses for nowt?