0920 5 Dandy Cart - Harrowgate Hill, Ashleigh House (Arriva 1509)
To start off this is not my local bus stop but it was where I was starting off today. Was pretty much on-time (makes a change) and because the weather was terrible at this point there was not many on so it made for a quiet relaxing journey... until we got to Shafto House where a chav boarded and sat at the back with the other chav who he appeared to know. That's all I can say about this journey as the remainder of this journey falls outside of the forum rules so I can't say what happened on the rest of the journey (bad language).
0950 X66 Harrowgate Hill, Elmcroft - Middlesbrough Bus Station (Arriva 4655)
With the 5 surprising being early I managed to have a stroll to this stop to catch the X66 to Middlesbrough. Quite enjoyed this journey as I got to use the WiFi to catch up with what was going on the world (wide web) and I got to sit back and relax on this journey. There was a slight issue with the door not wanting to close at times but it was fine.
As I arrived in Middlesbrough 20 minutes earlier than I thought I had some time to get some photos. Stayed here until about 1050 when I went to Greggs for some scran then briefly returned for photos with me mainly getting this shot of 1443 on the X12. Kuyoyo was also in the bus station at this point and is now probably thinking that I am stalking him.
1110 55 Middlesbrough Bus Station - Eston Square (Stagecarriage KX04HRL)
After quickly getting a shot of 1443 I very swiftly headed back into the bus station for this. When I boarded there was only me and two OAPs on which made for a quiet journey although this Solo did have a few rattles and the engine was not exactly quiet on this one so not the best Solo I've been on but still pretty decent. A few more passengers boarded along the route. I alighted at Eston Square where I was going to get a photo of this but I messed it up as the bus went a different way to what I thought it would go so I just waited for my next bus.
1134 63 Eston Square - Redcar Clock (Arriva 1430)
This was my next bus. Certainty not the best bus Pulsar I've been on as it seemed to make a lot of noise but didn't seem to shift as much as you think it should. Not a great deal else to say about this journey although this is considerably newer than most stuff I have ridden on this service in the past including Prestiges and even managed to get a ride on Prisma 3007 which was a beast
1214 X3 Redcar High Street - Saltburn, Station Square (Arriva 1564)
Sick of the sight of StreetLite's this week after riding Go North East's Coast and Country examples the other day but this was realistically the only way of getting to Saltburn so I was stuck with this although I actually don't mind StreetLite's, I don't love them but they are alright. Used the WiFi to browse the net during the course of this journey. Was a nice short ride on this and pretty good scenery although it was rather wet out. Before I knew it I was in Saltburn.
Had around 20 minutes to kill here before my next bus so I took a photo of the X4 heading towards Middlesbrough and also thought I should walk to the train station which is just over the road for a photo of a Class 142 to kill some more time - click here to see that photo.
1255 271 Saltburn, Station Square - Guisborough Market Place (Stagecarriage DE04XEZ)
This was an interesting one. Felt slightly weird sort of felt like a blast back to the Optare Metrorider. I am not sure what to make of this bus as it was a bit rattily and at times it felt slow but felt alright at others. Rather quiet journey as there was only one other passenger on-board. This was quite an intresting route with lots of hills and turns and had some good views out of the window. Then before I knew it I was in Guisborough.
Quickly ran over the road for a shot of DE04XEZ then when I got back onto the other side of the road then this guy came up to me and started asking me questions about my photo taking such as "why are you doing this" "do you have a website or something" and stuff like that but I felt really nervous as he just came out of nowhere and those of you who met me at the North East Bus and Coach Show rally on Monday will probably noticed when the group first came up to me I was rather nervous and I sort of knew you prior to this but I had zero clue who this guy was and didn't exactly have the friendliest looking face so as he asking these questions I was trying to think of replies whilst being incredibly nervous at the same time. It got worse as I was stuttering the answers and sounded really nervous and he picked up on this and started asking why I was sounding nervous and what was wrong with me then left. This may seem like less of a deal to most of you but for me this is a method of torture. Had about another 10 minutes to wait for the 5 and a few minutes before the bus came he came back but thankfully didn't talk to me again.
1326 5 Guisborough Market Place - Middlesbrough Bus Station (Arriva 1551)
Never been so happy to see a StreetLite in my life! Spent much of this journey trying to relax after what happened before this turned up. Also used the WiFi again for most of this journey. As ever it took an age to get through the traffic lights at Brambles Farm but thankfully not many passengers got off before Middlesbrough Bus Station so it made up a bit of time.
1410 45 Middlesbrough Bus Station - Billingham Town Centre (Stagecarriage VAG606R)
My god this was loud! the roar from the engine on this was immense especially as I had decided to sit at the back, even took my headphones out so I could hear the noise (would have struggled to hear what I was listing to on my iPod
). If you think the interior on the MAX Omnicity's look hideous you should see this, pale red flooring with pink seating moquette - ew! although I was not bothered about this, what I was bothered about was the fact the window at the back kept blowing open and the initial response to that was ooh bit nippy! in the end I just my hood up so I couldn't feel the chilly breeze. Quite enjoyed this journey and before I knew it I was at Billingham.1434 52 Billingham Town Centre - Stockton High Street (Stagecoach 27162)
Not really sure which stop most of the buses stop at here and sure enough I waited at the wrong one. Hopped on this to Stockton. Quite like the seats Stagecoach have in most of their buses, it actually seems like it has some padding whereas on most buses these days the seats are very thin and if someone has their legs, feet or knees against the back of the seat I am sat on it gives me a bad back. Not a great deal else to say about this journey as once I again I took advantage of the free WiFi on offer and sure enough before long I was in Stockton.
1522 84 Stockton High Street - North Tees Hospital (Stagecarriage MX14FUH)
Continuing to sample Stagecarriage's offerings I got this from Stockton. Quite a smart bus this was and was nice to see a fair few passengers on-board on this journey. I decided to only go as far as North Tees Hospital as there isn't really any services to change to after here and it didn't really want to go all the way up to Stillington and back so I alighted here.
1546 37 North Tees Hospital - Stockton High Street (Stagecoach 27172)
Not done this section of the 37 before so it was nice to do this route. Again free WiFi, I think you know what I did next. Not a great deal else to say but this was also a nice ride.
1626 X66 Stockton - Harrowgate Hill Roundabout (Arriva 4647)
Was quite tired by this point so was glad to finally be making my way home. I do like the Arriva Omnicity's and although this isn't the best one I still enjoyed my journey on this even though I was a bit tired of riding buses by this point.
1648 7 Harrowgate Hill - Newton Aycliffe Town Centre (Arriva 7537)
Finally an Enviro on the 7. One good thing about the Enviro 400's on the 7 is out of peak times there is loads of seats to choose from so you are less likely to have someone sit next to you and this journey was no different as there was two children sat at the front, a man and a woman behind the stairs and someone sat at the back upstairs. Thought that this was a bit juddery on this journey especially as we got to the Blue Bridge. As we got to Aycliffe Town Centre I was checking the Arriva Live Map to see if service 5A had left but it wasn't been tracked so I had to guess if it had gone or not but it was sat at the town centre as we got there so I decided to risk it and jump off the 7 and onto the 5A to save walking home...
1659 5A Newton Aycliffe Town Centre - Home (Arriva 1507)
... thankfully got to the bus just before the driver shut the doors and drove off. Nothing to say really as it was a really short journey.
Well that was my outing. Some good and some bad came out of this trip.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as it took an absolute age to write and I hope you all managed to read this far.