After hearing my alarm buzzing, I woke up and began the usual procedure of cleaning my teeth, brushing my hair, putting my clothes on and making my bed, before I got all of my equipment for the day ready and left the house at around 08:40. I was along at my grandma's for 08:45, where my uncle and her were sitting in the conservatory talking. They were surprised to see me this early, and after hanging around for a while, we left at 08:55. It was drizzling slightly, and the dampness caused by the rain was pretty evident as we walked to the bus stop. Reached the stop at bang-on 09:00, and talked for a while before he said he could see a green bus coming around the roundabout. Sure enough, a 78 was heading towards the stop, as I had been facing away from the direction it was coming down Ropery Lane I had not seen it. Running a couple of minutes early, we boarded 5399 and I asked for a Get Around. After receiving my ticket, he handed over his scratch card, and a 3+ zones Buzzfare came out of the ticket machine. Took our seats next to each other towards the rear, at my favoured spot in a Streetlite. As we passed through Great Lumley, Bournmoor and Shiney Row, he pointed out things he recognised from his childhood, referencing that Shiney Row's shutters are always down in shops but not in it's people...that might take a bit of working out, but it's a sexual joke. True enough, quite a lot of the places in Shiney Row looked desolate. As we continued through Penshaw, Hastings Hill, etc., the 78 started to fill up. Don't quote me on it, but I'm positive that Peter Barclay boarded somewhere on Chester Road, about 5 or so minutes before Sunderland City Centre.
After we disembarked in Park Lane, I asked my uncle if he would like to have a ride to Houghton-le-Spring, to see how it had all changed since he was last there (think he said he hadn't been back since his parents died over 10 years ago, he's resided in London for about 30 years). Our ride was Scania 4970, slightly less luxurious than the brand new 5399, but a pleasant journey nonetheless. He pointed out quite a few things on the route to Houghton-le-Spring, sitting at the very back looking out of the windows on both sides. My uncle pointed out lot of things regarding pubs that he used to visit when he was younger, along with other now long-gone things. Once we'd arrived in Houghton-le-Spring, we alighted on the main front street, and walked along to the church. After making it to the main bus interchange, in the now dreadful weather, we waited for around 5 minutes, before a ''Red Arrows'' B9TL came into sight. I told him that this passed through his old home of Newbottle, and he asked if we could have a ride through to wherever it went. I happily obliged, and we boarded the very quiet X1 service. I was genuinely surprised at how quiet this ride was – don't know if it was the weather putting people off going out, but for 10:20 on a Saturday morning, I was confused as to why there were only half a dozen people upstairs, and the lower saloon was only half full. Normally at this time they are packed heading to Washington from Houghton-le-Spring and before, in my experience anyway! Passing through Newbottle, he pointed out the old primary school, which now appeared to be closed and pretty derelict. Rather interesting, was the old Philadelphia bus depot that he showed me. Had no idea that that was it, lol.
Once 6006 arrived at Washington Galleries, we alighted. The time was 10:37, so we headed up into the Galleries to kill some time. A ''Whey Aye Five 0'' OmniCity was arriving, with a rather large queue, so we passed on that one and went inside. Still awful outside, we made our way to Costa for a break. Was pretty quiet, so while he ordered, I chose two nice armchairs facing each other with a small table separating them. A couple of minutes later, he brought our beverages across. A hot chocolate for me, and a cappuccino for him; ordinarily, I would pay, but he insisted, so...hehe. The time was 10:50 by this point, and a long conversation on his life in London ensued, before I realised the time was 11:05. Our drinks were still unfinished, so I said we could pass on the 11:09 #50 back to Chester-le-Street and get the 11:22 #8 back instead, so he could ride yet another of the new Streetlites. After finishing up about 5 minutes later, we were back in the bus station at the Galleries for 11:15. We took advantage of some seats in the rather quiet bus station (the morning felt really quiet in some places!), and continued our conversation. All of a sudden, a ''Coast & Country'' Streetlite flew past us, and into the stand for the 8 to Stanley. Surprise, surprise, it was very quiet inside. A couple of minutes early too, so we sat on 5395, our bus was this journey, for a few minutes before departing with a load of around 10 people. In the same seating position as last time, we discussed the latest political news regarding the general election; before we knew it, we were in Chester-le-Street. I've always liked the 8 route between Washington and Chester-le-Street, I think it's because of some of the seemingly scenic stretches of road it travels along between the two locations. The time was 11:41, and my uncle was to be meeting my dad at a pub to watch the football match at 12:00; as the pub was near the top of Front Street – we decided to further milk his day ticket by hitching a lift up there. I was intending to head through to Durham as it was, so this was a perfect coincidence when an ''Angel'' B5 on the 21 to Durham appeared. We joined the short queue to bo ard, and he alighted at the Black Horse, after thanking me for the morning out. He made his way to meet my dad, and we carried on to Durham, with ''Angel'' 6060 being the vehicle operating this run. Listened to my music, and let the pleasant ride to Durham angelically fly by (I'm sorry).
After disembarking 6060, I headed up to the top of the North Road roundabout. The lighting seemed adequate, so I took a few photos of buses entering/exiting the bus station on North Road. Unfortunately, only a few came out decent after further inspection. By 12:30, I realised that the 128 would be due soon; so I contacted citaro5284 to ask what was allocated to today's service. He informed me that it would be red Streetlite 5401, which I was pleased about, having not yet rode a red example, with no branding. I imagine Greg in Weardale would have also enjoyed this, with no branding covering the windows...haha. Once I'd sighted it heading up to the railway station, I made my way down into the bus station for it to come back down. Minutes later, it showed; I was the only passenger to board at this point, so I had the entire bus to myself. Being a routinely person, I chose to sit at my favourite spot. 5401 really struggled to reverse out of Durham's stand; not sure if this is standard on Streetlites, having just started to ride them regularly recently. Keep stopping, then changing gears, then reversing again, then stopping in the same cycle for longer than one would expect. A father and son boarded at Millburngate, alighting in Sacriston, where I continued to have 5401 all to myself. After hopping off at Beamish, I took a few photos of 5401, before it departed back to Durham, and my ''Waggonway'' 28 service came into sight. A ''Waggonway'' branded Solar was operating this run, which made me happy – I rarely use the 28/28A services, and whenever I have in recent months, it has been a corporate liveried Solar as opposed to a branded vehicle.
Yet another nice trip, even if it did get quite crowded throughout this ride. A couple of passengers were picked up in High Handenhold, a further handful in Pelton, and then about a dozen in Ouston. Further passengers boarded in Birtley, and again in Wrekenton and down Old Durham Road; I recall there were a couple of standees by the time we reached Gateshead Interchange. A few seats became freed up by the handful who alighted here – then the bus lost half of it's load on John Dobson Street, a similar number on Blackett Street; so when we entered Eldon Square, there was myself and about 5 other passengers aboard. Quite enjoyed 4958, the engine noise of a Wright Solar has always been one of fascination to me. I've rode plenty in my time, but it's as if some, particularly those on the ''Loop'' services have a DAF-like noise inside them, which I obviously love, haha.
With plenty of B10BLEs cropping up on the Deptford-ran 36 service to Chester-le-Street, it was still something of a Wright Renown-free area. Saddens me somewhat, as they were permanent fixtures for many, many years. I was most happy, that after waiting in Eldon Square for a few minutes, a red Volvo appeared on Percy Street. A check of the destination told me it was operating the ''Toon Link'' 11 service to Blackhall Mill. Turned out to be Riverside's 4910, once branded as the ''Soccerbus''. Boarded last, and we set off. Everything seemed fine; until we hit The Gate, some terrible congestion in this area of Newcastle today. Took us around 10 minutes from this point to actually cross the Tyne!! However, I was just happy to be on a Renown, and we reached Blaydon around 15 minutes after crossing the bridge over the Tyne. While on 4910, I saw 3818 on the 97, so I timed it so I could catch up with the Olympian at the MetroCentre. However, I just decided to get the first Renown that passed through back to Newcastle. The first bus to the MetroCentre that passed through Blaydon Bus Station was 6076 on the 10 from Hexham. A ten minute journey, where we hit yet more congestion, but reached the MetroCentre before long. Sat at the rear downstairs, this journey was very quiet for a bus to Newcastle from Hexham; I would have thought it would be a bit busier than 5 people in the lower saloon, and an unknown number upstairs.
I alighted at the MetroCentre, as planned, before watching 6076 depart for Newcastle. Luckily for me, the oldest B10 in the Go North East fleet, 4841 (R841 PRG) came in on a 31, moments later. I boarded and overheard the drivers, who were changing over, talking about the control room telling the new driver to take it easy as he was going to encounter massive delays in Newcastle city centre with police all over apparentely. I winced at the idea of being stuck in yet more traffic, even considering to just get off and hop on an X66 to Gateshead, but for some reason something told me to stay with what I was going with. Don't know what it was, but after experiencing around 5 minutes of traffic coming out of the MetroCentre – we absolutely flew into Newcastle on 4841! One of the best rides of the day, no questions asked. Just Volvo/Wright combination at it's best.
Back in the city centre, we experienced very little traffic. I saw Olympian 3823 leaving on a 46 on Newgate Street, which was a bummer. Moments later, on Percy Street, 3830 leaving on the X71 to Consett also, which further added to my annoyance. However, I was pretty exhausted by this point (yes, sitting on buses all day can drain your energy somewhat!!) so just decided to get the next 21/X21/X25, etc back to Chester-le-Street. The time by this point was 15:35, and another Olympian was entering on a 46, 3822. I just couldn't be bothered, so I opted to board 6058, a Durham-bound 21 pulling into the stand. Causing some confusion was 3862, which had broken down in it's stand at Eldon Square, meaning buses were using unfamiliar stands and leaving everyone a bit confused. A rather uneventful ride back to Chester-le-Street on 6058, just sat at the rear upstairs listening to my music. After alighting in Chester-le-Street, I went for some shopping before the next Durham-bound 21 appeared, 6060 for the second time today, which after a quick driver changeover, dropped me off at my local stop just minutes later.
A log of the day, if you failed to keep reading;
09:09 #78 – Chester-le-Street Durham County Cricket Ground to Sunderland Park Lane Interchange – GNE 5399
09:50 #20 – Sunderland Park Lane Interchange to Houghton-le-Spring Town Centre – GNE 4970
10:19 #X1 – Houghton-le-Spring Church to Washington The Galleries Bus Station – GNE 6006
11:19 #8 – Washington The Galleries Bus Station to Chester-le-Street South Burns – GNE 5395
11:48 #21 – Chester-le-Street Front Street to Durham Bus Station – GNE 6060
12:47 #128 – Durham Bus Station to Beamish Museum Main Entrance – GNE 5401
13:17 #28 – Beamish Museum Main Entrance to Newcastle Eldon Square Bus Station – GNE 4958
14:21 #11 – Newcastle Eldon Square Bus Station to Blaydon Bus Station – GNE 4910
14:50 #10 – Blaydon Bus Station to MetroCentre Transport Interchange – GNE 6076
15:04 #31 – MetroCentre Transport Interchange to Newcastle Eldon Square Bus Station – GNE 4841
15:47 #21 – Newcastle Eldon Square Bus Station to Chester-le-Street Front Street – GNE 6058
16:42 #21 – Chester-le-Street Front Street to Chester-le-Street Clifford Terrace – GNE 6060
This took me as many as 3 hours to write, so I seriously hope this is worth it!
Hope everyone enjoyed reading. 
Marcus