Following the discovery of Scarlet Band's "The Pink Bus" being debranded I thought I'd see what was out on the peak time only 16A Newton Aycliffe - Darlington but left the house a bit late so had to head to Burnhill Way to see what turned up, it was one of the ex Rossendale Solos this morning but sadly failed to get a photo as a cyclist was coming down the road at the same point as the 16A so I didn't get the shot, so I just crossed the road for my 7 to Durham.
0844 7 Newton Aycliffe, Burnhill Way - Durham Bus Station (ANE 1522)
Was hoping for an Enviro I'll be honest this morning but as it was a Belmont run this is what I ended up with. Only one other passenger on-board plus another Arriva driver when I got on. As you may have seen earlier in the Arriva Latest thread at the traffic lights at Nevilles Cross where the 7 turns right to head down towards Durham Bus Station the lights for straight on were green and we were going right meaning the bus went through the light on red and it wasn't just a few seconds before it turned green I mean it was red and straight on light was green throughout this illegal turn, thankfully nothing was coming the other way as if there had been it would have smashed straight into it. So thank you stupid moron for making an illegal move and putting your passengers lives at risk I will be complaining as this should not be happening as I don't know about the rest of you but dying is not something I want to be part of my outing today
0941 128 Durham Railway Station - Beamish Museum (GNE 4897)
Decided to get the 128 from the train station as I had no idea what was going to turn up as I thought the spare StreetLite's would be required on the Red Kites so was slightly worried a Solo SR was going to turn up but thankfully I got to see this turn up although the driver took a wrong turn and ended up going in the car park. After reversing out of the car park it came to the bus stop (after some more reversing as it is too big to swing straight round onto the stop. Me and another guy boarded here, the guy was asking some questions about my camera nothing bad just how I use it, settings etc. Glad I boarded at the Railway Station as a fair few boarded the bus in Durham Bus Station and another family jumped on at Millburngate. An OAP boarded in Sacriston and got off a few stops later. Quite enjoyed my ride on this probably enjoyed this more than the usual allocation of the StreetLite especially as the B10s probably don't have much longer left. Unfortunately the 128 was late and we ended up arriving at Beamish Museum just as the 28 was pulling out, damn! so I had to wait 30 minutes for the 28A to Newcastle.
Got a shot of 128 leaving Beamish Museum (on my Flickr) and walked up the hill leaving the Museum and I didn't complain about it unlike some on here
Most of the photos I took weren't great hence why they didn't make it onto Flickr.1050 28A Beamish Crossings - Newcastle, Eldon Square Bus Station (GNE 4959)
After having to kill half an hour after missing the 28 I got this and the last passenger on-board got off at this stop so I got my pick of seats on the bus so I ended up picking the seats with the backwards facing seats facing towards you. I thought we were never going to get out of that junction at Pelton, we must have been there a good 2-3 minutes before we got through. The bus started to fill up as we got closer to Newcastle and I felt my seat selection was a bit of a mistake as three men who seemed to be rugby fans sat with me although this actually didn't bother me too much as they weren't bothering me or anything. Just after we left Gateshead Interchange I saw Yellow Bus Olympian 3825 which annoyed me, then I checked my phone to see Marcus had sent me a PM saying that 3825 was on the X70. I then jumped off the 28A in Eldon Square and headed some provisions (Greggs corned beef pasty and a bottle of Pepsi and a bottle of 7Up in Poundland).
After lunch I got a few photos on Percy Street by the bridge thing but the sun wasn't best here so I decided to head up to where buses enter Haymarket Bus Station for some photos and thankfully MAX X14 Omnicity 4659 turned up not long after I got here which made me happy as I haven't got any of Ashington's Omnicitys and was especially happy for it to be this one as it is now X14 branded rather than X15 branded. Took a few more photos before spotting something yellow...
1230 X70 Newcastle, Eldon Square Bus Station - Gateshead Interchange (GNE 3822)
I headed to Eldon Square to catch this so I took my place in the queue and Marcus appeared behind me so we both jumped on this. As mentioned in Marcus' review we started talking and ended up talking about Olympians and this kid with his mam herd us and gathered Marcus was an enthusiast, he started asking if there was any Olympains out today and Marcus gave him the whereabouts of 3825 and he started talking to him and he asked if he was Marcus and then Marcus pointed me out to him. Before we knew it we were at Gateshead where Marcus was going to depart the bus along with the kid and his mam so because 3825 was possibly going to be on the 1400 X71 from Newcastle and as I only had 3822 last Monday I decided that I'd also jump ship at Gateshead.
We headed to the other side of the Interchange to get a bus back into Newcastle where we were going to get a Lolyne on the X30/X31 but there was a woman with I think it was a pushchair who ended up talking to the driver and we got bored of waiting for her to get off so we got the X12.
1243 X12 Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle, Eldon Square Bus Station (ANE 1442)
Not a great deal to say about this journey just the conversations continued and before we knew it we were back in Newcastle.
1300 43 Newcastle, Haymarket Bus Station - Regent Centre (ANE 4520)
Headed to the Haymarket looking to get something up to Regent Centre and this was in so we got this which was a good call as I have never been on one of Arriva's examples before so it was nice to finally get a ride on one. Quite a nice bus and I enjoyed my short journey on this and continued to chat amongst ourselves until we reached Regent Centre.
1315 X15 Regent Centre - Newcastle, Haymarket Bus Station (ANE 7511)
This was the first thing that turned up heading back to Newcastle so me and Marcus jumped on this while the kid John I think his name was waited for something else, it's a while since I have been on a 57 reg Enviro 400 so was actually kind of pleased to get this. Continued to talk to talk to Marcus about things including the interior and what many peoples reactions to the interior would be. I think I saw one of the refurbished Sapphire Enviro 400's on the X18 go past in the opposite direction. Didn't think this example was that bad.
When we got back to Newcastle we hung around Haymarket for a bit and then tried to get a few photos although they didn't turn out great. We then headed back over to Eldon Square so Marcus could wait for the X12 back to Chester and so I could wait for the X71, the kid came back just as Marcus was about to get on the X12 so I said bye to Marcus and saw my X71 pulling in so me along with John? jumped on that.
1400 X71 Newcastle, Eldon Square Bus Station - Consett Bus Station (GNE 3825)
3825 was indeed still on the X71 so I jumped on-board and got the front seat with all the leg room and the kid also joined me on this journey although he got off in Gateshead. I continued onto Consett on this and we got stuck in traffic somewhere along the route. Quite enjoyed this journey although there was a slight squeaking noise which was a little annoying but other than that it was alright although it wasn't the fastest of Volvo Olympians I have been on it had to be said.
Hovered around Consett Bus Station and I was going to see what turned up on the 1515 15 to Durham but waited and waited and was beginning to think it wasn't going to turn up until finally at around 1535 the 15A appeared and was a Yellow Bus too, it pulled onto the stand nearest the entrence and let all the passengers off and sat there for a few minutes before pulling onto the stand.
1545 15 Consett Bus Station - Durham Bus Station (GNE 3831)
Half an hour late but I was not too bothered as it was a Volvo Olympian. Was actually even happier as it was on the 15 as I have not done the 15 to/from Consett before I don't think apart from the other week when a President would do a top speed of 15mph and the driver threw in the towel at Lanchester although we didn't actually do the whole 15 route this afternoon as there apparently was a serious RTC according to Go North East's Facebook page which closed much of the road towards Lanchester so we got diverted which gave something even more special to the journey. I loved this bus was very quick this one I thought especially on the road from Lanchester to Durham so far it has to be my favourite Go North East Volvo Olympian and was sad to have to get off in Durham although I had to as it left Not in Service once we got to Durham. A total WTF moment was when I saw a Diamond Citaro go past in the opposite direction on the 15 near Witton Gilbert.
Spent some what must be said a rather long time in Durham getting photos as I was waiting for 1595 on the X12 and hoping the Diamond Ciatro would come back on the 15/15A but sadly it didn't. Annoyingly I missed 1425 on service 7 in Durham so I was trying to figure out where it would be and when.
1752 7 Durham Bus Station - Chilton (ANE 1516)
Jumped on this and tried to work out where 1425 would be for a photo of it. Not much else of interest to say as it was nice ride as usual and got a bit of a thrash in places and got off in Chilton for a photo of 1425.
I made an error and the journey I thought 1425 was on was actually an Enviro. Annoying the camera ended up in manual focus mode which meant the shot I took was very blurry and annoying the service I tried to snap was the evening service 35A operated by Scarlet Band which I don't think I've ever seen any photos of the service on Flickr so I am gutted to have failed to get that, guess I'll have to get it again some other time. 1425 turned out to be on the journey behind the one I thought it was on and thankfully got a photo of it.
1838 7 Chilton Library - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 1514)
Third 7 I've been on today and annoyingly another Pulsar, I do like the Sapphire 7 Pulsars but I do get sick of riding them all of the time so do hope to get an Enviro especially as I had Pulsars yesterday too. Not a great deal to say nice enjoyable journey browsed the WiFi and before I knew it I was at my stop.
Well I spent far too long typing this review so I hope you made it to the end as it is incredibly long, was good to see Marcus again and is always good to meet a new face.
Hope you enjoyed reading and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, I am going to spend the remainder of mine with cramps in my wrist after typing this and Flickr descriptions
