(13 Jun 2015, 8:12 pm)Malarkey wrote Having decided late last night to go out and about I set my alarm to get up at 8:30am, This plan went out of the window straight away as I didnt feel to great when I woke up, so I instead went back to kip and woke up exactly 3 Hours later feeling much than I did, I got up and got dressed etc and made my to Lambton Village Centre.
A few minutes late 8326 turned up and was my short ride to The Galleries, I boarded 6001 on the X1 which again was a few minutes late and departed The Galleries around 7 to 8 Minutes late, the journey was reasonably quiet for the time of day and the lack of screaming kids and overly loud pubescent teens was just pure bliss compared to recent journeys on the X1 as of late.
Finally we reached Gateshead where I departed and much to my Joy 8334 pulled in behind, I then walked around the corner where Church is across from the Highstreet and across the traffic the lights, with the Sun shining behind me I knew this be good spot to photograph 8334 as it departed on the 52, after a few minutes of waiting 8334 came into view and just as I went to hit the trigger some absolute bellend decided to stand right in front of me obscuring my view and shot of 8334, safe to say I quite furious as I was standing right on the corner of the pavement to, all this dick had to do was go past me to my left and cross the lights like any normal person would do, instead he was ignorant and decided to play with the traffic instead.
Fueled with rage I made my way back into the Interchange and Fueled by Body with some Energy with a Bottle of Lucozade and 2 Greggs Sausage Rolls before making my around to the stand for the 94 which again was late, this time 5224 which was around 7 Minutes late, so Ladies and Gents that completes my Hat-Trick, for the first time ever I can say this happened to me, after weaving our way through traffic down Bensham back we reach the Valley where I departed for look around the Car Show at Gateshead College.
I was quite surprised at the amount of cars in Attendence, No more than 30 I would say, plenty of Ford Focus Cars there mind for my liking, a pleasant surprise was seeing a Ford GT40 parked up, after a few photos I made my way inside where there was an F1 Car Simulator, I would of loved a go of this but there was quite a queue so instead continued to wonder around the college to where I came across former GNE MPD 535, after few more photos I made by way back over to the Bus Stop for the 94 back into Gateshead.
Getting the stop just 2 Minutes before the 94 was due I seen 5226 come into view and head into the Retail Park, with only a minute or so to wait I got my Ticket out, all of 18 Minutes passed after that and the 14:10 94 eventually turned up at 14:28 to take back to Gateshead, 5226 flew up Bensham Bank into Gateshead where again I departed, I have to say these are the Best Wright Solars in the Fleet.
Having missed an Omnidekka on either the X30/X31 as made my over to the Newcastle side of the Interchange, I waited 15 Minutes for the X71 to come, to my disappointment it was 3876 which showed up not that a Lolyne showing up is a bad thing, In all honesty this short journey was superb and 3876 in my opinion would be a great candidate for preservation, it is one of few which has it original Destination Displays and not to be Refurbished or have its seats Reupholstered, Overall a excellent Bus in good condition for its age, after departing 3876 I took a snap of it for the Archives.
After getting off in Eldon Square I made my up to Haymarket to take a few photos before sprinting down John Dobson Street to Photograph 12072 on the 38, after catching my breath I made way over to Market Street where I boarded 8316 to St Lawrence Road, well might was well say St Peter Basin with being the 2nd to last stop on the Q2 Route and being roughly a minutes walk away, around a 10 Minute journey ensued and gave me time to sit back and note some spots for photographs of the Q3 Next Months as I had never been on the Q2 to its Terminus before, as I more often use the Q1 out of the Quaylink Services.
I then made my down the Bank to the Terminus when at Half way down 8314 passed me and I just managed to grab a quick shot of it also, I then took a light jog to catch 8314 before it pulled away as I really didny fancy waiting 10 Minutes at this point, an extremely short ride went by smoothly to Manners Walk where I departed and waited for the next Q2 to come so I could get yet another Photo.
After 8313 went I made way over the Millennium Bridge to the Baltic to catch the 16:44 Q1 back into Gateshead, after 2 Minutes 8337 passed with another unidentified Quaylink Versa towards Central Station I had a feeling I was going to be waiting a while for the one of the two if not both to come back together, after 22 Minutes of waiting in the Rain I boarded 8337 where the Driver was discussing the upcoming Quaylink/Orbit changes with and Elderly Passenger, just before departing 8337 I asked the driver why he was late, in which he replied he was on time but the 2 Q1s in front of him were late and terminated at Central Station and ran light back to Gateshead to be back on time upon departing, one Versa passed us we came up Gateshead High Street and the other was on the Layover.
As a result of the discussion I had with the driver I missed the 17:15 X1, so I had to wait for the next one, bang on time at 17:25 6002 came into sight and much like my journey on 6001 earlier it went by blissfully, after this I nipped into Asda for some scran before getting on 8323 back home.
My Journeys Today
12:05 - 2 - 8326 - Lambton Village Centre to Washington Galleries
12:14 - X1 - 6001 - Washington Galleries to Gateshead Interchange
13:07 - 94 - 5224 - Gateshead Interchange to Team Valley
14:05 - 93 - 5226 - Team Valley to Gateshead Interchange
15:15 - X71 - 3876 - Gateshead Interchange to Newcastle Eldon Square
16:06 - Q2 - 8316 - Market Street to Saint Lawrence Road
16:28 - Q2 - 8314 - St Peters Basin to Manners Walk
16:44 - Q1 - 8337 - Baltic to Gateshead Interchange
17:25 - X1 - 6002 - Gateshead Interchange to Washington Galleries
18:25 - 2 - 8323 - Washington Galleries to Lambton Village Centre
Better late than ever Malarkey