0643 685 Greenhead to Eldon Square - 27141 (Stagecoach in Cumbria)
Thankfully I had 27141 to take me over vice 27142 today which was a stroke of luck! Not a bad journey really, met up with my grandma for a bit as she was heading off to her part time cleaning job. Got some decent speed out of it too, also went past two red lights (literally red as we passed). In this respect he was a great driver as we got there a tad sooner!!
0830 X20 Haymarket to Ashington Bus Station - 7472 (Arriva)
Seen what was around in Eldon Square and it was just the usual. I decided I was hungry and my mate and I should go to a Wetherspoons for a decent cooked brekkie and coffee. My mate needed three more Spoons in the north east and Ashington was one of them so we decided we'd head up that way. Walked up to Haymarket Bus Station where we found an E400 on the X15 but an ALX400 on the X20. This was the natural choice, especially as I hadn't got this one for haulage previously!
Very good little bus. Gearbox was a bit knackered but the Volvo engine powering along the A1 was pretty neat, when we could get up to any speed that is! (Various cars cutting us up when about to overtake).
Had a gorgeous Large Breakfast (Beans, Toast, Fried Eggs, Sausages, Bacon, Hash browns, mushroom, tomato) and filter coffee for about a fiver. Then popped into the poundstretchers next door for some Jaffa Cakes (my lunch) and a Cadburys Puddles bar. Although for about 16 people in the queue (growing by the minute) they only had one slow and old member of staff on the tills. Some sort of management guy then came along and opened another till before the old guy just seemed to disappear! Won't be going back there any time soon. Not too keen on Ashington anyway, dump!
1000 X21 Ashington Bus Station to Regent Centre - 7508 (Arriva)
Having missed an MPD on the 1 because of the above farce we had to get the X21 back down. Was 7508 and it was a decent bus, think I've been on it before. Only bad thing was how hot it got upstairs; we were sat right at the front and all of the windows are a good few seats back. To make it worse the sun was burning down right on us too! Not to worry, we were going to get back down to Haymarket to find an Omnidekka however I decided to bail at Regent Centre to either get something more decent behind us or get the Metro. Got the Metro as nothing came along!
1105 TWM Regent Centre to Monument - 4004 4071*
Boarded this rather full pair of Metrocars. Got shafted outside South Gosforth (to be expected) but other than that it was a quick run into the city centre. Alighted at Monument and walked up to street level where it was incredibly busy because of the car show on that day. Police everywhere and posh cars around too. Walked up to Eldon Square Bus Station where we'd wait for an Omnidekka.
We walked up to the stand for the imminent X70 however it was 6127, the same one I did with Marcus last time I was on one. Wanted a bit of variety so I flagged this, until something purple appeared down Percy Street!
1130 31 Eldon Square to Dunston, St Omers Road - 4841 (Go North East)
Was a R-PRG registered Renown on the 31! Naturally this brought a smile to my face and we boarded it. I alighted at Dunston, St Omers Road as the sun was perfect for photos and I didn't want to do a boring Metrocentre leap on it! Walked along to Riverside depot whilst getting various pics of buses passing on Handy Drive.
1206 49 Handy Drive (Depot) to Metrocentre - 5282 (Go North East)
A 49 turned up for Winlaton and I flagged it down for the 1-2 minute journey to Metrocentre. Good little vehicle, wasn't busy at all and the driver was a friendly one.
Was rather impressed and happy to see a live stream of the front of the vehicle on the CCTV screen from the forward-facing CCTV camera, rather unique but better than looking at images of the passengers in the saloon!
Alighted at Metrocentre where I needed a drink (bacon made me thirsty) so I looked for a coffee shop however couldn't find one and ended up going to Poundworld and getting a pack of 6 for £1. Carrying these around wasn't easy but I managed!
1222 43 Metrocentre to Stanley Bus Station - 5296 (Go North East)
Waited for something decent to turn up off the railway overbridge and along came a Diamond Citaro on the 43. I decided to go for this as I loved the route we did last time from Durham to Stanley, so I thought it'd be great to get the remainder in from Metrocentre to Stanley. Traffic was busy in Sunniside with the bus three-quarters full. Boy this bus had some power though! The kickdowns were brilliant and well-timed and the bus coped with them great (even in the lower revs it still managed to climb banks pretty well!).
Before I knew it we were in Stanley - the plan here was to find an Omnidekka but, alas, none as we'd just missed one and a Lolyne was on the X30 to Lanchester! We got the next sensible choice ('sensible' taken with a pinch of salt)
1319 8 Stanley Bus Station to Chester-le-Street, South Burns - 5408 (Go North East)
Got this over to Chester to make our way to Durham to enable a chippy move. Power didn't work however the next stop announcements and displays were; absolutely top stuff. Alighted in Chester and, having just missed an X22, we noticed a blue Omnicity heading down Front Street. This was a route I still needed, around the top through Framwellgate Moor and Arnison Centre.
1352 50 Chester-le-Street, Front Street to Durham Bus Station - 5256 (Go North East)
Sat right at the back, again the bus was about two thirds full. Good-ish journey down, nothing special though. Made it to Durham where I headed straight for my favourite chippy.... mmm!!! Had my chips whilst at the roundabout underneath the viaduct and at the top of the bus station where I watched various bus and rail movements (including an Arriva Optare Solo arriving into Durham with X66 Middlesbrough via Stockton on the blinds!!!!)
The next plan was to go to Peterlee to then catch a WTX up to Sunderland and then back over. However I kinda forgot the 22 was Streetlite operated and there was a good bus load of people waiting to board so I gave this a miss. (Would've done it if it was an Ecocity, or better still, Pulsar on!)
1440 265 Durham Bus Station to Hetton-le-Hole Interchange - 574 (Go North East)
Boarded this lovely little MPD on the two sideways seats behind the driving cab. Not much to be said really, good little trip over apart from nearly falling off my seat at a couple of corners on the route.
1503 X1 Hetton-le-Hole Interchange to Easington Lane to Gateshead Interchange - 6051 (Go North East)
Seeing as we'd just missed the previous X1 north, and still needing the X1 route, we boarded 6051 which had just arrived on a Houghton service. Stayed on around the roundabout at the top to then come back up (driver must've thought we were mental). Good little trip and I'm happy this route is now ticked off!
1612 TWM Gateshead to Monument - 4066 4061*
Walked to the Metro station where there were announcements that the service had gone up the wall due to a points failure inbetween Pelaw and Sunderland. Amongst the quiet chaos we boarded the next Metro back up to Newcastle. There were plenty of seats but we decided to stand. A fair few got off at Central Station.
1635 10A Eldon Square to Metrocentre - 6084 (Go North East)
Walked over to the X70/1 stand where we wanted another Omnidekka but, I give up, 6127 was there again on another bloody X70! Not wanting to do this with the precious time we had left, we boarded the spare red B9TL on the 10A to Rockwood Hill. Alighted at Metrocentre, again... this time for a loo break!
1716 X66 Metrocentre to Gateshead - 5391 (Go North East)
Having seen an X66 leave full to the brim, I wasn't too keen on getting one of these over to Gateshead but another one turned up and went to the stand about 2 minutes after and left a quarter full. Great little run along the busway!
1732 Q1 Gateshead to Newcastle Central Station - 638 (Go North East)
Noticed a Nexus-liveried Solo on the Quaylinks earlier today but not thought anything of it. Seen this at the Quaylink stand at Gateshead and immediately went for it as I've only done the Q2 part-route before! Gorgeous little run, absolutely love the Quayside at Newcastle. Seen three Ferrari 458s around which I was drooling at (apologies GNE cleaners!). Alighted at Central Station where I went to see what was around. Seen my first VTEC MkIV set in the flesh (barring 91) then another full liveried set after!
Also seen a pair of DRS 57/3s on the Northern Belle ECS from Castleton Moor (after working from Kings Cross earlier).
Walked up to Eldon Square, where now it was bus-time to go home! Seen 4664 pull in which was a relief.
1845 85 Eldon Square to Hexham Bus Station - 4664 (Arriva)
Good little journey back as I think 4664 is the best of the original Jesmond batch (barring 4663). Had to alight at Hexham to connect with the Carlisle run.
1941 685 Hexham Bus Station to Greenhead - 27141 (Stagecoach in Cumbria)
Was 27141 again. Not to worry as this was a good little bus with a rather fast driver! Not much to be said of this journey either.
Overall yet another cracking day. I could do this more often
Next goal is to get an Omnidekka other than 6127!
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