This day has been one of the worst trips I've ever had, from ignorant passengers, to those taking sodding ages to do anything/go anywhere to missing three buses, also just generally being fed up. As such I won't be adding a lot of comments in (just the positive ones) - here's just a log of what I've done today.
1034 685 Brampton to Carlisle Bus Station - 27142
I originally got mixed up between the times for the 'short' 685 to/from Brampton and the normal one to/from Newcastle. 27142 turned up on an ex-Newcastle, with only a few seats remaining at the front (sideways ones). Was an alright journey, not a lot of people annoyed me on this! Got to Carlisle around 3 minutes late where I was planning a +4 min connection onto a 554 to Keswick. Luckily I made this!
1100 554 Carlisle Bus Station to Keswick Bus Station - 34704
All 554s I've seen recently have been operated by Tridents; however the vehicle sitting in the 554 stand blinded up was 34704; a previous Carlisle city bus. I didn't have a massive amount of options to do otherwise so I went ahead and boarded. Sat right at the back on the nearside.
This journey wound me up no end. There was a couple generally possessing an irritating presence (the type of people you know you don't want to be near). I forgot the journey until just after Wigton went 'around the houses' into small villages etc - this quite annoyed me too! But by far the most vexing thing on this was the sheer heat from the bus; normally not a problem but nearly everyone was sat with coats and jackets on (lady in front having at least 3 layers at first). Yet not ONE person decided it'd be a good idea to open a window! I wasn't far from feeling sick/queasy by the end of the trip.
Got to Keswick and noticed an ex-London open-top Trident sat blinded up for the 78 to Seatoller; a route I've still needed prior to now. I noticed the driver fidgeting (a good sign he was ready to leave soon) however every single old fogie decided to push in front of me to get off and take bloody ages! Therefore, once I had alighted, the 78 had departed. To be truthful I was about ready to knock an old woman on the head.
Disgruntled I headed over to the co-op (with their very uninspiring sandwiches on offer) and got a Tuna Sweetcorn sandwich with a bag of Golden Wonder crisps (only 30p) with a chicken cocktail and ketchup thing and a bottle of 'Smart Water' (I used to think this was applied to copper to prevent thieves stealing it). Apparently it's vapour distilled with added electrolytes - more water in it than standard bottles for the same price! I then walked back to the bus station to await the arrival of the inbound Seatoller.
1230 78 Keswick Bus Station to Borrowdale Hotel - 17489
To my relief it was another LX51 plated open-top Trident; this time in the guise of 17489. I sat near to the back on the top deck to get some fresh air. My lunch was disgusting quite frankly although I still ate it to keep my strength up. Was quite a pleasant journey; there was one weirdo sat on the centre back seat with glasses on and looked... motionless. I got to the Borrowdale Hotel (gorgeous scenery around here) where we waited for a good 5 minutes. I headed downstairs and asked if we met the other bus here. The driver replied that we did but he was running a bit late. Over the top of the hill appeared the other Trident so I alighted 17489 and crossed the road to board a pretty much empty 17495 - the one I missed earlier.
1300 78 Borrowdale Hotel to Keswick Bus Station - 17495
As mentioned, this bus was pretty much empty. There were two people sat downstairs and no-one upstairs, so I sat right at the back on the nearside (open-top part again). Top tip, don't do this if you're intending on eating any sort of food. The amount of branches I had forced in my face wasn't rather nice; I was forced to duck every time a leaf appeared in the distance!
I must say, this is definitely the better vehicle of the two. The amount of thrash and noise this one gave was unreal; it was a lot nippier than the other one as well!
1326 555 Keswick Bus Station to Windermere Rail Station - 18326
I landed in Keswick Bus Station again (a place which I'm liking less and less now) and, after just missing my ex-beast 27767 on the X4 to Workington, I waited for either another X4/X5 or the 555 as my next jolly. Along came a fully adverted 18326 on the 555. I boarded this and sat on the very back seat on the lower deck on the offside. Soon enough we were out of Keswick. I absolutely loved this bus; definitely the highlight of the day - the amount of kickdowns it was giving (sometimes downhill too) was unreal! At one point I counted 7 kickdowns in 30 seconds. Weren't massive screamy and shouty ones but it was rather entertaining!
The plan was originally to go to Lancaster to then get the train back to Carlisle. However I realised I had to make the 2012 bus back (that was the last one before 2330) and would arrive in Lancaster at 1612 (this was the journey every hour that went along the back roads through Carnforth etc instead of fast via the M6) - just under 3 hours! I then thought about Lancaster, bus to Kendal then the 41/41A to Oxenholme however I then realised the last 41 from Kendal to Oxenholme left at 1715 (!!!!!!) so that was scrapped. The train meant a 40 min wait at Oxenholme too, sod that.
I therefore bailed at Windermere, having still needed the railway line from here to Oxenholme, and bought a ticket for the next departure from the station.
1441 1N32 Windermere to Oxenholme - 185102 (TPE)
185102 appeared to then form 1N32 to Preston. After a quick pic, I boarded the service. After a rather nice journey, I got into Oxenholme. I then bought a ticket for the next-but-one service to Carlisle and waited for it, taking a few pics in the meantime.
1528 1S66 Oxenholme to Carlisle - 350408 (TPE)
350408 arrived a minute or two late, then we were underway. I was sat in the pantograph coach and most seats were occupied; there was an American couple trying to take pictures of every single fell we passed but generally a civilised journey. Got to Carlisle then walked outside to get the next Solo SR on a city service.
1618 61 Carlisle, Courts to Morton Park to Carlisle, Crescent - 47961
47961 was the next vehicle of interest; on a service 61 to Morton Park. Having recently only been on the 61A service (serving a different area) it'd be good to have a ride on this. Quite a nice little trip really, we followed another Solo SR on the 62 for a few hundred metres before heading back into town.
I headed to the rail station afterwards and seen a few bits and bobs. I then realised I had 5 minutes until the Brampton 685's departure of 1737, so had a brisk walk over (usually takes 3 minutes or so). I got to the bus station to see it was in the stand - I ran over to the stand where I had missed it by 10 seconds and wouldn't be let on. It was 47474 too; my personal favourite Solo! Absolutely livid, I popped to Poundland in the Lanes shopping centre (being their last customer of the day) and bought some mints, Cadbury Crunch shortcake and Superbad DVD (starring Jonah Hill). I walked back over to the bus station, watching two National Express coaches and various other movements. 27141 arrived on an ex-Newcastle but then to my surprise was taken out of service! Two MANviros were left on the stands...
1807 685 Carlisle Bus Station to Brampton - 24122
...and 24122 was the chosen one! We got out of the bus station, and along Warwick Road we stopped and the driver turned the engine off. He said the electrics had messed up (the Stopping sign illuminated for no reason) but we were soon away again. Quite a good journey on this, in my opinion these should replace the horrible ADL E300s we currently have on the 685 - more from an enthusiast's point of view that they're nippy and make cracking noises.
Thanks for reading. Hopefully my next trip won't be as disastrous!
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