(26 Apr 2016, 3:23 pm)Jimmi wrote Better late than never, here's my review from my trip to Saturday:
0705 7 Newton Aycliffe - Durham Bus Station (ANE 7535)
Standard fare for my outings to start on the 7 to Durham. Pretty uneventful journey really, took my seat at the front upstairs and had the upstairs to myself for the full journey, of course being 7535 the charging points didn't work
0824 Durham - Berwick (Virgin Trains East Coast: 43367/43299)
43367 was at the front for this journey with me being booked in coach B which is the quiet coach although the seat reservation card had not being placed in my booked seat but thankfully no-one was sat in it so I took my "reserved" seat. This was supposedly the quiet carriage but it was anything but, people were talking between themselves which was a little irritating but I became really annoyed when we rolled into Newcastle and two people boarded, one of them had a loud annoying voice and said annoying stupid things, first he started shouting to the person he was with that "I CAN'T GO BACKWARDS, I'LL BE SICK" and them started looking for other seats on the train eventually they sat opposite me and for the remainder of my journey he said the most stupid things in his irritating voice, wanted to turn round them to shut the hell up! This carriage had been refurbished, it had a nice interior and the seats were very comfortable.
In Berwick I snapped a few buses most of which belonged to Perryman's including Wrightbus demonstrator StreetLite SN65 OLV which I guess is a loan but there was also some stuff from Arriva, Glen Valley Tours and Travelsure who currently have Holmeswood Coaches Solo YJ56 WTZ. Got a few shots around Berwick before heading back to the rail station to catch my next bus...
1110 267 Berwick Rail Station - Wooler Bus Station (Glen Valley Tours: NA52 NJX)
This Solo provided me with my next leg of the day to Wooler. Although this Solo is now 13 years old it seemed pretty nice internally with most of the seats being high backed fabric seats with seatbelts but there was strangely two Civic 2 seats at the front. This bus despite its age performed rather well especially on the A66, seems just about every Solo I ride is better than the Arriva 08/58 reg examples which I ain't so fond of especially the white Solo at Jesmond. This was quite a nice route with it taking in some nice picturesque villages and some A roads for some thrashing. This was a quiet journey with two other passengers boarding in Berwick and one more boarding not far from Wooler. I then had a cold boring wait for my next bus...
1300 473 Wooler Bus Station - Alnwick Bus Station (Glen Valley Tours: YJ60 KGZ)
Next journey was a Solo SR, was a very steady away journey and the driver/bus was slow and other motorists were not amused by this with overtakes and horns being hooked at the driver. Nice route but the slow speeds made the journey drag on. The Solo SR was quite a nice bus though.
1422 472 Alnwick Bus Station - Amble Fourways (Travelsure: EU06 KOW)
Few shady looking characters hanging round so I stood just outside the bus station to get some photos. Saw Travelsure Solo MX10 DXP on the 418 with some smoke coming from the back wheels but it shortly went back out on the 418, also their lack of screens irritated me, saw this MPD pull onto the stand and couldn't see anything on the screens so I had to confirm whether it was the 472 to Amble which of course it was, so I took my place at the back. Pretty standard MPD journey, was okay but nowt special. Got off in Amble and saw that it did have a destination on the screen but it was quite dim. Annoyingly I just missed MAX X18 branded E400 on the X20 to Newcastle for a photo, managed a few other snaps in Amble before jumping on my next bus.
1535 X18 Amble Fourways - Morpeth Bus Station (ANE 7533)
Next journey was Arriva's MAX X18 branded Enviro 400, took my place at the front upstairs which sadly isn't as spacious as the Sapphire 7 branded examples. Of course there was some interesting scenery although this journey stopped at HMP Northumberland which provided something extra into the journey. Before long we arrived in Morpeth but there was a fair bit of traffic round Morrisons in Morpeth but we arrived on-time. Snapped a few things including the Glen Valley Tours service 710 to Wooler. Thought about catching the 44 but later discovered the last journey was at around 15:44, so that was out so I just went for the next X14.
1637 X14 Morpeth Bus Station - Newcastle Haymarket Bus Station (ANE 7475)
Fortunately for extra variety I got ALX400 7475 for this journey, was not a bad motor this, quite like the seats on this bus as it has a fair bit padding. Quite a busy journey into Newcastle.
1725 45 Newcastle Eldon Square - MetroCentre Bus Station (GNE 54??)
For a different route home to the boring route through Gateshead and Low Fell I decided to head home via the MetroCentre. On this journey one passenger was arguing with the driver over how long a day ticket is valid for. Pretty uneventful journey to the MetroCentre, unfortunately it became eventful at the MetroCentre as a group of kids all tried to board the bus as I was getting off and the surge saw me lose my footing and my foot ended up between the bus and the pavement so I tripped over and I pulled a muscle in my neck so I was stood waiting for my next bus in pain worrying that I had done some serious damage to my neck (it seems fine now).
1755 X24 MetroCentre Bus Station - Durham Bus Station (ANE 7609)
Boarded this still under the impression that something was wrong with my neck. Fortunately it was a quiet journey which I needed after the incident. Would have been a better journey if a Lowlander was on but sadly 7609 is the go to allocation when the X12 has a full MAX X12 branded Gemini allocation.
1845 7 Durham Bus Station - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 151?)
Forgot which example this was I'm afraid. Nothing to say about this journey really as it was uneventful. Was just thankful I was heading home.
So a outing with some good things and bad things. Hopefully my next outing won't have any incidents, not sure what and where the next outing will be although I will be attending the MetroCentre Rally on Sunday.
Thanks for reading.
I rather like travelling backwards!