(28 May 2016, 11:09 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Had a trip to Cumbria and Western Northumberland today, Just a quick review but it'll doGreat review and on your point about the pulsar speed the last two times I have been on the 85 I have had 1408 (not MAXED, also good because 4660-4662 and 4664 are rubbish the only bad omnicities)
A quick 5 Minute Walk to My Local Metro
Journey 1 Brockely Whins - Haymarket 4008B
What a shed, Had Wheelflats on both axles and lights were loose and banging against the cases, Its Compressor was also Defective and barely ran during the journey.
Also noted how grim and Filthy it was, It clearly didn't receive any sort of clean through the night.
Also noted was how the Metrocar was on its B-End, Which is usually the end sandwiched in the middle with another Metrocar.
Was happy to be off this Metrocar and made my way up to the exit, Through Haymarket Bus Station and into Eldon Square.
Journey 2 Eldon Square Bus Station - Hexham Bus Station, Go North East Scania L94UB - Wright Solar 5232.
Not the best Scania at Hexham, 5233 takes that spot, Though still a pleasant journey.
Traffic as usual throughout Denton and Westgate Road though we got up to 60 Mph on the A69, Which is what these batch of Scania's are limited too.
Two Italian Tourists who were on my bus went off onto the AD122 shortly after arriving at Hexham
Things noted was after the Bus came off the A69 at Heddon, The driver engaged Gear 3 Hold on the Dashboard, Which is now disabled in some Solars in the Fleet.
This is what is officially classed as kickdown in this Gearbox, Scania's Cant kickdown when D is engaged, 1 has to be selected, Before manually changing to 2 at 2200 RPM, A 3 Button is featured in Scania's 2004 up, Due to having HP-5 Ecomats instead of HP4s, Which are found in Solar's 2003 older.
A quick pop to Greggs and a few photos in Hexham and then my 3rd Bus of the Day came.
Journey 3 Hexham Bus Station - Brampton Market Place, Arriva North East VDL SB200 - Wright Pulsar 1495
Took my seat at the very back on this Very Busy ( And Delayed ) Pulsar, Eat my Dinner for the first 20 Minuets and then enjoyed the views and the noise of the Voith DIWA-5 and Cummins ISBe Combo working hard underneath my seat.
Despite having a Restricted Voith Gearbox, It still works exceptionally well on Hills, Doing what it should do, It upshift's to 3rd before straight away downshifting back to 2nd and locking until around 1800 RPM When it upshifts back to 3rd and in this case, immediately upshifting again to 4th as the hill was cleared with ease.
Recommend this route to everyone, Tons of scenery, Long Fast Sections and a Variety of Bus Types used.
Encountered 5 types of Bus used on the 85/685 today, VDL SB200 , Scania CN94UB Omnicity , Enviro 300 Integral , MAN 18.240 Enviro 300 and E20D Enviro 200.
Got into Brampton 40 Minuets later and got a few photos from different angles of the Pulsar before it set off on the rest of its run to Carlisle.
Due to the Pulsar being late all the way through the route, I had only 12 Minutes to wait in Brampton before my next 685 came in, In the form of Enviro 200 37121.
Journey 4 Brampton Market Place - Carlisle Bus Station, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire ADL E20D / Enviro 200 37121
Was hoping for one of the Slimline Solo's which are apparently allocated to the short 685's, But never mind.
Got a photo of this too in Brampton and I'm going to upload it to Flickr tomorrow
Got to around 50 Mph on the A69 and was hitting nearly 2400 RPMs at that point, Which shows how Cheap and Tatty this Voith DIWA-5 ECO is.
Past a Unidentified native MAN E300 heading back to Newcastle,
Before I knew it I had arrived into Carlisle Bus Station, With a Volvo Olympian Alexander RL greeting me in the set down bay.
Walked around Carlisle and the Station to get photos of various buses and was hoping trains ( Though I forgot about the engineering works near oxenholme )
Had around a Hour in Carlisle before returining to the Bus Station for the same Pulsar back to Haltwhistle.
Journey 5 Carlisle Bus Station - Haltwhistle Market Place, Arriva North East VDL SB200 1495.
Pretty much the same as the journey earlier, And too my amusment mostly the same passengers too!
The Voith worked its ECO Magic over the Pennines and flew past Greenhead before getting stuck behind a VERY Slow car just before Haltwhistle.
I alighted at the stop before the Market Place and walked to the Railway Station.
Somehow managed to spend 2 and a Half hours in the same place without planning it.
Missed the 135 to Birdoswald so waited for it to come back to head to Alston and onto Hexham as the X81.
Journey 6 Haltwhistle Train Station - Alston Townhead, Go North East Optare M925SR / Optare Solo 668
What a Route! Honestly people need to rethink the 689 as their favourite route as this overtakes it by far.
Mostly Distanced apart Hamlets with Dales on Dales, Everytime I'm near that area, I try to guess which dale the Settle and Carlisle Route is located in-between.
Small Country Lanes with passing places every few miles, With me only seeing 8 Cars on the whole 1 and a bit long route. Better than the AD122.
On my arrival into Alston the Friendly Driver departs straight away as the X81 to Hexham, Leaving no time for a photo in Alston, Which was a shame but can easily be done again.
Journey 7 Alston Townhead - Hexham Bus Station , Go North East Optare M925SR / Optare Solo 668
Bit more open roads than the 681, Just like how I imagine the A66 over the Pennines to be when it was a 1 lane road ( with very little traffic )
Lovely route though the 681 wins it for me.
Had a cat with the driver, And he said on most days he only collects around £2 Cash FaresWhich doesn't seem promising.
After arriving at Hexham, My Dad picked me up as he was in the area and we went home.
Photos will be gradually uploaded to Flickr. Heres one so far https://www.flickr.com/photos/140662069@...ed-public/
Hope you enjoy and hope you enjoyed my review
Have a good weekend
STL
and it screams between Corbridge and Horsley and I was on it late at night last time with an open road and empty bus, I thought at one point the bus would give up!