(26 Nov 2017, 11:10 am)Andreos1 wrote Coincidently, was just thinking the same regarding reviews last night - whilst on a bus, in an unfamiliar area.
Mentally wrote it out in my head incase I decided to write it up.
Not a 'normal' bus review, but thought I would jot down my experiences and thoughts of a trip on a bus, in the dark and in an area I'm not too familiar with.
So, I spent part of the weekend in Manchester. Down there for a wedding, I was taking the little ones and catching up with everyone else during the evening celebrations.
We used the train down to Piccadilly and then jumped on the tram to Bury. Based on costs, availability and the fact we could get a tram straight from the hotel to the wedding venue in the city centre, I suggested we stop out of town, to the rest of group. The suggestion was agreed and the rooms were booked on our behalf.
We had checked in to the hotel, got stuff from other rooms (not daft enough to bring kids AND clothes - the clothes went down in a seperste car) and got sorted.
Unfortunately, that is when it started to go wrong. A short journey to Bury Interchange followed and a seemingly long wait on a tram preceded a tannoy announcement. Issues with the network meant we weren't going anywhere. Tickets were valid on a selection of buses so after a pause, a wait and a sigh at the duration of the bus versus the tram, we traipsed up the stairs to get a bus.
I have already commented in the past about Bury Interchange. Apart from First, Rosso operate in the area. Nowt exciting seems to be kicking about these days. It looks like the bendies I spied last time out had gone and the scourge of the Streetlite had struck the Rosso fleet.
As we stood in the queue waiting , I harked back to the days of yore, thinking about the GM Atlanteans roaring around. How one of those pulling up would have put a smile on to my cold, tired and fed up face. Even a Lynx or bendy-bus would have done.
In the end, the 135 turned up. A Gemini 1 followed by a Solar/Eclipse.
Spoilt for choice (
) we plumped for the decker, taking a seat near the back for both tactical stop spotting and warmth from the engine.The cold, condensed windows and crowded saloon didn't help with the tactical stop spotting. Hearing confused locals chatting with 135 regular locals, along with a map on my phone that plotted our every move, helped ease our confusion. Slightly.
Until we hit the maze of streets in Manchester - which look totally different in the dark.
We disembarked, found our bearings and made our way to the wedding venue.
Cold, wet, tired and thirsty - just 2 hours late...
That orange Atlantean would have made all the difference. Don't ask why. It just would.