Due to some plans falling through, I ended up with a whole day to spare on Saturday, so had a bit of an adventure around the North East instead.
0820 7 Harrowgate Hill (7534)
0845 X66 Middlesbrough (4657)
0920 X93 Guisborough (7425)
1011 81 Great Ayton (4718)
1057 28A Middlesbrough (1469)
1143 1 Hartlepool (39658)
1249 X6 Dalton Park (694)
1346 9 Jarrow Bus Station (5338)
1502 5 near Royal Quays (5260)
1514 19 Cramlington (5264)
1606 43 Morpeth (7522)
1649 35 Ashington (7445)
1730 19 Cramlington (4978)
1807 X9 Newcastle (1504)
1900 X30 Stanley (5419)
1945 16A Durham (5448)
2020 7 Newton Aycliffe (1608)
Started off the day with one of the better E400s on the 7 (7535 & 7536 being the other two), I then bagged 4657 on the X66 which was relatively busy but got myself a seat at the back.
7425 carried me to Guisborough on the X93 with most of the seats taken upon departure from Middlesbrough, can't have been many if any seats left upon departure from Guisborough, so can't say I'd have fancied staying on all the way to Scarborough.
Not quite sure what made me want to visit Great Ayton but its been a while since I did an 81 & hadn't done the 28A yet but did do the old 29A which was a similar route, 1469 had a screw loose at the back making the panel behind me rattle like hell.
The Stagecoach Hartlepool service 1 is a route I like to do as I quite like some of the industrial scenery on offer. Don't mind the MANviros but the speaker for the bell is at the back and is a bit deafening if you sit in front of it.
Had a decent ride up from Hartlepool to Jarrow even if a bit long, journey became a bit unpleasant towards the end of the 9 journey as a passenger with a strong stench had boarded, smelt like weed or something.
Had a Omnicity thrash through the Tyne Tunnel carrying just me and a old lady, I alighted near the Royal Quays to catch a 19 in the hope of getting a Volvo B7RLE but landed an Omnicity instead but the driver was really going for it, making it a fun trip.
The 43 is not a bad trip to Morpeth on the top deck of a E400 although I was hoping for a 57 plate as these are often much more fun. After arriving at Ashington, I opted for 7445 which I don't mind, although these are a bit shagged now but can still put on a okay show on the 35.
After landing an Omnicity earlier in the afternoon, I caught another 19 which thankfully was a Volvo B7RLE this time, pretty decent ride over to Cramlington partly replicating the earlier 43 journey.
To head to Newcastle I had the choice between Pulsar 1504 on the X9 and a VDL Gemini on a X11, I opted for 1504 as it was much quieter than the Gemini and I don't mind the X9 route.
Finished the day off with a triple threat of StreetLite's taking a slightly convoluted route to Durham in favour of the usual 21/X12 route through Low Fell & Chester-le-Street. At Stanley I attempted to snap the rarely seen 704 service but a bloke walked across the bus station itself and got in the way thus ruining my shot. Had hoped for a Pulsar on the 7 but got 1608 which rather annoyed me as it's seemingly stalking me (now had it four times in the last fortnight [emoji35])
Thanks for reading
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