(06 Dec 2014, 3:46 pm)Jimmi wrote Seem as there was No MAX Omnicitys on the X26/X27 and the X66 today, I ended up doing a random bus trip with no plan.
0856 5A Newton Aycliffe - Darlington (ANE 1427)
1040 X66 Darlington - Middlesbrough (ANE 2841)
1200 X9 Middlesbrough - Peterlee (GNE 6044)
1239 24 Peterlee - Durham (ANE 7435)
1402 6 Durham - Spennymoor (ANE 7456)
1434 8 Spennymoor - Newton Aycliffe (ANE 1616)
Think I will have to do more trips with no plans as they seem to be more fun, somehow making a plan knocks the fun out of it slightly for me, next Saturday I may get a bus to Durham and see what turns up, hopefully a Volvo Olympian!
Tried to post earlier but my Tynedalexpress Wifi conked out, making me lose my message!!
Definitely think that trips with no plans are the best for both excitement and fun, with plans being created in your head potentially being changed at the last minute (I was so close to having a return to Carlisle [knew the driver] but then 3822 turned up!).
I came along today as my mam was having an afternoon out and she wanted a lift back home as she'd be drinking. I went overboard and got the second 10 out of Hexham to have as much time as I could. As per my previous post, it was ruddy freezing, and to make matters worse, the driver never turned the heating onboard the B9 over to Newcastle. Still, it was a decent run over, taking 65 minutes as very little was in the way. I was tempted to bail at Metrocentre and see what turned up but I wasn't sure much would be running at 0720, the only bus I saw was a Blaydon Racers Citaro on the 49C so I played it safe and stuck on the TEN to Eldon Square.
I was intending to get some of the routes (more importantly those that are now Max/Sapphire) 'cleared' as I've only been on a handful. Walked over to Haymarket, got my Greggs bacon and sausage bap with a mocha (
) and one of a handful of buses to leave before 0800 was an X5 to Blyth. Thought why not go on it so off I went, there were a few people on but not that many. Good run up to Blyth, this time the heating was on!Was unsure what to do once I got to Blyth Bus Station though, I was walking towards a 308 that was parked up but it left before I got there and I couldn't be arsed running and flagging it down, making a tit of myself. What turned up a few minutes before never caught my eye but I went for it, some medieval Arriva Cadet thing, 1401. Sounded like a cross between an MPD and a Pulsar, but it was rather good! Went on the 1 from Blyth to Ashington. On the way I checked Realtime Trains and noticed there was one of three GBRf coal services to pass on the Blyth & Tyne line that day so I wandered down to Hirst Lane crossing to take a few pictures. Crossing Keeper invited me into the cabin into the warmth and we had a chat, I was asking about his job etc and he was saying there's usually 2-3 trains a day and what he does (waves them past the crossing with a green flag then safety checks the train). 66733 soon passed and I had a walk over to Arriva Ashington depot. Of note, there was a Spectra, training DAF coach (ex 1206) and a Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini) parked up, an MPD in the bus wash and a pair of ALX400s parked up out the way next to a filthy X15-branded E400.
Walked back over to Ashington Bus Station and fancied a trip on one of the new Streetlites on the 35/35A. To my surprise (was a nice surprise) turned up 7491, Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini. Went over to Newbiggin on the 35A before crossing the road to come back on a Streetlite (with a Sapphire X21 following right behind).
Got this over to Morpeth where I got another Greggs (was about 1100 now) and enjoyed the festivities, including a brass band. The 1123 X18 for Newcastle turned up and I looked behind and noticed around 60-70 people waiting to board. The E400 which turned up was quite full already so I wasn't expecting to board. A few others and I decided to get the X14 which was due in 10 mins (the X18 was already 8 minutes late arriving, 11 minutes late leaving). Thankfully, unlike the previous X14 which was an MPD, an X15-branded E400 turned up in its place. It slowly got busier as we got towards Newcastle because of the football.
Got back to Haymarket where I had a walk over to Eldon Square again (it had warmed up a bit!) and I was aiming to get an X1 as I'd never been on one south of Gateshead before! However, two turned up at once (think one was 20+ minutes late) and one boarded a couple of people at another stand, catching me out. All of the others were waiting to board at Stand B so I thought I'd rather not! Had a walk down to the bottom of the station and noticed 4661 on an 85 with one of my mates driving. Nearly boarded it but as I was walking up to the stand, I noticed this big yellow thing on Percy Street and that changed everything! It parked up at Stand E on an X71 for Consett so I went along. Was an average ride tbh, nothing spectacular but it was better than an Omnicity!
At Consett I ran down to stand B where a Lolyne was standing on a 15A for Durham. Just made it as the doors closed 15 seconds after! Had this to Durham where I waited for a 64 to Arnison Centre but one never turned up. It was cold so I got bored and went back to the bus station and got 6066 on a 21 to Newcastle.
Decided I was going to get the 1745 85 back to Hexham so I had time to kill but not much, just around 1h45 or so. I went to Haymarket and had a little trip to Gateshead and back (you guessed it, Greggs!) where I noticed a GNE X85 pulling in for the 1710, so I just got this and came home 45 mins earlier.
All in all:
GNE 10 0642 Hexham to Eldon Square - 6072
ANE X5 0737 Haymarket to Blyth - 7601
ANE 1 0846(?) Blyth to Ashington - 1401
ANE 35A 1006 Ashington to Newbiggin - 7491
ANE 35 1025(?) Newbiggin to Morpeth - 1579
ANE X14 1138 Morpeth to Haymarket - 7512
GNE X71 1220(?) Eldon Square to Consett - 3822 - was 25 minutes late at 1255 according to the driver
GNE 15A 1345 Consett to Durham - 3860
GNE 21 1446 Durham to Eldon Square - 6066
ANE X22 1605(?) Haymarket to Gosforth - 7523
ANE X22 1620(?) Gosforth to Haymarket - 7507
TWM 1638 Haymarket to Gateshead - 4050 4081
TWM 1644 Gateshead to Haymarket - 4076 4061
GNE X85 1710 Eldon Square to Hexham - 5232.
Bloody brilliant day, well worth the £9.50 I paid for my Explorer. No fuss and really enjoyed myself.
Sean (thanks for reading!)
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