(03 Jan 2015, 5:22 pm)Dan wrote I've been trying to limit my days out recently as I have mock exams next week in school, but I decided that today would be my final day out before two full days of solid revision. I didn't really have a set plan, other than I wanted to go to nPower (for a photo of the 35A and Park & Ride services - unbeknown to me at the time that the latter didn't operate on Saturdays) and to Durham (for photos of the new ANE Enviro200s and GNE Volvo B7 repaints). Expected to go to Newcastle after that, but it didn't quite work out like that...
0954 Metro - Stadium of Light to Park Lane (T&WM 4019)
1002 20A - Park Lane to Rainton Bridge (GNE 5212)
1050 20A - Rainton Bridge to Durham (GNE 4992)
1152 7 - Durham to Darlington (ANE 1521)
1320 X66 - Darlington to Stockton (ANE 4656)
1413 37 - Stockton to Middlesbrough (SNE 27167)
1510 X7 - Middlesbrough to Sunderland (GNE 5334)
1634 Metro - Park Lane to Stadium of Light (T&WM 4021)
Like Jimmi, my day also started off badly (but for different reasons). As I missed the 09:47 #35A, I had to rely on a rather risky 2-minute connection in Park Lane. The Metro was 1 minute late, which meant it was a 1-minute connection. I had to run to catch the 20A, but I did manage. Once I got to Rainton Bridge, it soon became clear that the Park & Ride services don't operate on Saturdays, meaning that I had 20 minutes to wait in the cold. Enjoyed my ride on 4992 - you can tell it's recently had an engine overhaul, that's for sure. Decided at last minute to hop on the 7 to Darlington to catch a few MAX Omnis, forgetting how long and boring the journey is (could really do with an express version of the 7). Had to endure an X66 journey with an incredibly smelly man sitting next to me, and the Wi-Fi wasn't working either. Decided I wanted to kill some time so I got on the 37 to Middlesbrough - was meant to pull in at 25 mins past, didn't get there until 30 despite leaving Stockton on time. Meant that I missed the TTX back up to Newcastle, so I decided to just get the X7 back home instead. Metrocar 4021 is awful.
Nice knowing you.