• I remember when I was young, my mam dropped me off at my grandad's for the day in Pelton while she went to work. We got the 778 down to Chester-le-Street, which most likely a Renown, and hopped on an Arriva bus to Durham. I just remember it being my very first journey on an Arriva bus, let alone to Durham. I recall it was a Delta, although I can barely remember them (wouldn't mind a ride on one now to see what they were actually like!) I remember sitting on the rather quiet bus with my grandad playing Rock, Paper, Scissors.
• Again, I was a little boy when this one happened, but I remember the old Stanley bus station very well. My mam and grandad had been to Asda for some shopping (my dad was at work, this was likely just after lunch) - and my grandad and me sat in the bus station while my mam sorted her shopping out. She came over when she was done, and I remember we raced her back down to my grandad's house - mam taking the car, grandad and me taking the 775 or 778 (was a Renown). Obviously, by the time we got off and walked back to his; she'd been parked on his drive for 15 minutes!
• Yet another memory from when I was at Nursery (used to spend Monday's with my grandad, Tuesday's with my grandma) - one morning, we missed the 08:50ish 778 down to Chester-le-Street, so we stood at the stop waiting for the next one. A Delta came down, and it was headed to the MetroCentre (sure that was it - I vividly remember my grandad bending down at the foot of the doors to tell me where it was going - can anyone elaborate on which service this was?) and if memory serves, another came down headed to Newcastle it was a Handybus. (Had to look that up, wouldn't have known otherwise!
). Eventually got on either the 778 or 775 down. 
• Not with my grandad, but with my mam. She had a day off during the middle of the week, so instead of me going to my grandad's, that Monday we went to Newcastle. Hopped on a 21 from Chester-le-Street to (I think!) Pilgrim Street, did some shopping, and I acquired a handful of Mr. Men books!!
Sure the bus there was a Resident President (sorry, that's an awful pun), and what I remember most was on the way back, an Olympian of some sort - we sat at the front upstairs and she read me some of my Mr. Men books. haha • Back to my grandad, one time we got the 778 all the way through to Sunderland. However, it was a National. I would have only been around 3 at the time, definitely still in Nursery. I just strongly remember that being a National, obviously didn't know at the time but after looking around - definitely a National. Had a bit of a wander around, then hopped on a 775 back about an hour later.
• Once ended up having an adventure to Newcastle with my grandad. Can't remember what the service number was, it was definitely a Delta, no doubt about it. Probably the 28/28A route back in the day of the 7xx numbers - 739/740 was it? Anyway, DAF on the way back
, then a few episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine to wash it down with after we got back to his house. When I think back, I did so much with my grandad, and my mam and dad for that matter, as a little boy; that it often dawns on me that the person I am today, is because of how I was raised as a little one.
I'd say my grandad had a huge impact on the person I am today (bus enthusiast
) - and hopefully because of this, I'll end up being a good person when I'm older.Happy memories...appreciate what you've got while you've still got it.