(05 Dec 2014, 6:08 pm)Tom wrote 3822, 3823, 3828, 3830, 3831 and 3832 I think.

Cheers! - but I've decided to edit my plan a bit so I can increase the chances slightly!

#21 - Chester to Gateshead
(10:54 --- 11:29)
#X70 - Gateshead to Newcastle
(11:42 --- 11:52)
#43 - Newcastle to MetroCentre
(12:05 --- 12:23)
#X43 - MetroCentre to Stanley
(12:30 --- 13:00)
#8 - Stanley to Chester
(13:15 --- 13:42)
#21 - Chester to Home
(14:00 --- 14:04)

Chances for at least one Olympian (judging by recent odd workings, the chances of one on the Diamonds seems okay, and it's not exactly impossible for one to appear on Services X70/X71, is it?) and a B10BLE!

(05 Dec 2014, 3:46 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote January Fozz.

Ah right...if it was a bit later might have tried to come along mate, if ya planning anything decent next year let me know in advance and I will join ya if ya want the company that is

(05 Dec 2014, 8:21 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Cheers! - but I've decided to edit my plan a bit so I can increase the chances slightly!

#21 - Chester to Gateshead
(10:54 --- 11:29)
#X70 - Gateshead to Newcastle
(11:42 --- 11:52)
#43 - Newcastle to MetroCentre
(12:05 --- 12:23)
#X43 - MetroCentre to Stanley
(12:30 --- 13:00)
#8 - Stanley to Chester
(13:15 --- 13:42)
#21 - Chester to Home
(14:00 --- 14:04)

Chances for at least one Olympian (judging by recent odd workings, the chances of one on the Diamonds seems okay, and it's not exactly impossible for one to appear on Services X70/X71, is it?) and a B10BLE!

Won't be long before they're gone =( 

Finally out and about in the north east tomorrow. On the 0613 10 Hexham to Newcastle then I want to do as many of the Newcastle - Cramlington/Morpeth/Alnwick/Ashingtons that I can. One of the drivers I'm mates with is on a 306 to Tynemouth so I'll have to fit that in too.

Not been on any Sapphires yet at all! (Barring the Durham Darlo 7).

Might do a bit of Stagecoach Enviro/ALX bashing later on in the day or I might do something completely different. I've never been on the X1 route past Gateshead yet(!)

Best not to "plan" your day if you're looking for Olympians... as you're guaranteed they won't be on the boards you plan to get on... Best just to react to whatever you find

(05 Dec 2014, 9:04 pm)tyresmoke wrote Best not to "plan" your day if you're looking for Olympians... as you're guaranteed they won't be on the boards you plan to get on... Best just to react to whatever you find

There is probably a very small chance of you getting a Olympian on the 43/44, the Olympians noted down may seem like a lot, but the PVR is 14!

The X70/X71 doesn't get that many Olympians tbh - the X30/X31 probably gets more. 

I'm very tempted to have a trip out somewhere tomorrow. Don't know where I'll end up, but I also hope to have another ride on an Olympian.

Chances of the Olympians working Soccer Bus tomorrow?

(05 Dec 2014, 8:42 pm)marxistafozzski wrote Ah right...if it was a bit later might have tried to come along mate, if ya planning anything decent next year let me know in advance and I will join ya if ya want the company that is

To be honest I prefer going by myself as it allows me to have some time to Myself and do the things I want to do, which at the moment I im not getting much of, as my Life seems to be dictated by the Job Centre/Ingeus, This Week alone I have been to Ingeus 3 Times and then I had to Sign On at the Job Centre Yesterday, This has been a Pattern for a Good 2 Months now and I am getting quite sick of it, so I think doing a Day Trip away from home will do me some good just to get away from it all, You will likely see me about anyway in Sunderland as you have in the past few weeks at Park Lane.

(05 Dec 2014, 10:35 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote To be honest I prefer going by myself as it allows me to have some time to Myself and do the things I want to do, which at the moment I im not getting much of, as my Life seems to be dictated by the Job Centre/Ingeus, This Week alone I have been to Ingeus 3 Times and then I had to Sign On at the Job Centre Yesterday, This has been a Pattern for a Good 2 Months now and I am getting quite sick of it, so I think doing a Day Trip away from home will do me some good just to get away from it all, You will likely see me about anyway in Sunderland as you have in the past few weeks at Park Lane.

No problem mate, if you ever want a bit company on a trip and I am doing nowt, I would love to meet up and head off somewhere...

Ya know, have a laugh, talk some shit and that, god knows I could probably do with socialising a bit more and your a good dude to have a bit craic with

It's bloody cold! 6072 on the 0613 10 Hexham to Eldon Square. In desperate need of a Greggs!

(06 Dec 2014, 6:45 am)northern156 wrote It's bloody cold! 6072 on the 0613 10 Hexham to Eldon Square. In desperate need of a Greggs!

Least you managed to get up on-time! I was meant to leave the house 15 mins ago, but I've just woken up.

(06 Dec 2014, 8:12 am)Dan wrote Least you managed to get up on-time! I was meant to leave the house 15 mins ago, but I've just woken up.

I went to bed earlier last night as I fully knew I wouldn't be up this morning at 0515 otherwise! Worth it though as the sunrise over frosty fields is quite something.

Well, 3889 was on the X43 - so that kind of ruined my day!

Nonetheless, I just turned around the way I came when I saw it approaching!

#21 - Chester to Gateshead
(11:09 --- 11:53) GNE 6061
#49B - Gateshead to MetroCentre
(11:59 --- 12:24) GNE 5279
#X66 - MetroCentre to Gateshead
(12:45 --- 13:00) GNE 5389
#21 - Gateshead to Chester
(13:01 --- 13:38) GNE 3983

What made my journey on 6061 even worse than having it packed with Newcastle fans! - was the fact that 3 chavs from Birtley tried to squeeze up against me on the two seats at the front upstairs! Unbelievable!

To make it worse, they ended up being dotted around the upper saloon - and still shouted back and forth about who they were with last night!

Today's trip:

09:28 #X25 Eighton Banks - Gateshead (3869)
09:50 #X66 Gateshead - Metrocentre (5339)
10:30 #X43 Metrocentre - Stanley (3889 (like Marcus, I too was disappointed it wasn't an Olympian)).
11:00 #78 Stanley - Consett (4902)
11:45 #689 Consett - Hexham (646)
12:45 #X85 Hexham - Newcastle Eldon Square (5230)
13:40 #X36 Newcastle Eldon Square - Gateshead (4975)
14:05 #56 Gateshead - Wrekenton (6100)

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!

Had the intention of doing a number of things today, but with no set plan. By and large, I didn't really manage to do much that I had in mind, but nevertheless...

0858 Metro: Stadium of Light to Park Lane - T&WM 4062
0915 #21/X21: Sunderland to Darlington - ANE 4813
1140ish #X1: Darlington to Bishop Auckland - ANE 1405
1234 #X21: Bishop Auckland to Durham - GNE 6040
1330ish #50: Durham to County Hall - GNE 5257
1345ish #X2: County Hall to Chester-le-Street - ANE 7626
1445ish #8: Chester-le-Street to Riverside Retail Park - GNE 4854
1545ish #13: Washington Road to Stadium of Light - SNE 28012

Thoroughly enjoyable today - had quite a lot of variety today, vehicles new and old from each of the big three. My ride on ANE 1405 stuck out as being one of the best - that bus has to be one of the best Pulsars I've ever been on. Also really enjoyed my ride of 4854, which is my favourite of the remaining Limes and probably a contender for being one of the best Volvo B10BLEs in the fleet (in my opinion). It has a whistle/squeal of sorts, and is quite speedy.

My photos will be online later - but I've got plenty of coach photos what with the Durham Festival thing being on!

Was anyone off here in P.L.I about 11am this morning, if so, I woulda said hi, but couldnt as I was otherwise engaged

(06 Dec 2014, 6:47 pm)Dan wrote Had the intention of doing a number of things today, but with no set plan. By and large, I didn't really manage to do much that I had in mind, but nevertheless...

0858 Metro: Stadium of Light to Park Lane - T&WM 4062
0915 #21/X21: Sunderland to Darlington - ANE 4813
1140ish #X1: Darlington to Bishop Auckland - ANE 1405
1234 #X21: Bishop Auckland to Durham - GNE 6040
1330ish #50: Durham to County Hall - GNE 5257
1345ish #X2: County Hall to Chester-le-Street - ANE 7626
1445ish #8: Chester-le-Street to Riverside Retail Park - GNE 4854
1545ish #13: Washington Road to Stadium of Light - SNE 28012

Thoroughly enjoyable today - had quite a lot of variety today, vehicles new and old from each of the big three. My ride on ANE 1405 stuck out as being one of the best - that bus has to be one of the best Pulsars I've ever been on. Also really enjoyed my ride of 4854, which is my favourite of the remaining Limes and probably a contender for being one of the best Volvo B10BLEs in the fleet (in my opinion). It has a whistle/squeal of sorts, and is quite speedy.

My photos will be online later - but I've got plenty of coach photos what with the Durham Festival thing being on!

Oh, I see!! No mention of 4852 (1998 - 2014) and it's grieving family in there! You MONSTER!

Nah, just kiddin' - after 4855, 4854 is one of my favourites too; always offered a nice ride!

The overwhelming excitement of my useage of Quaylink to get to my usual Saturday hidey hole (whilst I'm on the sick) of Geek Retreat included the use of the bog standard Quaylink Versas 8317 followed by 8311.

(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!)

@Sean

Not even going to try and quote that! haha

How many Gregg's did you need?! Greed! - no in all seriousness I'm even worse! I go about twice every time I'm out (tend pick up something for my mam and dad though, as they like to clean the house, and my room! haha, while I'm out), because I'm just a lovely child!

Did you get many good photos?

(06 Dec 2014, 9:45 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote @Sean

Not even going to try and quote that! haha

How many Gregg's did you need?! Greed! - no in all seriousness I'm even worse! I go about twice every time I'm out (tend pick up something for my mam and dad though, as they like to clean the house, and my room! haha, while I'm out), because I'm just a lovely child!

Did you get many good photos?

Hehe 3 all in all. One breaky, one for a small lunch (just a sausage roll) and in the evening I had a cookie. Might start getting my mam and dad some stuff but hey ho.

Got a handful of pics (35 or so) but I tend to take pictures in batches of 5 so I can pick the best. Not really had the time/been bothered to take that many, coupled with the short daylight hours. Will upload them at some point though!

(06 Dec 2014, 10:08 pm)northern156 wrote Hehe 3 all in all. One breaky, one for a small lunch (just a sausage roll) and in the evening I had a cookie. Might start getting my mam and dad some stuff but hey ho.

Got a handful of pics (35 or so) but I tend to take pictures in batches of 5 so I can pick the best. Not really had the time/been bothered to take that many, coupled with the short daylight hours. Will upload them at some point though!

At least I can quote this one!

3?! At the Chester-le-Street branch (you may have been before! ) there's always someone sitting at a little desk where the back is. I understand he's the manager, and obviously he has other work to do so he spends less time up front. He's really cheery when he's serving, but good grief, when's he sitting in that chair! - he's like a piece of wet scrambled egg, just so annoyed with life!

I look forward to seeing them!

(06 Dec 2014, 10:13 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote At least I can quote this one!

3?! At the Chester-le-Street branch (you may have been before! ) there's always someone sitting at a little desk where the back is. I understand he's the manager, and obviously he has other work to do so he spends less time up front. He's really cheery when he's serving, but good grief, when's he sitting in that chair! - he's like a piece of wet scrambled egg, just so annoyed with life!

I look forward to seeing them!

I've done more in the past, trust me! Actually don't think I've been to Chester Greggs before, will make a point of going next time I'm in the area  - I'll keep an eye out for him too!

As promised:

66733 6N66 by Northern156, on Flickr

Arriva North East 7515 NK09FNA by Northern156, on Flickr

Arriva North East 1764 NK05GWC by Northern156, on Flickr

Arriva North East 7470 X504GGO by Northern156, on Flickr

Only the four I'm afraid!

I had no plan, went well, but will post details later as it is hard on my phone.
But Sean that sounds great. Would have been the 35 to Newbiggin, as the 35A goes to Woodhorn.

(07 Dec 2014, 10:47 am)Tom wrote I had no plan, went well, but will post details later as it is hard on my phone.
But Sean that sounds great. Would have been the 35 to Newbiggin, as the 35A goes to Woodhorn.

It goes via Newbiggin though where I alighted

Today's rare Sunday outing is as follows (updated throughout the day):

1158 Metro - Stadium of Light to Park Lane: T&WM 4051
1210 #78A - Sunderland to Consett - GNE 4897

(07 Dec 2014, 12:03 pm)Dan wrote Today's rare Sunday outing is as follows (updated throughout the day):

1158 Metro - Stadium of Light to Park Lane: T&WM 4051
1210 #78A - Sunderland to Consett - GNE 4897

Trapped in Consett now?