I can vow for 2310. What a heap that is. Gets into gear 5 just before 40MPH, and revs to the top of that very quickly so doesn't get above 40MPH. And that driver is a lovely fella as well, had him many times before and doesn't fail to cheer me up if i'm in a bad mood. Just a genuinely nice person, a type of driver which is hard to come across these days...
Today, I ventured out and rode on some buses. The weather was awful for it! Here's what I rode on:
52 (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Bootle, Stanley Road
Pulsar CX58 FZC (2922)
I really enjoyed this journey! The bus was rattle-free and it sounded fantastic! It was warm on-board and I felt very comfortable. The first driver was fast; luckily, I only had to sample the second (slower) driver for a few stops...!
68 (ANW) - Bootle, Marsh Lane > West Derby, Green Lane
DAF/ALX300 V405 ENC (2405)
This was a surprise! A familiar, decent driver was at the wheel (which was sad - he was a regular 52/52A driver!). The bus was OK, although after gear two, there was an odd engine sound (rather nice, actually!). The seat that I chose was very comfortable and rattles weren't too distracting. I'll have to sample the rest of this batch soon!
12 (ANW) - West Derby, West Derby Road > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX10 DBY (3053)
I wasn't going to board this, however I was freezing and it was raining badly... I really enjoyed this ride, too! The driver was really fast and the bus was really nice - few rattles, nice engine and very comfortable.
14 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Liverpool, Breck Road
Pulsar 2 MX10 DCU (3058)
I enjoyed this journey, too - although when I boarded, the bare interior wasn't very welcoming. The ride-quality of the bus was awful - rattle, bang, rattle! The driver was really, really fast, though - he used kickdown frequently throughout Liverpool. The engine of this bus was really nice-sounding. Shame about the grim interior and the poor ride-quality.
14 (ANW) - Liverpool, Breck Road > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX61 AWU (3064)
This again! As before, if it wasn't for the poor weather, I would have waited for another bus! The brakes seemed to grind badly today, however the bus was as good as usual (although it rattled more than usual).
13 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > West Derby, West Derby Road
Marshall V658 DVU (7658)
As recommended... Fantastic! The engine was faultless and the bus seemed to be fast off the line (shame the driver wasn't...)! The only thing that massively let this bus down was the window-banging - very violent... Other than that, faultless!
18 (ANW) - West Derby, West Derby Road > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar CX58 EWR (2902)
Same woman driver as on Pulsar 2 MX09 JHU (2958) yesterday... Another excellent ride! Kickdown every time, although "slow mode" made it VERY slow up hills. I didn't notice any bad rattling on-board.
56 (ANW) - Liverpool, Sir Thomas Street > Kirkdale, Stanley Road
Marshall V663 DVU (7663)
Another fantastic ride! This bus was very fast off the line, however it rattled a bit. The ride-quality was alright, apart from the rattling - warm and comfortable.
52 (ANW) - Kirkdale, Stanley Road > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre
Pulsar 2 MX59 JJU (3028)
ANOTHER great ride! The driver put his foot down all the way and, despite the bus being in "slow mode", it was fine once it was moving. It barely rattled all the way, for once...!
53A (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Pulsar 2 MX59 JJE (3023)
A very surprising sight - and ANOTHER great ride! Apart from the rattling, this bus was fantastic! It was fast off the line and its' whistly gearbox sounded great! The driver was fast, too. I'll have to try the rest of the ex-Skelmersdale Pulsar 2s soon!
I had to go into school for 2 hours earlier today, so with the rain lashing down, I got the first bus which came, which disappointingly, at first, was Halton MCV 2 AE57 FAK. However I was glad to be out of the rain! As I boarded I had a familiar really nice driver who had no problem with me asking for a child fare (Unlike the guy on Wednesday who bloody quizzed me about why I was out of school and all that jazz), and even let me off with 5p even though I had it all on me, nice fella! Fantastic driver as well, it might have been a busy main road, and only a short ride but my god, either he knows how to drive these properly, or Halton have done something to some or all of these to make them absolute rockets! The driver got the bus revving really high, and even had some kickdown in there, on a main road, we had to be hitting some pretty decent speeds!! I wouldn't normally post about a single ride, but I was that impressed by this one, I thought I might as well post about it!
Today
Heswall, Liverpool & Chester for my last pics of certain routes
Heswall & Liverpool = 71/72
Chester = 3 etc
Plus a booked visit to Rock Ferry Depot
Tommorow I will be out getting pics of 471/2 plus riding them
Monday I will be out riding and getting pics of 1/2
And going Chester for all revised routes
Tuesday I'm going Shrewsbury
Today I'm going up to the Jurby Transport Museum again so it should be an enjoyable day. I'll post a report of the day's progress in the Museum's thread later this evening
I headed out to Liverpool and Birkenhead today, mainly to ride the 401 on it's last day.
6 Huyton to Liverpool (2718) - Yeah, 2718 AGAIN. Same as previous weeks, average, nothing to rave about.
401 Liverpool to Birkenhead (3008) - This was alright. The engine sounded great, good as new but the bus was very rattly. Typical of pretty much all of the Pulsars these days.
407 Birkenhead to Liverpool (4410) - Couldn't really tell due to being forced onto the top deck, but it appeared to be fast with kickdown.
13 Liverpool to West Derby Road (2204) - Fantastic! This bus DOES NOT rattle, and the engine sounds absolutely fantastic. It certainly can shift, to. Also, the seat I was in had a lovely amount of padding and was actually comfortable.
68 West Derby Road to Prescot Road (2202) - Bit surprised to see this. It was quite poor, rattly, slow, loud and had slipping gears.
68 Prescot Road to West Derby Road (2215) - Once again, quite poor. Was loud, and the rattles were unbearable at times. Green Lane's potholes didn't exactly do it any favours, either...
15 West Derby Road to Liverpool (3062) - This was quite nice. It was quite solid, and the engine sounded fantastic. Just a shame there was too much traffic around so it couldn't get up to a decent speed.
437 Liverpool to Birkenhead (4404) - This was poor. It was solid, hardly rattled but appeared to be in "Safe mode" (or whatever it's called!) making it very sluggish indeed.
407 Birkenhead to Liverpool (4099) - Fantastic! This is the fastest DLA i've ever rode, kickingdown regularly and not rattling at all. Cracking bus!
7 Liverpool to Huyton (2902) - Quite nice. 2902 is a very odd bus indeed. It's clearly in safe mode/had it's revs turned down, but the kickdown is violent. Infact, the only time you notice it's sluggish is going up hills, it literally nearly stops going up them.
HTIOI.
I had a day on the 14 today - mainly to look for 27701, which was unsuccessful... Anyway, here's what I rode on:
52 (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar CX58 EXK (2918)
Awful bus! Sometimes it went off the line as a "slow-moder" and sometimes it went off the line as a normal Pulsar, despite the driver being fast (he even raced another driver down Scotland Road). In addition to that issue, the bus felt like it was going to fall apart and there was a horrible noise when the brake was applied.
14 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Broadway, Utting Avenue East
Commander CX06 BHF (2577)
The worst Commander that I've rode to-date! It sounded lovely and it was fast off the line, however it rattled a lot and when the driver decided to put his foot down and make it to gear three (which was rare), a burning smell filled the bus. Also, the interior was a mess.
14 (ANW) - Broadway, Utting Avenue East > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX10 DCV (3059)
This was a surprise; my last ride on it wasn't the best, due to the sluggish woman driver. When I boarded, I put my head in my hands as the driver literally crawled to the roundabout. Luckily, he got off and a decent driver got on in his place. After that, he was fantastic - kickdown was applied often! The bus sounded nice, however it rattled a lot.
14 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Broadway, Utting Avenue East
Commander CX06 BHD (2575)
An excellent ride! The woman driver drove very fast all the way (she got off in Broadway). The bus sounded excellent - the cooling-fan came on often, which was nice. The interior was a bit of a mess, though, like 2577's.
14 (ANW) - Broadway, Utting Avenue East > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX59 FFR (3013)
Awful bus! Its' engine sounded very wheezy and it was very, very slow off the line, despite a decent driver being at the wheel (it revved high on gear one, and then entered gear two at low revs). It rattled a lot, too.
14 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Broadway, Utting Avenue East
Pulsar 2 MX10 DCF (3056)
A fantastic bus! It rattled a bit, however it sounded excellent. The fast driver created a fantastic ride!
14 (ANW) - Broadway, Utting Avenue East > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX61 AWZ (3068)
Another fantastic ride! The bus sounded perfect, although, worryingly, it lost its' gears at one point (just revving high until the driver got to a junction). A similar thing has happened on other 61-plated buses of this type that I've rode on in the past. This one barely rattled, though.
14 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Broadway, Utting Avenue East
Pulsar 2 MX10 DAU (3049)
Fantastic! Like Bootle-based MX59 FFU (3016), it looked a disgrace from the outside, however it was very fast (literally flew off every gear)! The driver was fantastic - kickdown was applied a few times.
14 (ANW) - Broadway, Utting Avenue East > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX10 DBV (3052)
Horrible bus. It sounded awful and it rattled violently. The driver was fast, though.
48 (ANW) - Liverpool, Sir Thomas Street > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre
Pulsar 2 MX10 BZW (3037)
Excellent ride! The driver used kickdown every time, however the bus rattled a lot.
58 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre > Netherton, Peterborough Drive
Plaxton Pointer 2 R569 ABA (7569)
Since my last ride, this bus has deteriorated dramatically. It rattles a bit and it sounds bad after gear three. The first driver was slow, however the second driver used the gear-selector (to stop it going into four) and that improved its' performance. It vibrated a bit in idle too - probably because of overuse (covering for newer, unreliable buses constantly).
Today I Went to Chester, Ellesmere Port, And then back to Northwich.
GHA X20 Grange Estate, Delamere St - Chester Bus Exchange
Endurance/B10B L409 NUA SB30
A Slightly Comefetable ride, rattle free interior and A Great sounding engine! Bit on the slow side though!
ANW 401 Chester Bus Exchange - Ellesmere Port Bus Station
Pulsar 2 3004 MX59 AAN?
#The ride was cometable and a but rattley, The ride was VERY Fast! There was kickdonw all the way! It Did have quite a whistly engine though, Quite loud at parts as well!
ANW 401 Ellesmere Port Bus Station - Chester Bus Exchange
Pulsar 2 3007 MX59 AAV
It was a lot more rattlier than 3004. It was fast - But not as fast as the previous journey
GHA 082 Chester, Forgate Street - Castle, Iron Bridge
Cadet GA04 GHA SB23
Usual bus, And usual Fast, Ignorant, Rude Driver! Like ive stated, The ride was very fast, And not very rattley - There was a wierd Sqeeking noise from below though! Die to a carnival, I Had to Alight at Iron Bridge - 15 Mins away from Northwich
ANW 037 Northwich, Watling Street - Winsford, Station Road, Kingsway
Centro 2613 CX56 CEK
After waiting 30 Mins for a bus to come, (10 Mins Frequencey - Cannceld to to carnvial) I Was dissapointed with this! The ride was very busy, And i wouln't call sitting in the Shopping bit comefetably! The ride was quite Rattely, With a OK Driver, Not too slow, Not to fast
ANW 037 Winsford, Station Rd, Opp Kingsway - Winsford Town, Guildhall
Olympian 3334 R334 WVR
As this was one of my faveriots - I Was happy to see it come! It had its usaul Rattles - But nothing to serious, Fast as well!
ANW 29B Winsford Town Centre - Grange Estate, Nixon Drive
Marshall 7628 V628 DVU
Hmmm...Intrestring ride! It was OK, But on the rattley side, Bus my driver friend was driving - He's quite fast!
Next Week, I'll be visinting D&G's Depot in the morning, And then doing anything in the afternoon! On the 21st Ill be going to Shrewbury And on the 22nd Ill be going to Speke Hall
today was good, sent 13 and a half hours out with a saveway i rode trains from northern to first and buses from arrivas 920 to HTLs 196 if i had paid singles on each bus and train trip i would of paid around 60 quid
Yesterday
0715 - 208 New Brighton to Liscard - 2521 - KU52 YLE (Impera)
0830 - 409 Liscard to Woodside - 2479 - X782 NWX (Arriva NW)
0900 - 410 Woodside to Bus Stn - 2458 - Y458 KBU (Arriva NW)
0910 - 71 Bus Stn to Liverpool - 60055 - S815 AEH (First Manchester)
0925 - 1 Liverpool to Bus Stn - 65705 - YN04 GNU (First Manchester)
0940 - 38 Bus Stn to New Ferry - 60441 - P540 BSS (First Manchester)
1030 - 41 New Ferry to RF Depot - 40042 - S765 RNE (First Manchester)
1115 - 1 RF Depot to- Bromborough - 65735 - YN05 WKD (First Manchester)
1145 - 401 Bromborough to Ellesmere Port - 3005 - MX59 AAO (Arriva NW)
1230 - 1 Ellesmere Port to RF Depot - 65738 - YN05 WKG ( First Manchester)
1415 - 401 RF Depot to Chester - 2446 - X446 HJA (Arriva NW)
1615 - 51 Chester to Chester - 34260 - N536 LHG (First Manchester)
1731 - 3 Chester to Ellesmere Port - 61542 - R153 GSF (First Manchester)
1840 - 401 Ellesmere Port to Chester - 3006 - MX59 AAU (Arriva NW)
1901 - 401 Chester to Birkenhead - 3006 - MX59 AAU (Arriva NW)
2035 - 71 Birkenhead to Arrowe Park - 60055 - S813 AEH (First Manchester)
2144 - 119 Arrowe Park to New Brighton - 2449 - X449 HJA (Arriva NW)