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Manchester east & Rochdale today. I went in the summer as a few of my buses were just hourly services, and I wanted to ride the evening journey at the end by daylight. Anyway, my travels were as follows:-

84 East Didsbury - Stagecoach 19290
42 North Manchester General Hospital - First 63153
118 Piccadilly - Stagecoach 33871
Metrolink Rochdale town centre via Oldham Central - 3023
200 Rochdale Markets north - Stotts Slimline Solo MX07JNK, then walk to Bus Station
435 Shaw - Rosso 212
408 Stalybridge - First 30956
343 Hyde - Stagecoach ex-JPT 454 (Couldn't see its shadow Stagecoach number)
389 Stalybridge - First 34089
348 Ashton - First 47476
38 Ashton via Hazelhurst - First 41787
Metrolink Piccadilly - 3029
192 Stockport - Stagecoach 12211
22 Home - MCT Versa YJ11ENR ex-Oldham Shuttle

I emphasise the Metrolink ride via Oldham Central as going that route felt different from my ride last Christmas to Shaw via Oldham Mumps ex-BR. I was happy to use my Stagecoach Smartcard on the ex-JPT route using an ex-Bluebird bus!

Rode back from Liverpool to Maghull on the 300 yesterday evening and at the roundabout at the end of Stanley road and Linacre lane saw a Leyland Olympian with Leyland built ECW style body it was registered G302UYK saw it again later on heading through Maghull on Northway anyone know who owns it? Thanks.

Had a day in East Lancashire sampling the delights of Transdev vehicles. Here's how it went:

Northern Rail 156 - St Helens Central - Preston
Northern Rail 150 + 142 - Preston - Blackburn. Strange that passengers were able to travel in one unit.

then once in Blackburn, the vehicles were as follows:

Lancashire United 705 (YG52 GDO) - 23 - Blackburn - Shadsworth
short walk then:
Lancashire United 566 (X566 YUG) - 7A - Intack - Accrington
Burnley & Pendle Mainline 1043 (Y143 HRN) - 23 - Accrington - Padiham
Burnley & Pendle Mainline 1067 (Y167 HRN) - 28 - Padiham - Clitheroe
Stop for lunch in Clitheroe then:
Lancashire United 1843 (FJ08 BZP) - 180 - Clitheroe - Barnoldswick
Burnley & Pendle Mainline 1870 (FJ58 LTX) - 29 - Barnoldswick - Nelson
Burnley & Pendle Witch Way 2770 (BF63 HCJ) - X43 - Nelson - Burnley
Lancashire United 402 (YJ04 LYH) - 152 - Burnley - Blackburn
back by rail:
Northern Rail 142 + 150 - Blackburn - Preston. Again only one unit (very crowded) in passenger use.
Virgin Trains 11 Car 390 Pendolino - Preston - Wigan North Western
Northern Rail 142022 - Wigan North Western - St Helens Central

Very nice fleet at Transdev, shame the same can't be said about the rail journey home, packed 150 from Blackburn (due to the football at Burnley's Turf Moor as the service had come from Colne) and packed 142 from Wigan. Big question is why are Northern Rail locking out units when there is a major event on ie on this occasion football.

Last Saturday, November 29th, I had a tour that I called North Stockport. I called it this to contrast with North Wales from October and North London from September! Anyway, my itin was as follows:-

Walk to Stockport
369 Manchester Airport - Stagecoach Enviro400 19247
Metrolink Eccles via Cornbrook - M5000 3051 then 3025
41 Oxford Road - First E40D 33837
Walk to Piccadilly
1 Deansgate Marks & Spencer - TfGM/ First Electric Versa 49921
Walk to Shudehill
Metrolink East Didsbury - M5000 3041
23 Stockport - Stagecaoch E40H 12199
364 Offerton - Stotts Solo MX08MYJ
314 Stockport - Stagecoach MAN 22094
22 Clifton Road - First Volvo B9TL 37397

I had planned to do the Metrolink Airport extension on December 27th but advanced it to now, to guarantee a ride on this 2016-intended development in 2014!

Hi,

Figured I'd use this thread to help me break the ice - I'm Marcus, 14, and I am a North East based enthusiast living in Chester-Le-Street. Been a member on here a short while now, and after a bit of confusion, I realised I had indeed activated my account. lol

So, this is my first post. Like I say I live in the North East, so I have considerable knowledge of the operations there. My interests mainly lie with Go North East, but I do follow Arriva and Stagecoach a bit, just picking up the odd bit of info.

Anyway, on Saturday the 27th, I had an outing that took me to Gateshead, the Metrocentre and Stanley. I had intended to meet up with a friend at the Metrocentre, whom I know on another forum (I believe he also has an account on here). Unfortunatley, things didn't go to plan, so here goes...

#50 - Chester-Le-Street to Washington Galleries
(10:51 --- 11:07) - GNE 4926 - Wright L94UA/Scania Solar
#X1 - Washington Galleries to Gateshead Interchange
(11:14 --- 11:37) - GNE 6050 - Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini 2
#49 - Gateshead Interchange to Metrocentre Interchange
(11:48 --- 12:13) - GNE 5282 - Mercedes Citaro 0530N/Mercedes Citaro

At this point I had planned to meet with my friend, however he didn't show so wound up following on our plan anyway.

#X43 - Metrocentre Interchange to Stanley Bus Station
(12:35 --- 13:02) - GNE 4904 - Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown
#8 - Stanley Bus Station to Chester-Le-Street
(13:14 --- 13:42) - GNE 4855 - Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown
#21 - Chester-Le-Street to My House
(14:03 --- 14:08) - GNE 6065 - Volvo B5HL/Wright Gemini 2

Overall, enjoyed the day.

BIB: What made the day was 4855 showing up. Go North East are currently phasing out their B10BLEs (smashing machines!) and should all be gone by this time next year. Whilst it is easy to find a corporate-liveried B10BLE example, such as 4904, which I had on the X43, only 3 examples remain in 'Lime' livery for Services 8/78/78A, which can be seen on this photo of the now withdrawn 4852 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/60503103@N...K4-p4xBqK. Vehicles still in this livery are; 4853, 4854 and 4855.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to furthering my membership on this forum, and hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Marcus

Finally got around to meeting with the friend I mentioned in my last post.

I woke up just before 10:00, and left the house at 10:20 to get into Chester-Le-Street for 10:40.

#50 - Chester-Le-Street to Washington Galleries
(10:48 --- 11:04) - GNE 4926 - Scania L94UA/Wright Solar
#X1 - Washington Galleries to Newcastle, Eldon Square
(11:07 --- 11:34) - GNE 6006 - Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini 2

Met with Friend in Newcastle, Haymarket Bus Station

#100 - Newcastle, Blackett Street to Metrocentre Interchange
(12:12 --- 12:45) - SNE 27506 - Dennis Alexander Enviro300

Stopped to take some Photos and do some spotting

#10 - Metrocentre Interchange to Newcastle, Eldon Square
(13:03 --- 13:25) - GNE 6073 - Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini 2
#X22 - Newcastle, Haymarket to Regent Centre Metro
(13:31 --- 13:43) - ANE 7509 - Dennis Trident 2/Alexander Enviro400
#X11 - Regent Centre Metro to Newcastle, Haymarket
(13:45 --- 13:56) - ANE 7622 - VDL DB300/Wright Gemini 2

Left Friend in Newcastle, Eldon Square

#X21 - Newcastle, Eldon Square to Chester-Le-Street
(14:02 --- 14:34) - GNE 3879 - Dennis Trident/East Lancs Lolyne
#21 - Chester-Le-Street to My House
(14:47 --- 14:50) - GNE 6057 - Volvo B5HL/Wright Gemini 2

Overall; good day!

Today I decided to venture out for the first day in traffic of Green Lane's new Enviro400s

10B - 4584 SL64 JCX - Stoneycroft to Liverpool City Centre
10B - 4586 SL64 JCZ - Liverpool City Centre to Huyton
10B - 4589 SL64 JDK - Huyton to Liverpool City Centre
-
10B - 4593 SL64 JDZ - Liverpool City Centre to Huyton
10B - 4593 SL64 JDZ - Huyton to Liverpool City Centre
-
18 - 2962 MX09 JJE - Liverpool City Centre to Tuebrook

Last Saturday, December 27th, was Wigan & east Liverpool. All trains were Northern and all buses Arriva, as follows:-

Walk Heaton Chapel
Train Wigan Wallgate - class 150/1
385 Skelmersdale - E40D 4579
311 Orrell Park - Pulsar 2922
61 Childwall - Pulsar 3016
81a Liverpool Airport - Volvo B7TL-ALX400 4117
82 Halton Lea - Cadet 2546
110 Warrington - Cadet 2552
360 Wigan - Pulsar 2973
Trains Heaton Chapel via Manchester Piccadilly - class 142 then 323

I did not duplicate moquette where I rode equivalent buses again. Significantly, I rode Manchester route 81a on my Christmas bash in 2013! It was poignant to see Liverpool at Christmas 2014, being 50 years since the Beatles were Christmas no 1 with I Feel Fine.

Then today, January 3rd, Hull & Cottingham. I reached Hull via Grimsby yesterday and returned home via Manchester. Anyway, all my buses in Hull today were East Yorkshire, as follows:-

57 Hessle - E400H 905
X80 Cottingham Burton Road - Primo 496
115 Cottingham Green - Enviro200 359
64 Hull - Volvo B7TL-President 674 - long example, possibly imported from Finglands
56 Bilton Asda - Volvo B9TL-Enviro400 722
57 Hull - Volvo B9TL-Gemini 746
61 Cottingham Green - Volvo B7BLE-MCV 382
115 Hull - Volvo B7TL-President 650 ex-Go-Ahead London PVL184

These included my first Volvo B9TL-Enviro400 outside of Dublin Bus, and my first Volvo-MCV anywhere! I gather it was ex-dealer stock as it had yellow poles and a mainly blue moquette distinct from EYMS.

My outing on Saturday saw me hunt down an Arriva Enviro200, new from refurbishment for Belmont having come up from Southern Counties. Here's how it went...

#21 - My House to Durham
(11:03 --- 11:23) - GNE 3965 - Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini 1
#64 - Durham to The Arnison Centre
(11:27 --- 11:45) - ANE 1315 - Dennis Dart
#64 - The Arnison Centre to Durham
(12:01 --- 12:16) - ANE 1320 - Enviro200
#6 - Durham to Bishop Auckland
(12:19 --- 13:00) - ANE 1473 - VDL Pulsar 2
#X21 - Bishop Auckland to My House
(13:04 --- 13:58) - GNE 6021 - Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President

That wasa interesting about the Volvo B7TL on route 21. I thought it was meant to use Volvo B5LHs? I miss former London PVLs on this route, like I rode in 2012!