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Today, me and my friend decided to venture out "over the water" - and then strangely, my friend decided, mid-afternoon, that he wanted to go to Southport...! Overall, it was an enjoyable day; here's how it went:

52 (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar 2 MX09 LYH (2946)
I was delighted to see this bus, one of my favourites, preparing to start my first journey again this week (with a fast driver at the wheel again too)! It was an excellent ride - quite a few rattles, however its excellent engine and boss-sounding kickdown made up for those!

(Met up with my friend in Queen Square Bus Station)

432 (ANW) - Liverpool, Sir Thomas Street > Mersey Point Retail & Leisure Park
CX58 GBY (4420)
When this showed up, I nearly laughed at its smaller-than-usual "crossriver-express" branding on the front-end top windscreen and no side destination equipment! The bus was quite fast off the line, however the driver wasn't that fast. We sat on the top deck and it didn't rattle much up there.

39 (Impera) - Mersey Point Retail & Leisure Park > Liscard, Liscard Crescent
Plaxton Pointer 2 KU02 YUH (2021)
Its engine sounded too familiar - like ANW's Plaxton Pointer 2 X229 ANC (2229)... There was an annoying squeaking noise at the back-end of the bus and the cab-area wasn't quiet either! Urban-90s - just plastic on plastic! My first Impera ride was VERY disappointing! Merseytravel were on-board and seemed impressed that the service had been picking up well all day - and from what I seen of other 39s during the day, their theory seemed correct!

410 (ANW) - Liscard, Liscard Crescent > Woodside Interchange (Bus Station)
Myllennium Y458 KBU (2458)
What an awful bus! Idle vibrations were horrible and the engine sounded very rough past gear two! Again, just like Impera's 2021, Urban-90s aren't comfortable at all - especially when there's little legroom to go with them!

411 (ANW) - Woodside Interchange (Bus Station) > Mersey Point Retail & Leisure Park
President Y46 ABA (4000)
After missing a speeding Avon Buses' MPD departing from the bus station, we were happy to see this coming in! I was very impressed by it! Its engine sounded absolutely fantastic and the driver wasn't too slow either! Comfort-wise (top-deck again...), it only just gained a few points! The seats don't seem to be in the right position (too far forward) and they seem to be a bit small! An impressive ride despite that issue though!

15PR (Wirral Transport Museum) - Mersey Point Retail & Leisure Park > New Brighton, Kings Parade, via Kings Parade/Harrison Drive
Bristol FS6G/ECW 319 PFY
We decided to ride on this as it was free and we had nothing better to do at the time! Firstly, it would have been nice if the driver actually stopped properly to let us on, instead of slowly continuing to drive whilst we jumped on (it was fun really!)... Secondly, the bus had suspension problems - far too bouncy (again, it was fun really - very comfortable seats upstairs!). Lastly, the driver and associate seemed to be planning on finishing an hour earlier due to the service being dead for most of the afternoon - well, we seen the bus back out about 10 minutes after we got off it with a good load. That's karma for them not planning on running properly...!

410 (ANW) - Mersey Point Retail & Leisure Park > Birkenhead, Argyle Street
DAF/ALX400 S277 JUA (4097)
This ride was quite fun! The bus was very slow at getting up the many hills in New Brighton! Upstairs (again...! ), the back seats didn't seem to want to be fixed into place! I didn't really pay much attention to the ride-quality of the bus, however it seemed to be good.

437 (ANW) - Birkenhead Bus Station > Liverpool, Whitechapel
Plaxton Pointer 2 S848 RJC (2328)
I was happy to see this bus going in our direction (we turned it down earlier in the day in favour of Impera's 39). Lots of passengers got off as we were getting on, which left a reasonable load for Liverpool. We agreed that the moquette on the majority of seats had a nice pattern! The cooling fan was on (my style!), which went well with the nice engine! The gearbox was jerky though.

300 (ANW) - Liverpool, Sir Thomas Street > Southport, Lord Street
Pulsar 2 MX10 CZK (3046)
As we got off our 437 journey, I noticed this bus going up Crosshall Street. As we'd decided to head to Southport, we decided to run for this! The nice woman driver was very fast and even kicked down once on Stanley Road in Bootle! She was very annoyed at the diversion (which she hadn't been told of) in Southport though as she had to drop us passengers off somewhere close to the actual terminus and she'd finished her part of the duty - Lord Street delayed her!

(Break in Southport - arcades, etc...!)

47 (ANW) - Southport, Lord Street > Liverpool, Whitechapel
Pulsar 2 MX61 AVN (3085)
I was delighted when I seen a 61-plated bus of this type turn up as I hadn't tried one of Southport's out properly until this journey! The driver was very fast (no kickdown though) and kind - top speed down Formby By-Pass and high speeds near-enough everywhere really! The bus barely rattled - the only rattles came from the assault screen and the "used tickets" box, as pretty-much standard on most buses of this type...! Probably the best journey of the day - a fantastic ride!

55 (ANW) - Liverpool, Sir Thomas Street > Old Roan Interchange (Bus Station)
DAF/ALX400 S275 JUA (4095)
After nearly getting on Pulsar 2 MX09 LYC (2942) on the 52 for my last journey of the day, I seen this, which drew me away from 2942, which I rode on yesterday anyway! My friend decided to join me on this journey as-well, which was fun! We sat downstairs (finally, a gang of kids upstairs meant that we decided to sit downstairs - yay!)... Rattles were quite crazy, however the bus sounded nice!

(Left my friend on Copy Lane in Old Roan)

130 (Cumfybus) - Old Roan, Copy Lane > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Solo MX55 WDE
After getting off the 55 and landing in the middle of gang central, we decided to walk up the road to the next bus-stop. My friend boarded 4095 on the 55 to go home on! I boarded the 130; the bus wasn't too bad and the driver was quite fast. They definitely own worse buses!



replace all mersey points with marine points...........................

I had time to spare yesterday before I met up with a few mates and went to my girlfriends, so I decided to venture into Liverpool to do the following:

Arriva 2524 DK55 FXJ
Service 79C from Hough Green to Wavertree Clock
Not bad, pretty average, only thing to complain about were the few idle vibrations!

Arriva 2263 X263 OBN
Service 68 from Wavertree Clock to County Road
Brilliant! I have been wanting to ride one of this batch for ages and I was chuffed to see this coming down the road towards me. There was a few rattles, not least from the aisle seat on the very bad seats on the offside, but that didn't distract away from the vehicles exceptionally good engine! The seats were also very comfortable, however I think polish and promote would brighten the vehicles interior and exterior appearance no end.

Arriva 2218 X218 ANC
Service 311 to Queen Square Bus Station
I almost cried when this turned up as I let a Marshall on the 68 go past. However Im very glad I got this, this is by far and away the best X-ANC I have ever been on bar none. It was far superior to examples I have rode at St Helens and Green Lane. The engine sounded brilliant with a nice whiney gearbox, which together produced some great kickdown heading into town. The interior was bright and from were I was sitting, clean and vandalism free. The seat was surprisingly comfy, which just goes to show with a bit of padding, Urban90s are actually quite nice sometimes! Overall an exceptional vehicle which I would go out of my way to ride again!

Arriva 2935 MX09 EKP
Service X1 to Runcorn Old Town
I was hanging around in Queen Square at about 10 to 12 waiting for a 79C when I decided I fancied something different. After a great deal of power walking and skillfully slipping through the crowds, I go to Liverpool ONE Bus Station with seconds to spare. I wasn't disappointed when 2935, a bus I already know to be brilliant, turned up.
As I boarded the driver was the friendliest I have ever come across with an Arriva Uniform on, wishing everyone a Good Afternoon as they boarded.
The actual journey, however, I have to say was by far my favourite of the day. The driver quite literally floored it at every oppurtunity, keeping his foot planted as much as he could. Going down some of Liverpool's less than desirable roads created some terrible rattles and crashes, however I think the roads rather than the bus were to blame for the majority of that. I couldn't help but smile as the driver absolutely flew along Speke Boulevard, overtaking cars with ease. The kickdown was fantastic, with the bus screaming higher than a leprechaun who'd just been kicked between the legs (Yep, that high!) quite often during the journey. Approaching Runcorn Bridge there was mountains of traffic, however this guy was ingenius and diverted the bus through West Bank and joining the bridge at the closest point, saving at least 20 minutes in waiting time!
As I got off at Runcorn he once again wished all passengers a pleasant afternoon!
The best bus ride I have had in a long time with a driver who knows how to drive and be polite to customers at the same time, who'd have thunk it!

I rode 2 Cadets after this bus, but I think its pointless writing about them as it would be the typical 'average' report!

Yesterday, I Went to Shrewsbury with A family Member. I was Very impressed with the standerd of Arriva Midlands Buses. They were all clean and well presented!

1) 153303 Arriva Trains Wales Class 153.
Nantwich Railway Station - Wem Railway Station
I Wasn't Really taking much notice! It was very comeftable, Tidy and smooth!
Good.

2) 2980 YJ09 MKX Arriva Midlands Optare Versa.
511 Wem Railway Station - Shrewesbury Bus Station
This bus had a few rattles and squeeks, It had a very clean interior and it was a fast, Smooth ride!
Good.

3) 2986 YJ58 PHX Arriva Midlands Optare Versa.
24 Shrewesbury Bus Station - Harlescott Tesco store and Shrewsbury Arriva Garage
This had horrible idle vibration, A Lot more than the previous example But it was clean and a friendly Woman driver

4) 2722 Y362 UON Arriva Midlands - DAF SB120CS/Wright Cadet
25 Harlescott Tesco and Arriva Shrewbury Garage - Shrewsbury Bus Station
I Hated this journey!, It was slow, Rattley and the Urban 90 seats were very poor!
Very Poor.

5) 2345 S345 YOG Arriva Midlands - Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2
1 Shrewsbury Bus Station - Monkmoor - Shrewsbury Bus Station
I Wanted a Plaxton Pointer 1/Dart but this turned up!, Still it was a dart, So i boarded! It was a good ride! Not too rattley, It was fast smooth!, Not very cometable though!

6) 2989 YJ09 MKC Arriva Midlands - Optare Versa
511 Shrewsbury Bus Station - Wem High Street
The fanbelt shreeched for nearly all the journey! It was very rattley drafty and not very comfetable! Poor

I then got a lift back to Winsford!

Today, Later I will be heading down to do some 'Trainspotting' At winsford Station, I'll be boarding the 37E at 14.30, Ill post late what i thhought of it, It will be the same bus back!
Average.

(10/06/2012 08:30)K853 MTJ Wrote: [ -> ]Arriva 2263 X263 OBN
Service 68 from Wavertree Clock to County Road
Brilliant! I have been wanting to ride one of this batch for ages and I was chuffed to see this coming down the road towards me. There was a few rattles, not least from the aisle seat on the very bad seats on the offside, but that didn't distract away from the vehicles exceptionally good engine! The seats were also very comfortable, however I think polish and promote would brighten the vehicles interior and exterior appearance no end.

One thing that Bootle's ALX200s are good for is their speed (they do have great engines).

(10/06/2012 08:30)K853 MTJ Wrote: [ -> ]Arriva 2218 X218 ANC
Service 311 to Queen Square Bus Station
I almost cried when this turned up as I let a Marshall on the 68 go past. However Im very glad I got this, this is by far and away the best X-ANC I have ever been on bar none. It was far superior to examples I have rode at St Helens and Green Lane. The engine sounded brilliant with a nice whiney gearbox, which together produced some great kickdown heading into town. The interior was bright and from were I was sitting, clean and vandalism free. The seat was surprisingly comfy, which just goes to show with a bit of padding, Urban90s are actually quite nice sometimes! Overall an exceptional vehicle which I would go out of my way to ride again!

2218 is a really good bus now; it used to be one of the worst due to its different gearbox! Its gearbox seems to have been changed when it went through "P&P", however I don't think that it's a new one as it still doesn't always drop down into three when on four like they're supposed to do. Gear three is great though as it can pick up lots of speed on it with a good driver! It's an excellent machine for the 311 on the hills through Skelmersdale!

This Friday, Most Probably, I qwillk be going to my dads in huyton for the weekend, Therfor Saturday should be a 'ride whatever!' Day, I'll hope to visit Bootle, Birkenhead and huyton!

As we all had to re-register as DartSLF members, I couldn't post my trips on Monday so shall do so now.

Firstly, Edinburgh on Saturday May 26th. Trains I covered within the Railways section, but my Lothian Buses rides were as follows:

Walk to OmniCentre
14 to Craigmillar - Volvo B7TL-Gemini 764
42 to Duddingston - Dart-Pointer 76
69 to King's Road - Solo SR 36
19 to George Street - Trident-President 659
25 to Sighthill - Volvo B9TL-Gemini 374
35 to Airport - Scania OmniCity double-decker 986
100 to Haymarket - Volvo B9TL-Gemini 941
Walk to Tollcross
10 to York Place - Enviro 400 Hybrid 205
26 to Prestonpans - Volvo B9TL-Gemini 310

My First bus on route 38 from Polmont to Edinburgh on the Sunday was a high-back seated Volvo B7RLE-Wright, possibly 57-reg.

Secondly, my Royal Manchester Special on Monday June 4th was as follows:

42a to Reddish - Arriva Dart-Pointer 2261
328 to Stockport - M Travel Dart-Pointer 21 (ex London United)
TP to Manchester - High Peak Scania-Solar 698
Metrolink to Stretford - T68 class
16 to Manchester - Finglands 1707
89 to Cheetham Hill - JPT Enviro 200 ST58JPT
138 to Manchester - Volvo B7RLE-Eclipse 66929
31 to Salford - TfGM Solo SR 59009
10 to Eccles - Arriva Commander 2621
Metrolink to Manchester - M5000 class
42 to Royal Infirmary - Finglands Volvo B7TL-President 1805 (ex Go-Ahead London PVL278)
197 to Clifton Road - Finglands Volvo B9TL-Gemini 1795
22 to Chorlton - Arriva Pulsar 2 3095
23 to Heaton Mersey - Stagecoach Enviro 200 36104

Today, I decided to visit ANW's Bootle depot... Then I went further to Bootle Bus Station... Then I made my way into Liverpool... Then, well, read and you'll find out...:

58 (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Bootle, Linacre Lane
Marshall V648 DVU (7648)
Apart from the blown exhaust, I found the ride to be fine. There were a few rattles, however I've been on worse!

52A (ANW) Bootle North Park, Stanley Road > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Pulsar CX58 EXK (2918)
I only rode on this bus for about two minutes and it seemed to be in the famous "slow mode". The driver was slow because he was talking to another driver. The bus sounded great!

53 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar CX58 FZE (2923)
This bus is the most turned-around machine I've ever came across to-date! It used to be slow and wheezy, and now it's fast and its gearbox sounds absolutely fantastic - the best I've ever heard on such bus! The driver kicked down plenty of times on this journey, which was an added bonus! There hasn't ever been a problem with the ride-quality of this bus really; it's always been one that looks a mess and isn't one!

18 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Queen Square Bus Station, via Croxteth
Pulsar CX58 EWU (2905)
I did want to track this bus down on my birthday (29/05), however the opportunity to do so only came up today. The driver was the same one that me and my friend had on CX58 EWR (2902) a week or two ago - a decent one as-well! No kickdown was used today, however she liked hitting speeds beyond the speed-limit! The bus was a little rattly and the gearbox seemed to stutter a bit between gears, especially over the speed-bumps in Croxteth, however it wasn't a bad ride at all! Also, the lights kept flickering - strange...!

53 (SM&SL) - Queen Square Bus Station > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Enviro300 PO61 NTE (27769)
I decided to ride something different for once. This was another excellent ride! No rattles, comfortable seats and a nice, fast driver!

52A (PeoplesBus) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Tempo V1 BUS (0701)
As this was an unusual allocation, I decided to board it home. Apart from the constant, common rattles, the bus sounded great! The usual driver was nice and fast as usual too!

(Then I decided to venture back out again...!)

53A (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Plaxton Pointer 2 X232 ANC (2232)
A bus I haven't rode on for ages! WOW - what a fantastic machine it is! Its engine sounded fabulous (cooling fan - my style...!) and it was really fast with the decent driver I had! There were a few violent rattles on the worst roads, however they were ignored!

55 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Old Roan Interchange (Bus Station)
Pulsar 2 MX09 LYJ (2947)
Another amazing bus! This bus was really quick off the line! At the wheel was a fast driver too, who used kickdown plenty of times and even hit speeds after full kickdown onto gear four on the open roads of the route! (The usual about the rattles...) This is by far the best 09-plated Pulsar 2 at Bootle, however still not my favourite one (although it is my friend's favourite, however MX09 LYH (2946) will always be my favourite)...!

259 (HTL) - Old Roan Interchange (Bus Station) > Bootle Bus Station (Vermont Way)
Dart KX05 KFD
The sooner this is withdrawn and sent back to Dawsonrentals, the better... Rattles and vibrations and Urban-90s - what a horrific combination! The rattles and vibrations became unbearable mid-journey as I was sitting on the "comfortable" seats at the very back. I never want to come across this bus again (even the driver disliked it)!

52 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Pulsar 2 MX59 FGC (3022)
I haven't rode on this bus for ages until this journey, which made a welcome surprise! The fast driver preserved kickdown until the outskirts of Netherton, where he used it a few times. It sounded fantastic! I never came across any rattles on-board, for a change...!

After a few changes of plans Me and a friend will be visiting the Crewe Hreitage Centre tommorow, Along with Crewe Bus and Rail Station

Tomorrow, I'm heading out to do a bit of shopping and to look for ANW's long-lost Pulsar 2 - MX59 FFW (3018)!

today system one day, if i am able to stay up all night i can start early (6:30 depart on 320 to pies) if not depending on the time i wake up will depend on if i continue the trip or not, i do plan to try out the oldham tram line