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suzyscottdotcomAs per my previous message, we booked away for a weekend at a fairly good-looking hotel, just south of Reading – De Vere Wokefield Park.
Friday 15th August – More shopping in Watford, perhaps the tightest connection yet, and the night we crashed the wedding
Caroline was working until mid-evening, and I decided I’d make my own way there by bus – Royston to Reading! The journey by car is around 83 miles, but of course, this would more than likely be exceeded the way that I went! So, from the end of our road in Royston on the Arriva 331 at 1030 to Hertford, quick stop for lunch before getting the Arriva GreenLine 724 to Garston, Arriva 6 to Watford Town Centre, a few items around the shops, before Arriva 8 to Northwood Green Lane…
… and then, the only TfL service journey of the day, First London 331 from Northwood to Uxbridge.
After a quick bite to eat at KFC (I remember when that branch used to be a Wendy’s!) in Uxbridge, I spotted my next bus – the Arriva 305 to High Wycombe – pulling into the stand on Belmont Road.
Shortly after, the bus pulled around the corner to Bakers Road, and everyone got on board. We turned around at the station, along Bakers Road, into Belmont Road, and then just as we turned to the bus stops outside The Pavilions, one of our passengers fell to the floor, and suffered a seizure. A combination of a very professional driver (following accident procedure to the full) and a prompt arrival of the Ambulance service meant that after a little under half an hour, we were able to go, with all passengers on board. Now, this, along with further traffic, meant that we were 35 minutes down at the next timing point, Denham. Only one issue – I only had 16 minutes to make the connection (arrival due 1759 at Eden) for Line850 to Reading at 1815 – the last through bus for an hour and a half. A quick browse through the timetables came up with some other ideas, but the driver did manage to make up time (we were stuck behind a dawdling First Citaro on the 74). On the way into High Wycombe, the three remaining passengers were asked if we were for the bus station or High Street, and we went direct to the bus station via the fire station. The driver therefore arrived at 1814, only 15 minutes late – not bad, all things considered.
Next journey was the 1815 Line850 to Reading… now, with one minute to go for this connection, I thought it might still be possible. I almost ran past an Orange Route 39 branded Optare Versa, until I turned my head and saw the destination display, 850 Reading! Not only had I made it (by the skin of whatever teeth I have left), but we’ve got a bus less than a year old to do it with (of the type coming to the 331 this Autumn), and the other drivers were hassling the controller amid allegations of favouritism for the 850 driver! The controller waved them away with the familiar sounds of “it’s all I’ve got”… anyway, the bus is a cross between the Tempo (replacement for the Excel) and the more familiar Solo. Here’s the inside of it…
… The 850 runs twice around the one-way block in Henley, giving a chance for this shot of the Thames…
… before the bus made it to Reading Station – now, the bus did get quite a few odd looks throughout the trip, locals not used to the bright orange!
So, I had a quick browse around the station, including snapping quite a lot in the vicinity, before Caroline and her colleague picked me up in the car, and we headed for Wokefield Park, near Mortimer, south of Reading. It’s a combination of a conference centre, and a hotel in a mansion house, and was set in large grounds, with golf course and others.
Now, after we arrived, we were given directions, which were based on signage that were not immediately visible. We got to our allocated room, to find that the key didn’t work. Yes, you’ve guessed it, we were allocated to the room with the same number in the other building… So, we trailed back through to Reception once more, just me and C, and we were escorted to the correct part of the building, through someone’s wedding reception evening! Now, we had to pick up C’s colleague (who we had left at the other room, with the bags), so we had to traipse through yet again. At this point, I decided that if we were going to be gatecrashing a wedding, I might as well have the f**k-me shoes on (I’d had a pair of heels in my bag all day, as the flats were better for keeping to time with – see above!) Well, sounds mad, but it was going that way. Needless to say, it was an interesting sight through as we came back with three of us, and the luggage!
After putting the bags down, we went back to the car, to drop off C’s colleague (who was staying with a former colleague of C’s in Newbury, and we were visiting the next day). So, once again, through the wedding party (lots of smiles and hellos and “can we squeeze past please”, as they’d taken over the bar – almost literally!), and out to the far car park. Now, we couldn’t find the way out – in the dark – so we drove the wrong way down a one-way lane, and arrived at Newbury some time afterwards. After talks and tea and more, we drove off just after midnight, stopping for a takeaway from Domino’s. At midnight, I was on the M4 – not for the first time, but much further away than before! We got back to the hotel just after midnight, and found an alternative route to avoid cutting through the party, still in full swing!
Saturday 16th August – Into Reading, and Newbury
After breakfast, a few views from the window…
I wanted to go into central Reading… So, having done some brief online research at ParkandRide.net, we decided to park our car at Reading’s Madejski Stadium. As the soccer team were playing at home that day, parking was limited, and there was to be an earlier finish to the bus service that day – but, no problem, as we’d be long away by that time.
The Park & Ride Fastrack bus in the background (ran by First Beeline) took us into Reading town centre, and at £4.00 for the two of us (normally £2.60 each return, but a five person ticket for £4 is available off-peak… this was endorsed FAMILY, which gave C a few thoughts… she does see herself as a bit of a mommadyke I guess!). Having got off close to the shops, we had a look around – C ended up with some more books, and I bought some more clearance stuff from Claire’s – and we then went for coffee before going for the bus home. The notice on the door did quite clearly state that the security code for the toilets is on the bottom of the receipts, but this did confuse just about everyone else who used it! Anyway, this bus took us (and ironically – since this post – some Plymouth Argyle fans) to the stadium.
Not only were Park & Ride buses being used, but the high-frequency Service 79 from central Reading (plus 71-77 from outlying parts, and 78 from Newbury) were taking a lot of fans too. Here, one of the Newbury based Spectra’s (Thunderbird 2) is spotted, unloading fans off the 79…
Compare this pic earlier on of the one before, with just one bus visible a few hours before (Park & Ride buses were parking in an adjacent layby!), the stadium had turned into a bit of a bus park with just over half an hour to kick-off!
So, we returned to the hotel afterwards, before a brief stop, then continuing onto Newbury.
Sunday 17th August – On The Way Home, Stuck Behind A Stolen Barbie Bus!
After an enjoyable weekend (more or less!), I made sure we nabbed a few more pictures before we left – including some of the car at the mansion house!
We drove back through Berkshire and Hampshire, and ended up having lunch at a McDonalds in Camberley. Now, rather than eating lunch in the car park, C says “I know just the place”, and we drove to this quiet little nature reserve behind Sainsbury’s. Now, it *looked* like the sort of place where bad deeds could happen, but we couldn’t see anyone else around. Just some old KFC boxes and some empty Rizla packs. Hmm. I thought I heard a Volvo bus nearby, but I took that to be from the main road.
So, we’d stopped for about twenty minutes, and drove off. Then, we spotted a First Wright-bodied single deck bus blocking our path…
My first thought was it was a Rail Replacement driver, who’d parked the bus carelessly – but no. It was 66174 (W374 EOW), by the lettering inside a Volvo B10BLE. The legal lettering said it belonged to First in Somerset, and there was no duty card or board in the bus. The tickets on the floor say it had been in service the night before, late night, around Minehead – but not washed. Now, Minehead to Camberley is about 143 miles, going the quickest way… so, blatantly obviously perhaps, the bus HAD BEEN STOLEN! Oh yeah, and we couldn’t get the Landcruiser past the bus!
Having spoken to the person in the filling station, a tannoy announcement was made (would have loved to have heard that one!), and no one responded. The store duty manager was involved by this point, even though it wasn’t technically their issue, and called the police on our behalf.
As for damage, well the bus had been well mashed, and a panel was missing over the radiator…
… we tried the numbers inside, as well as the First in Slough (nearest local office), but the first didn’t answer (come on, it’s the weekend!) A spokeswoman at the latter said “Our office is now closed”.
Now, these are not a legal requirement, but this one does make for interesting reading… see the date of MOT expiry?
Not only was this panel missing, but it’s a sharp spike – if stopped by the police in service, this would have meant an immediate PG9 prohibition. Interestingly that it made it so far (at least 143 miles or so), without this being noticed.
The police arrived, and took a look around. They didn’t seem all that interested in us, but were aware that the bus had been in some sort of incident (overlooking the rest). In this time, a few other cars tried to gain access, but could not. After over two hours here, the recovery contractor arrived…
… now, I sort of know how to start one of those up, but I would have done more damage in doing so! Police didn’t want our details… hmm…
I kind of wondered if this may have been some kind of hint, weird co-incidence, whatever! We continued around Surrey, including stopping for half an hour or so for coffee with C’s former landlady, before continuing to West London, so I could show C some of my old haunts! After stopping for a small snack at Orlando’s (half each this time, as I couldn’t have finished that lot today!), we drove through Hayes, and stopped near the end of Swallowfield Way to have our food – with clear exits (and a First bus depot!) in sight this time!
After this, we drove via Hayes End and the Uxbridge Road towards Denham and the M25, before continuing back home.
When we got home, a quick google search revealed what else that bit of area behind Sainsbury’s Camberley is used for dogging. Maybe that’s why the police officer wasn’t interested!
Fantastic weekend, beside the slight hold-ups getting there, getting back, and getting through the wedding party. You can see all the Friday pictures, Saturday pictures, and Sunday pictures.
Friday 15th August – More shopping in Watford, perhaps the tightest connection yet, and the night we crashed the wedding
Caroline was working until mid-evening, and I decided I’d make my own way there by bus – Royston to Reading! The journey by car is around 83 miles, but of course, this would more than likely be exceeded the way that I went! So, from the end of our road in Royston on the Arriva 331 at 1030 to Hertford, quick stop for lunch before getting the Arriva GreenLine 724 to Garston, Arriva 6 to Watford Town Centre, a few items around the shops, before Arriva 8 to Northwood Green Lane…
… and then, the only TfL service journey of the day, First London 331 from Northwood to Uxbridge.
After a quick bite to eat at KFC (I remember when that branch used to be a Wendy’s!) in Uxbridge, I spotted my next bus – the Arriva 305 to High Wycombe – pulling into the stand on Belmont Road.
Shortly after, the bus pulled around the corner to Bakers Road, and everyone got on board. We turned around at the station, along Bakers Road, into Belmont Road, and then just as we turned to the bus stops outside The Pavilions, one of our passengers fell to the floor, and suffered a seizure. A combination of a very professional driver (following accident procedure to the full) and a prompt arrival of the Ambulance service meant that after a little under half an hour, we were able to go, with all passengers on board. Now, this, along with further traffic, meant that we were 35 minutes down at the next timing point, Denham. Only one issue – I only had 16 minutes to make the connection (arrival due 1759 at Eden) for Line850 to Reading at 1815 – the last through bus for an hour and a half. A quick browse through the timetables came up with some other ideas, but the driver did manage to make up time (we were stuck behind a dawdling First Citaro on the 74). On the way into High Wycombe, the three remaining passengers were asked if we were for the bus station or High Street, and we went direct to the bus station via the fire station. The driver therefore arrived at 1814, only 15 minutes late – not bad, all things considered.
Next journey was the 1815 Line850 to Reading… now, with one minute to go for this connection, I thought it might still be possible. I almost ran past an Orange Route 39 branded Optare Versa, until I turned my head and saw the destination display, 850 Reading! Not only had I made it (by the skin of whatever teeth I have left), but we’ve got a bus less than a year old to do it with (of the type coming to the 331 this Autumn), and the other drivers were hassling the controller amid allegations of favouritism for the 850 driver! The controller waved them away with the familiar sounds of “it’s all I’ve got”… anyway, the bus is a cross between the Tempo (replacement for the Excel) and the more familiar Solo. Here’s the inside of it…
… The 850 runs twice around the one-way block in Henley, giving a chance for this shot of the Thames…
… before the bus made it to Reading Station – now, the bus did get quite a few odd looks throughout the trip, locals not used to the bright orange!
So, I had a quick browse around the station, including snapping quite a lot in the vicinity, before Caroline and her colleague picked me up in the car, and we headed for Wokefield Park, near Mortimer, south of Reading. It’s a combination of a conference centre, and a hotel in a mansion house, and was set in large grounds, with golf course and others.
Now, after we arrived, we were given directions, which were based on signage that were not immediately visible. We got to our allocated room, to find that the key didn’t work. Yes, you’ve guessed it, we were allocated to the room with the same number in the other building… So, we trailed back through to Reception once more, just me and C, and we were escorted to the correct part of the building, through someone’s wedding reception evening! Now, we had to pick up C’s colleague (who we had left at the other room, with the bags), so we had to traipse through yet again. At this point, I decided that if we were going to be gatecrashing a wedding, I might as well have the f**k-me shoes on (I’d had a pair of heels in my bag all day, as the flats were better for keeping to time with – see above!) Well, sounds mad, but it was going that way. Needless to say, it was an interesting sight through as we came back with three of us, and the luggage!
After putting the bags down, we went back to the car, to drop off C’s colleague (who was staying with a former colleague of C’s in Newbury, and we were visiting the next day). So, once again, through the wedding party (lots of smiles and hellos and “can we squeeze past please”, as they’d taken over the bar – almost literally!), and out to the far car park. Now, we couldn’t find the way out – in the dark – so we drove the wrong way down a one-way lane, and arrived at Newbury some time afterwards. After talks and tea and more, we drove off just after midnight, stopping for a takeaway from Domino’s. At midnight, I was on the M4 – not for the first time, but much further away than before! We got back to the hotel just after midnight, and found an alternative route to avoid cutting through the party, still in full swing!
Saturday 16th August – Into Reading, and Newbury
After breakfast, a few views from the window…
I wanted to go into central Reading… So, having done some brief online research at ParkandRide.net, we decided to park our car at Reading’s Madejski Stadium. As the soccer team were playing at home that day, parking was limited, and there was to be an earlier finish to the bus service that day – but, no problem, as we’d be long away by that time.
The Park & Ride Fastrack bus in the background (ran by First Beeline) took us into Reading town centre, and at £4.00 for the two of us (normally £2.60 each return, but a five person ticket for £4 is available off-peak… this was endorsed FAMILY, which gave C a few thoughts… she does see herself as a bit of a mommadyke I guess!). Having got off close to the shops, we had a look around – C ended up with some more books, and I bought some more clearance stuff from Claire’s – and we then went for coffee before going for the bus home. The notice on the door did quite clearly state that the security code for the toilets is on the bottom of the receipts, but this did confuse just about everyone else who used it! Anyway, this bus took us (and ironically – since this post – some Plymouth Argyle fans) to the stadium.
Not only were Park & Ride buses being used, but the high-frequency Service 79 from central Reading (plus 71-77 from outlying parts, and 78 from Newbury) were taking a lot of fans too. Here, one of the Newbury based Spectra’s (Thunderbird 2) is spotted, unloading fans off the 79…
Compare this pic earlier on of the one before, with just one bus visible a few hours before (Park & Ride buses were parking in an adjacent layby!), the stadium had turned into a bit of a bus park with just over half an hour to kick-off!
So, we returned to the hotel afterwards, before a brief stop, then continuing onto Newbury.
Sunday 17th August – On The Way Home, Stuck Behind A Stolen Barbie Bus!
After an enjoyable weekend (more or less!), I made sure we nabbed a few more pictures before we left – including some of the car at the mansion house!
We drove back through Berkshire and Hampshire, and ended up having lunch at a McDonalds in Camberley. Now, rather than eating lunch in the car park, C says “I know just the place”, and we drove to this quiet little nature reserve behind Sainsbury’s. Now, it *looked* like the sort of place where bad deeds could happen, but we couldn’t see anyone else around. Just some old KFC boxes and some empty Rizla packs. Hmm. I thought I heard a Volvo bus nearby, but I took that to be from the main road.
So, we’d stopped for about twenty minutes, and drove off. Then, we spotted a First Wright-bodied single deck bus blocking our path…
My first thought was it was a Rail Replacement driver, who’d parked the bus carelessly – but no. It was 66174 (W374 EOW), by the lettering inside a Volvo B10BLE. The legal lettering said it belonged to First in Somerset, and there was no duty card or board in the bus. The tickets on the floor say it had been in service the night before, late night, around Minehead – but not washed. Now, Minehead to Camberley is about 143 miles, going the quickest way… so, blatantly obviously perhaps, the bus HAD BEEN STOLEN! Oh yeah, and we couldn’t get the Landcruiser past the bus!
Having spoken to the person in the filling station, a tannoy announcement was made (would have loved to have heard that one!), and no one responded. The store duty manager was involved by this point, even though it wasn’t technically their issue, and called the police on our behalf.
As for damage, well the bus had been well mashed, and a panel was missing over the radiator…
… we tried the numbers inside, as well as the First in Slough (nearest local office), but the first didn’t answer (come on, it’s the weekend!) A spokeswoman at the latter said “Our office is now closed”.
Now, these are not a legal requirement, but this one does make for interesting reading… see the date of MOT expiry?
Not only was this panel missing, but it’s a sharp spike – if stopped by the police in service, this would have meant an immediate PG9 prohibition. Interestingly that it made it so far (at least 143 miles or so), without this being noticed.
The police arrived, and took a look around. They didn’t seem all that interested in us, but were aware that the bus had been in some sort of incident (overlooking the rest). In this time, a few other cars tried to gain access, but could not. After over two hours here, the recovery contractor arrived…
… now, I sort of know how to start one of those up, but I would have done more damage in doing so! Police didn’t want our details… hmm…
I kind of wondered if this may have been some kind of hint, weird co-incidence, whatever! We continued around Surrey, including stopping for half an hour or so for coffee with C’s former landlady, before continuing to West London, so I could show C some of my old haunts! After stopping for a small snack at Orlando’s (half each this time, as I couldn’t have finished that lot today!), we drove through Hayes, and stopped near the end of Swallowfield Way to have our food – with clear exits (and a First bus depot!) in sight this time!
After this, we drove via Hayes End and the Uxbridge Road towards Denham and the M25, before continuing back home.
When we got home, a quick google search revealed what else that bit of area behind Sainsbury’s Camberley is used for dogging. Maybe that’s why the police officer wasn’t interested!
Fantastic weekend, beside the slight hold-ups getting there, getting back, and getting through the wedding party. You can see all the Friday pictures, Saturday pictures, and Sunday pictures.
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Wow!
Date: 2008-08-19 05:21 pm (UTC)Those P&R First buses in Reading used to be in an almost Arriva livery, very similar, so interesting to see that they're now 90% Barbie (before they were almost all turquoise and white).
I've never been to a Wendy's, but they own Tim Hortons (the Canadian doughnut place with the ultra addictive "timbits").
Phew, this comment is longer than some of my entries,
Doug
Re: Wow!
Date: 2008-08-20 02:58 pm (UTC)Before I came to London there were quite a few Wendy's stores, then it was down to a handful when I arrived. The one in Uxbridge went from being a Taco Bell before I arrived, then I remember it as a Wendy's for the first few months when I arrived in the area, and then it became a furniture store - now it's a KFC.
There was one at LHR Terminal 3 for a while after, but it too is long gone.
A lot of that stuff was really good, and there is now less choice now that it's not in the UK.