A Tale Of Two Cities – Edinburgh, and Dundee

[suzyscottdotcom]

This is the view from the window in daylight, yesterday morning…

 

… Now, I have done the bus from Dundee to Edinburgh many times, weekly on two occasions for a while back in the 90’s, even daily at one point one summer, which I enjoyed as I got the afternoon to myself, to explore! My favourite choice of route is the Stagecoach Fife Stagecoach Express X54, which runs from Edinburgh to Dundee via the Forth Bridge, Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Ladybank. In 1999, the route was diverted into Newport, adding a few minutes to the journey. Ferrytoll Park & Ride opened in 2000, and the success has been documented elsewhere.  In 2002, the route was diverted off the M90/A823(M) to run via Rosth Crossroads instead.  In 2007, when the new buses and coaches with leather seats, aircon and WiFi were introduced to the Edinburgh commuter group, the route was diverted to include Crossgates and Cowdenbeath. When I was travelling regularly in the 90’s. the X54 took a bit over two hours, and the other option was the X24 (when it ran from Dundee), changing to the X59 at Glenrothes, to travel via Kirkcaldy and Dalgety Bay. The latter adds ten minutes to the route. Since then, all the extra bits on the X54, plus the fact that the X59 has been speeded up considerably, mean that the X59 (changing to the same X54 at Glenrothes!) can save 30 minutes on the trip, I had originally planned for the X54 from Edinburgh to Dundee at 0910, and I could also stay in bed a little longer, and get the X59 from Edinburgh to St Andrews at 0940, changing onto the same X54 at Glenrothes, but I was washed, dressed, fed and ready to go a little earlier than planned. So, after some pics in the West End, travelled on the X54 all the way through from Edinburgh Queensferry Street to Dundee bus station.

 

The new coaches do add a new dimension to the passenger experience on this route, and my iPod latched onto the wireless network very quickly. I did notice that the WiFi login screen shows up as “Welcome to the Citylink WiFi zone”, presumably sharing the equipment with the Glasgow – Edinburgh’s WiFi system. The leather seats were a little slidy when clad in jeans, but I adjusted to that quickly on. The high quality specification is virtually identical to that the passengers on the X5 between Oxford and Cambridge are now seeing. It did, when taken with the train experience the previous day, represent a substantial difference on previous travels.

 

Anyway, we crossed the Forth, and onto the Tay, and into Dundee. Yes, there was a reason for arriving, and that was to meet up with someone re the flat. After ten minutes and a phone call asking where he’d got to, naturally he turned up a few moments later. With a bit of luck, that should be the last of it, let those do the last of the work, and I will be able to return keys, and “officially” move in with Caroline.

 

So, from Dundee back to Glenrothes on the X54 (with an older coach with moquette seats), and it was an interesting experience to contrast that, with the new Profile coach on the X59 from Glenrothes direct to Edinburgh – stopping only at Manor Kingdom before waiting briefly at Ferrytoll Park & Ride, before crossing back to Edinburgh. Caroline was after another haggis after the one I got last year, but the butcher in Dundee (that we bought from last time) was closed for a refit, so I went to Jenners to find one. The food hall there came under the control last year of Valvona and Crolla, another Edinburgh institution. After that, stopped at The Pen Shop concession, and I didn’t buy anything new, but I did go for two duo packs of refills for my favourite pens, that I couldn’t find in Royston, which made sense to me. Anyway, from there, back to Waverly Steps for a bus back to the Travelodge, for a little while, and drop off my purchases.

 

From here, I’d agreed to meet lips_of_tragedy  at Haymarket, so bus back to the West End, and a via Haymarket bus crossed just at the right time, saving the walk around. Kirsty had suggested we went to a nearby Italian, Papoli in Morrison Street. As we left the station, the rain started, The food was something really good, even if it’s something I’ve had before, it was really lovely. Still, after that, we went for coffee. Now, Haymarket gyratory is currently being dug up for construction works for the Edinburgh Trams project, so we had to walk around several sets of roadworks – in the rain - only to find the coffee shop K was thinking of was closed for the evening. We then went onto the Mercat Bar for coffee, before breaking off little before 2200. K went back for a bus down the Dalry Road, and I went for a cab at the station, back to the hotel.

 

 

After a very good night’s sleep (I went to sleep around 2330, and got to sleep soon after, I’ve woken up with views across north Edinburgh, and out to the Forth and beyond. I’m still waking up over coffee, and I’ve got another three hours or so before check out time, and four hours before my intended train from Waverly. So, I’ve got plenty of time today, it seems. I’m then going from Edinburgh to Birmingham, Birmingham to Milton Keynes Central (both by train), then the X5 from outside MK Station to the west side of Cambridge, where C will pick me up in the car. It’s been a lovely time so far, and I’ve actually enjoyed the travelling so far.

Comments

[lips-of-tragedy.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you are home safe and sound now, and the journey south was pleasant! I had such a good time last night, sorry for dashing off but I needed a good night's sleep for being on call today (3.5 hours OT already!). Glad you enjoyed dinner and apologies for the silliness of going for coffee!

[suzyscottdotcom.livejournal.com]

Hi Kirsty,

I posted a reply this morning via the iPod, but I don't see it now.

Anyway...

No need to worry about going away early (usually in bed around 2100-2200 hours most nights!), and the going for coffee in the rain was absolutely fine!

Kind regards,
Suzy xxx