My last week of travels around everywhere
Aug. 1st, 2009 03:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suzyscottdotcomAfter Friday (24th) at work, and a manic return home, plus a Saturday (25th) out in Haywards Heath and Brighton, meeting lots of friends and partners-of-friends along the way. Sunday (26th) was a quiet one, in preparation for a very busy week. I purchased a Stagecoach Bedfordshire X5 MegaRiderGold for the week (£26, but still £25 online). The ticket allows unlimited travel across Stagecoach routes in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, and I managed to get around all of those! I also added some extra tickets for local journeys to allow me to “do more” – in the case of Tuesday, when I priced the extra journeys that I wanted to do, an Intalink Explorer was cheapest, so added some more to it. Some more off the “I Want To Do Again” list, and quite a bit off the “To Do One Day” list. Some changes were made for various reasons, but managed a fair few. Roadworks on the M50 and 124/125/126 routes meant that (off peak) the road was restricted to Darts, meaning most of Stagecoach Bedford’s allocation was being swapped around.
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Monday 27th July
Caroline dropped me off, for…
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Regent Street
… I then crossed over Parker’s Piece for…
Stagecoach Volvo B10M/Plaxton Interurban 52485 X5 Cambridge, Parkside – Bedford, Bus Station
… upon arrival at Bedford, spotted 52644 (KSU 461) is back from it’s loan to (cover two fire damaged Plaxton’s at) Stagecoach Glasgow…
… Dart 34428 on the M50, and a Volvo Olympian on the P1, which was my next bus!
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16677 pluto P1 Bedford, Bus Station – Northampton, Bus Station
From there, a brief stop, before the next bus out of Northampton. However, the bus in question suffered from the usual Volvo pinging noise. The driver and controller managed to resolve the issue, completely after filling it with more water. So, a little late, but my next bus…
Stagecoach Volvo B6LE/Alexander ALX200 31047 96 Northampton, Bus Station – Rugby, Town Centre
As this was late (despite the driver’s endeavours to catch up), ended up with a longer stop in Rugby. So, having a look around town, before going back for the GA01/GA02 towards Daventry and Banbury. However, I spotted Centrebus 140 (Rugby – Leicester via the villages) and decided (this was already on my “to do one day” list) that this would be a better alternative – as I’d only be able to get to Daventry before going back to NN. This would offer a bit more time, and a nice run through the back roads of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, even for the weather. So,
Centrebus Mercedes Vario/Alexander ALX100 439 140 Rugby, Town Centre – Leicester, St Margaret’s Bus Station
After arrival, went for a bite to eat at Chicken Run (opposite the bus station) before using the pecestrian footbridge to snap arrivals at St Margaret’s Bus Station. This also included the bus I was awaiting, this time an X7 branded one.
Stagecoach Volvo B10M/Alexander PS 20217 X7 Leicester, St Margaret’s Bus Station – Northampton, Bus Station
This connected back again with…
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16677 pluto P1 Northampton, Bus Station - Bedford, Bus Station
… and this one returned me to Cambridge, where I met C in town this time, before going for pizza from the Italian at the foot of Milton Road.
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53603 X5 Bedford, Bus Station – Cambridge, Parkside
You can see all Monday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday 28th July
So, after pricing the last three buses (69/70, 100/101/102 and 92/94/97) on this run, it would have been cheaper to add an Intalink Explorer as well – so I did, allowing me to try the 82, and sample the Tuesday-only 23 again. So, Caroline dropped me off at Royston Bus Station, before catching the first one of the day.
Richmond’s Coaches Mercedes Vario/Plaxton Beaver 2 23 Royston, Bus Station – Hitchin, St Mary’s Square
I had a quick look around the market (finding another card and crafting stall!) before walking around for the next bus. On the way, spotted the 88 (now in the hands of Redline Buses of Aylesbury) arriving at St Mary’s Square, so ran back to snap it up!
After that, the 82 from Hitchin to Biggleswade – a route abandoned by Stagecoach some time ago.
Centrebus Optare Solo 387 82 Hitchin, Bancroft – Biggleswade, Bus Station
The bus was new to Henderson Travel, and it was notable as one of their CCTV vinyl stickers were still inside, and a Lanarkshire phone number on one of the adverts! The bus connects quite well with most of the other routes in the area – see the photo skip. Decided to take the “slow” M3 from Big Les Wade via his mate Sandy onto Bedford.
Stagecoach Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 34825 M3 Biggleswade, Bus Station – Bedford, Bus Station
Had quite a while here before the next bus (Services 160 and 165 each run once per direction per day), so got lunch, and returned to outside the bus station to eat, while snapping the buses exiting. One of the passing taxi drivers said I made him feel hungry! Does food do that to you?
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Alexander R 16209 160 Bedford, Bus Station – Leighton Buzzard, High Street
The 160 and 165 both operate once per direction, per day, Monday to Saturday, between Bedford and Leighton Buzzard. While many other buses operate over part of the route, it is a really enjoyable journey – especially from the top deck. Of course, 16209 (R34 TAC) was the experimental X5 double deck bus converted with extra legroom, and it retains most of the features inside, although the lettering is gone.
Another bus took me back to Luton, where I would start to join up the “loop” of my day out.
Arriva The Shires Scania/East Lancs 3167 69 Leighton Buzzard, High Street – Luton, Church Street
After a quick browse at the timetable racks in the library/TIC, back again to Church Street for the bus to Hitchin. The bus in question is one of the former 300/301 CentralLine vehicles, which are now being replaced. Notice the “Luton, Bus Station” blind display still in use!
Arriva The Shires Volvo B10BLE/Wright 3301 100 Luton, Church Street – Hitchin, Hermitage Road
This took me to Hitchin, where a simple change at the same bus stop would take me further.
Arriva The Shires Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 3227 97 Hitchin, Hermitage Road, Letchworth Station Road
Caroline met me there a few minutes later, and we went to The Three Magnets for dinner, before getting
First Capital Connect train back from Letchworth Garden City Station – Royston Station.
It was another enjoyable day, and you can see all of Tuesday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday 29th July 2009
A day to rest!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday 30th July
This one might seem like a simpler day, but it was perhaps just as many miles!
From Royston, once again,
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Regent Street
After getting a bite to eat, and meeting a colleague on her bike in East Road, walked over Parkers Piece, which was being done up as a place for watching live cricket this weekend. Anyway, from there…
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53611 X5 Cambridge, Parkside – Bicester, Bure Place
This was an almost end-to-end journey, but got off early for good reason (not the pub, or the shopping outlet, believe it or not!) It was just a simple plan to snap the local stuff, before getting the next stopping Service S5 (Superior 5 – was 27 until January 2009) to Oxford. Anyway, on the X5, the rain started belting down as we left Bedford – just as Rhianna’s Umbrella started playing on the iPod. Anyway, it did get much better as we passed through Buckingham, and then we made it to Bicester. Compare the two pictures taken less than three hours apart!
The stop gave me long enough to snap up RH Transport 25/25A, a regular service from Bicester to Oxford via various villages, including one named Chesterton…
… but it was also convenient that the X5 made it in time for the arrival of Arriva’s 18, a four-times-a-day service that serves a more rural version of the journey we’d just made from Buckingham.
For the next journey, the WiFi worked!
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 14538 S5 Bicester, Bure Place – Oxford, Magdalen Street
I then started making my way towards the coach and rail stations (latter for a journey, former that I would get back to later), and a 14A turned up – useful, saved the walk! This is one of the few routes that did not change with the recent (last week) changes to stops, as a result of the Transform Oxford policy introduction, removing buses and stops from a couple of streets.
Stagecoach MAN/Alexander ALX300 22053 14A Oxford, George Street – Oxford, Railway Station
After arriving at Oxford Railway Station, I planned to take the train to Reading. I had the choice of a stopping or fast service, and as I arrived, the stopper (due to take about 50 mins) was in the platform. Took this to Didcot Parkway, where the driver announced that a faster train to Reading was due across the platform – so jumped for that – it was a fast one from Bristol. So,
First Great Western train, Oxford Station – Didcot Parkway Station
First Great Western train, Didcot Parkway Station – Reading Station
Clever, I didn’t know you could do that, and get the best of both worlds! Upon arrival in Reading, headed for a few shops, including the Travel Shop at Broad Street Mall. Got a 2009 issue map from the inspector’s hut at Station Hill, and off I walked. Reading Buses (well, Goldine, their special services unit) on Thames Valley Park Shuttle…
… at least one of the blue buses on the 15/16 had the livery adjusted to include an advert for the new 10 journey smartcard tickets.
Not all the interesting finds were buses. Happened to look over the road at just the right place to see this – the former Bus & Coach station in Reading. National Express haven’t came into Reading for some time, instead stopping at Calcot.
I liked the livery of Fleet Buzz on the 72 to Aldershot.
One of the bio-ethanol fuelled Scania’s on the 24/7 service 17
After a visit to the Travel Shop at Broad Street Mall (picked up the usual transport literature, as well as a charity promotional mini keyring flying bear for the Air Ambulance campaign for £2!), and stopped at The Hope Tap for early dinner (rather than having food in Oxford). From here, via a few shops back to the station, firstly a First Scania on the 190 with a rear end advertising Bracknell’s shopping facilities
It was very blowly this day too, but I managed to get one of the Newbury Dart SLF’s, now branded as Vitality…
… quite a few DAF/Optare Spectra SLF’s, including this one near the railway station.
… the alternative to the train is Thames Travel’s X39/X40 via Wallingford…
… this bold burgundy Reading Buses Scania stands out really well, perhaps too much like the old cream and maroon?
… Arriva Verde on the Line800/850…
… the TfL specification dual door Optare Versa is being used by Fleet Buzz on the 72…
… got a train earlier than the one I planned…
First Great Western train, Reading Station – Oxford Station
… walked out at the side, beside the Rail Replacement vehicles for the North Cotswold Line work…
… caught up with an Arriva new Enviro400 on Line280…
… then walked back to Gloucester Green coach station, for
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53607 X5 Oxford, Gloucester Green – Cambridge, Parkside
A very good day – and you can see all Thursday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday 31st July
A shorter one this time, but a little different. From Royston, once again,
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Drummer Street Bus Station
From there, a few shops, before the 55 took me up the A14. This one was one of the double deck Scania/Enviro400 buses for the busway, in contrast to the single deck I had a few weeks ago. This was the last Friday before the Stagecoach Cambridgeshire changes, and also the Friday of the Bus Users UK surgery at St Ives, Market Hill.
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 15461 55 Cambridge, Drummer Street Bus Station – St Ives, Bus Station
How’s this for an interesting combination of panel and destination display?
Anyway, from there, bus to St Ives, where this was the location of the local Bus Users UK surgery – very well attended, as you can see here.
From there, it was similar
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 15464 55 St Ives, Bus Station – Huntingdon, Bus Station
A quick changeover, but I spotted this legacy – who can see the remnant of the sign pointing to the railway station?
From there, it was
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Alexander R 16070 65 Huntingdon, Bus Station – St Neots, Market Square
Various snaps, including the new Solo’s on town services
before
Stagecoach Dart/Enviro300 36011 citi4 St Neots town centre – Cambridge, Downing Street
Another route on the list of things to do, the stopping alternative to the X5. However, the route did leave somewhat late out of St Neots, but had too much time between there and Cambourne.
From there, a run around for
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16023 26 Cambridge, Bus Station – Royston, Old North Road at Orchard Road
The camera appaeared to malfuinction twice (once when it got to the 6,000th image) and lost most of the last two days pictures. However, a download and purchase of a card recovery software package managed to recover the lot – well worth the money in the circumstances!
Anyway, you can see all Friday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Monday 27th July
Caroline dropped me off, for…
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Regent Street
… I then crossed over Parker’s Piece for…
Stagecoach Volvo B10M/Plaxton Interurban 52485 X5 Cambridge, Parkside – Bedford, Bus Station
… upon arrival at Bedford, spotted 52644 (KSU 461) is back from it’s loan to (cover two fire damaged Plaxton’s at) Stagecoach Glasgow…
… Dart 34428 on the M50, and a Volvo Olympian on the P1, which was my next bus!
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16677 pluto P1 Bedford, Bus Station – Northampton, Bus Station
From there, a brief stop, before the next bus out of Northampton. However, the bus in question suffered from the usual Volvo pinging noise. The driver and controller managed to resolve the issue, completely after filling it with more water. So, a little late, but my next bus…
Stagecoach Volvo B6LE/Alexander ALX200 31047 96 Northampton, Bus Station – Rugby, Town Centre
As this was late (despite the driver’s endeavours to catch up), ended up with a longer stop in Rugby. So, having a look around town, before going back for the GA01/GA02 towards Daventry and Banbury. However, I spotted Centrebus 140 (Rugby – Leicester via the villages) and decided (this was already on my “to do one day” list) that this would be a better alternative – as I’d only be able to get to Daventry before going back to NN. This would offer a bit more time, and a nice run through the back roads of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, even for the weather. So,
Centrebus Mercedes Vario/Alexander ALX100 439 140 Rugby, Town Centre – Leicester, St Margaret’s Bus Station
After arrival, went for a bite to eat at Chicken Run (opposite the bus station) before using the pecestrian footbridge to snap arrivals at St Margaret’s Bus Station. This also included the bus I was awaiting, this time an X7 branded one.
Stagecoach Volvo B10M/Alexander PS 20217 X7 Leicester, St Margaret’s Bus Station – Northampton, Bus Station
This connected back again with…
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16677 pluto P1 Northampton, Bus Station - Bedford, Bus Station
… and this one returned me to Cambridge, where I met C in town this time, before going for pizza from the Italian at the foot of Milton Road.
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53603 X5 Bedford, Bus Station – Cambridge, Parkside
You can see all Monday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday 28th July
So, after pricing the last three buses (69/70, 100/101/102 and 92/94/97) on this run, it would have been cheaper to add an Intalink Explorer as well – so I did, allowing me to try the 82, and sample the Tuesday-only 23 again. So, Caroline dropped me off at Royston Bus Station, before catching the first one of the day.
Richmond’s Coaches Mercedes Vario/Plaxton Beaver 2 23 Royston, Bus Station – Hitchin, St Mary’s Square
I had a quick look around the market (finding another card and crafting stall!) before walking around for the next bus. On the way, spotted the 88 (now in the hands of Redline Buses of Aylesbury) arriving at St Mary’s Square, so ran back to snap it up!
After that, the 82 from Hitchin to Biggleswade – a route abandoned by Stagecoach some time ago.
Centrebus Optare Solo 387 82 Hitchin, Bancroft – Biggleswade, Bus Station
The bus was new to Henderson Travel, and it was notable as one of their CCTV vinyl stickers were still inside, and a Lanarkshire phone number on one of the adverts! The bus connects quite well with most of the other routes in the area – see the photo skip. Decided to take the “slow” M3 from Big Les Wade via his mate Sandy onto Bedford.
Stagecoach Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 34825 M3 Biggleswade, Bus Station – Bedford, Bus Station
Had quite a while here before the next bus (Services 160 and 165 each run once per direction per day), so got lunch, and returned to outside the bus station to eat, while snapping the buses exiting. One of the passing taxi drivers said I made him feel hungry! Does food do that to you?
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Alexander R 16209 160 Bedford, Bus Station – Leighton Buzzard, High Street
The 160 and 165 both operate once per direction, per day, Monday to Saturday, between Bedford and Leighton Buzzard. While many other buses operate over part of the route, it is a really enjoyable journey – especially from the top deck. Of course, 16209 (R34 TAC) was the experimental X5 double deck bus converted with extra legroom, and it retains most of the features inside, although the lettering is gone.
Another bus took me back to Luton, where I would start to join up the “loop” of my day out.
Arriva The Shires Scania/East Lancs 3167 69 Leighton Buzzard, High Street – Luton, Church Street
After a quick browse at the timetable racks in the library/TIC, back again to Church Street for the bus to Hitchin. The bus in question is one of the former 300/301 CentralLine vehicles, which are now being replaced. Notice the “Luton, Bus Station” blind display still in use!
Arriva The Shires Volvo B10BLE/Wright 3301 100 Luton, Church Street – Hitchin, Hermitage Road
This took me to Hitchin, where a simple change at the same bus stop would take me further.
Arriva The Shires Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 3227 97 Hitchin, Hermitage Road, Letchworth Station Road
Caroline met me there a few minutes later, and we went to The Three Magnets for dinner, before getting
First Capital Connect train back from Letchworth Garden City Station – Royston Station.
It was another enjoyable day, and you can see all of Tuesday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday 29th July 2009
A day to rest!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday 30th July
This one might seem like a simpler day, but it was perhaps just as many miles!
From Royston, once again,
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Regent Street
After getting a bite to eat, and meeting a colleague on her bike in East Road, walked over Parkers Piece, which was being done up as a place for watching live cricket this weekend. Anyway, from there…
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53611 X5 Cambridge, Parkside – Bicester, Bure Place
This was an almost end-to-end journey, but got off early for good reason (not the pub, or the shopping outlet, believe it or not!) It was just a simple plan to snap the local stuff, before getting the next stopping Service S5 (Superior 5 – was 27 until January 2009) to Oxford. Anyway, on the X5, the rain started belting down as we left Bedford – just as Rhianna’s Umbrella started playing on the iPod. Anyway, it did get much better as we passed through Buckingham, and then we made it to Bicester. Compare the two pictures taken less than three hours apart!
The stop gave me long enough to snap up RH Transport 25/25A, a regular service from Bicester to Oxford via various villages, including one named Chesterton…
… but it was also convenient that the X5 made it in time for the arrival of Arriva’s 18, a four-times-a-day service that serves a more rural version of the journey we’d just made from Buckingham.
For the next journey, the WiFi worked!
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 14538 S5 Bicester, Bure Place – Oxford, Magdalen Street
I then started making my way towards the coach and rail stations (latter for a journey, former that I would get back to later), and a 14A turned up – useful, saved the walk! This is one of the few routes that did not change with the recent (last week) changes to stops, as a result of the Transform Oxford policy introduction, removing buses and stops from a couple of streets.
Stagecoach MAN/Alexander ALX300 22053 14A Oxford, George Street – Oxford, Railway Station
After arriving at Oxford Railway Station, I planned to take the train to Reading. I had the choice of a stopping or fast service, and as I arrived, the stopper (due to take about 50 mins) was in the platform. Took this to Didcot Parkway, where the driver announced that a faster train to Reading was due across the platform – so jumped for that – it was a fast one from Bristol. So,
First Great Western train, Oxford Station – Didcot Parkway Station
First Great Western train, Didcot Parkway Station – Reading Station
Clever, I didn’t know you could do that, and get the best of both worlds! Upon arrival in Reading, headed for a few shops, including the Travel Shop at Broad Street Mall. Got a 2009 issue map from the inspector’s hut at Station Hill, and off I walked. Reading Buses (well, Goldine, their special services unit) on Thames Valley Park Shuttle…
… at least one of the blue buses on the 15/16 had the livery adjusted to include an advert for the new 10 journey smartcard tickets.
Not all the interesting finds were buses. Happened to look over the road at just the right place to see this – the former Bus & Coach station in Reading. National Express haven’t came into Reading for some time, instead stopping at Calcot.
I liked the livery of Fleet Buzz on the 72 to Aldershot.
One of the bio-ethanol fuelled Scania’s on the 24/7 service 17
After a visit to the Travel Shop at Broad Street Mall (picked up the usual transport literature, as well as a charity promotional mini keyring flying bear for the Air Ambulance campaign for £2!), and stopped at The Hope Tap for early dinner (rather than having food in Oxford). From here, via a few shops back to the station, firstly a First Scania on the 190 with a rear end advertising Bracknell’s shopping facilities
It was very blowly this day too, but I managed to get one of the Newbury Dart SLF’s, now branded as Vitality…
… quite a few DAF/Optare Spectra SLF’s, including this one near the railway station.
… the alternative to the train is Thames Travel’s X39/X40 via Wallingford…
… this bold burgundy Reading Buses Scania stands out really well, perhaps too much like the old cream and maroon?
… Arriva Verde on the Line800/850…
… the TfL specification dual door Optare Versa is being used by Fleet Buzz on the 72…
… got a train earlier than the one I planned…
First Great Western train, Reading Station – Oxford Station
… walked out at the side, beside the Rail Replacement vehicles for the North Cotswold Line work…
… caught up with an Arriva new Enviro400 on Line280…
… then walked back to Gloucester Green coach station, for
Stagecoach Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile 53607 X5 Oxford, Gloucester Green – Cambridge, Parkside
A very good day – and you can see all Thursday’s pictures here.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday 31st July
A shorter one this time, but a little different. From Royston, once again,
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16024 26 Royston, Burns Road/Roysia Surgery – Cambridge, Drummer Street Bus Station
From there, a few shops, before the 55 took me up the A14. This one was one of the double deck Scania/Enviro400 buses for the busway, in contrast to the single deck I had a few weeks ago. This was the last Friday before the Stagecoach Cambridgeshire changes, and also the Friday of the Bus Users UK surgery at St Ives, Market Hill.
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 15461 55 Cambridge, Drummer Street Bus Station – St Ives, Bus Station
How’s this for an interesting combination of panel and destination display?
Anyway, from there, bus to St Ives, where this was the location of the local Bus Users UK surgery – very well attended, as you can see here.
From there, it was similar
Stagecoach Scania/Enviro400 15464 55 St Ives, Bus Station – Huntingdon, Bus Station
A quick changeover, but I spotted this legacy – who can see the remnant of the sign pointing to the railway station?
From there, it was
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Alexander R 16070 65 Huntingdon, Bus Station – St Neots, Market Square
Various snaps, including the new Solo’s on town services
before
Stagecoach Dart/Enviro300 36011 citi4 St Neots town centre – Cambridge, Downing Street
Another route on the list of things to do, the stopping alternative to the X5. However, the route did leave somewhat late out of St Neots, but had too much time between there and Cambourne.
From there, a run around for
Stagecoach Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties 16023 26 Cambridge, Bus Station – Royston, Old North Road at Orchard Road
The camera appaeared to malfuinction twice (once when it got to the 6,000th image) and lost most of the last two days pictures. However, a download and purchase of a card recovery software package managed to recover the lot – well worth the money in the circumstances!
Anyway, you can see all Friday’s pictures here.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-08-01 03:01 pm (UTC)I was wondering whether the Bedford area buses would show "mars" /"pluto" etc on the destination screens!
Northampton bus station is certainly an experience - voted only second to Cumbernauld's shopping centre in that "demolition" programme IIRC - only been the once though
Bit of variety with the X5 - a very handy link for your days out!
The Centrebus livery is certianly looking more Arriva like (in terms of the swoop/ curve, not the orange)
The National Express coach station was derelict in Reading when I used to visit there - must be a few quid's worth of prime retail site going spare there!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-01 03:46 pm (UTC)No, the buses don't show these, or have branding for them any longer, except some of the Mars buses. Spotted one Olympian about to leave for Luton on the S1 (Saturn) showing the old route X1!!! Did you know the MD at the time of their introduction is now MD at Reading Transport, BTW???
Northampton - yes, intend to (one day!) get some pictures away from the bus station area!
Unofficially trying to get on/off the X5 at almost every stop - not done Buckingham Tesco (yet)!
It's starting to get that way!
Maybe a bit late for retail space now, but would save some congestion at the stops around the Station. Never mind, surely there was a reason to close it. For those who complain re condition of certain bus and rail stations, they would be more up in arms if they were to go completely.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-02 09:59 am (UTC)Caroline x
no subject
Date: 2009-08-02 10:09 am (UTC)Sxxx