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suzyscottdotcomYesterday (Thursday 24th) I decided to get out the house, and go for a bash around on an Intalink Explorer.
As you may have seen by now, the concept behind the Intalink Explorer ticket is a simple one.
Originally intended to cover Hertfordshire’s main commercial services and contracted operators, it’s expanded into Essex, as well as being valid by way of the provision of commercial service networks into Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, etc. too. While the changes at the western end (with the 724 validity being cut back to Maple Cross and not Heathrow) and the change to the 4 for £10 to £12 happened earlier this year, the individual ticket price of £7 remains yet again unchanged – only £1 more than the price when the ticket was launched on Sunday 23rd September 2001, eight years ago this week. (Of course, it’s origins were predated in the various individual operator ticket schemes, but you get the idea). Operators keep 100% of what they sell, but have to accept everyone else’s tickets without payment or question. So, Caroline dropped me at Royston Bus Station on her way to work, and I made a start on a bash around parts of Hertfordshire, North London and Essex – mostly familiar territory, but doing a couple of sections of route that were still on my “to do one day” list!
For the first journey, it was
Arriva The Shires Optare Versa 3404 331 Royston Bus Station – Ware College
2404 upon arrival…
…2404 close shot, blinds changed ready for the journey
We got into Ware on time for
Arriva The Shires Mercedes Citaro 3905 724 Ware College – Hatfield Galleria (in the background of this pic!)
From there, cross over the road, for my next bus. Before the bus arrived, a few snaps to try out the new camera (some buses were on diversion as a result of the closure of College Lane campus, in time for the opening on Monday of the new UH Student Forum). Here’s a Citaro on the 615...
… before my next bus, one of the routes I’ve not done before. Uno’s 614 between Hatfield, the A1, then into North London via Barnet, Edgware and Queensbury. I was planning on taking this to Barnet, before changing onto the Transport for London network bus (Arriva London 307) to Enfield Town.
Uno Scania OmniDekka/East Lancs 205 (UL 55 UNO) 614 Hatfield Galleria – Barnet, Spires
After arriving in Barnet, walked through the Spires, and down to the Church for my next connection… (the next two journeys were £1.00 each from my Oyster card);
Arriva London DLP84 307 Barnet [F] – Enfield Town, Church Street
Had planned to do a lunch stop in Enfield, so had a bite from Pizza Express. They are at Silver Street in Enfield, at the traffic lights beside Church Street. Oddly, around this time eight years ago, I remember being on the opposite side of the road in another pizza resturant, now closed.
After lunch, snapped some buses – including Arriva London DAF/Alexander DLA238 on a route I used quite a bit when living in Southgate, Arriva London's 121, a route which has moved from Palmers Green to Enfield (Ponders End) garages since my time in residence here!
Walked to the bus stand at the western end of Church Street, and snapped DLP65 on 329 at Little Park Gardens…
… before back to Church Street for
Arriva London Enviro200 ENL19 313 Enfield Town – Chingford Station
The 313 was a mix of single deck DAF/Wright Cadets and DLA’s, but at the same time, this new Enviro200 was running too. I had some time snapping buses at Chingford, including a quick browse in a local bookshop, before continuing back on my next Explorer journey, and another journey that I’d wanted to do, but not done before.
Arriva The Shires Dart SLF/Wright Crusader 3435 505 Chingford Station – Harlow Bus Station
The bus was continuing to Old Harlow, and the first two other passengers asked for this destination. It was at that point the driver admitted that the bus was going there, but the bus did not have this on display. The other bus on this route was a stepped entrance Dart/Wright Handybus, which I think is still the more regular vehicle on the route. A quick changeover at Harlow provided
Arriva The Shires 3873 510 Harlow Bus Station – Stansted Airport Coach Station
Having got this with the intention of connecting to the newly extended 301 for Saffron Walden, this plan was scuppered as we were held up in roadworks, to put in bus priority measures! No fear though, as there was an alternative just 20 minutes behind, the (VL)5. Last time I was on this route, it was Stansted Transit, who have recently ceased trading. So, I had a few minutes at Stansted (coach station is different from before, lots of metal street furniture!) and then
Excel Dart SLF/Transbus Pointer KP 51 UFL (VL)5 Stansted Airport Coach Station – Saffron Walden, High Street
The bus was on the Excel service VL5 (VL for village link) that ran via Molehill Green, Thaxted, Debden Green, into Saffron Walden (whereas the 301 would run back into Bishop’s Stortford, Widdlington, Newport and Audley End.). The bus was otherwise unmarked, although the bus did carry legals and operator discs for sister company Burton’s Coaches.
That was it, and there was still a few minutes to relax with a quick drink, before Caroline arrived from work, from dinner at The Tempaire.
I enjoyed using the new camera, and having a play around with it’s settings, before the weekend! You can see all the pictures here.
As you may have seen by now, the concept behind the Intalink Explorer ticket is a simple one.
Originally intended to cover Hertfordshire’s main commercial services and contracted operators, it’s expanded into Essex, as well as being valid by way of the provision of commercial service networks into Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, etc. too. While the changes at the western end (with the 724 validity being cut back to Maple Cross and not Heathrow) and the change to the 4 for £10 to £12 happened earlier this year, the individual ticket price of £7 remains yet again unchanged – only £1 more than the price when the ticket was launched on Sunday 23rd September 2001, eight years ago this week. (Of course, it’s origins were predated in the various individual operator ticket schemes, but you get the idea). Operators keep 100% of what they sell, but have to accept everyone else’s tickets without payment or question. So, Caroline dropped me at Royston Bus Station on her way to work, and I made a start on a bash around parts of Hertfordshire, North London and Essex – mostly familiar territory, but doing a couple of sections of route that were still on my “to do one day” list!
For the first journey, it was
Arriva The Shires Optare Versa 3404 331 Royston Bus Station – Ware College
2404 upon arrival…
…2404 close shot, blinds changed ready for the journey
We got into Ware on time for
Arriva The Shires Mercedes Citaro 3905 724 Ware College – Hatfield Galleria (in the background of this pic!)
From there, cross over the road, for my next bus. Before the bus arrived, a few snaps to try out the new camera (some buses were on diversion as a result of the closure of College Lane campus, in time for the opening on Monday of the new UH Student Forum). Here’s a Citaro on the 615...
… before my next bus, one of the routes I’ve not done before. Uno’s 614 between Hatfield, the A1, then into North London via Barnet, Edgware and Queensbury. I was planning on taking this to Barnet, before changing onto the Transport for London network bus (Arriva London 307) to Enfield Town.
Uno Scania OmniDekka/East Lancs 205 (UL 55 UNO) 614 Hatfield Galleria – Barnet, Spires
After arriving in Barnet, walked through the Spires, and down to the Church for my next connection… (the next two journeys were £1.00 each from my Oyster card);
Arriva London DLP84 307 Barnet [F] – Enfield Town, Church Street
Had planned to do a lunch stop in Enfield, so had a bite from Pizza Express. They are at Silver Street in Enfield, at the traffic lights beside Church Street. Oddly, around this time eight years ago, I remember being on the opposite side of the road in another pizza resturant, now closed.
After lunch, snapped some buses – including Arriva London DAF/Alexander DLA238 on a route I used quite a bit when living in Southgate, Arriva London's 121, a route which has moved from Palmers Green to Enfield (Ponders End) garages since my time in residence here!
Walked to the bus stand at the western end of Church Street, and snapped DLP65 on 329 at Little Park Gardens…
… before back to Church Street for
Arriva London Enviro200 ENL19 313 Enfield Town – Chingford Station
The 313 was a mix of single deck DAF/Wright Cadets and DLA’s, but at the same time, this new Enviro200 was running too. I had some time snapping buses at Chingford, including a quick browse in a local bookshop, before continuing back on my next Explorer journey, and another journey that I’d wanted to do, but not done before.
Arriva The Shires Dart SLF/Wright Crusader 3435 505 Chingford Station – Harlow Bus Station
The bus was continuing to Old Harlow, and the first two other passengers asked for this destination. It was at that point the driver admitted that the bus was going there, but the bus did not have this on display. The other bus on this route was a stepped entrance Dart/Wright Handybus, which I think is still the more regular vehicle on the route. A quick changeover at Harlow provided
Arriva The Shires 3873 510 Harlow Bus Station – Stansted Airport Coach Station
Having got this with the intention of connecting to the newly extended 301 for Saffron Walden, this plan was scuppered as we were held up in roadworks, to put in bus priority measures! No fear though, as there was an alternative just 20 minutes behind, the (VL)5. Last time I was on this route, it was Stansted Transit, who have recently ceased trading. So, I had a few minutes at Stansted (coach station is different from before, lots of metal street furniture!) and then
Excel Dart SLF/Transbus Pointer KP 51 UFL (VL)5 Stansted Airport Coach Station – Saffron Walden, High Street
The bus was on the Excel service VL5 (VL for village link) that ran via Molehill Green, Thaxted, Debden Green, into Saffron Walden (whereas the 301 would run back into Bishop’s Stortford, Widdlington, Newport and Audley End.). The bus was otherwise unmarked, although the bus did carry legals and operator discs for sister company Burton’s Coaches.
That was it, and there was still a few minutes to relax with a quick drink, before Caroline arrived from work, from dinner at The Tempaire.
I enjoyed using the new camera, and having a play around with it’s settings, before the weekend! You can see all the pictures here.
