Oh look, the sun has came out!
Jul. 24th, 2007 10:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suzyscottdotcom... so I try to make the most of it, with a cross-cambridgeshire trip! This was day 2 of a weekly Multibus ticket, and I started with a Stagecoach 26 to Cambridge (16109 again). Huntingdon & District B6 5316 on the 553 took me from Cambridge to St Ives, where I went to the library - I now have a CCC card to match my Herts one!
Volvo B10BLE 5313 then continued my passage west on the 555 to Huntingdon bus station. The driver was to be praised for his call-outs of local landmarks, and even gave the passengers a "Thank you for travelling with Huntingdon & District buses" as we pulled into HBS. Who needs a PA system? Very good driver too!
Yesterday's St Ives run allowed me to pick up a copy of the North Huntingdonshire (2004 edition!) timetable leaflet/guide, which includes details of scheduled connections between Services 330/331 and 332/334, to allow more choice in travel across the Fens. All these four routes run generally every two hours. This gave me a few ideas for what to do. One such connection was between H&D Service 330 (Hitchingbrooke Hospital - Huntingdon - Warboys - Ramsey) and Service 331 (Ramsey - Whittlesey - Peterborough)
(Until now, I'd thought 'warboys' was the chant at the start of a certain Duran Duran song...)
Anyway, I digress... Dart/Marshall 5325 pulled into the Bus Station on the 330, heading for HH. I decided to go for the bash/spin, and thus the run back meant I could say I'd done the whole route.
The other possible connection is betwen Service 332 (Hitchinbrooke Hospital - Huntingdon - Warboys - Chatteris) and Service 334 (St Ives - Warboys - Ramsey) to offer an hourly service between HH and Ramsye, as well as connections at Warboys between the two i.e. St Ives to Chatteris. The 330 arrives at Warboys, and gives a toot to the engineering van, complete with a broken-down 332 parked up at the side of the road!
We made it to Ramsey in one piece, and a brief break (just had time for a rather nice pasty from the bakers over the road!) before getting back on the same bus - as 5325 was continuing as a 331 to Peterborough (through working for the driver and the bus).
The 331 which had arrived from Peterborough (and continuing as a 330 towards HH) was Volvo B10BLE 5307 - I think this is the only one not branded for the 553/554/555 group.
When I got into Peterborough, I was surprised to see the use of a Bristol VR from Emblings/Judd Travel on Service 701 - T suffix plate! Yes, the schools are off...
After some time in Peterborough, I took the 1435 Service X8 to Chatteris, using Volvo Olympian 16124.
Now, the plan here was to get this to here, and then take the 332 to Warboys, connecting with the 334 to St Ives. Only thing was (see above) the 332 was broken down the last I knew. So, I thought I'd call the "friendly staff" at Huntingdon Bus Station (quote from the 553/554/555 leaflet), which said it was open during normal office hours. I got the answerphone - their normal hours are 0900 to 1400! So, couldn't check this. When I got to Chatteris, I saw the 332 going up to Chatteris Green Park, with Volvo B6 Volvo B6 5315 with no destination and only a route number showing. As it hadn't turned up by the time the X9 was due off (a few minutes after the 332 should have been away), I took Volvo/PS 20851 (in the background of the X8) on the X9 to Cambridge, and then Olympian 16083 on the 26 back to Royston.
Good fun in the sun - and you can see all the pics here.
Volvo B10BLE 5313 then continued my passage west on the 555 to Huntingdon bus station. The driver was to be praised for his call-outs of local landmarks, and even gave the passengers a "Thank you for travelling with Huntingdon & District buses" as we pulled into HBS. Who needs a PA system? Very good driver too!
Yesterday's St Ives run allowed me to pick up a copy of the North Huntingdonshire (2004 edition!) timetable leaflet/guide, which includes details of scheduled connections between Services 330/331 and 332/334, to allow more choice in travel across the Fens. All these four routes run generally every two hours. This gave me a few ideas for what to do. One such connection was between H&D Service 330 (Hitchingbrooke Hospital - Huntingdon - Warboys - Ramsey) and Service 331 (Ramsey - Whittlesey - Peterborough)
(Until now, I'd thought 'warboys' was the chant at the start of a certain Duran Duran song...)
Anyway, I digress... Dart/Marshall 5325 pulled into the Bus Station on the 330, heading for HH. I decided to go for the bash/spin, and thus the run back meant I could say I'd done the whole route.
The other possible connection is betwen Service 332 (Hitchinbrooke Hospital - Huntingdon - Warboys - Chatteris) and Service 334 (St Ives - Warboys - Ramsey) to offer an hourly service between HH and Ramsye, as well as connections at Warboys between the two i.e. St Ives to Chatteris. The 330 arrives at Warboys, and gives a toot to the engineering van, complete with a broken-down 332 parked up at the side of the road!
We made it to Ramsey in one piece, and a brief break (just had time for a rather nice pasty from the bakers over the road!) before getting back on the same bus - as 5325 was continuing as a 331 to Peterborough (through working for the driver and the bus).
The 331 which had arrived from Peterborough (and continuing as a 330 towards HH) was Volvo B10BLE 5307 - I think this is the only one not branded for the 553/554/555 group.
When I got into Peterborough, I was surprised to see the use of a Bristol VR from Emblings/Judd Travel on Service 701 - T suffix plate! Yes, the schools are off...
After some time in Peterborough, I took the 1435 Service X8 to Chatteris, using Volvo Olympian 16124.
Now, the plan here was to get this to here, and then take the 332 to Warboys, connecting with the 334 to St Ives. Only thing was (see above) the 332 was broken down the last I knew. So, I thought I'd call the "friendly staff" at Huntingdon Bus Station (quote from the 553/554/555 leaflet), which said it was open during normal office hours. I got the answerphone - their normal hours are 0900 to 1400! So, couldn't check this. When I got to Chatteris, I saw the 332 going up to Chatteris Green Park, with Volvo B6 Volvo B6 5315 with no destination and only a route number showing. As it hadn't turned up by the time the X9 was due off (a few minutes after the 332 should have been away), I took Volvo/PS 20851 (in the background of the X8) on the X9 to Cambridge, and then Olympian 16083 on the 26 back to Royston.
Good fun in the sun - and you can see all the pics here.
