Mearns, Strathmore & Perth
Come to me my people, and let me tell you a tale...
Today's trip was a mix of last-days of some operators on certain bus routes, looking forward to new, and a slightly personal moment, before picking up some shopping in Perth, and heading home.
Initally intended to go for the 0630/35 bus to Montrose/St Cyrus - Citylink - but I managed to miss it, after forgetting which of these two it was! Anyway, managed to get the train to Montrose, 0654 (2nd of the day) and then still get Strathtay's last 101. Strathtay do one 101 from St Cyrus to Montrose only. In the August timetable, Bluebird will revert their 0700 Stonehaven-St Cyrus to run at 0640, and continue to Montrose. The bus will then run light to St Cyrus, and then return from there. (It's not a typo, it's in the registration!) Strathtay ran the 101 from 1985-1986 with Northern Scottish (when it was Dundee-Aberdeen), and also ran the 101 on two other occasions - firstly, placing journeys to/from Montrose Depot to Stonehaven for their half of the 24, and second time was emergency tender (tied in with one of the St Cyrus primary buses) when Bluebird made cutbacks in 2000.
After this, Nicoll's 8 to Laurencekirk, stopping at their depot to collect new timetables, and also see the new Solo ready for action. Continued via their last day on the 102 to Stonehaven, and I had to get change of my £10 note after I scraped the last £1.75 in silver for the 8 driver! Managed to get £3 in change, before I continued to Stonehaven. One of the lift-equipped mini's was on the 24, which took me to Brechin for £3.50. I then bought my Strathtay Rover to continue, and bought it on the Brechin Town Service, using this to take me to the library for the few missing leaflets of the new Angus Council august series...
Forfar saw the planned launch of the new Forfar Town Services. The routes start on Monday, but the two ordered Optare Solo's have not arrived. So, those delivered to Arbroath and Montrose (252/4) have been moved to Forfar, at least for now, although the new ones may end up going straight to the other depots.
I then went back to Dundee (dumped off what I'd collected so far, only to find the Angus subscription updates behind the door!), and then had the rest of the day "free". I wanted to go to Perth, but had done most of the other "ways" recently. What I'd not done was to visit my dad, who has been resident in a home for the last year. Nearly a year now, in fact. He remembered me, but he does not speak much. I had intended to stay for about 30mins inbetween buses (between the 1400 and 1445 from Dundee via Newtyle and Blairgowrie to Perth), but the first bus was late, so this had to be cut a little short. My aunt is a resident in the same home. This is for next time.
Left the home, went for something cold and sweet from the local post office (who have the Meffan's 124/125's behind the counter but no Strathtay 57 leaflets...), before getting the mobile out and phoning my mother to tell her I'd been in. Just in case anyone asked... you know how it is... don't you? Well, I called her, got through, and then the bus turned up. I said I'd call back, got on, sat down, and I did. So, managed to talk about things in brief all the way into the next county (Newtyle is in Angus, four minutes up the road into Meigle which is Perth & Kinross)... before having a chat with a friend from the West Midlands, re a forthcoming development in buses up here... keep watching...
Got to Perth, got a few things, and got some prints made of today's expeditions. Got the 54X home, and had a few hours doze before going to bed proper.
You can see all today's (bus) pics.
Today's trip was a mix of last-days of some operators on certain bus routes, looking forward to new, and a slightly personal moment, before picking up some shopping in Perth, and heading home.
Initally intended to go for the 0630/35 bus to Montrose/St Cyrus - Citylink - but I managed to miss it, after forgetting which of these two it was! Anyway, managed to get the train to Montrose, 0654 (2nd of the day) and then still get Strathtay's last 101. Strathtay do one 101 from St Cyrus to Montrose only. In the August timetable, Bluebird will revert their 0700 Stonehaven-St Cyrus to run at 0640, and continue to Montrose. The bus will then run light to St Cyrus, and then return from there. (It's not a typo, it's in the registration!) Strathtay ran the 101 from 1985-1986 with Northern Scottish (when it was Dundee-Aberdeen), and also ran the 101 on two other occasions - firstly, placing journeys to/from Montrose Depot to Stonehaven for their half of the 24, and second time was emergency tender (tied in with one of the St Cyrus primary buses) when Bluebird made cutbacks in 2000.
After this, Nicoll's 8 to Laurencekirk, stopping at their depot to collect new timetables, and also see the new Solo ready for action. Continued via their last day on the 102 to Stonehaven, and I had to get change of my £10 note after I scraped the last £1.75 in silver for the 8 driver! Managed to get £3 in change, before I continued to Stonehaven. One of the lift-equipped mini's was on the 24, which took me to Brechin for £3.50. I then bought my Strathtay Rover to continue, and bought it on the Brechin Town Service, using this to take me to the library for the few missing leaflets of the new Angus Council august series...
Forfar saw the planned launch of the new Forfar Town Services. The routes start on Monday, but the two ordered Optare Solo's have not arrived. So, those delivered to Arbroath and Montrose (252/4) have been moved to Forfar, at least for now, although the new ones may end up going straight to the other depots.
I then went back to Dundee (dumped off what I'd collected so far, only to find the Angus subscription updates behind the door!), and then had the rest of the day "free". I wanted to go to Perth, but had done most of the other "ways" recently. What I'd not done was to visit my dad, who has been resident in a home for the last year. Nearly a year now, in fact. He remembered me, but he does not speak much. I had intended to stay for about 30mins inbetween buses (between the 1400 and 1445 from Dundee via Newtyle and Blairgowrie to Perth), but the first bus was late, so this had to be cut a little short. My aunt is a resident in the same home. This is for next time.
Left the home, went for something cold and sweet from the local post office (who have the Meffan's 124/125's behind the counter but no Strathtay 57 leaflets...), before getting the mobile out and phoning my mother to tell her I'd been in. Just in case anyone asked... you know how it is... don't you? Well, I called her, got through, and then the bus turned up. I said I'd call back, got on, sat down, and I did. So, managed to talk about things in brief all the way into the next county (Newtyle is in Angus, four minutes up the road into Meigle which is Perth & Kinross)... before having a chat with a friend from the West Midlands, re a forthcoming development in buses up here... keep watching...
Got to Perth, got a few things, and got some prints made of today's expeditions. Got the 54X home, and had a few hours doze before going to bed proper.
You can see all today's (bus) pics.
posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:18
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