Newcastle trip-ped up
Today, I did a day trip from Dundee to Newcastle, to try the new M20 service (see previous mention earlier in the month). Neoplan 50133 took me from Dundee to Perth, and then 50053 took me south from Perth via Ferrytoll and Edinburgh to Newcastle.
On the way into Newcastle, the driver got seriously lost. It appeared that Cowdenbeath drivers (who do the Ferrytoll - Scotch Corner bit) had not been route trained - merely given verbals on how to get to the A1, and a street map of how to drive around Newcastle... After a few loops of the MetroCity towers, he stopped to ask a Go-Northern driver, then a police officer, before stopping to walk into a recruitment agency to ask them... The stop we were looking for was just two blocks away at this point, right outside Newcastle station.
When we'd finally got to the Station, had a look around the sights from the town, which included some of the Arriva North East Volvo B10BLE's that started life with Arriva Scotland West as 531, 536, and one of their purple and gold Gemini's.
Lots of yellow Stagecoach "Busways" Quaylink buses could be seen - these being electric Designline buses similar to the "demonstrator" that was here in 2004/0005 - a bunch of three could be seen here. One was being replaced by the Stagecoach Cumberland Hadrians Wall Optare Solo, which is obviously working on Newcastle off-season.
The former London vehicles were sparse, but a former Arriva Metrobus M1112 was spotted. Whilst I saw some 9X MetroRider's (Arriva North East) similar to home, I also liked the idea of Stagecoach PS types and MAN/ALX300's going to Newbiggin(g) - even if it missed the last letter... I also liked the sight of the Enviro 300's in Stagecoach livery on the 100...
Then, it came to the time to come home. Traffic across the tyne was solid due to the tunnel being shut (part of the pensions issue strike), a man was said to be threatening to jump off the Tyne bridge, and the Metro was closed for the pensions issue too. I waited quite a while for the bus - and called Megabus control, to be told he was late, but not sure how long. After rain, wind, the lot, sitting and trying to keep warm, I nearly gave up. When a passer-by passed me for the second time, she (jokingly) said "I'd have given up on him by now love", i.e. whoever you are waiting for isn't there. Quick lookup via WAP to National Rail enquiries, after several attempts to reach megacontrol failed.
The end of it was - £4.00 round trip, but I had to get a GNER train back from Newcastle (the last one direct to Dundee is the 1600 ex KX, and conviently it was late when I'd given up, so I was able to get a through train). A standard single was £56.00 - but a Saver return was offered for £56.10 instead... More money than I had to spare, but I pestered TA2040 to help me till I can ask for it back. Got back to Dundee and defrosted on the train up. The irony was, the London Evening Standard included a press statement on the success of Megatrain...
Definatly not my best trip, but thanks to all who assisted! Thanks to Gary Mitchellhill for his assistance by text message with my questions! I'd not been to Newcastle since 1998... and the Stagecoach shop is now a shoe shop... but I think I may have another trip to use the other half of the Saver return at least... For the meantime, I will be passing by this coming weekend...
posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:23
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