Suzy, Drinker Of Coffee

Long weekend in a day and a half

We left Dundee a little late on Friday night, using Neoplan 50147 to Perth Broxden. Then, MAN 50058 took us south. Not quite an early April fool (as Paul H thought when I started my texts!), but the bus had to be stopped four times between Edinburgh and the border, to allow the engine to cool down. When the Newcastle drivers took over - remember it was theirs until last week - they knew how to fix it, and let the bus thrash on down. The Barnsley based drivers took over at an unspecified services (I was asleep), and they turned the bus into a sauna before we made it to London. There were three of us - me, TP2040, and Willie from Kirkcaldy. We arrived into London about 30 minutes late, but TP2040 made a dash to his bus for Birmimgham, on route to a Sonic The Hedgehog Appreciation meeting of some sort. (This is what he told me, I don't think there was a name for it, was there?)

Anyway, having left the two of us to breakfast, we went via Holborn so I could have a look at the 68 service, which (along with the 468, X68 and N68) changed hands that morning from Arriva London South to London Central's Camberwell garage. Also saw both the University of East London Citaro artics in the blue and orange advertisment liveries.

We headed over the river to Waterloo, and most of the side streets were closed off. This was to allow cranes in, so that the 93 stock on the Waterloo & City Line can be removed for refurbishment in Doncaster. Take a look here, and here for a more widespread view. Metronet had their Optare Solo publicity bus round the back of Waterloo. We then headed via Oxford Street to Victoria, but not after Willie had recieved a call on his mobile about one of his aunt's passing away in Kirkcaldy earlier on in the day. When I got to Victoria train station, we saw another of the 93 stock leaving for heading north.

Olympian 13621 took us to Brighton Pool Valley, and saw various things. One of the Southdown preserved PD3's was on a "wedding" hire, and a more modern B&H double decker showing for "Elaine & Cathryn's Big Day". Lots of pictures in Brighton, before we got Dart 34642 on the 700 between Brighton & Worthing. We got out here as the next bus behind (15 minutes) was to be a double decker (two slightly different overlapping services every 30 minutes at this point - have a look here), and then we would be able to use that all the way to Portsmouth. I snapped the open top PD3, and had a raid at the timetable rack at the depot! The service passed via Chichester and Havant bus stations - the latter under construction - before getting off the Olympian 16346 we'd been on for several hours at Portsmouth Harbour station/The Hard interchange, which First branding refers to as the adjacent leisure and retail outlet called Gunwharf Quays.

We then took the Megatrain carriage (2nd one) to London Waterloo, with one of SWT's trademark new Siemens Desiro's. There was no Megatrain branding on the 2nd carriage, as had been promised, but the helpful guard did a pa announcement accordingly. They have a Megatrain booking sheet, and it's virtually identical to a bus one, service MT1! The guard assisted with removing a drunk passenger from the third carriage, in Guildford (following a passenger complaint). Another passenger then complained, and challenged the guard, but he promised removal if it continued, so he was quiet all the way into Waterloo.

Then from Waterloo to Victoria by Travel London 211 (TA128 then TA129), before getting 50040 back to Broxden, and then Neoplan 50136 from Broxden to Dundee.

To see all the pictures from the section, see the following - Selection 1, Selection 2, Selection 3, Selection 4, Selection 5, Selection 6.

posted by Suzy Scott @ 20:07