Out & About Saturday
So, why was I up and about before lunchtime, on the first Saturday off I'd had in ages? As I am working five days this week, that's ten bus journeys - five there, five back. No Saturday evening finish, so I could buy a ten-journey or a Tay MegaRider for the week. The latter is £9.90, and is 70p more than the flat 10 journey, although I had a feeling that it wouldn't take me long to make the extra 70p… that, and with starting two hours later, it might be useful. (I may be working 34 hours, or 37.5, but more than likely there will be a half-evening slotted in somewhere, but I've been told this will be confirmed on Monday). So, last night, I made up a plan to have a few extra runs around the city area, try a few bits I've not been on for a while. The trips would also give me the chance to hand in a repeat prescription request to Westgate, and to get some things from Tesco Riverside (i.e. the cheap stuff, you know me by now!) that I cannot get in Tesco City Centre. Of course, the MegaRider (seven days unlimited travel) means that all the extra trips do not cost any extra - on Stagecoach Strathtay, Stagecoach Fife, Stagecoach Perth buses. All the journeys I did below are former Strathtay services, and all but one are Strathtay vehicles.
So, got up, and out the door about ten to eleven. Yes, some Saturdays I'd be waking up now (if I'd been for a long trip the day before!), and I headed for Nethergate. Dart 33260 (ex 310), rook me on the 77B from Dundee to Wormit, and then the 77 back to Dundee, outside the railway station. I walked along Riverside Drive to Tesco, and after bagging what I wanted, Dart 32304 on the 72. This was worked by St Andrews depot (Fife), and the driver groaned at the sight of a Strathtay ticket… think he's trying to wind me up this time, by the look I got… got that back to Nethergate, went home, and then left, heading for the Seagate. I then headed for Ninewells (and Westgate) on the 72, on 33263 (ex 313), Strathtay's contribution to the service today. Once the 72 arrives at Ninewells from Tayport, it goes for a spin around Gowrie Park, comes back to Ninewells Hospital, and then goes away back to the City & Tayport once more. Something I didn't realise about this until today was, that it is theoretically possible to get off at Ninewells/Charleston Drive, hand in your repeat script, and get the same bus back again (although I didn't do so this time). If you were really quick, and could do a climb over the gap in the fence, you could get off at the stop before Ninewells, run down, hand it in, then run via Thurso Crescent, tale a short cut through the houses, and pick up the 72 again on Spey Drive… that would be some dedication, or mad. I'm not trying it…
Anyway, shortly after, I got Solo 47260 (ex 260) on the 13 from Ninewells through to Dobbies/Ethiebeaton Park (buses now display the latter on the screens). This included the obligatory drive past work, thinking and smiling to myself! After a quick nosey around Angus Gateway, Mercedes 42238 (ex 168) took me back on the 71 to Dundee city centre Seagate. The driver didn't click she'd sold me that ticket on the 77B less than four hours before… or did she? Anyway, no problems here. Next one was the Muirhead only working of the 59, which had Trident 18509. That took me out to Muirhead, while the bus reversed, came back, and 18509 back to the temporary stop in Whitehall Crescent.
From there, ran around the corner to Nethergate (remember the Whitehall Street stops are out of use), for the Kingoodie 76. Now, of interest, there are two 76's very close together - a 76 from Monifieth Broomhill Drive to Invergowrie Station Road, which is part of the half-hourly 76 Saturday daytime service, with a conductor and driver. This departs Whitehall Street (except when closed) at 1620. Shortly before, there is a one-off (well, one of three) tendered journey, from Dundee Bus Station (1615) via Whitehall Street (1618) to Kingoodie. The latter is ran by a driver only, and is subsidised by Perth & Kinross Council, to ensure a service is provided for the residents of Kingoodie. This one does not serve the Technology Park, but the 1620 bus does, and I frequently point this out to those at work who are starting at 1700 on Saturdays. I got to Nethergate, different driver, but a familiar face - Dart 33260 (ex 310) once more! So, same bus. I got on, went for the same seat as I did for the 77B, and my rear just about goes through it! It wasn't like that five and a bit hours ago… mind you, how many Wormit's had it done since then? (several!) The reason for stressing the above though, is that two people (Adam Hobson included!) saw me on the bus, and decided to get on it, assuming I'd be heading for work! Never mind, he was happy getting off at Invergowrie, and paid to there anyway (seeing "Invergowrie" on the front of the bus!) So, same Dart back to town, and with the diversion, I was dropped off on the other corner of Debenhams at West Marketgait. Through the Overgate Centre, and then home.
Thoughts on my day - no major issues with service, apart from one broken seat on one bus (that had obviously occurred during the day in service). The Kingoodie 76 was surprisingly busy - mind you, it was ahead of the Invergowrie one, but the crewed bus did leapfrog us when we were loading at the Nethergate, rather than taking the temptation to sit back. The 72 was also very well used on both halves - more the Ninewells side. The Tayport and Wormit area buses are always busy at weekends, but the 72 was busier than the last time I did one on a Saturday (almost dead). While the city centre roadworks continue to cripple the city centre, the bus crews seemed to be making the best of it. Interchange is almost impossible i.e. Union Street has taxis one side, and a huge ditch (gas mains work) on the other… While the weather was cold, it was not too bad. Total value of journeys made so far (£1.35 + £1.35 + £0.60 + £1.15 + £1.60 + £1.35 + £1.30 + £1.30 + £1.25 + £1.25 =) £12.50, ticket price £9.90…
Going past work once (then within spitting distance a further twice) in one day, without having to stop, was also good! Mind you, I did the same on Tuesday, but this was so different.
Got home, and have converted my blog to the "new blogger". They've been at me for long enough, and I've only just switched (it was a beta for so long). So far, not too many changes. You can enter the time in digits, rather than a drop-down. Once you click on "publish", it is instant - not taking forever. To make the most of the changes, I may lose part of the template, and I've got a lot of links etc. - will come back to that in due course.
So, got up, and out the door about ten to eleven. Yes, some Saturdays I'd be waking up now (if I'd been for a long trip the day before!), and I headed for Nethergate. Dart 33260 (ex 310), rook me on the 77B from Dundee to Wormit, and then the 77 back to Dundee, outside the railway station. I walked along Riverside Drive to Tesco, and after bagging what I wanted, Dart 32304 on the 72. This was worked by St Andrews depot (Fife), and the driver groaned at the sight of a Strathtay ticket… think he's trying to wind me up this time, by the look I got… got that back to Nethergate, went home, and then left, heading for the Seagate. I then headed for Ninewells (and Westgate) on the 72, on 33263 (ex 313), Strathtay's contribution to the service today. Once the 72 arrives at Ninewells from Tayport, it goes for a spin around Gowrie Park, comes back to Ninewells Hospital, and then goes away back to the City & Tayport once more. Something I didn't realise about this until today was, that it is theoretically possible to get off at Ninewells/Charleston Drive, hand in your repeat script, and get the same bus back again (although I didn't do so this time). If you were really quick, and could do a climb over the gap in the fence, you could get off at the stop before Ninewells, run down, hand it in, then run via Thurso Crescent, tale a short cut through the houses, and pick up the 72 again on Spey Drive… that would be some dedication, or mad. I'm not trying it…
Anyway, shortly after, I got Solo 47260 (ex 260) on the 13 from Ninewells through to Dobbies/Ethiebeaton Park (buses now display the latter on the screens). This included the obligatory drive past work, thinking and smiling to myself! After a quick nosey around Angus Gateway, Mercedes 42238 (ex 168) took me back on the 71 to Dundee city centre Seagate. The driver didn't click she'd sold me that ticket on the 77B less than four hours before… or did she? Anyway, no problems here. Next one was the Muirhead only working of the 59, which had Trident 18509. That took me out to Muirhead, while the bus reversed, came back, and 18509 back to the temporary stop in Whitehall Crescent.
From there, ran around the corner to Nethergate (remember the Whitehall Street stops are out of use), for the Kingoodie 76. Now, of interest, there are two 76's very close together - a 76 from Monifieth Broomhill Drive to Invergowrie Station Road, which is part of the half-hourly 76 Saturday daytime service, with a conductor and driver. This departs Whitehall Street (except when closed) at 1620. Shortly before, there is a one-off (well, one of three) tendered journey, from Dundee Bus Station (1615) via Whitehall Street (1618) to Kingoodie. The latter is ran by a driver only, and is subsidised by Perth & Kinross Council, to ensure a service is provided for the residents of Kingoodie. This one does not serve the Technology Park, but the 1620 bus does, and I frequently point this out to those at work who are starting at 1700 on Saturdays. I got to Nethergate, different driver, but a familiar face - Dart 33260 (ex 310) once more! So, same bus. I got on, went for the same seat as I did for the 77B, and my rear just about goes through it! It wasn't like that five and a bit hours ago… mind you, how many Wormit's had it done since then? (several!) The reason for stressing the above though, is that two people (Adam Hobson included!) saw me on the bus, and decided to get on it, assuming I'd be heading for work! Never mind, he was happy getting off at Invergowrie, and paid to there anyway (seeing "Invergowrie" on the front of the bus!) So, same Dart back to town, and with the diversion, I was dropped off on the other corner of Debenhams at West Marketgait. Through the Overgate Centre, and then home.
Thoughts on my day - no major issues with service, apart from one broken seat on one bus (that had obviously occurred during the day in service). The Kingoodie 76 was surprisingly busy - mind you, it was ahead of the Invergowrie one, but the crewed bus did leapfrog us when we were loading at the Nethergate, rather than taking the temptation to sit back. The 72 was also very well used on both halves - more the Ninewells side. The Tayport and Wormit area buses are always busy at weekends, but the 72 was busier than the last time I did one on a Saturday (almost dead). While the city centre roadworks continue to cripple the city centre, the bus crews seemed to be making the best of it. Interchange is almost impossible i.e. Union Street has taxis one side, and a huge ditch (gas mains work) on the other… While the weather was cold, it was not too bad. Total value of journeys made so far (£1.35 + £1.35 + £0.60 + £1.15 + £1.60 + £1.35 + £1.30 + £1.30 + £1.25 + £1.25 =) £12.50, ticket price £9.90…
Going past work once (then within spitting distance a further twice) in one day, without having to stop, was also good! Mind you, I did the same on Tuesday, but this was so different.
Got home, and have converted my blog to the "new blogger". They've been at me for long enough, and I've only just switched (it was a beta for so long). So far, not too many changes. You can enter the time in digits, rather than a drop-down. Once you click on "publish", it is instant - not taking forever. To make the most of the changes, I may lose part of the template, and I've got a lot of links etc. - will come back to that in due course.
posted by Suzy Scott @ 22:58
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home