Adlington
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- Joined
- 3 Oct 2016
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Still a bargain compared with Glasgow - Kyle of Lochalsh (which isn't exactly on Skye...) by train: two singles add to £64.60.Glasgow to Skye is £52.70 adult return.
Still a bargain compared with Glasgow - Kyle of Lochalsh (which isn't exactly on Skye...) by train: two singles add to £64.60.Glasgow to Skye is £52.70 adult return.
out of interest... which of these routes are DD and which are SD?
Isn't the Island Coaster run by Vectis Blue DD's? It was about 2 years ago when I last went to the Isle of Wight.Needles and Island Coaster are o/t.
Sorry - you’re quite correct. Think I’m mixing Coasters with BreezersIsn't the Island Coaster run by Vectis Blue DD's? It was about 2 years ago when I last went to the Isle of Wight.
Agreed. High Peak have some amazing routes e.g. 60 from Macclesfield to Hayfield, 61 Buxton to Glossop and 58 Macclesfield to Buxton but they don't seem to publicise and promote in the same way that Transdev do. The 36 from Leeds to Harrogate is very pleasant but it doesn't compete with the routes I mentioned in terms of scenery.It is a shame, although inevitable, that the most high profile and well publicised routes tend to win.
Isn't the Island Coaster run by Vectis Blue DD's? It was about 2 years ago when I last went to the Isle of Wight.
Whats the difference between Vectis blue and the green buses?
Whats the difference between Vectis blue and the green buses?
Vectis blue is the school side of southern vectis although I think some of the Solo SR's run some of the less frequent routes between school runs.I Believe the blue is the school fleet arm
Yes that’s right. Some of the blue E400s are fitted with ticket machines too and can be found out on normal service at busy times - that also includes at the moment while route 1 is being worked by deckers instead of the usual singles for Social Distancing.Vectis blue is the school side of southern vectis although I think some of the Solo SR's run some of the less frequent routes between school runs.
Yes that’s right. Some of the blue E400s are fitted with ticket machines too and can be found out on normal service at busy times - that also includes at the moment while route 1 is being worked by deckers instead of the usual singles for Social Distancing.
It is a shame, although inevitable, that the most high profile and well publicised routes tend to win.
I rode the needles breezer this week. Overall I didn’t find the route overly spectacular but the bit at the needles end has to be up as one of the most scenic legs of any bus journey!
A3 is my favourite I’ve been on. The A5 route that FK are using this year comes close as it doesn’t dart into the airport or st Eval or St mawgan. Pretty much sticks to coast road.I'd say for views, you're A3 is probably the most spectacular... and bracing.
A3 is my favourite I’ve been on. The A5 route that FK are using this year comes close as it doesn’t dart into the airport or st Eval or St mawgan. Pretty much sticks to coast road.
I am hoping to get down and grab an open top run on the A5 this season. I've had a few trips on it before and always thought that if the trees could be cleared, it would make for a great open top route. Good to see Alex and Marc taking the leap with it this year.
As the new open tops haven’t entered service yet the open top fleet is stretched this season so if vehicles unavailable there isn’t an abundance of spares so it does get subbed for closed top where issues occur. Summercourt has 2 open tops for a PVR of 2. Only the 10m can get over Harlyn bridge so not a case of being able to send a replacement up from Penzance where most are longer
All currently out of Summercourt. Padstow is currently not operational but soon to return is my understandingYeah, I appreciate it'll be a bit of a gamble, but it's a cracking run in a closed top anyway and I do want to try out the new Premier Inn too!
Do both work out of Summercourt or is the Padstow outstation still used?
Very true but as you say, it's inevitable that the routes with the higher loadings and are sold as a picturesque tourist route tend to do well in such surveys. It is of course, rather subjective.
@RELL6L tipped me the wink about Stagecoach's service 1 from Bargoed to Merthyr Tydfil. Hardly tourist central and operated by 15 year old Darts (last I saw). However, you leave Bargoed and begin climbing up the Rhymney, then branching into a treelined cleft in the geography. Leaving the narrow tree lined verdant foothills, you exit the valley into the windswept uplands scarred from various mines and spoil heaps before looping through a village called Fochriw, a bleak tribute to pebble dash and Valium. Then drop back to the Rhymney and through the eponymous town before climbing again onto the Heads of the Valleys and the descent (physically and metaphorically) to Merthyr.
It'll never get on a list of Britain's most beautiful bus routes but it's really something in it's own way.
Stagecoach's Service 1 has my vote as well, second to Service 172 between Aberdare, the Rhondda Valleys, Bridgend and Porthcawl.
To bring you up to date, all of the South Wales fleet's Darts have been SORNd since late March and Service 1 (and 2 & 3) are now in the hands of Alexander Dennis Enviro200s.
High Hopes
The BBC Wales sitcom High Hopes was shown between 2002 and 2009 and was set in the South Wales Valleys. It featured the late Margaret John, who went on to appear as Doris in Gavin & Stacey. The backdrop village seen on the opening and closing credits is Fochriw in the Upper Rhymney Valley, and...www.flickr.com
...A few years ago I made a special trip to Halifax, in order to get there early enough on a Saturday to catch the SO bus to Burnley which took the other route, over the tops via the Long Causeway, much bleaker and more rural than the valley route via Todmorden, interesting as that is. I think it went through Heptonstall. Not too far away in Yorkshire, the bus from Hebden Bridge to Keighley is a wonderful route as far as Haworth.
Lancashire had/has some good routes; I recollect journeys from Clitheroe to Nelson via Downham and Barley, at the foot of Pendle Hill; this is still going AFAIK, but Slaidburn (in the Forest of Bowland) lost its routes to Settle and Clitheroe in favour of dial-a-ride. A few years ago I made a special trip to Halifax, in order to get there early enough on a Saturday to catch the SO bus to Burnley which took the other route, over the tops via the Long Causeway, much bleaker and more rural than the valley route via Todmorden, interesting as that is. I think it went through Heptonstall. Not too far away in Yorkshire, the bus from Hebden Bridge to Keighley is a wonderful route as far as Haworth.
The 50/40 are deckers with o/t in summer.
Needles and Island Coaster are o/t.
X53 and 376 are deckers.
20 is single deck in winter (DD in summer) with additional summer journeys operated with o/t
124 is SD? and so is 24.
Only done the 118 to Rhosilli - nice route spoilt by travelling on a shocking e200 that seemed a lot older than 4 year old.