Bus-Related Outings & Reviews

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: Bus-Related Outings & Reviews
Had a day out around North East with an Explorer Ticket,due to my phone playing up i lost all info on the reg/fleetnumber`s i had today.

Leeds > Middlesborough - Megabus Plaxton Panther
X7 Middlesborough > Peterlee - GNE Mercedes Citaro
202 Peterlee > Seaham - GNE Optare Solo SR
60 Seaham > Sunderland - GNE Wright Streetlite
9 Sunderland > North Shields - GNE Wright Renown (Ex-Oxford)
1 North Shields > Whitley Bay - GNE Plaxton President (Ex-London)
308 Whitley Bay > Blyth - Arriva Volvo B5LH
2 Blyth > Morpeth - Arriva ADL Dart
X14 Morpeth > Gosforth Cnt - Arriva ADL Enviro 400
33 Gosforth Cnt > Newcastle - Kingsley Coaches SPD Y182CFS (Ex-Lothian)
47 Newcastle > Metrocentre - GNE Wright Gemini
X66 Metrocentre > Gateshead - GNE Wright Streetlite
Metro Gateshead > Heworth
X35 Heworth > Sunderland - GNE Wright Solar
Sunderland > Leeds - Megabus Plaxton Panther

Was very happy to get a new Solo SR,is the Leather interior now Standard spec for GNE Buses now? think i preferred the old one as the leather did get very warm on this summer day. The Renown surprised me by how well it copped with the hills & managed to keep up a decent speed when going through the Tunnel,wonder if a streetlite will be able to do so well when they hit that age? Another surprise was to see a decker on service 1,but it did manage to give a decent ride (if not a little loud!),I Did see a couple of other Deckers on service 1,is this standard during school holidays or are the Scania`s playing up? The SPD was also in decent condition,vibration was an issue when it was stationary but not as bad as on the arriva MPD,what was the biggest disappointment of the day,poor leg room - awful vibration & not even the WIFI was working! The Fast Cats Solar also sounded a little rough,surely it won`t be long now until they get made into spares & Fast Cats see an upgrade?