Bus-Related Outings & Reviews

[K853 MTJ]

RE: Bus-Related Outings & Reviews
I had an excellent day out with a mate, heres all the reviews!

Arriva 2537 DK55 FYA
Service 79C from Hough Green to Runcorn, Halton Hospital
Average, moved well but was rather slow off the mark. No idle vibrations or excessive rattling though so all was good. Had an interesting ride listening to the odd word said between the driver and another Runcorn driver who was on the bus! They both said how this particular example had a tendency to lose its water rather easily for some reason, which meant we had a nice detour to the depot while the bus was refilled with water.

Arriva 2937 MX09 EKT
Service 1 from Palacefields to Halton Lea
I went on one of my usual wanders around the area and ended up in Palacefields. I didnt like it and decided to make a swift escape. It was a short ride so I can't say all that much about it really!

Arriva 2938 MX09 EKU
Service X30 from Halton Lea to Chester Bus Exchange
A boring boring ride. No kickdown and was rather slow (Hence it was running at least 5 mins late throughout). Only good thing was that it didn't rattle, however there was a massively annoying idle vibration coming from the panel behind the back row of seats that covers the destinations and number plate.

Met up with friend

Arriva 7533 P533 MBU
Service 10 from Chester Bus Exchange to Connahs Quay
I was made up when I seen this enter the Bus Station just after I arrived. The bus performed absolutely flawlessly, not rattling all that much, only rattling when hitting violent potholes in the road. Idle vibrations were there but nothing untolerable. The bus sounded absolutely fantastic, the driver for the first part of the trip floored it down the country road making for the best thrash I have had in a long time. Either he held the gears or it has a great gearbox, either way, it couldn't half shift and he was afraid to give it full welly. Wouldn't think this is 15 years old this year, wouldn't be a bad one for preservation, being the 3rd low floor Dart to operate with MTL and all that!

Arriva 2354 V584 DJC
Service 10 from Connahs Quay to Shotton.
Not to my taste at all unfortunatly. Tidy interior with very few rattles, however the engine sounded terrible, with the fan on throughout the journey, the engine sounded pretty poorly, not to mention the driver was being somewhat frugal with the accelleration, the sooner I got off this the better!

Arriva 2356 V586 DJC
Service 10 from Shotton to Chester Bus Exchange
Massive improvement compared to 2354. The refurbished interior and exterior looked the part and was lovely bright and airy with very little wear. The only rattle to be heard was the occasional one from the cab door. The engine, unlike the previously example, was spot on, sounded fantastic and provided ample power when required. Favourite part was going down the same country road we came on, full throttle all the way. Great engine, great driver, great bus!

First 69314 YJ09 FWK
Service 1A from Chester Bus Exchange to Melbourne Road, Blacon
Having never been on a B7RLE, I was looking forward to this ride. It didnt disappoint! The engine sounded top notch, with the lovely whine from the ZF adding an extra quality in there. The seats were extremely comfortable (Im a big fan of the leather used in seats like this), the only complaint being vandalism towards the back on the seat backs. Overall however I enjoyed the ride, if only Arriva got these instead of Pulsars!

First 69311 YJ09 FWF
Service 1 from Melbourne Road, Blacon to Chester Bus Exchange
Worse than the previous example. Although a little less rattly, 3 seats at the rear weren't dual purpose, making it look a little odd. Comfortable like FWL, but didn't sound as healthy at all, with some worrying grinding noises at times.

Arriva 3008 MX59 AAY
Service 401 from Chester Bus Exchange to Ellsemere Port Bus Station
Boring! Slow, but tidy interior and comfortable ride, nothing more to say!

Arriva 3000 MX59 AAE
Service 401 from Chester Bus Exchange to New Ferry
Far better than the previous example! Rather fast and sounded fantastic, with no rattles to be heard. Excellent ride, best Pulsar of the day thus far!

Arriva 4001 Y47 ABA
Service 464 from New Ferry to Birkenhead
Cracking bus! Sounded brilliant and revved quite high very often. In need of a gear selector in parts to aid it climbing hills, however without it, it just revved very high, so Im not complaining! No rattles to be heard, a very fast driver, however slipping gears seeming to be a regular occurance throughout the ride.

Arriva 4411 CX58 FZZ
Service 437 from Birkenhead Bus Station to Liverpool, Whitechapel
Fantastic! Engine was first class with no rattles to be heard. Not in safe mode either so it was very fast indeed!

Arruva 4411 CX58 FZZ
Service 432 from Liverpool Sir Thomas Street to Liscard
The beauty of inter-working services -_- Same as last time!

Arriva 2461 Y461 KNF
Service 410 from Liscard to Woodside
We decided not to get 4411 for a third time (No really, we were going to go to Liverpool and this was the first thing that turned up on the 433! Needless to say the driver chuckled when he seen us yet again).
This was a brilliant ride. These buses have a tendency to rattle non-stop and violently, however there was no such rattles on here. The engine sounded exceptionally well and allowed the bus to move rather swiftly on the way to Woodside! The best Myllennium I have ever been on!

Arriva 2458 Y458 KBU
Service 410 from Woodside to Birkenhead Bus Station
Another brilliant bus! No rattles, however idle vibrations were there! It was another very fast bus, and the gearbox made fantastic whines adding to the healthy sound of the bus.

Arriva 4414 CX58 GAU
Service 437 from Birkenhead Bus Station to Liverpool, Whitechapel
An average bus, sounded well, the odd rattle but not too bad overall!

Arriva 7618 T618 PNC
Service 13E from Queen Square Bus Station to Green Lane
Not nearly as bad previously made out! Not very rattly at all as Marshalls go, and a decent engine that powered us along very nicely. I've heard better sounding engines, but I couldn't complain, not a bus I'd begrudge another ride. The colour of those grab poles though is revolting I have to say, the bus itself could do with P&P with its fabric being rather worn.

Arriva 3060 MX10 DCY
Service 15 from Green Lane to Queen Square Bus Station
Excellent! No rattles at all and a healthy sounding engine! However its obvious it hadn't had a proper clean out since its time in Malta. We found stashed in the bus numerous Malta bus tickets and a Maltese coin!

Left friend
Arriva 2538 DK55 FYB
Service 79C from Queen Square Bus Station to Hough Green
Last bus of the day! Pretty good really, sounding healthier than it did last week, a fairly solid ride all round!

All of the above for £3.10, not bad at all don't you think! :P