Bus-Related Outings & Reviews

[M113 YKC]

RE: Bus-Related Outings & Reviews
Today, I decided to visit ANW's Bootle depot... Then I went further to Bootle Bus Station... Then I made my way into Liverpool... Then, well, read and you'll find out...:

58 (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Bootle, Linacre Lane
Marshall V648 DVU (7648)
Apart from the blown exhaust, I found the ride to be fine. There were a few rattles, however I've been on worse!

52A (ANW) Bootle North Park, Stanley Road > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Pulsar CX58 EXK (2918)
I only rode on this bus for about two minutes and it seemed to be in the famous "slow mode". The driver was slow because he was talking to another driver. The bus sounded great!

53 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Queen Square Bus Station
Pulsar CX58 FZE (2923)
This bus is the most turned-around machine I've ever came across to-date! It used to be slow and wheezy, and now it's fast and its gearbox sounds absolutely fantastic - the best I've ever heard on such bus! The driver kicked down plenty of times on this journey, which was an added bonus! There hasn't ever been a problem with the ride-quality of this bus really; it's always been one that looks a mess and isn't one!

18 (ANW) - Queen Square Bus Station > Queen Square Bus Station, via Croxteth
Pulsar CX58 EWU (2905)
I did want to track this bus down on my birthday (29/05), however the opportunity to do so only came up today. The driver was the same one that me and my friend had on CX58 EWR (2902) a week or two ago - a decent one as-well! No kickdown was used today, however she liked hitting speeds beyond the speed-limit! The bus was a little rattly and the gearbox seemed to stutter a bit between gears, especially over the speed-bumps in Croxteth, however it wasn't a bad ride at all! Also, the lights kept flickering - strange...!

53 (SM&SL) - Queen Square Bus Station > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Enviro300 PO61 NTE (27769)
I decided to ride something different for once. This was another excellent ride! No rattles, comfortable seats and a nice, fast driver!

52A (PeoplesBus) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Tempo V1 BUS (0701)
As this was an unusual allocation, I decided to board it home. Apart from the constant, common rattles, the bus sounded great! The usual driver was nice and fast as usual too!

(Then I decided to venture back out again...!)

53A (ANW) - Netherton, Glovers Lane > Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road
Plaxton Pointer 2 X232 ANC (2232)
A bus I haven't rode on for ages! WOW - what a fantastic machine it is! Its engine sounded fabulous (cooling fan - my style...!) and it was really fast with the decent driver I had! There were a few violent rattles on the worst roads, however they were ignored!

55 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Old Roan Interchange (Bus Station)
Pulsar 2 MX09 LYJ (2947)
Another amazing bus! This bus was really quick off the line! At the wheel was a fast driver too, who used kickdown plenty of times and even hit speeds after full kickdown onto gear four on the open roads of the route! (The usual about the rattles...) This is by far the best 09-plated Pulsar 2 at Bootle, however still not my favourite one (although it is my friend's favourite, however MX09 LYH (2946) will always be my favourite)...!

259 (HTL) - Old Roan Interchange (Bus Station) > Bootle Bus Station (Vermont Way)
Dart KX05 KFD
The sooner this is withdrawn and sent back to Dawsonrentals, the better... Rattles and vibrations and Urban-90s - what a horrific combination! The rattles and vibrations became unbearable mid-journey as I was sitting on the "comfortable" seats at the very back. I never want to come across this bus again (even the driver disliked it)!

52 (ANW) - Bootle Strand Shopping Centre, Stanley Road > Netherton, Glovers Lane
Pulsar 2 MX59 FGC (3022)
I haven't rode on this bus for ages until this journey, which made a welcome surprise! The fast driver preserved kickdown until the outskirts of Netherton, where he used it a few times. It sounded fantastic! I never came across any rattles on-board, for a change...!