Stagecoach Newcastle to Carlisle

[Steddenm]

Travelled today on the Stagecoach bus from Newcastle to Carlisle at 1035 and was surprised to be the only passenger throughout the journey. We ran very early into Haltwhistle and had around a 15 min layover.

I said to the driver when I got off why it was so quiet and he didn't know. When I got off I noticed the destination matrix said "Sorry, not in service". When I pointed it out to the driver he said that he hadn't changed it and must have been on since Newcastle and the "polite people of Northumberland and Cumbria" wouldn't request the bus if it was showing as "not in service".

Seems strangely polite, but didn't see anyone waiting at any of the stops, even at Hexham Bus Station that was strangely quiet.

 

[317 forever]

Given that it is run by Stagecoach Carlisle and Newcastle Slatyford garages, it is intriguing to think of Slatyford ex TWPTE having buses reaching Carlisle.

Disclaimer : This may not be relevant to the opening post but it is relevant to the thread title.

 

[DunsBus]

It's only very recently that the Sunday service on the 685 started running straight through, instead of being split at Hexham. This was a legacy going back to United and Ribble days. Prior to 2010 Hexham depot ran the Arriva share of the 685, but as the depot was closed on Sundays - perhaps the Hexham drivers were very religious! - Jesmond ran it on that day and only as far as Hexham, with connections there for Carlisle.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It's only very recently that the Sunday service on the 685 started running straight through, instead of being split at Hexham. This was a legacy going back to United and Ribble days. Prior to 2010 Hexham depot ran the Arriva share of the 685, but as the depot was closed on Sundays - perhaps the Hexham drivers were very religious! - Jesmond ran it on that day and only as far as Hexham, with connections there for Carlisle.

Don't think you're quite right there. I think that came with Northumbria - here's the last United timetable.

 

[DunsBus]

Don't think you're quite right there. I think that came with Northumbria - here's the last United timetable.

View attachment 193459View attachment 193460

Happy to be corrected.
United and Ribble - that's a blast from the past.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Happy to be corrected.
United and Ribble - that's a blast from the past.

The good old days - Willowbrook bodied Leopards from United whilst Ribble had Duples.

 

[DunsBus]

The good old days - Willowbrook bodied Leopards from United whilst Ribble had Duples.

A loose connection between the two, as the Willowbrook 003 cloned/was based on the original Duple Dominant. If I could go back in time - and given a choice - I'd pick the Duple, for comfort; the seats in the Willowbrooks weren't exactly luxurious (and could hardly be called seats).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A loose connection between the two, as the Willowbrook 003 cloned/was based on the original Duple Dominant. If I could go back in time - and given a choice - I'd pick the Duple, for comfort; the seats in the Willowbrooks weren't exactly luxurious (and could hardly be called seats).

Indeed - the 003 was very Dominant style. The seats were terrible too. Going back through the archive, seems I enjoyed Duple, Willowbrook and Plaxton Leopards between Newcastle and Hexham.

I did but did the full 2.5 hour trip on an ex Kelvin T type which I recall was quite nice. I also did Brampton to Newcastle on one of the Duple 320 rebodies (55 seats in an 11m coach, and I'm not tall) and whilst I didn't record it, I think I may have done the full trip to watch a match at Carlisle United on a Stagecoach B10M/PS both ways.