Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot

[cx04axy]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
has 2330 moved to Rhyl?

[PO62 MKA]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
8206 M112 YKC has been out to play today on training duties, Rhyl must be short of drivers. Seen in Connah's Quay heading towards Chester around 12:40.

[PO62 MKA]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Well if anyone is considering going to Rhyl today or further up the North Wales Coast, one answer - don't bother. Why?

Service 11 is not running to/from Chester, the service is operating at a reduced route from Rhyl - Greenfield (just outside Holywell).

Not related I know but trains are also not running between Chester and Flint and disruption to Holyhead.

Both of these are thought to be because of a fallen pylon on the road in which the service 11 uses and the railway in which runs nearby.

[PO62 MKA]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Wright Pulsar CX07 CUC has been on Cymru Coastliner Service 11/11G/11M today.

[R557 ABA]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Had a ride on E224 WBG on the 1 this afternoon, I was horrified to hear and feel the slipping and banging of gears coming from the elderly gearbox, such a shame. I was amused at the fact even though it was raining people were still queuing to board it as well.

Here's a photo as I got off at Prestatyn for anyone who's interested. http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasharrison/8871171482/

[R311 WVR]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
4060 was on the 11 today, Saw it in Chester at 1PM ish

[N301 CKB]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Not sure how rare this is but 4140 was on the 51 today.

[N301 CKB]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Went over for a day out on Rhyl's buses on Wednesday. Never been on any before so it was a first.

Got the 2 up to Chester from Birkenhead, Pulsar 3007. Bus wasn't too bad, however the route, I would rather have been on a X11 or even the 401.

Chester bus station has changed a bit since I was last there! Most people probably know already, the old lines of shelter's have gone and replaced by bright yellow bus shelters with tarmac to walk on. Not sure what to think of it just yet, seems a bit bare to me now.

Got on the 11 Gemini 4479. Really nice bus, not many rattles apart from a few in the usual places, inside the front destination display was the one I heard the most. Enjoyed the 2 hour trip down to Rhyl, Some good views from the top deck including the Airbus factory at Broughton and the port at Mostyn, parts of the wind turbines were being stored here ready to be picked up. I didn't realise some of the roads these double deckers go down, especially around Upper Gronant. Some of the car users had a surprise when they seen 4479 coming towards them!

After arriving in Rhyl bus station I got straight off 4479 and onto 4142 which was on the 12 to Llandudno. I did hope for one of these instead of a Pulsar, to get some of the views from the top deck again. However the bus infront of 4142 did not run and as we travelled further on the route the bus was getting more passengers and losing time. It wasn't the fastest DLA either, reaching a top speed of about 10mph on the hills, even passing 4160 broken down just after Llanddulas, and the heaters were on full too, probably to stop it from overheating. Eventually after turning down a few prams as the lower deck was full the bus behind (pulsar 2646) overtook us in Colwyn Bay and gave 4142 some much needed help all the way to Llandudno passing each other at the stops. We reached Llandudno 20 minutes late 2646 behind was also late, and then the one behind that (2620) was even coming in at the same time. I got off before the end to give me chance to grab some lunch before returning to Rhyl.

Waiting at the bus stop with quite a number of other passengers as there had not been a 12 in a good while, 2646 returned for a full load while 4142 passed in service with quite a number of people on it already, I let these 2 go and waited for 2620 to come along. Even with the 2 buses just leaving around 10 minutes before 2620 left with a decent load. Not one of the best Pulsars I have been on, it was making that noise that some Cadets make when reaching the higher speeds, it goes through the entire bus!
Apart from that it was a good journey back, better than the one to Llandudno anyway. As we approached Abergele, 4142 & 2646 were still together stuck in the queue for the lights that take forever to change. I have been in a few queues in my car because of these lights. It is really bad when the A55 has a problem and people start coming through Abergele to get round. As in Llandudno, all 3 buses arrived in Rhyl together, 4142 went back out straight away, not sure if it continued in service or not. 2646 picked most of the people up and left 12 minutes late while 2620 had a break changing drivers.

With an hour to kill before returning to Chester I decided to get on the 1, I was planning on going to Talacre and back, but because of the problems on the 12 I only went to Pontins and back. 3987 was the bus that took me, best part of the day sitting on the top deck and it had some good speed too! 3996 picked me up for the return journey again another good ride back to Rhyl and both of these were bang on time too!

Arriving back in Rhyl for the last time, 4479 returned 15 minutes late. I was planning on getting the bus behind this but as it turned up late I decided to get on it. By the time we left it was 20 minutes late and with it being rush hour and about 4/5 sets of temporary lights on the way to Chester, it wasn't looking good. After squeezing past badly parked vans and getting stuck in roadworks on the A548 we went through Holywell still around 20 minutes late. Driver managed to catch 5/10 minutes up by the time we arrived in Flint but then lost them all again due to the roadworks and temp lights just coming out of Flint as they have stuck a new roundabout in. We finally arrived in Chester 25 minutes late, driver was straight back out again for the 2 hours back to Rhyl, as the break time is 15 minutes in Chester he was only 10 minutes late now. The bus behind 4483 arrived 5 minutes late, but was back on time for the trip back.

Hanging around in Chester for a bit, I then got the last 2 back to Birkenhead, not really sure why this runs as the 1 is timetabled to leave 5 minutes before, and there was only about 3/4 people on the 2 all the way back.

Overall a good day out, was good to get on a few of Rhyl's routes and buses. Quite a number of good views from both 4479 and 4142. 3987 was the bus of the day. I will have to say that 2620 was the poor bus of the day, that noise really was bad.

Thanks for reading (if you got this far!)

[chris3604]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot
Have been out of the hobby for a year or two, seeing as there has been some mention of the open tops in this thread I'll ask here. Can anybody tell me where the VR 3992 ended up and the olympian 3998 the former 3122?

Only just been advised they were withdrawn and sold?

Thanks,

Chris.

[R557 ABA]

RE: Arriva Buses Wales - Rhyl Depot

(25/06/2013 18:39)chris3604 Wrote:  Have been out of the hobby for a year or two, seeing as there has been some mention of the open tops in this thread I'll ask here. Can anybody tell me where the VR 3992 ended up and the olympian 3998 the former 3122?

Only just been advised they were withdrawn and sold?

Thanks,

Chris.

I'm unsure as to the whereabouts of 3998 as well, last I heard it was at Rhyl depot with the other 5 of the open toppers but it's not been used this year so far, but from having a quick check it's still taxed until May 2014.

I visited Rhyl, Prestatyn, Talacre and Pensarn to ride the Sunhoppers on the 17th June with 3984, 3987, 3996, 3997 and 3999 all employed on the 1 that day as seen in my latest blog post. http://www.thenorthwestbusblog.co.uk/201...wales.html