Bedford Stagecoach happenings 2022

[TCD813]

It was time for another food shop before we are inflicted with three Sunday services in the next four days added to the flight travel fiasco, potential national train strike and Mondays tube strike. High time the term public was dropped from any references to transport. If you want to go anywhere get a car and join the road rats club. Absolutely no chance of anyone ditching their cars if they want to travel even with the exorbitant fuel costs.

I do hope that having painted 19597 in the Platinum livery that it will be in service for the forthcoming Sunday timetables as the days coming up are what it is all about so it would be a bad show if it is parked up at the back of the garage as less vehicles required for the reduced services.

Fully subscribe to these rants! Well said.

[MIB]

A trip to Merseyside on Saturday saw me on 10874 on the 0655 X5 to MK which was wanted for the year. It was rather annoying that the 0655 4 was 19593 which is required for the 4/10. Merseyrail collapsed into a fiasco when late evening on Sunday they announced no services to New Brighton and Kirkby from Monday owing to faults discovered on their trains. Still the rail replacements allowed ex Stagecoach vehicles like 53333 and 17599 to work alongside Arriva tridents. All part of the transport shambles. Just as well I abandoned plans going to Scotland this week with 700 services caped.

Back here, I got bowled again today for another winner on routes 4/10 19584 but I assume it burst as 3 hours after 36062 replaced it 19584 was still parked in the Greyfriars stops making a nuisance of itself getting in the way of other services.

So after doing 19108 on a 50 into town to replenish stocks, the back up move was 19597 on a 1 to Kempston for 10873 back on no distance route 1. I noticed while I was away 19597 did work all weekend so well done Bedford.

Other piffle running around decker wise were 18108 on the 50, 19580/19593 on 53's, 19583/19589 on 81's, 19594 on a 2, 19698 on the 9c, 19576 and 19590 on 9b's.

[MIB]

A productive food shop in Bedford today as I got three year winners to ride on. 15403 on the 50 for 19889 on the 12 late 1245 72 to Eastcotts for 36041 back from Harrowden Road on a 9b. The 1350 home on the 50 was the only dud with 19108 running 20 late.

Other stuff out and about were 19580 on a 73, 19583/19584 on 1's, 19588, 19593 and 19888 on 53's, 19567, 19581 and 19590 on Hitchin's.

[al_557]

Ex London E200 36302 (LX56DZV) has now been reinstated with a new MOT and put back into service at Bedford after being off the road since January

[MIB]

Another year requirement took me in town as 19087 was on the 50. I did 19577 on a 1 for 19594 back on a 53. Then I did the late 1430 9c with 19589 returning on another year requirement 37231 on a 72. Now currently going home on 15455 with the 10 late 1550 50.

Other stuff noted in the heat were 10871 on an 81, 19576/19584 on 72's, 19583/37436 on Hitchin's and 19587, 19698 and 36302 on 53's.

[al_557]

There seemed to be a shortage of E400 MMC's today as standard E400's 19577/889 (AE10BWK/AE11FUF) were both on the X5 today

[MIB]

After an excellent day at Peak Park on Sunday it was back to the drab current scene with 15608 on the 50. I had intended to do distance 10873 on the 1500 no distance 6 but someone had other ideas and when 10873 arrived on the 5 it was ripped and parked up doing nothing. 37234 or something of that description took over the 1500 6.

I did 19579 on the 1500 1 to Cauldwell and walked back to the church Square to intercept 10880 on the 1510 53. This was done to the hospital for 19589 on a 1 before doing my food shop and the ever dull 15455 home on the 1550 50. Naturally a bit of inertia saw us depart 3 minutes late for no obvious reason. Sometimes I think I need a big stick to prod the driver to go at the booked time.

Other stuff out were 19889 on a 41, 19578 and 19597 on 72's, 19581, 19583 and 19593 on Hitchin's. No excitement to be had here...

[MIB]

I had to go to the hospital today to be scanned like a ticket so 22838 it was on the 50. It looked like I had struck lucky as 19574 was on the 0930 from Fenlake so should have been the 0955 4 and 1012 10. Like Tuesday they saw me coming and pulled the decker for spare and some crate did the 4 to annoy me. In addition 10878 was ripped from the 53 and sent out on the X5.

I ended up on 19580 on a 1 to the hospital and ironically after the scanning department sent me packing, 19580 took me back to the bus station on its return. I had hoped to make the zero onto the 1050 50 but just missed. This left me with an hour to kill and I was saved by spare 19591 getting chucked out for its first spin of the day on the 1055 7. So I went to Woodside and stayed put on the 1118 return. On arrival another crate was ready to do the 3 so 19591 returned to its spare status. I am now on board 11127 on the 1150 50.

Others out were 19888 on a 51, 10880, 11280 on 1's, 19582, 1989 and 37230 which replaced 10878 on 53's, 19581, 19704 on 72's, 19567, 19584, 19889 and 36064 on Hitchin's.

[MIB]

A quick trip into town today aboard 18101 on the 50 for 19568 on a 9a to Harrowden Road.
Then it was two single deckers both not had this year, 37435 on a 72 from Harrowden Road for 35175 home on the 1450 50.

Deckers noted were 19590 on the 1330 41, 19580, 19591 on 1's, 19574, 19583, 19589 on Hitchin's and 19576, 19594 and 19704 on 53's. 37306 was spinning around on 8's as was 36060 on 1's. 19597 was in the garage washer with 36045, having been missing most of the week.

[al_557]

Dart 34834 (KX06JYS) has turned up at Bedford depot from Cambridge parked next to withdrawn examples there, it was down as going on loan to Eastbourne. There's another Dart parked inside the doors that I couldn't identify but have now been advised is 34537 (GX04EYL).
2 repaints done at Bedford recently are E400's 19568/74 (AE10BWD/G) with 19890 (AE11FUG) due to be done soon too.
I'm surprised E400 MMC 10871 (YX67VDG) hasn't been painted into distance livery yet as it continues to work the X5 in full Peterborough Citi branding