Ride, Rhythm & Rain. (Liverpool 'River of Light Festival' 2019)

Arriva BT66 MTU. Volvo B5LH with Wright H45/21F body.

During November 2019, the City of Liverpool held a city wide Son et lumière as a way of brushing off the early winter blues.

At my age, I no longer need "A ticket to Ride" just a bus pass and "With a little help from my friends", who keep an up-to-date set of timetables, I can get  “Here, There, and Everywhere” or in this case Stagecoach Gold service 417, so I stand at the bus stop in the hope it “Don’t Let Me Down”. The comfortable Scania/Alexander Dennis E40D with coach seats makes the journey on “The Long and Winding Road” a pleasure and there is no need for me to “Drive My Car”.

Arriva SL64 JHU. Alexander Dennis E40D H47/31F.

“Do You Want to Know a Secret” - Liverpool has the finest architecture of any city in Britain. It is an excellent choice for any "Day Tripper” regardless of the weather, and today it is mainly rain although at one point I did think “Here Comes the Sun” which is problematic for photographs at this time of year with so many tall buildings. When it comes to bus hunting, the various city centre termini are well spread out and require some forward planning to prevent excessive walking but “We Can Work It Out” and it's “Getting Better” all of the time. The good news is that a new traffic management system is planned which should reduce on-street terminals and make more use of Liverpool One (Paradise Street) bus station thereby reducing the chaos in Queens Square.

Starting my tour at one of the highest points in the city centre, opposite Lime Street Station, I'm the only "Fool on the Hill" as gentle rain adds to the gloom, but traffic is slow outside the Liverpool Empire so buses "Don't pass me by" as they queue where bus lanes once kept things moving. Around the corner at the top of Queens Square, the endless stream of buses is held at traffic lights giving the Radio City Tower a chance to shine in the background. Continuing down the hill, the junction of Queens Square and Whitechapel provides the next photo opportunity where buses heading north and tunnel buses heading onto the Wirral are "All together now".  Avoiding the major works to improve pavements as part of the city centre 'connectivity', it is a short cut through the pedestrianised alley ways around the reconstructed Cavern Club where "Eleanor Rigby", no longer buried in the church where nobody came, sits overlooked by Cilla Black and surrounded by all the lonely people: where do they all come from? The Town Hall provides the backdrop for the first light display which is a selection of giant illuminated inflatable white rabbits, very Jefferson Airplane. Onward via the drum n bass light show at Liverpool Parish Church, across the road to what bus blinds once displayed as Pier Head , Arriva and Stagecoach now call Mann Island, why can’t they just "Let it Be".

Arriva SL64 JFK. Alexander Dennis E40D H47/31F.

In daylight, the Liver Building and a new black, glassed building opposite provide excellent focal points for photographs of buses terminating here. Tonight, it is the light show on the buildings that are the main attraction and "You’ll never walk alone" as the crowds sweep us along towards the rejuvenated Albert Dock, past a Routemaster, American school bus and fake steam bus all now acting as food outlets. The “Magical Mystery Tour” bus stop has a Setra in full psychedelic livery awaiting sightseers and is close to a walk through the time tunnel; sadly just a tunnel of white lights that tonight only transport you as far as Liverpool One Bus Station which is now devoid of Arriva's full electric BYDs - no doubt lacking sufficient charge after a full day’s work to continue through the evening with all lights blazing.

Arriva SL64 JDO. Alexander Dennis E40D H47/31R.

It has been a long day, “I’m So Tired” it must be time to “Get Back” to Cooks Street, the starting point for all tunnel buses until 9pm when they start short working from Sir Thomas Street, don't  “Ask Me Why”. All tunnel buses are provided by Arriva apart from routes 471/472 which are joint services with Stagecoach under a Merseyside PTE quality contract. Tonight Stagecoach Gold will provide my "Ferry cross the Mersey" and “When I Get Home” it will be time for a nice cup of tea.

With the weather as it was, "Something" tells me I should have been here "Yesterday" because it was a “Good Day Sunshine”.

I recon that's 25 to the Beatles and 2 to Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Halton DK03 TNL. Dennis Dart SLF with East Lancs B43F body.

Heading home Stagecoach buses departing Liverpool city centre.

Seville 2019

Seville, the capital of Andalusia, is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir River and is the fourth-largest city in Spain with a population of 705,325. The transport network is under the management of TUSSAM (Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla, Sociedad Anónima Municipal), a public company established in 1975 and belonging to the City. 

TUSSAM 170, 7934 FSV a CNG fuelled Irisbus 491E.12.27 CityClass with Noge Cittour body, new in 2007, operating route 34 on the narrow one-way Calle Trajano.
Currently 441 buses are operated with an additional 17 provided by contractors, between them carrying 81,497,883 passengers and covering 12.7m kilometres per annum. In the past year 43 new buses were delivered, of which 35 were 12m long and fitted with CNG (compressed natural gas) engines, and 8 were 10.5m long. The average age of the fleet stands at 9.6 years and by 2020, it is anticipated that 300 buses will be CNG powered. CNG powered buses were first introduced in 2009 and now account for 67% of the annual mileage, the remainder still relies on conventional diesel propulsion.

TUSSAM 1912, 8979 KFK Man NL 313F CNG with Castrosua CS40 City Versus II body in Plaza del Duque, on route 13.
The city has an extensive bus network of forty-six routes, most buses leaving from either Puerta de Jerez in the south of the city centre or Plaza Ponce de Leon in the east, and generally operate between 6 am and 11.30 pm. Popular with tourist are the circular services: C3 and C4 follow the ring road around the old city centre and C5, operated by a Mercedes Benz Sprinter, takes a circular route inside the old city. Tickets cost 1.40 euros per trip bought onboard, alternatively the rechargable Tarjeta Multiviaje travel card is available reducing the cost and can also be used on the tram.Opened in 2007, the single tram route (Metrocentro) T1 is the only public transport available to visitors entering the historical centre of the city around the cathedral and Royal Alcazar. It is just 2.2km long with five stops, and is operated by five CAF Urbos 3 articulated trams fitted with supercapacitors that allow for 2/3rds of the route to be operated catenary free. A rapid charge point is located on the platform outside the cathedral main entrance. Trams previously ran in Seville from 1866 until 1965.

TUSSAM tram 304 with the pantograph down sits under the rapid charge point on Avenue de la Constitucion. The five Urbos 3 articulated trams manufactured by CAF and delivered in 2011 run in battery mode on the catenary free section.
Located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Plaza de Armas Bus Station is the focal point for long distance express services. It was built in 1991 as part of the Expo92 infrastructure and, since 2010, has been managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Consortium of the Seville Area. The station has 43 platforms with 1,500 arrivals and departures per day carrying 17,000 passengers on vehicles operated by 20 companies, DAMAS and ALSA being the most prominent. Thirty-six routes operate within the Metropolitan area with numerous national and international routes extending as far as Romania and Morocco. For those interested in trams, a restored car from the original Seville network sits on the main concourse.

DAMAS 1746 KW a Volvo B7BLE with Sunsundegui Astral body departs Plaza de Armas Bus Station on service 174 to Gines, a twenty minute journey to the west of Seville.
A final point of interest for bus enthusiasts is, unusually, the city sightseeing tours particularly those operated by Sevirama using former Nottingham Corporation East Lancs bodied Leyland Atlantean AN68/1Rs. Five are operated and these are supplemented by SE-6277-DL (JPE 233V), a former London Country Leyland Atlantean with Roe body, and two Volvo B9TL/Unvi Urbis 2.5 double-deckers. The Atlanteans were originally imported by Guide Friday in 2002 having been converted to open-top.

Sevirama British Fleet

New To	Fleet No.	Original Registration	Chassis	Chassis No.	Body	Body No.	Original Seating	Current Seating	Current Registration	Previous Registration
Nottingham	598	GVO 718N	Leyland AN68/1R	7403880	East Lancs	4013	H47/31D	O47/29C	SE-0032-BX
Nottingham	572	OTO 572M	Leyland AN68/1R	7302665	East Lancs	2534	H47/30D	O47/29C	SE-4063-BU	SE-2211-R2
Nottingham	575	OTO 575M	Leyland AN68/1R	7304430	East Lancs	2536	H47/30D	O47/29C	SE-4064-BU	SE-2213-R2
Nottingham	592	GTO 332N	Leyland AN68/1R	7404624	East Lancs	4007	H47/31D	O47/29C	SE-4065-BU	SE-2212-R2
Nottingham	591	GCR 881N	Leyland AN68/1R	7404342	East Lancs	4006	H47/31D	O47/29C	SE-4066-BU	SE-2214-R2
London Country	AN233	JPE 233V	Leyland AN68B/1R	7905103	Roe	GO 8287	H43/30F	O43/30C	SE-6277-DL

Sevirama SE-4065-BU, former Nottingham Leyland Atlantean GTO 332N stands at Plaza del Duque de la Victoria. Following close behind is a Volvo B9TL/Unvi Urbis of Compania Hispalense de Transvias in City Sightseeing colours.
Competition for sightseeing business is provided by 'Compania Hispalense de Transvias' operating the City Sightseeing franchise using modern Volvos with Unvi and Ayats bodies. Although reports suggest that they also operate two former British double-deckers, both MCW Metrobuses supplied by Ensignbus were new to London Transport (GYE 386W and WYW 61T), sadly neither were in evidence during the visit.  

DAMAS 453, 8318 KGS, Iveco Magelys PRO 12.2m, VIN VNE7257RX00002195, new in 2017. The DAMAS business originates from the 1920s when it first transported passengers between Ayamonte and Huelva. Today the business is the largest coach and bus company in Huelva province. Currently six national routes and one international route (Lagos, Portugal) are operated from Plaza de Armas Bus Station.
     

Seville is more than just oranges. A split city with the old centre located on the east bank and the modern heart located around the still very much in tact Expo92 site on the west bank, it provides plenty of opportunities for the casual visitor and transport enthusiast.

ALSA 3020, 7379 HBH, Mercedes Benz Travego 17RHD (WEB63224713102887), new in 2010, sits at traffic lights about to turn into Calle Torneo, having just departed  Plaza de Armas Bus Station. The destination blind shows route licence VJA-160 for service M-364.

ALSA Spain became part of the British owned National Express Group in 2005. The company can trace its history back to the 18th century but it wasn’t until 1923 the company Automobiles Luarca, SA (ALSA) was formed. Today it has a modern fleet of 3,465 buses, 9,719 staff and transport more than 358 million passengers per year.

TUSSAM 1056, Castrosua bodied Iveco Cityclass on Avenue Carlos V. The tram overhead wires are visible in the background on the segregated track, within a few yards the tram crosses a roundabout and the overhead wires cease.

TUSSAM 2475 KPS Mercedes Benz Sprinter City 65.77 in Plaza del Duque, on route C5 a circular route inside the old city.

A day away from York.

Leaving York for the day.

As a visitor to York there can be very few reasons for wanting to leave this beautiful city with all of the history contained within the wall. There comes a time however to explore and this bus trip is one of the more unusual.

With three lengthy journeys today a hearty breakfast is called for, I recommend Baileys cafe and tea rooms for quick and cheap or Brew and Brownie for the pancakes, both on Museum Street. It is then a short walk to Piccadilly for the 10am departure of East Yorkshire service number X46 to Hull.

On this occasion we have a Volvo with MCV body offering a very comfortable ride. The X46 follows A1079 for much of the journey, leaving York via Walmgate it is several miles before the first turning off into the village of Pocklington. The main bus stop is located in the East Yorkshire bus depot, a mere shadow of its former glory, an edifice to the heyday of the bus.

Back on the main road the countryside is flat but from the top deck you get far reaching view toward the North Yorkshire Moors. Market Weighton a small unremarkable town provides the next diversion from the A1079 before continuing to beautiful market town of Beverley, dominated by the Minster, the Anglican church built around the tomb of John, Bishop of York. For bus enthusiast sadly the route into and out of the town no longer passes through the 'Bar' but navigates the small inner ring road into the bus station, where a short layover takes place.

Leaving Beverley through the new sprawling housing estates, Hull comes into view across the bleak flat fields that divide the two communities. The X46 takes a convoluted route through Hull city centre venturing down to the rejuvenated water front before heading into the modern bus station adjacent to the railway station. Arriving here gives the opportunity for bus photography in the layover area behind the departure bays and easy access into Hull city centre. 

3.15pm at Stand D in Hull bus station is the vital timing point on this journey, it is the final weekday departure of Stagecoach X62 (simpliExpress) to Leeds. Originally envisaged as a coach service the double-deckers now operating the route still use the coach bays in Hull and Leeds bus stations.

Leaving Hull on the A63 along the Humber shoreline the first of what will be many diversions away from the direct route happens at North Ferriby followed quickly by a trip through Brough before rejoining the A63 just prior to it becoming the M62. A long fast stretch along the M62 follows, motorway journeys seem more interesting from the top deck of a bus, eventually the service deviates away from the motorway again, heading into Howden on the northern side of the road. Crossing the River Ouse and over the motorway the next large residential district is Goole, before returning to the M62 for a sprint to junction 34 and a strange little loop around the village of Eggborough. 

Up until now no passengers have boarded or alighted since Hull, but this is about to change as we arrive at Glasshoughton and the Junction 32 Shopping Outlet centre. With a mass of shops and leisure facilities, Stagecoach market this as a major attraction on the route, the service also provides the fastest direct route into Leeds city centre. Returning to the M62 the service eventually joins the M1 north bound before reaching Leeds city centre via the M621 and a slow crawl through rush hour traffic, arriving 30 minutes late into the coach bays at the rear of the bus station.

Rush hour Leeds

After a long afternoon of inactivity the legs need some action so a walk around Leeds city centre to admire the buses during rush hour is called for, as is a cup-of-tea. By early evening there is little point to taking the scenic route back to York. Transdev offer the CityZap direct frequent service between Leeds bus station and York via the A19.

The refurbished Volvo with Wrightbus body provides a comfortable way to end the day, sitting on the top-deck in sumptuous leather seats whilst gloating at irate drivers suffering on their daily commute along the A19.

Ten hours after it started, the journey comes to an end back in the beautiful city of York.

Time for a pint!       

   

      

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Silk Road Odyssey Uzbekistan 2016

Uzbekistan is a young country in the early stages of democracy and in 2016 it celebrated twenty-five years of independence from the USSR. Just one week before our visit, the only Head of State to rule during those years died leaving no natural successor so elections are planned. Uzbekistan is the world's second largest cotton-producing country, is rich in underground mineral resources and has a population of 26,600,000. The country is embracing tourism and its people are friendly and welcoming with the younger generation willing to test their English, which since 2015 has become compulsory in schools. For the visitor it is a country steeped in history, with successive invaders from Genghis Khan to Timor the Great, but more importantly the relics of its pivotal role as the centre of the Silk Road trading route.



Most visitors start in Tashkent, the north west of the country and head south east. Travel by road/rail and air is relatively simple, if at times a little uncomfortable. All major cities have bus networks and there are plenty of intercity and tourist coaches. Until recently the majority of large buses and coaches were imports from Europe with evidence of much older vehicles originating from the USSR. Today the new coaches are mainly Chinese imports from the likes of Higer and Yutong, whilst the small urban buses tend to be a locally built derivative of the typical high floor Japanese truck/coach chassis. Samkochavto was set up as a joint Turkish/Uzbekistan venture in November 1996, producing vehicles in Samarkand, using engines provided by Isuzu. In 2006 Uzavtosanoat purchased the shares of its Turkish partner. Under the new ownership the trading name was changed to SamAuto LLC. To western eyes the vehicles may seem impractical for heavily utilised city services, but away from the major highways the local neighbourhood roads generally lack any form of hard surface. Much of the local transport runs on natural gas, with large gas tanks strapped precariously on the roofs of older vehicles.

954 GAA is a  Kässbohrer-Setra  S216HDS dating from the 1980s seen in the desert near Urgench. The reason given for using such old vehicles on incoming tourist service was the lack of robustness from the modern Chinese imports in coping with the rough desert roads. The Setra was very sound for it age but unfortunately the interior was in poor condition, with broken seat backs and vinyl covering the panels held on with staples.



The dual carriageway from the major city of Urgench (population 137,300) to the ancient walled town of Khiva is relatively straight and flat but distinguishable for its trolleybus route, the one and only in the country. The line is 31.3 km (19.4 mi) long and operated by Skoda 24Tr Irisbus vehicles bought in 2013. This is the only remaining section with the route having been cut back in 2008 from the airport. With a running time of around 1 hour 20 minutes, seven of the fleet of nine trolleybuses are required to maintain the advertised 25 minute frequency. The Khiva terminus was once a loop; the overheads are still in place but the road on what would be the exit is in such dire state that it is closed to all except pedestrians. As a consequence trolleys are required to reverse into the terminus.

Number 13 photographed in Khiva at sunset.  

Travelling south east you arrive at the ancient city and trading post of Bukhara (population 272,500).  Locally built Sam Auto (Samarkand Automobile Factory) minibuses with Isuzu engines are the backbone of city operations.

137 YAA an SAZ HC 40 B38D photographed at the Rue Mekhtar Ambar terminus in Bukhara, (note the gas tanks on the roof).   



Continuing 268km on to the architectural gem of Samarkand, (population 509,000), the highlight of any Uzbekistan visit. The city has its own bus operation Samarqandavtoyo' Lovchitrans. Services are frequent and always busy.

Also in Bukhara are three vehicles at either end of the age profile. Below is 327 JAA, I am assuming is an earlier version of the Sam Auto product.  



The final destination on route to the airport and flight home is the capital city of Tashkent with a population of 2,352,900. A city re-built in soviet style after a severe earthquake in 1966. The city has what would be regarded as a normal public transport system, including an effective metro, conventional bus network and extensive shared minibus service. Tashkent Public Transport System (Toshshakhartranskhizmat) is made up of 32 operators, employing 6192 staff of which 3560 are drivers and conductors. The fleet consist of 1350 buses; 27 Mercedes Benz 0345’s; 600 Mercedes Benz low floor Conecto’s; 684 Isuzu’s; 30 Mercedes Benz Uberland’s; 8 Hyundai’s and one MAN. In 2016 Toshshakhartranskhizmat carried 272m passengers. Recently GPS tracking has been fitted to most of the fleet.

Whilst 609 QAA and 824 AAA are current Chinese products from Higer Bus Co., Ltd. nd Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co., Ltd.   



Finally, for those not brave enough to venture aboard a service bus, there is always a city tour.

582 LAA Sam Auto SAZ HC 40 B38D with Isuzu engine is typical of the fleet. Being the major tourist centre of the country, coaches prominently feature in the city. 



In recent years Uzbekistan has implemented a development programme for passenger transport. New convenient regular routes have been launched, bus terminals and stations have been built, whilst others have been revamped.  Nearly 3,000 buses and 12,000 other passenger vehicles have been purchased in the last three years. The plans for the next five years envisage opening nearly 300 new routes. By 2021 it is anticipated there will be 1,600 suburban and long distance routes, plus 400 other services. Between 2017 and 2021 it is proposed to purchase 2,900 vehicles, plus 5,700 minibuses, the majority of which will be leased.


So if you love an alternative take on history, wonderful architecture and wish to cogitate about their economic stability, Uzbekistan with its great PCV scene is the place for you.  

754 BAA a Mercedes Benz 0302 negotiates the major five way junction at Shohi Zinda Kochasi/Rudakiy Kochasi whilst the traffic lights are out of action on a Sunday morning.  

Looking smart for its age is H656 BA a Mercedes Benz 0303 in the Registan coach park.   

428 WAA, Mercedes Benz Conecto at the Navoiy Shoh Ko'chasi interchange, over 100 are operated, all delivered in the last few years.  

399 FCA, is a Samkochavto (Sam Auto) built bus approaching the interchange.  

 014 WDA a local 'shared' bus collecting passengers in the bus station section of the interchange.   

101 UCA is operated by Aznur Travel using a Higer KLQ6119GS.