MOORSBUS 2003

As ever, I made the effort to sample the Moorsbus network this year. There have been a couple of minor changes since last year, firstly that the inner zone ticket now costs £3 (still a bargain!) and secondly that Moorsbus tickets are now available on Yorkshire Coastliner services between Malton and Whitby/Scarborough. The bank holiday Monday 5^th May 2003 presented itself as the perfect opportunity to utilise the service this year, as the weather was looking reasonable – I didn’t want another drenching like last year! I set out from Billingham with the M17 to Middlesbrough, operated by Arriva Durham County’s Peterlee depot, using Dennis Dart 1637 (S637KHN). This Dart had particularly rough suspension, but it was a sprightly specimen and had been well cleaned. After meeting two friends at Middlesbrough we caught the M11 to Danby, also operated by Arriva. This time it was Darlington depot’s Dart 1628 (S628KHN). At Guisborough the amazing sight of a huge queue greeted us, and the Dart left Guisborough fully loaded. Thankfully it sailed up Birks Brow with ease, arriving in Danby in good time. My associates and I then positioned ourselves for a photo of the Dart climbing away from the Moors Centre. We then walked into Danby, in order to get a scenic shot of the M16 as it arrived from Redcar. The M16 duly materialised as Leven Valley Mercedes 709 / LCB 76 (P776BJU). This then formed the 10.40am M3 to Sutton Bank which we joined and took to Hutton-le-Hole. This was not the fastest of buses, and we arrived at Hutton-le-Hole at 11.17am. Luckily, our next bus, the 11.15am M2 to Thornton-le-Dale had waited for the arrival of our bus, and we duly boarded EYMS Volvo B10BLE / Alexander 317 (W417JAT) and enjoyed a smooth ride to Pickering. We then carried on to Thornton-le-Dale almost immediately, catching Scarborough & District service 128. This was worked by Volvo B10M / Alexander 219 (M419RRN), which had been new to the original Stagecoach Manchester, and reached S&D via Finglands and parent EYMS. From Thornton-le-Dale we caught the M5 back to Pickering, worked by Botterills. The Mercedes Sprinter used SJ51GDF had a particularly high quality interior, and featured a most ingenious automated manual gearbox. For the driver it was just like an automatic, but had a conventional manual gearbox for which the gearchange and clutch worked automatically – and very well! In order to sample another operator on the Moorsbus, we then returned to Thornton-le-Dale, again on the M5, but this time on Roaminey Travel’s Mercedes 814D / Autobus Classique M634UCT. Just to experience yet more variety, we then returned to Pickering courtesy of Yorkshire Coastliner service 840, worked by late model Volvo B10BLE / Wright 444 (YD02UMW). This was to a very high specification, and proved highly satisfactory – shame the journey was only six minutes long! Back in Pickering, we noted that Scarborough & District Dennis Dart 263 (P263NRH) had broken down on the 128. In true Dart style it’s throttle had stuck open. Much to our delight, S&D sent out Mercedes L608D recovery vehicle C413VVN. Our only disappointment was that the Dart didn’t need to be towed away by it! We then took the 128 to Helmsley. Volvo B10M 215 (M415RRN) was our steed this time, and gave a steady run. It had been our intention to catch the M9 from Helmsley to Chop Gate and connect with the M10 to Danby. However, we changed our minds, partly because the M9 was ten minutes late and partly because it was another minibus! In this case Leven Valley 77 (M677JFP). Instead we caught the M3, worked by Reliance of York. Volvo B10BLE / Wright X618VWR was excellent as ever, Reliance keeping their buses in clean condition. We decided to attempt a slightly dodgy connection between Kirkbymoorside and Hutton-le-Hole to the M2 back to Thornton-le-Dale. It worked! Reliance Volvo B10BLE / Alexander V293UVY taking us on to Thornton-le-Dale. From Thornton-le-Dale we caught the 128 back to Pickering, Scarborough & District this time providing Volvo B10M 217 (M417RRN). We then took another ride on Reliance’s V293UVY, this time to Danby on the M1. The sun was shining, and the views looking both east and west, north of Hutton-le-Hole were fantastic. At Danby V293UVY was parked next to identical EYMS bus W417JAT – and neat they looked too. We then made for home, aboard Arriva Dart 1637 on the M17. All in all a good day, with good loads and good weather. £5 well spent! Other buses working the on the network not noted above were: Botterills NX03JYG Mercedes Sprinter EYMS 315 (W415JAT) Volvo B10BLE / Alexander Leven Valley P788BJU Mercedes 709 / LCB Perry’s ????? Not Seen Arriva Durham County ????? Not Seen
		Arriva Durham County Dennis Dart / Plaxton 1628 (S628KHN) climbs up from the Moors Centre at Danby.
		Going at a snail’s pace, Leven Valley Mercedes 709 / LCB P776BJU grinds up through Danby toward the Moors Centre.
		EYMS Volvo B10BLE / Alexander 317 (W417JAT) is seen in Pickering on the M2.
		Scarborough & District Volvo B10M / Alexander 219 (M419RRN) pauses in Thornton-le-Dale.
		One of two Botterills Sprinters operating was SJ51GDF.
		Roaminey Travel are again working a diagram this year, again with M634UCT
		Yorkshire Coastliner Volvo B10BLE / Wright 444 loads in Eastgate, Pickering.
		Buses are not the only attraction – the NYMR runs into Pickering.
Botterills second Mercedes Sprinter seen in Thornton-le-Dale	Comparison in Danby, two smart liveries on identical Volvos.	Scarborough & District’s recovery vehicle, C413VVN.