Inland open top adventures....

Another 'life' posting taking the place of model buses.  

It's lifted from the 'Buses and Coaches' subforum on RailForums. 

You can see the original post here, and click on the photos if you're signed up. 

A week off thanks to the half term (and no future favoured to transport to school) meant I was able to have a nice day out on Wednesday just gone. Typically, my complex domestic set up means that the 'fun monitor' (to use a fellow forum member's terminology) was staying in the home of flat caps and whippets instead of her native Somerset.

Last year I found out about Peak Sightseer from a Roger French blog post. Having read through it, I consigned that to the 'wants doing' list which is rather long. So this was mentioned to senior management, who has a slight weakness for open top buses. 'What, spend the day on an open top bus going through the Peak District, for £9.50?! And I get to go to Blue John Cavern? Count me in...'

A quick message to a good 'insider friend' on facebook revealed the most optimal parking place would be in Baslow - and so we hit the A1, M18 and the M1 and land in Baslow sometime before 0900. Always allow for a time buffer in the event of silly road users. As can be seen from photo 1, fun monitor wasn't very happy at the early start so cake and coffee was called for - as bribery and corruption continues to hold value in this world. Suitably refreshed, we still don't have someone very happy. Oh well. Maybe my friends on Facebook would like to see the photo? Turns out that wasn't approved either! 

You can also see that there is very clear and concise information on the service in the timetable case. The Peak Sightseer picks up on one side only in Baslow at Nether End - whereas Hulleys and TM Travel use both sides of the road. We have however headed off any 'where do we catch this bus from' conversations though.

TM's fleet seems a little careworn, with a number of ex Lothian ADL Enviro 400s in traffic with what we'd describe as 'rushed back into service' condition after accident repairs. They were however turning up when the timetables said they would be.

Hulley's fleet is a shadow of it's former self - the once immaculate operation does have buses in full livery, but more recent additions include a 2009 ADL Enviro 200 from Panther Travel, in operation with handwritten legal lettering on a sheet of A4 in a nearside window, a blue smoke trail from the engine which Greta Thunberg would really scowl at. Best of all was the 05 plate Optare Solo which was later spotted in Castleton and was still in CT Coaches colours, with a non working front destination screen and a handwritten piece of A4 in the windscreen telling me it was doing a 173 and nothing about where it could be going. 

An ex London Enviro 400 in full livery looked really good, whereas the 64 plate Enviro 200 I spotted in Baslow was in full livery but the panels weren't too straight. Under the previous regime, the vehicle wouldn't have left the depot if it wasn't immaculate! Perhaps there is some serious cashflow management in action at Hulleys which would explain the state of vehicles and minor issues not being attended to. I hope they can sort themselves out as they're running in some beautiful country and some passionate people are there wanting to do things.

Whilst we're waiting, our intended bus rolled in but needed to visit Chatsworth before returning back to us. Enough time for me to get a photo of it though. Doesn't it look nice?

Our Scania returns from Chatsworth and Scania/Enviro 400 15719 picks us up at 10:00 along with a number of other intending customers. I ask for two £9.50 day tickets, get them, and make a beeline for the top deck for our journey on Blue Route all the way to Blue John Cavern. Among the many highlights of the route is the penultimate part up Winnats Pass.

Winnats Pass. Wrong weather.

Not long after, we roll into the turnaround point at Blue John Cavern. That's a rather nice backdrop for your photos! One of our top deck riders is clearly known to the driver of our bus and introduces himself as 'Baggy'. This is one of the rostered drivers for the route, and is an enthusiast of long standing. He is also one of the admins of the Peak Sightseer facebook group which is private but you can ask to join. 

Our first bus @ Blue John Cavern

 

It's got contributions from the management but is run by the drivers. Evidently, the company is quite invested in the route, and the people working it also are too. It's Baggy's day off and his family have come out with him to ride the route, but he is still in welcoming driver mode with all the customers. I'd put that as 'above and beyond' Like me and senior management, he's getting off in Castleton at the visitor centre on the way back. So we shall meet again.

We then head off on the 11:20 departure from Blue John Cavern to Castleton. And we go back down Winnats Pass where I try to take photos. Which are blurry and thus deleted so not being shared. It's possible you can order sunshine and intercept the buses along the route and obtain some very nice photos. For me to try this I've got to engage in some Ivo Peters type chasing and driving in a 14 year old decomposing Peugeot Partner diesel van with sedate changing gearbox - whereas he had a Bentley and highly co operative loco crews. Suspect he'd have had more chance of achieving this if he were still around.

Castleton isn't too far distant and we're soon at the visitor centre for an hour's stop. As we're visitors wanting to find out stuff that's sort of required for us. We now have ideas for future visits as today was intended as a dip the toe and see if you like the place.

We're going to be some time on here...

Our next bus then comes outbound on it's way to Blue John Cavern, so I nab this photo whilst the fun monitor is perusing the assorted souvenir shops in her quest to find some Blue John. For those unaware, that's a type of mineral which is blue in colour, mined only at the cavern which bears it's name and is sort of the holy grail amongst crystals and is cold to touch. Senior Management has a wide crystal collection which possibly explains the enthusiasm for the day trip.  I can expand on crystals.... 

Castleton Bus Station.... interchange...terminus..?

At 12:30, 15718 comes into view on the return journey and we take seats downstairs as we're getting off at Longshaw Estate for a walk down Padley Gorge. I mention to the friendly driver where we want to alight the bus and is it possible for you to remember as my own memory is somewhat unreliable. 'Well mine's not much better but I'll see what I can do'... As the bus comes up to Surprise View, we're papped by a bus enthusiast on the bank and if you click here you can see his photo. I've hidden behind the 'Proud to serve' window sticker whereas senior management is sat before it. 

We aren't the only ones getting off at Longshaw thankfully. As it's now 1pm some lunch is called for, and a couple of toasties later we're suitably refreshed for one of the fun monitor's 'gentle' country strolls. Gentle is in quote marks as her definition of easy doesn't align with mine. It's a good job I brought a walking pole with me as Padley Gorge is akin to climbing Mount Everest without the help from Sherpas. However she has picked the downhill version of this walk, which will take us into Grindleford if we survive the 2 hour mountain trek.

Travel companions. Hilary the bear, Trevor the Badger and Daisy the Duck....!

Padley Gorge

I keep looking for Gollum... MY PRECIOUS!

All of this walking occupies 2 hours and Grindleford is reached around 4pm and that's just in time to catch the 16:15 bus to Chatsworth (which was the 15:20 from Blue John). This turns out to be the bus from Castleton and still has the same driver. Some friendly banter as we board (you know - the not two again sort) and we head down to Chatsworth House. I've never been here, neither has the fun monitor. The £35pp entry price brings out the honorary Yorkshireperson in me and I can't see me parting with this much to see the delights of the interior. It does however have a very nice long driveway which is what I wanted to see.

Chatsworth is one end of 'Blue' route which we've travelled today - but the route from last year is now called 'Red' and this increase in peak vehicle requirement has meant the lending of 3 open tops from Stagecoach South West for the season. One of these loanees is kept at Chatsworth as a standby vehicle during the day. That's a practice I much approve of as it means the timetables can continue to operate whilst you resolve your operational issues with the benefit of more time. No pulling trips due to 'no bus' here evidently!

15718 at Chatsworth before returning to Castleton

Westcountryman on hire.... the 'hot standby' vehicle!

The 20 minutes at Chatsworth means we have time for more photos. You can see the fun monitor is now more happy than when we started also!

Qualifies as 'happy'

Our day is about to come to an end, as we go around to start the 17:00 trip which truncates at Castleton. Unhelpfully there's an unannounced road closure in that area and our driver is concerned he won't be able to get through and so seeks advice from his depot. I'm informed he was indeed thanked by management for his efforts (rather than worse) when I queried this later once home. We leave the bus at Baslow and home we head with someone much happier than when we began our day!

Final thoughts? This is a route you really must do. You're going to see lovely views from the bus and if you can pre-order the right weather it'll be a very nice day out. The drivers working the service have a dedicated roster and the company is very invested in making the service work. That passion is clear to see and once the start up funding ends I can see the route becoming a permanent fixture. Hats off to Stagecoach Yorkshire for getting the service going. We will be returning (no doubt to try 'Red') and I've told a few friends already who have put this on their 'must come and do' lists. I note also Roger French has returned too and remains as impressed as on the first visit...