A Few Hours In Peterborough Part 1

On Saturday I travelled to Peterborough in the hope of meeting an acquaintance who was down for a Diesel Gala on the nearby Nene Vallley Railway. Alas the meeting never materialised, and let's face it after sitting in the cab of D6757 the other night I had no need of a Diesel Gala at a railway that actively publicises its dislike of people just coming to take pictures. I'm not a rich man so sod them!

Anyhow I had decided to split the day into two, first half trains and second half buses. However I'll concentrate on the buses this post as there is precious little happening in the bus world at the moment.

Unfortunately Peterborough is also in the bus world, and frankly it makes Ipswich look interesting. If E200's and E400's are your favourite - old models mind you as MMC's have yet to find their way there - then you will be in mundane Heaven. However I had chosen the right day to go for something totally unexpected and very welcome. I had seen from the railway station some bright yellow Olympians frequently crossing the bridge over the tracks and when I had finished my business on the station one of them was parked outside the station on a free shuttle service to I presumed the NVR for the Diesel Gala. I was wrong. It was further than that so I had a much longer than anticipated ride on Decker Bus of Whittlesey M18 WAL which turns out to not be an Olympian but a DAF DB250 with Northern Counties Palatine body. New to Walls of Sharston, hence the registration, this Olympian lookalike, soundalike and ridealike took me on a mystery tour ending up at the East of England Showground where the horror of all horrors was taking place.

Decker Bus DAF DB250 M18 WAL at East of England showground

I confess I am not into models of any description. I prefer the real article, and if I was to ever have a model railway it would have to be life size. You can probably work out the obstacles in that aspiration yourselves. So to stumble on this was the stuff of nightmares, even more so to see it cost a tenner to get in!

I'm a full size train enthusiast - get me out of here!

I had to get out of there fast and luckily within a few minutes a genuine Olympian had arrived, and one of my favourite types too. With Christmas looming I may as well do some hinting - if anyone would like to buy me an ex Dublin Bus Olympian I'd really be very grateful! T570 EGB was new to Dublinbus as 99-D-539 and those Alexander RH bodies are just superb, silent and strong as Alexander bodies used to be before molded plastic infected them. Add a friendly chatty driver and a perfect combination was formed.

Decker Bus Olympian T570 EGB at East of England Showground

Back to Peterborough and the bus station in what had turned into a very dreary afternoon. First spot was Great Yarmouth, or is it Lowestoft these days - never know where the X1 Enviros are actually allocated to these days - 33821 which is on loan to Kings Lynn as a lot of the E400's are now showing the strain of being on a route totally unsuited for them and breaking down with monotonous regularity. Pretty sure someone predicted that around 3 years ago.

33821 heading for Wisbeach

Delaine provide the only bright spot in Peterborough these days now Emblings have gone, and their uniquely liveried Geminis always look impressive. AD15 DBL is a Volvo B9tl Gemini2

Delaine Volvo B9tl AD15 DBL

And here's the matching pair - AD14 DBL, also a Volvo B9tl

Delaine AD!$ DBL on break at Peterborough Bus Station

In case you're wondering no there doesn't appear to be an AD16 DBL! Anyhow apart from that it was all Stagecoach E200's and E400's. Even the Stagecoach Gold service X4 to Milton Keynes was operated by 61 reg E400's. So I gave that up as a lesson learned and headed back to the station. Sorry Peterborough wasn't more interesting but you live and learn. Might have to try and get to Reading for a better bus & train day. In Part Two my rail activities will be reported, including some old friends of mine.