"Beer and buses" as dubious trio set sail for Isle of Wight...part 1 18/10/14

As dusk fell on Friday 17 October, your blogmaster had concluded a less-than-enjoyable day being a purveyour of alcoholic beverages in an off-licence in the Alfreton region, before settling down in the comfort of Timmy Towers with a suitably large pizza and a copy of Peter Hook's story of the rise and fall of the band 'Joy Division' (a damn good read if you're a fan). So you get the general idea...

And before dawn had even broken through the darkness of suburban Nottinghamshire on a cold Saturday morning, I found myself stood outside Timmy Towers with Tim and Paul loading my  rucksack into the boot of the Starship Kuga for the beginning of a two-day adventure involving proper buses and beer (and we all know most bus enthusiasts function well on a full tank of ale). The journey to Clarence Pier was uneventful, and we made such good time that we even managed to embark on an earlier Hovercraft departure at around 0850! Our 20-or-so-minute cruise across the Solent was a little choppy, however as it was your blogmaster's first ever Hovercraft experience, it was still rateable.

We disembarked at Ryde, a location your blogmaster had only ever seen in photographs upto this point, and made our way - with the customary photo stop - to board our chariot for the journey to Newport Quay, in the form of Southern Vectis Bristol Lodekka 570 (YDL315), expertly driven by Nigel Harris. At this point, our leader Paul left us to sample the duplicate to our service car, Eastern National flat-screen Bristol RE FWC439H, and the sight of a Lodekka and an RE in Tilling green & cream chasing one another up hill and down dale certainly turned a few heads as we made our way towards Newport. Upon arrival at Newport Quay (the home of the Isle of Wight Bus Museum at the time of our visit), all I can say is...wow! Quality buses as far as the eye could see! A quick scout through the timetable and pub guide Tim had conveniently packed and a few red pen scribblings later, and our moves had been planned.

Boarding Midland Scottish Leyland Leopard/Alexander Y-type TMS405X for a spirited run to Brading, little did I know that within 11 hours I would have sampled a hovercraft, 11 buses and two former London Underground units of 1938 vintage - surprised the red pen didn't explode recording all the moves!!

 

Photographs taken, we joined coach-seated Southern Vectis Bristol LH/ECW 202 (KDL202W) for a trip along Culver Down, a local Island beauty spot deep in the back of beyond, and we were lucky to get a seat for what was a 'three bell load' in busman's terms! After half an hour to look around and explore the rugged beauty of the downs, and grab a hot beverage, we returned to Brading to jump on a train across to Shanklin Railway Station for some VR thrash aboard Mike Elkin's fantastic Southdown Bristol VR 586 (PUF586R) on service 'E' to Ventnor. At this point, Tim left us for a while in pursuit of other buses, while I left Paul in Ventnor to return to Shanklin Old Village aboard Southern Vectis VR 669 (UDL669S), painted in a ficticious Tilling cream & green that looks most smart. From here, I returned to Ventnor on Badgerline VR MH5529 (DHW351W) which with its Leyland 680 at the back made all the right noises! After regrouping with Paul, who had flagged VR thrash for food, we joined North Somerset Coaches' ex-Southern National convertible open top VR (thankfully with roof firmly applied) VDV134S to return to Shanklin Station on service 'D' for a train back to Brading.

It was here that upon joining our next vehicle, Stroud Valleys Leyland National SD3024 (KHT122P), that Paul and I rejoined Tim, and we treated to the tuneful delights of a Leyland 510 roaring away for a ride back to Newport Quay via Bembridge. And with enough time for our next bus, I even had time to fit in a trip to Newport Bus Station and back aboard unique Southern Vectis Bristol RE/Duple 301 (KDL885F), before being reacquainted with an old friend from Alton in the form of Trent Marshall-bodied RE 337 (SJA352K) for some suitably loud and raucous Leyland 680 thrash to Hulverstone, our destination for around an hour.

It was here at the public house the bus suitably deposited us outside that we partook in dinner, and our first alcoholic beverages in mine and Tim's case - not bad for a BEER and buses rally! Cider and a curry later, we found ourselves joining another old friend from Alton, Ulsterbus RE 2190 (POI2190) for the trip back to Newport Quay, by now roaring through the narrow lanes of Wight in total darkness with only the lights of the bus glowing.


Deposited safely on Newport Quay, there was just time for a trip to Cowes and back on Wilts & Dorset VR BFX666T, smartly turned out in the quirky post-deregulation red, white & black livery, before it went off into the night packed with happy (and slightly inibriated) punters on the evening 'beer-ex'. So by 2000hrs, 11hrs after setting foot on Isle of Wight soil, we were ready for a rest - its hard work bus bashing! We set off to dump our belongings in our hotel, just a short walk from the Quay, and after quickly venturing out to sample one of the two local Wetherspoons, we retired to our hotel for more beverages, and in the case of myself and Tim a game of pool (Tim won). And at that, after our first fantastic day on the island, we retired to the comfort of our respective rooms for doss...muchos doss! Part 2 to follow...