An enjoyable visit to York today to speak at the North East Railway Association on the work of SENRUG and our campaign to get the Northumberland Line open. Morpeth station was packed at 08:45. The Toon were playing at home (happily they won), whilst over on the northbound platform my guess is that upwards of 80 people were waiting for the Edinburgh trains, possibly because England’s women’s Rugby team were playing at Murrayfield (who also won). I managed to get the last table in a packed Green’s Café at the station for my excellent breakfast of a mocha and sausage sandwich, all for just £4.50 – you won’t get better value than that. And there, in my window seat in the café, I watched a 52 seater coach pull in to the bus turning circle, discharge its passengers and then leave. This is something the Council’s bus officer says can not be done, but Pearces of Oxford beg to differ.
As for my journey, both my outgoing and return LNER services were cancelled (09:30 from Newcastle and 15:35 from York), although as far as I was aware it was CrossCountry, not LNER who were on strike. And not to be outdone, Arriva Bus also managed to cancel 2 sequential bus services on route 2, leaving me over an hour to wait for the bus home to Bedlington. During which time, our 52 seater coach turned up again, to pick up its passengers, and once more negotiated the bus turning circle. This time I had my phone ready for some photos. The 2nd photo to indicate the coach came out of the turning circle and into Coopies Lane back towards Shields Road, thus achieving a full turn. So please: can we have Airport bus 777 extended or diverted into the station turning circle, and Carlisle – Morpeth trains extended on to Bedlington. As it happened, Morpeth – Bedlington took me just about the same time as York – Morpeth!
