Metrocentre 2012

The NEBPT Metrocentre Rally was held in bright sunshine yesterday, with a good turn-out of vehicles and passengers. A free bus service ran on a circular route to and from Ryton using a wide selection of vehicles old and new. I claim to have driven the oldest and the youngest vehicles used on the service, using the Snaith's 1930's Leyland Lion followed by a trip in their newest vehicle, Volvo Plaxton YN12 BBO, just delivered and on its first trip out on the road and yes, I did have my digital tachograph card with me!
Go North East supported the event by sending a wide selection of vehicles and this year Stagecoach sent one of their ADL Hybrids 12084 as well as Enviro 300 27740. The hybrid did one trip on the bus service, which proved very popular.
Roger Burdett travelled from the West Midlands with his BMMO S.15 and it was nice to see Seddon Pennine ESC 847S in attendance from Scotland as well as the Chesterfield Transpire crowd arriving in their Leopard. PRA109R.
During the day I piloted RML 2686 around the free bus service route and thanks to Ian Wright, on the last trip of the day, I was offered a drive in Wrights of Alston Bedford RRM 915M. This YRQ/Plaxton Panorama Elite III has been with Wrights since new and is still in regular use and I can report drives well.
So, all in all, a good day out, mostly sunny and a good bit warmer than some of our previous rallies at this location. Thanks to all who attended.

 The Snaiths 1930's Leyland Lion alongside one of the latest additions to the fleet Volvo Plaxton YN12 BBF

 YN12 BBO is another new Volvo Plaxton just delivered to Snaiths.  It has an interesting emergency exit step arrangement, where a series of steps eject from the coach when the door is opened. see below.

 Wrights of Alston have owned this Bedford from new

 A fine pair of..... green buses. At the closing stages of the rally an opportunity was taken to pose these lovely Bristols
together and (below) show off their very different rear ends. Who writes this stuff?

 One of the many entries from Go North East was this ex London Bendy bus.

During the day a number of local coach operators called in whilst in-between jobs, one of them being Henry Cooper coaches who showed four of their varied, but very smart fleet fleet.

Above Henry Coopers Volvo Plaxton Elite alonside John Coopers new Scania.
below Henry Coopers Volvo Excalibur in company with a James Cooper Scania Van Hool

More pictures from this event can be seen on our FocusFlicker site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/focus_on_flickr/sets/72157629980839337/