(05 Mar 2015, 7:27 pm)MarcTheA4 Just thinking, with my planned Explorer on Saturday - does the Explorer give me platform access to Newcastle Central? As in, through the ticket barriers and full-access. I have an inkling I will be able to, seeing as I can use it on the Sunderland-Blaydon Line, but I just thought to check.

Might try and get a few photos of the 91s and 43s in their new liveries.

(05 Mar 2015, 7:36 pm)aureolin Yes - you're entitled to be on the platform if you have a valid ticket. Explorer and Day Rover are both valid.

Just show it to the staff on the barriers and you'll have nee bother.

(05 Mar 2015, 7:38 pm)MarcTheA4 Gracias Amigo.

(05 Mar 2015, 7:40 pm)Tommy_1581 Blaydon - Newcastle - Sunderland. On Northern Rail & Tyne and Wear Metro services only.

Even if you have a valid ticket, staff may direct you to the Station Management Centre to sign in if you are taking photographs.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:09 pm)Tom Might do a bit of Lowlander bashing on Saturday - where are the normally found?

And also, I may do a big review.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:10 pm)MarcTheA4 Look out for one or two on the X2 and X12, and I also tend to see a lot on the 6.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:09 pm)Tom Might do a bit of Lowlander bashing on Saturday - where are the normally found?

And also, I may do a big review.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:13 pm)Jimmi Lowlander's can pop up pretty much anywhere so it can be difficult to say where exactly you will get one.

Some routes you may find them on.
6, 43, 46/48, 56/57/57A/86, X12/X2, X24.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:14 pm)Tom Thanks Jimmi - also, I'm guessing you will know the answer to this, what is usually allocated to the 8/8A?

(05 Mar 2015, 9:15 pm)Jimmi It should be the rotten X reg Darts but there often seems to be at least one Solo out each day.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:16 pm)Tom Ah cheers
Might avoid it after the horrid 40 minutes I had on one on the 53. 

(05 Mar 2015, 9:23 pm)Jimmi That would be wise.

Think the longest I endured one for was an hour and a half on service 7 once when the Honest Lawyer flooded and the road was closed the traffic was really bad because of this, as soon as the bus started going to Durham in the wrong direction me and several other passengers jumped off, college wasn't happy about me not turning up on this day yet when it snowed once only me and one other person made it in - some of the people who didn't make it in lived on the other side of Durham and one lived literally down the street from the college! I can understand the lass from Consett not making it though.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:25 pm)Tom 40 minutes was bad!
I feel sorry for you having to endure one hour and a half on one of those horrid things!
Is there no chance of a R-COO or a MPD turning up?

(05 Mar 2015, 9:28 pm)Jimmi R-COO Darts have been withdrawn so there is no chance of one of them turning up!

A Solo might possibly turn up as there seems to be at least one on each day, MPDs can sometimes pop up too - 1793 was on one day last week.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:30 pm)Tom Never realised that!
Hoping for a Solo then!

(05 Mar 2015, 9:32 pm)Jimmi Last few times I've seen Solos on the 8/8A it has often been one of the 11 reg examples which I think are quite decent.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:34 pm)Tom Yeah the 61 reg ones at Jesmond are nice.
The 08 ones aren't the best though.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:39 pm)Jimmi No, some of the 2008 ones are terrible, rode of Belmont's recently and it was vile and had various different seat moquette's at the back, also had a short ride on 2832 which was overheating and had a noise similar to the bell going off every 3 seconds!

But the 11 reg and ex Durham Park and Ride examples seem alright.

(05 Mar 2015, 9:40 pm)Tom Are the Y-PDN ones any good?