North Wales is a particularly favourite spot of mine. So
with 4 days off work, I decided to go for a ride on the wonderful Welsh
Highland Railway.
But part of the fun is the journey to and from Llandudno,
where I decided to base myself for 2 nights. I could have a go on Arriva’s
recently-introduced premium “Sapphire” service between Chester & Wrexham,
as well as try a route I’d always fancied having a go on – GHA’s X50 link from
Wrexham to Rhyl.
Having got myself from Stourbridge Junction to Smethwick
Galton Bridge, it wasn’t long before my first delay was apparent. Earlier
signalling delays around Wolverhampton had delayed my Arriva Trains Wales
journey towards Chester. 8 minutes down wasn’t a particular problem for me
though – I had more trouble squeezing my 6’7” frame into the Class 158 train!
At least this is one of the recently refurbished ones though. The spruced-up
carriage still has appalling legroom...
The train splits at Shrewsbury, meaning that all those
heading into the Principality must be in the front 2 carriages – always a
slightly nervy moment I think for travellers – how do you know without stepping
out onto the platform where the front 2 carriages are? Or I guess you could
walk as far as you can until you meet the driver...We arrive 5 minutes late.
From here I’m travelling on Arriva’s sparkling new “Sapphire”
bus service to Wrexham. Route 1 leaves from outside the front of the railway
station. Out comes the camera to capture the posh bus. Except it isn’t what it
should be. It’s a posh bus, but it’s one of the “Cymru Coastliners”, which
normally ply their trade between Chester and Rhyl. I decide to let it go, as
there is a 12 minute frequency, and, like clockwork, the next 1 appears, and
this time it’s a real Sapphire.
Incorrect Bus!
Correct Bus!
These are actually reconditioned vehicles, rather than brand
new, but they may as well be new, as they've been completely gutted and put
back together with luxurious interiors, including even posher leather seats
than Leicester’s version of Sapphire, which I saw at last week’s launch in the
East Midlands. There is 2+1 seating upstairs, plenty of legroom for big fellas
like me, and free wi-fi, which worked mostly fine, give or take a few drop
outs.
Posh leather seats on Sapphire...
I purchase a £6.50 Arriva North Wales day ticket (which will
also get me from Rhyl to Llandudno later) and we’re soon off into the Cheshire
countryside. Welsh and English announcements refer to the wi-fi and tell us
where we’re stopping. It is a supremely comfortable ride. You can even charge
your power-hungry smartphone up on the powerpoints by the side of your seat.
The only thing that’s missing (as is on most other UK double-deckers) is
upstairs windscreen wipers. The rain is falling and seeing where we’re going is
difficult.
The front seats don’t have the powerpoints though, so I’ll
take my chances with my phone battery in order to see such delightful village
names as “Cuckoo’s Nest”. I swear the Welsh announcements are being made with a
scouse accent...
It takes around 50 minutes to get to Wrexham, and we arrive
a few minutes down. It’s raining and most of the population are huddled in
McDonalds, emulating the Chancellor, munching on burgers.
I try the travel centre in the bus station, which oddly only
has timetables for 2 services to hand. I ask the lady about the X50/X52
service, who tells me that the next departure is the 1325. “Most of them go
through to Rhyl”, she advises, and the paper timetable appears to indicate this
also.
On stand, the service is for Denbigh, with “connections” to
Rhyl, but my branded X50/X52 (not clear which is the Rhyl one) arrives with
driver who tells me that he is, in fact, only going to Denbigh. He’s pleasant
enough though, informing me I can catch an Arriva bus from Denbigh to Rhyl, “or
wait for one of ours – but it’ll be about half an hour later”. The ticket is
£5.50.
The departure is a fully-loaded one and I’m forced to sit
right at the rear of the single decker. The seats are so high up that all I can
see is the passing pavement. It’s a pleasant run though (gazing out of the rear
window instead) and myself and 1 remaining passenger are deposited at a
roundabout in Denbigh.
The driver points to a stop on the other side of the
roundabout and repeats his earlier words about Arriva’s service 51 in around 10
minutes or another 30 minutes for GHA’s – but at least I won’t have to pay
again. I won’t have to pay again anyway, as my Arriva Day Ticket will get me
onto their bus! And with that, a quick flick of the destination button. “Sorry,
Not In Serivce” – and he’s gone!
It’s a quiet day in Denbigh. Council workers are tending to
flowers on the traffic island. It’s a quaint scene.
Not so quaint is the bus shelter, which is a disgrace. The
glass panels are frankly disgusting and the real-time information (which may or
may not be “real-time”) is mostly intelligible due to the combined antics of
the local vandals and lack of love from the Council. It does scroll the
Traveline number though, and also suggests I text 84268 – without an
accompanying code. Maybe my phone would explode with details of every stop
departure in the UK if I did...
Denbigh "Real-time" - or lack of!
The appalling bus shelter in Denbigh!
Arriva’s 51 to Rhyl arrives dead on time. No sooner has the
pony-tailed driver grunted his approval at my ticket, he’s out of the cab on a
mission to resolve the buzzing sound, emanating from the rear emergency exit. A
hefty slam ensues, but one stop later the door is rebelling again.
“I hate this bus”, announces the driver to the small gaggle
of passengers, who may require a tad more customer service training, should
Sapphire ever come to Denbigh.
We eventually reach Rhyl, with no more buzzing. My 12 to
Llandudno at least says Llandudno these days on the real-time information (I
had complained that it merely read “Clifton Road” last year), but the display
is showing some confusing info. There’s a bus due at 1548 (no sign), 2 minutes
later at 1550, then nothing until 1624. Perhaps this was actually “real” time,
but neither of the first 2 appear, then one shows at 1604 – goodness only knows
which of the 3 this one is.
The travel centre has finally given up the ghost here and is
permanently closed.
The 12 to Llandudno is a fairly quiet affair. A solitary
open topper is on one the trips in the opposite direction – nice if the weather
is good, but not many takers today. And how are you supposed to know which
departures it’s operating anyway? Rhyl itself has its own open top service, but
today isn’t the day for it, unless you fancy getting your hair wet.
Next day, I’m off from Llandudno to Caernarfon to ride the
Welsh Highland Railway. To get there, I’m using local buses.
Arriva’s 5 will get me there. Today, I’m using a Red Rover
ticket, which covers all other bus operators as well as the aquamarine one, but
only on services west of Llandudno (Rhyl is obviously in a different time
zone). The trip is a longish but uneventful one. Caernarfon is a lovely town,
but its bus waiting facilities aren't great. The shelter has improved since
last I was here, but the digital display has died a death. Gwynedd has also
stopped producing its timetable booklet too, which isn’t great.
The digital display in Caernarfon - dead as a dodo...
I enjoy my trip on the Welsh Highland Railway to Porthmadog
and highly recommend it for lovers of steam, narrow gauge railways and simply
stunning scenery!
Arrival at Porthmadog sees the 2 coach loads of Shearings
trippers besiege Spooners restaurant, so my plans for something with chips evaporate.
I try the local ale and console myself with a packet of crisps.
From here I have decided not to go on the Ffestiniog this
time, but to try Express Motors 1 bus service up to Bangor instead. The classic
Welsh rain is hammering down and I join the locals huddled in the shelter for
the 1, which arrives 10 minutes late. The windows are steamed up and there is
slightly too much litter on the floor of the bus for my liking.
The driver is a
friendly soul though, and I make my way back up to Bangor for a connection back
on Arriva’s 5 to Llandudno where seagulls are my new best friends. Or maybe it’s
my fish & chips on the beach they’re more interested in...
Steamy windows! Not a great view of the Welsh countryside!
Tomorrow, I will attempt to travel doorstep to doorstep from
my hotel to home on local buses...
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