X46, The Exeter Express.

The conversation with that nice allocations controller went something like this,
"You know the X46 don't you?"
"Yes, just about."
"Good, you're on it next week. OK?"
"Err.......??"

So yesterday I did, for the first time in about 2 years, the Exeter Express. The first trip up to Exeter I did was lunch time. No problem with that. It all looked familiar all the way to the County Town. Actually only the stretch out of Torquay is busy, after Penn Inn it is a duel carriageway with few bus stops all the way. I didn’t pick anyone up but kept an eye one for the stops. I haven’t been there all that often, mostly on the 85, also known as the coast route, a completely different kettle of fish. Then back to Paignton load up and start the trip of back to Exeter but I change drivers at the depot for my break.

After lunch, a school run, Cuthbert Mayne in Hele to Paighton running as a 30B. Only one difficult passenger who got on at Livermead and wanted Tweenaway. I explained that I didn’t go anywhere near Tweenaway so he opted for Paignton Bus Station. When we got to the bus station and all the children got of he was still sitting there demanding to be taken to Tweenaway. He wasn’t moving from his seat till the bus got to where he wanted to go. I told him he could sit there if he wanted but the bus was going to Exeter, then back to the depot for the night and if he was lucky might end up as a 12A the next day and so take him to Tweenaway. He got off. Once more back to Exeter. Not many people on and good time was made up to the Penn Inn Roundabout. By now it was getting dark. I had never been up this road in the dark and it all looked different, especially going through Peamore. I knew there was a stop somewhere but not exactly where. I did notice it as I went past. Only because there was someone dressed in very dark clothes jumping up and down and waving franticly in the streetlampless stretch of road where the bus stop has been placed. Two hundred yards up the road there is a petrol station illuminating the road but not where the stop is. I stopped a 60 yards down the road and a young lady came running up. “I’ll have to get on of them yellow jackets” she said. I nodded and headed on to town.
On the way back I came onto the A380, the road not the airbus, at Kenford. I also knew there was a stop here at the side of the road. Once again there is a petrol station illuminating half of Devon, unfortunately not the bit with the bus stop in it. Again frantic waving and jumping up and down attracted my attention, getting a bus out here is like going to aerobic sessions, and I managed to stop a little distance down the road. This passenger was dressed from head to toe in BLACK, just what you need to be wearing on a dark night at the side of an unlit road when you are waiting for a bus. A bit further down the road approaching Ideford Dip the bell went. This stop is hard enough to see in the day light, no chance here so I asked the bell ringer to come forward and give me a few clues. Which he did. Then on with out any more drama to Torquay, Paignton, the depot and home. Only four more days to go. Then holidays for 3 weeks and two days.