#VegOnTour Part Four

As mentioned in my last post, today was about trying to photograph the 56 buses which have recently been repainted into a new livery branded up as the “Atlantic Coaster”. I started early and set off for Watergate Bay, with the hope of photographing one of the ‘new’ buses with the sea in the background. The sun was out, making perfect photography conditions but the day started as it would finish; no sign of the repainted buses. First up we had something of local interest; 32955 X611HLT is pictured below in the sunshine with the impressive backdrop. I’m sure like our other old buses they have down there, 32955 is enjoying life a lot more in Cornwall!

21100 P10HDC at the depot

I moved onto Mawgan Porth next and photographed an Olympian, before deciding to follow it en-route nearly as far as Padstow to see if there were any other photographic locations I may not know about. Turns out there weren’t, so I headed back towards Newquay, stopping again at Mawgan Porth on the way back. Along the way I was passed two T reg tridents, and two Olympians but still no sign of the branded buses. It was nearly lunchtime by this point and having sat in my car for the best part of 3 hours trying to spot buses that never showed up I decided to go back to campsite, make myself a ham sarnie, put on my swimwear and head down to the beach. Whilst heading back though I remembered that First have an outstation just down the road where Western Greyhound used to be so I tried my luck down there and was greatfully allowed in to take some photographs.

33242 on the 93 to Truro at Newquay Bus Station

After lunch, I caught the 90 from Summercourt back into Newquay and soon found my way down to the beach where I set up my things before legging it into the sea. It was a very hot day so my body enjoyed the time it spent in the water which mostly consisted of jumping giant waves at the same time as trying to avoid the masses of body boarders insistant in boarding in the swimmers section rather than the body boarders section, marked out by cones, flags and lifeguards blowing whistles and yelling through loud speakers. Nevertheless I had successfully cooled down and done what everybody who comes to Cornwall on holiday needs to do so I headed back to the bus station and was pleased to find out my ride home would be ex-Norwich 32102 LT02ZCL. Also at the bus station was other ex-Norwich 33242 LT52WVL, still showing parts of her Red Line branding.

Part 5 is my last day in Cornwall which consists of riding the open-top 300 buses between St Ives and Lands End, on the Olympians last year of service. For four years I’ve visited Cornwall and have never been able to ride one yet so I’m thoroughly looking forward to finally getting on it!