VIDEO: First journey on Lincoln's open-top bus tour
Lincoln's new open-top bus tour got its first paying customer this morning on its maiden voyage around the city's sights.
The ticket price of £10 has been scrutinised by locals but the first paying customer, Ryan Tyrrell from Lincoln felt it was worth every penny.
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The first customer on Lincoln's new open top bus.
Tyrrell said: "Very good tour, good value for money, plenty of stops to look at places and the guide was very informative."
"My favourite sight was from Carline Road, out over all of Lincoln and I enjoyed finding out some interesting facts about the city."
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The tour offers a mix of modern and ancient history with some quirky facts such as how Lincoln got its name, how Winston Churchil's visit ended in disaster and how the city is actually built on a cliff not a hill.
Some modern history touches on how the building which is now Prezzo, Nandos and Ultimate Burger on the Brayford waterfront is a grade 2 listed building despite being built in the 50s.
Brian Taylor, a retired detective chief inspector from Lincolnshire Police and a guide on the previous tour bus from 2000 until it stopped running in 2004 has returned to take the lead once again.
Mr Taylor is the co-ordinator of the Lincoln Guild of Tour Guides and knows every sight in the city even pointing out Lincoln's hyperbolic paraboloid.
Mr Taylor said: "Most walking tours are condensed into the Cathedral area but the bus tour opens up the city and gives fresh views of Lincoln that you can't get anywhere else."
View the full gallery from the first trip on Lincoln's open-top bus...
Starting and finishing at the Cathedral the full tour took just under an hour, travelling around the Roman remains in uphill Lincoln, down Yarborough Road to Brayford Pool, around the University of Lincoln and back up Lindum Road.
The route is designed not only to take in sights but also to allow tourists and local customers to hop-on and hop-off the bus at 12 convenient stops such as the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, Brayford waterfront, St Marks shopping centre and the train station.
Visit Lincoln, Lincoln Business Improvement Group and bus company Stagecoach have joined forces on the project to bring back the once popular tourist attraction.
Passengers on the bus also get the advantage of discounts around the city included in their £10 ticket with savings on food and drink, other attractions and also gifts and souvenirs.
Comments
by Shortieg
Thursday, April 19 2012, 9:42AM
“Keep up the good work Brian, Lincoln has an amazing history an you tell it in such an amusing way! I love your tours.”
by camelherder
Monday, April 09 2012, 6:50PM
“Jump off the bus on Brayford and walk a round the pool via the Uni, may be even stop off for a pub meal or hot drink on the Uni campus. Look out for the information boards describing the history of the area. Surprising what you may find out if you actually take the trouble to LOOK!
The discount may actually be for the boat tour another informative trip.”
by saddletramp2
Monday, April 09 2012, 2:49PM
“Someone is playing with the little red arrows and the ability to clear browser history to down rate others comments but hey ho.The truth often hurts”
by thompma30
Monday, April 09 2012, 11:40AM
“As you can see, PACKED OUT!
I'm afraid that Lincoln doesn't offer that much for a bus tour, and i bet the discounts are for..... Prezzo, Nandos and Ultimate Burger? by some funny chance?”
by saddletramp2
Monday, April 09 2012, 9:54AM
“Lincs Distribution hits the nail on the head with their comment and i don't think they are very from the truth.Lincoln as now become over developed and most of Lincolns historical values have gone with it.”
by A_Mason
Monday, April 09 2012, 7:17AM
“@Lincs distribution
Its shocking and embarrassing that you and your gf are unaware of the historical significance of the Brayford area.
Perhaps you should take a ride on the bus to fill the gaps in your knowledge?”
by Leaflet Distribution Lincolnshire
Sunday, April 08 2012, 5:46AM
“Shocking and embarrassing that this stops at a nandos and then the cathedral / castle. My gf said to me as soon as she heard about it "what's there to see in Lincoln, you've got the castle and the cathedral and that's it".
Is grade 2 listing really a big deal nowadays and why does it go around the university ? most cities have a university nowadays.
Maybe Lincoln needs to focus more on the increasing amounts of shops closing near the bus station or the terrible state of the housing in Lincoln.”