Go North East: Latest News & Discussion - September 2017

[Adrian]

Just realised that "Tyne Tees Express" has been dropped from the brand which is now simply "X9/X10", a disappointing and illogical change. Brands with just numbers are rather meaningless, like "the 49" and it was a great improvement  changing the boring "Ten" to "Tyne Valley Ten". The "Tyne Tees Express" was relevant and well known.

Do explain.

[Malarkey]

6313 (NK67 EBG) departing South Shields Promenade on Private Hire for the Great North Run - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

7102 (FJ08 KNW) also on Private Hire for the GNR Yesterday - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ed-public/

I also think Go North East should repaint these Levantes into Corporate Livery.

[Adrian]

I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree if you really think this shambles represents a well executed relaunch of the service.  Relaunched 3rd Sept, new buses supposed to arrive a week later (ludicrous in itself) and even with that extension, only three of a PVR of seven were covered by the new buses, and reports of missed journeys on some of the other boards.

Yet if they registered the service to start at the end of September, for argument sake, then people would be complaining that brand new buses are sitting round doing nowt, when the current ones are breaking down left right and centre! It is not ideal, but needs must sometimes. 

Didn't Stagecoach drip feed their E400MMCs into service in Newcastle? I didn't see you calling that a shambles... maybe I missed your post?

[Jamie M]

I think its a shambles but might be out of hand. The company should understand that passengers aren't going to reason from a business side of things - if they are on a brand new bus that has panels lying on seats or breakdowns. I think the company should take responsibility and accept it looks bad, rather than treating it like it's a normal event - this just pushes the people further away from the concept of public transport (in my opinion) if new buses are broken. It's a hands-tied situation, but better PR is in order.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[busmanT]

Yet if they registered the service to start at the end of September, for argument sake, then people would be complaining that brand new buses are sitting round doing nowt, when the current ones are breaking down left right and centre! It is not ideal, but needs must sometimes. 

Didn't Stagecoach drip feed their E400MMCs into service in Newcastle? I didn't see you calling that a shambles... maybe I missed your post?

The "fixed" change dates agreement with local councils means that if they didn't do the changes on the 3rd September, they would have to wait until the 29th October.

Surely the company will take the issue of late vehicle delivery up with Wrightbus.

[BusLoverMum]

Would this be a bad time to point that i got on 6308 this afternoon and one of the metal strips that go between the interior lights was dumped on the back ledge, not a major problem but hardly attractive seeing bits falling off already!

Video of 6308: https://youtu.be/93BK103wSug

Also to give more of an idea where I was waiting for photos as to how I didn't see some buses heading to/from Middlesbrough:
Go North East: 6313 / NK67EBG by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

It's bad enough that some of those strips have fallen off the streetdecks. That design detail needs a rethink!

[Malarkey]

The "fixed" change dates agreement with local councils means that if they didn't do the changes on the 3rd September, they would have to wait until the 29th October.

Surely the company will take the issue of late vehicle delivery up with Wrightbus.

From looking on Flickr on Donrobni's Page it does appear that Wrightbus have extremely busy in recent months, probably more so than usual compared to previous years.

Seems to be large vehicle orders for London from Arriva, Metroline and Go-Ahead London for Volvo B5LH Gemini 3's/Wright Streetlites and of course Borismasters. Bus Eireann & Dublin Bus also have ongoing orders for Volvo B5TL Gemini 3's, Lothian Buses also have ongoing orders for Volvo B5TL & B5LH Gemini 3's and Wright StreetAirs, you have then foreign market with companies from China and Mexico placing large orders for Volvo Geminis...not sure if they are still B9's or not.

Some photos from the Wrightbus Factory, photos by Donrobni.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81709772@N...ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81709772@N...ateposted/

---

It's bad enough that some of those strips have fallen off the streetdecks. That design detail needs a rethink!

Looks can be deceiving. 

I thought the bits where you can see white on the graphics had peeled away when looking at the vehicle from a distance, I can assure you that this is not the case and is actually part of the graphic design and poor one at that, I agree with other comments that the TTX brand should of remained.

[Rapidsnap]

The X9 / X10 new buses, much hype, much drama, much chaos, much frothing. So what if it didn't go to plan, there are worst things that happen at sea. Things are likely to go wrong and will go wrong. So what if you waited ages for a new bus to turn up. Surely you should know by now bus launches never go to plan and things don't usually settle down for a few weeks.

And before anyone moans that there is no need for me to be like this, well I don't give a flying feather, I'm not here for popularity and I don't need it, I've been stabbed enough in the back by a number of spotters around the North East that I trust very few people in this hobby around here now.

[Michael]

The X9 / X10 new buses, much hype, much drama, much chaos, much frothing. So what if it didn't go to plan, there are worst things that happen at sea. Things are likely to go wrong and will go wrong. So what if you waited ages for a new bus to turn up. Surely you should know by now bus launches never go to plan and things don't usually settle down for a few weeks.

And before anyone moans that there is no need for me to be like this, well I don't give a flying feather, I'm not here for popularity and I don't need it, I've been stabbed enough in the back by a number of spotters around the North East that I trust very few people in this hobby around here now.

Agree, no one ever moans about any other company in the NE when something goes wrong, such as a launch, problems with new buses etc.


"And before anyone moans that there is no need for me to be like this, well I don't give a flying feather", i think the exact same.

[mb134]

The X9|X10 brand name, if it can be called that, gets straight to the point to me. I instantly know which services the buses operate on without having to look up at the destination display which, not now in my case but certainly soon, would involve taking my eyes off the road if I was driving.

I'm sorry, but in what world is X9/X10 more explanatory than Tyne Tees Xpress? Both main destinations nicely laid out, and the fact it's an express is clearly highlighted. 

Agree, no one ever moans about any other company in the NE when something goes wrong, such as a launch, problems with new buses etc.

All three main companies get slated whenever they do something wrong, and in certain cases when they do something well! To say that only GNE get slated is simply untrue, and in some cases on here they get off lighter than Arriva and Stagecoach ever would.

[stagecoachbusdepot]

Didn't Stagecoach drip feed their E400MMCs into service in Newcastle? I didn't see you calling that a shambles... maybe I missed your post?

Stagecoach did indeed place the E400MMCs into service over several weeks (with 10646 delayed beyond the rest of the batch).  You wouldn’t have seen a post from me criticising Stagecoach for this, as Stagecoach hadn’t publicised a ‘launch’ date for a revamped service, hadn’t missed their own launch date by a week and hadn’t then failed to have even half of the PVR covered on the delayed launch.

Also, I don’t recall the Enviro400MMCs breaking down or having internal panelling falling off.

Stagecoach do plenty worthy of slating, however personally I don’t think the E400MMC introduction was badly handled.

---

I don't think it is wrong and is probably a case of 1 person getting off the bus takes less time than it does for that particular announcement to play. It certainly isn't specific to the X9/X10.

Is the point of the audio announcement not to tell people which stop is approaching, not which stop they've just missed though?

[markydh]

The difference is Stagecoach don't really do brands. Indeed, only the 100 is now a branded service in Newcastle. So it really doesn't matter if they drip feed new vehicles. GNE, on the other hand, do branding on a large scale and made a big song and dance about the X9/10 changes and new buses. So when they aren't even in service on time, it is rightly noted.

[BusLoverMum]

The X9 / X10 new buses, much hype, much drama, much chaos, much frothing. So what if it didn't go to plan, there are worst things that happen at sea. Things are likely to go wrong and will go wrong. So what if you waited ages for a new bus to turn up. Surely you should know by now bus launches never go to plan and things don't usually settle down for a few weeks.

And before anyone moans that there is no need for me to be like this, well I don't give a flying feather, I'm not here for popularity and I don't need it, I've been stabbed enough in the back by a number of spotters around the North East that I trust very few people in this hobby around here now.

I'd have believed that you were above drama if it wasn't for the end of your post 

[S813 FVK]

I'm sorry, but in what world is X9/X10 more explanatory than Tyne Tees Xpress? Both main destinations nicely laid out, and the fact it's an express is clearly highlighted. 

I never said that it was more explanatory, just that it was simple and straight to the point which, when travelling 50/60mph down the A19, is something you need.

[Jamie M]

Where the bus can be doing 50/60 mph down the A19, most people won't be paying attention anyway. Be nothing but a blur.. unless its 6310 [emoji1]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Tom]

6036 on 11-transfer or loan to Percy Main

[Citaro5326]

Deptford have a Orange solo on loan from optare yj64 dwd to replace 640 which is away for repair - my mates just messaged me

[Jordan2104]

6036 on 11-transfer or loan to Percy Main

They got it yesterday which went on a scholars. Possibly a loan due to shortages?

[TEN 6083]

Anyone know which B5TL’s are out today?


Sent from my iPad Pro using Tapatalk

[mb134]

I never said that it was more explanatory, just that it was simple and straight to the point which, when travelling 50/60mph down the A19, is something you need.

So "Tyne Tees Xpress" isn't simple or straight to the point? 

For example, if you're travelling down the A19 behind an X9/X10, which of these gives you more information as to where the bus serves?

https://flic.kr/p/cJUC2G
https://flic.kr/p/X5JCtg