North East Buses

For crying out loud.


Getting increasingly fed up of this service and this sort of delay is pretty standard and I bet the new timetable doesn't do the service any favours.

if this has already been asked then am really sorry but how many E400s going to darlington and durham

(21 Apr 2015, 12:42 pm)jaimzm wrote [ -> ]if this has already been asked then am really sorry but how many E400s going to darlington and durham

Seven.

Not sure how they will be split between Darlington and Durham but two are for the 24 and five are for the 7.

@ Jimmi road works on West Auckland Road this morning led to delays to the 1, so not much Arriva can do about it today.

(21 Apr 2015, 1:40 pm)John_R wrote [ -> ]@ Jimmi road works on West Auckland Road this morning led to delays to the 1, so not much Arriva can do about it today.

I knew that but I saw it at Harrowgate Hill on the map and it was 7 minutes late then by the time it got round mine it was around 15 minutes late so can't be the complete reason.

This is the downside of the 1/5/5A interworking as journeys arriving in Bishop as the 5/5A have all the time in the world before going out as the 1 but journeys arriving as the 1 only have a few minutes before leaving as the 5/5A so when the 1 runs into problems the 5/5A passengers also suffer.

On the 5 home now and we have some loud mouthed shirtless guy shouting at the driver and passengers including me as when I got on I had my camera round my neck so was shouting at me to take a photo of him.

As reported earlier MAX X1 StreetLite 1590 was out on service X1 with branding earlier.

Arriva North East: 1590 / NK15 AAE by Jimmi's Bus Photos, on Flickr

Arriva North East: 1590 NK15 AAE by Jimmi's Bus Photos, on Flickr


On the other side instead of a advert board it has the MAX logo.

I know its not as premium as Sapphire but the advert board on the side makes the livery look really untidy. Shame as i really like the MAX livery.

(21 Apr 2015, 3:06 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]I know its not as premium as Sapphire but the advert board on the side makes the livery look really untidy. Shame as i really like the MAX livery.

I don't think it looks too bad, until you realise there is a MAX logo on the other side instead of an ad board.

Also on the other side that blue swirl goes into the black bit above the windows and has X1 to the left of the swirl.

Hmm, is there a reason why a comment on the ANE Facebook page says the deckers won't be on the 7 until late May, seems strange given they've arrived and been branded? 

(21 Apr 2015, 3:56 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Hmm, is there a reason why a comment on the ANE Facebook page says the deckers won't be on the 7 until late May, seems strange given they've arrived and been branded? 

I don't think that is true, they need them out as soon as possible to free up the Pulsars for a rebrand to service 24... Talking of the E400s, as I understand it all 5 will be allocated to Darlington

(21 Apr 2015, 3:56 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Hmm, is there a reason why a comment on the ANE Facebook page says the deckers won't be on the 7 until late May, seems strange given they've arrived and been branded? 

Can only assume it is to allow time to type train the drivers.

Who knows when they'll actually appear in service, wouldn't surprise me if they hit the road in the next week or so they can take the Pulsar's off and get them branded for the 24 along with the Enviros plus the StreetLites for the 22 and get them launched as Sapphire.

(21 Apr 2015, 12:37 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]For crying out loud.


Getting increasingly fed up of this service and this sort of delay is pretty standard and I bet the new timetable doesn't do the service any favours.

Same. Unis are back this week, and Arriva can't cope.

(21 Apr 2015, 4:18 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Same. Unis are back this week, and Arriva can't cope.

There is roadworks in Darlington that is causing delays to the 1 and because of the way the interworking pattern is the 5/5A also gets delayed. although it somehow fell behind time even further before making it to Newton Aycliffe.

I understand about the roadworks but the fact it fell further behind time on it's way back from Darlington is what I want to know.

Also the 5/5A are often in the region of 5 minutes late almost every time I use it and I think that it cannot keep to the timetable half of the time, reasons I think this are because: amount of passengers boarding the service, time passengers take to get on/off the bus - the moron who I mentioned was on earlier got off then got back on again because he thought he forgot something, badly parked cars - nightmare trying to get round this route at times - should have seen an EcoCity try and squeeze through Clarence Chare in Aycliffe last Sunday and then any factors out of Arriva's control such as roadworks. I think the place where the delays usually come from is the Bishop - Aycliffe section of the route and to combat the problems of timekeeping they are taking 3 minutes out of the timetable on this section and putting that 3 minutes into the Aycliffe - Darlington section, this worries me as it can't get to my stop on-time as it is so the fact it will be due at my stop 3 minutes earlier makes me think that the bus will now just turn up  another 3 minutes later than the timetable states which gives me little hope, perhaps the new timetable will improve things however I won't hold my breath.

I don't like that my bus can be late but it is getting annoying now, often I think it would be faster to leave the house at the same time and get the 7 instead seems like it is often playing leapfrog down North Road as the 5/5A are often late so the 7 catches it up.

I'm sure some will disagree with my comments but this is just what I feel in regards to the service in question.

Just a query :
This morning, like every morning, I asked for a half return to school. However this morning the driver seemed hesitant, asking me if what I was wearing was school uniform (it isn't, as I'm in Sixth Form so just wear a shirt and tie), and I was told that as I'm in Sixth Form I can no longer ask for a half to get to school? 

(21 Apr 2015, 4:46 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Just a query :
This morning, like every morning, I asked for a half return to school. However this morning the driver seemed hesitant, asking me if what I was wearing was school uniform (it isn't, as I'm in Sixth Form so just wear a shirt and tie), and I was told that as I'm in Sixth Form I can no longer ask for a half to get to school? 

The half fare is only for Under 16's I think?

(21 Apr 2015, 4:49 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]The half fare is only for Under 16's I think?

Why has every other driver let me on this year though? 

(21 Apr 2015, 4:54 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Why has every other driver let me on this year though? 

No idea, you might look Under 16?

(21 Apr 2015, 4:56 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]No idea, you might look Under 16?

Even if I do, then my dress code is far different to that of those in Year 11 and below. Therefore it is clear I'm part of the Sixth Form, and that I am at least 16?

(21 Apr 2015, 4:58 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Even if I do, then my dress code is far different to that of those in Year 11 and below. Therefore it is clear I'm part of the Sixth Form, and that I am at least 16?

Will the drivers know that?

Better view of the E400:

(21 Apr 2015, 5:00 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Will the drivers know that?

I'd imagine so, we all use the same service(s), and the uniform is quite distinctive, it's just annoying how one driver (who I've had before) has said this, as I've been using the same timed service every day this year (and for the three prior), without any problems... 

(21 Apr 2015, 4:46 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Just a query :
This morning, like every morning, I asked for a half return to school. However this morning the driver seemed hesitant, asking me if what I was wearing was school uniform (it isn't, as I'm in Sixth Form so just wear a shirt and tie), and I was told that as I'm in Sixth Form I can no longer ask for a half to get to school? 

Which driver is it this time? If probably thinking about the same jobsworth.

(21 Apr 2015, 5:47 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]Which driver is it this time? If probably thinking about the same jobsworth.

He was a good driver, one I've had before and had no problems with, still no idea if I'm in the wrong, sent an email off to Arriva enquiring.

(21 Apr 2015, 5:50 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]He was a good driver, one I've had before and had no problems with, still no idea if I'm in the wrong, sent an email off to Arriva enquiring.

How old are you may I ask? I assume that you're 17 at the moment?

If you look on the front of the bus there will be a stick which tells you about the child fares. The ones in Tyne and Wear say half fare for Under 16's.

Children travel free until their fifth birthday. After that they pay child fares, but the level of discount varies depending where you are in the UK. The age from which full fares apply also varies according to where you are. For your local area details please call customer services on 0344 800 44 11 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

Very useful information from Arriva.

(21 Apr 2015, 5:57 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]How old are you may I ask? I assume that you're 17 at the moment?

Yeah 17 at the minute (from last Monday)  

(21 Apr 2015, 6:02 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]If you look on the front of the bus there will be a stick which tells you about the child fares. The ones in Tyne and Wear say half fare for Under 16's.

I was always under the impression that half fare was only for Under 13's, unless you were going to/from school, where you can get a half fare up until 18?

(21 Apr 2015, 6:05 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Yeah 17 at the minute (from last Monday)  
I was always under the impression that half fare was only for Under 13's, unless you were going to/from school, where you can get a half fare up until 18?

The Arriva fares part of their website is really difficult to find, never mind understand. So I went on that useless "Ask Alfie" thing and it says that the age of when you pay adult fares vary.

The should have Teen Cards accepted between 7am-9am to attract more childrens from cars.

Does anyone remember the Sapphire posters that were scattered around Newbiggin? Really messy and unprofessional.

https://flic.kr/p/p2Lp3L

(21 Apr 2015, 6:07 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]The Arriva fares part of their website is really difficult to find, never mind understand. So I went on that useless "Ask Alfie" thing and it says that the age of when you pay adult fares vary.

The should have Teen Cards accepted between 7am-9am to attract more childrens from cars.

As already stated child fares in Tyne & Wear are for under 16's and child fares elsewhere in Arriva NE are for 14 years and under - which in my opinion is a strange cut off point, although when I was 14 around 8 years ago I didn't get queried by a driver for buying a child's fare until I was 16.