North East Buses

SC in Sunderland has increased the PVR of #23 on Sundays, and has extended it to Morrisons so it doesn't have such a long layover. I also believe since the frequency increase on Sundays on most services during the day increased to every 20 minutes has been well recieved to, although I most admit I don't use them much at all. Pretty much use the E services, 18/19 and 23 only. This is because any futher I normally take my van.

The X1 I've used has left Gateshead actually full to capacity. Both on the seating and standing front. It was a similar story in the Metrocentre interchange, where you had queues of folk waiting for buses on every stand.

It actually feels more of a Saturday in terms of people out, how busy the Metrocentre was, cars on the road and so on.

SC tweeting about delays due to customer demand as well as traffic. When will service levels be upped?!?!

I had a look at the ANE Live Map earlier on (about 11/12), and all buses from Ashington to Blyth into Newcastle looked late, with a few not being tracked. A few X21/22's were a good 10 minutes late, as was a 35 at some point (interworks with the X21). Demand is obviously there, why aren't (some  ) operators acting? 

Have to agree with aureolin's point, regarding it feeling like a Saturday, maybe some happy medium could be found between the two to start off with?

(04 May 2015, 4:42 pm)idiot wrote [ -> ]SC tweeting about delays due to customer demand as well as traffic. When will service levels be upped?!?!

We don't live in 1955 anymore, we have places to go, things to do, jobs and all that is limited (or doesn't happen at all) due to Sunday service on normal days.

The demand on service X21/22 in Ashington on bank holidays delays buses, mb134 reported a bus that I saw depart on time, running 10 minutes late further along the route.

(04 May 2015, 4:42 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Thankfully I have just and I mean just caught the 7 in Durham so I won't be making a complaint.

Those of you in Tyne and Wear who have a regular bus and Metro service on a Sunday should be very grateful for it as I have one bus an hour to Durham on a Sunday and it doesn't connect with anything, hence why I never bothered getting Coast and Country photos yesterday as I would have out for 4 hours to get one photo in Chester-le-Street.

(04 May 2015, 4:49 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]I dont have a regular bus service. Just the 1 to Blyth/Ashington hourly and X21 to Newcastle/Newbiggin hourly.

Two buses an hour during 0900-1800, none of my journeys sparkle on Sundays as the 1 is more conveniently timed.

Think about poor me with one bus every 2 hours here! First one to Hexham 0940, first one to Carlisle 1025...


Really, really enjoyed the rally. Thanks to all involved from NEBPT, GNE etc. Spot on show!

(04 May 2015, 4:55 pm)northern156 wrote [ -> ]Think about poor me with one bus every 2 hours here! First one to Hexham 0940, first one to Carlisle 1025...

We are all jealous of your excellent service 

(04 May 2015, 4:55 pm)northern156 wrote [ -> ]Think about poor me with one bus every 2 hours here! First one to Hexham 0940, first one to Carlisle 1025...

Or me. Housebound for two days straight over xmas, thanks to Arriva having an extra day in bed! 

(04 May 2015, 4:52 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I had a look at the ANE Live Map earlier on (about 11/12), and all buses from Ashington to Blyth into Newcastle looked late, with a few not being tracked. A few X21/22's were a good 10 minutes late, as was a 35 at some point (interworks with the X21). Demand is obviously there, why aren't operators acting? 

Have to agree with aureolin's point, regarding it feeling like a Saturday, maybe some happy medium could be found between the two to start off with?

I would have Saturday start/finish times then have Mon-Fri running times between 1000-1500 then reduced frequency upto 2000, then a couple of services after that for convenience of later finishers. 

(04 May 2015, 4:52 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I had a look at the ANE Live Map earlier on (about 11/12), and all buses from Ashington to Blyth into Newcastle looked late, with a few not being tracked. A few X21/22's were a good 10 minutes late, as was a 35 at some point (interworks with the X21). Demand is obviously there, why aren't operators acting? 

Have to agree with aureolin's point, regarding it feeling like a Saturday, maybe some happy medium could be found between the two to start off with?

Add "some" to that!

Go North East were running the X66 with what appeared to be 6 vehicles today, opposed to the normal Sunday PVR of 4. Two Streetlites (one at the rally and another one VOR), two Versas and two Scania L94s. I believe there are also earlier and later journeys on the X88? I may be wrong on that one, though.

As I posted in the GNE Latest section earlier, "Whey Aye Five 0" 50A is operated with double deckers (which are probably not as fuel-efficient) on a bank holiday now, too, opposed to the usual branded single deck Scania OmniCitys. Obviously not ideal as the brand identity is lost somewhat, but it's better than leaving people behind or having buses packed to the rafters making an uncomfortable journey...

(04 May 2015, 4:55 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Or me. Housebound for two days straight over xmas, thanks to Arriva having an extra day in bed! 

Me too.

(04 May 2015, 4:58 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Add "some" to that!

Go North East were running the X66 with what appeared to be 6 vehicles today, opposed to the normal Sunday PVR of 4. Two Streetlites (one at the rally and another one VOR), two Versas and two Scania L94s. I believe there are also earlier and later journeys on the X88? I may be wrong on that one, though.

As I posted in the GNE Latest section earlier, "Whey Aye Five 0" 50A is operated with double deckers (which are probably not as fuel-efficient) on a bank holiday now, too, opposed to the usual branded single deck Scania OmniCitys. Obviously not ideal as the brand identity is lost somewhat, but it's better than leaving people behind or having buses packed to the rafters making an uncomfortable journey...

Apologies  

Now I know this is not strictly Bank Holiday, or capacity related, but it does relate to Sunday (and for ANE therefore Bank Holiday ) services, the other week I was in Morpeth and needed to get a 2 to meet a friend in Bedlington, I missed said 2 by seconds as I needed to buy a drink. It was easier for me to get an X18 to Newcastle, then an X22 back to Bedlington than to wait (admittedly the 2 would have got me there minutes later, but I think it's clear to see the length of time etc) for the next 2 which would turn up an hour later, in a cold bus station 

(04 May 2015, 4:55 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Or me. Housebound for two days straight over xmas, thanks to Arriva having an extra day in bed! 

Same here.

Feel like I am in prison on Boxing Day each year.

(04 May 2015, 4:58 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Add "some" to that!

Well, this is what it's always going to come down to I suppose.

Would make no sense having something like the 85/86 starting first thing in the morning on a Saturday timetable, when no one is going to be using it for the first few runs. For core routes though, perhaps consideration needs to be made to run with Saturday timetables? Routes like the X1, 56, 21, 27, Arriva's X12 etc.

I'm sure other operators have the same services. I'm simply listing the ones I know though.  

One thing that annoys me with regards to ANE (and GNE) is that, personally, it is very hard to get to Cramlington. On a regular weekday, I could hop on a 19, or a 57/A if I could get to Bedlington, instead I have these options (for a journey that takes 10 minutes in a car):

From Morpeth Bus Station: 
2 to Blyth, then an X5 to Cramlington (56 minutes)
X18 to Newcastle, then an X11 to Cramlington (61 minutes) 

From Bedlington:
2 to Blyth, then an X5 to Cramlington (35 minutes)
X21 to Newcastle, then an X10 to Cramlington (58 minutes) 

So, for a round trip, that's some serious time as even a weekday bus only takes 16 minutes on a 57 (from Bedlington) 

For people who may not know, and may think I'm being picky, for me and my friends Cramlington is pretty much perfect, cinema, lots of restaurant choice etc, so is a better option than Newcastle sometimes 

(04 May 2015, 4:42 pm)idiot wrote [ -> ]SC tweeting about delays due to customer demand as well as traffic. When will service levels be upped?!?!

Saw similar stuff from GNE too.

One day, the penny will drop and operators will see that Sunday service, isn't enough.
Either that, or passengers give up.

Queue for the (late) Newcastle bound X1 has stretched back as far as Stand E at the Galleries. 4 has already been and gone, so all passengers should be waiting for the X1 when it finally arrives.

(25 May 2015, 11:52 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Queue for the (late) Newcastle bound X1 has stretched back as far as Stand E at the Galleries. 4 has already been and gone, so all passengers should be waiting for the X1 when it finally arrives.

No doubt people will be left behind, i think they should increase the X1 to every 20 mins on a bank holiday, maybe on a Sunday (not sure what numbers are like)

(25 May 2015, 11:55 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]No doubt people will be left behind, i think they should increase the X1 to every 20 mins on a bank holiday, maybe on a Sunday (not sure what numbers are like)

Yup. From my observations the demand is much greater than the supply.

39 alighted at The Galleries, and in excess of 50 boarded. We've departed 12 late.

Just seen a busy 2A heading towards Silksworth although there was a 2 just behind it so one of them must have been 20 minutes late.

The Es look quite busy too.

(25 May 2015, 12:23 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Just seen a busy 2A heading towards Silksworth although there was a 2 just behind it so one of them must have been 20 minutes late.

The Es look quite busy too.

Seems to happen a a few times on a Sunday.

I think that a Saturday service would be a bit too much but for the daytime during a BH, they could do this (feel free to add more if you want):

- 10 every 60 minutes
- 10a every 30 minutes
- 10b every 60 minutes
- 11 every 30 minutes but between Crawcrook and Newcastle via Metrocentre
- TEN and Toon Link 11 Crawcrook to Newcastle every 10 minutes combined
- 56 every 15 minutes
- 20 every 30 minutes
- 20a every 30 minutes
- Prince Bishops every 15 minutes combined
- 4 every 15 minutes
- X1 every 15 minutes
- 309 every 30 minutes
- 310 every 30 minutes
- Short 309 between Newcastle and Cobalt every 30 minutes
- 309 / 310 every 10 minutes combined between Newcastle and Cobalt South
- Crusader every 15 minutes
- 9 Saturday service
- Red Kite 45 / 46 Saturday service
- Diamond Saturday service
- Lime Saturday service
- 21 every 10 minutes to Chester and every 20 minutes to Durham (1ph continuing as X21 to Bishop)
- Whey aye 5-0 Saturday service
- Centrelink Saturday service

Certainly busier than a normal Sunday today on our 5 in Teesside but nowhere near as bad as previous bank holidays... certainly enough to justify an increase though as loadings were very healthy. Hard to keep on time though when there's this many people out...

I only saw two "on time" X21/35 workings today (both 35 at the time I saw them), with 7522 and 7524 being the vehicles, everything else I saw was late... 

(25 May 2015, 6:13 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Certainly busier than a normal Sunday today on our 5 in Teesside but nowhere near as bad as previous bank holidays... certainly enough to justify an increase though as loadings were very healthy. Hard to keep on time though when there's this many people out...

Lets hope that this year, Arriva will improve on last year's Boxing Day service.  

(25 May 2015, 7:41 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Lets hope that this year, Arriva will improve on last year's Boxing Day service.  

And what do you think will happen on 26 December 2015?

(25 May 2015, 7:51 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]And what do you think will happen on 26 December 2015?

I think aureolin will be stopping in Washington! 

(25 May 2015, 7:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]I think aureolin will be stopping in Washington! 

I agree, they will need to start talking to the TU now to try and get that agreement overturned.....

(25 May 2015, 7:51 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]And what do you think will happen on 26 December 2015?

(25 May 2015, 7:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]I think aureolin will be stopping in Washington! 

Pretty much this! If I didn't go out on Boxing Day night, I'd end up having to stop at home with a PS4 for company! Unfortunately I think there's more chance of me getting Nick Knox's job than there is Arriva providing me with a bank holiday bus service.  

Haven't been about too much over the Bank Hol to use or witness services, but did notice a late afternoon southbound X18 up the coast yesterday afternoon.
Decker working and from only a good look as it went past, it was more or less full.

It still had a few places to head through before getting to Alnwick too.