North East Buses

(21 Jun 2015, 12:41 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]Full decker allocation and end of interworking with 57A and 33. And a 10 minute frequency between Morpeth and Newcastle.

That would be in an ideal world... 

Not a chance of 10 minute frequency, would require two additional vehicles, in a fleet short of double deckers for a start.

(21 Jun 2015, 12:41 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Clearly not...

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-east/f...onditions/

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Do you think it justifies a 10 minute frequency?  

I could have sworn that Arriva released details of it being valid on X24 shortly after I got mine.  :s

It does, there's always queues for the service when I'm at Morpeth and on many occasions people have been refused onto a decker as it was full and standing, hence the 10 minute frequency, to have extra deckers for the X14 (shorts) have them running Morpeth-Newcastle all day. 

I think I would like to see the X14 go half hourly to Rothbury & Thropton - this could utilise a fleet of 7 (PVR 6) Scania Omnicity with 4653/9 and 4660-4 transferred from Jesmond. What would go on the 685 though is the question.
That would solve the capacity issues arising from using MPD's on the short X14s also, and would allow the 57s to be changed though I am not sure how.

(21 Jun 2015, 12:44 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Not a chance of 10 minute frequency, would require two additional vehicles, in a fleet short of double deckers for a start.

Could be something to work on next year, then. 

(21 Jun 2015, 12:43 pm)R852 PRG wrote [ -> ]Another thing worth noting, is that a lot of the young people who use the service board in Chester-le-Street; which is Go North East territory. They likely have Key Cards, etc from the scholars services, although I imagine some do pay full fare, as they rarely use the bus. Likewise for those in Birtley, with the POP Card. The only place I could think of where the Arriva Teen Card may hold some weight on the X24 route, is in Durham.

Also, as the X24 runs at a frequency of every 2 hours, and the X22 every hour... The more frequent it is, the more appealing it is going to be.

Yeah thats very true, Chester-le-Street to Metrocentre seems to be the busiest, with a small amount continuing to Durham. 

(21 Jun 2015, 12:43 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I think I'd like to see the following:

Massive look at the allocation of the 57/57A, and therefore the MPD operated X14's and the 33. The timetable needs to be looked at for those as well.

I'd like to see layover added into the X21/22 timetable at Bedlington, because currently, the timing for the main street, especially on the X22 is not adequate. Maybe take some out of the 10 MINUTES given at Ashington!! It can make all the difference, i don't know why, but if a bus becomes a couple of minutes late in Bedlington, it never seems to make it up, whereas if it stays on time, it will either stay on time for the remainder of the journey, or will run a minute or two early. The X10/11 get it at Cramlington, and it is a perfect opportunity to make up any lost time.

The 20/X20 extended up to Alnwick, or frequency increased. 

57/57A needs some changes, reliability isn't great at all. I think it change it's terminus point from North Seaton as they already have the 35/35a, possibly Wansbeck Hospital or somewhere.

The 20 to Alnwick would be fantastic, and I can see it happening to be honest. The X18 gets really busy between Alnwick and Warkworth especially in the summer, so that would hopefully help with reliability of the X18 too. 

(21 Jun 2015, 12:48 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]I think I would like to see the X14 go half hourly to Rothbury & Thropton - this could utilise a fleet of 7 (PVR 6) Scania Omnicity with 4653/9 and 4660-4 transferred from Jesmond. What would go on the 685 though is the question.
That would solve the capacity issues arising from using MPD's on the short X14s also, and would allow the 57s to be changed though I am not sure how.

Think this would be more achievable than operating every 10 minutes with deckers! Would love to see more Omnicities in Northumberland like  

Would some new E400's be good for the 685? Or is there a height restriction somewhere? The loadings look good, especially at the Carlisle end.

(21 Jun 2015, 12:49 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote [ -> ]Could be something to work on next year, then. 

If the idea suggested by Tyresmoke doesn't occur I would like to see more deckers enter the fleet for a 10 minute frequency, don't think it would ever happen (with deckers) though, but I think problems would vanish even if it was increased to every 10 with some more Omnicities 

(21 Jun 2015, 12:52 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]If the idea suggested by Tyresmoke doesn't occur I would like to see more deckers enter the fleet for a 10 minute frequency, don't think it would ever happen (with deckers) though, but I think problems would vanish even if it was increased to every 10 with some more Omnicities 

If we went every 10 mins where would you send the extra two Newcastle - Morpeth - ??? services?

(21 Jun 2015, 12:57 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]If we went every 10 mins where would you send the extra two Newcastle - Morpeth - ??? services?

Extra one to Alnwick and Thropton?

(21 Jun 2015, 12:48 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]I think I would like to see the X14 go half hourly to Rothbury & Thropton - this could utilise a fleet of 7 (PVR 6) Scania Omnicity with 4653/9 and 4660-4 transferred from Jesmond. What would go on the 685 though is the question.
That would solve the capacity issues arising from using MPD's on the short X14s also, and would allow the 57s to be changed though I am not sure how.

That's a good idea, but I'm not sure the 14 gets good enough loads between Morpeth and Thropton?

(21 Jun 2015, 12:59 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]That's a good idea, but I'm not sure the 14 gets good enough loads between Morpeth and Thropton?

If you used a single deck it would offer roughly similar seating capacity as an hourly double deck though, with room for growth coming from the much easier to use 30 min frequency.

(21 Jun 2015, 1:00 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]If you used a single deck it would offer roughly similar seating capacity as an hourly double deck though, with room for growth coming from the much easier to use 30 min frequency.

That would be good then. 

No idea what could happen with the 57/57A though. 

(21 Jun 2015, 1:07 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]That would be good then. 

No idea what could happen with the 57/57A though. 

Would there be any free Pulsars to operate the 57/57A? 

Re X24:

Arriva did release a statement a few months ago which said that Teen Cards were valid on the X24 service.

I remember saying on the forum at the time it was clearly to compete with the X22, which attracts a large number of Get Around 90p single fares.

With hindsight, this may have only been over the Christmas period?

(21 Jun 2015, 1:55 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Re X24:

Arriva did release a statement a few months ago which said that Teen Cards were valid on the X24 service.

I remember saying on the forum at the time it was clearly to compete with the X22, which attracts a large number of Get Around 90p single fares.

With hindsight, this may have only been over the Christmas period?

Pretty sure there's been posters in Durham bus station advertising this recently too.

(21 Jun 2015, 1:55 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Re X24:

Arriva did release a statement a few months ago which said that Teen Cards were valid on the X24 service.

I remember saying on the forum at the time it was clearly to compete with the X22, which attracts a large number of Get Around 90p single fares.

With hindsight, this may have only been over the Christmas period?

Think I posted a link on here saying that they were now accepting them on the X24.

Don't think this was just over Christmas, I remember they did either a single or return ticket costing £1 for one Saturday on the run up to Christmas for all passengers (minus ENCTS pass holders obviously)

7518 operated the 821 this morning, Sapphire school service! 

does anyone know why NK61 CYL and NK61 CXX are at blyth?

(22 Jun 2015, 7:29 am)mb134 wrote [ -> ]7518 operated the 821 this morning, Sapphire school service! 

I bet the children loved that

7524 seems to be the only Sapphire E400 (Ashington) with working NSA's, don't suppose this one would have had the update though, as it already had the full rear destination. (Thought 7522's were, but they were frozen on Thursday when I got on it).

(22 Jun 2015, 7:29 am)mb134 wrote [ -> ]7518 operated the 821 this morning, Sapphire school service! 

It is now on the X21/22, heading through Guide Post towards Ashington now, 6 minutes late 

(22 Jun 2015, 1:49 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]It is now on the X21/22, heading through Guide Post towards Ashington now, 6 minutes late 

Trust Arriva to make it late!

(22 Jun 2015, 1:54 pm)Davie wrote [ -> ]Trust Arriva to make it late!

That run should have been 7509, so I'd suggest something happened with 7509, and the replacement would be late regardless. 

Couple of issues with the ARRIVA live map. Buses not appearing on it. The 24 one day last week was showing journeys towards Durham, when I was going to Hartlepool. Not sure what the issue was there.
And the other day the X12 I got said it was running 24 minutes late but wasn't actually was more like just 10-12 minutes but it wasn't appearing on the live map hence the incorrect late running.

(22 Jun 2015, 1:54 pm)Davie wrote [ -> ]Trust Arriva to make it late!

Sometimes, as said many times before, delays are inevitable and not necessarily the service provider's fault. 

(22 Jun 2015, 4:15 pm)R852 PRG wrote [ -> ]Sometimes, as said many times before, delays are inevitable and not necessarily the service provider's fault. 

Reckon it was probably due to a breakdown, as I said in the previous post, 7509 should have been on that run, as I'd saw it earlier in the day, on the run after 7504, 7518 was on the one after 7504 when I saw it later on.

Also, when I saw 7526 it's left indicators were going mental (it was indicating, but was a very strange pattern of flashes)

(22 Jun 2015, 1:49 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]It is now on the X21/22, heading through Guide Post towards Ashington now, 6 minutes late 

(22 Jun 2015, 1:54 pm)Davie wrote [ -> ]Trust Arriva to make it late!

Bit unusual for me to defend late running by anyone, but I'd say 6 minutes late on a route like the X21/22, which will be one of the first of the day for the OAPs, is pretty good going. There's more than enough time for that to catch up.

It's the 10, 15 & 20 minute late that tend to bother me, as there's little room to make that sort of time up. Obviously I accept that there may be a completely valid reason for a bus to be so late, outside of the operators control, but my gripe comes from when I get fobbed off when asking for a reason... nowt worse!

(22 Jun 2015, 5:25 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Bit unusual for me to defend late running by anyone, but I'd say 6 minutes late on a route like the X21/22, which will be one of the first of the day for the OAPs, is pretty good going. There's more than enough time for that to catch up.

It's the 10, 15 & 20 minute late that tend to bother me, as there's little room to make that sort of time up. Obviously I accept that there may be a completely valid reason for a bus to be so late, outside of the operators control, but my gripe comes from when I get fobbed off when asking for a reason... nowt worse!

I wasn't complaining about the late running, I just added it to the post to add more detail. 

One things, concerning late running, that did annoy the life out of me this morning was my X21 to Newcastle this morning. I boarded a 7 minutes late 7502 at Bedlington (should have been the 8.25 from Bedlington Station), I didn't have a problem with this, what did annoy me was that, when on the National Speed Limit roads, the bus didn't seem like it had anywhere near the power to get there, and when coming back into a 30 it barely slowed down. How is a driver meant to keep a peak time journey anywhere near to time with this pathetic excuse for a bus?! Get 7525 OFF THE X14 and put it on the route it was bought for, and have a good look at 7502. It took three quarters of the length of the A1 stretch to get up to any decent speed...

(22 Jun 2015, 9:20 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I wasn't complaining about the late running, I just added it to the post to add more detail. 

One things, concerning late running, that did annoy the life out of me this morning was my X21 to Newcastle this morning. I boarded a 7 minutes late 7502 at Bedlington (should have been the 8.25 from Bedlington Station), I didn't have a problem with this, what did annoy me was that, when on the National Speed Limit roads, the bus didn't seem like it had anywhere near the power to get there, and when coming back into a 30 it barely slowed down. How is a driver meant to keep a peak time journey anywhere near to time with this pathetic excuse for a bus?! Get 7525 OFF THE X14 and put it on the route it was bought for, and have a good look at 7502. It took three quarters of the length of the A1 stretch to get up to any decent speed...

If it was 7502, then that says it all.  7501-7506 are completely shot after being at not only Redcar but Blyth too. 7507 - 7509 are ok but Redcar did give them a bit of a hard time too. If deckers prove to be popular on the 7, do you think Arriva will buy a whole new fleet for the X21 / X22 and give 7522 - 7528 to Belmont and Darlington for the 7?

(22 Jun 2015, 9:36 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]If it was 7502, then that says it all.  7501-7506 are completely shot after being at not only Redcar but Blyth too. 7507 - 7509 are ok but Redcar did give them a bit of a hard time too. If deckers prove to be popular on the 7, do you think Arriva will buy a whole new fleet for the X21 / X22 and give 7522 - 7528 to Belmont and Darlington for the 7?

Sure we've had this discussion before...
Not all journeys on the 7 get busy enough to justify full double decker operation. Otherwise they would have purchased more than 5.