North East Buses

Are Go north east attending tommorow at the durham bus show?

(18 Jun 2016, 8:15 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]Are Go north east attending tommorow at the durham bus show?

They normally bring one or two.  They Dominate the Metrocenter but Durham Rally is Arriva territory normally (Out of the big 3 anyway)

So what buses are there from gne? Im at work so cant go

(19 Jun 2016, 11:06 am)dannygee wrote [ -> ]So what buses are there from gne? Im at work so cant go

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I was a little disappointed by the event today - mainly due to the small turnout.

Whilst there was a notable improvement on parking arrangements with the static vehicles, the ones running out on shuttles didn't seem to be parked up very well at all. As there wasn't very many buses on the shuttle services today (with most being static), I felt as though the space could have been better utilised, with buses grouped together instead of just parked up.

Apparently there was a 10-minute frequency on the shuttles, but speaking to a few people today, some had to wait up to 30 minutes for one to turn up.

(19 Jun 2016, 12:31 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]I was a little disappointed by the event today - mainly due to the small turnout.

Whilst there was a notable improvement on parking arrangements with the static vehicles, the ones running out on shuttles didn't seem to be parked up very well at all. As there wasn't very many buses on the shuttle services today (with most being static), I felt as though the space could have been better utilised, with buses grouped together instead of just parked up.

Apparently there was a 10-minute frequency on the shuttles, but speaking to a few people today, some had to wait up to 30 minutes for one to turn up.

It appears to be a 15 minute frequency that is being run, if the waiting for 30 was what I said this morning, I was only waiting 30 minutes as I decided not to get on an IndiGo Solo to the site.

Have to agree on the poor attendance though, seems like there is a fair bit less than last year.

I'm still at the event.

(19 Jun 2016, 12:46 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]It appears to be a 15 minute frequency that is being run, if the waiting for 30 was what I said this morning, I was only waiting 30 minutes as I decided not to get on an IndiGo Solo to the site.

Have to agree on the poor attendance though, seems like there is a fair bit less than last year.

I'm still at the event.

I couldn't go due to Fathers Day, Though by what everyone's saying it doesn't sound like I missed much.

For various reasons, I decided to give this rally a miss this year. However I do intend on attending both the Whitley Bay and Seaburn events in July and August.

(19 Jun 2016, 11:06 am)dannygee wrote [ -> ]So what buses are there from gne? Im at work so cant go

3814, too

(19 Jun 2016, 12:31 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]I was a little disappointed by the event today - mainly due to the small turnout.

Whilst there was a notable improvement on parking arrangements with the static vehicles, the ones running out on shuttles didn't seem to be parked up very well at all. As there wasn't very many buses on the shuttle services today (with most being static), I felt as though the space could have been better utilised, with buses grouped together instead of just parked up.

Apparently there was a 10-minute frequency on the shuttles, but speaking to a few people today, some had to wait up to 30 minutes for one to turn up.

Yep, it was pretty quiet but a lot of visitors seemed to be on the shuttles.

Husband has been added to the nearly ran Jimmi over club, anyhow Rather single mindedly focused on getting photos of the fairways bus with the comically large bumper, of course.

I found the rally to be a bit drab, if I'm honest. I'm normally out from early doors till right to the end, but I was home with my feet up for the F1, by quarter past 1.

To start with the positives... I thought that the layout was better, splitting the static displays from those going out on shuttle service, seemed to work really well. The buses were all parked on an angle where you could get a photo of them. There was again a number of fantastic preserved buses on show, all which are a credit to their respective owners. Also credit should go to Arriva and Go North East, who again brought a selection of vehicles, with the latter allowing some to operate shuttle services.

Beyond that, there wasn't much to shout about. The list on the NEBPT website of what was attending proved to not be a lot of use, and of course there was no programme available either (someone must see this is a good way of raising funds!). It had been said that shuttles were going out at a 10 min frequency, then a 30 min frequency, and it proved to be a 15 min frequency in reality. Again, no information available, so people were standing around at both ends aimlessly. 

The buses involved in shuttle runs were parked at the top end of the car park, and it became unorganised chaos at the start of the day. Nobody seemed to be taking charge and instructing as to what should be parked where. Although it was later sorted out to an extent, it was still impossible for photos. Buses were parked facing into bushes, which seems to be a bit bizarre for a bus rally.

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I'll not go over what's already been said (and I'm sure will continue) here, but it's still screaming out to me that these rallies are dying for an injection of fresh ideas to make these events bigger, and ultimately raise more funds for preservationists and all their hard work. Although I fear that until the closed circles are opened up, it won't happen.

I thought the rally was a bit hit and miss really.

The set up in the way buses were parked did seem better than last year with buses being able to be photographed easily enough. They need to sort out their communications with people for these events, didn't seem to be anyone about to ask questions or anything like that and then the online communications were poor, little info on the website and the few bits of info that actually was on there was wrong, apparently there the shuttles were running a 10 minute frequency when in actual fact it was a 15 minute frequency. In regards to the 15 minute frequency, in some ways I am pleased that's what was observed as it takes roughly 10 minutes to get from Howlands to Durham City Centre so in theory you should be able to get on a bus from the City Centre to Howlands then jump on another bus back into the City Centre then wait 15 minutes for the next one back to the site.

I actually quite enjoyed myself today, I was chatting to a few people today, some I've seen a fair few times now and I met some for the first time. Also enjoyed riding the buses on the shuttles.

Here's a selection of photos from today: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...7276506473
More photos may be uploaded at some point.

Here's my thoughts on the rally:

Positive:

Good turnout of vehicles. Leyland National 4855 was my favourite.
Good weather.
Interesting variety of vehicles on the shuttle bus.
Visited lots of non-psv operators nearby.
Good stands got some great historic bus timetables

Negative:

Lack of a brochure and published timetable for the event.
No officials around and no publicity at North Road Durham. Wouldn't have known the event was on if i just been a casual visitor to the city.
Vehicle parking could have been better.

What made me laugh:

Cling ons from the Haymarket corner standing on the corner at the rally.

Verdict:

An OK day but organisation and planning can be improved. Will try Whitley Bay next month.

Charles

(22 Jun 2016, 12:39 pm)Charles41 wrote [ -> ]Here's my thoughts on the rally:

Positive:

Good turnout of vehicles. Leyland National 4855 was my favourite.
Good weather.
Interesting variety of vehicles on the shuttle bus.
Visited lots of non-psv operators nearby.
Good stands got some great historic bus timetables

Negative:

Lack of a brochure and published timetable for the event.
No officials around and no publicity at North Road Durham. Wouldn't have known the event was on if i just been a casual visitor to the city.
Vehicle parking could have been better.

What made me laugh:

Cling ons from the Haymarket corner standing on the corner at the rally.

Verdict:

An OK day but organisation and planning can be improved. Will try Whitley Bay next month.

Charles

Me and a few people I know kept getting asked where the buses where leaving from and how often they were running whilst we were stood on North Road in Durham and the bad thing about that was we were under the impression that a 10 minute frequency was being observed as that's what it stated online, when in actual fact it was a 15 minute frequency although we were basically telling people it was 10 minutes but who knows when one will ACTUALLY appear.

(22 Jun 2016, 12:39 pm)Charles41 wrote [ -> ]Here's my thoughts on the rally:

Positive:

Good turnout of vehicles. Leyland National 4855 was my favourite.
Good weather.
Interesting variety of vehicles on the shuttle bus.
Visited lots of non-psv operators nearby.
Good stands got some great historic bus timetables

Negative:

Lack of a brochure and published timetable for the event.
No officials around and no publicity at North Road Durham. Wouldn't have known the event was on if i just been a casual visitor to the city.
Vehicle parking could have been better.

What made me laugh:

Cling ons from the Haymarket corner standing on the corner at the rally.

Verdict:

An OK day but organisation and planning can be improved. Will try Whitley Bay next month.

Charles

4855 or the Leyland Nationals. We had both Nationals 4708 and 4710 there along with Volvo B10BLE 4855. 4855 did one run on the shuttle but I would have done more if people had asked.

(22 Jun 2016, 6:55 pm)Craig Smith wrote [ -> ]4855 or the Leyland Nationals. We had both Nationals 4708 and 4710 there along with Volvo B10BLE 4855. 4855 did one run on the shuttle but I would have done more if people had asked.

My apologies, National 4708 was my favourite vehicle on the day.

Charles