North East Buses

(18 May 2021, 11:47 pm)6049 wrote [ -> ]Have you got a link to that?

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I’m at work so can’t access Facebook but the group is called Birtley now and then. 

if you search 23 it comes up

Question is,how long will it be before the GCT operated trips of GNE's Little Coasters go the same way?

Gct will take over the Little Coasters network. Do I want that. No as tons of people rely on these routes.

(19 May 2021, 12:26 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote [ -> ]Gct will take over the Little Coasters network. Do I want that. No as tons of people rely on these routes.

are all " little coaster" routes secured by nexus?

(19 May 2021, 12:29 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]are all " little coaster" routes secured by nexus?

Yea. 41/42/42A/19/11

Half of them got changed when gct took over evening and Sundays.

41 became a newer version of the old 40/41

42/42A got cut from North Shields and extend the 335 and the 42A got put back to serving Four Lane Ends

(19 May 2021, 12:29 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]are all " little coaster" routes secured by nexus?

Not in full. Only evening and Sunday journeys.

So in reality GCT could only really attempt to win the evening and Sunday contacts from GNE... they could take over the full running of GNE commercial parts of the route?

(19 May 2021, 1:33 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]So in reality GCT could only really attempt to win the evening and Sunday contacts from GNE... they could take over the full running of GNE commercial parts of the route?

More than likely if that did happen. Gct taking over them routes fully. I could see GNE taking and trying new routes to see if they would profit

It was just speculation anyway, from what ive pulled together in my head from other comments

Do Gateshead Central operate anything commercially?  I'm not sure they've ever taken a stab at operating anything commercially.  Their whole MO seems to me to be contracted services with the guaranteed income.  Presumably with costs nailed firmly down judging by comments elsewhere about vehicle/driver/ticket machine shortages.  Attempting to muscle in commercially certainly wouldn't be cheap.  Unlikely to happen imo.

(20 May 2021, 11:23 am)Chris 1 wrote [ -> ]Do Gateshead Central operate anything commercially?  I'm not sure they've ever taken a stab at operating anything commercially.  Their whole MO seems to me to be contracted services with the guaranteed income.  Presumably with costs nailed firmly down judging by comments elsewhere about vehicle/driver/ticket machine shortages.  Attempting to muscle in commercially certainly wouldn't be cheap.  Unlikely to happen imo.

They do, albeit just a few journeys which are effectively light runs. The 939A and 99A, for example, are not secured by Nexus. Gateshead Central Taxis run these (empty) commercially, on the basis they'd run that way anyway.

In other news, Nexus put out a tender to provide extra journeys on service 333 this summer. The contract sees journeys provided on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 30 May to 30 August, with a minimum requirement for a capacity of 60 (including standees) and emissions no lower than Euro 5. Despite not having any vehicles in their fleet of this specification, Gateshead Central Taxis won this contract. I would imagine it'll likely be sub-contracted to L&B Travel, using Rural Link's ex-GNE Scania L94.

Revised timetable here: https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...300521.pdf

(23 May 2021, 10:31 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]They do, albeit just a few journeys which are effectively light runs. The 939A and 99A, for example, are not secured by Nexus. Gateshead Central Taxis run these (empty) commercially, on the basis they'd run that way anyway.

In other news, Nexus put out a tender to provide extra journeys on service 333 this summer. The contract sees journeys provided on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 30 May to 30 August, with a minimum requirement for a capacity of 60 (including standees) and emissions no lower than Euro 5. Despite not having any vehicles in their fleet of this specification, Gateshead Central Taxis won this contract. I would imagine it'll likely be sub-contracted to L&B Travel, using Rural Link's ex-GNE Scania L94.

Revised timetable here: https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...300521.pdf

Makes you wonder if the owner of Gateshead Central Taxi's has something over NEXUS, as they seem to be winning everything... even if they don't have the buses for the contracts....

(23 May 2021, 10:42 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Makes you wonder if the owner of Gateshead Central Taxi's has something over NEXUS, as they seem to be winning everything... even if they don't have the buses for the contracts....

Not defending GCT at all, but there's many a contract been won without the actual vehicles being in situ. Not just in the NE, but across the UK.
Smaller contracts or even those which are larger.

(23 May 2021, 10:42 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Makes you wonder if the owner of Gateshead Central Taxi's has something over NEXUS, as they seem to be winning everything... even if they don't have the buses for the contracts....

Im starting to think that too Michael

(23 May 2021, 10:58 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Not defending GCT at all, but there's many a contract been won without the actual vehicles being in situ. Not just in the NE, but across the UK.
Smaller contracts or even those which are larger.

For most other contracts I'd suggest the same, but not this one.

I would be very surprised if Gateshead Central Taxis had any intention of procuring two buses (including a spare - as none of their other fleet would meet contract specification) to run this short-term contract, especially as they provided a cheaper price than a large number of other bidders (some of whom, you'd imagine, would definitely have vehicles of this specification readily available on a Sunday).

The fact is GCT will win contracts from nexus. They won't provide buses. They will get sent to L&B. Give it time probably in a year. GCT will win nearly every public contracts ran by other companies. 392 by Henry Coppers 92 by A Line probably more but I can't think of any oh yea the 33 by GNE. The 46 by Arriva. It goes to show nexus will hand GCT the contracts and there is nothing we can do about it. The thing it if people want to stop these contracts took over. Make the services have more passengers. You know Nexus will do something when they find out if the 333 didn't run. Oh I could see GCT hit with a big No No by Vosa and Nexus. That service is vital to the Ferry. If that doesn't run. We'll yea. Wonder how that would appear to GCT

Speaking of not running services, someone commented on a photo of SK67 FMY on the GCT Enthusiasts Group on Facebook that the 941 they operate didn’t turn up last Monday. The person who commented reported it to Nexus.

Also I was at Team Valley last Monday to get a photo of the one A-line Coaches Versa I needed (YJ14 BHN) and GCT’s LN20 OPO was parked in front of it. No driver in sight when rain was pelting down and this was 5 minutes before they were due to depart. Luckily there was no one waiting or they would’ve got drenched.

Bunch of cowboys.

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(23 May 2021, 10:31 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]They do, albeit just a few journeys which are effectively light runs. The 939A and 99A, for example, are not secured by Nexus. Gateshead Central Taxis run these (empty) commercially, on the basis they'd run that way anyway.

In other news, Nexus put out a tender to provide extra journeys on service 333 this summer. The contract sees journeys provided on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 30 May to 30 August, with a minimum requirement for a capacity of 60 (including standees) and emissions no lower than Euro 5. Despite not having any vehicles in their fleet of this specification, Gateshead Central Taxis won this contract. I would imagine it'll likely be sub-contracted to L&B Travel, using Rural Link's ex-GNE Scania L94.

Revised timetable here: https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...300521.pdf

Does SK67FMY not meet the contractual requirements with 37 seated and 23 standing.

(23 May 2021, 3:59 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote [ -> ]Does SK67FMY not meet the contractual requirements with 37 seated and 23 standing.

If it’s 37 seats and 23 standing, then that would add up to 60 so yes it does. Unusual for a vehicle of such small length to have so many standees but that seemed like a confident rhetorical question to make a point, so I will assume you’re correct.

I understand similar vehicle SL16YPE has now been withdrawn from service and is being stripped for spare parts. Does SK19EYH also meet contract specification (I note it has four fewer seats), or will Gateshead Central Taxis run the contract without a spare vehicle which complies with the contractual requirements?


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(23 May 2021, 12:55 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote [ -> ]The fact is GCT will win contracts from nexus. They won't provide buses. They will get sent to L&B. Give it time probably in a year. GCT will win nearly every public contracts ran by other companies. 392 by Henry Coppers 92 by A Line probably more but I can't think of any oh yea the 33 by GNE. The 46 by Arriva. It goes to show nexus will hand GCT the contracts and there is nothing we can do about it. The thing it if people want to stop these contracts took over. Make the services have more passengers. You know Nexus will do something when they find out if the 333 didn't run. Oh I could see GCT hit with a big No No by Vosa and Nexus. That service is vital to the Ferry. If that doesn't run. We'll yea. Wonder how that would appear to GCT

I would think arriva would do a GNE and take the 46 commercially rather that let any ( are there any??) nexus secured running of the 46 off them.

(24 May 2021, 3:14 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]I would think arriva would do a GNE and take the 46 commercially rather that let any ( are there any??) nexus secured running of the 46 off them.

The fact any service that barely has passengers will or are owned by nexus will go to GCT. Give it in a year. Companies like A Line and Henry Coppers amongst others. Lose work due to gct. Bloody hell I wouldn't be surprised GCT will win a metro replacement contract. We all know how fun that will be

(24 May 2021, 3:54 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote [ -> ]The fact any service that barely has passengers will or are owned by nexus will go to GCT. Give it in a year. Companies like A Line and Henry Coppers amongst others. Lose work due to gct. Bloody hell I wouldn't be surprised GCT will win a metro replacement contract. We all know how fun that will be

That is a bit of a sweeping statement!  There are plenty of commercial services that don't carry full loads which have nothing to do with nexus!  Take the GNE 29 service... Dan has mentioned it on here and it was common knowledge that GCT tried to win the secured contract to run it all day but when GNE realised they decided to run the entire service commercially ( except first run of the day) and before the Covid it seemed to be success full!!

(23 May 2021, 4:24 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]If it’s 37 seats and 23 standing, then that would add up to 60 so yes it does. Unusual for a vehicle of such small length to have so many standees but that seemed like a confident rhetorical question to make a point, so I will assume you’re correct.

I understand similar vehicle SL16YPE has now been withdrawn from service and is being stripped for spare parts. Does SK19EYH also meet contract specification (I note it has four fewer seats), or will Gateshead Central Taxis run the contract without a spare vehicle which complies with the contractual requirements?


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SK19EYH also meets (and exceeds) the contractual requirements for the summer Sunday 333 Ferry Bus. The capacity information as provided by the manufacturer at the front of the vehicle is 33 seated and 34 standing or 27 seated and 49 standing.

(24 May 2021, 3:59 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]That is a bit of a sweeping statement!  There are plenty of commercial services that don't carry full loads which have nothing to do with nexus!  Take the GNE 29 service... Dan has mentioned it on here and it was common knowledge that GCT tried to win the secured contract to run it all day but when GNE realised they decided to run the entire service commercially ( except first run of the day) and before the Covid it seemed to be success full!!

I guarantee GCT win the 33 contract in Newcastle next year. They seem to be winning contracts left right and centre. GCT this year have already won the SNS (for some reason) the 79/79A the 6 552 and 553. And were only at the end of May

(Feel free to move if in wrong place)
How do the contracted services work in terms of funding, awarding, etc...?
Are taxibuses subjected to different stipulations?

Broadly, the tendering authority sets the specification (e.g capacity, emissions standards etc), frequency, fares, route, duration etc.  Operators then bid and the authority chooses Gateshead Central.....  Up here, it seems these days that cheapest bid wins.  Or the most economically advantageous bid.  Not sure what weighting quality has.  Funding will generally either be the operator gets paid x amount per mile/bus hour and the authority keeps the revenue, though in some cases the operator may get a cut of the revenue.

GCT have a white 21 plate Fiat Ducato / Mellor on loan. Saw it on R1 earlier, hoping to get reg details if the driver continues to terminus. (Unlikely)

(27 May 2021, 2:29 pm)Rapidsnap wrote [ -> ]GCT have a white 21 plate Fiat Ducato / Mellor on loan. Saw it on R1 earlier, hoping to get reg details if the driver continues to terminus. (Unlikely)

Is YN68 PBY with GCT? That's a plain white MMC.

Guess what, the R1 didn't complete it's journey to the Clara Vale Terminus this afternoon on the last run of the day.

YX21 (Don't know the rest sorry) is on the 42A today