North East Buses

(06 Jun 2016, 2:04 pm)Jamie M wrote [ -> ]Sorry if my question sounded a little too straightforward, at least James seems to have understood! [emoji3]

Sorry - I wrongly assumed that old Eldon Square was well known, with it not being that long ago. 

Of course a bit further back than that, and you also had Northern services using the Worswick Street bus station.

In my opinion though, as dark and gloomy as it was, it still functioned better as a bus station, than the present Eldon Square does.

(06 Jun 2016, 2:42 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Sorry - I wrongly assumed that old Eldon Square was well known, with it not being that long ago. 

Of course a bit further back than that, and you also had Northern services using the Worswick Street bus station.

In my opinion though, as dark and gloomy as it was, it still functioned better as a bus station, than the present Eldon Square does.

It didn't carry as many services as the current Eldon Square bus station, though - I oculd wait ages for whatever arriva service was heading towards Low Fell (only bothered when the weather was dire or else I stood at the Odeon and waited for a 1 or 27!) and only see a handful of other buses passing through. And the biggest problem with it, now, is getting in and out of it. On bad days, it can be 5-10 minutes between a bus coming into sight at one end and actually getting in.

(06 Jun 2016, 2:42 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Sorry - I wrongly assumed that old Eldon Square was well known, with it not being that long ago. 

Of course a bit further back than that, and you also had Northern services using the Worswick Street bus station.

In my opinion though, as dark and gloomy as it was, it still functioned better as a bus station, than the present Eldon Square does.

Don't forget Marlborough Crescent or Newgate St either mind
For a period after Worswick St closed, a lot of services such as the 2x Durham Road series used Market Street and went back out over the High Level Bridge.

Then there were the 21 series which just called at Pilgrim St for a while.

I think those factors, plus the functionality of the old Eldon Square were a major factor in buses appearing to work better.

The fact there are so many buses per hour trying to fit through the same set of traffic lights on Percy St, compound the issues - in addition to any concerns about the design and layout of Eldon Square.

(06 Jun 2016, 2:42 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]In my opinion though, as dark and gloomy as it was, it still functioned better as a bus station, than the present Eldon Square does.

I agree, The new bus station is too compact for the amount of buses using it, And only 3 layover bays ( ones regularly took by a Arriva Solo too )
Similarly with Haymarket, 2 layover bays and over capacity.

Knock down the Multi-Storey, Ban Road Traffic from that area and use the former Eldon Square, Multi-Storey and Haymarket sites to build a big Mega Interchange with a connection to the Metro.
Will be very accessible for buses to get into too, With no delays due to no traffic on cling on street.

Omnicity 5248 has expired at Fulwell Mill whilst on the 9 to Sunderland. Been a while since I was on a bus that broke down on me.

6046  broke down on1530 x boro at the A179 junction  passrs picked up by 1630 ďep which diverted via billngham .wingate and peterlee  as no  1600 dep x boro

I remember the old Eldon Square bus station very well. Used to go to/from Wallsend a lot with my grandma; would arrive on the 602 or 685. Remember the cafe and the newsagents just to the left as you enter it! Of course the new bus station is a million miles better but given the chance, I'd love to see the old style back in action again (not that it will happen)

Edit: Some more pictures...












And going back a while:
http://s698.photobucket.com/user/manorpa...8.jpg.html

Pictures courtesy of old-bus-photos.co.uk and newcastlephotos.blogspot.com.

I see a few pictures from when I remember some displays were like this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgrah...647585281/
Was there some standardisation process recently, since all the fonts are now identical on LED signs (less Optare's)?
Is there any explanation to why the omnicity had only one destination point?
Thanks.

5431 has arrived: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...894152794/

(06 Jun 2016, 4:46 pm)Jamie M wrote [ -> ]I see a few pictures from when I remember some displays were like this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgrah...647585281/
Was there some standardisation process recently, since all the fonts are now identical on LED signs (less Optare's)?
Is there any explanation to why the omnicity had only one destination point?
Thanks.

Percy Main used to have several 'short terminating' displays with one single terminal point, showing no via points. The logic was probably to make it clearer that the bus wasn't going as far as its normal daytime service.

Destination displays are now managed centrally at Head Office rather than locally at depots. That allows for standardisation for every single destination display used across the company. The 'standard' is with via points, hence why 99% of displays have via points.

That particular display now more aptly has a terminal point of 'Percy Main':

Go North East: 5248 / NK56KHU by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

(06 Jun 2016, 5:56 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]

Go North East: 5248 / NK56KHU by Daniel Graham, on Flickr

Oh look it's the one that conked out on me earlier.

(06 Jun 2016, 6:40 pm)GMitchelhill wrote [ -> ]Oh look it's the one that conked out on me earlier.

It's haunting you now. 

(06 Jun 2016, 4:48 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]5431 has arrived: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...894152794/

Cheers for sharing. =)

(06 Jun 2016, 6:42 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]It's haunting you now. 

That and 5249 are stalkers on the 9.
5203 is also now.

(06 Jun 2016, 3:34 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]I agree, The new bus station is too compact for the amount of buses using it, And only 3 layover bays ( ones regularly took by a Arriva Solo too )
Similarly with Haymarket, 2 layover bays and over capacity.

Not to mention how buses often struggle to get out as well due to the tight corner and buses queuing to get in have to leave a gap.

Would be solved if Newcastle City Council trimmed the corner off the pavement.

(06 Jun 2016, 6:48 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]5203 is also now.

5203 looked to took on the journey that 5248 was meant to be on from North Shields

(06 Jun 2016, 9:52 pm)GMitchelhill wrote [ -> ]5203 looked to took on the journey that 5248 was meant to be on from North Shields

Its been on this morning

I meant last night. I caught the 9 from Sunderland to Percy Main, and passed 5203 on the 9 on the journey that 5248 should have been on had it not broken down.

6058 seen expired at Birtley at approximately 09:25. 6026 later arrived with a Leading Driver to assist.

(07 Jun 2016, 9:49 am)streetlite5402 wrote [ -> ]6058 seen expired at Birtley at approximately 09:25. 6026 later arrived with a Leading Driver to assist.

6026 was parked up outside Ravensworth Terrace School when I passed it at 9.55. No sign of any life on board.

(06 Jun 2016, 4:43 pm)northern156 wrote [ -> ]I remember the old Eldon Square bus station very well. Used to go to/from Wallsend a lot with my grandma; would arrive on the 602 or 685. Remember the cafe and the newsagents just to the left as you enter it! Of course the new bus station is a million miles better but given the chance, I'd love to see the old style back in action again (not that it will happen)

Edit: Some more pictures...












And going back a while:
http://s698.photobucket.com/user/manorpa...8.jpg.html

Pictures courtesy of old-bus-photos.co.uk and newcastlephotos.blogspot.com.

That shut basically as I was born, I really wish it still existed so I could see what it was like

Don't know if it's been mentioned before but redkite streetlite 5412 is running around with what looks like a plain corporate red front which is a different shade from the rest of the bus

(07 Jun 2016, 7:17 pm)Olympian3521 wrote [ -> ]Don't know if it's been mentioned before but redkite streetlite 5412 is running around with what looks like a plain corporate red front which is a different shade from the rest of the bus

The shade of red looks like the correct shade on this photo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75698454@N08/26970898750

Might just look a bit darker in person with it being freshly painted?

Its been a while since I have made any comment about destinations (although, in theory, there is nothing wrong with the destination itself).

It regards the destination for service 826 heading for Templetown. The first via point for the route is 'Hounsgill Drive' (which I had no idea where it was and have only just got round to googling it and I wasn't aware that a bus went up that road anyway) but Google seemed to insist that it is 'Hownsgill' as opposed to 'Hounsgill'.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hown...d-1.816719

Now I have already done a bit of investigating and have found that it isn't Dan's fault (he gets the information from the timetable which also has the 'u' spelling) so I don't want it to look like I am being critical of the destination but I just thought I'd maybe bring the slight disagreement up anyway.

(07 Jun 2016, 7:38 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]Its been a while since I have made any comment about destinations (although, in theory, there is nothing wrong with the destination itself).

It regards the destination for service 826 heading for Templetown. The first via point for the route is 'Hounsgill Drive' (which I had no idea where it was and have only just got round to googling it and I wasn't aware that a bus went up that road anyway) but Google seemed to insist that it is 'Hownsgill' as opposed to 'Hounsgill'.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hown...d-1.816719

Now I have already done a bit of investigating and have found that it isn't Dan's fault (he gets the information from the timetable which also has the 'u' spelling) so I don't want it to look like I am being critical of the destination but I just thought I'd maybe bring the slight disagreement up anyway.

Had me worried for a second..! At least I'm not to blame!

I'll make sure the spelling on the destination display is corrected in the next upload at Stanley. Probably be waiting until the next academic school year before that happens though!

(07 Jun 2016, 7:38 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]Its been a while since I have made any comment about destinations (although, in theory, there is nothing wrong with the destination itself).

It regards the destination for service 826 heading for Templetown. The first via point for the route is 'Hounsgill Drive' (which I had no idea where it was and have only just got round to googling it and I wasn't aware that a bus went up that road anyway) but Google seemed to insist that it is 'Hownsgill' as opposed to 'Hounsgill'.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hown...d-1.816719

Now I have already done a bit of investigating and have found that it isn't Dan's fault (he gets the information from the timetable which also has the 'u' spelling) so I don't want it to look like I am being critical of the destination but I just thought I'd maybe bring the slight disagreement up anyway.

Even with a map, I'm none the wiser where that is, so I'll take your word for it.

(07 Jun 2016, 7:43 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Even with a map, I'm none the wiser where that is, so I'll take your word for it.

I'm impressed that I know where it is, now that I've seen it on a map!

Seems a strange place to send a school bus mind!

(07 Jun 2016, 7:43 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Even with a map, I'm none the wiser where that is, so I'll take your word for it.

Never mind that, I want to know what is up the road at Delves Lane

(07 Jun 2016, 7:53 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Never mind that, I want to know what is up the road at Delves Lane

I hope that's not a thermal imaging camera. 

Can double deckers appear on the 33?