North East Buses

I should add that every bus I've used since that has wifi advertised has worked. Including a couple Angels which I was having issues with previously.

(30 Jun 2014, 7:56 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I should add that every bus I've used since that has wifi advertised has worked. Including a couple Angels which I was having issues with previously.

I think the ones which aren't working, GNE are now aware of.

I've noticed that a few which had problems have had their name changed (and as such, presumably the kit completely re-installed); for example, the one I was on the other day showed 'red-arrows-wifi'.

(30 Jun 2014, 8:02 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]I think the ones which aren't working, GNE are now aware of.

I've noticed that a few which had problems have had their name changed (and as such, presumably the kit completely re-installed); for example, the one I was on the other day showed 'red-arrows-wifi'.

Yeah I've noticed that, but the Angel ones working still have the SSID of CCL for reference. I'll try a few connections 4 buses today and see if I spot any other problems.

(30 Jun 2014, 8:06 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Yeah I've noticed that, but the Angel ones working still have the SSID of CCL for reference. I'll try a few connections 4 buses today and see if I spot any other problems.

Wasn't sure where to put this Arriva RT - so staying impartial and on topic...

@m4tty_j
Pinching the free WiFi from the @arrivanortheast bus next to mine because @gonortheast havent put it on theirs. #chopchop #21stCentury

The replies are great!

#BusOperatorbitchyness
#hasgtagsonNEB

(30 Jun 2014, 8:49 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]Wasn't sure where to put this Arriva RT - so staying impartial and on topic...


The replies are great!

#BusOperatorbitchyness
#hasgtagsonNEB

Ah, I thought '21st Century' was going to be a clever pun - seemingly like GNE did.

Go North East have ten brand names that are allocated vehicles which are Wi-Fi enabled.

Including the B7TL spares which are or will gain Wi-Fi at some point (when it works, etc, etc), there are 109 vehicles in the fleet which are Wi-Fi enabled. That equates to 16% of the fleet, with the majority of services receiving investment over the next two years also including Wi-Fi provision and power sockets. When looking at the PVR of services opposed to spares, you'd find that the percentage would drastically increase.

I'm not sure how many Arriva North East vehicles have free Wi-Fi provision, and I unfortunately can't work it out because Arriva - from what I can find on Google - have only marketed the free Wi-Fi on Sapphire service 7.
However, I've always been of the opinion - like other members of this forum who have said similar in the past - that Go North East are (and have been for quite some time) light years ahead of Arriva and Stagecoach, in terms of introducing new technology to buses. Indeed what is actually pretty much standard for Go North East is marketed as a premium product (Sapphire) for Arriva...

I can't work out where he is on the 20 where he'd pick up Arriva wifi, apart from Durham bus station, being the stand next to the 7.

(30 Jun 2014, 9:10 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I can't work out where he is on the 20 where he'd pick up Arriva wifi, apart from Durham bus station, being the stand next to the 7.

Precisely - he'd have it for all of five minutes whilst the 20 is laying over.
You certainly get good 3G in Durham Bus Station, and I'm sure I get alright 4G there too - which is probably faster than the Wi-Fi provided by bus companies anyway.

A little bit off-topic from the thread in hand but relevant to the current discussion... I can't see why Metro didn't include Wi-Fi provision as part of their refurbishment plan? Ever since I moved over to Monkwearmouth and started to use the Metro system more and more, I've always wondered why that was. There's a guy that goes to my school who gets the Metro from Park Lane to the stop before the Airport every day to and from school, because he lives in Corbridge and it works out cheaper for his mam to pick him up from there instead of at school... I'm sure he and other passengers who travel in a similar way would use the Wi-Fi, if it was there...

(30 Jun 2014, 9:12 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Precisely - he'd have it for all of five minutes whilst the 20 is laying over.
You certainly get good 3G in Durham Bus Station, and I'm sure I get alright 4G there too - which is probably faster than the Wi-Fi provided by bus companies anyway.

A little bit off-topic from the thread in hand but relevant to the current discussion... I can't see why Metro didn't include Wi-Fi provision as part of their refurbishment plan? Ever since I moved over to Monkwearmouth and started to use the Metro system more and more, I've always wondered why that was.

Unless you're on EE.

(30 Jun 2014, 9:12 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Precisely - he'd have it for all of five minutes whilst the 20 is laying over.
You certainly get good 3G in Durham Bus Station, and I'm sure I get alright 4G there too - which is probably faster than the Wi-Fi provided by bus companies anyway.

A little bit off-topic from the thread in hand but relevant to the current discussion... I can't see why Metro didn't include Wi-Fi provision as part of their refurbishment plan? Ever since I moved over to Monkwearmouth and started to use the Metro system more and more, I've always wondered why that was. There's a guy that goes to my school who gets the Metro from Park Lane to the stop before the Airport every day to and from school, because he lives in Corbridge and it works out cheaper for his mam to pick him up from there instead of at school... I'm sure he and other passengers who travel in a similar way would use the Wi-Fi, if it was there...

I can only get 4G on Villette Road and Dunston [ANGRY FACE]

(30 Jun 2014, 9:22 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Unless you're on EE.

Well there's that...

(30 Jun 2014, 9:24 am)marxistafozzski wrote [ -> ]I can only get 4G on Villette Road and Dunston [ANGRY FACE]

Oof, I get much better 4G than that!

Don't get it in my house, but as soon as I hit the bridge to head over to town, I get 4G. Seemingly a permanent 4G connection everywhere in Gateshead too. Newcastle and Durham are alright for 4G.
Y'gan to the likes of Hexham and Consett, and all ya get is 3G mind......

(30 Jun 2014, 9:28 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Well there's that...


Oof, I get much better 4G than that!

Don't get it in my house, but as soon as I hit the bridge to head over to town, I get 4G. Seemingly a permanent 4G connection everywhere in Gateshead too. Newcastle and Durham are alright for 4G.
Y'gan to the likes of Hexham and Consett, and all ya get is 3G mind......

The only reason I don't have good 4G coverage is because 3 three have not rolled it out in East Durham yet(hopefully by the end of the year), so I can't get it at home, I have only noticed I pick it up on Villette Road, although probably get it all over Sunderland

Today went something like this. Armed with camera and a Purple zone mTicket. Didn't really have any plans, other than to get a picturesque shot of the Lothian demonstrator, which meant an early start, working out where the sun would be, and more importantly where the bus would be.

05:52 Biddick - Concord 06:01 - GNE 4 (5364)
06:18 Concord - Gateshead Interchange 06:45 - GNE 56 (6091)
06:48 Gateshead Interchange - Angel of the North 07:04 - GNE 21 (6069)
07:37 Angel of the North - Gateshead Interchange 07:51 - GNE 21 (6065)
07:54 Gateshead Interchange - Riverside Depot 08:03 - GNE X66 (5339)
08:10 Riverside Depot - Gateshead Interchange 08:28 - GNE 49 (5279)
08:38 Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle Market Street West 08:47 - GNE 1 (5252)
11:05 Newcastle Eldon Square - Gateshead Interchange 11:15 - GNE X21 (9131)
11:55 Gateshead Interchange - - Washington Galleries 12:18 - GNE X1 (6006)
12:38 Washington Galleries - Biddick 12:47 - GNE W5 (604)

The result?

Go North East - 9131 - BF63HDC by aureolindn, on Flickr

Thought I would go onto the Megabus Website to Book my Tickets to London for the 12th July 2014, Only to find the Prices have gone from £7 Each Way to £20 There and £10 Back, Resulting in me having to pay Double.

Think i'll be knocking that trip on the head, unless the Prices go down between now and the 12th July 2014 which I doubt. Unless anyone knows of any Special Offers.

(30 Jun 2014, 9:37 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Thought I would go onto the Megabus Website to Book my Tickets to London for the 12th July 2014, Only to find the Prices have gone from £7 Each Way to £20 There and £10 Back, Resulting in me having to pay Double.

Think i'll be knocking that trip on the head, unless the Prices go down between now and the 12th July 2014 which I doubt. Unless anyone knows of any Special Offers.

Had a feeling that would happen. Always does with Megabus - you have to book months in advance or you stand very little chance of getting them cheap.

Yeah I booked a few months in advance and got a return from Newcastle to Antwerp for £11.50, mind that's with using tesco clubcard vouchers.

Also doing Leeds and Manchester over the next fortnight costing no more than a fiver.

(01 Jul 2014, 5:20 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Had a feeling that would happen. Always does with Megabus - you have to book months in advance or you stand very little chance of getting them cheap.

It looks like if you book in advance of 3 Weeks or More to London, then it'll be £7 There £6 Back, anything less than that, it'll cost you £30, As an Experiment I put in the Date of 20th August 2014, and it was only £5 Each Way, So I am now going to look for the Earliest Date in August that I can get it for £5 Each Way.

(01 Jul 2014, 3:11 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]It looks like if you book in advance of 3 Weeks or More to London, then it'll be £7 There £6 Back, anything less than that, it'll cost you £30, As an Experiment I put in the Date of 20th August 2014, and it was only £5 Each Way, So I am now going to look for the Earliest Date in August that I can get it for £5 Each Way.

All single fares on Wednesdays are £5 in England - it's just actually finding a seat that's tricky.

(01 Jul 2014, 3:13 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]All single fares on Wednesdays are £5 in England - it's just actually finding a seat that's tricky.

What if I was to book Tickets on a Wednesday, would it then still cost £5, or would be still paying the standard price which I mentioned before.

(01 Jul 2014, 3:23 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]What if I was to book Tickets on a Wednesday, would it then still cost £5, or would be still paying the standard price which I mentioned before.

The ticket would only cost £5 if you're travelling on a Wednesday.

(01 Jul 2014, 3:24 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]The ticket would only cost £5 if you're travelling on a Wednesday.

Cheers Dan for the Help, Think i'll hold off until I get paid Next Week, and book the Tickets then.

I'm thinking of doing Leeds next Wednesday via Megabus, as it's only a 2 hour trip. £5 each way, and then a WYMetro ticket that allows me to use both the train and bus down there. Plans would be to get some shots of the new Arriva vehicles down there, and also have a quick trip over towards Bradford Interchange for the Wright Streetcars.

(01 Jul 2014, 8:14 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I'm thinking of doing Leeds next Wednesday via Megabus, as it's only a 2 hour trip. £5 each way, and then a WYMetro ticket that allows me to use both the train and bus down there. Plans would be to get some shots of the new Arriva vehicles down there, and also have a quick trip over towards Bradford Interchange for the Wright Streetcars.

I'd be up for doing that

(01 Jul 2014, 8:38 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]I'd be up for doing that

Gonna have a proper look tomorrow, but looking at doing the 0840 Megabus from Newcastle to Leeds, which gets in around 1045. On the way back, I'm looking at the 1800 National Express back to Newcastle, as it's only £8.50, and sounds more attractive than not leaving till 1900! The train and bus day rover is another £7.70.

(01 Jul 2014, 8:49 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Gonna have a proper look tomorrow, but looking at doing the 0840 Megabus from Newcastle to Leeds, which gets in around 1045. On the way back, I'm looking at the 1800 National Express back to Newcastle, as it's only £8.50, and sounds more attractive than not leaving till 1900! The train and bus day rover is another £7.70.

From looking at the Leeds/Bradford Suggestion, I was thinking of doing the following.

06:25 - Megabus - Newcastle to Leeds
Spend a few Hours in Leeds
Then either Train/Bus to Bradford
Few Hours in Bradford
Then either Train/Bus to Leeds
19:30 - Megabus - Leeds to Newcastle (Get off in Sunderland and get the 2C Home).

(01 Jul 2014, 9:01 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]From looking at the Leeds/Bradford Suggestion, I was thinking of doing the following.

06:25 - Megabus - Newcastle to Leeds
Spend a few Hours in Leeds
Then either Train/Bus to Bradford
Few Hours in Bradford
Then either Train/Bus to Leeds
19:30 - Megabus - Leeds to Newcastle (Get off in Sunderland and get the 2C Home).

You'll miss most of the new Arriva stuff then, as apart from the Versas, it's in Castleford and Wakefield.

(01 Jul 2014, 9:06 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]You'll miss most of the new Arriva stuff then, as apart from the Versas, it's in Castleford and Wakefield.

Scrap Bradford, Castleford/Wakefield it is, is possible to do Newcastle to Leeds/Castleford and Wakefield in a Day.

(01 Jul 2014, 9:20 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Scrap Bradford, Castleford/Wakefield it is, is possible to do Newcastle to Leeds/Castleford and Wakefield in a Day.

Don't forget you can get a family day ticket (for 2 adults!) for about £11 if you're going together... Wakefield is the 110 from Leeds or Castleford you want the 163/166 (hybrids)

(01 Jul 2014, 9:20 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Scrap Bradford, Castleford/Wakefield it is, is possible to do Newcastle to Leeds/Castleford and Wakefield in a Day.

Aye. 7 hours is more than ample. All three are 15-20 mins away by train from Leeds..

(01 Jul 2014, 9:27 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Aye. 7 hours is more than ample. All three are 15-20 mins away by train from Leeds..

Sounds good to me.

(01 Jul 2014, 9:20 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Scrap Bradford, Castleford/Wakefield it is, is possible to do Newcastle to Leeds/Castleford and Wakefield in a Day.

It sounds crazy if you are going hunting out buses - but on a stag do to Wakefield a couple of years ago, the taxis were cheap as chips.
Cheaper than buses.