(04 Jun 2017, 5:32 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]First day of the M1 to Metrocentre today was operated by LG02FFR - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...089340255/
Interested to see whether it will be operating tomorrow or not! They could merge it with the S1 if it was running through the week also.
This service was introduced last Sunday with, it appears, only advertisements for it on PCL's buses; there is no mention on Traveline, on the Nexus website and on Northumberland County Council's list of service changes. If PCL want this service to succeed, they need to sharpen up their ideas on publicity.
(08 Jun 2017, 4:19 pm)Ex-conductor wrote [ -> ]This service was introduced last Sunday with, it appears, only advertisements for it on PCL's buses; there is no mention on Traveline, on the Nexus website and on Northumberland County Council's list of service changes. If PCL want this service to succeed, they need to sharpen up their ideas on publicity.
Yeah I know it is very strange, especially considering they took down their website too (albeit not a great one)
Always seems to be the way with PCL, changes given at very short notice and almost nowhere you can find out about them. I really think the M1 could be more successful if it was advertised better.
On another topic, does anyone know whats being used on the 15 / 16 now? Does it change on a regular basis? Its just I have seen darts, the convoy and the white solo on there over the past few months. Hopefully they stick with the solo as the darts are unreliable and the convoy just creates a bad impression.
(08 Jun 2017, 6:00 pm)Pulsar wrote [ -> ]Always seems to be the way with PCL, changes given at very short notice and almost nowhere you can find out about them. I really think the M1 could be more successful if it was advertised better.
On another topic, does anyone know whats being used on the 15 / 16 now? Does it change on a regular basis? Its just I have seen darts, the convoy and the white solo on there over the past few months. Hopefully they stick with the solo as the darts are unreliable and the convoy just creates a bad impression.
The 15 service that I passed in Alnwick yesterday morning and afternoon was operated with the white Optare Solo.
Are the company's services not registered? Changes should be submitted with 56 days notice to the traffic commissioner.
(08 Jun 2017, 6:14 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Are the company's services not registered? Changes should be submitted with 56 days notice to the traffic commissioner.
The addition of the Sunday service seemed to be with less than a weeks notice. Obviously you can do a short notice registration but require support from other sources to be accepted, or only for a temporary period (upto 3 weeks I understand).
(08 Jun 2017, 6:00 pm)Pulsar wrote [ -> ]On another topic, does anyone know whats being used on the 15 / 16 now? Does it change on a regular basis? Its just I have seen darts, the convoy and the white solo on there over the past few months. Hopefully they stick with the solo as the darts are unreliable and the convoy just creates a bad impression.
(08 Jun 2017, 6:07 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote [ -> ]The 15 service that I passed in Alnwick yesterday morning and afternoon was operated with the white Optare Solo.
On Saturday, these were the allocations:
Solo KX06LYJ on 15/16:
https://flic.kr/p/VrWkp5
The other Solo M14PCL was on S1:
https://flic.kr/p/ViSva8
Primo KX58LJA was on T1's:
https://flic.kr/p/UVhfid
R222LOT on M1.
(08 Jun 2017, 6:07 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote [ -> ]The 15 service that I passed in Alnwick yesterday morning and afternoon was operated with the white Optare Solo.
(08 Jun 2017, 6:26 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]On Saturday, these were the allocations:
Solo KX06LYJ on 15/16: https://flic.kr/p/VrWkp5
The other Solo M14PCL was on S1: https://flic.kr/p/ViSva8
Primo KX58LJA was on T1's: https://flic.kr/p/UVhfid
R222LOT on M1.
Great, going to try and catch up with the solo within the next few of weeks so hopefully its still on then.
Saw the M1 this morning, and it was dead to say the least...
Sorry to ask this dose M1 run everyday or just Sunday now also dose anyone know where the depot is
(11 Jun 2017, 9:26 pm)jimmoc wrote [ -> ]Sorry to ask this dose M1 run everyday or just Sunday now also dose anyone know where the depot is
M1 runs daily between Morpeth and Thropton.
Not certain where the depot is but I think it's somewhere near Blaydon, Ryton possibly?
(12 Jun 2017, 11:29 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]M1 runs daily between Morpeth and Thropton.
Not certain where the depot is but I think it's somewhere near Blaydon, Ryton possibly?
I thought it ran daily wasnt sure thank you
PCL Travel
Ryton Industrial Estate, Newburn Bridge Rd, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4SQ
07800 849916
https://goo.gl/maps/W1UGkwB8pLU2
According to Google Maps it's here Jimmi
Sent from my iPad Pro using Tapatalk
(12 Jun 2017, 11:35 am)jimmoc wrote [ -> ]I thought it ran daily wasnt sure thank you
Depot is at the very back of the galaxy industrial Park near Ryton. They also park at Seaton Burn in the Rush family garage. M1 runs daily Morpeth to Thropton. Extended to newcastle and metrocentre Sunday only.
Charles
Just to put everyone's mind to rest on this matter, there is now finally a public online timetable for the Sunday M1 journeys on Nexus' website:
https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...040617.pdf
Now shows up on Traveline as well although other sites including BusTimes still don't show the Sunday running on Sundays.
(28 Jun 2017, 10:35 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Just to put everyone's mind to rest on this matter, there is now finally a public online timetable for the Sunday M1 journeys on Nexus' website: https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...040617.pdf
Now shows up on Traveline as well although other sites including BusTimes still don't show the Sunday running on Sundays.
Noticed it on Sunday when I checked the times to try and photo it at the Metrocentre. Second time I've been stood for the 1600 to reach it's journey end, second time it didn't appear for me. What an outfit operation....
This time I was at the Metrocentre Coach Park after last times Newcastle no show.
(29 Jun 2017, 8:25 am)RBZ 5459 wrote [ -> ]Noticed it on Sunday when I checked the times to try and photo it at the Metrocentre. Second time I've been stood for the 1600 to reach it's journey end, second time it didn't appear for me. What an outfit operation....
This time I was at the Metrocentre Coach Park after last times Newcastle no show.
Partly why I've never bothered getting a photo of the Sunday workings at Metrocentre/Newcastle as I did fear that this would happen on the last trip to the Metrocentre and it's a shame to see my fears being proved right.
(29 Jun 2017, 8:25 am)RBZ 5459 wrote [ -> ]Noticed it on Sunday when I checked the times to try and photo it at the Metrocentre. Second time I've been stood for the 1600 to reach it's journey end, second time it didn't appear for me. What an outfit operation....
This time I was at the Metrocentre Coach Park after last times Newcastle no show.
I wonder if it was because no passengers were onboard, and there is probably no point in operating the rest of the journey (even though they should) and has just returned to the depot early from Stannington or Cowgate?
(29 Jun 2017, 9:02 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Partly why I've never bothered getting a photo of the Sunday workings at Metrocentre/Newcastle as I did fear that this would happen on the last trip to the Metrocentre and it's a shame to see my fears being proved right.
(29 Jun 2017, 9:12 am)Tom wrote [ -> ]I wonder if it was because no passengers were onboard, and there is probably no point in operating the rest of the journey (even though they should) and has just returned to the depot early from Stannington or Cowgate?
I'm thinking it could be that, as I have seen it leave Morpeth a few weeks back when we were up for the Fair Day P&R.
Very naughty if the case...
So having eventually had the chance to try out PCL myself I must say I was very happy with the service provided and was surprised to have the 2 darts but are in a far better condition than previously and were quite decent buses for a dart.
First was on the 15 from Alnwick which was spot on time, though was a dart instead of the usual Solo - the loadings were quite low but I noticed a few people boarding in Rothbury heading to Thropton. Then I am on an unplanned trip on the M1 as I read the X14 times wrong so had a hour wait in Rothbury and this one has a good loading with several fare paying passengers, and again this dart is in a surprisingly good conditon. Far better than the vans they put on the service. Also excellent value at only £2 from Rothbury to Morpeth! (18 or so miles) Both drivers were also very friendly.
So overall I think they have 100% improved and I would say to anybody who has been put off by the incidents in the past to give them a go!
(08 Jul 2017, 3:20 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]So having eventually had the chance to try out PCL myself I must say I was very happy with the service provided and was surprised to have the 2 darts but are in a far better condition than previously and were quite decent buses for a dart.
First was on the 15 from Alnwick which was spot on time, though was a dart instead of the usual Solo - the loadings were quite low but I noticed a few people boarding in Rothbury heading to Thropton. Then I am on an unplanned trip on the M1 as I read the X14 times wrong so had a hour wait in Rothbury and this one has a good loading with several fare paying passengers, and again this dart is in a surprisingly good conditon. Far better than the vans they put on the service. Also excellent value at only £2 from Rothbury to Morpeth! (18 or so miles) Both drivers were also very friendly.
So overall I think they have 100% improved and I would say to anybody who has been put off by the incidents in the past to give them a go!
I did a trip on PCL a few Saturdays back where I got the S1 from Morpeth to Stannington and back, M1 to Rothbury then 15 to Alnwick and I didn't have any issues although I did see one of the T1 services miss out Morpeth Rail Station. They have certainly improved recently but I still have slight fears of stuff going wrong.
I noticed that the 06 reg Solo was operating the afternoon trip on service 808 last Saturday.
Fancy some haulage on their Darts again but other stuff tends to turn up when I've used them, would quite to sample the ex Hunter Bros MPD but haven't seen it in a little while.
(08 Jul 2017, 3:55 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]I did a trip on PCL a few Saturdays back where I got the S1 from Morpeth to Stannington and back, M1 to Rothbury then 15 to Alnwick and I didn't have any issues although I did see one of the T1 services miss out Morpeth Rail Station. They have certainly improved recently but I still have slight fears of stuff going wrong.
I noticed that the 06 reg Solo was operating the afternoon trip on service 808 last Saturday.
Fancy some haulage on their Darts again but other stuff tends to turn up when I've used them, would quite to sample the ex Hunter Bros MPD but haven't seen it in a little while.
Yeah I guess they don't have any set allocations then, other than the Centro on the T1s - also quite odd was R222LOT on the S1.
I wonder if the ex Hunters MPD has been withdrawn as I have never seen it or pictures of it recently
(08 Jul 2017, 4:39 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Yeah I guess they don't have any set allocations then, other than the Centro on the T1s - also quite odd was R222LOT on the S1.
I wonder if the ex Hunters MPD has been withdrawn as I have never seen it or pictures of it recently
They've got a Centro? Or do you mean the Primo Tom?
(08 Jul 2017, 4:50 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]They've got a Centro? Or do you mean the Primo Tom?
Sorry yeah the Primo
(08 Jul 2017, 5:48 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Sorry yeah the Primo
I believe they have the former hunters dart but the decker would appear to have gone some time ago.
Charles
(08 Jul 2017, 6:38 pm)Charles41 wrote [ -> ]I believe they have the former hunters dart but the decker would appear to have gone some time ago.
Charles
I wonder why they even got the decker thought it seemed odd at the time.
PCL are running the Wooler services from September (470/473) but I can't remember who is doing the buses from Berwick even though I looked at the poster twice!