(06 Aug 2014, 4:17 pm)mb134 Sorry miscounted my list also didn't see any Spectras in Ashington yard earlier have these already been taken away?

(06 Aug 2014, 7:17 pm)tyresmoke They were there yesterday?!

(06 Aug 2014, 6:43 pm)DaveyBowyer Had a ride on Sapphire today but they should get Gary and Lisa or Justin and Kelly for the next stop announcements:

"Can you hear the wind howling? That's right, we're now approaching Ashington"

(06 Aug 2014, 8:39 pm)mb134 The next-stop announcements weren't working on 7506 today, the screens were instead displaying "No signal"

(06 Aug 2014, 8:49 pm)Dan Arriva has come to their senses and they're going with DB's suggestions!

(06 Aug 2014, 8:49 pm)Dan Arriva has come to their senses and they're going with DB's suggestions!

(06 Aug 2014, 9:24 pm)NEBCD Malarkey I quite liked Arriva's Next Stop Annoucements when I used X21/X22 Last Week, Better than bloody Gary and Lisa.

(06 Aug 2014, 9:21 pm)mb134 Have anymore B10BLE'S arrived at Stockton yet?

(06 Aug 2014, 9:43 pm)tyresmoke Not yet, though 4508 was being used for familiarisation today. Ashington were still running most of them yesterday in lieu of fixing their own fleet...

Has anyone heard the "thank you for travelling" announcement at the end of the route on X21/X22 yet? Bit odd as it's a different voice to the next stop announcements. Much prefer the professional voice over bloody radio presenters though!

(06 Aug 2014, 9:43 pm)tyresmoke Not yet, though 4508 was being used for familiarisation today. Ashington were still running most of them yesterday in lieu of fixing their own fleet...

Has anyone heard the "thank you for travelling" announcement at the end of the route on X21/X22 yet? Bit odd as it's a different voice to the next stop announcements. Much prefer the professional voice over bloody radio presenters though!

(06 Aug 2014, 10:01 pm)NEBCD Malarkey Yeah I have as it came into Haymarket, I only went as far as Regent Centre and Back though.

(07 Aug 2014, 6:01 am)G-CPTN The TEN usually has the announcements sound turned down or silent - with just the visual showing.

(07 Aug 2014, 6:16 am)Dan Difficult situation to be in really. They need to be loud enough for customers with hearing difficulties to listen to them with ease, but quiet enough to be able to be blocked out by those who don't want to hear them and have a headache by the end of their journey.

(07 Aug 2014, 8:07 am)G-CPTN Agreed . . .

(07 Aug 2014, 5:48 am)Dan Yeah, I was in two minds about that bit at the end when I arrived into Ashington (or Newcastle, whichever it was). In my opinion, as with all of the Next Stop Announcements, it was too 'official'.

I know I've heard nothing but complaints on the few journeys I've had on the X21/X22 since Sapphire was launched on it - whether it has been non-working Wi-Fi, rattley buses, or irritating Next Stop Announcements - so customers are less impressed than enthusiasts on this forum it seems, which is quite disappointing given the amount of investment put into it by ANE.

I've made my views clear when we previously discussed this, and I doubt my views will change. I'm yet to hear the new Metro Next Stop Announcements, but if they've gone down the Received Pronunciation route, I will be extremely disappointed. RP does nothing for me - and a regional accent will win every time. Like I said before, the Next Stop Announcements on GNE's new buses last year are perfect in my eyes and undoubtedly a lot better than ANE's.

It must be said that I can actually sit on a GNE bus without having to put my earphones in but I really felt that I had to on the 7 and X21/X22. The 7 isn't as bad, and that's because they're quieter, but they need to be turned down on the X21/X22 a bit to make the journey a bit more tolerable for those who have nothing wrong with their hearing.

(06 Aug 2014, 7:19 pm)mb134 I saw two Lowlanders parked against the back wall then 4513 a coach and a few other ex-London deckers in the middle, unless 7483 was in service and 7482 was hidden by this crowd or indoors?