Go North East: Latest News & Discussion - October 2013

[CatsFast101]

I do like that new Saltwell Park, it looks very good.

[Michael]

I'm re-posting the delivery dates which Rob posted a while back.

I've removed the Connection's 4 - cause their all here and in Service..



8 Wright Streetlite for Drifter - All here - getting branded now - out 10th November.
8 Wright Streetlite for Saltwell Park - Not sure how many is here.

14 Optare Versa for Citylink, which are due to start arriving mid/late October. - has any even arrived yet?

12 Optare Solo SR for Venture, which are due to arriving mid November.

34 Volvo B9/Wright Gemini for Fab Fifty Six and Cobalt Clipper, which are due to start arriving late December.

From the initial arrival dates, it will take a few weeks for everything to arrive, be fitted with the key smart card readers, have blinds programmed, branded, tested and ready to go.

In terms of the additional 15 vehicles which could be arriving next year, details have not been confirmed. What I will say, is that there is 1 route which has had no change for a while, and a lot of you have speculated for a while that it will get upgrades before the Waggonway. That one!

[gtom]

Nothing wrong with them, they've ran perfectly for 11 Years at Washington and still sound healthy, minus the one with a banging sound coming from the rear wheels if that is now a Waggonway that is, that's been like for over a year now.

Over a decade old they aren't in peak condition. I personally don't like em

[Malarkey]

I do like like the Design for the Decals to go on the side/rear of the Bus, But I think it would been more effective under a different base colour.

[Andreos1]

Has anyone seen the latest 'open reporting'?

www.simplygo.com/news/how-were-doing/

Satisfaction is dropping (87%) and apparently QCS will increase fares by 40%!

Amazingly considering the size of the network, GNE have made 17 million journeys - 'nearly twice as many as metro'.

More PR patter...

Edit. Just noticed Michael put it on. Sorry!

[Michael]

Has anyone seen the latest 'open reporting'?

www.simplygo.com/news/how-were-doing/

Satisfaction is dropping (87%) and apparently QCS will increase fares by 40%!

Amazingly considering the size of the network, GNE have made 17 million journeys - 'nearly twice as many as metro'.

More PR patter...

Edit. Just noticed Michael put it on. Sorry!

Dont worry about it

[Rapidsnap]

Just a random stab in the dark for why the Versas haven't arrived. Is it possible there isn't room for them at Saltmeadows due to all the Streetlites there. No doubt they might start arriving once the first lot of Streetlites tootle off to Deptford for storage and driver training prior to entering service.

[Adam]

I had a ride to Beamish on the Waggonway with my family today. The Solars coped with the hills quite well, a lot lot lot better than the DAFs. It even managed to get up the Long Bank with a decent pace. Was quite surprised.

[Michael]

2 Citylink Versa have arrived.

thanks

[Wellsey18]

2 Citylink Versa have arrived.

Are they arriving already branded or not??

[CatsFast101]

Are they arriving already branded or not??

It would make sense if they were, considering that they are late arriving. But I'm not sure how likely the is. The one at the bus and coach live, was probably branded so it looked better, a branded bus better than a non branded bus.

[Adrian]

It would make sense if they were, considering that they are late arriving. But I'm not sure how likely the is. The one at the bus and coach live, was probably branded so it looked better, a branded bus better than a non branded bus.

Why go to the expense of branding externally though when it's bound to be cheaper applying the decals in house (at Saltmeadows).

[Rapidsnap]

Only one should be arriving branded. Rest should be plain Orange. Optare never sends vehicles to their operators branded up unless they are off on show somewhere.

[busmanT]

Only one should be arriving branded. Rest should be plain Orange. Optare never sends vehicles to their operators branded up unless they are off on show somewhere.

Only 12 will be orange to cover the PVR, 2 will be red so they can be used on other routes when not needed on 58

[CatsFast101]

Only 12 will be orange to cover the PVR, 2 will be red so they can be used on other routes when not needed on 58

They've bought two fleet livered spares? Sounds a bit daft. I assumed the PVR was 14, but if it's 12 why not get the 13 and brand them all. In that case there should never be anything but a Versa on the 58 see how long that lasts..

[Michael]

They've bought two fleet livered spares? Sounds a bit daft. I assumed the PVR was 14, but if it's 12 why not get the 13 and brand them all. In that case there should never be anything but a Versa on the 58 see how long that lasts..

I also thought the PVR was 14... if so i agree with Cats fast... they should only be versa's on the 58 at all times.

[Dan]

Anyone considered the PVRs of the Fab56 and Cobalt too? 15 for each iirc, and we have 17 for both Fab56 and Cobalt...
Northern B9s..!

Surely it is the best option though? It means customers do not suffer with an SPD if their branded vehicle is VOR and they get the Northern equivalent of the bus instead. When all branded buses are on the road... other customers see the benefit!

[Michael]

Anyone considered the PVRs of the Fab56 and Cobalt too? 15 for each iirc, and we have 17 for both Fab56 and Cobalt...
Northern B9s..!

Surely it is the best option though? It means customers do not suffer with an SPD if their branded vehicle is VOR and they get the Northern equivalent of the bus instead. When all branded buses are on the road... other customers see the benefit!

Now u gave more examples its a good idea having spares for the routes, i think the 56 needs a extra bus out and about

[CatsFast101]

Well it's a good idea in principal but I'm not sure if it works in practice. How many times has a branded vehicle appeared off route while that service uses anything spare. I think it's good but it just seems a bit daft buying a new bus (or 2) as a spare when other services go without any new investiments and make do with rattling MPD's/SPD's or frequent examples of Olympians.

I think having a branded spare is good and is certainly helps in something which I think is a key- Brand Recognition, But in this case why not use existing vehicles as branded spares? I mean a quick example, would be like 8306-8309, allocating one as Drifter spare, two as CityLink spare and one as Saltwell Park spare.

However in this case they're not branded and it just seems silly to have a non-branded spare, Citylink Versa isn't available use 4966?

[CatsFast101]

Anyone considered the PVRs of the Fab56 and Cobalt too? 15 for each iirc, and we have 17 for both Fab56 and Cobalt...
Northern B9s..!

Surely it is the best option though? It means customers do not suffer with an SPD if their branded vehicle is VOR and they get the Northern equivalent of the bus instead. When all branded buses are on the road... other customers see the benefit!

How many B9's have been ordered? The 56 has currently 16 branded vehicles, 309/310 has 17 branded vehicles. Don't know now that compares to their PVR though.