(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.
The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.
(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.
The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.
(03 May 2015, 12:32 pm)mb134 So, as this would be applied to a Blyth service when anything goes anyway, you still wouldn't want to increase passenger experience??
Also, unlike GNE's full on branding, Arriva's is far more minimal, and I hardly notice it when I see a 35 Streetlite, so would it really make too much difference, in my opinion it would be a case of passengers coming to realise that on Sundays better vehicles are used?
(03 May 2015, 12:32 pm)mb134 So, as this would be applied to a Blyth service when anything goes anyway, you still wouldn't want to increase passenger experience??
Also, unlike GNE's full on branding, Arriva's is far more minimal, and I hardly notice it when I see a 35 Streetlite, so would it really make too much difference, in my opinion it would be a case of passengers coming to realise that on Sundays better vehicles are used?
(03 May 2015, 12:29 pm)Tommy_1581 I would hope that Arriva order 4 more StreetLites for the 35s, as it is a very stupid allocation.
(03 May 2015, 12:29 pm)Tommy_1581 I would hope that Arriva order 4 more StreetLites for the 35s, as it is a very stupid allocation.
(03 May 2015, 12:36 pm)Tommy_1581 Then having normal 1 service on Sundays due to passenger demand... using MAX, 308, Quorum and stinky MPDs on one service...
(03 May 2015, 12:36 pm)Tommy_1581 Then having normal 1 service on Sundays due to passenger demand... using MAX, 308, Quorum and stinky MPDs on one service...
(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.
The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.
(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.
The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.
(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan Again, I'm inclined to agree.Aye it does need to be sorted, the only thing I can think of is that some journeys may require double deckers?
I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.
(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan Again, I'm inclined to agree.Aye it does need to be sorted, the only thing I can think of is that some journeys may require double deckers?
I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.
(03 May 2015, 12:39 pm)Kuyoyo To have 1579-81 on 35s on Sunday, you'd end up saving 1 E400 off the present X21 and giving the X21 a 25 minutes layover in Newbiggin. However, you'd need 2 buses for the 35 with a layover in Newbiggin of 39 minutes. So, from logical reasons, the interworking remains in place.
There's also the fact that Ashington's entire Sunday output is either Sapphire on X21/35 and X22 or MAX on the X15/X18/418.
(03 May 2015, 12:39 pm)Kuyoyo To have 1579-81 on 35s on Sunday, you'd end up saving 1 E400 off the present X21 and giving the X21 a 25 minutes layover in Newbiggin. However, you'd need 2 buses for the 35 with a layover in Newbiggin of 39 minutes. So, from logical reasons, the interworking remains in place.
There's also the fact that Ashington's entire Sunday output is either Sapphire on X21/35 and X22 or MAX on the X15/X18/418.
(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan Again, I'm inclined to agree.
I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.
(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan Again, I'm inclined to agree.
I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.
(03 May 2015, 12:45 pm)Tommy_1581 The demand is there, all the 35/a's that I have used have had decent to full loadings between Ashington and Morpeth, so I'd assume that an upgrade would be due, iirc the last upgrade was the 57-reg Centros. I would have got a 16 new vehicle order for the X21/22 and have 7501-7507 refurbished to the new specification for the 35/a.
(03 May 2015, 12:45 pm)Tommy_1581 The demand is there, all the 35/a's that I have used have had decent to full loadings between Ashington and Morpeth, so I'd assume that an upgrade would be due, iirc the last upgrade was the 57-reg Centros. I would have got a 16 new vehicle order for the X21/22 and have 7501-7507 refurbished to the new specification for the 35/a.
(03 May 2015, 12:43 pm)mb134 Leading on from this point, do you think the X20/20 will start to operate on Sundays when it goes MAX?
(03 May 2015, 12:43 pm)mb134 Leading on from this point, do you think the X20/20 will start to operate on Sundays when it goes MAX?
(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)Tommy_1581 There is little demand for the Ashington-Newcastle services on Sunday other than when there is events in Newcastle, I'd trial the 20 on Sundays then see what its like to continue.
(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)Tommy_1581 There is little demand for the Ashington-Newcastle services on Sunday other than when there is events in Newcastle, I'd trial the 20 on Sundays then see what its like to continue.
(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)mb134 Think 1480-3 were originally bought for the 35?
(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)mb134 Think 1480-3 were originally bought for the 35?
Without wanting to set the cat amongst the pigeons, why are vehicles branded?
To the extent that the bus operator would rather (when possible) place another branded vehicle on a run en-route (which used to happen in Carlisle with the Dart SLFs but has drastically improved) causing disruption and inconvenience, does the benefits of branding vehicles outweigh the farce it can cause?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not on about general route branding (GNE's Coast and Country to give an example) but individual vehicle branding which I find more common with ANE and SNE, such as ANE's Jesmond-ran 46 from Haymarket to Featherstone Grove - this is just standard Interurban livery with '46' branding on.
Even to Jesmond's Hybrid Streetlites and Volvo B5LHs - they both have 306/308 branding on (I'm pretty sure they do!), why not take this branding off so both can interwork with no real problems?
(03 May 2015, 12:50 pm)mb134 Hmmm, all journeys I've seen /been on from either Bedlington or Ashington to Newcastle on a Sunday have been pretty well loaded, which is why I've suggested increasing it to a 30 minute combined frequency? (X21/22)
An X20 would relieve the need of a frequency increase
(03 May 2015, 12:50 pm)mb134 Hmmm, all journeys I've seen /been on from either Bedlington or Ashington to Newcastle on a Sunday have been pretty well loaded, which is why I've suggested increasing it to a 30 minute combined frequency? (X21/22)
An X20 would relieve the need of a frequency increase
(03 May 2015, 12:54 pm)northern156 Without wanting to set the cat amongst the pigeons, why are vehicles branded?
To the extent that the bus operator would rather (when possible) place another branded vehicle on a run en-route (which used to happen in Carlisle with the Dart SLFs but has drastically improved) causing disruption and inconvenience, does the benefits of branding vehicles outweigh the farce it can cause?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not on about general route branding (GNE's Coast and Country to give an example) but individual vehicle branding which I find more common with ANE and SNE, such as ANE's Jesmond-ran 46 from Haymarket to Featherstone Grove - this is just standard Interurban livery with '46' branding on.
Even to Jesmond's Hybrid Streetlites and Volvo B5LHs - they both have 306/308 branding on (I'm pretty sure they do!), why not take this branding off so both can interwork with no real problems?
(03 May 2015, 12:54 pm)northern156 Without wanting to set the cat amongst the pigeons, why are vehicles branded?
To the extent that the bus operator would rather (when possible) place another branded vehicle on a run en-route (which used to happen in Carlisle with the Dart SLFs but has drastically improved) causing disruption and inconvenience, does the benefits of branding vehicles outweigh the farce it can cause?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not on about general route branding (GNE's Coast and Country to give an example) but individual vehicle branding which I find more common with ANE and SNE, such as ANE's Jesmond-ran 46 from Haymarket to Featherstone Grove - this is just standard Interurban livery with '46' branding on.
Even to Jesmond's Hybrid Streetlites and Volvo B5LHs - they both have 306/308 branding on (I'm pretty sure they do!), why not take this branding off so both can interwork with no real problems?
(04 May 2015, 11:00 am)mb134 Really do think Bank Holiday services need to be looked at, just passed 7508 running 10 minutes late on a very busy looking X22
(04 May 2015, 11:00 am)mb134 Really do think Bank Holiday services need to be looked at, just passed 7508 running 10 minutes late on a very busy looking X22
(04 May 2015, 7:04 pm)Stewy well I seen 4814,7534 leaving Darlington Depot around 8:30
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