What are the worst routes to drive?
What are the worst routes to drive?
I can imagine the groans when a few back to back X66s are on a drivers duty board given how short the route and how many you can probably do in four to five hours, compared to one round trip on the X10!
I can't imagine the afternoon 93/94s being favourite trips for a multitude of reasons
A friend of mine used to drive the 5 and he absolutely hated it. This was due to Boldon ASDA and the Metro crossing, loads of double runs and loops, South Tynesides finest residents and not enough running time. Sounds like a great combination
(23 Jan 2022, 7:38 pm)Bazza Out of interest how do you know this or is it an educated guess?Likely an educated guess. But in 2012/13, both the Angel 21 and Arriva 308 received Volvo B5LH hybrids through government funding.
(23 Jan 2022, 6:56 pm)L469 YVK .X72 is just a nightmare, times are really tight and the Lobley Hill bit is a nightmare. Bus stop on the junction should not be served, additionally a stop inside the estate should be provided. Getting out on to the bank can also be a challenge. Imo the B5s are past their best and pulling out of Stanley bus station onto the roundabout can be fun if they are in electric mode, really can't wait for peak times at Sniperley roundabout once they appear on the X5/X15.
I wonder what the X72 is like to drive? Must be a nightmare having to make two right turns in and out of Lobley Hill towards Newcastle?
(23 Jan 2022, 6:56 pm)L469 YVK .X72 is just a nightmare, times are really tight and the Lobley Hill bit is a nightmare. Bus stop on the junction should not be served, additionally a stop inside the estate should be provided. Getting out on to the bank can also be a challenge. Imo the B5s are past their best and pulling out of Stanley bus station onto the roundabout can be fun if they are in electric mode, really can't wait for peak times at Sniperley roundabout once they appear on the X5/X15.
I wonder what the X72 is like to drive? Must be a nightmare having to make two right turns in and out of Lobley Hill towards Newcastle?
(24 Jan 2022, 10:06 am)Stanleyone X72 is just a nightmare, times are really tight and the Lobley Hill bit is a nightmare. Bus stop on the junction should not be served, additionally a stop inside the estate should be provided. Getting out on to the bank can also be a challenge. Imo the B5s are past their best and pulling out of Stanley bus station onto the roundabout can be fun if they are in electric mode, really can't wait for peak times at Sniperley roundabout once they appear on the X5/X15.I thought that was the case? Do you reckon the X30/X31 & X70/X71/X72 will be eventually split when driver numbers recover?
(24 Jan 2022, 10:06 am)Stanleyone X72 is just a nightmare, times are really tight and the Lobley Hill bit is a nightmare. Bus stop on the junction should not be served, additionally a stop inside the estate should be provided. Getting out on to the bank can also be a challenge. Imo the B5s are past their best and pulling out of Stanley bus station onto the roundabout can be fun if they are in electric mode, really can't wait for peak times at Sniperley roundabout once they appear on the X5/X15.I thought that was the case? Do you reckon the X30/X31 & X70/X71/X72 will be eventually split when driver numbers recover?
(24 Jan 2022, 11:16 am)L469 YVK I thought that was the case? Do you reckon the X30/X31 & X70/X71/X72 will be eventually split when driver numbers recover?If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.
So would be:
X30/X31 interworking = PVR 5x
X70/X71/X72 interworking = PVR 7x
(24 Jan 2022, 11:16 am)L469 YVK I thought that was the case? Do you reckon the X30/X31 & X70/X71/X72 will be eventually split when driver numbers recover?If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.
So would be:
X30/X31 interworking = PVR 5x
X70/X71/X72 interworking = PVR 7x
(24 Jan 2022, 12:14 pm)Stanleyone If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.
(24 Jan 2022, 12:14 pm)Stanleyone If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.
(23 Jan 2022, 8:45 pm)DeltaMan Wasn't the 17 a big bus route with minibus timing as well?Pretty much,it ran Cramlington-Whitley Bay,with the shorts running Whitley Bay-Benton ASDA which i believe interworked with the 307 to Newcastle
(23 Jan 2022, 8:45 pm)DeltaMan Wasn't the 17 a big bus route with minibus timing as well?Pretty much,it ran Cramlington-Whitley Bay,with the shorts running Whitley Bay-Benton ASDA which i believe interworked with the 307 to Newcastle
(24 Jan 2022, 6:14 am)L469 YVK Likely an educated guess. But in 2012/13, both the Angel 21 and Arriva 308 received Volvo B5LH hybrids through government funding.
The 308 always used to have decent loadings before pre covid.
(24 Jan 2022, 6:14 am)L469 YVK Likely an educated guess. But in 2012/13, both the Angel 21 and Arriva 308 received Volvo B5LH hybrids through government funding.
The 308 always used to have decent loadings before pre covid.
(24 Jan 2022, 12:14 pm)Stanleyone If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.They could interwork with the X45/X46 with the X30/X31 (meaning E400MMCs on those and StreetDecks on X70/X71/X72) that would still reduce the need for any remote changeovers at Stanley.
(24 Jan 2022, 12:14 pm)Stanleyone If they reopened Stanley as canteen there could be better interworking plans, but that's a decision that comes from Bensham, there's a couple of shifts (presently) that you come off at Stanley, head to Consett for break and return to Stanley for next stint. Pointless really, but I'm simply a driver.They could interwork with the X45/X46 with the X30/X31 (meaning E400MMCs on those and StreetDecks on X70/X71/X72) that would still reduce the need for any remote changeovers at Stanley.
Can’t comment for go north east but I can think of a few routes in Hartlepool that must have been boring to do.
The old service 5 which was about less than 10 minutes for the entire journey from one end to the other and 20 for round trip not so bad in the Stagecoach days when it would work on to the 7 or 12 at the headland but when Arriva took it over for the final few years it must have great fun to do hours of going between Hart Station and the Headland with not many passengers must have been great fun and made the X66 Metrocentre to Gateshead look great in comparison
One recent one during the temporary changes for covid Stagecoach did short service 1 between Marina and Seaton Carew which again was less than 15 minutes to do which can’t have been that good to do.
Am guessing the the TR1 service in Middlesbrough is quite boring as well just constantly going between the Bus Station ( or broadcasting house as it seems to be now ) to Middlesbrough College taking a whole 5 minutes if that must be a joy to do.
(24 Jan 2022, 6:48 pm)L469 YVK They could interwork with the X45/X46 with the X30/X31 (meaning E400MMCs on those and StreetDecks on X70/X71/X72) that would still reduce the need for any remote changeovers at Stanley.I don't think a single consett/Stanley service from Newcastle and Consett to Newcaslte between 11:00-16:00 ran on time.
But........the reliability if anything kicked off around the Metrocentre would be horrific.
Keeping the X30/X31, X70/X71/X72 and X45/X46 standalone from each groups of services would make sense and even afford GNE more flexibility in many ways.
(24 Jan 2022, 6:48 pm)L469 YVK They could interwork with the X45/X46 with the X30/X31 (meaning E400MMCs on those and StreetDecks on X70/X71/X72) that would still reduce the need for any remote changeovers at Stanley.I don't think a single consett/Stanley service from Newcastle and Consett to Newcaslte between 11:00-16:00 ran on time.
But........the reliability if anything kicked off around the Metrocentre would be horrific.
Keeping the X30/X31, X70/X71/X72 and X45/X46 standalone from each groups of services would make sense and even afford GNE more flexibility in many ways.
(28 Jan 2022, 6:52 pm)Omega54 I don't think a single consett/Stanley service from Newcastle and Consett to Newcaslte between 11:00-16:00 ran on time.
I was a Consett, it was a bloody nightmare, 5 buses parked on stands out of service, all the parking up space was covered the same two geminis were just going around, around for a soild 10 mins.
(28 Jan 2022, 6:52 pm)Omega54 I don't think a single consett/Stanley service from Newcastle and Consett to Newcaslte between 11:00-16:00 ran on time.
I was a Consett, it was a bloody nightmare, 5 buses parked on stands out of service, all the parking up space was covered the same two geminis were just going around, around for a soild 10 mins.
(28 Jan 2022, 7:36 pm)Adrian Which bus were you on that went around and around the bus station for a solid 10 minutes?It was one of the school buses, there was no where to park, due to the way some of the School buses aswell as a branded streetlite.
Aside from around 3pm-4pm, the majority of services went out on time from what I can see on bustimes. Apart from the advertised missing ones of course.
(28 Jan 2022, 7:36 pm)Adrian Which bus were you on that went around and around the bus station for a solid 10 minutes?It was one of the school buses, there was no where to park, due to the way some of the School buses aswell as a branded streetlite.
Aside from around 3pm-4pm, the majority of services went out on time from what I can see on bustimes. Apart from the advertised missing ones of course.
Not a GNE route but the 555 must be soul destroyingly boring
CLS Here
X21, just drags on to West Auckland especially with the lights at Croxdale.
I must be one of the few that enjoy the 21s, prefer to be kept on my toes rather than sitting about every few stops.
34s are decent if all you've taken in your shift is notes and you've not got much change.
8s a decent run out too
(29 Jan 2022, 11:13 am)NL62WVW CLS HereAre you a fan of any of the 700's or the 71?
X21, just drags on to West Auckland especially with the lights at Croxdale.
I must be one of the few that enjoy the 21s, prefer to be kept on my toes rather than sitting about every few stops.
34s are decent if all you've taken in your shift is notes and you've not got much change.
8s a decent run out too
(29 Jan 2022, 11:13 am)NL62WVW CLS HereAre you a fan of any of the 700's or the 71?
X21, just drags on to West Auckland especially with the lights at Croxdale.
I must be one of the few that enjoy the 21s, prefer to be kept on my toes rather than sitting about every few stops.
34s are decent if all you've taken in your shift is notes and you've not got much change.
8s a decent run out too
