I am curious about the X66 changes and the additional stops around the Staithes.
The selling point of the service initially, was the speed and express nature of the route.
Obviously a couple of stops being added, in addition to the one at the back of Riverside, isn't going to make the world of difference to the overall journey time. However, they may make a difference to the loads.
I mentioned previously, the thoughts I had, about the increased numbers using the service in the lead up to Christmas and drivers using the service as a shuttle.
Assuming there is additional demand at the new stops, what are loads going to be like then?
Having used the 49's in the past, over the Streetlite on the X66 and there not being much difference in journey times - I wonder if others will do the same?
The Mercs on the 49's have seen better days, but certainly my vehicle of choice when travelling between the two points.
(08 Oct 2015, 11:12 am)LeeCalder wrote [ -> ]That is possibly the most ridiculous brand name I have ever heard..... Who ever has been coming up with the recent brand names, someone needs to have a word with them
indiGO, Green Arrow, Coast and Country
They are meaningless!
I know it will be the Silver Surfer next...
(08 Oct 2015, 11:12 am)LeeCalder wrote [ -> ]That is possibly the most ridiculous brand name I have ever heard..... Who ever has been coming up with the recent brand names, someone needs to have a word with them
indiGO, Green Arrow, Coast and Country
They are meaningless!
(08 Oct 2015, 2:52 pm)DanPicken wrote [ -> ]I know it will be the Silver Surfer next...
Come on, Lee... I'm sure the person(s) responsible for coming up with brand names have an awful lot of marketing expertise, and just because you dislike the brand names, does not mean that "someone needs to have a word with them".
We discussed brand names needing to have a meaning to be successful and marketable from
this post onwards, with regards to Stagecoach's "Connecting the Dots" brand. To follow on from the recent posts in the "What's annoying you today?" thread regarding debate and brash statements; the aforementioned debate regarding branding is, in my opinion, one of the better 'debates' we've had more recently, and (with hindsight) I'm shocked I didn't contribute a little bit more to it.
If you go back to the aforementioned debate, you'll see that, initially, I was of the opinion that brand names should have a meaning. Because I thought that brand names ought to have a meaning, I attempted to draw inferences based on the well-known idiom "connecting the dots", and suggested Stagecoach's use of this idiom didn't really work (in my opinion) as a brand name. However, Adrian hit the nail on the head by discussing Go North East's "Fab Fifty Six" brand. What made service 56 "fab" all of those years ago? Nothing - it was just a catchy name with a bit of alliteration. Almost ten years later, and I'd argue that it's one of Go North East's more recognised brand names, and it's one of those names that seems to roll off the tongue. "Fab Fifty Seven" seems to piggy-back on the brand name of service 56, and in my opinion, isn't half as successful. I'd have suggested it was down to the dated vehicle allocation if service 56 wasn't allocated fairly elderly Scania L94s until 2014... How do you know that "indiGo" isn't the next "Fab Fifty Six"..?
In my opinion; Go North East's branding went downhill a few years ago, but recent designs are a significant improvement on what we've had in the past. The "Green Arrow" is a prime example of this - it's a far superior design to "The Highwayman", and I think it's instantly more recognisable.
(08 Oct 2015, 1:43 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I am curious about the X66 changes and the additional stops around the Staithes.
The selling point of the service initially, was the speed and express nature of the route.
Obviously a couple of stops being added, in addition to the one at the back of Riverside, isn't going to make the world of difference to the overall journey time. However, they may make a difference to the loads.
Exactly...it is going to become like any other route operating between the Metrocentre and Gateshead (minus the 97 which does a tour of Whickham and Lobley Hill first) if they keep adding stops in here and there. The Riverside stop, yes - it saves money for drivers but other than that, I am personally strongly against adding any more stops to a service that has been non-stop for years.
(08 Oct 2015, 3:23 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Come on, Lee... I'm sure the person(s) responsible for coming up with brand names have an awful lot of marketing expertise, and just because you dislike the brand names, does not mean that "someone needs to have a word with them".
We discussed brand names needing to have a meaning to be successful and marketable from this post onwards, with regards to Stagecoach's "Connecting the Dots" brand. To follow on from the recent posts in the "What's annoying you today?" thread regarding debate and brash statements; the aforementioned debate regarding branding is, in my opinion, one of the better 'debates' we've had more recently, and (with hindsight) I'm shocked I didn't contribute a little bit more to it.
If you go back to the aforementioned debate, you'll see that, initially, I was of the opinion that brand names should have a meaning. Because I thought that brand names ought to have a meaning, I attempted to draw inferences based on the well-known idiom "connecting the dots", and suggested Stagecoach's use of this idiom didn't really work (in my opinion) as a brand name. However, Adrian hit the nail on the head by discussing Go North East's "Fab Fifty Six" brand. What made service 56 "fab" all of those years ago? Nothing - it was just a catchy name with a bit of alliteration. Almost ten years later, and I'd argue that it's one of Go North East's more recognised brand names, and it's one of those names that seems to roll off the tongue. "Fab Fifty Seven" seems to piggy-back on the brand name of service 56, and in my opinion, isn't half as successful. I'd have suggested it was down to the dated vehicle allocation if service 56 wasn't allocated fairly elderly Scania L94s until 2014... How do you know that "indiGo" isn't the next "Fab Fifty Six"..?
In my opinion; Go North East's branding went downhill a few years ago, but recent designs are a significant improvement on what we've had in the past. The "Green Arrow" is a prime example of this - it's a far superior design to "The Highwayman", and I think it's instantly more recognisable.
With regards to the last bit I will always call the Green Arrow the Highwayman and still call the Coast & Country the Lime.
(08 Oct 2015, 3:43 pm)DanPicken wrote [ -> ]With regards to the last bit I will always call the Green Arrow the Highwayman and still call the Coast & Country the Lime.
I was the same (with the Coast & Country) but as time has passed, i have been getting myself used to using the Coast & Country name. The process will be the same for the Green Arrow too, i'd imagine.
(08 Oct 2015, 3:40 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]Exactly...it is going to become like any other route operating between the Metrocentre and Gateshead (minus the 97 which does a tour of Whickham and Lobley Hill first) if they keep adding stops in here and there. The Riverside stop, yes - it saves money for drivers but other than that, I am personally strongly against adding any more stops to a service that has been non-stop for years.
It has been mentioned in the past, but I wonder if the current model and push towards day tickets has helped make the decision to add more stops?
The percentage of cash fares vs tickets on the X66, will mean the revenue/profit wont be fantastic.
Sticking a few more stops in, with very little impact on the overall running of the route, can only help that profit and revenue.
Proper maps like those on new X30/31 timetable are infinitely superior and more useful than the linear diagrams usually shown. The lack of maps on GNE timetables is what makes them inferior to Arriva's. However, timetables and access to them on Arriva's website are useless; simply go.com is much better.
Nah. I think maps like that are unnecessary. Passengers want to know if the bus stops at 'X' but they don't need to know where 'X' is. A simple map like the basic lines work and have done for years.
I too fail to see the logic in the X30/31/32 having the same brand as the new 12/12A. There is zero common ground between them and could actually end up confusing people at the Newcastle end. Especially as X31 has a very similar route number to the current Toonlink 31.
(08 Oct 2015, 5:26 pm)markydh wrote [ -> ]I too fail to see the logic in the X30/31/32 having the same brand as the new 12/12A. There is zero common ground between them and could actually end up confusing people at the Newcastle end. Especially as X31 has a very similar route number to the current Toonlink 31.
But baring in mind the 31/32 are being renumbered 12/12A...that problem shouldn't exist (may take a few weeks for passengers to get used to the new numbers though).
No, the linear diagrams don't work, they tell you the main stops but are useless if you are on a bus (without next stop announcements) and don't know the area; with a reasonable map you can follow the route. Or if you want to get a bus in a unfamiliar place you can work out where it runs from a decent map. The vast majority of bus timetables now have proper maps as the other big companies realise they are the most useful way of showing the route.
(08 Oct 2015, 5:33 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote [ -> ]No, the linear diagrams don't work, they tell you the main stops but are useless if you are on a bus (without next stop announcements) and don't know the area; with a reasonable map you can follow the route. Or if you want to get a bus in a unfamiliar place you can work out where it runs from a decent map. The vast majority of bus timetables now have proper maps as the other big companies realise they are the most useful way of showing the route.
I agree proper maps that show the area the route goes thru are much better, than a long line with place names dotted along it!
I definitely think this change to a proper map is far better!
(08 Oct 2015, 5:33 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote [ -> ]No, the linear diagrams don't work, they tell you the main stops but are useless if you are on a bus (without next stop announcements) and don't know the area; with a reasonable map you can follow the route. Or if you want to get a bus in a unfamiliar place you can work out where it runs from a decent map. The vast majority of bus timetables now have proper maps as the other big companies realise they are the most useful way of showing the route.
I just can't agree. While i can't say there are no positives to the maps, the linear maps are much better. The colours for each route are different which makes it easier to tell the difference between the routes unlike the X30/X31/X32 map (although the X32 kind of is easier to follow as it is a dotted line) and is less messy in built up areas (such as Newcastle for example).
You can have different colours like the Stanley area and Winlaton maps to show routes and variations, but single colour solid and dotted lines can also do, as most timetables are printed only with one or two colours. Decent maps are an essential part of timetables.