(10 Sep 2015, 6:49 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]Who knows? It may be a diversion to serve Beamish although it's probably the wrong time of year for that to happen. An amendment can be an addition as well as an omission or shortcut.
(10 Sep 2015, 6:50 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]I know. I think the route is getting to the point now where if something is added, something will need to be removed for timekeeping.
I think you're both right, but it's a shame that something has to be taken from one person, in order to give it to another. Sticking an extra bus into the timetable would solve the problem, but also at an hourly cost.
The X12 timetable changes are a great example of that. It's heaving, which causes the delays, so what's the solution? Stop it serving a proportion of people that use it.
(10 Sep 2015, 6:59 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]You got that one right haha! With the A693 being the main road from Chester-le-Street to Stanley, it gets a lot of users and buses can be there ages waiting to pull out.
I know. I have a lot experience of waiting to pull out to crossover from one side to the other in busy peak-time traffic.
If something needs to be cut, then I'd probably cut that section of route.
(10 Sep 2015, 6:44 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]Keep checking VOSA! The Newcastle-Lanchester is a well valued service although i don't think many people would use the service between those 2 points. Id say the key journeys are between Lanchester and Stanley and then Stanley and Newcastle.
Yeah I agree, I use the 8:28 service from Lanchester to Newcastle 5 days a week, and most passengers get on at Stanley on that journey. On a evening I usually get a lift, the last direct X31 to Lanchester is 18:20 from Newcastle. If I ever get that service I'm usually the last person on (like tonight, a Ex London president operated that service) there isn't really a demand at all for it!
Sometimes I get the 21 to Durham around 20:00 from Eldon Square, and then get straight onto the 15 to Consett via Lanchester which is usually already parked up, so there is still a link around that time anyways!
(10 Sep 2015, 7:07 pm)Arcticrossy92 wrote [ -> ]Yeah I agree, I use the 8:28 service from Lanchester to Newcastle 5 days a week, and most passengers get on at Stanley on that journey. On a evening I usually get a lift, the last direct X31 to Lanchester is 18:20 from Newcastle. If I ever get that service I'm usually the last person on (like tonight, a Ex London president operated that service) there isn't really a demand at all for it!
Sometimes I get the 21 to Durham around 20:00 from Eldon Square, and then get straight onto the 15 to Consett via Lanchester which is usually already parked up, so there is still a link around that time anyways!
You would have had 6133 this morning then? Your bus passed 3830 on the 825 (On time for the first time this academic year!)
(10 Sep 2015, 7:09 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]You would have had 6133 this morning then? Your bus passed 3830 on the 825 (On time for the first time this academic year!)
Yeah i did! The 'New bus' as it was described the other day by a passenger, I replied by saying it was a excellent form of advertising!
I must admit, the slightly newer examples (I think) which have had the seats re-trimmed look newish inside.
Overall I really like the Omnidekka's, so much more powerful that everything thats been on recently. After having a Ex-London President for the return journey this evening, I can safely say I would have a Omnidekka over anything at the moment on the X30/X31
(10 Sep 2015, 7:03 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]The X12 timetable changes are a great example of that. It's heaving, which causes the delays, so what's the solution? Stop it serving a proportion of people that use it.
Unfortunately I disagree - the X12 needs to revert to limited stop. In my honest opinion, it needs a all stop service to operate alongside it. The temporary timetable over the summer showed that it can't have more time added into it without a wasteful layover in either Newcastle or Middlesbrough.
(10 Sep 2015, 6:39 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I wonder what the X66 and 8/8A changes are. It'd be nice to have an 8/8A Sunday service. I hope the X66 stopping point change is to remove the depot stop, rather than add an additional stop.
You've got the Metro!
(10 Sep 2015, 6:52 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]I believe I've discussed with you my feelings on that particular point.
**Like**
I have often wondered how the Christmas crowds on a Streetlite, will impact on the late running of services from Gateshead.
Or, towards drivers being unable to get back to Riverside at the end of their shift.
(10 Sep 2015, 7:29 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I have often wondered how the Christmas crowds on a Streetlite, will impact on the late running of services from Gateshead.
Or, towards drivers being unable to get back to Riverside at the end of their shift.
I used to live in Gateshead so caught the X66 quite regularly, particularly when I worked near Rowlands Gill for a few months. To be honest, it's always been frequent enough that you don't even stop to think that it runs to a given timetable unless it's so badly delayed that 3 come at once. And that was without the handy little shortcut that some runs can take. Delays were always down to traffic, rather than the buses themselves so I can't see what problem having streetlites would cause. Yes there are single deckers that can carry a handful more passengers, but they cost more to run. In the entire history of the service, the bendy buses were relatively short lived and, I suspect, expensive to run half full.
(10 Sep 2015, 7:44 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]I used to live in Gateshead so caught the X66 quite regularly, particularly when I worked near Rowlands Gill for a few months. To be honest, it's always been frequent enough that you don't even stop to think that it runs to a given timetable unless it's so badly delayed that 3 come at once. And that was without the handy little shortcut that some runs can take. Delays were always down to traffic, rather than the buses themselves so I can't see what problem having streetlites would cause. Yes there are single deckers that can carry a handful more passengers, but they cost more to run. In the entire history of the service, the bendy buses were relatively short lived and, I suspect, expensive to run half full.
Yeah you've got the problem with the 'rest of the year' when it's not bursting with high capacity vehicles not really being tested. Having said that on my (now limited) day out recently, I caught an X66 that was early August, middle of the day and it was rather heaving on a Streetlite then, so Christmas could be interesting to see how they will cope. I dare say dual door would probably be a better setup to aid loading/unloading times which would help, but this would come at a cost of capacity at the same time. The only way to solve it would probably be increase the frequency but would this come at a higher cost (resources wise) than upping the vehicle size? How would this add up across the year?
(10 Sep 2015, 7:44 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]I used to live in Gateshead so caught the X66 quite regularly, particularly when I worked near Rowlands Gill for a few months. To be honest, it's always been frequent enough that you don't even stop to think that it runs to a given timetable unless it's so badly delayed that 3 come at once. And that was without the handy little shortcut that some runs can take. Delays were always down to traffic, rather than the buses themselves so I can't see what problem having streetlites would cause. Yes there are single deckers that can carry a handful more passengers, but they cost more to run. In the entire history of the service, the bendy buses were relatively short lived and, I suspect, expensive to run half full.
I think what Andreos is trying to get at is how Gateshead-based duties will be affected if drivers using the X66 are somehow made late due to potential issues of overcapacity on a smaller vehicle.
(10 Sep 2015, 7:44 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]I used to live in Gateshead so caught the X66 quite regularly, particularly when I worked near Rowlands Gill for a few months. To be honest, it's always been frequent enough that you don't even stop to think that it runs to a given timetable unless it's so badly delayed that 3 come at once. And that was without the handy little shortcut that some runs can take. Delays were always down to traffic, rather than the buses themselves so I can't see what problem having streetlites would cause. Yes there are single deckers that can carry a handful more passengers, but they cost more to run. In the entire history of the service, the bendy buses were relatively short lived and, I suspect, expensive to run half full.
At Christmas, we will see those inevetable delays you mention.
We will also see loads increase and see runs close to full to the brim.
Having used it quite a bit recently, both prior to the six weeks and during - there were times, drivers transferring to/from the depot, were squeezed in tightly.
I can only imagine Christmas will be worse.
(10 Sep 2015, 7:29 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I have often wondered how the Christmas crowds on a Streetlite, will impact on the late running of services from Gateshead.
Or, towards drivers being unable to get back to Riverside at the end of their shift.
(10 Sep 2015, 7:55 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]I think what Andreos is trying to get at is how Gateshead-based duties will be affected if drivers using the X66 are somehow made late due to potential issues of overcapacity on a smaller vehicle.
It's clearly been done as a cheap alternative to running a staff shuttle, like Deptford have for example. From what I understand, the Deptford staff shuttle is part of a rota, so they're having to pay a driver to drive it back and forth all day. From that perspective alone, they're probably saving about 40k-50k a year just from not running a Gateshead-Riverside shuttle.
I do agree that X66 festive loadings has the potential to cause problems for drivers trying to travel back to the depot, though I think it'll be something reviewed reactively, with a better solution put in place in the event of problems. I don't think I'd be too far out if I was to suggest that there'll be some sort of collective agreement in place for changeovers, and travel to/from Riverside anyway. It also works both ways remember, and a driver shouldn't be expected to eat into their break to allow for extra time to get back to Gateshead.
(10 Sep 2015, 8:05 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]It's clearly been done as a cheap alternative to running a staff shuttle, like Deptford have for example. From what I understand, the Deptford staff shuttle is part of a rota, so they're having to pay a driver to drive it back and forth all day. From that perspective alone, they're probably saving about 40k-50k a year just from not running a Gateshead-Riverside shuttle.
I do agree that X66 festive loadings has the potential to cause problems for drivers trying to travel back to the depot, though I think it'll be something reviewed reactively, with a better solution put in place in the event of problems. I don't think I'd be too far out if I was to suggest that there'll be some sort of collective agreement in place for changeovers, and travel to/from Riverside anyway. It also works both ways remember, and a driver shouldn't be expected to eat into their break to allow for extra time to get back to Gateshead.
Don't forget though...previous festive seasons...have seen an increased use of double deckers on X66 as even the bendies were unable to cope with demand so the deckers that operated as dupes on the Bendies will no doubt act as dupes also for the streetlites
I think there would be no option other than to add on extra buses over the busiest period, anyhow, simply to cope with delays caused by increased traffic, even before considering passenger volume. IIRC It happened most years when I was using the service regularly for at least the busiest parts of the day - back in the lpg bus days before the bendybuses there would be non-lpg buses added, though not deckers as they would have had to go the long way round as the quick way before the new bus station involved that low bridge that seems to spend half the year flooded or being repaired, now.
Does anyone know whether new timetables were printed for the services that changed on 30 August? All the ones I've seen are still the previous editions - changes too minor to warrant reprinting?
Sunderland Connect changes come in to force today for the new academic year
From Saturday 12 September 2015, service 700 will return to the University term-time timetable, running every 15 minutes.
Sunderland Connect Service 701 goes to St Peter’s Campus, City Campus and Clanny House every 30 minutes between 9am and 3pm. As the 701 is an express service and doesn’t stop at all stops, your journey could be 10 minutes quicker than on the 700, so we recommend you use the 701 for journeys between these three places.
There will also be some minor timetable changes to improve punctuality.
http://www.simplygo.com/download/publica...mber-2015/
Please note that the 700 will no longer go to Roker Beach or run on Sundays.
Today I'm going to get the Q3 from Great Park to Great Park via St Peters to try out the diversion, any ideas how the times have been affected with the JGNR diversion?
PB0002400/576 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Heworth Interchange
Finish Point: Brockley Whins Metro
Via:
Service Number: 901
Service Type: Limited Stop
Effective Date: 20-SEP-2015
Other Details: To run on 20 September 2015 only
PB0002400/577 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Heworth Interchange
Finish Point: South Shields, Keppel Street
Via:
Service Number: 900
Service Type: Limited Stop
Effective Date: 20-SEP-2015
Other Details: To run on September 20 September 2015
Surprised its taking so long for them to put rest of the changes on, especially since they received the rest on the 28th August...although they're back-logged only 9 so far today.. would of thought they would have put more on......... its just an general observation though.