North East Buses

(09 Nov 2013, 4:59 pm)busman101 wrote [ -> ]Launch a new student product in September & start marketing it in November - genius !

Must be catching.

When Go North East started the X7 on 24th March, it only received its first marketing push in the middle of May. Genius!

(10 Nov 2013, 9:10 am)VolvoMarkII wrote [ -> ]Must be catching.

When Go North East started the X7 on 24th March, it only received its first marketing push in the middle of May. Genius!

Whilst I agree that the "Wear Tees Xpress" X7 service should have been promoted when first launched to maximise the service's potential market, the service did not target a specific market like Arriva's 23 service appears to, and therefore did not need to be marketed at a given date. In fact, I recall using the service frequently in the first week when first launched and Go North East employees were at Peterlee Bus Station handing out timetables to members of the public. However poor a level of promotion this was, it still existed - can the same be said about Arriva's 23 service?

If Arriva's 23 service is aimed at students, it should have been promoted at the start of the academic year (September), rather than two months down the line when the Autumn term is drawing to a close.

(10 Nov 2013, 1:12 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Whilst I agree that the "Wear Tees Xpress" X7 service should have been promoted when first launched to maximise the service's potential market, the service did not target a specific market like Arriva's 23 service appears to, and therefore did not need to be marketed at a given date. In fact, I recall using the service frequently in the first week when first launched and Go North East employees were at Peterlee Bus Station handing out timetables to members of the public. However poor a level of promotion this was, it still existed - can the same be said about Arriva's 23 service?

If Arriva's 23 service is aimed at students, it should have been promoted at the start of the academic year (September), rather than two months down the line when the Autumn term is drawing to a close.

I think it's more to do with the new East Durham student tickets rather than the 23 specifically. They are also valid on the 21/21A, 22, 24, 57A etc. They have been in place since September however...

Speaking of marketing...


Perhaps getting a little off-topic but all linked in, I guess...

I wonder if the 685 has ever had such marketing treatment?

It goes from bad to worse with Jesmond... They were using 7471 and 7476 on the 52 yesterday, a service that doesn't even justify and B10BLE! It's a waste because they could have been used on a busier service like the 306.

Also, 7471 now has a rear advert for East Coast.

(10 Nov 2013, 5:48 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]It goes from bad to worse with Jesmond... They were using 7471 and 7476 on the 52 yesterday, a service that doesn't even justify and B10BLE! It's a waste because they could have been used on a busier service like the 306.

Also, 7471 now has a rear advert for East Coast.

You do understand that the 52 interworks with the 43, a route that does require Deckers. (And you can't run the 52 on its own, unless you give each trip a nice 21 minutes layover in Cramlington).

(10 Nov 2013, 5:53 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]You do understand that the 52 interworks with the 43, a route that does require Deckers. (And you can't run the 52 on its own, unless you give each trip a nice 21 minutes layover in Cramlington).

Ah that explains it then. The 52 should be scrapped anyway, along with the 54. Services 51 and 53 always have good loads.

(10 Nov 2013, 5:30 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Speaking of marketing...


Perhaps getting a little off-topic but all linked in, I guess...

I wonder if the 685 has ever had such marketing treatment?

Probably not, but like most other long standing services, everyone knows the 685. The X84/X85 is a brand new project, which will be interesting to see how it works out.

I strongly suspect that in 12 months time, this additional service will over compensate demand and three bus operators will be running at a loss as not enough people overall within the coridoor to justify operation of the X84/X85 and Stagecoach/Arriva 685.

Competition, in this case is very likely to have a negative effect. I suspect it is a case of who will fold first and given the past, unless the X84/X85 starts to pick up more than concs, probably that! Most journeys carry 'freebies'.

(10 Nov 2013, 7:42 pm)VolvoMarkII wrote [ -> ]Probably not, but like most other long standing services, everyone knows the 685. The X84/X85 is a brand new project, which will be interesting to see how it works out.

I strongly suspect that in 12 months time, this additional service will over compensate demand and three bus operators will be running at a loss as not enough people overall within the coridoor to justify operation of the X84/X85 and Stagecoach/Arriva 685.

Competition, in this case is very likely to have a negative effect. I suspect it is a case of who will fold first and given the past, unless the X84/X85 starts to pick up more than concs, probably that! Most journeys carry 'freebies'.

Was the 685 never a 'new service'?

No comment on the 23 either?

(10 Nov 2013, 7:47 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Was the 685 never a 'new service'?

No comment on the 23 either?

Not in the age of the internet...

(10 Nov 2013, 7:58 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Not in the age of the internet...

But how was it marketed back then? Surely there were still levels of promotion and marketing without the Internet?
I guess the majority of the passengers the 685 carries are older than the Internet too though, so it doesn't really matter.
Perhaps the 685 could have benefited from a marketing push when it was upgraded to Omnicity/Enviros earlier this year? Go North East made sure they marketed the X85 as 'low floor', something of which both operators of the 685 couldn't boast about previously.

Mark - have you seen what passengers are like AM/PM peaks on the X85? Of course the revenue/profit generated on both services at other points of the day is good enough for the service to be sustainable otherwise a cut would have been made by now...

What are the changes being made to the 685 next month and what is going to be the difference between the 85 and 685?

(10 Nov 2013, 8:25 pm)Mark1 wrote [ -> ]What are the changes being made to the 685 next month and what is going to be the difference between the 85 and 685?

See original post here.
Will likely become the 85 between Newcastle and Hexham, and the 685 from Hexham to Carlisle? Believe it was originally discussed that's what it's 'meant' to be on Sundays at present - the reality on the other hand...

(10 Nov 2013, 8:29 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]See original post here.
Will likely become the 85 between Newcastle and Hexham, and the 685 from Hexham to Carlisle? Believe it was originally discussed that's what it's 'meant' to be on Sundays at present - the reality on the other hand...

Thanks Dan.
I suppose they make sense if it is saving them money. I thought they may have introduced some extra peak time journeys on their X85 from Newcastle to counteract the GNE equivalent if these are successful for GNE.

The X85 normally has very poor passenger numbers. Yesterday, one only left with approx. 5 passengers. However, the X84 is a very popular service. It is considerably busier than the X85.

However, the 685 has been quite busy too. Not sure if this is because of passengers travelling further than Hexham or not. Yesterday a X84 was 10 minutes late so the 685 took all the passengers and left full. I'd hate to see the 685 and X84/X85 withdrawn as a result of these new services because passenger numbers aren't good on either services, but I personally don't think this will happen. The 685 has been around for years.

(10 Nov 2013, 9:04 pm)Liam wrote [ -> ]Providing information about the time of your spotting and which direction the vehicle was travelling, whether Newcastle or Hexham bound, would help? I've seen Go North East Red Arrow B9s crossing the High Level bridge towards Washington at 8 AM in the morning with 1 or 2 passengers, so even a service which is at the top of its game still has to run with few passengers on some parts of its journeys.

Hexham bound, around 13:15.

I can't see all three lasting.

Which of the three will remain, not sure - Arriva obviously have the added bonus of serving the villages beyond Hexham, it departs Eldon Square a few minutes before the x84/85 and it is an established service.
That has to stand it in good stead.

However, like other operators in other areas, Arriva have seemingly taken the market for granted.

(10 Nov 2013, 8:25 pm)Mark1 wrote [ -> ]What are the changes being made to the 685 next month and what is going to be the difference between the 85 and 685?

Believe it is getting split to go domestic, the split will be placed in Hexham I understand, service X85 from Newcastle to Hexham and then numbered 685 beyond there to Carlisle. Timetable should be available shortly but it may be seeing another vehicle change shortly, no doubt with an upgraded offering.

(10 Nov 2013, 9:20 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Believe it is getting split to go domestic, the split will be placed in Hexham I understand, service X85 from Newcastle to Hexham and then numbered 685 beyond there to Carlisle. Timetable should be available shortly but it may be seeing another vehicle change shortly, no doubt with an upgraded offering.

Oh dear, I can't see that working very well...
Two X85s?

Almost as if Arriva are trying to pass their service off as the one Go North East are offering!

(10 Nov 2013, 9:23 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Oh dear, I can't see that working very well...
Two X85s?

Almost as if Arriva are trying to pass their service off as the one Go North East are offering!

This is one thing that really irritates me. No matter what people's thoughts are on QCS, you have to admit that having multiple services in the same area with the same service number is NOT a good passenger experience.