(03 Aug 2014, 9:16 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]But Blyth doesn't do that...
If, let's say, a 308 doesn't come in on-time, they'll put one of their spare corporate liveried double deckers out to make sure it departs on time. When the 308 comes in, they'll take the Hybrid off and put it in the depot.
The next X4 hasn't come in on-time, so the Hybrid is taken straight back out and put on the X4. The "Quorum Express" branded Gemini then does the same as above.
That just can't happen with branded vehicles. In my opinion, some brands need to be chopped to give the depot extra leniency, or Blyth can't keep hold of this top spot. It's certainly something which needs management intervention, and should have done long before now.
But Dan, the Hybrid deckers are
never off route...
(03 Aug 2014, 9:17 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]But Dan, the Hybrid deckers are never off route...
Silly me... The Chronicle didn't ever get back to me on that one.
(03 Aug 2014, 9:18 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Silly me... The Chronicle didn't ever get back to me on that one.
Well put it this way, do you see 6056 to 6070 straying off route? No becuase they were subsidised by the Govt to be on that route! If Cobalt Park still sponsored the 309 and partly invested in the double deckers, would they be happy at GNE if they decided to run them on the 9, Coaster and 17?
(03 Aug 2014, 9:23 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]Well put it this way, do you see 6056 to 6070 straying off route? No becuase they were subsidised by the Govt to be on that route! If Cobalt Park still sponsored the 309 and partly invested in the double deckers, would they be happy at GNE if they decided to run them on the 9, Coaster and 17?
..and management would be having stern words with Chester-le-Street, if they did!
Branded vehicles appearing off-route is one thing, but government-funded vehicles appearing off-route is a completely different kettle of fish - and GNE wouldn't tolerate it.
(03 Aug 2014, 9:26 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]..and management would be having stern words with Chester-le-Street, if they did!
Branded vehicles appearing off-route is one thing, but government-funded vehicles appearing off-route is a completely different kettle of fish - and GNE wouldn't tolerate it.
I can't recall a Angel Hybrid
ever being off route!
3962/3965 did appear on the X22 now and then, but not anymore!
(03 Aug 2014, 9:28 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]I can't recall a Angel Hybrid ever being off route!
3962/3965 did appear on the X22 now and then, but not anymore!
Apart from that one time just last week when one appeared on the X21?
I have no doubt it would have been taken off at Chester though.
I believe two have been on the X21 (on an unscheduled journey), but other than scholars, I don't think any have been off-route.
(03 Aug 2014, 9:29 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Apart from that one time just last week when one appeared on the X21?
I have no doubt it would have been taken off at Chester though.
I believe two have been on the X21 (on an unscheduled journey), but other than scholars, I don't think any have been off-route.
I wonder how Chester compares to Blyth for performance?
Granted, they are different companies - but it will be interesting to compare lost mileage, delays etc for two routes of a similar type/duration.
Then you have Blyth, who keep the routes running, with whatever they have spare and Chester running light.
There is always a downside to the standards set by Blyth in performance, and we all know what that is...
(03 Aug 2014, 9:38 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]I wonder how Chester compares to Blyth for performance?
Granted, they are different companies - but it will be interesting to compare lost mileage, delays etc for two routes of a similar type/duration.
Then you have Blyth, who keep the routes running, with whatever they have spare and Chester running light.
There is always a downside to the standards set by Blyth in performance, and we all know what that is...
I believe Chester-le-Street has a higher spare vehicle percentage than Blyth; as such, one would expect that Chester-le-Street would be more capable of sending out buses to replace late running examples, before automatically regulating services. That of course is ultimately dependent on the availability of drivers too, I must add. Given the sheer amount of red spares we see on the Angel, I must say I do think this will be partly down to the depot providing late running replacements. I really can't see so many being VOR on a regular basis.
Even if we did have access to the lost mileage figures, I don't think we could compare the two hand in hand simply because of how different the routes are. They may be of a similar length, but the traffic patterns would be completely different I'd imagine.
And on the new 309 timetable from 31st August, there's no longer any 20 minute gaps for PM outbound journeys from Newcastle and they've managed to keep it at every 15 mins without causing any reliability issues.
309 from 31/08 between 16:00 and 17:00 from Newcastle to Blyth:
- 10, 25, 40 and 56
308 between 16:00 and 17:00 from Newcastle to Blyth:
- 08, 28 and 48.
And then look at the combined services from GNE opposed to Arriva ensuring that all services are equal to ensure that one or the other doesn't get a massive influx:
Arriva: 00 (306), 08 (308), 15 (306) then 13 minutes later, 28 (308), 35 (306) then 13 minutes later 48 (308), 55 (306).
GNE: 02 (310), 10 (309), 17 (310), 25 (309), 32 (310), 40 (309), 48 (310), 56 (309).
(03 Aug 2014, 10:27 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]And on the new 309 timetable from 31st August, there's no longer any 20 minute gaps for PM outbound journeys from Newcastle and they've managed to keep it at every 15 mins without causing any reliability issues.
309 from 31/08 between 16:00 and 17:00 from Newcastle to Blyth:
- 10, 25, 40 and 46
308 between 16:00 and 17:00 from Newcastle to Blyth:
- 08, 28 and 48.
And then look at the combined services from GNE opposed to Arriva ensuring that all services are equal to ensure that one or the other doesn't get a massive influx:
Arriva: 00 (306), 08 (308), 15 (306) then 13 minutes later, 28 (308), 35 (306) then 13 minutes later 48 (308), 55 (306).
GNE: 02 (310), 10 (309), 17 (310), 25 (309), 32 (310), 40 (309), 48 (310), 56 (309).
And between 1645-1800 when the majority of people are going home there is 308s at 1648, 1703, 1718, 1733 and 1748, every 15 minutes. While the 309s are at 1656, 1711, 1726, 1742, 1758 (WBay only)
I don't think there is much of a point to be proven.
On the fleetlist why are 7522-7528 down as Dennis Trident 3's?
(03 Aug 2014, 10:41 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Because they are?
Unless it was a typo? 
Pretty sure Trident 3's have three axles. So yeah must have been
(03 Aug 2014, 10:41 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Because they are?
Unless it was a typo?
They're E40D, the new designation for the Trident 2 Mk2 (or whatever they were before that). All ADL products are Ex0D chassis these days.
(03 Aug 2014, 10:34 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]And between 1645-1800 when the majority of people are going home there is 308s at 1648, 1703, 1718, 1733 and 1748, every 15 minutes. While the 309s are at 1656, 1711, 1726, 1742, 1758 (WBay only)
I don't think there is much of a point to be proven.
Between 4 and 5pm is the busier period with a mix of shoppers and commuters AND students heading to Henderson Hall and other student accommodation sites. After the first few runs between 5 and 515, things tend to quiet down a bit. After 5, it's mainly commuters who tend to go for the first few buses that leave.
(03 Aug 2014, 6:06 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Same in Darlington with the 7, Sapphire drivers often seem to be on town services and the X66, one morning on a Framwellgate Moor journey the driver said its only the second time he's driven up there.
The Sapphire WiFi is often slow, and often cuts off between Neville Cross and Ferryhill.
Different duties often through up something different with the Darlington sapphire drivers it to be the hours in
One of the duties does 2 7s then 2 x66
One does 2 7s then 5 2s
One does 2 7s then 12s
On a Sunday one does 9s a 66 to whinfield and then a 7 and finishes at aycliffe
(03 Aug 2014, 10:44 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]They're E40D, the new designation for the Trident 2 Mk2 (or whatever they were before that). All ADL products are Ex0D chassis these days.
Based on other fleet lists, I find the two (Dennis Trident Mk2 and E40D) are pretty interchangable with neither being favoured nor accepted more than the other. Both are often included in fleet lists, from my experience.
As for why it's down as a Trident 3 - Scott updated the fleetlist yesterday, so he's to blame this time, not me!
Fairly sure they will be Trident 2s though.
(03 Aug 2014, 9:10 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I stand corrected, but I find it quite surprising. I would have thought that logistically it would make sense to do that? I know that we maximise working hours for our shift workers, otherwise we would need more staff to cover the same roles.
But it is not that straight forward compared to working in an office lets say. You can only drive so long before a break, then after your break you then need to find a bus that the driver can go on. There is no point finishing your break at 1010, but there is no bus until 1020, you are just extending the meal break. Some duties might only do a couple of hours driving before meal but have along second half, but might only have about 7 hours driving in total. All bus companies use scheduling software (most use either Austrics or Omnibus) which builds the duties the most efficent way possible.
We've discussed the quality of Sapphire more so recently due to the conversion of another route in the North East to said specification.
Although the article doesn't focus on the North East, it is perhaps worth a read to see opinions on it from beyond the North East...
http://publictransportexperience.blogspo...2.html?m=1
And spot the photo from yours truly which has featured - as the blogger didn't contact me about it, I hadn't realised it was featured until I got to the end of the article...but hey ho!
Does anybody know which vehicles are based at the Alnwick outstation?