(19 Aug 2016, 2:20 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]I wasn't trying to suggest that they were wrong but if the same bus has been spotted on journeys which can't possibly be linked without the bus running NIS to the start of the route, something must have happened.
To be allocated to the 08:54 X31 from Stanley (the journey Lee saw it operating) after doing service X32, the bus had to have been allocated to the board which, for the purposes of this, I have called 'A'.
No other bus coming in on an X3- service from Stanley apart from the 07:15 X32 appears to be able to run onto the 08:15 X31 to Stanley. While entirely possible, I personally can't see them sending a bus through to Newcastle to operate a journey and then send a bus coming into Newcastle, completely capable of operating the same journey, NIS back to Stanley to operate another journey which, again, the bus that has been sent to Newcastle could have easily operated.
Whatever has happened is certainly strange. It could have been a typo (the X30 to arrive into Newcastle just before the first X32 is the bus that goes onto the 08:54 X31) but that is unlikely given that 0 and 2 are so far apart on a keyboard.
It will be interesting to see what happened but i certainly won't be losing any sleep over it.
Sometimes X31s simply don't turn up, so who knows.
(19 Aug 2016, 2:20 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]It will be interesting to see what happened but i certainly won't be losing any sleep over it.
5170 was allocated to the following board today:
07:36 #V7 - Pack Horse to Stanley Bus Station
07:58 #X32 - Stanley to Newcastle
09:04 #X30 - Newcastle to Stanley
09:58 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
10:45 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
11:30 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
12:15 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
13:00 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
13:45 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
14:30 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
15:15 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
16:04 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
17:00 #X30 - Newcastle to Stanley
Indeed; I saw it at around 10:25am at Team Valley Maingate heading to Newcastle, running around five minutes late.
Lee - if you're relying on your camera's EXIF data for the time you were on Bensham Bank, is it possible it's an hour behind..? I'm guessing you saw it at the same time I did, at 10:25, rather than 09:25...
(19 Aug 2016, 5:51 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Lee - if you're relying on your camera's EXIF data for the time you were on Bensham Bank, is it possible it's an hour behind..? I'm guessing you saw it at the same time I did, at 10:25, rather than 09:25...
Possibly Dan, yes. I didn't really blink an eye as to what time it was actually, I just took the time from my camera.
When will 6134 and 6135 enter service?
Also its still down on the fleet list that 6138 and 6139 are still Unallocated.
(19 Aug 2016, 11:36 am)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]2 possibilities then providing it hasn't been swapped for another vehicle.
A:
07:15 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:04)
08:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 08:56)
09:09 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 09:53)
10:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 10:38)
10:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 11:25)
11:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:08)
12:15 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:55)
13:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 13:38)
13:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 14:25)
14:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:10)
15:25 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:05)
16:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:02)
B:
07:58 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:57)
09:04 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 09:42)
09:58 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 10:38)
10:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 11:24)
11:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:10)
12:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:54)
13:00 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 13:40)
13:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 14:24)
14:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 15:10)
15:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:57)
16:04 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:51)
17:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:46)
Can confirm that it was B - we caught the 13:45 from Eldon Square (because that, followed by the 16A was more likely to get us to Durham in time for the 15:07 22 than the 13:47 Angel that hadn't actually shown up, yet.
I was quite surprised by how nippy this vehicle is.
Seen a few red kites operating the X32
(19 Aug 2016, 1:48 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]For the 5170 case, It arrived into Eldon Square around 8:07 on a X32.
Its suffered from reliability problems for many months now. My bus home from school was regularly up to 15 Mins late and also often got curtailed meaning I'd have to catch the next one.
Bringing the 89 back won't solve any reliability problems, for one the main delay spots are also on the former 89 route ( West Harton to Green Lane , Jarrow Town Centre and the Lindisfarne and A1300 junctions, Aswell as the section of A194 Inbetween.
And secondly the 89 terminated at Horsley Hill square, Passengers want to be in South Shields for shopping etc.
Thirdly it would mean GNE only have2 buses an hour from Brockely Whins into town against the 6 from Stagecoach on Service 18, It would make the service pointless.
I guess an issue at the moment too is the roadworks at Lindisfarne causing more delays than normal, but they'll be on until July next year!
(19 Aug 2016, 7:52 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]When will 6134 and 6135 enter service?
Also its still down on the fleet list that 6138 and 6139 are still Unallocated.
6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.
6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.
6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.
(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.
6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.
6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.
Will percy main be getting any? Be nice to see some this side of the water. Plus they have lost the replacement they had for 3859.
(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.
6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.
6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.
Good ... Chester can have 6034 back. Although it's been running well the last few days on the 18s and 1 trip on the X21
(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.
6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.
6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.
Good ... Chester can have 6034 back. Although it's been running well the last few days on the 18s and 1 trip on the X21
Don't know why that posted itself twice!!!
(20 Aug 2016, 8:25 am)pdiddy wrote [ -> ]Don't know why that posted itself twice!!!
I blame the Operator.....
Any sign of 4969/76/90/1/2/5212/5213 getting branded for the 39?, seems ages since they were painted "Red"
(20 Aug 2016, 9:49 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Any sign of 4969/76/90/1/2/5212/5213 getting branded for the 39?, seems ages since they were painted "Red"
Not as long as them silver Mercs that were fleeing around Sunderland, but I agree.
(20 Aug 2016, 9:51 am)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]Not as long as them silver Mercs that were fleeing around Sunderland, but I agree.
Well hopefully not, they seemed to of got the 61 reg Solo SR's done quick in to "Indigo", the "Blue Arrows" done....... so why is it taking so long for the "Red" Scania's...
(20 Aug 2016, 9:49 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Any sign of 4969/76/90/1/2/5212/5213 getting branded for the 39?, seems ages since they were painted "Red"
Soon perhaps?,theres been alot of branding happening 625,631 are now branded and the quaylink versas are branded,im thinking the 39 is very far down the list of priorities,57/58 are yet to be branded after the swap
With the Solars being red, not too dissimilar from the corporate livery, I wouldn't be surprised if they are at the bottom of the list for branding as opposed to things like indiGo and the Citylink citaros (which i imagine will be next to be done).
(20 Aug 2016, 9:54 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Well hopefully not, they seemed to of got the 61 reg Solo SR's done quick in to "Indigo", the "Blue Arrows" done....... so why is it taking so long for the "Red" Scania's...
Might be me, but it seems GNE attitude towards branding and the such like on Wearside is that its secondary to whatever goes on in Tyneside, I mean could you really imagine unbranded vehicles going around on routes that heading into Newcastle for this long?
Also am i right in saying that some red arrows buses still got the older style branding? Its just seems to me GNE gives themselves far too much to do at times with constant re-paints, re-branding etc that things tend to get forgotten about like the unbranded silver mercs and the Cadets that were supposed to be branded up for the Black Cats which never happened, would not surprised me if the same things happens with the Solar's that got re-painted which in one way may not really matter as whilst the shade of red is slightly different, joe public won't probably know nor really care.
(20 Aug 2016, 11:01 am)Bus_User wrote [ -> ]Might be me, but it seems GNE attitude towards branding and the such like on Wearside is that its secondary to whatever goes on in Tyneside, I mean could you really imagine unbranded vehicles going around on routes that heading into Newcastle for this long?
Also am i right in saying that some red arrows buses still got the older style branding? Its just seems to me GNE gives themselves far too much to do at times with constant re-paints, re-branding etc that things tend to get forgotten about like the unbranded silver mercs and the Cadets that were supposed to be branded up for the Black Cats which never happened, would not surprised me if the same things happens with the Solar's that got re-painted which in one way may not really matter as whilst the shade of red is slightly different, joe public won't probably know nor really care.
I have to agree in some way, look at the website for that too, all the info for the Gateshead/North Tyneside changes have been updated - new brands etc, where as the Sunderland changes, which happened a while back still isn't up to date....
X36 still down as "Fast Cats",
Info on the "See it, do It Sunderland" brand has the 36 down as going to Town End Farm.
The 5 still doesn't have a tab for "Whey Aye Five-0"
The 61 doesn't have a Simplicity tab - However Dan mentioned this could because the versa's might not be on long.... (something like that)
If you go on the NEXUS tab, the W1/W1A/W3 still appear, not one of the new contracted services has a timetable on the site yet....
Hopefully this new website will have all the update to date info on brands etc but really it should of been done straight away whether or not they're getting a new website.
I think the reason why the "Cadets" weren't branded as "Black Cats" was because they'll of been withdrawn after a couple of years so they didn't bother.
The "Red Arrows" are taking far to long to be repainted and branded, still 5 left in old Livery, the repainting of these started in November 2015....
(20 Aug 2016, 11:01 am)Bus_User wrote [ -> ]Might be me, but it seems GNE attitude towards branding and the such like on Wearside is that its secondary to whatever goes on in Tyneside, I mean could you really imagine unbranded vehicles going around on routes that heading into Newcastle for this long?
Also am i right in saying that some red arrows buses still got the older style branding? Its just seems to me GNE gives themselves far too much to do at times with constant re-paints, re-branding etc that things tend to get forgotten about like the unbranded silver mercs and the Cadets that were supposed to be branded up for the Black Cats which never happened, would not surprised me if the same things happens with the Solar's that got re-painted which in one way may not really matter as whilst the shade of red is slightly different, joe public won't probably know nor really care.
Maybe its more of a priority because of the service changes in the area? With the increase in PVR & change in routes to some branded services in Newcastle, they might of thought best to get the branding correct and updated before anything else?
As the 39 has been in corp livery for a while, I would imagine the urgency isn't there as people know its generally a red bus anyway.
Also the reason why the cadets/ merits weren't branded was the fact they decided to get rid of them due to reliability issues. You wouldn't brand something for the sake of it, then a year later for that brand to be perceived as unreliable due to the type of bus that operated it. In my opinion, GNE made right decision to wait until more reliable stock became available