North East Buses

(20 Jun 2019, 6:13 pm)JP6004 wrote [ -> ]

Maybe saving red and gold for when X1 joins Xlines " alt="" title="">

I give it another 6 months before everything is an 'express' route

(20 Jun 2019, 6:43 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]

I give it another 6 months before everything is an 'express' route

Yes feel as if whole point of branding will be lost. Go to eldon square and everything will be gold

(20 Jun 2019, 6:47 pm)JP6004 wrote [ -> ]

Yes feel as if whole point of branding will be lost. Go to eldon square and everything will be gold

As much as I despised the Red Kites branding, I disagree with just changing the name of a route to imply that it's now an express route. If they launched the X45/X46/X47 as express routes in addition to the 45/46/47 then I wouldn't have such an issue with it.

(20 Jun 2019, 7:04 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]

As much as I despised the Red Kites branding, I disagree with just changing the name of a route to imply that it's now an express route. If they launched the X45/X46/X47 as express routes in addition to the 45/46/47 then I wouldn't have such an issue with it.

Agreed. Is it just the bit between central and the metro that's going to be non stop? If so then no doubt the 10 will go same way

(20 Jun 2019, 7:08 pm)JP6004 wrote [ -> ]

Agreed. Is it just the bit between central and the metro that's going to be non stop? If so then no doubt the 10 will go same way

I doubt they're actually going to bother changing anything, a simple rename. Job done!

In my eyes, you can only call a bus an 'express' service if there's a slow alternative, and if they're just rebranding routes, there isn't

I'd say that although rebranding the RK's to X-Lines arounds a bit bonkers, the non-stop element between MetroCentre and Newcastle could kinda justify the branding. And not only that, it'll give GNE greater flexibility regarding allocations too as well as providing a better customer experience.

My only concern over re-routing the TVT to make it all stopping (I think) would be the reliability of the short 10A and 10B. Hope GNE have the capacity to add extra resources to the TVT's should they need to.

Also, if an E400MMC was to be off the road, would an OmniDekka be allocated in place or would the X30 just do a diversion route to avoid the low bridge?

(20 Jun 2019, 8:08 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]I'd say that although rebranding the RK's to X-Lines arounds a bit bonkers, the non-stop element between MetroCentre and Newcastle could kinda justify the branding. And not only that, it'll give GNE greater flexibility regarding allocations too as well as providing a better customer experience.

My only concern over re-routing the TVT to make it all stopping (I think) would be the reliability of the short 10A and 10B. Hope GNE have the capacity to add extra resources to the TVT's should they need to.

Also, if an E400MMC was to be off the road, would an OmniDekka be allocated in place or would the X30 just do a diversion route to avoid the low bridge?

Personally I can see a streetlite, most likely 5451 to get allocated sending a decker on 16/A. Makes more sense than diverting it

With September just around the corner... any news on where the cascades from this years order will end up?

(20 Aug 2019, 6:32 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]With September just around the corner... any news on where the cascades from this years order will end up?

I suspect 6118-21&6149-61 will go to PM for 1s with the 15 Gemini 2Hs going to either Chester or Riverside. That’s just a guess.

11x Streetlites (X45/6/7) to go to Riverside for 93/94 replacing last Solars and Some Versas.

The E4 Citaros to displace Omnilinks at Saltmeadows

The Omnilinks that have been displaced to go to Chester to displace Versas which along Riverside examples to go to Deptford to Replace the last Solars.

(20 Aug 2019, 7:24 pm)NewcastleOne wrote [ -> ]

I suspect 6118-21&6149-61 will go to PM for 1s with the 15 Gemini 2Hs going to either Chester or Riverside. That’s just a guess.

11x Streetlites (X45/6/7) to go to Riverside for 93/94 replacing last Solars and Some Versas.

The E4 Citaros to displace Omnilinks at Saltmeadows

The Omnilinks that have been displaced to go to Chester to displace Versas which along Riverside examples to go to Deptford to Replace the last Solars.

Coasters have not long had the Hybrids so I wouldn't think they'd be coming off any time soon. Plus, from what I've seen anyway, they don't seem to be struggling with the route

(20 Aug 2019, 7:31 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]

Coasters have not long had the Hybrids so I wouldn't think they'd be coming off any time soon. Plus, from what I've seen anyway, they don't seem to be struggling with the route

There was a PVR increase in may, 6069 and 1 more bus is required, the others will be spared at Percy main but I do suspect 2 will go into coaster and 6069 into corp

(21 Aug 2019, 12:11 am)JM03 wrote [ -> ]

There was a PVR increase in may, 6069 and 1 more bus is required, the others will be spared at Percy main but I do suspect 2 will go into coaster and 6069 into corp

Hopefully, 6069, to put it lightly, is an abomination! How someone signed off on that design I'll never know

I wonder if they'll do an internal refurb on the B9s and put some half decent seats in them. I can barely make to Swalwell from Metrocentre before my back starts to ache

(21 Aug 2019, 1:43 am)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]

Hopefully, 6069, to put it lightly, is an abomination! How someone signed off on that design I'll never know

I wonder if they'll do an internal refurb on the B9s and put some half decent seats in them. I can barely make to Swalwell from Metrocentre before my back starts to ache

Tbh since the CC have been refurbished, could imagine something happening w them e.g. USBs, leather seating

One for next year;
7x ADL Enviro 200MMCs - Deptford for X-lines X6/X7/X20
672 will transfer to Percy Main replacing 709 on the W2.
673 - 678 will transfer to Riverside for MetroCentre Minis replacing 697/710 - 714.

(21 Aug 2019, 8:49 pm)S830OFT wrote [ -> ]One for next year;
7x ADL Enviro 200MMCs - Deptford for X-lines X6/X7/X20
672 will transfer to Percy Main replacing 709 on the W2.
673 - 678 will transfer to Riverside for MetroCentre Minis replacing 697/710 - 714.

W2 doesn’t need a larger solo. Never seen more than 4/5 on it. Don’t see why GNE will order new vehicles for routes they’ve just put vehicles on.

(21 Aug 2019, 8:59 pm)NewcastleOne wrote [ -> ]

W2 doesn’t need a larger solo. Never seen more than 4/5 on it. Don’t see why GNE will order new vehicles for routes they’ve just put vehicles on.

As the X20 is regularly overcrowded from the journeys I have observed, so unless some of the Red Kite StreetLites go on it, I can sense the issue to continue...

Also a larger Solo is used when 709 is not available, so I see no issue allocating one full time.

(21 Aug 2019, 9:08 pm)S830OFT wrote [ -> ]

As the X20 is regularly overcrowded from the journeys I have observed, so unless some of the Red Kite StreetLites go on it, I can sense the issue to continue...

Also a larger Solo is used when 709 is not available, so I see no issue allocating one full time.

I'd guess if they're going to do anything to the X20, it'd be putting the Streetlites on since they're already 'Xlines spec'

(21 Aug 2019, 9:08 pm)S830OFT wrote [ -> ]

As the X20 is regularly overcrowded from the journeys I have observed, so unless some of the Red Kite StreetLites go on it, I can sense the issue to continue...

Also a larger Solo is used when 709 is not available, so I see no issue allocating one full time.

Don't think there's any obvious overcrowding issues on the X20... I have said this in the past.

The W2 should be a smaller Solo - there is a clause in the contract that it needs to be a small bus. It's only when the small bus is unavailable that a bigger bus can be used. Anything longer term must be reported to Nexus.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

(21 Aug 2019, 10:02 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Don't think there's any obvious overcrowding issues on the X20... I have said this in the past.

The W2 should be a smaller Solo - there is a clause in the contract that it needs to be a small bus. It's only when the small bus is unavailable that a bigger bus can be used. Anything longer term must be reported to Nexus.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

How is the X6/X7 and X20 doing since they went to X-Lines?, has passenger numbers increased on all of the services?

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(20 Aug 2019, 7:24 pm)NewcastleOne wrote [ -> ]

I suspect 6118-21&6149-61 will go to PM for 1s with the 15 Gemini 2Hs going to either Chester or Riverside. That’s just a guess.

11x Streetlites (X45/6/7) to go to Riverside for 93/94 replacing last Solars and Some Versas.

The E4 Citaros to displace Omnilinks at Saltmeadows

The Omnilinks that have been displaced to go to Chester to displace Versas which along Riverside examples to go to Deptford to Replace the last Solars.

Not sure on Versa's to Deptford, hopefully they continue to Depot standardisation, and the 35 will gain Streetlites.

(22 Aug 2019, 9:52 am)Michael wrote [ -> ] 
How is the X6/X7 and X20 doing since they went to X-Lines?, has passenger numbers increased on all of the services?

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Not sure on Versa's to Deptford, hopefully they continue to Depot standardisation, and the 35 will gain Streetlites.

Purely from an anecdotal point of view, I've seen the Solo's on the X20's carry decent loads.

Standing occasionally.

However, I'm not sure there is a like for like comparison to the 20A, due to the fact the X20 is limited stop and on a reduced frequency and passengers travelling between common points on the 20/20A, often boarded the first bus that came. If you were travelling between say West Rainton and Houghton, you had the choice of either bus and obviously that isn't the case now.

I would be keen to see if people travelling between Durham and Houghton hang on for the half hourly X20 and have a quicker journey time, or if they just plump for the first bus that arrives.