North East Buses

Stockton High Street between 10am-2pm. Anyone heading over for this?

 I'm going to leave work just after 10 I think, so I'll be heading over.

I may head over to Stockton for this if I have time.

I will be there at 10 - I finish work at half 8 so go before it gets crowded then go home and bed.

An trip to Waterstone's for a textbook was this morning's excuse for a wee trip out:

09:28 #X25 Eighton Banks - Newcastle Blackett Street (3872)
10:05 #10A Newcastle Eldon Square - Metrocentre (6082)
10:30 #X43 Metrocentre - Stanley (3823)
11:00 #78 Stanley - Consett (4903)
11:45 #15A Consett - Durham (6012)
12:23 #50 Durham - Chester-le-Street (3804)
13:10 #X25 Chester-le-Street - Eighton Banks (3868)

(01 Nov 2014, 2:37 pm)Adam wrote [ -> ]An trip to Waterstone's for a textbook was this morning's excuse for a wee trip out:

09:28 #X25 Eighton Banks - Newcastle Blackett Street (3872)
10:05 #10A Newcastle Eldon Square - Metrocentre (6082)
10:30 #X43 Metrocentre - Stanley (3823)
11:00 #78 Stanley - Consett (4903)
11:45 #15A Consett - Durham (6012)
12:23 #50 Durham - Chester-le-Street (3804)
13:10 #X25 Chester-le-Street - Eighton Banks (3868)

Hey, you got another Olympian on the X43!

(01 Nov 2014, 2:39 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]Hey, you got another Olympian on the X43!

I know, I was dead chuffed. I will genuinely miss them when they go. They're fantastic buses

(01 Nov 2014, 4:01 pm)Adam wrote [ -> ]I know, I was dead chuffed. I will genuinely miss them when they go. They're fantastic buses

I remember when 3821 and 3822 were moved from Chester to Stanley, I was gutted! However, 3825 stayed and was allocated to the 887, my scholars, until it left for Stanley.

(01 Nov 2014, 11:50 am)aureolin wrote [ -> ]

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/The%20Zone%202014.aspx

Stockton High Street between 10am-2pm. Anyone heading over for this? 

I'm going to leave work just after 10 I think, so I'll be heading over.

Yes I will head across when I finish work at 1247

(01 Nov 2014, 4:05 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]I remember when 3821 and 3822 were moved from Chester to Stanley, I was gutted! However, 3825 stayed and was allocated to the 887, my scholars, until it left for Stanley.

3825 is brilliant. Love it to pieces and certainly one of the best buses at Stanley. Shame its not low floor  . 3822s fan belt (i can only assume its that) keeps slipping causing it to carry a squeeling sound like 3823 and 3828 - its annoying so i hate it 

Had a short(ish) trip out today;

#X25 - Chester to Wrekenton
(10:40 --- 11:00) GNE 3878
#56 - Wrekenton to G'head
(11:06 --- 11:25) GNE 6094
#X66 - G'head to MetroCentre
(11:39 --- 11:50) GNE 5390
#100 - MetroCentre to NCL
(11:55 --- 12:10) SNE 27508
#100 - NCL to MetroCentre
(12:14 --- 12:29) SNE 27510
#X66 - MetroCentre to G'head
(12:42 --- 12:55) GNE 3971
#21 - G'head to Chester
(13:08 --- 13:43) GNE 6065

On 6094, it was so packed I had to stand at the very front, and on Jackson Street people were being refused. When then going across for the X66, I put a £2 coin on the tray for the 90 pence fare. The driver very rudely told me 'nee way am a changin' that, y'll have ta get tha next'un'. After working out what he had said, I left 5339 and went to get some change. Then I got on 5390.

Was very pleased with my two journeys with Stagecoach. As it was the 100, I was expecting it to wait for ages until nobody else could get on. Surprisingly, I got on first, then a few other people until there was seven of us, and he pulled out.

Even quieter coming back - there were only 5 of us!

Then the day was spoilt by the arrogant driver on 3971. I handed over my fare and heard the ticket machine spring into life, but no ticket came out. I told him, and he sarcastically responded 'oh dear, what a tragedy - we'll all end up dead!'. I then told him that if an inspector were to get on, and I didn't have a ticket, I could be £20 odd lighter in my wallet! Rude bastard. The woman behind me, who spoke her mind, said he was very unpleasant and shouldn't be in a job.

Overall....6/10.

(08 Nov 2014, 2:13 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]Then the day was spoilt by the arrogant driver on 3971. I handed over my fare and heard the ticket machine spring into life, but no ticket came out. I told him, and he sarcastically responded 'oh dear, what a tragedy - we'll all end up dead!'. I then told him that if an inspector were to get on, and I didn't have a ticket, I could be £20 odd lighter in my wallet! Rude bastard. The woman behind me, who spoke her mind, said he was very unpleasant and shouldn't be in a job.

Overall....6/10.

Put a complaint in.

(08 Nov 2014, 2:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]Put a complaint in.

The ticket he did produce was all messed up and all the text wasn't readable. Hence I don't have his driver number, the time above was only a rough estimate - all I've got is 3971 & X66!

(08 Nov 2014, 2:32 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]The ticket he did produce was all messed up and all the text wasn't readable. Hence I don't have his driver number, the time above was only a rough estimate - all I've got is 3971 & X66!

They do not need a driver number, just tell them you were on 3971 on service X66 at approx 1240 from Metrocentre and let the Depot trace the driver.  If required the Depot can ask for the CCTV to be downloaded, which will show you standing longer than normal while he faffed on with the ETM.

Clearly faffed is a technical term!!

(08 Nov 2014, 2:45 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]They do not need a driver number, just tell them you were on 3971 on service X66 at approx 1240 from Metrocentre and let the Depot trace the driver.  If required the Depot can ask for the CCTV to be downloaded, which will show you standing longer than normal while he faffed on with the ETM.

Clearly faffed is a technical term!!

Cheers citaro! - I'll do it later this afternoon.

3971 wasnt on the X66 - it was on the 53.

(08 Nov 2014, 6:31 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]3971 wasnt on the X66 - it was on the 53.

Was it not? I thought it was 3971. Was definitely a Vyking, no doubt about it. It was 397x in that case, then! Obviously I didn't get a proper ticket as a result of the driver's dickheadness.

EDIT: Just come back to me - it was 3967!

Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

(08 Nov 2014, 8:06 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

I wouldn't want to think what that driver would say should I have dared to ask for a written ticket!

Just sent off my complaint, btw!

(08 Nov 2014, 8:06 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

It'll just be the machine not cutting tickets properly as someone (last passenger probably) pulled the ticket before it was cut properly, the ERGs don't like that and chew the next so many tickets up. No excuse for the drivers attitude though, should have just annulled it and then printed another

(09 Nov 2014, 10:37 am)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]It'll just be the machine not cutting tickets properly as someone (last passenger probably) pulled the ticket before it was cut properly, the ERGs don't like that and chew the next so many tickets up. No excuse for the drivers attitude though, should have just annulled it and then printed another

In no way defending the driver but given the allocation of a double decker, I'd put money on the driver being late.

Especially with the traffic near Riverside Depot lately, it's so hard to keep to time on the X66. It's not often you see X66s regulated (unless it's the driver's very last run), so they just have to grin and bear it. Clearly some drivers have more difficulty than others with the former point - especially if it's down to a ticket machine issue! You can make up a bit of time by going on the Centrelink towards Gateshead but obviously if a Vyking decided to go down that route, it'd be converted to an open top.

Still think bus drivers aren't paid enough for the stress they have to go through...