(06 Aug 2014, 5:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Not really - refer to the second last quote on this post.
As GuyParkRoyal said above, there are a lot of times where service X21 has a lot of customers. Much like the present situation with service 685, this is Go North East hammering another nail into Arriva's coffin.
We've recently discussed Stagecoach on Teesside's operations in regards to double deckers, and I must say that Go North East is very good at investing into double deckers if the service justifies them at peak times - maybe they don't care about all those pennies after all, and do care about their customers! 
Agreed and they buy good double deckers too! (a.k.a, no eco friendly nonsense with the exception of the Angel)
(06 Aug 2014, 5:54 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Not really - refer to the second last quote on this post.
As GuyParkRoyal said above, there are a lot of times where service X21 has a lot of customers. Much like the present situation with service 685, this is Go North East hammering another nail into Arriva's coffin.
We've recently discussed Stagecoach on Teesside's operations in regards to double deckers, and I must say that Go North East is very good at investing into double deckers if the service justifies them at peak times - maybe they don't care about all those pennies after all, and do care about their customers!
Must admit - last time I seen the X21 departing Durham for Bishop the loadings were excellent. I wonder if GNE will operate more services around the Bishop area?
(06 Aug 2014, 6:21 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Must admit - last time I seen the X21 departing Durham for Bishop the loadings were excellent. I wonder if GNE will operate more services around the Bishop area?
The strongest section of the route is Newcastle - Durham, rather than Durham - Bishop Auckland. I really can't see any more resources being plugged into Bishop Auckland, but I could be wrong.
In my experience, the loadings certainly haven't been brilliant - and that's never come as much as a surprise to me, given that Arriva operate more frequent services in that area.
(06 Aug 2014, 6:23 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]The strongest section of the route is Newcastle - Durham, rather than Durham - Bishop Auckland. I really can't see any more resources being plugged into Bishop Auckland, but I could be wrong.
In my experience, the loadings certainly haven't been brilliant - and that's never come as much as a surprise to me, given that Arriva operate more frequent services in that area.
Must have just been that one occasion then!
How does the 18 do?
(06 Aug 2014, 6:24 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Must have just been that one occasion then!
How does the 18 do?
The X21 is busy between Bishop Auckland and Durham at peak times as on this section of the route it picks up a few Durham Johnston School pupils and it picks up loads of New College students as the X21 runs up to Framwellgate Moor all day while the 6 only runs up there at peak times only. Other times of the day it seems to have fair amount of passengers (many of them concession passes).
I think the 18 does okay in Bishop Auckland as from the Coundon end the Arriva 56 is not the most reliable service in the world, also the 18 has an edge as it runs past Asda, Morrisons and the hospital where as if you got the 56 you would have to change bus or walk the rest of the way.
I doubt we'll see Go North East start up any more routes in Bishop Auckland after the OK1 failed.
(06 Aug 2014, 5:59 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Just been thinking, although it could be a Long Shot due to said Vehicles only Receiving a Repaint in May 2012, But would the Red Kite justify Double Deckers, and more so Justify them if Toonlink Service 47 was to join the Brand, and then be extended from Blackhall Mill to Consett via Medomeley and Leadgate, Thus upping the Frequency to Every 10 Minutes and also having the Services Interwork with eachother.
As a Result Toonlink Service 11 would be a Standalone Service, while Services 31/32 would still Interwork, and on top of that would still receive Investment this year.
Following on from my thought from Yesterday, I have had another thought, this time it regards the Tynedale Links Network, With MPD's last being Repainted in 2009 and no doubt being due for another, and 5210 sitting in Plain Yellow at the moment with no signs of it getting Branded, could there be a Possibility that the Tynedale Links Network receive the Volvo B7RLE's off the Toonlink Network if the 11/31/32 and 47 get New Vehicles This Year, with 4982 being used as Red Spare alongside 5229 for both Tynedale Links/Xpress.
(07 Aug 2014, 7:55 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote [ -> ]Following on from my thought from Yesterday, I have had another thought, this time it regards the Tynedale Links Network, With MPD's last being Repainted in 2009 and no doubt being due for another, and 5210 sitting in Plain Yellow at the moment with no signs of it getting Branded, could there be a Possibility that the Tynedale Links Network receive the Volvo B7RLE's off the Toonlink Network if the 11/31/32 and 47 get New Vehicles This Year, with 4982 being used as Red Spare alongside 5229 for both Tynedale Links/Xpress.
Tynedale Links network is run by MPDs for a reason. I don't think B7RLEs would suit routes like the 683.
(06 Aug 2014, 7:09 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]The X21 is busy between Bishop Auckland and Durham at peak times as on this section of the route it picks up a few Durham Johnston School pupils and it picks up loads of New College students as the X21 runs up to Framwellgate Moor all day while the 6 only runs up there at peak times only. Other times of the day it seems to have fair amount of passengers (many of them concession passes).
I think the 18 does okay in Bishop Auckland as from the Coundon end the Arriva 56 is not the most reliable service in the world, also the 18 has an edge as it runs past Asda, Morrisons and the hospital where as if you got the 56 you would have to change bus or walk the rest of the way.
I doubt we'll see Go North East start up any more routes in Bishop Auckland after the OK1 failed.
The 18 should really get more credit than it does. It was an experiment at first, but it has grown into a very popular service and without going into too much detail, does more than pay its way. Personally there is scope for extension in my humble opinion, but after the OK1 debacle, I think GNE have had their fingers burned.
Let's make something clear about the OK1 too - the passengers who cried out for some competition, killed the OK1 by simply boarding the first bus that turned up!
To be honest, i dont think Arriva should have even came in with competition for the service. GNE just wanted to revive the whole 'OK' travel name back to Bishop Auckland - which arriva wouldnt have done i must say and have a bus service that arriva didnt operate. In the OK1s case, it was just Arriva's greed that killed the OK1 by timing it so, as has already been said, passengers would get on the first bus that came to them. Arriva have plenty of services around that area and could easily manage without the X1 and just let GNE get on with the OK1 just like they have with service 18. It all comes down to that saying 'would you like it if somebody did that to you' and in arriva's case the answer would be no because they would be losing out on money for the sake of a few minutes.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:01 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]To be honest, i dont think Arriva should have even came in with competition for the service. GNE just wanted to revive the whole 'OK' travel name back to Bishop Auckland - which arriva wouldnt have done i must say and have a bus service that arriva didnt operate. In the OK1s case, it was just Arriva's greed that killed the OK1 by timing it so, as has already been said, passengers would get on the first bus that came to them. Arriva have plenty of services around that area and could easily manage without the X1 and just let GNE get on with the OK1 just like they have with service 18. It all comes down to that saying 'would you like it if somebody did that to you' and in arriva's case the answer would be no because they would be losing out on money for the sake of a few minutes.
Yes but it's business, and Arriva wouldn't just give away custom when they can do something about it, it's not how business works
(07 Aug 2014, 9:09 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Yes but it's business, and Arriva wouldn't just give away custom when they can do something about it, it's not how business works
Yes, but they make plenty of money without competing with the OK1, business or not, considering they are the main operator in that area anyway...
(07 Aug 2014, 9:11 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]Yes, but they make plenty of money without competing with the OK1, business or not, considering they are the main operator in that area anyway...
If Arriva had sat back, GNE's network in Bishop could have grown further and further.
The success of the OK1 could have led to more and more services being brought in, and that is why they had to act.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:11 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]Yes, but they make plenty of money without competing with the OK1, business or not, considering they are the main operator in that area anyway...
Yes but look at it this way, passengers of the OK1 may see it as better than Arrivas services, GNE may then launch more services in the area and these passengers will then use those because of the experience on the OK1, this therefore loses quite a lot of money for Arriva. So you may see it as competition against just the OK1 however in the long run it could have expanded into much more
(07 Aug 2014, 9:01 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]To be honest, i dont think Arriva should have even came in with competition for the service. GNE just wanted to revive the whole 'OK' travel name back to Bishop Auckland - which arriva wouldnt have done i must say and have a bus service that arriva didnt operate. In the OK1s case, it was just Arriva's greed that killed the OK1 by timing it so, as has already been said, passengers would get on the first bus that came to them. Arriva have plenty of services around that area and could easily manage without the X1 and just let GNE get on with the OK1 just like they have with service 18. It all comes down to that saying 'would you like it if somebody did that to you' and in arriva's case the answer would be no because they would be losing out on money for the sake of a few minutes.
At least the OK1 struck some fear for Arriva to improve their services in Bishop Auckland, after the OK1 was launched the X1 was introduced which offered faster journey times than the 1/1b and sometime afterwards the 6 was changed to run to run to West Auckland on a 12 minute frequency.
Yes passengers would just get on the first bus that turned up, the other issue was Arriva had more services in Bishop Auckland and Darlington which were more frequent and GNE had no other services in Darlington and little other services in Bishop Auckland.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:33 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]At least the OK1 struck some fear for Arriva to improve their services in Bishop Auckland, after the OK1 was launched the X1 was introduced which offered faster journey times than the 1/1b and sometime afterwards the 6 was changed to run to run to West Auckland on a 12 minute frequency.
Yes passengers would just get on the first bus that turned up, the other issue was Arriva had more services in Bishop Auckland and Darlington which were more frequent and GNE had no other services in Darlington and little other services in Bishop Auckland.
In hindsight, it was a bit ambitious taking on one of Arriva's prime routes. Perhaps they should have looked at running into Bishop from places like Shildon, Evenwood etc, and feed into the Pronto for Durham and Newcastle. That is one of the jobs of the 18.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:40 pm)RGR756V wrote [ -> ]In hindsight, it was a bit ambitious taking on one of Arriva's prime routes. Perhaps they should have looked at running into Bishop from places like Shildon, Evenwood etc, and feed into the Pronto for Durham and Newcastle. That is one of the jobs of the 18.
Perhaps they could have done a faster version of the 5/5A from Bishop to Darlington missing out many of the estates.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:50 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Perhaps they could have done a faster version of the 5/5A from Bishop to Darlington missing out many of the estates.
BIB:
(07 Aug 2014, 9:40 pm)RGR756V wrote [ -> ]In hindsight, it was a bit ambitious taking on one of Arriva's prime routes. Perhaps they should have looked at running into Bishop from places like Shildon, Evenwood etc, and feed into the Pronto for Durham and Newcastle. That is one of the jobs of the 18.
I would consider the 5/5a still a 'prime route' - its main role is to provide a Newton Aycliffe-Bishop Auckland service, as well as an back-up to the 7 between Newton Aycliffe and Darlington.
(07 Aug 2014, 10:03 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]BIB:
I would consider the 5/5a still a 'prime route' - its main role is to provide a Newton Aycliffe-Bishop Auckland service, as well as an back-up to the 7 between Newton Aycliffe and Darlington.
Yeah the 5/5A is actually a busy route my suggestion would have been a different route but it would probably still lose to Arriva.
(07 Aug 2014, 9:12 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]If Arriva had sat back, GNE's network in Bishop could have grown further and further.
The success of the OK1 could have led to more and more services being brought in, and that is why they had to act.
I doubt they would have grown that far, baring in mind Arriva already have most of the main routes in that area and GNE would be left with the small town services which would pick up nothing except pensioners with their passes making them a bit of money off the odd fare paying passenger. Arrivas input in this whole situation to me was unneeded and was just an act of greed. When arriva moved into Darlington Stagecoach didnt do a single thing apart from letting arriva dominate them so much they had to leave Darlington with this only been part of the reason. GNE had been wiped out of Bishop Auckland just because of (presumably) the income from services in that area, in their opinion, wasnt good enough for them to keep operating there. Therefore, although Arriva are coping now because of services elsewhere (which will be presumably be keeping most of the services running), Go North East wont be prepared to start up operations there again after what happened all those years ago...
(07 Aug 2014, 10:29 pm)Robert wrote [ -> ]I doubt they would have grown that far, baring in mind Arriva already have most of the main routes in that area and GNE would be left with the small town services which would pick up nothing except pensioners with their passes making them a bit of money off the odd fare paying passenger. Arrivas input in this whole situation to me was unneeded and was just an act of greed. When arriva moved into Darlington Stagecoach didnt do a single thing apart from letting arriva dominate them so much they had to leave Darlington with this only been part of the reason. GNE had been wiped out of Bishop Auckland just because of (presumably) the income from services in that area, in their opinion, wasnt good enough for them to keep operating there. Therefore, although Arriva are coping now because of services elsewhere (which will be presumably be keeping most of the services running), Go North East wont be prepared to start up operations there again after what happened all those years ago...
Maybe they shouldn't have sold their operations in Bishop Auckland then...