(10 Aug 2013, 9:46 pm)Daniel wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 9:41 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 9:30 pm)Daniel wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 9:27 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 9:19 pm)Daniel wrote You weren't a customer from Newcastle to Middlesbrough though, like some passengers are. You hardly benefit from a 15 minute charge of your camera/phone on the X10. Over an hour, you can benefit greatly from it.
I've frequently used the service from A to B, and often have relied on a B9 turning up so that I could charge my phone which had died earlier in the day to get in touch with someone. I only do that if I know the allocations which admittedly normal passengers wouldn't, but I should be able to be fairly confident in knowing that I'll have the advertised benefits for using the service - especially when the service can be so costly when you're >18 and travelling the full length of the service on multiple occasions.

The vehicle has to be tachoed too, which is a big factor of determining a suitable replacement for a defective B9.

I have done from Heworth to M'Boro a few times so I the same have benefited in the past. Have no reason to go all the way to Newcastle to catch it when I can go to Heworth on the M1 From Washington.

Okay, so say you had 4949 today which was incredibly cramped rather than the usual B9 and 3833/3863/3864 was the alternative... Would you be particularly happy if you were using the service thinking you'd receive WiFi and plug sockets? No you wouldn't!

No I wouldn't to be honest, although I don't use my phone that often I wouldn't of minded having a trip on 3833 on the X10 though. I think of other services which have this same problem i.e. X30/X31/X70/X71, They always seem to have an Olympian on them, I know they don't have Wifi but even so, passengers must be just as sick as those on the X9/X10.

Passengers on the services you mentioned above don't have the promise of WiFi, plug sockets and 'luxury headrests' though. I'm positive we've all seen the numerous complaints made about the services you mentioned for either a) not being low floor or b) not having a space for a wheelchair/pushchair (whatever).
The X9/X10 comes under the "Gold Standard" policy, and customers really shouldn't have to expect a big old Olympian coming along to give them their journey rather than the bus with all of the fancy features. From an enthusiast point of view, I'm sure a lot of us wouldn't mind having the Oly on there, but from a customer's point of view needing the things that the services are advertised with... We'd think differently.

(10 Aug 2013, 9:55 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Of course we would think differently about it and I totally agree with what you have said Daniel. I do think GNE need to invest in buying buses for the Northern Division rather than Branded Services though.

(10 Aug 2013, 10:00 pm)Daniel wrote Rob has already told us that Vykings and Presidents within the fleet are going to take a "back role" from the end of this year.
I also remember seeing a post on Go North East's Facebook page a few months ago with a complaint about one of the services you mentioned above. The complaint was regarding one of the points I raised above too. Go North East replied saying that new vehicles were going to be purchased by the end of the year for those services.
Hitting on a point raised earlier today... More ex-London trash? B7 Geminis perhaps, given movements down there?

(10 Aug 2013, 10:00 pm)Daniel wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 9:55 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Of course we would think differently about it and I totally agree with what you have said Daniel. I do think GNE need to invest in buying buses for the Northern Division rather than Branded Services though.

Rob has already told us that Vykings and Presidents within the fleet are going to take a "back role" from the end of this year.
I also remember seeing a post on Go North East's Facebook page a few months ago with a complaint about one of the services you mentioned above. The complaint was regarding one of the points I raised above too. Go North East replied saying that new vehicles were going to be purchased by the end of the year for those services.
Hitting on a point raised earlier today... More ex-London trash? B7 Geminis perhaps, given movements down there?

(10 Aug 2013, 10:22 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Someone in a previous posting was moaning about the reliability of the B9TLs (and the B7TLs before them).

I don't think it's the bus itself that is the problem. I think something else might be causing the problem, not saying what, as I might have legal action threatened against me.

But look at it this way. I believe one of the most punishing bus routes in the UK for a normal bus are the Yorkshire Coastliner services from Leeds to Whitby / Scarborough / Bridlington. They are 3 times as long as the X9/X10, the route to Whitby is extremely hilly. There's plenty of fast running. Also enroute it passes through two cities. The mainstay of the Yorkshire Coastliner fleet is the very same Volvo B7TLs / Volvo B9TLs with the Wright Eclipse Gemini body (Some are Gemini 2). And to be honest, I haven't heard many reports of mass unreliability with their Volvos.

So what are they doing to theirs that GNE aren't?

(10 Aug 2013, 10:28 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Why would you have legal action threatened against you, that's just stupid, I'm sure Renowns and Solars are also used on there aswell along with the Geminis

(10 Aug 2013, 11:06 pm)Wellsey18 wrote Just mentioning the Scania deckers, some ex go ahead examples have appeared on ensigns website so i dunno if we will see them up here, maybe if there's more to be released?

http://www.ensignbus.com/scania-omnicity-2008.html

must admit these are very nice looking buses and would be great to see them up here!

(10 Aug 2013, 10:28 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I'm sure Renowns and Solars are also used on there aswell along with the Geminis

(10 Aug 2013, 3:32 pm)gtomlinson wrote

(10 Aug 2013, 10:53 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote More service reductions and GNE have the cheek to say (on simplygo.com) that changes to the 21 are “minor changes”.
GNE seem to be coming up with so called minor changes every couple of months which are really reductions in early morning, evening and weekend services. I was against quality contracts but this sort of behaviour from GNE has convinced me that quality contracts are needed to stop this erosion of services. No doubt the other GNE services that are included in the list of minor changes will see a reduction in the number of runs. My interpretation of minor changes is timing changes to improve performance measures or inter-workings.
The withdrawal of the early 21 from Durham should be seen by Arriva as an opportunity to continue to build business on the X2 by introducing an earlier first run from Durham to Newcastle. GNE have timed this very badly just when Arriva have brought in weekly tickets on the X2 offering a saving of 10% compared to the Angel Saver.

I agree, I'm not massively in favour of QC purely on the reliability of Nexus but dismissing the changes as 'e are making some changes to the times of a small number of journeys on services in County Durham and North Tyneside to improve reliability or which few passengers use'

You can guarantee if they'd added a 5.45 journey they'd trumpeting it to the high heaven.

Staying with service changes, when the 24 was altered and finished in Gateshead, the Facebook wall was full of posts from Harlow Green and parts of Wrekenton and Low Fell complaining about the change for a good week. Then it changed to the reliability of the 24 (of which the number 1 will surely be worse?!)

Then shock horror, GNE find people actually wanted the service to Newcastle! They had to see this coming? It's almost like route changes are done in the most cynical way to see what they can get away with before triumphantly telling us 'we listened to 8,000'

Well, you didn't. If you'd listened to 8,000 then you'd never have made the changes to Angel 24 in the first place!

ps 4865 is quite frankly the most uncomfortable, dirty, rattling piece of junk I've ever had the pleasure of riding

(11 Aug 2013, 11:12 am)Daniel wrote Shock rare working of the day... A "Northern" liveried Omni is on the 9...
Don't fret though, everyone... Two "Cobalt Connect" branded examples are on as well! Bloody Mercy Pain...

I agree, I'm not massively in favour of QC purely on the reliability of Nexus but dismissing the changes as 'e are making some changes to the times of a small number of journeys on services in County Durham and North Tyneside to improve reliability or which few passengers use'

You can guarantee if they'd added a 5.45 journey they'd trumpeting it to the high heaven.

Staying with service changes, when the 24 was altered and finished in Gateshead, the Facebook wall was full of posts from Harlow Green and parts of Wrekenton and Low Fell complaining about the change for a good week. Then it changed to the reliability of the 24 (of which the number 1 will surely be worse?!)

Then shock horror, GNE find people actually wanted the service to Newcastle! They had to see this coming? It's almost like route changes are done in the most cynical way to see what they can get away with before triumphantly telling us 'we listened to 8,000'

Well, you didn't. If you'd listened to 8,000 then you'd never have made the changes to Angel 24 in the first place!

(11 Aug 2013, 11:54 am)big mac wrote It's funny how GNE have quickly restored the 24's route back into Newcastle, but there are other places within Gateshead that lost a direct link to Newcastle and still do not have one.

For example, when the Orbit 51/52 was altered to terminate at Gateshead, both Easedale Gardens in Beacon Lough and Springwell Estate lost a direct Newcastle bus, both areas with a sizeable number of residents. There was quite a bit of dissent when this was first done, but GNE allowed it to blow over and the route still remains Gateshead-Gateshead.

Why is the 24 so much more important?

(11 Aug 2013, 1:48 pm)Andreos1 wrote Re the comments above relating to the Durham Road corridor.
The majority of passengers get off between the cenotaph/snooker club and Harlow Green.
How many of those passengers actually live within 5mins of their stop?

You just need to look at the housing in that area, either wedged between Durham Road & Old Durham Road or wedged between Durham Road & Saltwell Road.
Using the 1st area as an example, it isn't hard to see people trudging up Beacon Lough bank after getting off a 21 to see an Orbit, Pulse or Loop trundling past (it used to happen with me way back when, walking up that hill as a kid, with little legs isnt fun - believe me).

It is all well and good having a super fast frequency along Durham Road, but ignoring the residents of Dryden Road, Valley Drive, Church Road or Beacon Lough bank and not having an Orbit extend into Newcastle is strange.

(11 Aug 2013, 1:48 pm)Andreos1 wrote Re the comments above relating to the Durham Road corridor.
The majority of passengers get off between the cenotaph/snooker club and Harlow Green.
How many of those passengers actually live within 5mins of their stop?

You just need to look at the housing in that area, either wedged between Durham Road & Old Durham Road or wedged between Durham Road & Saltwell Road.
Using the 1st area as an example, it isn't hard to see people trudging up Beacon Lough bank after getting off a 21 to see an Orbit, Pulse or Loop trundling past (it used to happen with me way back when, walking up that hill as a kid, with little legs isnt fun - believe me).

It is all well and good having a super fast frequency along Durham Road, but ignoring the residents of Dryden Road, Valley Drive, Church Road or Beacon Lough bank and not having an Orbit extend into Newcastle is strange.

(11 Aug 2013, 2:27 pm)AdamY wrote You don't even need that. A simple Harlow Green/Allerdene circular would suffice following the 21 route from Newcastle to Shipcote, then via Dryden Road, Kells Lane, Beacon Lough Road, Easedale Gardens, Waverley Road, Harlow Green Lane, Hertford, Chowdene Bank, Durham Road and Beaconsfield Road to Kells Lane/Dryden Road with another bus running in the opposite direction. A complicated amalgamation of routes would probably not solve any problems in my view.

(08 Aug 2013, 10:05 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote

(06 Aug 2013, 9:06 pm)ifm001 wrote

(06 Aug 2013, 9:00 pm)gtomlinson wrote Not forgetting 221 and 21 which ran alongside all those during the bus war

And also Tyne Rider route 20 qhich operated to Harlow Green

Another one from the bus war was the OK service 23 from Worswick Street to Vigo Bridge via Low Fell and Birtley. That one caused Go Ahead Gateshead to run the 124 to compete with the OK 724. The 124 was an interesting service as it ran dead miles on a morning from Winlaton to Bishop Auckland.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplytransport/9096927076/

(11 Aug 2013, 4:29 pm)CitaroFavourite wrote

(11 Aug 2013, 2:27 pm)AdamY wrote You don't even need that. A simple Harlow Green/Allerdene circular would suffice following the 21 route from Newcastle to Shipcote, then via Dryden Road, Kells Lane, Beacon Lough Road, Easedale Gardens, Waverley Road, Harlow Green Lane, Hertford, Chowdene Bank, Durham Road and Beaconsfield Road to Kells Lane/Dryden Road with another bus running in the opposite direction. A complicated amalgamation of routes would probably not solve any problems in my view.

i love 21 route and X25 route my facebook mam works on them 2 routes