(24 Aug 2014, 10:35 pm)G-CPTN wrote Nice shade of blue - seems different to current vehicles.

(24 Aug 2014, 10:35 pm)G-CPTN wrote Nice shade of blue - seems different to current vehicles.

(25 Aug 2014, 5:22 am)Dan wrote I think it depends what angle you view them from. I also thought that the light blue section looked smaller than it is on the rest of the Sapphire buses.

When you view from the front, the darker colour doesn't seem to dominate as much.

(24 Aug 2014, 9:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 1571-3 have been spotted at Heysham Docks today(1571/2 in the photo)

Information and photo @ Paul Jenkinson

(25 Aug 2014, 1:39 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I've come to a conclusion about the 308 and GNE's 21 after seeing three (2 x 308's and 1x 21) running late. Basically, as well as commuter buses, they're also in a sense tourist and one off buses where many people use them more than other routes for social and pleasure purposes rather than mostly domestic purposes particularly off peak and even more so on weekends and bank holidays. This in turn means that passenger numbers are higher and more cash fares have to be processed and to make it worse not to the fault of the customer not knowing the fares, drivers also have to spend time giving change. Here's what I suggest:

- No return fares and instead, replaced by clearly publicised and easy to understand fare zone stages a bit like the Metro with the option to purchase single or
day savers for either route according to how many zones are required.

- Exact fare only for Network One day tickets, Coorporate wide day tickets (tripple on Arriva and Buzzfare on GNE), Get Around (Go North East), Teen Card (Arriva), Nexus CAT and the single and daysaver options.

(25 Aug 2014, 2:22 pm)mb134 wrote Would it not be easier for operators to print their single fares on their websites, therefore passengers will have change as close to what is needed as they can do when they board?

(25 Aug 2014, 1:39 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I've come to a conclusion about the 308 and GNE's 21 after seeing three (2 x 308's and 1x 21) running late. Basically, as well as commuter buses, they're also in a sense tourist and one off buses where many people use them more than other routes for social and pleasure purposes rather than mostly domestic purposes particularly off peak and even more so on weekends and bank holidays. This in turn means that passenger numbers are higher and more cash fares have to be processed and to make it worse not to the fault of the customer not knowing the fares, drivers also have to spend time giving change. Here's what I suggest:

- No return fares and instead, replaced by clearly publicised and easy to understand fare zone stages a bit like the Metro with the option to purchase single or
day savers for either route according to how many zones are required.

- Exact fare only for Network One day tickets, Coorporate wide day tickets (tripple on Arriva and Buzzfare on GNE), Get Around (Go North East), Teen Card (Arriva), Nexus CAT and the single and daysaver options.

(25 Aug 2014, 2:22 pm)mb134 wrote Would it not be easier for operators to print their single fares on their websites, therefore passengers will have change as close to what is needed as they can do when they board?

(25 Aug 2014, 4:25 pm)aureolin wrote It would certainly be easier for those who'd check the information, but the majority of people probably aren't going to. It works both ways though because if someone was counting a £6.90 fare out of change for a day rover, then it'd probably cause more of a delay! QCS state that they would display fares on bus stop timetables, which is quite an interesting approach, and one I'd like to see.

(25 Aug 2014, 4:43 pm)mb134 wrote Yeah I guess, and the people who don't check the information will probably be those that complain about it!! About QCS, as I know virtually nothing about it, what is it all about?

(25 Aug 2014, 4:48 pm)Dan wrote Bed time read for you... 900 and odd posts?
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=7

(25 Aug 2014, 4:48 pm)Dan wrote Bed time read for you... 900 and odd posts?
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=7

(26 Aug 2014, 11:55 am)Kuyoyo wrote Anyone planning to head to Whitby for 211 is out of time - it was replaced by 1103 at half 11 and taken to Redcar depot to be prepared to head back to Yorkshire.

(26 Aug 2014, 2:07 pm)mb134 wrote 7482 was on the X20 earlier, thought only 7483 was still in service?

(26 Aug 2014, 2:16 pm)Dan wrote It'll be on temporary retention in the fleet to assist Ashington whilst they have three vehicles on loan to Blyth to cover for MAX refurbishments.

(26 Aug 2014, 9:12 pm)tyresmoke wrote New E400 NK64FEM and at least one other have arrived today, in Max livery for service X18

(26 Aug 2014, 9:19 pm)mb134 wrote Will these go straight into service or will they wait until the rest arrive?

(26 Aug 2014, 9:58 pm)tyresmoke wrote There's only 5 so I would expect the rest will arrive by the end of the week. Either way I'm told they're going straight out.

(26 Aug 2014, 11:33 pm)G-CPTN wrote 64 registrations not road-legal until Monday.