(06 May 2015, 5:43 pm)Dan wrote You can just see the vinyls inside hanging next to the cab area - they'll get stuck on before they go out on the road!  

(06 May 2015, 4:47 pm)Malarkey wrote Just out of curiosity, how many of you feel that the Streetlites are rather slow.

Just that when I was on the 2 earlier on one of the 11reg Versas, 5409 went passed as we stopped at Hastings Hill to let a Wheel Chair Passenger off, obviously during this time the driver would have get out of his cab to get the ramp out etc, this would therefore allow 5409 to get quite far ahead right, well not quite we caught 5409 up just before the Roundabout at Penshaw Monument which I was quite shocked by considering we were at a Standstill for around a Minute while the Wheelchair alighted, I cant help but think if that was a B10BLE Wright Renown that it would been long gone, probably at the other end of Penshaw I think.

On top of that I used the 8 twice yesterday between Washington Galleries and Sunderland, going up/down Washington Highway felt like forever before we built up any form of speed as they are very slow in accelerating, by which time the Vehicle would have to slow down at a Junction, dont even get me started on my return journey on 5406, heating on full blast coupled with the "New Vehicle Smell" and "Leather" isnt pleasant at all whatsoever.

Which leads me to the conclusion that GNE have went for Quantity over Quality, basically theyve bought the Supermarket equivalent of "Asda Smart Price Beans" which isnt very nice, when they should of bought a tin of Heinz instead in the form of Mercedes Citaros, Maybe my opinion will change in the future when I use them to go up Stanley and Consett for Photographs in a few weeks, but thus far I am not to impressed on these Lightweight Vehicles, finishing on a positive, I do like the e-leather Seating, Wood Effect flooring and Branding on the Vehicles for the Services in which they have been purchased for.

(06 May 2015, 5:45 pm)Robert wrote Talking of frequency, if you zoom right in. Does it say every 30 minutes on the side of the streetlite:

Go North East 6118 Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini. by guyparkroyal, on Flickr

(06 May 2015, 5:58 pm)cbma06 wrote The other streetlite at the rear does say every 30 minutes, even though the 45/46 is a 15 minute joint service, maybe GNE are covering their arses just in case theres a bus missing in service. I think GNE done this before on another service (8/78 streetlite?)

(06 May 2015, 5:58 pm)cbma06 wrote The other streetlite at the rear does say every 30 minutes, even though the 45/46 is a 15 minute joint service, maybe GNE are covering their arses just in case theres a bus missing in service. I think GNE done this before on another service (8/78 streetlite?)

(06 May 2015, 6:02 pm)Dan wrote There are buses with 'every 15 minutes'. I don't think Go North East would have displayed a bus at the Metrocentre Bus Rally if there had been a mistake with the vinyls on it. 

(06 May 2015, 7:28 pm)G-CPTN wrote It does say 'Up to every 15 minutes' - does that mean more or less  than every 15 minutes - or 'more or less' every 15 minutes?     :s

I think we should be told . . . 

(06 May 2015, 6:55 pm)Jimmi wrote As much as we'd all love to continue to have powerful buses on every route that drinks fuel I'm afraid those days are over as operators are needing to cut costs to continue to operate and save money and the way people see the impact on the environment has changed as well so all buses, cars and other forms of transport now have to be kinder to the environment. Operators could continue to buy heavy weight fuel binge drinkers but don't come complaining on here that your bus service has been cut or withdrawn due to the service not making enough money to cover the running costs.

(06 May 2015, 7:43 pm)Robert wrote Routemasters are old vehicles - they won't have as much power as they did back in the 50s or whenever it was built

(06 May 2015, 7:40 pm)G-CPTN wrote Too true - even I ponder whether a B9TL (engine) is necessary when I hear (and feel the heat) as they pass me when I am walking nearby.

Of course the vehicle needs to be able to keep to the timetable (and allow for delays so it can catch up).
You could say that any vehicle that has the performance to achieve the timetable times most of the time is 'adequate'.
You could stretch the timetable, but we see GNE offering 'faster journey times' (than Arriva) between Ncle and Hexham (X84/X85) so there is an optimum journey time.

Just to say that I consider the B9TLs to be ideal for the TEN - I would not want the sort of performance I experienced on the Routemaster up through Sunniside - that would be unacceptable IMO. 

(06 May 2015, 8:56 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote All depends. If a sensible operator like GNE who:
- Has no Ecosystems (bar RIBAS monitoring) affecting the performance of the bus
- Looks after them properly
- Has good maintenance schedules (I.e, 1 spare for every 7 or 8)

Then lightweight buses (bar the TTX and that kinda includes the B9 to an extent) are fine. 

For example, 7501 - 7506 were underperforming on the 308 after 2 1/2 years but at the same time, they weren't being looked after properly by Blyth and were in a right state under the bonnet.

(07 May 2015, 5:09 am)Dan wrote I believe GNE has the same Eco mods as ANE on the Citylink Versas. Likewise, the same mods on the Blaydon Racer Mercs as the Temsas in ANE's fleet.

(07 May 2015, 12:14 pm)JP6004 wrote Since Tuesday, one of the two 850 scholars has used a vyking as opposed both being olympians. Any reason for this?

(07 May 2015, 1:37 pm)Dan wrote Olympians VOR and they don't have 3813 to cover now, with it being back at Stanley following the withdrawal of 3803.

DaveyB will be gunning for me - suggesting an Olympian would ever be off the road is blasphemy!

(07 May 2015, 3:12 pm)Tom wrote I've never heard a B7TL as bad as 6008!
I understand why Michael thinks they are that bad now.

(07 May 2015, 3:24 pm)G-CPTN wrote I see that 6008 (which arrived from London) was first painted in corporate livery, then Northern, and back to corporate.

That makes three repaints.

(07 May 2015, 3:24 pm)G-CPTN wrote I see that 6008 (which arrived from London) was first painted in corporate livery, then Northern, and back to corporate.

That makes three repaints.

(07 May 2015, 3:27 pm)Davie wrote I think it was painted into the 'Red Angel' livery first

(07 May 2015, 4:28 pm)Jimmi wrote Does the Coast and Country StreetLite's have next stop announcements as I saw the screens and speakers but they didn't seem to be working. Any ideas?

Also I tried to connect to the WiFi on two examples but no joy. Didn't bother after that.

(07 May 2015, 4:28 pm)Jimmi wrote Also I tried to connect to the WiFi on two examples but no joy. Didn't bother after that.