(15 Sep 2017, 8:10 pm)Tom wrote Possibly yeah, but would be stupid to split the route would imagine GNE would take it on commercially if that was the case.

Were any 45/46 services up for tender?

But isn't that GNE's little trick when they take on a tender of a certain service to extend/merge it into one of their routes? X40 into the Q3, Q1/Q2s with the 51/52s etc rather than just running it as a separate service.

(15 Sep 2017, 8:24 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote But isn't that GNE's little trick when they take on a tender of a certain service to extend/merge it into one of their routes? X40 into the Q3, Q1/Q2s with the 51/52s etc rather than just running it as a separate service.

I guess we'll have to wait and see, shouldn't be long before we see Vosa registrations.

Tenders for Consett & Stanley, info from the tenders discussion thread.

30 Stanley-Lanchester Mon-Sat evening
78 Chester-Stanley Mon-Thu evening
78A Consett-Sunderland Mon-Thu evening
V1/V6/16 Consett towns Mon-Sat eve
X70 Consett-Newcastle Mon-Sat eve
M6 Stanley-Crookgate Mon-Thu eve
15 Consett-Durham Mon-Fri eve
V9 Consett-Chopwell Mon-Fri eve
30 Stanley-Lanchester Mon-Sat early morning
M7 Stanley towns Mon-Sat day
V9 Consett-Chopwell Sat afternoon
16A Stanley-Consett Mon-Thu eve
X30 Newcastle-Stanley Mon-Fri eve

(15 Sep 2017, 8:24 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote But isn't that GNE's little trick when they take on a tender of a certain service to extend/merge it into one of their routes? X40 into the Q3, Q1/Q2s with the 51/52s etc rather than just running it as a separate service.

The Quaylink would have been lost completely, if not taken on commercially by Go North East. Funding was pulled, and GNE found a way to keep it going, albeit at a reduced frequency, by merging it with the 51/52. I think Haymarket to Great Park on the Q3 is still secured, but Haymarket to Wallsend is commercial?

Personally would be quite surprised if this refers to anything tendered - these journeys usually start after 7pm, and some are only for one or two journeys from around 10pm. It'd be nothing to really scream and shout about from Nightingale's perspective.

I think it's more likely that the company are looking to use the double-deck buses they currently use on Misc. Works/scholars contracts on the morning and afternoon peaks. At the moment these buses don't do anything during the day or on weekends, so it makes sense as a starting block to use these buses to try their own commercial services. It's been tried by other operators before, and never seems to end well, but I wish them the best of luck. I personally think we should see more of this from the smaller operators - just how other members of this forum will suggest that bigger operators need to take the rough with the smooth by taking on some of the secured journeys commercially (which we see more of, than smaller operators taking risks by trying to operate their own commercial services on top of their guaranteed income from contracts).

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I still remember welco operating from south Hylton to the town. Was then put out it business by stagecoach with the 20a. This service was scrapped as soon as welco did.

I take it these proposals aren’t going ahead for new services then. Nothing on Vosa as of yet.

(23 Oct 2017, 12:48 pm)Tom wrote I take it these proposals aren’t going ahead for new services then. Nothing on Vosa as of yet.

Perhaps it's taking them a while to sort things out...I hope it happens eventually but I'm starting to think they've hit a bump in the road somewhere..

(23 Oct 2017, 12:48 pm)Tom wrote I take it these proposals aren’t going ahead for new services then. Nothing on Vosa as of yet.

Things have gone rather quiet on that front. All I've seen them say since that was posted was that they were looking for drivers, whether this push was to get drivers to drive these services or not, I don't know.

The six Volvo B7TL Wright Gemini's at Nightingale Coaches are now for sale on ebay.

Looks like the end for Nightingales.

PB2003280 SI
NIGHTINGALE COACHES LIMITED Director(s): GARRY JOHNSON, PAULA JOHNSON
CLASSIC HOUSE, MORRISON ROAD, STANLEY, DH9 7RX Registered Bus Services running under this licence have also been revoked with immediate effect.
Publication: N&P North East of England(2350), Licence Revoked
Date: 21 Dec 2018

(21 Dec 2018, 9:33 am)RBZ 5459 wrote Looks like the end for Nightingales.

PB2003280 SI
NIGHTINGALE COACHES LIMITED Director(s): GARRY JOHNSON, PAULA JOHNSON
CLASSIC HOUSE, MORRISON ROAD, STANLEY, DH9 7RX Registered Bus Services running under this licence have also been revoked with immediate effect.
Publication: N&P North East of England(2350), Licence Revoked
Date: 21 Dec 2018

Only the end for International work as PB2003280 SI was a one vehicle licence for European work.
They still have a 30 vehicle National licence on PB 1088679 SN.