4973 - 4975 - Blue Arrow
4976 - Black Cats
5204 - 5209 - Corporate Livery
5211 - Corporate Livery


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I thought he meant the ones that were upgraded to euro 5
Only 6 Fast Cats were upgraded 4976,5205-5209 and 12 Prince Bishops: 4969,4989-4992, 5211-5217

The 35/36 service has been downgraded for years since the 535/536 were diverted via east Herrington and started to terminate at low moorsley instead of south hetton.

The 20 going the same way with these streetlites and the extension to shields, already some deptford drivers are saying that there’s been loads of reliability problems on the Durham section due to the extension to shields, and some drivers are saying that the 56 has been losing patronage over the past year.

The black cats scanias are going on the 35.


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Any fact behind this statement? 

My guess would be any reliability issues on the 20 are due to Durham anyway as traffic is horrendous wherever the service extends to. Can’t really see the extension to Shields causing many problems myself

Any fact behind this statement? 

My guess would be any reliability issues on the 20 are due to Durham anyway as traffic is horrendous wherever the service extends to. Can’t really see the extension to Shields causing many problems myself

The 20 is my local service and I have no issues with the reliability of it.

I use it regularly between where I live and South Shields/Sunderland City Centre, and would be inclined to agree that if there was any issues on the route, it wouldn't be at the Shields end! There seems to be between 10-13 minutes layover in Durham at peak-times too which really helps (as well as around 4-5 mins recovery time in Sunderland).

Any fact behind this statement? 

My guess would be any reliability issues on the 20 are due to Durham anyway as traffic is horrendous wherever the service extends to. Can’t really see the extension to Shields causing many problems myself

That the Black Cats Scania are going onto the 35 is fact - only 7 for a PVR of 8 isn't a problem as there will be fleet livery Scania L94 at Deptford to make up the 8th. Not worth repainting another with them due to be withdrawn in 18 months time.

That the Black Cats Scania are going onto the 35 is fact - only 7 for a PVR of 8 isn't a problem as there will be fleet livery Scania L94 at Deptford to make up the 8th. Not worth repainting another with them due to be withdrawn in 18 months time.

It didn't stop them painting 5204/11 for the fast cats which lasted 10 months before they were painted again. Wouldn't be surprised to see 4989 making up the 8th bus possibly branded on its current shade of red.

It didn't stop them painting 5204/11 for the fast cats which lasted 10 months before they were painted again. Wouldn't be surprised to see 4989 making up the 8th bus possibly branded on its current shade of red.

Definitely no changes to buses being painted/branded.

They're actually two short of PVR for the 35, with one of the Black Cats L94s still being required for the 38 (same corridor as the Black Cats 238). So I believe there'll be two fleet livery L94 allocated to the 35, alongside the 6 Black Cats branded L94.

Quite surprising that this is happening in such a competitive environment with Stagecoach in Sunderland, and presumably won't do any favours for marketing the 35/36 group of services with three different brands (fleet livery, Black Cats and blue See it Do it) either, when 18 months is still a very long time. Don't think anyone can deny Mercedes Citaro to L94 being a downgrade in terms of the quality provided - wouldn't be as bad if the latter type didn't rattle as much, and had a bit of heat in the saloon!

Definitely no changes to buses being painted/branded.

They're actually two short of PVR for the 35, with one of the Black Cats L94s still being required for the 38 (same corridor as the Black Cats 238). So I believe there'll be two fleet livery L94 allocated to the 35, alongside the 6 Black Cats branded L94.

Quite surprising that this is happening in such a competitive environment with Stagecoach in Sunderland, and presumably won't do any favours for marketing the 35/36 group of services with three different brands (fleet livery, Black Cats and blue See it Do it) either, when 18 months is still a very long time. Don't think anyone can deny Mercedes Citaro to L94 being a downgrade in terms of the quality provided - wouldn't be as bad if the latter type didn't rattle as much, and had a bit of heat in the saloon!

The 35 has been a bit of a joke service with all the service changes it has had over the years, although it does seem to have been left alone lately. How comes 5214-17 were allowed to leave Sunderland but were upgraded to euro 5 under the same contract?

i can feel more murging of services and changes coming for N.Tyneside in 2018(Apart from the #5),i dont know why

i can feel more murging of services and changes coming for N.Tyneside in 2018(Apart from the #5),i dont know why

9, 61 and part of the 88/88A are all being merged in 2018.

9, 61 and part of the 88/88A are all being merged in 2018.

all due respect thats not North Tyneside

i can feel more murging of services and changes coming for N.Tyneside in 2018(Apart from the #5),i dont know why

I think they are fine as they are - not much you can merge really

i can feel more murging of services and changes coming for N.Tyneside in 2018(Apart from the #5),i dont know why

Not saying you're instincts are wrong, but with a pretty streamlined service already, I can't see where there are too many services to merge.

I've suggested the Whitley Bay locals and 333 merging in the past. However, until they become commercial services, not sure it would happen.

Not saying you're instincts are wrong, but with a pretty streamlined service already, I can't see where there are too many services to merge.

I've suggested the Whitley Bay locals and 333 merging in the past. However, until they become commercial services, not sure it would happen.

335 extending to the ferry would be a nice idea again unlikely to happen

As  service 5 is going to extend to North Shields from jarrow,it would have made more sense to extend 19 from north shields to jarrow, this would open up more places to go from south Tyneside, were as the 5 will travel around southtyneside for an hour before heading to North Shields taking approx 80 mins from southshields to northshields with no new places to go.maybe GNE need to look at the extended 5 again.

The 20 going the same way with these streetlites and the extension to shields, already some deptford drivers are saying that there’s been loads of reliability problems on the Durham section due to the extension to shields, and some drivers are saying that the 56 has been losing patronage over the past year.

The 20 doesn't seem to be too bad Durham end, reliability wise. Its got a huge layover, and has become common sight to see one go on the back wall layover at Durham, as soon as the previous one pulls onto the stand. The only issue you tend to see is around the 1600-1800 peak. 

In my opinion, the new lights and Leazes Bowl works in Durham have made a big difference, but there is absolutely nothing you can do beyond that to cope with the peak time volume of traffic. Durham has for a long time, and will continue to bottleneck, until both North AND South bypasses are designed, funded and built... I can't see that happening anytime soon, but lets see what the County plan brings...