(02 Sep 2015, 5:27 pm)Malarkey wrote And as for this year I am at Work, so there is zero need for me to take note of this

Ya aaarn fault if ya turn up t'work late then (if the bus is your chosen method of transportation!) 

(02 Sep 2015, 5:24 pm)Dan wrote All in good time! All depends on if citaro5284 and I are both available and if the depot has an electrician who wants to work overtime into ungodly hours. 

I'm out with my mates the next few weekends (and the programmes are unlikely to be completed prior to the end of this month anyway), so it'll probably be next month at the very earliest before you see any changes at Percy Main.



Haha - not yet! 

Shouldn't be too long before Go North East posts details on their website.

Out of all the services in the Stanley area i only ever use the X30/X31 to Tanfield and the 78.

Hopefully not, i think they should be on soon as because of the amount of changes happening to the services in the areas.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:24 pm)Dan wrote All in good time! All depends on if citaro5284 and I are both available and if the depot has an electrician who wants to work overtime into ungodly hours. 

I'm out with my mates the next few weekends (and the programmes are unlikely to be completed prior to the end of this month anyway), so it'll probably be next month at the very earliest before you see any changes at Percy Main.

No rush! Hopefully we'll see some changes to the 17 though to sort out the reliability, and it has been suggested by people that there will be changes next month.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:31 pm)Tom wrote No rush! Hopefully we'll see some changes to the 17 though to sort out the reliability, and it has been suggested by people that there will be changes next month.

I also heard that to, i heard they were planning on splitting the route: 

Whitley Bay to Wallsend

Wallsend to Cramlington

(02 Sep 2015, 5:33 pm)Michael wrote I also heard that to, i heard they were planning on splitting the route: 

Whitley Bay to Wallsend

Wallsend to Cramlington

Yeah that's exactly what I heard but instead basically it would be the Sunday service, i.e 17 Churchill Street to Cramlington, and 17A Wallsend to Whitley Bay.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:35 pm)Tom wrote Yeah that's exactly what I heard but instead basically it would be the Sunday service, i.e 17 Churchill Street to Cramlington, and 17A Wallsend to Whitley Bay.

Sounds good, i would imagine that would drop the frequency on the full route to hourly (so it drops from half hourly on parts of the route)

(02 Sep 2015, 5:39 pm)Michael wrote Sounds good, i would imagine that would drop the frequency on the full route to hourly (so it drops from half hourly on parts of the route)

Can't see that happening, although I have heard about it. The only part of the route that would be left with a 30 minute frequency would be Wallsend-Rosehill which already has the Coaster and North Tyne Links every 15 minutes so there would be much point really. 

Also would mean areas like Holy Cross, Hadrian Lodge, East Howdon and Willington Quay would be left with a hourly service with no alternative nearby, so wouldn't go down well!

Nice to hear that there are definitely service changes happening for Stanley. Will bring variety as it has been the same for years and years.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:44 pm)S813 FVK wrote Nice to hear that there are definitely service changes happening for Stanley. Will bring variety as it has been the same for years and years.

Wish Stagecoach would do that, had the same routes around my area since the 2005 changes in Sunderland!

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(02 Sep 2015, 5:42 pm)Tom wrote Can't see that happening, although I have heard about it. The only part of the route that would be left with a 30 minute frequency would be Wallsend-Rosehill which already has the Coaster and North Tyne Links every 15 minutes so there would be much point really. 

Also would mean areas like Holy Cross, Hadrian Lodge, East Howdon and Willington Quay would be left with a hourly service with no alternative nearby, so wouldn't go down well!

I have no idea for the route so can't say on passenger numbers it would be crap if it went to hourly, after its just gone from every 20 minutes to 30.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:44 pm)S813 FVK wrote Nice to hear that there are definitely service changes happening for Stanley. Will bring variety as it has been the same for years and years.

How often have they done a customer consultation in the past and not gone through with at least some of the changes (even if the original proposals had to be altered somewhat based on customer feedback)...?

Obviously, some of Gateshead's services in Whickham and Winlaton were also proposed to change...

(02 Sep 2015, 5:46 pm)Dan wrote How often have they done a customer consultation in the past and not gone through with at least some of the changes (even if the original proposals had to be altered somewhat based on customer feedback)...?

Suppose the most recent 'major' change was the introduction of the 44A. I just hope its something decent and look forward to giving them a good read.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:49 pm)S813 FVK wrote Suppose the most recent 'major' change was the introduction of the 44A. I just hope its something decent and look forward to giving them a good read.

..and hopefully any changes increase reliability, given that this was the intention of making changes!

(02 Sep 2015, 5:29 pm)Dan wrote Ya aaarn fault if ya turn up t'work late then (if the bus is your chosen method of transportation!) 

Who said I was travelling to South Shields?

I will definitely be late in to work as I start at 9am at SOL for the match against Spurs, but the first 56 from Concord isnt until 08:54am towards Sunderland, which means I will be around 20-25 Minutes Late in, otherwise I will have get the 4 to Heworth then the Metro to work as the first 2 through mine isnt until 09:42.

(02 Sep 2015, 6:02 pm)Dan wrote ..and hopefully any changes increase reliability, given that this was the intention of making changes!

We can always hope... also we can hope when changes are announced that the FAB 57 are getting better buses due to changes, means i don't have to see Les Pigg moan on the GNE wall although that seems unlikely...

(02 Sep 2015, 6:05 pm)Malarkey wrote Who said I was travelling to South Shields?

I will definitely be late in to work as I start at 9am at SOL for the match against Spurs, but the first 56 from Concord isnt until 08:54am towards Sunderland, which means I will be around 20-25 Minutes Late in, otherwise I will have get the 4 to Heworth then the Metro to work as the first 2 through mine isnt until 09:42.

See - you should have read the diversion information..!

Knowing you live in Washington, I (correctly) guessed you stood a chance of using services 4, 56 or X1 (ie one of the main services in the area) to go to work. All of these will be affected, especially the 56 and X1, as, until approximately 17:00, buses will run between Gateshead Interchange and Newcastle via Gateshead Interchange and Newcastle via Prince Consort Road, Askew Road, Redheugh Bridge and St. James’ Boulevard to Westmorland Road, Neville Street, Clayton Street West to Westgate Road (Carling Academy).

The disruption to services certainly expands beyond South Shields... 

(02 Sep 2015, 6:05 pm)Michael wrote We can always hope... also we can hope when changes are announced that the FAB 57 are getting better buses due to changes, means i don't have to see Les Pigg moan on the GNE wall although that seems unlikely...

Well the dual-door Volvo B10BLEs currently allocated aren't DDA-compliant so these either have to be modified to become DDA-compliant or alternative vehicles will have to be sourced...

(02 Sep 2015, 6:14 pm)Dan wrote See - you should have read the diversion information..!

Knowing you live in Washington, I (correctly) guessed you stood a chance of using services 4, 56 or X1 (ie one of the main services in the area) to go to work. All of these will be affected, especially the 56 and X1, as, until approximately 17:00, buses will run between Gateshead Interchange and Newcastle via Gateshead Interchange and Newcastle via Prince Consort Road, Askew Road, Redheugh Bridge and St. James’ Boulevard to Westmorland Road, Neville Street, Clayton Street West to Westgate Road (Carling Academy). 


Well the dual-door Volvo B10BLEs aren't DDA-compliant so these either have to be modified to become DDA-compliant or alternative vehicles will have to be sourced...

Not straight away when changes happen though, i would imagine this will be done with new vehicles, which i doubt will start arriving the next month or so but hopefully before 1.1.16!

Unless they're getting 2nd hand vehicles, probables be from London....

We also have the OmniDekka's from Brighton heading up soon...

(02 Sep 2015, 6:17 pm)Michael wrote We also have the Omnideckers from Brighton heading up soon...

OmniDekka 

(02 Sep 2015, 6:20 pm)GX03 SVC wrote OmniDekka 

, keep forgetting!

(02 Sep 2015, 6:21 pm)Michael wrote , keep forgetting!

they are getting some

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(02 Sep 2015, 6:17 pm)Michael wrote Not straight away when changes happen though, i would imagine this will be done with new vehicles, which i doubt will start arriving the next month or so but hopefully before 1.1.16!

Unless they're getting 2nd hand vehicles, probables be from London....

We also have the OmniDekka's from Brighton heading up soon...

think i knew that thus why 10 are up here so far

(02 Sep 2015, 6:25 pm)Diamond One wrote they are getting some

Yup, i said in my post, its just cause i mis-worded what they were called

(02 Sep 2015, 6:25 pm)Diamond One wrote they are getting some

---

think i knew that thus why 10 are up here so far

I think we all did, i was just generally saying it, as we were talking about new/used vehicles.

(02 Sep 2015, 6:20 pm)GX03 SVC wrote OmniDekka 

Does it really matter? We knew what he meant...that's all that matters.

(02 Sep 2015, 6:26 pm)Michael wrote Yup, i said in my post, its just cause i mis-worded what they were called

spelling error even i make that mistake were all human at the end of the day unless your that Doctor chappy from Doctor Who or any monsters from there

(02 Sep 2015, 6:28 pm)Diamond One wrote spelling error even i make that mistake were all human at the end of the day unless your that Doctor chappy from Doctor Who or any monsters from there

I don't watch Doctor Who so I have completly no idea what that is...

Just been to Saltmeadows Road and for some unknown reason 8253 was there

(02 Sep 2015, 7:09 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Just been to Saltmeadows Road and for some unknown reason 8253 was there

It has been withdrawn from Washington - currently in storage there prior to disposal

(02 Sep 2015, 6:56 pm)Malarkey wrote A mere thought (or maybe a prediction) here but isnt Go-Ahead London Services 507/521 due to be converted to Fully Electric Operation, which would therefore mean 50 Mercedes Citaros (MEC1 to MEC50) would become available to transferred elsewhere within the Go-Ahead Group, or perhaps they will just replace older vehicles in the London Fleet.

Go-Ahead London are to introduce 51 pure electric ADL Enviro200MMC bodied BYD vehicles on routes 507 (PVR 15) and 521 (PVR 32) from August 2016. The two Irizar i2 vehicles, El1 (YP15NLM) and El2 (YP15NLN), have also recently entered service on routes 507 and 521, but I'm not sure if these are planned to release anything for cascade (if they haven't already). As the withdrawal date for single deckers which aren't DDA-compliant is 1 January 2016, there's no chance of some of Go-Ahead London's Mercedes Citaros transferring to Go North East for use on service 57 within the coming months...

However, there are a number of contract revisions in London over the coming months, which will release a number of vehicles for cascade elsewhere within the fleet, or withdrawal and transfer to another op-co. See below for further details.


September 2015:

• Service 14 (PVR 34), which is currently allocated Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini vehicles, is due to be upgraded to new Volvo B5LH/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 vehicles this month. 15 of these vehicles are expected to be allocated to London General (Metrobus) for use on service 202. This will release 15 MAN 14.240/MCV Evolution vehicles (709 - 723). Four of these are to be used on service 246 (previously operated by Stagecoach).
  
• Service 352 (PVR 6), which is currently allocated Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Mini Pointers (Metrobus 251 - 256), is due to be upgraded to new ADL Enviro200s this month.
  
• Service 358 (PVR 16), which is currently allocated Scania OmniCitys (Metrobus 514 - 530), is due to be upgraded to new Mercedes Citaros this month.

Outstanding re-allocations/withdrawals: 11x 58/09-plate MAN 14.240/MCV Evolution, 6x 54-plate MPD, 16x 53-plate Scania OmniCity


October 2015:

• The contract for service 353 has been retained by London General (Metrobus) with 7 existing double-deckers in the fleet, previously used on service 498 (now operated by Stagecoach). This should in turn release seven vehicles (four Scania N94UDs - Metrobus 930 to 933, plus three Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Geminis).
  
• The contract for service 359 has also been retained by London General (Metrobus) with 3 existing single deckers in the fleet (MAN 14.240/MCV Evolutions previously used on service 202 as noted above in September 2015 changes). This will release three MAN Enviro 200s (Metrobus 706 - 708).
  
• The contract for service 654 has also been retained by London General (Metrobus) with 1 existing double-decker in the fleet, previously used on service 498 (now operated by Stagecoach).
  
• The contract for service 11 has also been retained by London General, with 26 existing double-deckers in the fleet (New Bus for London) as present.

Outstanding re-allocations/withdrawals: 8x 58/09-plate MAN 14.240/MCV Evolution, 6x 54-plate MPD, 16x 53-plate Scania OmniCity, 4x 56-plate Scania OmniDekka, 3x Volvo B7TL


December 2015

• The contract for service 80 has been retained by London General, with 16 existing single-deckers in the fleet (Dart/Esteem, Dart/Pointer) as present.
  
• The contract for service 93 has also been retained by London General. This will be a mix of existing vehicles (Trident/Olympus, Volvo B7TL/Gemini, Volvo B7TL/President, Trident/Enviro400) as well as new Hybrid double-deckers.
  
• The contracts for services 151, 154 and 163 have also been retained by London General, with existing vehicles in the fleet as present.
  
• The contract for service 164 has also been retained by London General, with 12 new single-deckers. This will release 12 vehicles (Dart/Esteem, Dart/Pointer) from Merton Depot.
  
• The contract for service 155 has also been retained by London General, with 21 new Hybrid double-deckers. This will release 19 vehicles (Volvo B7TL/Gemini, Volvo B7TL/President, Trident/Enviro400) from Merton Depot.

Outstanding re-allocations/withdrawals: 8x 58/09-plate MAN 14.240/MCV Evolution, 6x 54-plate MPD, 16x 53-plate Scania OmniCity, 4x 56-plate Scania OmniDekka, 3x Volvo B7TL/Gemini, 12x Dart/Esteem & Dart/Pointer, 19x Volvo B7TL/Gemini, Volvo B7TL/President & Trident/Enviro400.


February 2016

• The contract for service 616 has been retained by London General, with 2 existing double-deckers (Volvo B7TL/President) as present.
  
• The contract for service W10 has been retained by London General, with existing single-deckers from services 192 and W4.

Apologies about the delay in response - forgot to hit 'post' earlier and came back to find your post had gone!

Hopefully we get the Omnicities....

Edit: didn't quote Dans post because its quite long.

(02 Sep 2015, 5:31 pm)Tom wrote No rush! Hopefully we'll see some changes to the 17 though to sort out the reliability, and it has been suggested by people that there will be changes next month.

Will there be changes to any other Percy Main services like the 309 / 310?

Quick questiom for any GNE workers here, why is the 309 like the following:

- 2145 from Newcastle Monday to Friday terminates in Whitley Bay.

- 2145 from Newcastle on Saturdays terminates in Blyth.

- 1945 from Newcastle on a Sunday terminates in Blyth, the next one at 2045 terminates in Whitley Bay and the following and last one at 2145 terminates at Whitley Bay but at near the Cemetery rather than just the Town Centre.

- Last bus on a Sunday night from Cobalt to Newcastle is at 2247.

(02 Sep 2015, 8:26 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Will there be changes to any other Percy Main services like the 309 / 310?

Quick questiom for any GNE workers here, why is the 309 like the following:

- 2145 from Newcastle Monday to Friday terminates in Whitley Bay.

- 2145 from Newcastle on Saturdays terminates in Blyth.

- 1945 from Newcastle on a Sunday terminates in Blyth, the next one at 2045 terminates in Whitley Bay and the following and last one at 2145 terminates at Whitley Bay but at near the Cemetery rather than just the Town Centre.

- Last bus on a Sunday night from Cobalt to Newcastle is at 2247.

Dunno, when I was at Cobalt last Thursday waiting for the 19 at 18:36 I got a Blyth terminating 309, 5 mins later a Whitley Bay bound one passed