(28 Oct 2015, 5:39 am)nk55 wrote The X30/X31 can be allocated omnidekkas, but the low bridge at Dunston gives very little clearance, tridents, presisents & olympians are too big for that route.

Just as services 8/78 and 45/46 have a preferred alternative vehicle type which is the same specification, I am led to believe that the services which underwent changes last weekend are also subject to preferred alternative vehicle types which are of the same vehicle type and specification.

The preferred alternative vehicle type to substitute a branded vehicle on services X30/X31 is a red single decker (the first point of call should be to allocate 5254 which is the red OmniCity based at Stanley).

Services 6 and X70/X71 have a preferred alternative vehicle type as double deck. Any will do, but the two spare OmniDekkas should be used as the first point of call.

So whilst double decks can be allocated to services X30/X31, they should only be allocated if there are no single decks left.

(27 Oct 2015, 8:15 pm)nk55 wrote Or some might say late evening & sunday X21s.

Anything to keep the depot open... we just need more work

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(27 Oct 2015, 8:36 pm)citaro5284 wrote esp the drivers at Chester eh... 

Haha... I bet they do

It seems as though service 16 is a success too, at around 12:30pm on Monday it came in from Castleside full from end to end. It emptied out at Stanley and then the next load of passengers got on, which made it fill up again. With this service being every 15 minutes, I was very surprised to see it get full as I never have before on the diamond services when they were heading towards Durham.

However, I never really saw the V7/V8 get busy at the MetroCentre at peak times. I saw it full in the morning coming from Stanley but never coming from the Metro.

Service 6 was an overall success. It almost filled an OmniDekka coming out of Stanley which I was surprised to see as I would imagine that if passengers would want to get to Newcastle quicker they would get the X30 or the V7/V8 for a quicker alternative to the MetroCentre.

X30/X31 got really busy too.

(28 Oct 2015, 7:50 am)pdiddy wrote Anything to keep the depot open... we just need more work

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Haha... I bet they do

Just those that like the sound of their own voice and love to whinge ?

6019 has returned to Chester le Street and was out on the 34A this morning.

(28 Oct 2015, 5:39 am)nk55 wrote The X30/X31 can be allocated omnidekkas, but the low bridge at Dunston gives very little clearance, tridents, presisents & olympians are too big for that route.

Thought decker a can go on X30/X31 I've witnessed in the past although since Sunday this may not be the case of luck as I've looked at a previous post posted by Dan of all the PVR vehicles at Stanley now I need dans help of which ominidekka are getting branded and which ones are remaining red to be used on any service in case one of the branded vehicles is faulty

One of the 700 solos has had a crash in park lane I've just been informed by my buddy Paul

(28 Oct 2015, 11:39 am)Diamond One wrote One of the 700 solos has had a crash in park lane I've just been informed by my buddy Paul

Its already being reported in the bus incidents thread.

BTW, don't know if I didn't post it last night or not but if it got removed, I wasn't on about all of the changes, it was only a few in the past where reliability wasn't foreseen by operators. The changes made by all the big three in recent years have made a good effort to drive up reliability particularly the Stanley changes. It was a bit long too though because I quoted the original.

(28 Oct 2015, 11:28 am)Diamond One wrote Thought decker a can go on X30/X31 I've witnessed in the past although since Sunday this may not be the case of luck as I've looked at a previous post posted by Dan of all the PVR vehicles at Stanley now I need dans help of which ominidekka are getting branded and which ones are remaining red to be used on any service in case one of the branded vehicles is faulty

The metro radio bus (6133?) Wont be branded northern ( if that helps ), in the scheduled wrong workings a omnidekka runs an early am X31, but the only decker that will (without worry) go under the low bridge at dunston is the ommidekka ( marked as 13ft 11in ). If i remember correctly the bridge is 14ft 3in most deckers are 14ft 6in.

5409 has gained Red Kite branding

(28 Oct 2015, 12:44 pm)Transbus574 wrote 5409 has gained Red Kite branding

Aye, makes sense, 5401 going in tother direction......

Traffics horrible on Handy Drive few drivers seeking alternatives behind Riverside and some running NIS.
NK08 MYG has been taken off the 27 with a flappy panel.

(28 Oct 2015, 2:07 pm)DanPicken wrote Traffics horrible on Handy Drive few drivers seeking alternatives behind Riverside and some running NIS.
NK08 MYG has been taken off the 27 with a flappy panel.

Exactly the same in Sunderland city centre to - took me 10 minutes to from Joplings to Park Lane earlier....

(28 Oct 2015, 2:07 pm)DanPicken wrote Traffics horrible on Handy Drive few drivers seeking alternatives behind Riverside and some running NIS.
NK08 MYG has been taken off the 27 with a flappy panel.

Its not being very Handy today, is it? 

I'll go now... 

(28 Oct 2015, 9:06 am)Jackamcardle wrote It seems as though service 16 is a success too, at around 12:30pm on Monday it came in from Castleside full from end to end. It emptied out at Stanley and then the next load of passengers got on, which made it fill up again. With this service being every 15 minutes, I was very surprised to see it get full as I never have before on the diamond services when they were heading towards Durham.

However, I never really saw the V7/V8 get busy at the MetroCentre at peak times. I saw it full in the morning coming from Stanley but never coming from the Metro.

Service 6 was an overall success. It almost filled an OmniDekka coming out of Stanley which I was surprised to see as I would imagine that if passengers would want to get to Newcastle quicker they would get the X30 or the V7/V8 for a quicker alternative to the MetroCentre.

X30/X31 got really busy too.

Had my FIRST omnidekka ride today 6133 to the Metrocentre from Eldon Square, very cramped downstairs, fast though. Reminded me of an old Arriva palatine like the ones on the X31, X32 and X33 to Ashington.

(28 Oct 2015, 12:42 pm)nk55 wrote The metro radio bus (6133?) Wont be branded northern ( if that helps ), in the scheduled wrong workings a omnidekka runs an early am X31, but the only decker that will (without worry) go under the low bridge at dunston is the ommidekka ( marked as 13ft 11in ). If i remember correctly the bridge is 14ft 3in most deckers are 14ft 6in.

It was on the 11:05 6 from Newcastle to Stanley today, I had it

(28 Oct 2015, 2:07 pm)DanPicken wrote Traffics horrible on Handy Drive few drivers seeking alternatives behind Riverside and some running NIS.
NK08 MYG has been taken off the 27 with a flappy panel.

The size of the puddles doesn't help. More like rivers.

At least the fog's gone.

(28 Oct 2015, 3:21 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The size of the puddles doesn't help. More like rivers.

At least the fog's gone.

When I was on 6133 I could not see the rail bridge from the Redheugh Bridge

(28 Oct 2015, 12:44 pm)Transbus574 wrote 5409 has gained Red Kite branding

looks nice the photos i took of that bus are now on there way to flickr as we speak

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/22...ed-public/ 5409 now branded taken by me

Spotted this on the GNE Facebook page

To have the 43/44 bus service reinstated.

https://www.change.org/p/go-north-east-t...=415067182&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-reason_msg&fb_ref=Default

(28 Oct 2015, 3:39 pm)NK53 TKT wrote When I was on 6133 I could not see the rail bridge from the Redheugh Bridge

It's been pretty poor. Got home to find that we still had fog, of course. Then again, we do tend to be prone to Weather, here.

(28 Oct 2015, 7:18 pm)Michael wrote Spotted this on the GNE Facebook page

To have the 43/44 bus service reinstated.

https://www.change.org/p/go-north-east-t...=415067182&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-reason_msg&fb_ref=Default

Won't be changed

(28 Oct 2015, 7:18 pm)Michael wrote Spotted this on the GNE Facebook page

To have the 43/44 bus service reinstated.

https://www.change.org/p/go-north-east-t...=415067182&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-reason_msg&fb_ref=Default

Sunniside, front street & club still have the X30 to whickham, of course not to the stop at the very far end of whickham. Bizarre petition i think.

(28 Oct 2015, 7:58 pm)nk55 wrote Sunniside, front street & club still have the X30 to whickham, of course not to the stop at the very far end of whickham. Bizarre petition i think.

Think its about no buses going through Hobson industrial estate to. 

I'll not be signing it, as i don't live in the area.

(28 Oct 2015, 8:02 pm)Michael wrote Think its about no buses going through Hobson industrial estate to. 

I'll not be signing it, as i don't live in the area.

In the 3 weeks prior to the changes i dropped off 1 passenger when heading towards stanley, non the other way. General feeling at stanley seems to be it would be ideal to have peak workings through hobson as maybe a 6A, surprised there's been no mention of the 6 not stopping at the stops through teams & dunston. Slight variation in the numbers maybe would help, say 6X.

Tonight at 8pm' ish noticed through Burnopfield Service 6 operated by Coast & Country Streetlite toward Newcastle; Service X70 operated by Durham Diamond Citaro toward Consett and a Service 6 operated by Toonlink Scania toward Stanley. Earlier the 6 to Newcastle was using the Beamish Streetlite. - This is a regular occurence on evenings (I have seen Coast & Country Streetlites on a number of occasions)

I would think depots should be either incentivised to allocate correct branded eqpt. to the designated routes, or penalised if they continue to mess about with putting any available bus on the route (if there is not a good reason for switch)
Marketing of branded routes will only suffer in the long term if customers (some elderly) get confused - especially when the route (43/44 - to New 6) has just been changed.

Living on the route, I would agree the changes have been disastrous. Not only is the Hobson (A692) no longer served, but when the Omnidekkas do operate the 6, they serve the housing estates in Lintz (Burnopfield) and Sunniside (Glebeway) - My point that deckers are not suitable for these sections (especially when 2 oncoming buses need to pass.

My thoughts would be to re-route the Venture solos (V7/V8) around these areas, giving the 6 more direct routing. Hobson would still be a problem, as is the reduction of the sevice 6 (43/44) to every 30 mins rather than 15 mins. Maybe in future equipment may change to new Streetlites at double the freequency, splitting the route at certain points.

Maybe as Michael suggests continue with Service number 6 but introduce a 6X - or reroute 6 to pick up e.g. Hobson, Teams, Dunston etc..  A more direct service X6 could then operate, and in sections, part route as a true Limited Stop express (those areas of Gateshead/Newcastle served by other services from Metro Centre etc... (Combined 4 per hour peak = 2 Service 6 every hour + 2 Service X6 each hour, combined + every 15 mins at main stops - as it were with 43/44)

- Guess after only one week the service will have to be monitored a while longer before necessary changes are made though.

(28 Oct 2015, 8:37 pm)Venturego wrote Tonight at 8pm' ish noticed through Burnopfield Service 6 operated by Coast & Country Streetlite toward Newcastle; Service X70 operated by Durham Diamond Citaro toward Consett and a Service 6 operated by Toonlink Scania toward Stanley. Earlier the 6 to Newcastle was using the Beamish Streetlite. - This is a regular occurence on evenings (I have seen Coast & Country Streetlites on a number of occasions)

I would think depots should be either incentivised to allocate correct branded eqpt. to the designated routes, or penalised if they continue to mess about with putting any available bus on the route (if there is not a good reason for switch)
Marketing of branded routes will only suffer in the long term if customers (some elderly) get confused - especially when the route (43/44 - to New 6) has just been changed.

Living on the route, I would agree the changes have been disastrous. Not only is the Hobson (A692) no longer served, but when the Omnidekkas do operate the 6, they serve the housing estates in Lintz (Burnopfield) and Sunniside (Glebeway) - My point that deckers are not suitable for these sections (especially when 2 oncoming buses need to pass.

My thoughts would be to re-route the Venture solos (V7/V8) around these areas, giving the 6 more direct routing. Hobson would still be a problem, as is the reduction of the sevice 6 (43/44) to every 30 mins rather than 15 mins. Maybe in future equipment may change to new Streetlites at double the freequency, splitting the route at certain points. - Guess after only one week the service will have to be monitored a while longer before necessary changes are made though.

What bus types use to operate through the estate in Burnopfield can I ask?

Can I ask,

(28 Oct 2015, 8:37 pm)Venturego wrote Tonight at 8pm' ish noticed through Burnopfield Service 6 operated by Coast & Country Streetlite toward Newcastle; Service X70 operated by Durham Diamond Citaro toward Consett and a Service 6 operated by Toonlink Scania toward Stanley. Earlier the 6 to Newcastle was using the Beamish Streetlite. - This is a regular occurence on evenings (I have seen Coast & Country Streetlites on a number of occasions)

I would think depots should be either incentivised to allocate correct branded eqpt. to the designated routes, or penalised if they continue to mess about with putting any available bus on the route (if there is not a good reason for switch)
Marketing of branded routes will only suffer in the long term if customers (some elderly) get confused - especially when the route (43/44 - to New 6) has just been changed.

I'm not a fan of branded vehicles off route, and I agree with you that this can cause confusion, but I'd assume that on an evening, it's done on a cost basis. I'd imagine it's a lot cheaper to run a Streetlite on an evening, to what it is to run a decker. If the difference in operating cost over a year, means that the service becomes more viable, then I guess it has it's benefits.