(04 Dec 2015, 7:05 pm)Michael wrote Hope he gets better soon Davie!

Cheers bud.

(04 Dec 2015, 7:05 pm)Davie wrote Thanks for understanding mate.
He has the usual problems with his chest. He gets them commonly, but I always get stressed.


Thanks Buslovermum.

Probably not like, but we'd planned this trip weeks back.

And we have one in the New Year down to York.

(04 Dec 2015, 7:21 pm)DanPicken wrote And we have one in the New Year down to York.

Aye mate. Hopefully that'll go to plan.

So many things to do with work:

• They've failed to pay me - apparently I wrote my bank account number down wrong
  
• The payslip I have is wrong - they've seemingly only issued a week's payment
  
• I basically have no social life - I've started at midnight, 2230 and even 2130 last night
  
• The shifts are getting longer and longer. I've just done 2130-0940 (12 10 minutes minus a 30 minute break)
  

Got a right ear ache this morning =(.

As usual for me, everything's gone wrong for me!

(05 Dec 2015, 12:37 pm)Davie wrote As usual for me, everything's gone wrong for me!

Its fun on this HST man the same one as this morning we're stuck at a red signal because of flooding.

(05 Dec 2015, 12:44 pm)DanPicken wrote Its fun on this HST man the same one as this morning we're stuck at a red signal because of flooding.

YAY!!!...

Travel around Co Durham and Teesside all day without incident.

Get off the bus back home and get blown off the kerb and twist my ankle.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:43 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Travel around Co Durham and Teesside all day without incident.

Get off the bus back home and get blown off the kerb and twist my ankle.

Ouch...!

(05 Dec 2015, 4:43 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Travel around Co Durham and Teesside all day without incident.

Get off the bus back home and get blown off the kerb and twist my ankle.

You know I should not laugh but.....hahahahaha

(05 Dec 2015, 4:44 pm)citaro5284 wrote You know I should not laugh but.....hahahahaha

It's the sort of stupid thing that happens to me often.

I tore the ligaments in my other foot, about 13 years ago. Stood on an upward incline and felt something go ping. Hadn't realised what had happened until it went black, the next day and started to hurt like hell.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:44 pm)citaro5284 wrote You know I should not laugh but.....hahahahaha

It's fine, BLM... If it is any consolation, he has also been laughing at the fact is has taken me 6 hours to get from Edinburgh to Newcastle, when it would usually take about 1 hour 45.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:49 pm)BusLoverMum wrote It's the sort of stupid thing that happens to me often.

I tore the ligaments in my other foot, about 13 years ago. Stood on an upward incline and felt something go ping. Hadn't realised what had happened until it went black, the next day and started to hurt like hell.

Did mine and managed to damage the Achilles about 10 year back.
Still get the odd twinge now and again.

Horrible pain.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:53 pm)Dan wrote It's fine, BLM... If it is any consolation, he has also been laughing at the fact is has taken me 6 hours to get from Edinburgh to Newcastle, when it would usually take about 1 hour 45.

Oh dear! That's the risk you take travelling further afield, especially at this time of year, so pleased I managed to get to/from Blackpool alright especially as we were travelling close to the points when the A66 has been closed or had incidents.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:53 pm)Dan wrote It's fine, BLM... If it is any consolation, he has also been laughing at the fact is has taken me 6 hours to get from Edinburgh to Newcastle, when it would usually take about 1 hour 45.

That's pretty dire. Have had to take a train replacement bus from Edinburgh to Berwick in the (distant) past, due to a landslide, but that only added about an hour to our journey.

(05 Dec 2015, 4:53 pm)Dan wrote It's fine, BLM... If it is any consolation, he has also been laughing at the fact is has taken me 6 hours to get from Edinburgh to Newcastle, when it would usually take about 1 hour 45.

Haha, not gone well today I was stranded earlier as no trains were going anywhere.

(05 Dec 2015, 5:49 pm)DanPicken wrote Haha, not gone well today I was stranded earlier as no trains were going anywhere.

Did you make it to Carlisle? More importantly, did you get back again? They're expecting their flood defences to be breached tonight, with widespread flooding.

(05 Dec 2015, 7:14 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Did you make it to Carlisle? More importantly, did you get back again? They're expecting their flood defences to be breached tonight, with widespread flooding.

We did make it there and back... only just, like. The trains were slightly delayed.

---

(05 Dec 2015, 7:14 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Did you make it to Carlisle? More importantly, did you get back again? They're expecting their flood defences to be breached tonight, with widespread flooding.

We did make it there and back... only just, like. The trains were slightly delayed.

(05 Dec 2015, 7:14 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Did you make it to Carlisle? More importantly, did you get back again? They're expecting their flood defences to be breached tonight, with widespread flooding.

Going I was planning to get the 06:30 Scotrail but when I arrived the 06:20 VTEC hadn't been so I waited and it left just under 40L, as I knew someone on the train and he was helping the guard clean the train, so I offered to do my coach. The reason there was rubbish everywhere was that it didn't arrive into Heaton until... 05:17 nearly if not over some 7 hours late, so it was refuelled and sent asap into Newcastle. When we got there me, Sean White and the train guard from Newcastle went to Wetherspoons and stayed the for 90 minutes as we found out 1S02 had got stuck at Haydon Bridge as the River Eden had burst its banks. When 1E06 arrived the train back to Newcastle we found out that our driver was stuck on 1S02, we waited and waited and eventually it was told to head North the 5 mins later 1S02 arrived over 2 hours late so 2 went North and we had to wait for a train West, we got 1E09, the 11:20ish out although it was 30L we got stuck as the River had burst yet again so a 45 minute wait was ahead before we moved off then after that it was ok back to Newcastle.

(05 Dec 2015, 7:34 pm)Davie wrote We did make it there and back... only just, like. The trains were slightly delayed.

---

We did make it there and back... only just, like. The trains were slightly delayed.

Thats an understatement...

(05 Dec 2015, 7:45 pm)DanPicken wrote Thats an understatement...

Just a minor one...

(05 Dec 2015, 7:41 pm)DanPicken wrote Going I was planning to get the 06:30 Scotrail but when I arrived the 06:20 VTEC hadn't been so I waited and it left just under 40L, as I knew someone on the train and he was helping the guard clean the train, so I offered to do my coach. The reason there was rubbish everywhere was that it didn't arrive into Heaton until... 05:17 nearly if not over some 7 hours late, so it was refuelled and sent asap into Newcastle. When we got there me, Sean White and the train guard from Newcastle went to Wetherspoons and stayed the for 90 minutes as we found out 1S02 had got stuck at Haydon Bridge as the River Eden had burst its banks. When 1E06 arrived the train back to Newcastle we found out that our driver was stuck on 1S02, we waited and waited and eventually it was told to head North the 5 mins later 1S02 arrived over 2 hours late so 2 went North and we had to wait for a train West, we got 1E09, the 11:20ish out although it was 30L we got stuck as the River had burst yet again so a 45 minute wait was ahead before we moved off then after that it was ok back to Newcastle.

Hope you have submitted your delay repay mind!

My lack of self confidence is becoming quite apparent in recent days. It hasn't really effected me throughout my life, apart from in recent months, after I had a few arguments with different people.

What kind of tipped me over the edge slightly was the comments regarding the CityLink 57 on Go North East's Facebook page and the GNE Latest News thread. Yes, it probably is my fault for voicing my opinions so strongly, but because I was on the receiving end of an awful lot of criticism it's effected me quite a bit.

Maybe S813 FVK, Jimmi's, Dan's and Tommy's comments in the Go North East latest news thread are correct. Maybe some of the comments are "Disgusting really" however, it is my opinion, and yes I probably do go too far sometimes, but as I said on Facebook it does nothing to help me.

In the future, I will be keeping my opinions to myself, as I am causing more trouble than it's worth.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to get it off my chest.

Some a**ehole is swearing his mouth off outside. I've never heard someone say the F-word more times than Gordon Ramsay...

Edit: now the muppet has headbutted a fence.

(05 Dec 2015, 11:48 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Some a**ehole is swearing his mouth off outside. I've never heard someone say the F-word more times than Gordon Ramsay...

Edit: now the muppet has headbutted a fence.

Sounds like one for You've Been Framed

Had a lovely old couple next door when I lived in a now flattened bit of Felling, but hell, they could fully decline and conjugate hte F-word

(05 Dec 2015, 8:35 pm)Andreos1 wrote Hope you have submitted your delay repay mind!

Of course 100% back for a return, do you get the amount of your ticket back or a free return if that makes sense.

(06 Dec 2015, 7:06 am)DanPicken wrote Of course 100% back for a return, do you get the amount of your ticket back or a free return if that makes sense.

30 - 59 minute delay: 50% of the cost of return ticket, on the portion of the journey you were delayed.
60 - 119 minute delay: 100% of the cost of return ticket, on the portion of the journey you were delayed.
120+ minute delay: 100% of the cost of return ticket, in both ways.

You can either get the money back as a cheque, or get National Rail travel vouchers (which you'd have to redeem at a station).

(05 Dec 2015, 10:58 pm)LeeCalder wrote My lack of self confidence is becoming quite apparent in recent days. It hasn't really effected me throughout my life, apart from in recent months, after I had a few arguments with different people.

What kind of tipped me over the edge slightly was the comments regarding the CityLink 57 on Go North East's Facebook page and the GNE Latest News thread. Yes, it probably is my fault for voicing my opinions so strongly, but because I was on the receiving end of an awful lot of criticism it's effected me quite a bit.

Maybe S813 FVK, Jimmi's, Dan's and Tommy's comments in the Go North East latest news thread are correct. Maybe some of the comments are "Disgusting really" however, it is my opinion, and yes I probably do go too far sometimes, but as I said on Facebook it does nothing to help me.

In the future, I will be keeping my opinions to myself, as I am causing more trouble than it's worth.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to get it off my chest.

I think it's great that people have different opinions and debate their thoughts on a particular topic. After all, it wouldn't be very fun if everyone decided to 'sit on the fence'! However, if an opinion is not backed up by relevant points, it's meaningless. You shouldn't interpret a difference of opinion as an attack on yourself, and it really shouldn't affect your self-confidence.

With regards to the Citylink 57 - I just thought it was comical that you and Gary went onto Go North East's Social Media page to suggest that customers would be confused and that the company doesn't understand route branding. As Go North East stated: the buses are different colours, but the same name and elements of the branding being shared allows the company to cross-promote combined frequencies on the shared corridors of these two services. It also allows for customers to benefit from cheaper fares: the Citylink ticket is now valid on service 57, too. The buses may not be brand new, and they may be returning to the corridor for which they were originally purchased, but it's an upgrade nevertheless. Capacity has been (marginally) increased, and the seats are more comfortable too. I really can't see what there is to complain about from a customer point of view?

Gary stated that network-based branding doesn't work as well as individual route branding - where's the evidence of this?

One of you also said something about changing an established brand name... The late Managing Director Peter Huntley, whom you are both a huge advocate of, stated in the Buses Magazine that the company's brands have a five-year product life-cycle, with updates and improvements being implemented to the brand designs before their product life-cycle has expired. Whether it's a minor amendment to the brand (ie Red Kite 45/46), a revision to accommodate for a different vehicle type (ie TEN, Red Arrows) or the brand name identity is reviewed as a whole and the company thinks about what the route/brand is really about. I think the re-brand of service 57 fits into the third category; whilst there are links to service 56, I'd argue that it's more linked to service 58, and therefore this should be the brand name shared.

Like I say - back up your opinions, and you mightn't see the backlash.

Woken up with a terrible headache and also there is something up with my right ear, to make matters worse I have yet another gig to go to tonight.

Wish my gigs could be spaced out a bit more as I've ended up going to four this week!