[quote='South Tyne Lad' pid='158500' dateline='1459080611']
I took my place at the top of the Platform and took my thermal coat off and placed it in my backpack, When I tried to zip the backpack back up the zip snapped!
This involved me having to carry my backpack like a shopping bag for the rest of the day.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...97038@N03/ My broken Backpack made it into Jimmis image

(27 Mar 2016, 12:11 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote

(27 Mar 2016, 12:10 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I took my place at the top of the Platform and took my thermal coat off and placed it in my backpack, When I tried to zip the backpack back up the zip snapped!
This involved me having to carry my backpack like a shopping bag for the rest of the day.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...97038@N03/ My broken Backpack made it into Jimmis image  

What a disaster, time for a new one then eh!

(27 Mar 2016, 12:11 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I took my place at the top of the Platform and took my thermal coat off and placed it in my backpack, When I tried to zip the backpack back up the zip snapped!
This involved me having to carry my backpack like a shopping bag for the rest of the day.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...97038@N03/ My broken Backpack made it into Jimmis image

The worst thing about you leaving your bag on that wall was the fact you were stood some distance away from it when taking photos, so people were looking at it like it was a suspicious package, was fearful we were going to create a situation like in Durham the other day where there was a suspect package which resulted in part of the city being closed off, the package turned out to be full of DVD's!

(27 Mar 2016, 9:11 am)GX03 SVC wrote Nope, it's not time restricted   

The good thing about arriva wifi is that every routes wifi is separate. So, if you're travelling in the 7, then the X12, then the X21, you'd have to sign up three times if you haven't used them before. Go North East seem to have the same wifi setup on all of their buses.

What exactly do you do on the wifi? the last time I exceeded my usage in 15 minutes was when I tried downloading an app! 

Missed this post.

I tend to mainly look at Facebook plus NEB on the Tapatalk app, sometimes a few websites. If I get on Sapphire 7 Pulsars and 22 StreetLite's, I seem to get an hour's usage for Sapphire services. I have no idea why this seems to be the case.

(27 Mar 2016, 8:13 pm)Jimmi wrote Missed this post.

I tend to mainly look at Facebook plus NEB on the Tapatalk app, sometimes a few websites. If I get on Sapphire 7 Pulsars and 22 StreetLite's, I seem to get an hour's usage for Sapphire services. I have no idea why this seems to be the case.

You can set loads of usage limits in the system like amount of data downloaded or time spent online etc, pretty clever little system to be honest.

(27 Mar 2016, 8:22 pm)citaro5284 wrote You can set loads of usage limits in the system like amount of data downloaded or time spent online etc, pretty clever little system to be honest.

Not clever if Arriva set an hours usage cap on the X18 though   hasn't happened yet lol

Transport for Edinburgh's WiFi seems canny, 50MB usage limit before they slow you down. A map also loads when you sign in. Must be a pain to manage, every tram and bus I saw had it fitted.

I'd say setting a time limit is a bit daft when it's a free service. I can understand on paid services, where you're paying for an 30 mins / hour etc. Data limit makes a lot more sense on a free service, as that's where your cost is incurred.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:31 pm)Adrian wrote I'd say setting a time limit is a bit daft when it's a free service. I can understand on paid services, where you're paying for an 30 mins / hour etc. Data limit makes a lot more sense on a free service, as that's where your cost is incurred.

Is VTEC still 15mins free in standard?
In the past it was so slow, the 15mins were up by the time the first page loaded.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:33 pm)Andreos1 wrote Is VTEC still 15mins free in standard?
In the past it was so slow, the 15mins were up by the time the first page loaded.

Aye, but VTEC WiFi is a waste of time. The mobile data infrastructure is near to non-existent through large parts of it. I've done 1st class between Edinburgh and Newcastle a couple of times, and I've got to the point of not bothering trying.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:35 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, but VTEC WiFi is a waste of time. The mobile data infrastructure is near to non-existent through large parts of it. I've done 1st class between Edinburgh and Newcastle a couple of times, and I've got to the point of not bothering trying.

Hence asking the question, as I have given up trying on there too in addition to other operators.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:35 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, but VTEC WiFi is a waste of time. The mobile data infrastructure is near to non-existent through large parts of it. I've done 1st class between Edinburgh and Newcastle a couple of times, and I've got to the point of not bothering trying.

Glad I've never bothered paying for WiFi on the train, when I did Edinburgh back in September I could only really get decent enough mobile data signal on my phone at the stations they served.

One slight conspiracy I have is when I did Darlington - Wakefield on a CrossCountry Voyager I struggled to get any greater signal than "G" yet on the same line on a Virgin Trains East Coast Class 43 and a First TransPennine Express Class 185 when I headed to York last Saturday I was getting "H+" or "4G" signal!

(27 Mar 2016, 9:42 pm)Jimmi wrote Glad I've never bothered paying for WiFi on the train, when I did Edinburgh back in September I could only really get decent enough mobile data signal on my phone at the stations they served.

One slight conspiracy I have is when I did Darlington - Wakefield on a CrossCountry Voyager I struggled to get any greater signal than "G" yet on the same line on a Virgin Trains East Coast Class 43 and a First TransPennine Express Class 185 when I headed to York last Saturday I was getting "H+" or "4G" signal!

Could be anything really. If a mast is down, it'll failover to the next one in the cluster or nearest available, depending on how it's configured. This is why we tend not to notice mobile phone network outages.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:44 pm)Adrian wrote Could be anything really. If a mast is down, it'll failover to the next one in the cluster or nearest available, depending on how it's configured. This is why we tend not to notice mobile phone network outages.

Voyagers are a blackhole for signal, Though I don't know the reason that causes it, There was a post on a rail forum about it a few months back.

Regarding time caps - can you then just re-connect and it'll set you up for another hour? Or is there some sort of time-out period?

(27 Mar 2016, 10:29 pm)northern156 wrote Regarding time caps - can you then just re-connect and it'll set you up for another hour? Or is there some sort of time-out period?

On most Arriva Sapphire services, after so long (seems to be an hour) it times me out and I can seemingly no longer gain any access to the WiFi on any Sapphire service that has been correctly set up for Sapphire. Irritating as owt for me if I get two Pulsars to/from Newton Aycliffe - Durham on the 7 as the journey time is around 45 minutes meaning that 15 minutes into the return journey I can no longer gain access to the Arriva Sapphire WiFi network.

(27 Mar 2016, 10:34 pm)Jimmi wrote On most Arriva Sapphire services, after so long (seems to be an hour) it times me out and I can seemingly no longer gain any access to the WiFi on any Sapphire service that has been correctly set up for Sapphire. Irritating as owt for me if I get two Pulsars to/from Newton Aycliffe - Durham on the 7 as the journey time is around 45 minutes meaning that 15 minutes into the return journey I can no longer gain access to the Arriva Sapphire WiFi network.

That would seem to be a silly design/setup flaw since they advertise the whole Sapphire network in the North East a lot!
Must be a time out period of several hours then before you can get back on?

I did three hours on the X21/X22 the other week and the WiFi never logged out after a certain time.

(27 Mar 2016, 9:35 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, but VTEC WiFi is a waste of time. The mobile data infrastructure is near to non-existent through large parts of it. I've done 1st class between Edinburgh and Newcastle a couple of times, and I've got to the point of not bothering trying.

It worked fine last December for the whole journey.

(28 Mar 2016, 6:11 am)DanPicken wrote It worked fine last December for the whole journey.

On your journey to Carlisle during a diversion, per chance?

Adrian has already mentioned it's the infrastructure on the east coast which renders the Wi-Fi almost useless on Virgin trains...

(28 Mar 2016, 7:14 am)Dan wrote On your journey to Carlisle during a diversion, per chance?

Adrian has already mentioned it's the infrastructure on the east coast which renders the Wi-Fi almost useless on Virgin trains...

Aye.

I aim to get all the remaining NTL Darts tomorrow, the Solo's on Wednesday, at Central Station Thursday and Friday and Metro Replacement on Saturday.

My week plan
Tommora of ta beamish museum
Wednesday a ride on ntlindigosolo
Then riding service 5 with the solars on thirsday
Friday havent decided likely hartlepool
Saturday stayling local

(28 Mar 2016, 7:13 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote My week plan
Tommora of ta beamish museum
Wednesday a ride on ntlindigosolo
Then riding service 5 with the solars on thirsday
Friday havent decided likely hartlepool
Saturday stayling local

Doubt you'll find Solars on the 5, There Volvo B7RLEs. ( though a Solar can appear )

(28 Mar 2016, 7:16 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Doubt you'll find Solars on the 5, There Volvo B7RLEs. ( though a Solar can appear )

Thats what im after keep forgetting the difference

(28 Mar 2016, 7:01 pm)DanPicken wrote I aim to get all the remaining NTL Darts tomorrow, the Solo's on Wednesday, at Central Station Thursday and Friday and Metro Replacement on Saturday.

I don't know whether to catch the NTL Darts tommorow or just head up on Wednesday. or do both.

(28 Mar 2016, 7:17 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Thats what im after keep forgetting the difference

They're just Volvo Solars, slightly different engine.

(28 Mar 2016, 7:18 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I don't know whether to catch the NTL Darts tommorow or just head up on Wednesday. or do both.

I'm doing both. The reason for being at Central is because the Franchise for Northern changes.

(28 Mar 2016, 7:28 pm)DanPicken wrote They're just Volvo Solars, slightly different engine.

I'm doing both. The reason for being at Central is because the Franchise for Northern changes.

And a different ZF Gearbox,  The B7RLEs have Kickdown Ecomats while the Scanias have Hold Gear Ecomats, Some are 4HPs while later ones are 5HP Gearboxes
The B7RLE has a 7.3 D7C Engine while the Scania has a 9.4L Scania Engine.

I have to be back early tomorrow for going out with my School Mates but if leave early I might have a go.
Will definitely be going on Wednesday though.

Ah right, Never been on a train outing in ages now.

(28 Mar 2016, 7:45 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote And a different ZF Gearbox,  The B7RLEs have Kickdown Ecomats while the Scanias have Hold Gear Ecomats, Some are 4HPs while later ones are 5HP Gearboxes
The B7RLE has a 7.3 D7C Engine while the Scania has a 9.4L Scania Engine.

I have to be back early tomorrow for going out with my School Mates but if leave early I might have go.
Will definitely be going on Wednesday though.

Ah right, Never been on a train outing in ages now.

Thanks for the info.
Neither have I.

(28 Mar 2016, 7:46 pm)DanPicken wrote Thanks for the info.
Neither have I.

Think the cost puts people away from the train oftern

(28 Mar 2016, 7:49 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Think the cost puts people away from the train oftern

Rail rovers etc are not really expensive. Some not as expensive as, for example, an Explorer.