(17 Jun 2016, 12:42 pm)samwise wrote As a regular user of the 11 I will be very sad to see the service go. 

I will always go out for the 11 over a 10 as the service seems to be more reliable than a 10. For me the main advantage of the 11 was that it was quick! Leave Blaydon on time then belt it to Newcastle along Scotswood Road with the change of it missing out the Business Park I was able to do my journey in 25 minutes! I liked the route into Newcastle City Centre no waiting for all the taxis and pedestrians on Newgate Street or queuing to get into Eldon Square. The stop on Grainger Street was more convenient for changing onto the Metro at Monument. 

The fact I had a choice of a bus that doesn't serve the MetroCentre will also be missed. Apart the terrible congestion on Saturdays it's great to get on a bus that doesn't pick up all the charvers. 

I miss the Omnicities but part of the 11 was the attraction of not getting on the same old Ten B9s. The dual door B10BLEs are passed it but sometimes you can get a Versa or a Citaro. 

The peak time extras- not sure if we are losing more of these? The previous Bendy and now X66 Streetlite journeys always well loaded and the evening extras were the ones I will try and catch home as these runs have OmniDekkas and Vykings.

As much as I would like a faster, reliable, direct bus service to Newcastle I'm sure I will be able to live with the increased journey times and the loss of 2 buses an hour on the corridor. 

Still a good service from the days of 602 / 604 and these changes are like the old 610 route.

Living in Rowlands Gill, I tended to use the 611 (forerunner to today's 47) for similar reasons as the route along Scotswood Road seemed a lot faster than the route through Dunston and Metrocentre which every other bus to the area took. However, and granted this is going back over 10 years now, I don't seem to recall that many people boarding/alighting on Scotswood Road aside from the odd person at either AA or BA in Newcastle Business Park. 

During peak times, the Scotswood Road service was replaced by an extended 32 and, out of novelty, I used to sometimes get this bus into Newcastle in the mornings while attending uni. Once again, even with passengers from both Blaydon and Winlaton, it was only a handful of people who alighted at Newcastle Business Park with only one travelling from Rowlands Gill despite decent loadings. Needless to say, this service was eventually withdrawn.

While I would love (and therefore choose) a Metrocentre-avoiding bus, travelling patterns sadly dictate that there's no business case for GNE to provide one. Unlike the 604, and now the 11, there have been no strong views or petitions created to save (or resurrect) either the 611 or the lengthy peak-time 32.

Never mind found Metrocity out of use in the depot

6047 and a.n.other branded Gemini parked on the northbound slip A19/A690.
It looked like 6047 was the one picking up some new passengers.

Arriva's 604 route was a better route than the 10B that replaced it in my opinion as it stopped outside my front door. I was not happy when GNE changed the route to avoid the housing estates in Prudhoe resulting in a walk up a very steep hill from the Front Street. 686 isn't much help as it only runs between 0947 and 1416 past my house. Do remember a few years ago GNE did have a service 11 to replace the 604 when they first took over the routes before the start of the TEN brand that went through the housing estates but unfortunately it was withdrawn due to passenger numbers.


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4969 (NK53 UNV) which was repainted into Go North Easts Corporate Livery last week, was seen leaving Saltmeadows just after 12pm, I would gather this will have been returned to Deptford ahead of transferring to Percy Main when Service Changes occur, if it hasn't already.

5217 (NK54 NVN) also arrived at Saltmeadows around 12pm also, the final Prince Bishops branded Scania L94UB Wright Solar to be repainted into Go North Easts Corporate Livery. 4975 (NK53 UOB) was also parked up awaiting to be prepared for a Blue Repaint.

(17 Jun 2016, 2:46 pm)Malarkey wrote 4969 (NK53 UNV) which was repainted into Go North Easts Corporate Livery last week, was seen leaving Saltmeadows just after 12pm, I would gather this will have been returned to Deptford ahead of transferring to Percy Main when Service Changes occur, if it hasn't already.

5217 (NK54 NVN) also arrived at Saltmeadows around 12pm also, the final Prince Bishops branded Scania L94UB Wright Solar to be repainted into Go North Easts Corporate Livery. 4975 (NK53 UOB) was also parked up awaiting to be prepared for a Blue Repaint.

Thanks for the updates.

Unless something has changed, 4969 will have been repainted in a lighter red for service 39 as opposed to the darker red used in the corporate livery: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/gnefle...eetno=4969

(17 Jun 2016, 4:40 pm)S813 FVK wrote Unless something has changed, 4969 will have been repainted in a lighter red for service 39 as opposed to the darker red used in the corporate livery: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/gnefle...eetno=4969

To be honest I cant tell the difference between the two shades of Red, so here is the photo I got of 4969.

(17 Jun 2016, 4:49 pm)Malarkey wrote To be honest I cant tell the difference between the two shades of Red, so here is the photo I got of 4969.

I can see what you mean - that looks incredibly like the corporate livery shade of red. Might just be the rain though.

"it's great to get on a bus that doesn't pick up all the charvers."

Well, that's one way to lose sympathy for an argument.

(17 Jun 2016, 4:40 pm)S813 FVK wrote Unless something has changed, 4969 will have been repainted in a lighter red for service 39 as opposed to the darker red used in the corporate livery: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/gnefle...eetno=4969

4969 is in a lighter shade of red, like 4976, 4990, 4991, 4992, 5212 & 5213.  All of these are to be branded for service 39/39A Doxford International - Pennywell.

(17 Jun 2016, 6:54 pm)BFK wrote 4969 is in a lighter shade of red, like 4976, 4990, 4991, 4992, 5212 & 5213.  All of these are to be branded for service 39/39A Doxford International - Pennywell.

Yup... but what will the brand be?

(17 Jun 2016, 7:24 pm)Michael wrote Yup... but what will the brand be?

Black cats

(17 Jun 2016, 6:53 pm)BusLoverMum wrote "it's great to get on a bus that doesn't pick up all the charvers."

Well, that's one way to lose sympathy for an argument.

I dislike the word, in any of it's many forms. 

(17 Jun 2016, 7:33 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Black cats

So is that fact or speculation? If it's the latter, could you please mark your post as such, so that other's don't take what you've said as gospel?

(17 Jun 2016, 7:33 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Black cats

That's if they haven't changed their minds.

(17 Jun 2016, 7:33 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Black cats

Oh bloody hell, I see another indiGo 'but they're not even painted black' argument on the way 

Stanley don't seem to be having much luck with their buses. Solo 646 joins 5412 and 5414 with new plain painted panels.

6106 has the front with no livery and the near side. Has this been in some sort of accident?

(17 Jun 2016, 8:55 pm)James101 wrote Oh bloody hell, I see another indiGo 'but they're not even painted black' argument on the way 

Actually the Black Cats were the original "Oh no the colour doesn't match the brand name" when they were yellow. But then again, we didn't have some of the enthusiasts back then making hundreds of posts saying that the Black Cats aren't black.

(17 Jun 2016, 9:13 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Actually the Black Cats were the original "Oh no the colour doesn't match the brand name" when they were yellow. But then again, we didn't have some of the enthusiasts back then making hundreds of posts saying that the Black Cats aren't black.

Ah but you see, that version of Black Cats will be tolerated by these enthusiasts, as it had the all important 'swirl' linking in with the corporate livery back then.

That is a key factor if the company wishes to be 'really good'

(17 Jun 2016, 9:13 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Actually the Black Cats were the original "Oh no the colour doesn't match the brand name" when they were yellow. But then again, we didn't have some of the enthusiasts back then making hundreds of posts saying that the Black Cats aren't black.

The original black cats brand on the yellow mpds had no association with SAFC, same as the fast cats brand has no association with SAFC.


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(17 Jun 2016, 9:31 pm)Dan wrote Ah but you see, that version of Black Cats will be tolerated by these enthusiasts, as it had the all important 'swirl' linking in with the corporate livery back then.

That is a key factor if the company wishes to be 'really good'

Erm no. Back then most enthusiasts weren't getting over excitied about pieces of plastic or paint jobs. There was still decent haulage to be had from step entrance vehicles back then.

If anyone is able to tell me what board the Metrocity is on today that would be greatly appreciated.

(17 Jun 2016, 4:29 am)Dan wrote The portion between Greenside and Blackhall Mill is secured by Nexus, so it's down to them to decide the route and frequency of the service between these two locations.

As posted elsewhere on the forum, "the number of passengers using existing service 11 from Greenside to reach Newcastle Business Park has been very disappointing, at around just two per day."

The number of direct buses between Newcastle Business Park and Blaydon, Ryton and Crawcrook (10X) has therefore been reduced to better match the number of people travelling, at peak times only.

It is unfortunate that the direct link from Greenside will be broken, but the very low usage means that it is just not sustainable to continue providing this direct link.

During the day, connections can be made between frequent TEN buses and frequent Toonlink 12/12A buses.

Whilst a number of people have signed said petition, I often think this is due to the increasing use of Social Media. It takes minutes to share the petiton on Facebook, and seconds to sign it. Even if you don't use buses, you could sign it because one of your friends has shared it and asked you to sign it (in order to build up the numbers). It's really not a true reflection, and if all of these people were making use of the direct link between Blackhall Mill, Greenside, Crawcrook, and Ryton, the service (quite frankly) wouldn't be being withdrawn.

I would question that, since they are judging their passenger numbers on the ticket machine data.  This works but only to a certain extent.  If 30 people board at Blackhall Mill, but only 2 of them buy single/returns to the Business Park and the other 28 have passes, what method do GNE (or any other company for that matter) have of determining when they alight the bus?  Or do they just assume they all went to Newcastle?

(18 Jun 2016, 8:05 am)Jackamcardle wrote If anyone is able to tell me what board the Metrocity is on today that would be greatly appreciated.

If its doing the same thing as yesterday, it will be parked in the depot. My advice is to get a bus past the depot to see if its parked up in the front corner.

(18 Jun 2016, 8:44 am)palatine3833 wrote I would question that, since they are judging their passenger numbers on the ticket machine data.  This works but only to a certain extent.  If 30 people board at Blackhall Mill, but only 2 of them buy single/returns to the Business Park and the other 28 have passes, what method do GNE (or any other company for that matter) have of determining when they alight the bus?  Or do they just assume they all went to Newcastle?

It's still recorded as a passenger boarding at that stop though, isn't it? I use my Arriva paper ticket every day, and the driver presses something on the ETM. Same as when I've just used a Go North East mTicket. I assume that this is recording me boarding?

Having said that, unless they buy a single or return, you have no idea how many are alighting at each point, to my knowledge? I don't state my destination when using one of the above methods, so I could be alighting at the terminus or even the next stop... who knows?

(18 Jun 2016, 9:56 am)GMitchelhill wrote If its doing the same thing as yesterday, it will be parked in the depot. My advice is to get a bus past the depot to see if its parked up in the front corner.

Better not be in the depot! There's a reason it's on demonstrator, and that's not for it to sit in the depot all day. If it's broken then fair enough but if not then it's a bit pointless having it isn't it

(17 Jun 2016, 10:49 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Erm no. Back then most enthusiasts weren't getting over excitied about pieces of plastic or paint jobs. There was still decent haulage to be had from step entrance vehicles back then.

Fleet conditions were never the greatest back then, but you never got petty arguments about colours and stickers. There was so much variety back then, and you could have some cracking haulage without going too far at all.

I just wish I took more photos back then.

(18 Jun 2016, 10:37 am)Adrian wrote It's still recorded as a passenger boarding at that stop though, isn't it? I use my Arriva paper ticket every day, and the driver presses something on the ETM. Same as when I've just used a Go North East mTicket. I assume that this is recording me boarding?

Having said that, unless they buy a single or return, you have no idea how many are alighting at each point, to my knowledge? I don't state my destination when using one of the above methods, so I could be alighting at the terminus or even the next stop... who knows?

That was my exact point.  No-one can give precise figures on passenger journeys.  'The service carries 12 people over a day' can be measured because that's registered on the machine, but you can't accurately claim that '3 people over the whole day traveled between Newcastle and Bensham' if the service continues through to Stanley.

(18 Jun 2016, 11:10 am)palatine3833 wrote That was my exact point.  No-one can give precise figures on passenger journeys.  'The service carries 12 people over a day' can be measured because that's registered on the machine, but you can't accurately claim that '3 people over the whole day traveled between Newcastle and Bensham' if the service continues through to Stanley.

Plus it's a business park, so it would be a reasonable assumpton that people to have multi journey tickets.

I made the same points when the southern half of the X12 was turned into limited stop, and the same arguments were given back to me. Although no one has been able to tell me how alighting can be as accurately measured as boarding.