(31 Aug 2022, 5:53 pm)Rob44 wrote doesnt newcastle and gateshead have them?  The gateshead one is next to where the 21 stops i think?  The newcastle one is in the arriva office?

Newcastle and Gateshead Metro both have them for anything that goes through there, as will Durham Bus Station, once that is redeveloped.

But the point was around the 34/71/Chester locals, which don't go anywhere near any of them. The 71 covers quite a bit of distance compared to the others, but there's no public toilets en-route or at either terminus.

(31 Aug 2022, 6:01 pm)Adrian wrote Newcastle and Gateshead Metro both have them for anything that goes through there, as will Durham Bus Station, once that is redeveloped.

But the point was around the 34/71/Chester locals, which don't go anywhere near any of them. The 71 covers quite a bit of distance compared to the others, but there's no public toilets en-route or at either terminus.

Byron Place does have them at Seaham, but its quite a distance from the stop and it doesn't even terminate at the main Seaham Interchange.

(31 Aug 2022, 6:01 pm)Adrian wrote Newcastle and Gateshead Metro both have them for anything that goes through there, as will Durham Bus Station, once that is redeveloped.

But the point was around the 34/71/Chester locals, which don't go anywhere near any of them. The 71 covers quite a bit of distance compared to the others, but there's no public toilets en-route or at either terminus.

Ah right.

Surley GNE have something in mind? Although i see they still use little pinks for changeover of drivers on the 28b at kibblesworth on Sundays. Must const them a fortune in fuel.... especialy when stage coach use 1L fiesta and igos to move their drivers about

(31 Aug 2022, 6:33 pm)Rob44 wrote Ah right.

Surley GNE have something in mind? Although i see they still use little pinks for changeover of drivers on the 28b at kibblesworth on Sundays. Must const them a fortune in fuel.... especialy when stage coach use 1L fiesta and igos to move their drivers about

Not as bad as a 56' Plate OmniDekka! 

I was on the 25 and the driver came in one of those. They might aswell just burn £20

It'd actually be a decent cost saving to get a couple of electric charging points installed at Washington, then look to lease some electric vans next time around.

(31 Aug 2022, 5:09 pm)Adrian wrote Tesco's toilet is a customer toilet though. I think if you had loads of bus drivers using it, something would very quickly be said to the company.

Wetherspoon allow members of the public to use their toilets without making purchases, however I think its a bit of a walk from the nearest stop?

(31 Aug 2022, 7:34 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Wetherspoon allow members of the public to use their toilets without making purchases, however I think its a bit of a walk from the nearest stop?

Yeah, it is. Right at the other end of the Front Street.

(31 Aug 2022, 7:48 pm)Adrian wrote Yeah, it is. Right at the other end of the Front Street.

I've been on so many 60's when the drivers have gone to the toilet in Costa, normally with Costa you need to make a purchase but I don't think any drivers that I'm aware of have had an issue. And the 65,71 stop right on the other side so I don't really see an issue.

(31 Aug 2022, 6:33 pm)Rob44 wrote Ah right.

Surley GNE have something in mind? Although i see they still use little pinks for changeover of drivers on the 28b at kibblesworth on Sundays. Must const them a fortune in fuel.... especialy when stage coach use 1L fiesta and igos to move their drivers about

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9396928?...6b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=ixilqwmwa&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7cacid:278-707-7346%7ccid:16617947461%7cagid:135646442558%7ctid:pla-1073530845992%7ccrid:588782485810%7cnw:u%7crnd:2508084168640271420%7cdvc:c%7cadp:%7cmt:%7cloc:1006948&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16617947461&utm_term=9396928&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=135646442558&utm_custom2=278-707-7346&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjbyYBhCdARIsAArC6LIFuOS6S9IUGJHNgvyRC5T3YiXENG2cR2Fxv2QmEO09YXJxSz9v3IYaAl9nEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Problem solved. Might cost a bit more once they've branded them up.

(31 Aug 2022, 7:34 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Wetherspoon allow members of the public to use their toilets without making purchases, however I think its a bit of a walk from the nearest stop?

And that's not got nowt to do with the toilets being a mile walk from the bar area!

(31 Aug 2022, 6:39 pm)Unber43 wrote Not as bad as a 56' Plate OmniDekka! 

I was on the 25 and the driver came in one of those. They might aswell just burn £20

In another great use of fuel here is an Xlines X1 Branded StreetDeck on Staff Shuttle Duties https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...1634509093

(31 Aug 2022, 5:12 pm)Unber43 wrote I am not sure how it currently works with the Washington services 71 etc however, do they just do there 4-5 hour shift, return to the Depot for their break and then go back to CLS?

Surely they'll keep it open bit stupid if they don't it would save them loads in deadruns. I wonder if extending the 71 to Washington could be an option to save with changeovers there.

The initial rota with the 71 will consist of a mixture of 34s and the Little Pinks network in Washington. All changeovers for stuff that runs through Chester takes place there, with the exception of the 25 where changeovers are at Birtley Northside. The 8s mostly changeover at the Galleries, although there are some duties that do so at Chester.

(31 Aug 2022, 9:50 pm)R852 PRG wrote The initial rota with the 71 will consist of a mixture of 34s and the Little Pinks network in Washington. All changeovers for stuff that runs through Chester takes place there, with the exception of the 25 where changeovers are at Birtley Northside. The 8s mostly changeover at the Galleries, although there are some duties that do so at Chester.

They are waisting so much money on changeovers. 

They might as well extend the 71 to every 2 hours Washington & a new pinks link every 20 mins between Washington & Chester-Le-Street, the 83A route which would take around 30 mins. 

Because they could do 2 71's easily if the CLS to Washington was about 30 mins each way. Then on the 34 they could do 4 34's then 83A. 

While it may be longer than the current run dead time from the Depot it would keep changeover at CLS on 34/83A. It would imo just try to run something instead of wasting fuel.

(31 Aug 2022, 10:30 pm)Unber43 wrote They are waisting so much money on changeovers. 

They might as well extend the 71 to every 2 hours Washington & a new pinks link every 20 mins between Washington & Chester-Le-Street, the 83A route which would take around 30 mins. 

Because they could do 2 71's easily if the CLS to Washington was about 30 mins each way. Then on the 34 they could do 4 34's then 83A. 

While it may be longer than the current run dead time from the Depot it would keep changeover at CLS on 34/83A. It would imo just try to run something instead of wasting fuel.

Isn’t service 71 secured service?, so the timetable and route is solely down to DCC and not GNE, highly doubt DCC will pay for another bus and driver so GNE could change/extend the service to Washington etc…, it would be all factored in the bidding of the contract for changeovers etc for what needed by the bus company who won the contract.

By what has happened in the past from other depot closures, example: Philadelphia depot, the fall out afterwards was practically almost no network was left since OK was took over and practically all local work was amalgamated into longer distance work and the rest of GNE unprofitable routes were put in the hands of the local authorities still trying to pick up the pieces, this is what will happen on most of Chester network if not already done so via DCC secured work.


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(31 Aug 2022, 5:30 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Would rather discuss the fleet, routes etc rather than the fine detail of where drivers are allowed to urinate tbh.

Unpleasant as the topic is, having somewhere clean, comfortable and convenient to relieve oneself is pretty central to tolerable working conditions for people working in any industry at any level. Not providing that is bordering on inhumane. And what about female drivers who menstruate? Do they not matter? 

And I'm not sure I would want to be on a bus with a driver who isn't at their best because they are either busting for a wee with no prospect of doing anything about it, anytime soon, or nursing a headache because they've been avoiding drinking anything, to prevent that. It's not safe.

About the toilet situation, as I remember when GAN took over OK, there was a Phili driver doing the 21A between Hetton Estates and Thornley on late evening, who had to go to the toilet, and someone from the depot had to drive in the company work car out to Hetton to meet the driver and swap and then when the driver came back it meet up with the service bus along Ludworth, there’s always something in place between drivers and management at the depots for toilet relieves but not for public discussion forum really, talk has really gone down the toilet these days


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There's tonnes of routes in the North East that don't have any toilet facilities though.

Basically every single Stagecoach route in Newcastle has no where for a toilet.

I don't believe there's anywhere easy in Darlington either or sticking with GNE, the 19, 41 and 41A. Also I can't think of anywhere on the 309/310/311 either since the office in Haymarket and Blyth are for Arriva not any bus driver. Never ever see a GNE driver venture in either.

(01 Sep 2022, 12:58 pm)Storx wrote There's tonnes of routes in the North East that don't have any toilet facilities though.

Basically every single Stagecoach route in Newcastle has no where for a toilet.

I don't believe there's anywhere easy in Darlington either or sticking with GNE, the 19, 41 and 41A. Also I can't think of anywhere on the 309/310/311 either since the office in Haymarket and Blyth are for Arriva not any bus driver. Never ever see a GNE driver venture in either.

ive seen stagecoach and and GNE drivers use the arriva office at haymarket several times.

(01 Sep 2022, 1:16 pm)Rob44 wrote ive seen stagecoach and and GNE drivers use the arriva office at haymarket several times.

Ah that's fair, honestly never seen either go in before, I wasn't 100% sure on that especially now they've got the keypad locking the door.

(01 Sep 2022, 12:58 pm)Storx wrote There's tonnes of routes in the North East that don't have any toilet facilities though.

Basically every single Stagecoach route in Newcastle has no where for a toilet.

I don't believe there's anywhere easy in Darlington either or sticking with GNE, the 19, 41 and 41A. Also I can't think of anywhere on the 309/310/311 either since the office in Haymarket and Blyth are for Arriva not any bus driver. Never ever see a GNE driver venture in either.

Think there's facilities at Wallsend bus station.

Not sure if it's still a thing, but I'm sure there used to be rules in companies rule books around drivers going in to pubs in uniform.

(01 Sep 2022, 12:58 pm)Storx wrote There's tonnes of routes in the North East that don't have any toilet facilities though.

Basically every single Stagecoach route in Newcastle has no where for a toilet.

I don't believe there's anywhere easy in Darlington either or sticking with GNE, the 19, 41 and 41A. Also I can't think of anywhere on the 309/310/311 either since the office in Haymarket and Blyth are for Arriva not any bus driver. Never ever see a GNE driver venture in either.

Wallsend Metro - 41/41a, Ferry terminus 19.

Message option on the ticket machine 'driver taking comfort break.'

When I was at Arriva, I was given a list of toilets on each route. These were normally in pubs..

(01 Sep 2022, 2:07 pm)Chris 1 wrote Think there's facilities at Wallsend bus station.

Not sure if it's still a thing, but I'm sure there used to be rules in companies rule books around drivers going in to pubs in uniform.

Yeah we've been told not to.

Several Angel's, Omnidekka's & Ex Lothian’s entered Riverside today

Last bus out of the depot for service this morning was 6179 on the S2 duty.

With the X21 moving to Riverside, how long until we see a B5 back on the X10, and an E400 on the X21?

Quite sad to see Chester close, interesting to see how Riverside cope with their first ops of the 21 being on a matchday

(02 Sep 2022, 11:36 am)streetdeckfan wrote With the X21 moving to Riverside, how long until we see a B5 back on the X10, and an E400 on the X21?

And on the back of an alpha tow truck on the same day

Surprised no-one mentioned that the depot shut last night, I don't personally have any connection to it as I don't really use their routes or live by but it seems people just forgot on here.

(03 Sep 2022, 7:16 am)Storx wrote Surprised no-one mentioned that the depot shut last night, I don't personally have any connection to it as I don't really use their routes or live by but it seems people just forgot on here.

Read post #445.