Apparently the 8 is going back to every 30 mins on May 14th which is a Sunday

(18 Apr 2023, 3:32 pm)Unber43 wrote Apparently the 8 is going back to every 30 mins on May 14th which is a Sunday

14th May is a Nexus change date for services in Sunderland - it doesn’t mean that the 8 will be every 30 minutes on a Sunday.

(18 Apr 2023, 7:20 pm)busmanT wrote 14th May is a Nexus change date for services in Sunderland - it doesn’t mean that the 8 will be every 30 minutes on a Sunday.

No, but the date is a Sunday which is when all of the service changes mostly happen.

Looking on the gov website:
It seems like GNE will be running the 82 between QE Hospital and Waterview Park and 79 from Hall Lane Estate and Barnwell

If the 238 still ran they could have interworked the 79 with it or just have the 238 run the whole way through

(18 Apr 2023, 8:21 pm)Unber43 wrote If the 238 still ran they could have interworked the 79 with it or just have the 238 run the whole way through

The 79 is part of what the 238 was!

(19 Apr 2023, 10:21 am)R838PRG wrote The 79 is part of what the 238 was!

I remember not long after I started doing the 238 on a Saturday and route was split into 3 trip sections (all to do with which bit were secured I believe). You had

Part 1 Sunderland - Ryhope Village
Part 2 Ryhope Village - Houghton
Part 3 Houghton - Barnwell

Then the same on return. Monday - Friday trips were just one through journey.

(18 Apr 2023, 3:32 pm)Unber43 wrote Apparently the 8 is going back to every 30 mins on May 14th which is a Sunday

PB0003954/735
Variation GO NORTH EAST LIMITED 8 (8, 8A) Sunderland Stanley

Change: 14th May 2023

Service changes from Sunday 14 May

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-ch...rom-14-May

(20 Apr 2023, 2:54 pm)Michael wrote Service changes from Sunday 14 May

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-ch...rom-14-May

The spin they put on this man... It's because of them that the Nexus services exist!

(20 Apr 2023, 3:05 pm)Andreos1 wrote The spin they put on this man... It's because of them that the Nexus services exist!

I notice "Journeys will track in real-time on our mobile app and buses will have ‘next stop’ audio-visual announcements." under the 82 heading, presumably trying to point out something not present on the JH/GCT offering of the 82/82A.

Have the "'next stop' audio-visual announcements" been reinstated on the other Washington 8x services? I don't think I've seen them active since the service changes 9 months ago.

(20 Apr 2023, 3:15 pm)Adrian wrote I notice "Journeys will track in real-time on our mobile app and buses will have ‘next stop’ audio-visual announcements." under the 82 heading, presumably trying to point out something not present on the JH/GCT offering of the 82/82A. 

Have the "'next stop' audio-visual announcements" been reinstated on the other Washington 8x services? I don't think I've seen them active since the service changes 9 months ago.

Like they did before they sacked the routes off and got Nexus to step in?

As for the Washington locals. No idea, it's been years since I last used them.

Journeys will only run as far as QE Hospital, no longer serving Gateshead Interchange. Customers travelling to Gateshead can change buses at Wrekenton, onto Cityrider service 56 and X-lines service X1.

does the 2528/51/52 no longer stop at wrekenton??

Why not advise to change at QE and add the 57 to buses you can catch or is this bus service been ditched?

(20 Apr 2023, 4:10 pm)Rob44 wrote Journeys will only run as far as QE Hospital, no longer serving Gateshead Interchange. Customers travelling to Gateshead can change buses at Wrekenton, onto Cityrider service 56 and X-lines service X1.

does the 2528/51/52 no longer stop at wrekenton??

Why not advise to change at QE and add the 57 to buses you can catch or  is this bus service been ditched?

The services are just a farce with the 25/81/82/83.

I wish they'd just work with GNE and run the 81 all day between Waterview Park and Newcastle via the 81 route extended to Newcastle and scrap the rest.

It would make it a hell of a lot easier for people.

There's the 28 for people who want to go from Birtley to the QE and others can change at Wrekenton.

If the minibuses become full, then that's a sign of success and just up the frequency where the problems are... Be nice to try and actually build a route for once.

(20 Apr 2023, 4:33 pm)Storx wrote The services are just a farce with the 25/81/82/83.

I wish they'd just work with GNE and run the 81 all day between Waterview Park and Newcastle via the 81 route extended to Newcastle and scrap the rest.

It would make it a hell of a lot easier for people.

There's the 28 for people who want to go from Birtley to the QE and others can change at Wrekenton.

If the minibuses become full, then that's a sign of success and just up the frequency where the problems are... Be nice to try and actually build a route for once.

I agree with this, the revised 82 is Go North East literally setting it up to turn around to Nexus and say it's not commercially viable down the line to operate with cutting it from Q.E. Hospital to Gateshead, actually quite a few do use the 82 to/from Gateshead more so to Birtley if the 21 has been late and wouldn't you if you still only paying £2 Single, I do think if Go North East kept the existing route as it is then with there fare options it could boost passenger numbers in a positive manner.  

One thing GNE and Nexus do need to sort is the evening/sunday timings of the 28B/81 as they operate within a few mins of each other going into Gateshead from Chowdene Bank onwards, have often seen both together.

Also the 81 retiming is very stupid you just miss the 2/2A

(20 Apr 2023, 7:52 pm)Malarkey wrote I agree with this, the revised 82 is Go North East literally setting it up to turn around to Nexus and say it's not commercially viable down the line to operate with cutting it from Q.E. Hospital to Gateshead, actually quite a few do use the 82 to/from Gateshead more so to Birtley if the 21 has been late and wouldn't you if you still only paying £2 Single, I do think if Go North East kept the existing route as it is then with there fare options it could boost passenger numbers in a positive manner.  

One thing GNE and Nexus do need to sort is the evening/sunday timings of the 28B/81 as they operate within a few mins of each other going into Gateshead from Chowdene Bank onwards, have often seen both together.

The new 82 is a Nexus tender on the back of what they proposed under their earlier consultation.  It would have been exactly the same 82 if another operator had won the tender instead.

(20 Apr 2023, 7:52 pm)Malarkey wrote I agree with this, the revised 82 is Go North East literally setting it up to turn around to Nexus and say it's not commercially viable down the line to operate with cutting it from Q.E. Hospital to Gateshead, actually quite a few do use the 82 to/from Gateshead more so to Birtley if the 21 has been late and wouldn't you if you still only paying £2 Single, I do think if Go North East kept the existing route as it is then with there fare options it could boost passenger numbers in a positive manner.  

One thing GNE and Nexus do need to sort is the evening/sunday timings of the 28B/81 as they operate within a few mins of each other going into Gateshead from Chowdene Bank onwards, have often seen both together.

This is what Go North East did with it as a commercial service. The old 84 (from the Galleries ran Washington Village, one side of Barmston and to Concord) was replaced with a ridiculous service to Waterview Park as the 82, which some 9 months later was then deemed as not commercially viable. I commented on this at the time in 2021 here.

(20 Apr 2023, 7:52 pm)Malarkey wrote I agree with this, the revised 82 is Go North East literally setting it up to turn around to Nexus and say it's not commercially viable down the line to operate with cutting it from Q.E. Hospital to Gateshead, actually quite a few do use the 82 to/from Gateshead more so to Birtley if the 21 has been late and wouldn't you if you still only paying £2 Single, I do think if Go North East kept the existing route as it is then with there fare options it could boost passenger numbers in a positive manner.  

One thing GNE and Nexus do need to sort is the evening/sunday timings of the 28B/81 as they operate within a few mins of each other going into Gateshead from Chowdene Bank onwards, have often seen both together.

Yeah totally agreed tbh, it just doesn't make sense to me. It duplicates the 28 another subsidised service which is even more baffling.

The 81 is a mess aswell, the last bus at 18:40 out of Newcastle is just piss poor for the majority of Birtley, it's all good saying you can change at Gateshead but then you might aswell stay on the 21 and change at Birtley and miss the tour of Low Fell out.

and don't get me started on the Barmston side.

82 during the day on weekdays, 83 on an evening but a Sunday where it's the 81 except the evening it's still the 83 but the 81 still runs. Confusing as an understatement.

The 8/81 isn't much better either while were at it. Just subsidise the 8 through if it's needed imo.

Wonder if the 81 running all day hourly with the 8 hourly from Washington to Sunderland, then the 81 connecting to Newcastle would be better than the 8 every 30 mins, and that can be from washington only.

(20 Apr 2023, 8:34 pm)Unber43 wrote Wonder if the 81 running all day hourly with the 8 hourly from Washington to Sunderland, then the 81 connecting to Newcastle would be better than the 8 every 30 mins, and that can be from washington only.

imo, the 8 would be better doing this route:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Chester-...3c!1m0!3e0

Means you could withdraw the 81/82/83 between Washington and Waterview Park but more important the 50 could run direct between Rickleton and Washington, the route right now is just stupid.

Obviously not possible as it's commercial though.

On the 65 changes, it says the one that leaves at 8:36 from Seaham will depart 30 minutes earlier, there is already a 65 that leaves at 8:06, so are they just taking away that 8:36 journey and replacing it with an existing journey or what?? Because like I've said there's already an 8:06 from Seaham, so is there not going to be a bus till 9:13 ?

(20 Apr 2023, 4:33 pm)Storx wrote The services are just a farce with the 25/81/82/83. 

I wish they'd just work with GNE and run the 81 all day between Waterview Park and Newcastle via the 81 route extended to Newcastle and scrap the rest.

It would make it a hell of a lot easier for people.

There's the 28 for people who want to go from Birtley to the QE and others can change at Wrekenton.

If the minibuses become full, then that's a sign of success and just up the frequency where the problems are... Be nice to try and actually build a route for once.

I'm an enthusiast who has been in and around those areas for over 40 years. 
I've lost track of what goes where and the route it takes. 
I haven't got a clue what goes where now. 

I could spend time revising and researching. But that's not always appealing and the car will inevitably be far quicker.

If a gricer can't keep up, what chance does anyone else have? 

The endless changes, splits, revisions, paint jobs, re-numbering, route adaptations, diversion and the total failure of the operator to maintain a stable network isn't going to sustain passengers nor attract new ones.

(21 Apr 2023, 8:14 am)nova347 wrote On the 65 changes, it says the one that leaves at 8:36 from Seaham will depart 30 minutes earlier, there is already a 65 that leaves at 8:06, so are they just taking away that 8:36 journey and replacing it with an existing journey or what?? Because like I've said there's already an 8:06 from Seaham, so is there not going to be a bus till 9:13 ?

As of 26 March, the 08:06 journey was removed.

It was added back in, but this is the change being formalised.

The 08:36 journey never used to exist, so is being re-timed to be 08:06 again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What are the chances, we see a rare working first week of the 82's operation?
Which depot Will the 79/520 be operated by?

(21 Apr 2023, 11:36 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote What are the chances, we see a rare working first week of the 82's operation?
Which depot Will the 79/520 be operated by?

Presumably Deptford atleast for the 520 as that may use the sprinters as GNE got to the point on the service update post that they will have USB charging.

(20 Apr 2023, 3:15 pm)Adrian wrote I notice "Journeys will track in real-time on our mobile app and buses will have ‘next stop’ audio-visual announcements." under the 82 heading, presumably trying to point out something not present on the JH/GCT offering of the 82/82A.

Have the "'next stop' audio-visual announcements" been reinstated on the other Washington 8x services? I don't think I've seen them active since the service changes 9 months ago.

You can see how everything is played out to suit the big operators. So GNE binned the 82 because it wasn't making much money despite reported decent loadings, then it's given as a Nexus contract to JH Coaches but GNE tickets/cards can't be used on them so passenger numbers go down further. Then GNE are awarded the contract and will be running the 82 again because they having the funding and can also can promote their products and services at the same time! So it's effectively costing GNE nothing to run now compared to before and they can make more profit on it! You couldn't make it up!

What's even more ironic is the big operators like GNE and Arriva are now teaming up with new ticketing schemes, going by what's being piloted in North Tyneside. While this is good for passengers in the short term you can see how this is only going to strengthen the big operators further and put more pressure on the independents. The more competition they take away the more control they have and the more money they make.

(20 Apr 2023, 3:15 pm)Adrian wrote I notice "Journeys will track in real-time on our mobile app and buses will have ‘next stop’ audio-visual announcements." under the 82 heading, presumably trying to point out something not present on the JH/GCT offering of the 82/82A.

Have the "'next stop' audio-visual announcements" been reinstated on the other Washington 8x services? I don't think I've seen them active since the service changes 9 months ago.

I think I've inconclusively answered my own question here. This morning I used an 84 from Biddick to Concord, (via the Galleries and Blackfell), and there were no announcements at all. The screen had the generic scroller on. I then used an 84 Concord to Biddick (via Barmston), and we partially had announcements! 

They seemed to kick in at the junction between Westerhope Road and Horsley Road, to announce the next stop was JFK Primary School, but we were turning left for the Horsley Road turning circle first. It didn't announce any of those stops, then kicked in at the same point again (as we passed the Westerhope Road junction). It then announced the Victoria Inn as the next stop, before we turned down to Brady Square. It then got confused again and displayed JFK Primary School on the screen, all the way down to and back up from Brady Square, before correcting itself as we passed the Victoria.

I wonder if this is some kind of bus stop roulette for those that rely on the NSAs?

(21 Apr 2023, 10:41 am)Andreos1 wrote I'm an enthusiast who has been in and around those areas for over 40 years. 
I've lost track of what goes where and the route it takes. 
I haven't got a clue what goes where now. 

I could spend time revising and researching. But that's not always appealing and the car will inevitably be far quicker.

If a gricer can't keep up, what chance does anyone else have? 

The endless changes, splits, revisions, paint jobs, re-numbering, route adaptations, diversion and the total failure of the operator to maintain a stable network isn't going to sustain passengers nor attract new ones.

I agree. I have to keep reminding myself which is the 84 and which is the 85, but really the two services are the better idea that we've had for a long time. At least since the old W5/W6 circular services were done away with. 

With the 84/85, you can reach the Galleries or Concord within 10-12 minutes from the furthest points, which I'd say is still a good option for those travelling locally. It's the other services, in particular the 50, where the customers are punished. A lack of 'out of the box thinking' (as they'd say) with how to deal with Ayton has made travel between Chester-le-Street and Washington ridiculous. Hopefully now that the 8 is back, it can be revised to at least not serve Rickleton during the day.

(23 Apr 2023, 1:28 pm)Washingtonian wrote You can see how everything is played out to suit the big operators. So GNE binned the 82 because it wasn't making much money despite reported decent loadings, then it's given as a Nexus contract to JH Coaches but GNE tickets/cards can't be used on them so passenger numbers go down further. Then GNE are awarded the contract and will be running the 82 again because they having the funding and can also can promote their products and services at the same time! So it's effectively costing GNE nothing to run now compared to before and they can make more profit on it! You couldn't make it up!

What's even more ironic is the big operators like GNE and Arriva are now teaming up with new ticketing schemes, going by what's being piloted in North Tyneside. While this is good for passengers in the short term you can see how this is only going to strengthen the big operators further and put more pressure on the independents. The more competition they take away the more control they have and the more money they make.

I largely agree with what you're saying on the first point, but GNE have won the work because they've put forward the most economically advantageous bid in the tender process. It also means, that in an area dominated by one operator, you have ticket acceptance across the board. Something that was supposed to happen with the 82/82A, but I don't think a lot of drivers were aware of it and it certainly wasn't publicised. 

It's also worth pointing out that there are some independent operators that have a lot of public contracts for running bus services, but up to now have taken zero commercial risk in the market. In my opinion this is just as bad, as it contributes nothing back in to the network.

Go North East really need to look at improving the frequency and reliability of the Voltra 53/54, recently moved from my previous haunt of Low Fell to Bensham and I have seen a number of service cancellations or buses running in two's in either direction which simply put isn't good enough in the few weeks I have been using the services to/from Newcastle. I think reverting back to the old route and having a quayside shuttle would be a better option, of course this may see PVR/Driver Numbers increase.

(23 Apr 2023, 5:17 pm)Malarkey wrote Go North East really need to look at improving the frequency and reliability of the Voltra 53/54, recently moved from my previous haunt of Low Fell to Bensham and I have seen a number of service cancellations or buses running in two's in either direction which simply put isn't good enough in the few weeks I have been using the services to/from Newcastle. I think reverting back to the old route and having a quayside shuttle would be a better option, of course this may see PVR/Driver Numbers increase.

Has it not got anything to do with the 4 way traffic lights on Saltmeadows Road and the roadworks?