(13 May 2023, 9:50 pm)James101 wrote It’s very this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129093914@N02/27780840298

I'd say it's more this
[Go-Ahead North East] 4912 (X912 WGR) in Bensham on West Durham Swift service X31 - Gary Hunter by The Transport Network, on Flickr

(13 May 2023, 9:50 pm)James101 wrote It’s very this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129093914@N02/27780840298

Knew I'd seen it somewhere before!

(13 May 2023, 9:50 pm)James101 wrote It’s very this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129093914@N02/27780840298

Yes, that looks bloody awful as well!  Definitely a weird throwback look, and strange there’s no identifying name on the front, unless that is still to be applied.

Considering how much money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet last couple of years just to be withdrawn or repainted (violets, cherries, blonde), you’d think they could have repainted a couple of Sprinters in a slightly less half arsed way.

(14 May 2023, 1:10 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Yes, that looks bloody awful as well!  Definitely a weird throwback look, and strange there’s no identifying name on the front, unless that is still to be applied.

Considering how much money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet last couple of years just to be withdrawn or repainted (violets, cherries, blonde), you’d think they could have repainted a couple of Sprinters in a slightly less half arsed way.

There’s clearly been a different approach since September last year.


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(14 May 2023, 1:10 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Yes, that looks bloody awful as well!  Definitely a weird throwback look, and strange there’s no identifying name on the front, unless that is still to be applied.

Considering how much money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet last couple of years just to be withdrawn or repainted (violets, cherries, blonde), you’d think they could have repainted a couple of Sprinters in a slightly less half arsed way.

The "money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet" was clearly the hallmark of the previous Managing Director - I can't say I've seen that many repaints since the new MD arrved.

(14 May 2023, 8:53 am)busmanT wrote The "money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet" was clearly the hallmark of the previous Managing Director - I can't say I've seen that many repaints since the new MD arrved.

Can't see what the complaints are about, at least they not plain white

(14 May 2023, 1:10 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Yes, that looks bloody awful as well!  Definitely a weird throwback look, and strange there’s no identifying name on the front, unless that is still to be applied.

Considering how much money and paint was spaffed all over the fleet last couple of years just to be withdrawn or repainted (violets, cherries, blonde), you’d think they could have repainted a couple of Sprinters in a slightly less half arsed way.

Well they are giving away an iPhone as a promo for the £2 fare, which is probably where the repaint money went

(13 May 2023, 8:51 pm)ne14ne1 wrote It’s not even that it’s just a banner rather than a full wrap, it’s the fact someone designed that retro twist of the corporate livery. (Not even sure they look like the right shades).

If they wanted it to look more ‘GNE’ for passengers why on earth isn’t it a banner of the 2019 corporate livery?

What are they going to use on the 82?

(14 May 2023, 10:02 pm)Unber43 wrote What are they going to use on the 82?

Solos it seems. Can't wait for them to get full since Jh E200 have been full the last few times I've saw them

(14 May 2023, 10:04 pm)Busu284 wrote Solos it seems. Can't wait for them to get full since Jh E200 have been full the last few times I've saw them

Wonder if the cut from Gateshead will hurt or help the passenger numbers

(14 May 2023, 10:04 pm)Busu284 wrote Solos it seems. Can't wait for them to get full since Jh E200 have been full the last few times I've saw them

It would have been so much better if the 82 went all the way to Gateshead. I think a few people won't use it as I would have preferred to use it over the X1, it might take longer but it always use to be quieter but now it turns around at the hospital, so whats the point? I used it to get on a quieter bus, whats the point if I'm going to transfer over to another bus, costing more?

(13 May 2023, 8:51 pm)ne14ne1 wrote If they wanted it to look more ‘GNE’ for passengers why on earth isn’t it a banner of the 2019 corporate livery?

Since I haven't done one in a while, here's a quick photoshop of what it could have looked like if they'd done it in the 2019 style, and made it look a bit less of an afterthought

(14 May 2023, 10:02 pm)Unber43 wrote What are they going to use on the 82?

Little Pinks - 641 has been reinstated at Consett, and has displaced 680 and 682 to Washington.

644 and 645 are the other two Solos which are in use at Consett to cover the V1, V5 and 831.


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(14 May 2023, 10:04 pm)Busu284 wrote Solos it seems. Can't wait for them to get full since Jh E200 have been full the last few times I've saw them

I’d imagine given that the E200s are dual-door with an awful seating arrangement that passengers will prefer the Solos. There is probably little or no difference in terms of number of seats.


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(14 May 2023, 10:04 pm)Busu284 wrote Solos it seems. Can't wait for them to get full since Jh E200 have been full the last few times I've saw them

I think the Solo have more seats than JH E200s

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(14 May 2023, 10:22 pm)nova347 wrote It would have been so much better if the 82 went all the way to Gateshead. I think a few people won't use it as I would have preferred to use it over the X1, it might take longer but it always use to be quieter but now it turns around at the hospital, so whats the point? I used it to get on a quieter bus, whats the point if I'm going to transfer over to another bus, costing more?

It’s a Nexus contract, with Nexus specifying the route and timetable. Nexus consulted on the change.

GNE are just delivering the contract route and timetable.

(15 May 2023, 7:19 am)busmanT wrote I think the Solo have more seats than JH E200s

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It’s a Nexus contract, with Nexus specifying the route and timetable. Nexus consulted on the change.

GNE are just delivering the contract route and timetable.

GNE could take the financial risk and extend it to Gateshead, if not Newcastle, with the extra PVR which they would foot the cost for, couldn't they?

(15 May 2023, 5:13 am)Dan wrote I’d imagine given that the E200s are dual-door with an awful seating arrangement that passengers will prefer the Solos. There is probably little or no difference in terms of number of seats.


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I haven't been on the E200's so can't comment on them but if it's the rattly things that were at Percy Main that's debateable. One of them is borderline unbearable especially one of the loose grab rails.

(15 May 2023, 7:45 am)Unber43 wrote GNE could take the financial risk and extend it to Gateshead, if not Newcastle, with the extra PVR which they would foot the cost for, couldn't they?

There's no point as it duplicates the 25/28 which I believe they might take a financial risk with the fares on.

There's no point in the 82 at all beyond Birtley imo and the way things have been cut lately should've been the first to go.

(15 May 2023, 8:16 am)Storx wrote I haven't been on the E200's so can't comment on them but if it's the rattly things that were at Percy Main that's debateable. One of them is borderline unbearable especially one of the loose grab rails.


There's no point as it duplicates the 25/28 which I believe they might take a financial risk with the fares on.

There's no point in the 82 at all beyond Birtley imo and the way things have been cut lately should've been the first to go.

Yeah but its whether people would choose to use the car, instead of changing, which if your at Birtely its the 21, which is always busy so why would you want to get on a busy bus, when u can take the car instead of the bus. 

Really the 82 should go to Newcastle

(15 May 2023, 8:16 am)Storx wrote I haven't been on the E200's so can't comment on them but if it's the rattly things that were at Percy Main that's debateable. One of them is borderline unbearable especially one of the loose grab rails.


There's no point as it duplicates the 25/28 which I believe they might take a financial risk with the fares on.

There's no point in the 82 at all beyond Birtley imo and the way things have been cut lately should've been the first to go.

It's almost a duplicate of the Nexus funded 727 (which replicated the Northern 721 and offered a 30min frequency between Barley Mow and Gateshead via Elisabethville and the QE).

If the 25 hadn't been diverted away from the QE, I'd argue the northern 82 extension wouldn't exist at all.
Without it, punters in various parts of Birtley wouldn't have that link to the hospital, bus companies would complain about traffic/demand more bus lanes etc. Repeat ad finum.

Is it an effective use of taxpayers money? Probably not.
Does it provide an important link to a key location. Aye.
Should Nexus need to fill the gap due to commercial operators continuing to make their fleet smaller and increase cost savings? Of course not.

(13 May 2023, 12:56 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Christ, that looks bloody horrendous!

Fits more with the old corporate livery, so are we going back to that, or did they decide to be inconsistent on purpose?

That's a bit strong! 

To me it looks like an effective way to add corporate branding to an otherwise all-over-silver minibus. I quite like it, especially with the original X66 Scania bendy throw back.

(14 May 2023, 10:22 pm)nova347 wrote It would have been so much better if the 82 went all the way to Gateshead. I think a few people won't use it as I would have preferred to use it over the X1, it might take longer but it always use to be quieter but now it turns around at the hospital, so whats the point? I used it to get on a quieter bus, whats the point if I'm going to transfer over to another bus, costing more?

Looking at the timetable though, that'd be another bus required, and with that comes an extra cost. I'm not sure Nexus could justify that as a good use of public money, given that there's already a bus every couple of minutes into Gateshead.

I do have sympathy for the issue of fares. It just highlights again what a mess our fare system is, and that it's really not designed with the customer's best interests in mind. It's a criticism I have of these £2 singles (or £1 TNE single), in that it only benefits you when living on a direct bus route. The sooner we catch up with the times and have a proper fare capping system, the better.

Upcoming repaints….

Anything else due to go corporate?
What’s the Saltmeadows gang up to atm?

(15 May 2023, 11:02 am)ne14ne1 wrote Upcoming repaints….

Anything else due to go corporate?
What’s the Saltmeadows gang up to atm?

6198 is now in service and in 2019 fleet livery 

https://flic.kr/p/2oAugYW

(15 May 2023, 9:45 am)Andreos1 wrote It's almost a duplicate of the Nexus funded 727 (which replicated the Northern 721 and offered a 30min frequency between Barley Mow and Gateshead via Elisabethville and the QE).

If the 25 hadn't been diverted away from the QE, I'd argue the northern 82 extension wouldn't exist at all.
Without it, punters in various parts of Birtley wouldn't have that link to the hospital, bus companies would complain about traffic/demand more bus lanes etc. Repeat ad finum.

Is it an effective use of taxpayers money? Probably not.
Does it provide an important link to a key location. Aye.
Should Nexus need to fill the gap due to commercial operators continuing to make their fleet smaller and increase cost savings? Of course not.

Yeah some valid points there but surely it would make more sense to subsidise the 25 from Wrekenton to Newcastle via the QE rather than the 82 from Birtley to the QE since the 25 is commercial from Newcastle to Eighton Banks.

I'm not sure there's really the need for the direct link, it's not as if people can't change at Wrekenton (as inconvenient as it is). Seems crazy considering at the same time they wanted to scrap the 51 and expected people to travel 20 minutes in the wrong direction to travel an extra 10 minutes in the right direction. I'm assuming some local councilor has had a say to protect his interests ie. the leader.

(15 May 2023, 11:06 am)Busu284 wrote 6198 is now in service and in 2019 fleet livery 

https://flic.kr/p/2oAugYW

Nice. Is there many more exGAL B9s to arrive?

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(15 May 2023, 11:38 am)ne14ne1 wrote Nice. Is there many more exGAL B9s to arrive?

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There will be 35 in total 6197-6231o

(15 May 2023, 11:15 am)Storx wrote Yeah some valid points there but surely it would make more sense to subsidise the 25 from Wrekenton to Newcastle via the QE rather than the 82 from Birtley to the QE since the 25 is commercial from Newcastle to Eighton Banks.

I'm not sure there's really the need for the direct link, it's not as if people can't change at Wrekenton (as inconvenient as it is). Seems crazy considering at the same time they wanted to scrap the 51 and expected people to travel 20 minutes in the wrong direction to travel an extra 10 minutes in the right direction. I'm assuming some local councilor has had a say to protect his interests ie. the leader.

They can't subsidise the 25 via a previous route, if the operator decides to change its route and is still operating it on a commercial basis.

Not even GNE are that brazen... 

Yeah, changing at Wrekenton isn't convenient at all. In fact it's a pain. Pretty grim and certainly not somewhere I'd want an elderly relative on hospital visiting duties to hang around. 
Never mind a family member on their way back from an outpatient appointment.

(15 May 2023, 12:50 pm)Andreos1 wrote They can't subsidise the 25 via a previous route, if the operator decides to change its route and is still operating it on a commercial basis.

Not even GNE are that brazen... 

Yeah, changing at Wrekenton isn't convenient at all. In fact it's a pain. Pretty grim and certainly not somewhere I'd want an elderly relative on hospital visiting duties to hang around. 
Never mind a family member on their way back from an outpatient appointment.

You misread that I think I meant split it into two so you'd have the short 25 then the long 25 obv different numbers though. 

See personally I disagree, subsidised services should be about linking places that have no reasonable journeys at all ie having to double back on yourself or the only bus service in that area. Tax payer funds shouldn't be spent on making journeys 'easier' for a select few. 

Realistically how many people are going to be travelling from Portobello to the hospital to warrant a subsidised service - it would literally be cheaper to get a taxi for them. The rest of Birtley has the 28 to do that journey. 

The money long term arguably would be better spent making Wrekenton a nice place to interchange imo and if they don't like Wrekenton they could always change at Washington Galleries either which is fine. 

It's the same as the W2 which I really don't understand why it still exists when the 51 does the same flows. I could understand if they weren't butchering subsidised flows elsewhere. It's political imo.

I'll be very surprised if it averages single numbers (expect it to be close to 0) nvm double numbers.

(15 May 2023, 2:37 pm)Storx wrote You misread that I think I meant split it into two so you'd have the short 25 then the long 25 obv different numbers though. 

See personally I disagree, subsidised services should be about linking places that have no reasonable journeys at all ie having to double back on yourself or the only bus service in that area. Tax payer funds shouldn't be spent on making journeys 'easier' for a select few. 

Realistically how many people are going to be travelling from Portobello to the hospital to warrant a subsidised service - it would literally be cheaper to get a taxi for them. The rest of Birtley has the 28 to do that journey. 

The money long term arguably would be better spent making Wrekenton a nice place to interchange imo and if they don't like Wrekenton they could always change at Washington Galleries either which is fine. 

It's the same as the W2 which I really don't understand why it still exists when the 51 does the same flows. I could understand if they weren't butchering subsidised flows elsewhere. It's political imo.

I'll be very surprised if it averages single numbers (expect it to be close to 0) nvm double numbers.

Nexus subsidised a 925 Barley Mow to QE Hospital for quite a few months after the 25 route changed and it was rare it had any passengers.

(15 May 2023, 6:48 pm)busmanT wrote Nexus subsidised a 925 Barley Mow to QE Hospital for quite a few months after the 25 route changed and it was rare it had any passengers.

That route was set up to fail imo. 
The timetable was absolutely abysmal and rather than penetrate the estate, sat laying over for 15/20mins.
Then there was the gap in service when the driver went for their lunch. 

Not running for shift start or finish times, failing to take visiting times in to account. The list could go on. 

No idea how it was signed off.