Solo's are rather boring unless it's an older one where you can hear the whine from the Allison gearbox which gives them a bit more character. I do like the Cummins engine in the Versas, the Quaylink ones up and down the hills are great.
Pulsar's are lovely to drive, they're great all rounders, equally at home on town work as they are flying upto Durham on the X1.
Can't beat a Scania Omnicity though - they're superb buses from a drivers point of view. Would love a go of a Merc Citaro too.
I'm a fan of driving Cadets too - but they suffer from horrendous electrical issues!

(04 Jan 2015, 8:30 pm)Tom wrote Yeah, that was a NHS one?
They are better, and they have speedy Wi-Fi.

Just a guess - but I think it was on the 44? Not too sure.

(04 Jan 2015, 8:27 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Solo SRs are alright. Darts are 'meh'. MPDs - death machines.

Arriva Solos, hmm, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt as I've only been on a handful.

brilliant little buses in my opinion.

(04 Jan 2015, 8:31 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Just a guess - but I think it was on the 44? Not too sure.

46 - The ALX400 in front was on the 44.

---

(04 Jan 2015, 8:32 pm)Malarkey wrote brilliant little buses in my opinion.

Agreed

(04 Jan 2015, 8:30 pm)tyresmoke wrote Solo's are rather boring unless it's an older one where you can hear the whine from the Allison gearbox which gives them a bit more character. I do like the Cummins engine in the Versas, the Quaylink ones up and down the hills are great.
Pulsar's are lovely to drive, they're great all rounders, equally at home on town work as they are flying upto Durham on the X1.
Can't beat a Scania Omnicity though - they're superb buses from a drivers point of view. Would love a go of a Merc Citaro too.
I'm a fan of driving Cadets too - but they suffer from horrendous electrical issues!

Maybe if GNE invest in some this year, and you might bring something along from Stockton for the MetroCentre Rally (that's the depot you work at, isn't it Scott?) you might get a little go on one of you ask. lol

At the end of the day, it's meant to be a fun day for all!

(04 Jan 2015, 8:30 pm)tyresmoke wrote Solo's are rather boring unless it's an older one where you can hear the whine from the Allison gearbox which gives them a bit more character.

You should hear Scarlet Band's YT51 EAW go round Darlington on the 16, Christ it's loud but it gives it character.

(04 Jan 2015, 8:29 pm)Dan wrote You've been on the Belmont examples - some of the worst examples in their fleet.  

Aye, I've said it before, but for buses that are about 6 years old, you'd think they've been on the road for 15 years by the sound of them. Not to mention how shabby the interior has been allowed to get. 

(04 Jan 2015, 8:42 pm)aureolin wrote Aye, I've said it before, but for buses that are about 6 years old, you'd think they've been on the road for 15 years by the sound of them. Not to mention how shabby the interior has been allowed to get. 

Every time I get on one of Belmont's examples is there is always a bong type of noise every few seconds which sounds like the bell.

Darlington's will probably get less battered now Omnicity's are used on the X26/X27.

(04 Jan 2015, 8:38 pm)Jimmi wrote You should hear Scarlet Band's YT51 EAW go round Darlington on the 16, Christ it's loud but it gives it character.

one of my friends has driven this bus her and a partner have both driven it

(04 Jan 2015, 8:30 pm)tyresmoke wrote Solo's are rather boring unless it's an older one where you can hear the whine from the Allison gearbox which gives them a bit more character. I do like the Cummins engine in the Versas, the Quaylink ones up and down the hills are great.
Pulsar's are lovely to drive, they're great all rounders, equally at home on town work as they are flying upto Durham on the X1.
Can't beat a Scania Omnicity though - they're superb buses from a drivers point of view. Would love a go of a Merc Citaro too.
I'm a fan of driving Cadets too - but they suffer from horrendous electrical issues!

They are not everyones cup of tea, but they are my favourite to drive..... so smooth, but the halt brake is a bit of a faff!

Can anyone confirm the route the 82/82A will take between Vigo Bridge and Station Lane and vice versa please?

Looking at the timetables, I assume there isn't a service via Vigo Lane, Barley Mow Inn and Durham Road any more, with the roundabout on Blackfell Way being the point that the service changes direction. It goes up as the 82A and comes back down as the 82.
If this is the case, then it will no longer stop at the top of Orchard Avenue in either direction - but will it use Harras Bank (like it does on a Sunday currently) and continue to go via Fell Bank and Portmeads?

(05 Jan 2015, 2:16 pm)Andreos1 wrote Can anyone confirm the route the 82/82A will take between Vigo Bridge and Station Lane and vice versa please?

Looking at the timetables, I assume there isn't a service via Vigo Lane, Barley Mow Inn and Durham Road any more, with the roundabout on Blackfell Way being the point that the service changes direction. It goes up as the 82A and comes back down as the 82.
If this is the case, then it will no longer stop at the top of Orchard Avenue in either direction - but will it use Harras Bank (like it does on a Sunday currently) and continue to go via Fell Bank and Portmeads?

Iv'e had a look and can't see anything, it may appear on the new timetable, once it has the proper style is uploaded. 

It has the Board Inn, Station Lane and Blackfell Way as timing points in both directions, but nowt else.

There are a number of different ways it could go to get to those points - such as a variation of the current Sunday route, a slight variation of the 23, a variation of TB14, a variation of the old 26...

Some clarity would be ideal, so people know which stop to wait at.

Is it just me who finds the 82/82A confusing?

From Birtley you have the 82 going all of the way to Heworth, yet heading in you have the 82A coming from Concord? Very confusing.
So you couldn't travel from Heworth to Birtley, yet you could travel from Birtley to Heworth?

(05 Jan 2015, 9:07 pm)Tom wrote Is it just me who finds the 82/82A confusing?

From Birtley you have the 82 going all of the way to Heworth, yet heading in you have the 82A coming from Concord? Very confusing.
So you couldn't travel from Heworth to Birtley, yet you could travel from Birtley to Heworth?

Read this post.

(05 Jan 2015, 9:09 pm)Dan wrote Read this post.

Cheers.

(05 Jan 2015, 9:07 pm)Tom wrote Is it just me who finds the 82/82A confusing?

From Birtley you have the 82 going all of the way to Heworth, yet heading in you have the 82A coming from Concord? Very confusing.
So you couldn't travel from Heworth to Birtley, yet you could travel from Birtley to Heworth?

I also find it confusing, Tom

The way I have looked/interpreted it is 82 Birtley - Rickleton via Heworth and 82A Rickleton - Birtley via Concord.

Appreciate the routes double back on themselves, but that's essentially how the services are working.

It also looks like Wear Ind Est is omitted too - so the chances of Malarkey encountering a traffic jam on the C2C bridge, will be vastly reduced.

Dont know if its just me, I was looking at the new timetable for service 35/36, why would the pvr go up from the existing pvr?, since new service 35 will be every 30 minutes and new service 36 will be every 30 minutes, both providing a 15 minute joint service. and since the service will be every 15 minutes instead of every 10 minutes, and also since the Sunderland to South shields will be cancelled but the service will be going to Chester-Le-Street and Heworth which would cancel out the sunderland to south shields section of service run also the 10 minute freq turning into a 15 minute freq?

(06 Jan 2015, 3:31 pm)cbma06 wrote Dont know if its just me, I was looking at the new timetable for service 35/36, why would the pvr go up from the existing pvr?, since new service 35 will be every 30 minutes and new service 36 will be every 30 minutes, both providing a 15 minute joint service. and since the service will be every 15 minutes instead of every 10 minutes, and also since the Sunderland to South shields will be cancelled but the service will be going to Chester-Le-Street and Heworth which would cancel out the sunderland to south shields section of service run also the 10 minute freq turning into a 15 minute freq?

Is it down to additional layover time at starting points and additionally at park lane & houghton?

(06 Jan 2015, 4:22 pm)nk55 wrote Is it down to additional layover time at starting points and additionally at park lane & houghton?

35      11 mins at Boldon & 16 mins at Low Moorsley

36      7 mins at CLS & 5 mins at Town End Farm.

It seems some of the new timetables for upcoming changes have being tidied up, they're still in the black and white style but they look much better.

Some have had brand names added (Not confirmed but going by the new timetables) - here is the 33/33A timetable for the updated tidy version..... - http://www.simplygo.com/download/publication/67632.24

2/2A - Silver Arrows 

20/20A - Prince Bishops... we knew that anyway

33/33A - Go North East 

35/35A/36 - Hasn't being updated

X35 - Hasn't being updated - should stay as Fast Cats

X36 - Fast Cat's

38/38C/238 - Hasn't being updated 

39 - Go North East

56 - Fab 56 - knew that anyway

61 - Simplicity 

99 - Not updated but should stay as GNE

Also does anyone know which buses are likely to be withdrawn with upcoming changes?

(07 Jan 2015, 11:09 am)Michael wrote It seems some of the new timetables for upcoming changes have being tidied up, they're still in the black and white style but they look much better.

Some have had brand names added (Not confirmed but going by the new timetables) - here is the 33/33A timetable for the updated tidy version..... - http://www.simplygo.com/download/publication/67632.24

On this timetable format, the branding for each service is likely to remain exactly the same as what the timetable shows at present. Despite service 39 being operated by purple Versas, the service is down as 'Go North East' on the current timetable. In short: I wouldn't put money on the new timetables helping you at all with the revised allocations/brands.

It's quite likely that Go North East has devised these temporary timetables until everything is confirmed with regards to allocations and branding. It is clear that "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C will no longer be branded as "Silver Arrows" from January 25th due to the fact some of its allocated Mercedes Citaros are undergoing repaint into gold for the revised 35/36 services.

One of our 'Go North East insiders' may be able to confirm, but I'd guess that the timetables are designed by an external company, along with the 'paper buses' which appear on said timetables and the website. If things are still unconfirmed, Go North East won't have sent the final details to the external company yet and hence the timetables haven't been designed. That, or they could still be waiting for them to return...

(07 Jan 2015, 11:55 am)Dan wrote On this timetable format, the branding for each service is likely to remain exactly the same as what the timetable shows at present. Despite service 39 being operated by purple Versas, the service is down as 'Go North East' on the current timetable. In short: I wouldn't put money on the new timetables helping you at all with the revised allocations/brands.

It's quite likely that Go North East has devised these temporary timetables until everything is confirmed with regards to allocations and branding. It is clear that "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C will no longer be branded as "Silver Arrows" from January 25th due to the fact some of its allocated Mercedes Citaros are undergoing repaint into gold for the revised 35/36 services.

One of our 'Go North East insiders' may be able to confirm, but I'd guess that the timetables are designed by an external company, along with the 'paper buses' which appear on said timetables and the website. If things are still unconfirmed, Go North East won't have sent the final details to the external company yet and hence the timetables haven't been designed. That, or they could still be waiting for them to return...

Ye was just mentioning that they'd being updated with current branding.. hence why i said they're not confirmed in brackets..  

Changes have being updated once again, this time with route maps for the 33/33A/35/35A/36... (35/35A/36 only show North Sunderland part of the map)

http://www.simplygo.com/news/changes-to-...ruary-2015


Changes to stops in Sunderland have being uploaded to.. http://www.simplygo.com/news/service-cha...nuary-2015 (bottom of the page) with it now being on a post for changes to Sunderland only!

One thing I find utterly odd about the 82/83 at the moment is that they serve the bus stop at Komatsu then also serve the bus stop opposite the Jet Filling station, you can walk it quicker

The 35/35A/36 timetable has being updated in to a better style, at the top it has.... Go North East (Gold as per current Laser) although not confirmed, can anyone confirm that the 35/36 will be branded as Go North East or is that just to put people off its new brand? 

Timetable... http://www.simplygo.com/download/publica...25-1-2015/

(08 Jan 2015, 10:40 am)Michael wrote The 35/35A/36 timetable has being updated in to a better style, at the top...

Go North East (Gold as per current Laser) although not confirmed, can anyone confirm that the 35/36 will be branded as Go North East or is that just to put people off its new brand?

Timetable... http://www.simplygo.com/download/publica...25-1-2015/

The services will fall under a brand.

Just means that, at the time of the timetable's publication, the name for the brand mightn't have been confirmed.

(08 Jan 2015, 10:45 am)Dan wrote The services will fall under a brand.

Just means that, at the time of the timetable's publication, the name for the brand mightn't have been confirmed.

Good, let's hope its something decent... 

I wonder if all the timetables when updated again (to the current style of other timetables), will show the services new brands.... instead of being behind. 

(08 Jan 2015, 10:48 am)Michael wrote Good, let's hope its something decent... 

I wonder if all the timetables when updated again (to the current style of other timetables), will show the services new brands.... instead of being behind. 

As per my post yesterday:

"One of our 'Go North East insiders' may be able to confirm, but I'd guess that the timetables are designed by an external company, along with the 'paper buses' which appear on said timetables and the website. If things are still unconfirmed, Go North East won't have sent the final details to the external company yet and hence the timetables haven't been designed. That, or they could still be waiting for them to return..."

The timetables won't be updated to the current format until everything has been confirmed (brand names, livery designs, etc) so as to avoid the cost of paying for an external company to re-make the timetables.