(10 Mar 2015, 9:46 pm)Tom wrote - X2/X12
- 308
- X18
- 1/1B/5/5A 

Yeah I find the 1 to run alright most of the time.

The X1 is tight and have been noticing it arriving in Darlington late.

5/5A is nearly always late whatever time of the day you are using it, when I use this service it is always around 5 minutes late during the daytime. Hopefully something gets done soon as it is becoming increasingly annoying waiting for this service and is almost never on-time when by some miracle the service isn't late it can be anything up to 5 minutes early. Evening timetable is incredibly tight.

8/8A Darts are prone to breakdowns.

56 always seems to be late heading to Bishop Auckland from Ferryhill.

21A often spot this one running late when arriving in Middlesbrough and often leaves late too.

22 sometimes late.

23 only 30 minute breaks for drivers which means late departures if a bus arrives late.

X12/X2 already explained my thoughts on this.

X93 simply down to the nature of the route.

(11 Mar 2015, 12:10 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah I find the 1 to run alright most of the time.

The X1 is tight and have been noticing it arriving in Darlington late.

5/5A is nearly always late whatever time of the day you are using it, when I use this service it is always around 5 minutes late during the daytime. Hopefully something gets done soon as it is becoming increasingly annoying waiting for this service and is almost never on-time when by some miracle the service isn't late it can be anything up to 5 minutes early. Evening timetable is incredibly tight.

8/8A Darts are prone to breakdowns.

56 always seems to be late heading to Bishop Auckland from Ferryhill.

21A often spot this one running late when arriving in Middlesbrough and often leaves late too.

22 sometimes late.

23 only 30 minute breaks for drivers which means late departures if a bus arrives late.

X12/X2 already explained my thoughts on this.

X93 simply down to the nature of the route.

1s and 5s due to be changed as a result of service changes in Darlington anyway
21A I usually find has more than enough time, just some of it can be in the wrong place. You can leave Middlesbrough late and be back on time by Sedgefield usually however. The only time I ran late throughout was because of leaving Mbro 10+ late... usually back on time by Peterlee to come back though! Can't comment on most of the others having very little experience of them. Stockton's punctuality figures vs Durham's figures on the X12 are an eye opener and I'd love to know why that is the case.

(11 Mar 2015, 12:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote 1s and 5s due to be changed as a result of service changes in Darlington anyway
21A I usually find has more than enough time, just some of it can be in the wrong place. You can leave Middlesbrough late and be back on time by Sedgefield usually however. The only time I ran late throughout was because of leaving Mbro 10+ late... usually back on time by Peterlee to come back though! Can't comment on most of the others having very little experience of them. Stockton's punctuality figures vs Durham's figures on the X12 are an eye opener and I'd love to know why that is the case.

Any idea on 5/5A changes, I imagine small changes possibly with the 1 no longer heading to Darlington College.

Still think Belmont's X12/X2 problems stem from driver changes and slow Gemini's.

(11 Mar 2015, 12:33 pm)Jimmi wrote Any idea on 5/5A changes, I imagine small changes possibly with the 1 no longer heading to Darlington College.

Still think Belmont's X12/X2 problems stem from driver changes and slow Gemini's.

I think it's just small changes with an extra bus being added to the cycle to improve reliability - it will also interwork with service 19 I am told (but the college bit being removed from service 1 partially covers that anyway)

(11 Mar 2015, 12:29 pm)tyresmoke wrote 1s and 5s due to be changed as a result of service changes in Darlington anyway
21A I usually find has more than enough time, just some of it can be in the wrong place. You can leave Middlesbrough late and be back on time by Sedgefield usually however. The only time I ran late throughout was because of leaving Mbro 10+ late... usually back on time by Peterlee to come back though! Can't comment on most of the others having very little experience of them. Stockton's punctuality figures vs Durham's figures on the X12 are an eye opener and I'd love to know why that is the case.

Whats the allocation of the 21A?  I thought their were allocated Omni's, been seeing pulsars on their, 21A is not that reliable, a couple of times when ive been waiting for the 21/X21 passfield Way at peterlee and the 21A turns up about 2 or 3 minutes before the 21.

(11 Mar 2015, 1:24 pm)tyresmoke wrote I think it's just small changes with an extra bus being added to the cycle to improve reliability - it will also interwork with service 19 I am told (but the college bit being removed from service 1 partially covers that anyway)

Does this mean the 19, a not particularly busy route, will be Pulsar operated on weekdays if this interworking proceeds? And how do the EcoCities cope on this route on Sunday's are they decent enough? 

The 14B runs almost 10 minutes late in peak times due to maze of a route it runs. I'm forever waiting for this bus to/from work every day

(11 Mar 2015, 1:44 pm)JoshP wrote Does this mean the 19, a not particularly busy route, will be Pulsar operated on weekdays if this interworking proceeds? And how do the EcoCities cope on this route on Sunday's are they decent enough? 

EcoCity is fine on the 19, it's a quiet run with plenty of time. However the 5A is a bit tight, but you do get recovery time in Bishop.

(11 Mar 2015, 4:26 pm)MrPottski wrote EcoCity is fine on the 19, it's a quiet run with plenty of time. However the 5A is a bit tight, but you do get recovery time in Bishop.

Will a Pulsar get through the Denes safely it's a large vehicle?

(09 Mar 2015, 7:34 pm)aureolin wrote I'm assuming it's in reference to 'low cost units'. The low cost being pay the staff less than their colleagues, in order to make a profit from public tenders. It's not right, and it should never happen anywhere that pay scales are in operation. I'm not denying that it does happen, and that it happens elsewhere too, but that's ultimately up to the workers. 

I know of unionised companies split into as many as 5 legal entities, and everyone is on the same set of pay scales. Regardless of what work they're allocated to.

Why is it not right? The alternative is to pay higher wages and lose the work to a competitor. Everyone is paid at least the minimum wage, and no-one is forced to work there.

No mention of Redcar routes?! They used to be terrible. Have improved, but there was a 40 minute gap in the every-10-minute 63 the other day.

(11 Mar 2015, 4:48 pm)JoshP wrote Will a Pulsar get through the Denes safely it's a large vehicle?

If a EcoCity can get round the 19 route then Pulsar's should be fine, although West Park Hospital may be a bit of a struggle.

(11 Mar 2015, 4:59 pm)Cock Robin wrote Why is it not right? The alternative is to pay higher wages and lose the work to a competitor. Everyone is paid at least the minimum wage, and no-one is forced to work there.

There's a rate for the job, and everyone should be paid the same or be on the same pay scales. That's what collective bargaining is about. It shouldn't matter if you're driving a commercial service or a contracted service.

Companies may tell you that's the only alternative, but of course won't touch upon profit or management bonus schemes. When 'operational efficiencies' need to be made, it always seems to come down to those on the ground to make up the slack.

Same old comedy on the X12/X2 today. My particular highlight was the 15:25 X12 departure from Durham Bus Station, which left 30!! minutes late, heading towards Middlesbrough. The 15:55 X12 departure was also 10 minutes late, so at least there was some gap between the two.

I think the former would have been the 12:05 X12 departure from Middlesbrough, which was running 20 minutes late when I checked, and subsequently 23 minutes late when it departed Durham as the X2 to Newcastle.

(11 Mar 2015, 6:53 pm)aureolin wrote Same old comedy on the X12/X2 today. My particular highlight was the 15:25 X12 departure from Durham Bus Station, which left 30!! minutes late, heading towards Middlesbrough. The 15:55 X12 departure was also 10 minutes late, so at least there was some gap between the two.

I think the former would have been the 12:05 X12 departure from Middlesbrough, which was running 20 minutes late when I checked, and subsequently 23 minutes late when it departed Durham as the X2 to Newcastle.

I'm guessing it's this one? 

Bus X2 18:36 Durham Bus Station to Chester-le-Street Front Street Stand H +14

(11 Mar 2015, 6:53 pm)aureolin wrote Same old comedy on the X12/X2 today. My particular highlight was the 15:25 X12 departure from Durham Bus Station, which left 30!! minutes late, heading towards Middlesbrough. The 15:55 X12 departure was also 10 minutes late, so at least there was some gap between the two.

I think the former would have been the 12:05 X12 departure from Middlesbrough, which was running 20 minutes late when I checked, and subsequently 23 minutes late when it departed Durham as the X2 to Newcastle.

You should E-Mail the traffic comissioner and copy Arriva in the E-Mail. They'd get hammered if they don't sort it out

(11 Mar 2015, 8:10 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote You should E-Mail the traffic comissioner and copy Arriva in the E-Mail. They'd get hammered if they don't sort it out

I wouldn't bother with that. I'll just do what I usually do, and give customer services the opportunity to sort it out, and come back with a sensible response. If they don't, then I'll email it on to Knox and Featham.

Mind you, I think Scott has a point in what he said about Durham runs being the problem...

(11 Mar 2015, 8:17 pm)aureolin wrote I wouldn't bother with that. I'll just do what I usually do, and give customer services the opportunity to sort it out, and come back with a sensible response. If they don't, then I'll email it on to Knox and Featham.

Mind you, I think Scott has a point in what he said about Durham runs being the problem...

It seems to be the drivers themselves that are causing the problems on the X12, with some not even making an effort to keep to time.  However, Durham's punctuality will more than likely always be worse than Stockton's since they only have 3 boards and Durham have 6.  This doesn't excuse the fact that some services are running excessively late.  It is perfectly doable to get up to 15-20 mins back on an X12 if you drive to the speed limits but I do think that the stopping pattern between Durham and Coxhoe has quite an impact on times.  On the 1525 X12 once, I had to stop at every single bus stop (which the X12 serves) from Durham Bus Station right through to Tees Barrage so at times it can be frustrating.

(11 Mar 2015, 5:07 pm)Jimmi wrote If a EcoCity can get round the 19 route then Pulsar's should be fine, although West Park Hospital may be a bit of a struggle.

Yeah, Pulsars should be fine on there, although I don't know if the 19 will remain the same when the changes happen. Obviously High Grange is being omitted but whether the rest will be the same remains to be seen

The rear lights on 9990 look mightily odd:
https://flic.kr/p/rizsjy

4074 now sold to Wigleys:
https://flic.kr/p/rA49BS

Latest in my X12/X2 saga.

Yesterday
0740 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham - 7L by the time it reached Chester Moor.
0741 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle - 8L by the time it reached Gateshead.
0845 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 12L by the time it reached Sedgefield.
0920 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough -7L by the time it reached Shincliffe.
1020 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough -7L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1035 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 8L by the time it reached Bowburn.
1050 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham - 7L by the time it reached Durham.
1150 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 13L by the time it reached Stockton.
1205 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 20L by the time it reached Durham.
1321 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle - 23L by the time it reached Newcastle.
1525 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 30L by the time it reached Stockton.
1551 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle - 8L by the time it reached Newcastle.
1555 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 11L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1621 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle - 7L by the time it reached Chester Moor.
1630 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 7L by the time it reached Shincliffe.

Today
0740 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 7L by the time it reached Middlesbrough.
0845 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 14L by the time it reached Sedgefield.
0825 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 8L by the time it reached Shincliffe.
0841 - X2 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 7L by the time it reached Newcastle.
0850 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham -7L by the time it reached Low Fell.
1005 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 18L by the time it reached Sedgefield.
1105 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 8L by the time it reached Durham.
1120 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham -8L by the time it reached Durham.
1121 - X2 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 16L by the time it reached Lowfell.
1220 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham -12L by the time it reached Lowfell.
1220 - X12 - Durham-Newcastle -10L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1221 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle -7L by the time it reached Birtley.
1320 - X12 - Durham-Newcastle -20L by the time it reached Middlesbrough.
1335 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 16L by the time it reached Shincliffe.
1420 - X12 - Durham-Newcastle -9L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1435 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 30L by the time it reached Stockton.
1451 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle -13L by the time it reached Chester Moor.
1555 - X2 - Newcastle-Durham -12L by the time it reached Lowfell.
1535 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 7L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1555 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 10L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1700 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 12L by the time it reached Stockton, with the 1715 following directly behind it.
1715 - X12 - Middlesbrough-Durham - 10L by the time it reached Coxhoe.
1726 - X2 - Durham-Newcastle - 8L by the time it reached Gateshead.
1800 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 8L by the time it reached Shincliffe.
1801 - X2 - Durham-Chester - 16L by the time it departed Durham.

(11 Mar 2015, 5:07 pm)Jimmi wrote If a EcoCity can get round the 19 route then Pulsar's should be fine, although West Park Hospital may be a bit of a struggle.

i think the right turn out of Willow Rd onto West Auckland Rd will not be easy.The bigger bus should stop the complaints  about the driver's who use it as staff transport and their behavior.Arriva only took on the 19 to save moey by doing away with the dedicated staff buggy.Lets hope it is not the easy option to cancel if there are problems with timekeeping on the 1 and 5 if these are to be coupled together

(12 Mar 2015, 7:37 pm)upt50k wrote i think the right turn out of Willow Rd onto West Auckland Rd will not be easy.The bigger bus should stop the complaints  about the driver's who use it as staff transport and their behavior.Arriva only took on the 19 to save moey by doing away with the dedicated staff buggy.Lets hope it is not the easy option to cancel if there are problems with timekeeping on the 1 and 5 if these are to be coupled together

Yeah looking on Google Maps that may be challenging as it doesn't seem to be the easiest junction to get out of, although EcoCity's have to do it on a Sunday.

Hope it doesn't affect the reliability on the 5/5A as they are bad enough keeping to time as it is, I think part of the problems on the 5/5A are down to some of the roads between Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe Blue Bridge - the one I was on to Darlington this morning had to drop off passengers outside Pease Way, Doctors Surgery in the middle of the road because of cars parked outside including a delivery van in the bus stop this of course meant the bus was stopped on the wrong side of the road with cars coming in the opposite direction getting stuck. Also often the stop on Shafto Way just after Tesco every time it stops there is a car parked opposite the stop and when the bus is trying to pick up passengers car users always come up behind and start blarring the horn at the bus because they can't get past.

The Willow Road junction isn't that bad on a Sunday, but Monday to Saturday it can be a nightmare, even in a Solo or MPD. Pease Way surgery is daft, so many cars and vans park on the bus stop, it needs it's own traffic warden! As regards the upcoming Darlington changes, I can't find the post which has them in detail, can anyone assist? Many thanks in advance

(12 Mar 2015, 5:46 pm)Dan wrote The rear lights on 9990 look mightily odd:
https://flic.kr/p/rizsjy

I think it received those lights whilst it was at Loftus many years ago.

(12 Mar 2015, 6:22 pm)aureolin wrote Latest in my X12/X2 saga.


1700 - X12 - Durham-Middlesbrough - 12L by the time it reached Stockton, with the 1715 following directly behind it.

Surely this would mean that the 1715 was running 3 mins early?  That is worse than any of them running late.

(12 Mar 2015, 5:46 pm)Dan wrote The rear lights on 9990 look mightily odd:
https://flic.kr/p/rizsjy

4074 now sold to Wigleys:
https://flic.kr/p/rA49BS

Looks like theyve been nabbed off an Olympian or failing that a Dart.

(12 Mar 2015, 9:56 pm)Malarkey wrote Looks like theyve been nabbed off an Olympian or failing that a Dart.

Probably when they had a large number of Prismas...

(12 Mar 2015, 9:54 pm)palatine3833 wrote Surely this would mean that the 1715 was running 3 mins early?  That is worse than any of them running late.

Probably best I don't give my opinion on this, but I don't think I'm being unfair in saying the 1715 has an easy life, if it can stay as close as possible behind the 1700.

(13 Mar 2015, 8:53 am)aureolin wrote Probably best I don't give my opinion on this, but I don't think I'm being unfair in saying the 1715 has an easy life, if it can stay as close as possible behind the 1700.

Maybe it would be better to stick a load of extra time in the 1700 one so it runs around 1710-1715 (like in reality!) and run the extra at 1700. Of course you would then have the issue of overloading a Pulsar at that time.