(16 Mar 2015, 5:09 pm)aureolin wrote Why yellow out of interest? Never understood why there are 11 MPDs painted yellow with no branding?

The former "Venture" branded examples only ever received the small "East Durham" logo on the front of the vehicle following transfer out of Consett to Peterlee, retaining the taglines at the top of the vehicle on the nearside/offside as they were similar to the "East Durham" branded allocation. I'd assume this is so that the vehicles at Peterlee can generate some revenue via advertising, making the low cost unit more profitable, rather than having the two "East Durham" logos on the nearside/offside?

Dennis MPD/Transbus Mini Pointer 524 (NA52 AWG) was repainted into plain yellow for use on the AD122 last year. I'm not sure if there are any other reasons behind this colour other than it allowing Hexham greater leniency - it wouldn't have been the end of the world if this bus had to be allocated to one of the "Tynedale Links" branded services instead, and customers on the AD122 route would still recognise their bus as being yellow when it was approaching if a branded example had to be allocated to the AD122.

As for MPDs 542, 560, 561 and 564 carrying a plain yellow base livery, I can only assume this is linked to the way things worked a few years ago... Spare buses were always painted in white or yellow, rather than Go North East's corporate livery, as is the norm nowadays. This is why Go North East moved towards a more cost-effective single colour base livery for their corporate livery, as it's easy to identify the vehicle belongs to Go North East, and it's a bit cheaper to repaint a single colour rather than red, blue and yellow.

I seriously can't believe Streetlites are being used on the X66! It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Don't GNE realise that during the school holidays those buses are going to be like sardines in a tin

(16 Mar 2015, 5:29 pm)leestransportphotos wrote I seriously can't believe Streetlites are being used on the X66! It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Don't GNE realise that during the school holidays those buses are going to be like sardines in a tin

Lets get B&H to bring the bendies back up, and watch the service fall apart.

(16 Mar 2015, 5:29 pm)leestransportphotos wrote I seriously can't believe Streetlites are being used on the X66! It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Don't GNE realise that during the school holidays those buses are going to be like sardines in a tin

Since the removal of the articulated Mercedes Citaros on the "Citylink" 58 service back in circa November 2013, Saturdays have seen the allocation of one Optare Versa V1170 vehicle, in Go North East's corporate livery, when the PVR is 5 opposed to 4 as it is on weekdays. Go North East has therefore trialled the suitability of single deckers on the X66 route for the past 16 months.

In August; Go North East trialled a demonstrator Euro 6 Mercedes Citaro 0350N, which was based at Riverside Depot for one week. Following this trial, Deptford-based "Drifter" branded Wright Streetlite DF/Wright Streetlite Max 5375 (NL63 XBF) was loaned to Riverside Depot for one week, for further single decker trials on service X66. These trials were successful, and allowed Go North East to conclude that it would be appropriate to allocate single deckers to service X66.

The Streetlites allow for 45 passengers to be seated, with a further 21 standees. During the day, these vehicles should cope fine. At peak times, I sense a further vehicle may have to be brought in (perhaps coming off a 64/95/96 etc?) to cope with the increased loadings.

Trust me, Go North East senior management is well aware of how many passengers their services carry.  

Personally I just think it's a horrendous idea...... I can guarantee there will be 100's of complaints about them being to small. For years the X66 was a service kids used to love going on and looked forward to going on the 'bendy bus' it was GNE's 'signature' route but now it's just like the 82 for example! Shove anything on I

(16 Mar 2015, 5:41 pm)leestransportphotos wrote Personally I just think it's a horrendous idea...... I can guarantee there will be 100's of complaints about them being to small. For years the X66 was a service kids used to love going on and looked forward to going on the 'bendy bus' it was GNE's 'signature' route but now it's just like the 82 for example! Shove anything on I

Not really. The artics had many benefits but all of these were overpowered by the fact that they cost too much to run. I think it would be different if GNE hadn't have trialled a streetlite or anything else on the service but since they did and they know how busy the services got, they could compare them against the artics and make a judgement on which vehicles would be suitable.

(16 Mar 2015, 5:41 pm)leestransportphotos wrote Personally I just think it's a horrendous idea...... I can guarantee there will be 100's of complaints about them being to small. For years the X66 was a service kids used to love going on and looked forward to going on the 'bendy bus' it was GNE's 'signature' route but now it's just like the 82 for example! Shove anything on I

It's hardly going to be a case of shove anything on it, when they've just put a successful business case together to purchase new vehicles for that route. 

I'm a bit wary about it, but they're the ones with all the ETM data - not me! As long as there's flexibility to stick a few extras into the timetable at Christmas, then I can't see there being a major problem.

Go North East
8 mins ·
Services are unable to serve Fawcett St in Sunderland, due to a broken down vehicle. We apologise for the inconvenience.

(16 Mar 2015, 5:49 pm)Michael wrote Go North East
8 mins ·
Services are unable to serve Fawcett St in Sunderland, due to a broken down vehicle. We apologise for the inconvenience.

It's not a Metrocar is it?

Yet we don't know exactly how many StreetLites are coming for the X66, it could possibly be revised to run every 5 minutes to cope with the passengers.

Bus has been recovered by mechanic.

They certainly shove anything on the 82 and at peak times it tends to be an MPD or a decker which is very annoying as the elderly can't get up the stairs.... I think I'm annoyed at somthing haha

(16 Mar 2015, 5:55 pm)leestransportphotos wrote They certainly shove anything on the 82 and at peak times it tends to be an MPD or a decker which is very annoying as the elderly can't get up the stairs.... I think I'm annoyed at somthing haha

We aren't saying they don't. What we are saying is that it is maybe wrong to compare the 82 and X66 together just because the new buses won't be artics.

(16 Mar 2015, 5:55 pm)leestransportphotos wrote They certainly shove anything on the 82 and at peak times it tends to be an MPD or a decker which is very annoying as the elderly can't get up the stairs.... I think I'm annoyed at somthing haha

They shouldn't be anyway.

It pees me off when my X21 is running late (per usual) and some Concessionary Pass holder goes upstairs. USE THE SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED FOR YOU! I PAY FARES, NOT YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL .... 

(16 Mar 2015, 5:58 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote They shouldn't be anyway.

It pees me off when my X21 is running late (per usual) and some Concessionary Pass holder goes upstairs. USE THE SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED FOR YOU! I PAY FARES, NOT YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL .... 

OAPs have the choice of seats just like we do. The designated seats aren't compulsory for them...

(16 Mar 2015, 5:57 pm)Robert wrote We aren't saying they don't. What we are saying is that it is maybe wrong to compare the 82 and X66 together just because the new buses won't be artics.

I was just saying that they shove anything on the 82, a bit like the X66. I'm not comparing it in any other way

(16 Mar 2015, 5:55 pm)leestransportphotos wrote They certainly shove anything on the 82 and at peak times it tends to be an MPD or a decker which is very annoying as the elderly can't get up the stairs.... I think I'm annoyed at somthing haha

I don't think GNE would want a decker on those routes by choice, but I agree that it's taking the mick that it's still happening on a daily basis, almost two years later. I don't believe any of the Washington local routes interwork with scholars, so I'm not sure why it's still happening?

It is a problem in particular with the presidents, as they seem to have fewer seats downstairs than other deckers. 

(16 Mar 2015, 5:58 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote They shouldn't be anyway.

It pees me off when my X21 is running late (per usual) and some Concessionary Pass holder goes upstairs. USE THE SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED FOR YOU! I PAY FARES, NOT YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL .... 

Like me or you, they're entitled to sit anywhere they want. It's irrelevant who pays what.

(16 Mar 2015, 6:00 pm)leestransportphotos wrote I was just saying that they shove anything on the 82, a bit like the X66. I'm not comparing it in any other way

Erm... Probably because there is nowt branded to shove on the X66.

Why are you turning this into a sarcastic battle Tommy

(16 Mar 2015, 6:04 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Erm... Probably because there is nowt branded to shove on the X66.

But they do have 4 dedicated vehicles to be allocated to the service until the new vehicles enter service. Solars 4944, 4964, 4966 and Citaro 5332 (plus 5389 or 5390 on Saturdays)...

(16 Mar 2015, 6:06 pm)leestransportphotos wrote Why are you turning this into a sarcastic battle Tommy

To not turn the forum into another fight please continue this discussion in the private messaging system that the forum provides or via a social networking site.

Thank you for your cooperation.

(16 Mar 2015, 6:04 pm)aureolin wrote I don't think GNE would want a decker on those routes by choice, but I agree that it's taking the mick that it's still happening on a daily basis, almost two years later. I don't believe any of the Washington local routes interwork with scholars, so I'm not sure why it's still happening?

Washington's spare vehicles on a Monday - Friday are made up as follows:

• 3x Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President
  
• 1x DAF SB120/Wright Cadet
  
• 2x Scania L94UB/Wright Solar
  
• 1x MPD
  

On weekdays, it's best to keep the double deckers fairly local on services 82/82A and 85/86 during the day. This allows the DAF SB120/Wright Cadet vehicles (which should be allocated to services 82/82A) to be repaired during the day, and the double deckers can be removed from service for allocation to scholars when required, with ease.

On a Saturday, all seven of Washington's Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents are spare vehicles. This is why, on Saturdays especially, double deckers are commonly allocated to services 82/82A and 85/86, as there are so few spare minibuses or single deckers.

(16 Mar 2015, 3:06 pm)Dan wrote 8293 was renowned for being rather unreliable. As has been mentioned, there was only two of these vehicles ever built, which made sourcing parts more difficult than usual resulting in longer periods off the road. Both 4845 and 8293 will be replaced by other vehicles when new vehicles enter service. Both vehicles are currently in storage at Saltmeadows Road pending disposal.

only ridden 8293 once that was on the 74 to Hexham thought it was unusual ride but it was still felt strange as i was used to buses like Scanias Wright Solar, Volvo Wright Renowns, Mercedez Benz Citaro and etc

We could have a Solar on the 82

(16 Mar 2015, 5:29 pm)leestransportphotos wrote I seriously can't believe Streetlites are being used on the X66! It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Don't GNE realise that during the school holidays those buses are going to be like sardines in a tin

if you think thats bad try the old and current Soyuz Spacecraft that is cramped at anything on the inside the interior is so cramped it only holds 3 people

(16 Mar 2015, 5:41 pm)leestransportphotos wrote Personally I just think it's a horrendous idea...... I can guarantee there will be 100's of complaints about them being to small. For years the X66 was a service kids used to love going on and looked forward to going on the 'bendy bus' it was GNE's 'signature' route but now it's just like the 82 for example! Shove anything on I

they identified what vehicle to use as Dan previously quoted somewhere on the NEB Forum thus why a Citaro demonstrator and of course Go North East very own Drifter branded Streetlite 5375

(16 Mar 2015, 6:13 pm)leestransportphotos wrote We could have a Solar on the 82

I've seen them solars on a lot of Washington routes X1, 88/88A, 4, but reason why according to anth that Solars will struggle on 85/86 thus why a cadet or a Dart is usually allocated and the odd time a Versa which should be on my local route 88/88A but known Go North East they may put a Solar on 82/83

(16 Mar 2015, 6:13 pm)leestransportphotos wrote We could have a Solar on the 82

The deckers have a shorter wheelbase than the Solar therefore making it possible to do the left hand turn into Harass Bank

(16 Mar 2015, 6:30 pm)RM2186 wrote The deckers have a shorter wheelbase than the Solar therefore making it possible to do the left hand turn into Harass Bank

When I was with Bazza at the galleries a couple of weeks ago, a driver said it was difficult to get a Solar around the car park near the in shops

(16 Mar 2015, 6:12 pm)Dan wrote Washington's spare vehicles on a Monday - Friday are made up as follows:

• 3x Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President
  
• 1x DAF SB120/Wright Cadet
  
• 2x Scania L94UB/Wright Solar
  
• 1x MPD
  

On a Saturday, all seven of Washington's Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents are spare vehicles. This is why, on Saturdays especially, double deckers are commonly allocated to services 82/82A and 85/86, as there are so few spare minibuses or single deckers.

I know they're pretty restricted by fact deckers can't be used as spares on the 4 or the 88/88A, so it does surprise me that they haven't more spare single deck buses. That being the case, I'd assume that the depot are using the deckers as first point of call for a spare, on the 82/82A/85/86, in case the others are needed elsewhere later in the day. I do understand we can't have an infinite supply of spare buses, but an extra one or two has got to be better than running an empty decker round all day.

(16 Mar 2015, 6:32 pm)Davie wrote When I was with Bazza at the galleries a couple of weeks ago, a driver said it was difficult to get a Solar around the car park near the in shops

Yeah, that would be the exact same problem with the omnicities. 

(16 Mar 2015, 6:34 pm)Robert wrote Yeah, that would be the exact same problem with the omnicities. 

I think Optare Solo SR's would be hood for the 82/82A/85 & 86