(13 Dec 2016, 7:06 pm)James M wrote I live in Billingham and i use the TTX service on most saturdays for my weekly trip to Newcastle.
Having experienced 6043-6048 myself...
6043 - Nice
6044 - Slow
6045 - Cant say i can remember riding on it
6046 - On the slow side
6047 - On the slow side
6048 - Absolute shed!
However... 6083 and 6084 which are allocated to the TEN's and the TTX service are lovely, fast buses, shame the exhaust plays up on 83.
Definitely hope new buses come fairly soon for the TTX, the dilemma Go North East has at the moment is which buses. I liked the recent 9098 trial E400 City, however it constantly ran late and wasn't much, if at all faster than the Gemini's are at current, never mind when they were new. Coaches would be a good choice (regret to say it) as they are fast and reliable, however the capacity of them isn't great... and once they are full - they are full...
Which gets me onto frequency (might aswell have a rant while i am here). An option would be to make the x9 and the x10 services run every 30 minutes EACH on peak times, and run coaches, but that would have to incorporate extra fleet and staff.
Even now at Eldon Square, i go to the bus stand for the x9 15 minutes early to try and beat the queue, but let alone its out the door already.
A better option for Go North East would be to delay the timetables slightly at peak times to incorporate the delays caused by theamount of traffic and passengers.
The option i can see Go North East going with is buying some horrible, cheap, unreliable plasticy Streetdecks, and the service continuing to run delayed, buses continuing to break down, and customers to continue being annoyed.
Thats my rant done, feel free to argue with it, these are just my opinions, it would be nice to see others
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6084 was on yesterday. Saw it crossing Hylton Bridge southbound at about 1045 yesterday morning, seconds behind a branded example. Both in service.
There had been an accident northbound at Herrington earlier in the morning, but for whatever reason, it didn't seem any regulating was going on with this specific case.