(22 Jun 2021, 3:31 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Unless they've changed their policy recently, no.
Even going Newcastle to Gateshead requires the X9/X10 ticket (or a 5-25 ticket)

Are day rovers valid on it (within Tyne and Wear)?

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

Yes but only valid to Heworth

(22 Jun 2021, 5:15 pm)Adrian wrote It's a very good question, but not one I have the answer to! 

First time I used the new Go Zones ticket, I (incorrectly) assumed that the All Zones ticket would be valid to Dalton Park. So you can imagine my disappointment when the ETM honked at me.

I bet there's been a lot of people who've done the same thing in boarding the x10 with a "normal" GNE day ticket only to find it isn't valid. I really do think it's unnecessarily confusing to exclude one service from the standard day ticket.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

Not wanting to cause a stir, but I've noticed a lot of tweets for breakdowns on X9/X10, and most days I see either 6377 or a B9 running down the A19.

Although obviously more reliable than 6308-13, are they that reliable?

(07 Jul 2021, 11:25 pm)jasondarby123 wrote Not wanting to cause a stir, but I've noticed a lot of tweets for breakdowns on X9/X10, and most days I see either 6377 or a B9 running down the A19.

Although obviously more reliable than 6308-13, are they that reliable?

Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coaches

(08 Jul 2021, 6:44 am)GNE6312 wrote Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coaches

You've also got to remember they ain't exactly spring chickens either, they're 6 year old

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

(08 Jul 2021, 6:44 am)GNE6312 wrote Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coaches

I don't think its an awful idea and in my opinion it's exactly what the route needs, but it does look like they're suffering problems at the minute.

Bustimes.org reports that 7150, 7154 and 7156 have been off the road for 5 days or more. 7150 has been off since the 18th June by the looks of it

I'd imagine that the engineering team are still learning about the Elites as and when problems arise which may explain why they're off the road longer.

There lush Coaches. Getting them for the X9/X10 was a good idea.

Yea maybe E400MMC would have been a good idea but the service gets quite busy so I could understand the upgrade to Coaches

(08 Jul 2021, 12:47 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote There lush Coaches. Getting them for the X9/X10 was a good idea.

Yea maybe E400MMC would have been a good idea but the service gets quite busy so I could understand the upgrade to Coaches

Weren't the coaches actually a downgrade in capacity?

X9 is being suspended from 12th July

(08 Jul 2021, 1:40 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Weren't the coaches actually a downgrade in capacity?

I think they were slightly but not by very much. I may be wrong but I think it's only something like four seats less than the previous double deckers.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

(08 Jul 2021, 2:22 pm)User2613 wrote X9 is being suspended from 12th July

Any idea why?
Was just thinking those coaches that Coatham are borrowing would have been ideal to cover all these reported breakdowns.

(08 Jul 2021, 3:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote Any idea why?
Was just thinking those coaches that Coatham are borrowing would have been ideal to cover all these reported breakdowns.

Says on website

(08 Jul 2021, 3:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote Any idea why?
Was just thinking those coaches that Coatham are borrowing would have been ideal to cover all these reported breakdowns.

"This is due to a high number of non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts and resultant short-term disruption to staffing requirements."

I'd imagine, given the decision to completely pull an hourly service rather than reducing the frequency on something else, it might be an indication of the X9 not recovering as well from the pandemic?

(08 Jul 2021, 3:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote Any idea why?
Was just thinking those coaches that Coatham are borrowing would have been ideal to cover all these reported breakdowns.

X9 suspended with the X10 revised to operate to its Sunday route and timetable.
The coaches loaned to Coatham are sub-leased - Coatham drivers are driving them on Go North East duplicates. Same as 7128 is on-loan to JH for the X11.

(08 Jul 2021, 3:16 pm)mb134 wrote "This is due to a high number of non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts and resultant short-term disruption to staffing requirements."

I'd imagine, given the decision to completely pull an hourly service rather than reducing the frequency on something else, it might be an indication of the X9 not recovering as well from the pandemic?

I don’t think it’s that reason - they’re saving resources in terms of both drivers and vehicles by effectively suspending the X9 and running the X10 on its evening and Sunday route, meaning while the joint sections of the routes sees a frequency reduction, they still maintain normal service to Stockton, Norton, Billingham, Peterlee and Dalton Park.

Surprised to see a whole service knocked on the head, taking it down to hourly Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Especially when Nexus contracts and Arriva work is still being covered. You'd think their own commercial routes would take precedence.

Everywhere seems to be getting hit by track and trace pings at the moment, but we should remember that bus operators started dropping the right to maintain social distancing on board about 6 weeks ago now, convincing us it was a safe move. Despite rising case numbers, and evidently requests for staff to enter isolation.

(08 Jul 2021, 2:22 pm)User2613 wrote X9 is being suspended from 12th July

I don't really get this. When reductions happened before and even in things like the arriva strike, high frequency routes were changed first. Pre-pandemic the 1700-ish X10 from Newcastle was always rammed

(08 Jul 2021, 4:22 pm)Adrian wrote Surprised to see a whole service knocked on the head, taking it down to hourly Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Especially when Nexus contracts and Arriva work is still being covered. You'd think their own commercial routes would take precedence.

Everywhere seems to be getting hit by track and trace pings at the moment, but we should remember that bus operators started dropping the right to maintain social distancing on board about 6 weeks ago now, convincing us it was a safe move. Despite rising case numbers, and evidently requests for staff to enter isolation.

We should also remember that there reasoning for this reduction clearly states 'non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts'. Nothing to do with increased capacity?

(08 Jul 2021, 6:07 pm)RobinHood wrote We should also remember that there reasoning for this reduction clearly states 'non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts'. Nothing to do with increased capacity?

Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?

(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian wrote Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?

Aren't drivers advised to turn off the tracking when they're at work?

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

(08 Jul 2021, 4:22 pm)Adrian wrote Surprised to see a whole service knocked on the head, taking it down to hourly Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Especially when Nexus contracts and Arriva work is still being covered. You'd think their own commercial routes would take precedence.

Everywhere seems to be getting hit by track and trace pings at the moment, but we should remember that bus operators started dropping the right to maintain social distancing on board about 6 weeks ago now, convincing us it was a safe move. Despite rising case numbers, and evidently requests for staff to enter isolation.

It's more of a Riverside issue apparently, they can continue to cover the Nexus and Arriva stuff because Chester le Street and Deptford haven't been effected as bad. Although all depots are suffering with these Track and Trace pings.

(07 Jul 2021, 11:25 pm)jasondarby123 wrote Not wanting to cause a stir, but I've noticed a lot of tweets for breakdowns on X9/X10, and most days I see either 6377 or a B9 running down the A19.

Although obviously more reliable than 6308-13, are they that reliable?

It's keeping on keeping on, then! That route is a bus killer.

---

(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian wrote Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?

But when people testing positive get the call they can say they took x bus at Y time so it gets narrowed down to a specific driver who has to isolate under current rules.

(08 Jul 2021, 6:44 am)GNE6312 wrote Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coaches

For years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches. Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

(09 Jul 2021, 8:12 am)big mac wrote For years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches.  Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

I think one of the problems is that there pre owned coaches I think GNE got them with a swap for brand new Streetdecks

(08 Jul 2021, 6:07 pm)RobinHood wrote We should also remember that there reasoning for this reduction clearly states 'non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts'. Nothing to do with increased capacity?

This is just PR speak, and not wanting to cause any panic that buses aren’t safe/covid secure. Realistically there’s no way you can 100% know where you’ve been pinged from the information is data protected as it’s healthcare. Even if GNE could ask drivers to turn off the contact tracing app, there’s no guarantee to say “Y driver” hasn’t put down “X Driver” and “Z Driver” as close contacts when they had a meal break together twice last week. X and Z driver wouldn’t realistically know where they’re isolating from unless Y driver tells them. 

As for dropping the X9, I wonder if it’s a combinations of factors. 1) Less work travel, particularly those commuting longer distance isn’t recovered to normal levels, guidance is still working from home and even after July 19th it wouldn’t be flick of a switch 2) Slightly related, but I think there’s still a little bit of pandemic trends at play, such as to stay local to certain extent and avoid transport where you might not have in the past. 3) The coaches being unreliable 4) You can cover all the same places with the evening and Sunday route*

*It always slightly annoys me that they never remember about the A19 slip road bus stop heading Northbound, usually on the X10 route, when doing the evening route, it misses this bus stop but it’s never effectively communicated.

Doesn't the X9/X10 have a select few drivers who are trained for the route. If they've got limited drivers and no-one is trained to drive the route then that could be a problem whereas any other route anyone can just drive it.

Also those saying that the coaches are unsuitable the X9/X10 it's a very easy route for a coach. There's megabuses running from London to Newcastle/Edinburgh everyday mostly express up the A1/M1 which go Edinburgh -> NON STOP -> Newcastle -> NON STOP -> Leeds -> NON STOP -> Meadowhall -> NON STOP -> London. The X9/X10 is a breeze compared to that.

(09 Jul 2021, 9:45 am)Storx wrote Doesn't the X9/X10 have a select few drivers who are trained for the route. If they've got limited drivers and no-one is trained to drive the route then that could be a problem whereas any other route anyone can just drive it.

Also those saying that the coaches are unsuitable the X9/X10 it's a very easy route for a coach. There's megabuses running from London to Newcastle/Edinburgh everyday mostly express up the A1/M1 which go Edinburgh -> NON STOP -> Newcastle -> NON STOP -> Leeds -> NON STOP -> Meadowhall -> NON STOP -> London. The X9/X10 is a breeze compared to that.

I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.

Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.

(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan wrote I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.

Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.

Well if you wanted to go for a stop start route then there's the 10 in Scotland between Aberdeen and Inverness and they both use versions of the Plaxton Elite and they don't have any issues that I know of and that's mostly express driving between towns on the A96.

There's no reason really why they can't do the X9/X10 imo unless there's something wrong with the coaches thereselves.

I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.

The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.