Probably the reason they're so loud is for elderly people, so they don't miss their stop.

haha wouldn't surprise me if it was for that reason

Another GNE cock up. Nexus livery Solo 625 on 14.30 27X from Newcastle was stopped at Heworth allegedly because they needed that vehicle for a different route. The replacement MPD took so long to arrive that the passengers were kicked off, several having to pay again to travel on the non-GNE 515, and the un-identified MPD omitted the loop to Hebburn and returned to Newcastle. Yet again the convenience of the operator takes precedence over the needs of the passengers and GNE are giving more strength to the ITA proposals for the Quality Contract, which would presumably impose fines for such incompetence. Perhaps there should be compensation for delays as on the railways - I've just received £32 of vouchers from Northern Rail for a cancelled train.

If they needed the Solo SR for another service, it means they needed it for a service which is secured by Nexus. If they do not allocate a vehicle with the correct minimum Euro specification, Go North East will receive a fine. I understand that said fines can often be more expensive than fines for dead mileage on a secured service too!
The replacement MPD should have been at Heworth when control contacted the driver organising 625's changeover - if this didn't happen, passengers should have been advised to get on Go North East's "Crusader" 27 for free of charge.
Undoubtedly, this situation was of very little convenience to Go North East, as the 27X is also secured. This means that Go North East could incur a penalty fine for the dead mileage on it today, or 'incompetence' as you put it.

Regarding your last point - if events within Go North East's control lead to a journey being delayed by 20 minutes or more, they will refund the fare via voucher or BuzzFare ticket. I doubt that there were many fare paying passengers on Nexus-secured service 27X though, so they won't be receiving "compensation" for the events that happened today.

All "Citylink" Versas should have now entered service. Red Versa 5389 entered service today on "Citylink" service 58 (photo here) while red Versa 5390 saw use on "Citylink" 58 (photo here) as well as "Orbit" 51 (photo here). Both still remain in red, and will gain "Northern" vinyls shortly.

Anyone got any feedback on how loadings are doing?

May suffer at Christmas but then again every service does

Anyone got any feedback on how loadings are doing?

May suffer at Christmas but then again every service does

My first journey on one today had a couple of standees towards the front. With the odd couple of seats near the back free but people choosing to stand rather than fight their way to the back.

The replacement MPD should have been at Heworth when control contacted the driver organising 625's changeover - if this didn't happen, passengers should have been advised to get on Go North East's "Crusader" 27 for free of charge.

Most passengers on 27X will want stops not served by the 27 so the 515 would be a better option. The point is it's yet another case of incompetent control decisions. When I travelled on Drifter 60 last week 3 buses were running together throughout the route Seaham - Sunderland and back again - no regulation occurred and there were two 30 minute gaps. Then the least late one turned short at Seaham, but still waited to run back directly behind the "most late" one in front which had run the full route. And I see examples of poor regulation, or no regulation, virtually every time I go into GNE territory, and any regulation is usually for operational convenience rather than what's best for passengers. On the much fewer occasions I use Stagecoach all seems to run OK. For the record, however, I should point out that Arriva is crap as well and the only regulation seems to be decided by drivers themselves, usually by missing out Evenwood and Cockfield on the awful route 6 from Durham.

Most passengers on 27X will want stops not served by the 27 so the 515 would be a better option. The point is it's yet another case of incompetent control decisions. When I travelled on Drifter 60 last week 3 buses were running together throughout the route Seaham - Sunderland and back again - no regulation occurred and there were two 30 minute gaps. Then the least late one turned short at Seaham, but still waited to run back directly behind the "most late" one in front which had run the full route. And I see examples of poor regulation, or no regulation, virtually every time I go into GNE territory, and any regulation is usually for operational convenience rather than what's best for passengers. On the much fewer occasions I use Stagecoach all seems to run OK. For the record, however, I should point out that Arriva is crap as well and the only regulation seems to be decided by drivers themselves, usually by missing out Evenwood and Cockfield on the awful route 6 from Durham.

Roadworks are causing delays for the 60, there's some outside Martinos and the ones at the mill inn are horrendous! However, I do agree two buses running together (or in some cases 3!) is ridiculous! However I fear any regulation may be pointless as the roadworks will continue to disrupt the service on each run. 60's are always turning around short at the harbour, that happens from time to time.

Roadworks are causing delays for the 60, there's some outside Martinos and the ones at the mill inn are horrendous! However, I do agree two buses running together (or in some cases 3!) is ridiculous! However I fear any regulation may be pointless as the roadworks will continue to disrupt the service on each run. 60's are always turning around short at the harbour, that happens from time to time.

Yes, on that day roadworks caused a couple of minutes delay, but on a ten minute frequency you just have to stick an extra bus in and allow an extra ten minutes recovery time at one end - businesses can claim for loss caused by roadworks from the utility involved.

All "Citylink" Versas should have now entered service. Red Versa 5389 entered service today on "Citylink" service 58 (photo here) while red Versa 5390 saw use on "Citylink" 58 (photo here) as well as "Orbit" 51 (photo here). Both still remain in red, and will gain "Northern" vinyls shortly.

I don't think will be gaining "Northern" fleetnames

I don't think will be gaining "Northern" fleetnames

Something more similar to 9133 instead?

I don't think will be gaining "Northern" fleetnames

What Fleetnames will they be getting then, from looking at those photos on the above post they look very plain, seems a bit pointless buying 2 extra Buses but not giving them the appropriate branding, same would apply for the B9's when they arrive.

What Fleetnames will they be getting then, from looking at those photos on the above post they look very plain, seems a bit pointless buying 2 extra Buses but not giving them the appropriate branding, same would apply for the B9's when they arrive.

Seems daft for the sake of sticking a Northern vinyl on the side. Surely it gets a brand or a fleet livery? Imagine if Dairy Milk came in a plain purple wrapper...

Seems daft for the sake of sticking a Northern vinyl on the side. Surely it gets a brand or a fleet livery? Imagine if Dairy Milk came in a plain purple wrapper...

I reckon there would be a riot if that were to happen, even 4942 has been running around in plain red the past few days since its repaint

Imagine if Dairy Milk came in a plain purple wrapper...

Are we not going off topic?

Are we not going off topic?

Not really, no! A plain red bus? That's good brand recognition.

Not really, no! A plain red bus? That's good brand recognition.

Perhaps GNE have plans that enthusiasts don't yet know? Hint, hint!!

Is Northern really a recognised identity, or is Go North East the more recognised identity? I would assume the latter, so surely a Go North East logo is enough?

Well I'd have to disagree most people call it Northern tbh (well they do where I live) 'Northern buses' or Go Northern rarely is it 'Go North East'.

And dan, I don't think a plain red bus will be the final decision! Theres clearly another suggestion for a livery but plain unbranded buses are all over at the minute, it's not good.

And dan, I don't think a plain red bus will be the final decision! Theres clearly another suggestion for a livery but plain unbranded buses are all over at the minute, it's not good.

Who said a plain red bus was the final decision?

Y'know, I fancy some Opal Fruits right now. Sorry, no... Starbursts.

I'm saying no more.

I'm saying no more.

Well there's a first!

GNE to me is far more present as a brand to the modern age than Northern which is dead as a brand aside older folk who may recognise it from years past.

Northern was last active as a brand in the 90s. A whole generation know it as GNE. It's won marketing awards as GNE. It trades as GNE. It's online as GNE. To me it is GNE

A good couple of posts ago. Someone mentioned about 8293 - NK54PHV being too new for withdrawal. The registration of the vehicle along with it's sister HC04BBB belies its true age.

Both of these vehicles were actually constructed in 2000 and laid unused for a good while. I actually got a photo of an unregistered NK54PHV in the yard of Gardiners of Spennymoor. Despite not being registered until 2004 (HC04BBB) & 2005 (NK54PHV), both vehicles are now over 13 years old, which if registered when new, they would have been V/W reg.

NK54PHV despite being registered in early 2005, was originally used as a non-PSV by Henry Coopers on the behalf of North Tyneside council. Then once it had completed it's role, the vehicle was loaned to Weardale (Via Gardiners) whilst one of their DAF SB220 / Ikarus was being repaired (at Gardiners) after a collision with a tractor. Once it's loan spell was over, the vehicle then appeared with Northumbria Coaches in plain white where after a few weeks gained the blue skirt joining the one of a kind Right Hand Drive Bluebird LMB. NK54PHV was mainly used on the X23, 332 and sometimes the 318.

After the GNE takeover, it was known to appear on Bargain Bus service 308 and I think it may have appeared on the 516 once or twice.

Before GNE sold Ashington, it was painted white and transferred to Deptford where it remained for a few months (?) where it was then transfered to the old Arriva depot at Hexham, where it was ran in white for a while (mainly on the 673) then painted into Yellow and branded for Tynedale Links.

GNE to me is far more present as a brand to the modern age than Northern which is dead as a brand aside older folk who may recognise it from years past.

Northern was last active as a brand in the 90s. A whole generation know it as GNE. It's won marketing awards as GNE. It trades as GNE. It's online as GNE. To me it is GNE

You're closer than CatsFast101 to the answer, that's for sure!

You're closer than CatsFast101 to the answer, that's for sure!

It's not rocket science to suggest that it's going to be a 'Go North East' logo applied! I'm pointing out that by using 'Northern' many people even in a younger age group refer to it as 'The Northern buses' and in a way I'd like to see Northern branding go completely, however, the generic Go North East livery are poor compared to Stagecoach/Arriva. A plain red bus with some GNE logos stuck on, hardly some sort of branding genius. Personally, to justify having such a plain livery I would brand the vast majority of routes, 9/X36/26/M2/M3/95/96/13/14/15 etc. otherwise GNE need a better generic livery. As I think using a livery similar to 9133 would only justify as a spare.

Another's point is at present there are too many plain unbranded buses running about, arguably unavoidable however it doesn't look good.

Maybe next time you'll be able to evaluate all hints given and suggest such a thing sooner if it's not 'rocket science', instead of trying to be funny (as on Post 2979).

Are we not going off topic?

Nope. A relevant comparison to the discussion in hand.

Maybe next time you'll be able to evaluate all hints given and suggest such a thing sooner if it's not 'rocket science', instead of trying to be funny (as on Post 2979).

can you not just tell us what its going to be like, rather than hinting

can you not just tell us what its going to be like, rather than hinting

Ah, but that wouldn't be as fun!
Liam and I are just enthusiasts anyway - who is to say that what we've hinted at is correct?

Ah, but that wouldn't be as fun!
Liam and I are just enthusiasts anyway - who is to say that what we've hinted at is correct?

come on!!

come on!!

Only time will tell!

Only time will tell!

well that's no fun