(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote There is little demand for the Ashington-Newcastle services on Sunday other than when there is events in Newcastle, I'd trial the 20 on Sundays then see what its like to continue.

Hmmm, all journeys I've seen /been on from either Bedlington or Ashington to Newcastle on a Sunday have been pretty well loaded, which is why I've suggested increasing it to a 30 minute combined frequency? (X21/22) 

An X20 would relieve the need of a frequency increase

(03 May 2015, 12:47 pm)mb134 wrote Think 1480-3 were originally bought for the 35?

I don't remember seeing them on the 35, I recall at around that time Renowns on the service.

Without wanting to set the cat amongst the pigeons, why are vehicles branded?

To the extent that the bus operator would rather (when possible) place another branded vehicle on a run en-route (which used to happen in Carlisle with the Dart SLFs but has drastically improved) causing disruption and inconvenience, does the benefits of branding vehicles outweigh the farce it can cause?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not on about general route branding (GNE's Coast and Country to give an example) but individual vehicle branding which I find more common with ANE and SNE, such as ANE's Jesmond-ran 46 from Haymarket to Featherstone Grove - this is just standard Interurban livery with '46' branding on.
Even to Jesmond's Hybrid Streetlites and Volvo B5LHs - they both have 306/308 branding on (I'm pretty sure they do!), why not take this branding off so both can interwork with no real problems?

(03 May 2015, 12:50 pm)mb134 wrote Hmmm, all journeys I've seen /been on from either Bedlington or Ashington to Newcastle on a Sunday have been pretty well loaded, which is why I've suggested increasing it to a 30 minute combined frequency? (X21/22) 

An X20 would relieve the need of a frequency increase

I usually use the 11:46 X21 from Ashington, I count 6 people waiting in the stand, 3 pensioners downstairs, 1 other person downstairs, 2 people upstairs before the 6 came on, 3 people left the bus at bus station, 2 pensioners left the bus at Laburnum Terrace and one fare paying passenger boarded and came upstairs, the bus didnt stop at Bolsover Terrace, and I was the only person who left at Fifth Avenue, nobody boarded the bus. I could see a couple of people stood at Seventh Avenue.

(03 May 2015, 12:54 pm)northern156 wrote Without wanting to set the cat amongst the pigeons, why are vehicles branded?

To the extent that the bus operator would rather (when possible) place another branded vehicle on a run en-route (which used to happen in Carlisle with the Dart SLFs but has drastically improved) causing disruption and inconvenience, does the benefits of branding vehicles outweigh the farce it can cause?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not on about general route branding (GNE's Coast and Country to give an example) but individual vehicle branding which I find more common with ANE and SNE, such as ANE's Jesmond-ran 46 from Haymarket to Featherstone Grove - this is just standard Interurban livery with '46' branding on.
Even to Jesmond's Hybrid Streetlites and Volvo B5LHs - they both have 306/308 branding on (I'm pretty sure they do!), why not take this branding off so both can interwork with no real problems?

Branding will only have limited appeal.
A plateau will be reached (it may even have been reached already in some instances), whereby no matter what funky colours are painted on the outside, which little gadgets are installed on the inside - there will be no more organic growth.

If 30% of the population of a town/village/estate using a service prior to branding and it sees a growth of say 20%, through the approach we have seen over the last 10 years - there will be a reason why the remaining 50% don't use the bus.

Where do the operators go then?

(02 May 2015, 4:26 pm)Malarkey wrote Are Arriva planning on attending the MetroCentre Rally on Monday?

There are 4 Buses from Arriva that should be attending however you will have to wait and see tomorrow what turns up 

Really do think Bank Holiday services need to be looked at, just passed 7508 running 10 minutes late on a very busy looking X22

(04 May 2015, 11:00 am)mb134 wrote Really do think Bank Holiday services need to be looked at, just passed 7508 running 10 minutes late on a very busy looking X22

I noticed 20+ people boarding 7508 at Ashington bus station - while waiting over 20 minutes for the 1.

(03 May 2015, 4:04 pm)Multi21 wrote There are 4 Buses from Arriva that should be attending however you will have to wait and see tomorrow what turns up 

well I seen 4814,7534 leaving Darlington Depot around 8:30

(04 May 2015, 7:04 pm)Stewy wrote well I seen 4814,7534 leaving Darlington Depot around 8:30

Did you now? :p
We all met at Washington Services about 0930. 1594 from Bishop and 1574 from Durham were the other two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBWNQ8dQiY&sns=fb

Hope this is not you Scott.....poor driver, nee good going up there!

(04 May 2015, 7:18 pm)tyresmoke wrote Did you now? :p
We all met at Washington Services about 0930. 1594 from Bishop and 1574 from Durham were the other two.

Lot of buses with fleetnumbers ending in 4's!!  

(04 May 2015, 7:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBWNQ8dQiY&sns=fb

Hope this is not you Scott.....poor driver, nee good going up there!

Have you not read Kuyoyo's frequent posts telling us that Stockton Depot cannot facilitate double deck vehicles and this is why we have a split allocation on the X12 (Middlesbrough - Newcastle), even though the Middlesbrough - Durham section quite often demands double deck capacity?!   

Keep up, citaro5284!  

(04 May 2015, 7:26 pm)mb134 wrote Lot of buses with fleetnumbers ending in 4's!!  

Funnily enough they all end with 4 - 1574, 1594, 4814, 7534.

(04 May 2015, 7:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YBWNQ8dQiY&sns=fb

Hope this is not you Scott.....poor driver, nee good going up there!

Had to be the X2 (X12)  

(04 May 2015, 7:30 pm)aureolin wrote Had to be the X2 (X12)  

Our favourite service! I wonder how late it was as a result of this wrong turning?

What an arse...

(04 May 2015, 7:29 pm)Jimmi wrote Funnily enough they all end with 4 - 1574, 1594, 4814, 7534.

Aye noticed that, coincidence?? 

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(04 May 2015, 7:31 pm)Dan wrote Our favourite service! I wonder how late it was as a result of this wrong turning?

Could be the reason every journey?  

Oops haha someone didn't read the notices!

(04 May 2015, 7:37 pm)mb134 wrote Aye noticed that, coincidence?? 

Funnily enough they brought 4 buses too, hmm...

(04 May 2015, 7:41 pm)Jimmi wrote Funnily enough they brought 4 buses too, hmm...

I assure you that wasn't planned! Haha
It's a strange coincidence like, 1574 1594 4814 7534...

(04 May 2015, 7:41 pm)Jimmi wrote Funnily enough they brought 4 buses too, hmm...

Oh dear, originally read this as four blue buses, just going to disappear now

(04 May 2015, 7:54 pm)tyresmoke wrote I assure you that wasn't planned! Haha
It's a strange coincidence like, 1574 1594 4814 7534...

Did any of the Arriva vehicles go out on runs? 

(04 May 2015, 8:03 pm)mb134 wrote Did any of the Arriva vehicles go out on runs? 

I think 1594 did. Not sure about the other 3.

(04 May 2015, 8:03 pm)mb134 wrote Did any of the Arriva vehicles go out on runs? 

(04 May 2015, 8:05 pm)Robert wrote I think 1594 did. Not sure about the other 3.

All 4 did trips to the MetroCentre Interchange at various points in the afternoon but not for the main public

(04 May 2015, 8:05 pm)Robert wrote I think 1594 did. Not sure about the other 3.

I had a ride to Tanfield on ex-Arriva RML2686.

It struggled to climb through Sunniside.

(04 May 2015, 7:18 pm)tyresmoke wrote Did you now? :p
We all met at Washington Services about 0930. 1594 from Bishop and 1574 from Durham were the other two.

Did you get the chance to drive 7534? 

(04 May 2015, 8:42 pm)mb134 wrote Did you get the chance to drive 7534? 

All Three Stockton Based Drivers Got A Go...  

Kuyoyo one Streetlite managed to find its way into Teams 1574 I believe

7534 was the star of the new buses at the Metrocentre. Better than GNEs Red Kite B9 and infinitely better than those horrible Streetlites.

(05 May 2015, 11:16 am)RCN 699 wrote 7534 was the star of the new buses at the Metrocentre. Better than GNEs Red Kite B9 and infinitely better than those horrible Streetlites.

I think the reason why it seemed to prove popular as they only entered service on Thursday so it will have been the first time many people will have seen them. Also when the buses were parked up Arriva allowed people to go inside the buses, me and a few other members on here were sat on it downstairs for around 30 minutes. Also they look really smart from the outside and the interior looks smart too.

The Red Kites were popular among enthusiasts because it was the first time they'd been seen in the flesh and I don't believe there was any photos of them with branding before yesterday.