But, unless there is an alternative service, how are college students going to get to and from college? 

Also, the students will still use the 35 if they do currently?

Northumberland College cut (or reduced) funding. The students only ever use the 35 to go from Ashington college to McDonalds anyway.

Northumberland College cut (or reduced) funding. The students only ever use the 35 to go from Ashington college to McDonalds anyway.

Okay, Ashington college has nothing to do with the 100 though, so students will still use the 35?

Okay, Ashington college has nothing to do with the 100 though, so students will still use the 35?

I think Northumberland College have withdrawn all funding for free passes and the 100.

I'd say pretty soon if they are starting on the 6th September.

Possibly the start of August?

Most of the major points are already known, like the X20 being extended to Alnwick and the 'short' X14 becoming an X16 to Kirkhill (will be operated by Jesmond)

Most of the major points are already known, like the X20 being extended to Alnwick and the 'short' X14 becoming an X16 to Kirkhill (will be operated by Jesmond)

Yeah I think the changes will be very successful in Northumberland.

Yeah I think the changes will be very successful in Northumberland.

Hopefully.... some other changes below
2 will operate between Blyth & Morpeth only, omitting Red House Farm in Bedlington
43 will be extended hourly from Cramlington to Morpeth via Bedlington, Red House Farm and Hepscott Park
57/57A curtailed to terminate at Cramlington, no longer running to Morpeth. 57 will run via Cramlington hospital instead of Seghill, and won't serve Nelson village or North Seaton (all daytime journeys operated by Ashington depot. Evening/Sunday by Jesmond)

X4 becomes X7, X5 becomes X8, X13 becomes X9 with minor changes to all. Extra evening X30 also.

Hopefully timetables will be available soon and we can see what the actual changes to them all are.

Hopefully.... some other changes below

57/57A curtailed to terminate at Cramlington, no longer running to Morpeth. 57 will run via Cramlington hospital instead of Seghill, and won't serve Nelson village or North Seaton (all daytime journeys operated by Ashington depot. Evening/Sunday by Jesmond)

So if Blyth won't have the 57A/X14, will 1773/4/5 transfer to Ashington?

Most of the major points are already known, like the X20 being extended to Alnwick and the 'short' X14 becoming an X16 to Kirkhill (will be operated by Jesmond)

Will the X16 become MAX as part of the core Morpeth-Newcastle routes?

Wonder how long the services will last this time.

So if Blyth won't have the 57A/X14, will 1773/4/5 transfer to Ashington?

Will the X16 become MAX as part of the core Morpeth-Newcastle routes?

I would assume the wifi Darts will move to Jesmond to run the X16 and therefore no, it won't be MAX branded, but will be uniquely identifiable I guess being a separate service. Still doesn't solve the issue of overcrowding, but at least people may get the idea to avoid the X16 lol

So if Blyth won't have the 57A/X14, will 1773/4/5 transfer to Ashington?

That means Ashington won't operate the 57A/X14 either.... 

I second what Scott says, the wifi MPDs might move to Jesmond, that equals 6, but the PVR will be 3 I believe...

That means Ashington won't operate the 57A/X14 either....   

I second what Scott says, the wifi MPDs might move to Jesmond, that equals 6, but the PVR will be 3 I believe...

Oh dear, Haha, just re-read Tyresmoke's post, I'd not been awake long, alright?!

Is WiFi a permanent fixture - or is it an easily transferable 'box' that can be plugged-in to any bus when needed?

http://mobileonboard.com/beam-bus-wi-fi/

Is WiFi a permanent fixture - or is an easily transferable 'box' that can be plugged-in to any bus when needed?

http://mobileonboard.com/beam-bus-wi-fi/

The big operators in the North East all use Icomera as their supplier to provide free Wi-Fi on buses. I understand that the kit can be transferred from one vehicle to another, but this incurs a cost.

The big operators in the North East all use Icomera as their supplier to provide free Wi-Fi on buses. I understand that the kit can be transferred from one vehicle to another, but this incurs a cost.

Thanks.

I imagine that at this stage it is worth paying a service provider to 'guarantee' connectivity.

In time, operators will probably develop their own equipment (maybe not designing the hardware) that they can fit using their own technicians.

The big operators in the North East all use Icomera as their supplier to provide free Wi-Fi on buses. I understand that the kit can be transferred from one vehicle to another, but this incurs a cost.

Yup you're right Dan as the Ecocities all had it when first introduced at Darlington but we re-used the kit in other vehicles last year. Ironically the ones for the 21/X21 are now of course fitted!

Yup you're right Dan as the Ecocities all had it when first introduced at Darlington but we re-used the kit in other vehicles last year. Ironically the ones for the 21/X21 are now of course fitted!

4813 doesn't have WiFi or if it does then it doesn't work, sure enough it was my long ride home from Sunderland tonight [emoji34]

As a complete ignoramus about bus WiFi, am I right in thinking that it uses mobile networks, so is never going to be any better than he connection on my phone anyhow, unless my data provider isn't covered in a particular spot that the bus provider is?

Had little luck connecting to bus WiFi over the past few months, but did manage it on a 21, heading towards Darlo, a few weeks ago, and found it painfully slow. Have given up trying on the Sapphire 22s.

As a complete ignoramus about bus WiFi, am I right in thinking that it uses mobile networks, so is never going to be any better than he connection on my phone anyhow, unless my data provider isn't covered in a particular spot that the bus provider is?

Had little luck connecting to bus WiFi over the past few months, but did manage it on a 21, heading towards Darlo, a few weeks ago, and found it painfully slow. Have given up trying on the Sapphire 22s.

You're right - a normal 3G or 4G SIM card is used and, like a mobile network, the bus operators pay for a tariff of x amount of data per vehicle on a one-month rolling basis. If they go over this amount of data, the operator will incur additional charges.

EE has better coverage than Three on the A19, so it at least allows me to connect to the Internet while I am using GNE's X9/X10 services!

So when the changes happen, will the 51 and 57A interwork? That would certainly make sense, and it could use Solos giving the 57A an upgrade.

End of short X21.
PB0002032/475 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Stakeford and Bedlington Station given service number 821 effective from 06-Sep-2015.

You're right - a normal 3G or 4G SIM card is used and, like a mobile network, the bus operators pay for a tariff of x amount of data per vehicle on a one-month rolling basis. If they go over this amount of data, the operator will incur additional charges.

EE has better coverage than Three on the A19, so it at least allows me to connect to the Internet while I am using GNE's X9/X10 services!

Thanks, that makes complete sense and explains why it's not worth the bother when I do get a WiFi connection. Might be more useful if I did any city travel.

Have recently moved my data from EE to three, as it happens, as the coverage is so much better, particularly in and just North of Durham, and there's a lot less timing out happening. I have noticed that I often lose signal between Washington and Sunderland, though. Both disappear for a while just south of Teesside, on the A19. I wouldn't bother with EE at all, but it's the only provider with a steady 3G signal in my village.

End of short X21.
PB0002032/475 - ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Stakeford and Bedlington Station given service number 821 effective from 06-Sep-2015.

Thought that was put in place to assist with reliability? Adding more time onto the normal X21 isn't going to help.

Thought that was put in place to assist with reliability? Adding more time onto the normal X21 isn't going to help.

They might need the vehicle that was used on it though? 

Also, the 821 was only really for school children travelling between Stakeford and Bedlington Station, so if you add an additional 3 minutes into the timetable there, it should be alright. (That X21 run has about 9 minutes to stand at Ashington bus station if I recall correctly)

---

Thought that was put in place to assist with reliability? Adding more time onto the normal X21 isn't going to help.

They might need the vehicle that was used on it though? 

Also, the 821 was only really for school children travelling between Stakeford and Bedlington Station, so if you add an additional 3 minutes into the timetable there, it should be alright. (That X21 run has about 9 minutes to stand at Ashington bus station if I recall correctly)

Thanks, that makes complete sense and explains why it's not worth the bother when I do get a WiFi connection. Might be more useful if I did any city travel.

Have recently moved my data from EE to three, as it happens, as the coverage is so much better, particularly in and just North of Durham, and there's a lot less timing out happening. I have noticed that I often lose signal between Washington and Sunderland, though. Both disappear for a while just south of Teesside, on the A19. I wouldn't bother with EE at all, but it's the only provider with a steady 3G signal in my village.

I've had no EE signal at home for a few months up to a couple of weeks ago when it seems to have returned! Apparently they took a 2G mast down in the area in November (nice of them!), so why it gradually got worse after that I don't know, nor why it has now returned!

I've had no EE signal at home for a few months up to a couple of weeks ago when it seems to have returned! Apparently they took a 2G mast down in the area in November (nice of them!), so why it gradually got worse after that I don't know, nor why it has now returned!

EE is a crap network. Nazi bullying "customer service" advisors trying to sell you broadband. 

Thought that was put in place to assist with reliability? Adding more time onto the normal X21 isn't going to help.

The service is usually operated by a B7TL. Arriva Ashington may have gained another scholars contract.

The service is usually operated by a B7TL. Arriva Ashington may have gained another scholars contract.

Or 7518...

travelling between Stakeford and Bedlington Station

Lazy buggers. Could walk that in 30 or 40 minutes.

---

Or 7518...

Was a B7TL before they refurbished 7518... 

Lazy buggers. Could walk that in 30 or 40 minutes.

But would you want to, in the middle of winter, when it's chucking it down, and freezing?