It baffles me why they don't just licence the engine that Traveline North East use and filter the results. At least it's accurate, unlike that extremely basic service search.

What bus/service was involved in the incident beside the stadium of light? And it's about time Go North East sorted out the links they post. http://www.simplygo.com/view-all-timetab...rds=durham&timetable_keywordsTo= advertising what bus services serve 'Durham' and as everyone knows the X9/5/X30/38/X7 serve Durham too, well they do now!

And 544 has always sounded very unhealthy, often on the 238's and it sounds terrible I actually couldn't hear my friend who was sitting next to me! Very loud and tired.

It was a Stagecoach bus - not a GNE bus.

The display for the new Hexham express services is quite funky - much more eye-catching than the more conventional display.

Photo by: Sean Harris
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern156/9740966359/

If the majority (and I'm guessing they are) of people using the train from Hexham live in the outlying villages and are forced to drive into Hexham due to the lack of public transport in those areas, is the bus the better alternative?

It would be interesting to see the amount of train passengers who have season tickets too.

I'm not knocking the tynedalexpress, far from it. The more public transport, the better.

Without joining the mass debate between you and eezypeazy, the season ticket data is workout-able from the published rail ticket data set and it's not as huge as you'd think. It is a good point that there is a fair number of people who get dropped off at the station, but there's a lot more that make their way to the bus station. The rural bits around Hexham have never really been blessed with great public transport as there's not enough folk to make it pay unfortunately.

The display for the new Hexham express services is quite funky - much more eye-catching than the more conventional display.

Photo by: Sean Harris
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern156/9740966359/

That's me!
I was quite struck with the new fonts - one for the "X" and one for the "fast" text. I've put a couple more shots from today up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern156/9741457139/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern156/9741457177/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern156/9741457183/

Note that the side display on the Darts shows the standard "X" with service no. and destination. On the transferred Solars, the "fast" is in italic - like the above pics - but the service number is the same with the coloured background I think.


Sean

Without joining the mass debate between you and eezypeazy, the season ticket data is workout-able from the published rail ticket data set and it's not as huge as you'd think. It is a good point that there is a fair number of people who get dropped off at the station, but there's a lot more that make their way to the bus station. The rural bits around Hexham have never really been blessed with great public transport as there's not enough folk to make it pay unfortunately.

Busman, I totally agree with you about the transport links in the outlying areas, hence my comments about the travelling into the town by other means.
However eezypeazy decided to split hairs on the meaning of words...

With never seeing the season ticket uptake, that was one of the reasons I queried how popular they were.

The demographics of both sets of passengers (rail and bus) would be an interesting read as would any analysis on their end destination and the justification they use for their preferred mode of transport.
For a lot of people, Hexham is the 'end of the line', but by travelling east, do they get the bus to Corbridge or Prudhoe, because it takes them to the heart of the town or do they get the train into Newcastle rather than run the risk of being caught in a traffic jam around Gateshead.

Hold up - I'm just suggesting that bus is much cheaper than the train ! Plus there's a Market in Hexham every Tuesday !!!

The addition of the X84 and X85 into the market will over-saturate demand and eventually neither GNE, Arriva nor Stagecoach will make any money, ultimately reducing the service for customers overall in 12-24 months time.

Its a bit like the OK1. Blatantly obviously a kick at the competition, but it didn't work (and the market was again over-saturated between Bishop & Darlington). This X84/X85 stinks of the same thing.

The X7 looks to be another failure too, only ever see people on it between Peterlee & Sunderland. Poor marketing, and it de-valued the X9/X10 brand along with it! (just look at the X7 and X9 together in the same photo!) The only passengers on it south of Peterlee are simply extracted from the old X9/X10 patronage or from the 21a at Wingate (which is another example of GNE applying service changes to kick competition and NOT for the better value to the north east network). If that hasn't been varied or withdrawn by Christmas, I for one will be very surprised.

Baggage Buses for the GNR today:
3870, 3861, 3803, 3860, 3858, 3880, 6038, 3970, 3968, 3967, 6039, 6025, 3975, 3972, 3973, 3969, 3977, 3966, 6029, 6011, 6028, 6032, 6033, 3802, 6042, 3874, 6009, 6008, 6014

Was looking at pic's of the new Tynedale Express and the blinds lot better than what they use on other services

I don't think the 307 will last for much longer. It has been empty since Arriva introduced the 51 (running about 10-15 mins ahead of the 307).

The X3/X36 is another service that I think will be withdrawn. The bus is usually full of OAPs. The two I saw weren't very good. The X36 was a bit better, but the X3 only had 4 passengers leaving Eldon Sqaure.

The 58 has very poor passenger numbers between Hadrian Park and Newcastle too. It only ever picks up at Hadrian Park, and never normally picks up anywhere else along the route which is a shame. I'd think more people would use it as it stops right in the centre of Newcastle, rather than Haymarket, but no. It is generally busy between Newcastle and Heworth though!

I don't think the 307 will last for much longer. It has been empty since Arriva introduced the 51 (running about 10-15 mins ahead of the 307).

The X3/X36 is another service that I think will be withdrawn. The bus is usually full of OAPs. The two I saw weren't very good. The X36 was a bit better, but the X3 only had 4 passengers leaving Eldon Sqaure.

The 58 has very poor passenger numbers between Hadrian Park and Newcastle too. It only ever picks up at Hadrian Park, and never normally picks up anywhere else along the route which is a shame. I'd think more people would use it as it stops right in the centre of Newcastle, rather than Haymarket, but no. It is generally busy between Newcastle and Heworth though!

I'd agree with your point on the X3/X36. Whenever I've used it, there's only been a dozen get on at Sunderland. After that, I've practically had the bus to myself between Boldon and Heworth. You tend to get a few on at Heworth and Gateshead towards Newcastle, but there's already a bus every few minutes along that route.

On the 58. Although I only use it as far as Sandyford at most, I'd still say it gets a fair few beyond Newcastle towards Hadrian Park. It's heavily used throughout the day between Heworth and Newcastle though, which I'd say more than covers (with a tidy profit) the lighter loads to Hadrian Park.

I think the X3 should only run between Boldon ASDA and Newcastle - that's where it seems to have a good runs

Leave the X36 hourly - might boost Numbers up

The 58 has very poor passenger numbers between Hadrian Park and Newcastle too. It only ever picks up at Hadrian Park, and never normally picks up anywhere else along the route which is a shame. I'd think more people would use it as it stops right in the centre of Newcastle, rather than Haymarket, but no. It is generally busy between Newcastle and Heworth though!

I think they should withdraw the 58 beyond Newcastle and re-route a 309 or 310 through Hadrian Park instead. Then, I believe service 57 should be increased back to every 15 minutes, as from what I found, service 58 did increase in passenger numbers when the 57 was cut back to every 20 minutes.

Was looking at pic's of the new Tynedale Express and the blinds lot better than what they use on other services

The X where X84/X85 goes on the numbers reminds me of the old Go Xpress logos where the X was in different font from the rest

I think they should withdraw the 58 beyond Newcastle and re-route a 309 or 310 through Hadrian Park instead. Then, I believe service 57 should be increased back to every 15 minutes, as from what I found, service 58 did increase in passenger numbers when the 57 was cut back to every 20 minutes.

Does the 57 really need to be every 15 minutes, because a lot of its route has another frequent bus service duplicating it? You've got the 56 along Old Durham Road every ten minutes, and the 58 every ten minutes around Leam Lane Estate and Fewster Square. The only place where the 57 is the only choice for passengers is Sundew Road in Beacon Lough, where I think a frequency of every 20 mins is acceptable.

Does the 57 really need to be every 15 minutes, because a lot of its route has another frequent bus service duplicating it? You've got the 56 along Old Durham Road every ten minutes, and the 58 every ten minutes around Leam Lane Estate and Fewster Square. The only place where the 57 is the only choice for passengers is Sundew Road in Beacon Lough, where I think a frequency of every 20 mins is acceptable.

In my opinion, I think it could be beneficial.

You're talking about the 56, but from my experience, most people board at Newcastle and Gateshead and then start alighting at the Queen Elizabeth and Beacon Lough East, rather than Old Durham Road itself. Also, with smaller buses coming to the 58, it will ease pressure on the very busy section between Fewster Square and the Whitehills Estate.

The only way to advertise fare increases...

Anyone know if any other Nexus service fares increasing tomorrow?

Does the 57 really need to be every 15 minutes, because a lot of its route has another frequent bus service duplicating it? You've got the 56 along Old Durham Road every ten minutes, and the 58 every ten minutes around Leam Lane Estate and Fewster Square. The only place where the 57 is the only choice for passengers is Sundew Road in Beacon Lough, where I think a frequency of every 20 mins is acceptable.

There's more than enough congestion on the 56 already, especially along Old Durham Road. which tells me that the 57 is needed at least at it's current frequency. Maybe this will change when the 56 gets it's supposed deckers - who knows.

There's more than enough congestion on the 56 already, especially along Old Durham Road. which tells me that the 57 is needed at least at it's current frequency. Maybe this will change when the 56 gets it's supposed deckers - who knows.

I agree. I think even with double-deckers, the 56 will struggle reliability-wise, as I think it serves every stop between Gateshead and Wrekenton.

There's more than enough congestion on the 56 already, especially along Old Durham Road. which tells me that the 57 is needed at least at it's current frequency. Maybe this will change when the 56 gets it's supposed deckers - who knows.

The 56 probably does need deckers because of the loadings. It's timetable also needs to be seriously looked at, because the reliability is very poor. I would suggest that splitting the route in some way could help, as its long route from Newcastle to Sunderland leaves it vulnerable to all sorts of timing issues. I've seen three at once on the 56 on a few occasions, meaning there's potentially been a half hour wait for passengers.

I think the 56 already had a extra bus added for reliability issues

Not sure, so can anyone help with that one?

Maybe they could give it more time to get from Sunderland and Newcastle - it already takes 74 mins but having a longer layover it might help?

Anyone know if any other Nexus service fares increasing tomorrow?

Yes. Like the Quaylink the Sunderland Connect fares are also rising by 5 per cent. I may have also seen something about a 5 per cent increase on all Nexus services sometime in the near future while walking past a stationary R5 when out with the dog but I wasn't paying much attention.

I think splitting the 56 up in someway could work. It is defiantly more busy Newcastle-Concord, so maybe have a 56 Newcastle-Concord, 56A Concord--Sunderland? I highly doubt many people, if any, would use the service for the whole route.

I know the 56 was running a bit late yesterday, but there wasn't a big delay.

I don't think splitting the 56 is the answer. Just as many people use it between Newcastle and Concord as they do from Sunderland to Concord. That being said, I think the problem would still be there, but with an inconvenient gap for people wanting to continue their journey. A different approach could potentially be restricting the number of stops the 56 makes on Old Durham Road. Perhaps alternate them with which stops the 57 & 28/28A use?

As for the Nexus service fare rises. Does anyone know who's responsibility it is to ensure customers are informed of the rises? My assumption would be it's up to the contractor to display whatever material Nexus tell it to, but that of course depends on Nexus providing the said material.

Baggage Buses for the GNR today:
3870, 3861, 3803, 3860, 3858, 3880, 6038, 3970, 3968, 3967, 6039, 6025, 3975, 3972, 3973, 3969, 3977, 3966, 6029, 6011, 6028, 6032, 6033, 3802, 6042, 3874, 6009, 6008, 6014

Not 38 baggage buses this year?

I think splitting the 56 up in someway could work. It is defiantly more busy Newcastle-Concord, so maybe have a 56 Newcastle-Concord, 56A Concord--Sunderland? I highly doubt many people, if any, would use the service for the whole route.

I know the 56 was running a bit late yesterday, but there wasn't a big delay.

Splitting the 56 at Concord may also be a boost for the X36 because that would still be there if anyone was wishing to travel to Southwick and Wheatsheaf from Newcastle, so that direct link would not be lost.

If the 56 had a shorter journey, it could provide the opportunity to re-route the daytime journeys through Springwell Estate, which at present does not have a direct bus to Newcastle during the day, only the 51/52 serve it at they only terminate at Gateshead.

I think splitting the 56 up in someway could work. It is defiantly more busy Newcastle-Concord, so maybe have a 56 Newcastle-Concord, 56A Concord--Sunderland? I highly doubt many people, if any, would use the service for the whole route.

I know the 56 was running a bit late yesterday, but there wasn't a big delay.

I still remember when service 56 was every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Springwell Estate and majority of the buses were double decker then GNE decided to take the 187/188/189 off then extended the 56 along the route to Sunderland, "If" new double deckers arrive for the 56 its still not going to resolve the reliability problem, there should terminate non express services at Gateshead Interchange if the bus service terminates at Newcastle and run either a 5 minute or 10 minute local bus service between Gateshead Interchange and key area of Newcastle City Centre, so the normal bus services doesn't have to be congested in Newcastle City Centre and then it would relief bus congestion in Newcastle.

The current PVR of the 56 according to my fleetlist is 16, and there is (7) Vykings and (2) Presidents at Deptford Currently. What if GNE were to split the PVR of the 56. And use 8 Solars and 8 Deckers, like they did on the X1 on a Temporary Basis until the Deckers come in. Then have the other 8 Solars on the 26/X3 and X36 which is what the Vykings/Presidents at Deptford are mainly used on. Does anyone else think that this may help improve the reliability of the service, even if it's only temporary.

No 'If' about it, new double deckers are ordered for the 56.

More Gemini bodied B9s?

What about the Nexus contracts that the double deckers are used on (ie Scholars). They cannot operate a Solar on them as they will be hit with a fine from Nexus for wrong vehicle used.

That's a good point you've brought up there, thing is i'm not sure if Deptford operate any Scholars Services but i'm sure someone will know. Not a follower of Scholars Services to be honest.