Well, I grasped the nettle and took a ride on the AD122 today.

Just two hours from Hexham to Haltwhistle and return via Greenhead.

Smashing scenery - even on a dull day like today.

The plan was to use today as a reccie and do a proper photography trip tomorrow, but it isn't possible to do justice with a camera what the eye can see.

I sincerely hope that the AD122 will continue next year - there seemed to be so many (small numbers) of users who either relied on the service as well as several who were so thankful when they discovered that there WAS a bus and they didn't have to continue walking.

Some pax were 'walking the Wall' whilst others were wanting to return to their lodgings having walked further than they had intended, and one group with a 'wounded' member (Achilles tendon) that stood no chance of reaching their overnight stop.

It was well worth the trip just to chat with the walkers.

One couple had flown into Ncl this morning from the Netherlands and were just starting their planned Roman Wall holiday - they are now facing a week without the bus (apart from tomorrow).
Good luck to them!

(25 Sep 2015, 11:52 pm)Venturego wrote No !!  It's not  

Get real !  Really!!


p.s.
QCS can't come sooner!

I find this quite offensive. Go North East have chosen a very good photo to promote their service.

Your comments are very childish, I find it rather ironic you have before told people to 'grow up'.

Get yourself real and get your head out from up your arse.

(25 Sep 2015, 11:52 pm)Venturego wrote No !!  It's not  

Get real !  Really!!


p.s.
QCS can't come sooner!

Why do you want QCS?, no doubt you'll be one of the first to moan, if massive cuts etc happen....

(26 Sep 2015, 6:34 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I find this quite offensive. Go North East have chosen a very good photo to promote their service.

Your comments are very childish, I find it rather ironic you have before told people to 'grow up'.

Get yourself real and get your head out from up your arse.

I was wondering about this chap. Such a terribly rude post, whether he personally likes the photo or not.

I'd love to know how he could have photographed it better.

Bee-in-bonnet?

(26 Sep 2015, 8:43 pm)northern156 wrote Bee-in-bonnet?

A nest of angry wasps, more like.

Also, it's not the first time he has had a go at a forum moderator:
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...p?tid=1557&pid=123622#pid123622

Ambulance attending to a passenger on 4992 (service 20) at Holmeside.

(27 Sep 2015, 12:28 pm)Dan wrote Ambulance attending to a passenger on 4992 (service 20) at Holmeside.

Hopefully the passenger is alright.

Will 557/561 be repainted in to "Go North East" once they are debranded?, as the AD122 finshes today.

I've just seen a Brighton branded Scania OmniDekka heading North through Low Fell...

EDIT: Another one has just passed me, again in Low Fell.

Does every single stop get a NSA recorded for it? Just thinkig of Newgate Street, Wilkinsons heading out of Newcastle. Not many people (if any) will travel between Eldon Square and Newgate Street.

(27 Sep 2015, 1:55 pm)LeeCalder wrote I've just seen a Brighton branded Scania OmniDekka heading North through Low Fell...

EDIT: Another one has just passed me, again in Low Fell.

Wonder if these are the ones GNE are getting?


Funny as changes are less than a month away... they timed that well.. 

(27 Sep 2015, 1:55 pm)LeeCalder wrote I've just seen a Brighton branded Scania OmniDekka heading North through Low Fell...

EDIT: Another one has just passed me, again in Low Fell.

2 are due so......looks like they have arrived.

---

(27 Sep 2015, 2:00 pm)S813 FVK wrote Does every single stop get a NSA recorded for it? Just thinkig of Newgate Street, Wilkinsons heading out of Newcastle. Not many people (if any) will travel between Eldon Square and Newgate Street.

Yes.

(27 Sep 2015, 2:04 pm)citaro5284 wrote 2 are due so......looks like they have arrived.

---

Yes.

No doubt they'll be for the X30/X31 changes.

For fleet numbers, they should be 6129, 6132 within the GNE fleet.

(27 Sep 2015, 1:55 pm)LeeCalder wrote I've just seen a Brighton branded Scania OmniDekka heading North through Low Fell...

EDIT: Another one has just passed me, again in Low Fell.

GX03SVD and YN04GJF.

(27 Sep 2015, 2:18 pm)Dan wrote GX03SVD and YN04GJF.

Thought GNE would only want the 04 reg ones tbh but better than nothing though.


Will the changes be posted this week? - its less than a month till changes..... 

(27 Sep 2015, 1:48 pm)Michael wrote Will 557/561 be repainted in to "Go North East" once they are debranded?, as the AD122 finshes today.

557 I think will go into Tynedale Links with 561 going into corporate livery

(27 Sep 2015, 2:42 pm)NK53 TKT wrote 557 I think will go into Tynedale Links with 561 going into corporate livery

The PVR at Hexham drops by 2 from tomorrow, not sure if they need to brand anymore for upcoming changes?... can't find the post someone did about the upcoming changes to the PVR.... or i'm i making that up? "confused like normal"

This is not intended to be critical - merely inquisitive:-

How long are the MPDs expected to survive?

GNE have a significant number of yellow MPDs that service the various Tynedale Links routes.

Having so many means that there are usually spares available to cover breakdowns - I have even seen an MPD on the Tynedale Express.

IMO the MPD is ideal for the AD122 - some of the roads (particularly the one down into Haltwhistle) would be unsuitable for a full-sized bus, and, no doubt there is adequate capacity (including standees) to cope with the demand of the AD122.

I have been on an MPD when it picked-up the pax from a broken-down 685 as well as its usual pax on the (now) X84 route.

At some stops pax had to be refused access whilst at other stops some had to get off to allow others to leave.

(27 Sep 2015, 2:55 pm)G-CPTN wrote This is not intended to be critical - merely inquisitive:-

How long are the MPDs expected to survive?

GNE have a significant number of yellow MPDs that service the various Tynedale Links routes.

Having so many means that there are usually spares available to cover breakdowns - I have even seen an MPD on the Tynedale Express.

IMO the MPD is ideal for the AD122 - some of the roads (particularly the one down into Haltwhistle) would be unsuitable for a full-sized bus, and, no doubt there is adequate capacity (including standees) to cope with the demand of the AD122.

I have been on an MPD when it picked-up the pax from a broken-down 685 as well as its usual pax on the (now) X84 route.

At some stops pax had to be refused access whilst at other stops some had to get off to allow others to leave.

Most of the MPD's are coming up to 13 years old in the fleet, GNE should start replacing these soon.... hopefully starting with Tynedale Link ones this year but GNE normally allow about 15 years for a bus before replacing them. 

The Solo Sr's would suit the Tynedale Links routes more than anything else, due to the small roads etc, like you have mentioned above... would also look good in Tynedale Links livery... maybe change it from Yellow though...

(27 Sep 2015, 3:04 pm)Michael wrote The Solo Sr's would suit the Tynedale Links routes more than anything else, due to the small roads etc, like you have mentioned above... would also look good in Tynedale Links livery... maybe change it from Yellow though...

Just a quick design of a livery that I'd think would suit the Tynedale Links on a Solo. Of course having outlines of landmarks etc, maybe in a light lime green.

Green = countryside, retaining the Tynedale Links name as it links Tynedale. 

For the AD122, a 'permanent' Hadrians Wall outline could be used with AD122 branding used during that season and Tynedale Links when the AD122 is not in operation.

There is (at least) one Venture Solo that picks up the 687 route at Corbridge @ 11:50 then runs to Colwell on the 12:10 682 from Hexham - just until 11th October - cancelled after that I see.

(27 Sep 2015, 3:23 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Just a quick design of a livery that I'd think would suit the Tynedale Links on a Solo. Of course having outlines of landmarks etc, maybe in a light lime green.

Green = countryside, retaining the Tynedale Links name as it links Tynedale. 

For the AD122, a 'permanent' Hadrians Wall outline could be used with AD122 branding used during that season and Tynedale Links when the AD122 is not in operation.

It's a good livery idea IMO. I think possibly it could do with a graphic of some of the wall below the rear windows?

Looking at the AD122 timetable it seems that the 'first and last' start and finish in Haltwhistle.
Has this been running light both ways, or is one vehicle stationed overnight in Haltwhistle?

It would be interesting to see a chart of which Tynedale Links vehicles interact (ie 686/687/682) and which routes have one-way NIS journeys.
At least one 687 arrives into Corbridge NIS from Prudhoe and one returns NIS from Corbridge to Hexham.

(27 Sep 2015, 2:29 pm)Michael wrote Thought GNE would only want the 04 reg ones tbh but better than nothing though.


Will the changes be posted this week? - its less than a month till changes..... 

Why would they only want the 04 reg ones when they took in 8 03 reg ones earlier in the year?

(27 Sep 2015, 4:12 pm)S813 FVK wrote Why would they only want the 04 reg ones when they took in 8 03 reg ones earlier in the year?

Probables because the 04 ones are a year younger than the 03 reg ones? 

They already have 2 04 reg ones in service to.

(27 Sep 2015, 4:12 pm)S813 FVK wrote Why would they only want the 04 reg ones when they took in 8 03 reg ones earlier in the year?

(27 Sep 2015, 4:14 pm)Michael wrote Probables because the 04 ones are a year younger than the 03 reg ones? 

They already have 2 04 reg ones in service to.

But look at the fleet numbers of the ones which have already arrived...

It's clear that the fleet numbers have been allocated in registration mark order, and as 6128 and 6130 were both '03 plates, it was obvious 6129 was going to be an '03 plate too (or it was to me, at least!)

(27 Sep 2015, 4:20 pm)Dan wrote But look at the fleet numbers of the ones which have already arrived...

It's clear that the fleet numbers have been allocated in registration mark order, and as 6128 and 6130 were both '03 plates, it was obvious 6129 was going to be an '03 plate too (or it was to me, at least!)

Likewise. I just couldn't work out why GNE wouldn't take the 03 reg ones despite taking 8 in earlier in the year (and Brighton will want to keep hold of the 04 regs for as long as possible).

(27 Sep 2015, 4:20 pm)Dan wrote But look at the fleet numbers of the ones which have already arrived...

It's clear that the fleet numbers have been allocated in registration mark order, and as 6128 and 6130 were both '03 plates, it was obvious 6129 was going to be an '03 plate too (or it was to me, at least!)

It was to me too, but i was saying that GNE will probables get the 04 ones from now on as 6131/6133 are 04 + 6132 has arrived which is 04 plate... i don't see them having 3 as 04 plates and then 6134+ as 03 plates, so hence why i said the rest will probables be 04 plate... lol