(08 Mar 2016, 6:25 pm)DanPicken wrote Apparently 570 has left for London....

I wonder why? I think 6040 displaced this its only my opion but maybe someone could no more than me

(08 Mar 2016, 6:25 pm)DanPicken wrote Apparently 570 has left for London....

London.....are you sure?

(08 Mar 2016, 7:51 pm)citaro5284 wrote London.....are you sure?

That's what got posted.

(08 Mar 2016, 8:15 pm)Davie wrote That's what got posted.

Must be true then! I bet it's more a case that someone has put 2 and 2 together and came up with 97.

When I was down at saltmeadows today it looked like there was one of the white solos that is on hire to Hexham getting ready to go in spray booth.

(08 Mar 2016, 8:23 pm)Adrian wrote Must be true then! I bet it's more a case that someone has put 2 and 2 together and came up with 97.

I never said it was true...?

(08 Mar 2016, 7:09 pm)wise owl wrote Really, the 47 would only go through 2 zones and take about 25 mins longer, therefore a day ticket would be £6.30 on the 47 or £7.80 on the 45/46. Also has a cancellation been placed for the V9 because i dont remember seeing one.

I never said it was confirmed, Services have had variations in the past ( example 57,57A,57B ) and the 46 has a slight variation to the 45 ( around 3 mins longer )
Therefore if a passenger wants the faster service from Eldon Square, They can wait the extra few minutes for the faster service if they wish to do so.

Driver Changes will be easier at Consett and would save getting the Renault out to take them to Blackhall Mill.
Never scroll through VOSA and cba to either.

(08 Mar 2016, 6:25 pm)DanPicken wrote Apparently 570 has left for London....

Would it be an appropriate time to call "BULLSHIT"?

Random Question but How does everyone think of the Stretdecks since theve entered service?

(08 Mar 2016, 9:54 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Random Question but How does everyone think of the Stretdecks since theve entered service?

I like them. I was pleasantly surprised during my first Newcastle to Durham run on one. There's plenty of power, and it's that quiet running through sections like Low Fell, that you could forget there's an engine running.

I found that they're really comfortable too, and the tables are certainly a nice addition. If you're used to tables in standard on Mk3 or mk4 east coast stock, you'll find it to have a lot more leg room. The announcements look good too on the big LED screen upstairs. The only real downside was a bit of sticky back plastic on the floor.

I plan to do Bishop and back on Friday night, so I'll see how that section is.

(08 Mar 2016, 9:54 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Random Question but How does everyone think of the Stretdecks since theve entered service?

Let us not open that can of worms, the people of Facebook hate them!

I think they are okay, unsure on my views of their performance as I was a bit distracted and we got stuck behind a caravan at one point on my journey. They are a nice place to be inside though, especially with the charging points, WiFi and tables although my only concern with the tables is capacity on some journeys, some of the morning runs leave Chester-le-Street bound for Newcastle with standees.

(08 Mar 2016, 10:12 pm)Jimmi wrote Let us not open that can of worms, the people of Facebook hate them!

I think they are okay, unsure on my views of their performance as I was a bit distracted and we got stuck behind a caravan at one point on my journey. They are a nice place to be inside though, especially with the charging points, WiFi and tables although my only concern with the tables is capacity on some journeys, some of the morning runs leave Chester-le-Street bound for Newcastle with standees.

The new StreetDecks seat 68 passengers and have extra leg room where the tables are located. I believe only four seats are lost upstairs as a result of having the tables installed.

Either way an improvement on the Volvo B7s, which could only seat 65 (and also permitted fewer standees).

(08 Mar 2016, 10:15 pm)Dan wrote The new StreetDecks seat 68 passengers and have extra leg room where the tables are located. I believe only four seats are lost upstairs as a result of having the tables installed.

Either way an improvement on the Volvo B7s, which could only seat 65 (and also permitted fewer standees).

Looking at the interior I'd have thought it would have been more then four seats.

No doubt like with all buses with forward and backwards facing seats you will get people putting their filthy shoes on the seats facing the opposite way, doesn't matter how new the buses are.

(08 Mar 2016, 10:12 pm)Jimmi wrote Let us not open that can of worms, the people of Facebook hate them!

I think they are okay, unsure on my views of their performance as I was a bit distracted and we got stuck behind a caravan at one point on my journey. They are a nice place to be inside though, especially with the charging points, WiFi and tables although my only concern with the tables is capacity on some journeys, some of the morning runs leave Chester-le-Street bound for Newcastle with standees.

It's interesting that. I've seen bits and pieces of negative feedback, but not a lot. Certainly nothing substantial, and more so people grumbling about windows being obscured, and it being marketed with WiFi and power sockets, believe it or not.

Despite the addition of numerous tables, capacity per vehicle has increased from 65 seated 19 standees, to 68 seated and 31 standees. I'd suggest the tables are a worthwhile investment, as you're then attracting commuters wanting to work on the move.

(08 Mar 2016, 9:54 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Random Question but How does everyone think of the Stretdecks since theve entered service?

I like them. They certainly aren't as bad as I expected.

Outside of the enthusiast circle, I've heard nothing but good things.

Wi-Fi, power sockets and tables have gone down really well with passengers, and everyone seems pleased with the heating on the buses too. The timetable revision seems to have improved reliability too, so everyone seems to be a winner!

When I tested the Next Stop Announcement system, I was on the bus for 10 hours over the course of the day. I found it was comfortable, and all of the advertised features seemed to work well. I did find the 50mph limiter on the buses to be slightly irritating, but you had to hope for a good Volvo B7 to achieve that before, especially uphill...

Of course, enthusiasts being enthusiasts will always find fault. After all, these new buses aren't Olympians with no stickers covering the windows... 

(08 Mar 2016, 10:24 pm)Davie wrote I like them. They certainly aren't as good as I expected.

Hope you mean not as bad as I expected......

I'm surprised no one has mentioned converting the Olympians to low floor again...

(08 Mar 2016, 10:20 pm)Adrian wrote It's interesting that. I've seen bits and pieces of negative feedback, but not a lot. Certainly nothing substantial, and more so people grumbling about windows being obscured, and it being marketed with WiFi and power sockets, believe it or not.

Despite the addition of numerous tables, capacity per vehicle has increased from 65 seated 19 standees, to 68 seated and 31 standees. I'd suggest the tables are a worthwhile investment, as you're then attracting commuters wanting to work on the move.

Depends where you're looking really... Most of what I've seen is the typical enthusiast grumblings about them being underpowered and various other stuff like that. Don't know how they can give an opinion on them when they apparently broken!

The normal passengers that I have overheard seem to like them though. I am taking this view as it's a great improvement over the President's as I think the seats are more comfortable and then you have the added benefits of WiFi, tables, charging points etc.

(08 Mar 2016, 10:15 pm)Dan wrote The new StreetDecks seat 68 passengers and have extra leg room where the tables are located. I believe only four seats are lost upstairs as a result of having the tables installed.

Either way an improvement on the Volvo B7s, which could only seat 65 (and also permitted fewer standees).

Interesting you say the tables mean the lose of 4 seats upstairs. In terms of total seating, 6301-7 are only 2 seats down on the examples with First (those are 70 seaters - 42 upstairs, 28 downstairs).

(08 Mar 2016, 10:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote Hope you mean not as bad as I expected......

I meant to say as bad as I expected. My apologies!

(08 Mar 2016, 10:30 pm)Davie wrote I meant to say as bad as I expected. My apologies!

No need to apologise...You just said you liked them but then you said they were not very good...hahaha

(08 Mar 2016, 10:29 pm)Jimmi wrote Depends where you're looking really... Most of what I've seen is the typical enthusiast grumblings about them being underpowered and various other stuff like that. Don't know how they can give an opinion on them when they apparently broken!

The normal passengers that I have overheard seem to like them though. I am taking this view as it's a great improvement over the President's as I think the seats are more comfortable and then you have the added benefits of WiFi, tables, charging points etc.

Aye - according to various enthusiast circles, only two StreetDecks of the seven were out in service today, and three broke down??

One was off service from start of play (but was pushed back out into service later in the day) and two were temporarily removed before going back out again in the afternoon. I know one of these was for a third party supplier to attend to the vehicle, which had been arranged last week. Not too sure about the other but I'd suspect it was a similar story.

But hey, each to their own if they want to believe and regurgitate bull?

(08 Mar 2016, 10:29 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Interesting you say the tables mean the lose of 4 seats upstairs. In terms of total seating, 6301-7 are only 2 seats down on the examples with First (those are 70 seaters - 42 upstairs, 28 downstairs).

Loss of two seats on either side of the upper saloon, so the difference must be downstairs.

(08 Mar 2016, 10:32 pm)citaro5284 wrote No need to apologise...You just said you liked them but then you said they were not very good...hahaha

Just having an off day.

(08 Mar 2016, 10:32 pm)Dan wrote Aye - according to various enthusiast circles, only two StreetDecks of the seven were out in service today, and three broke down??

One was off service from start of play (but was pushed back out into service later in the day) and two were temporarily removed before going back out again in the afternoon. I know one of these was for a third party supplier to attend to the vehicle, which had been arranged last week. Not too sure about the other but I'd suspect it was a similar story.

But hey, each to their own if they want to believe and regurgitate bull?

So, was the fourth missing bus just not out for the sheer hell of it or something?

Have the feeling that the number of friends on my Facebook is going to drop lower than it already is!

We've got to give them a good chance folks. Look at the batch of the B9s for the TEN which had teething issues and ended up being delayed by nearly a week and even the B10BLEs and Citaros having to be swapped back.

I'm planning about going on one on Thursday from Newcastle to Durham , hopefully get photos around here and there quite excited to try these

(08 Mar 2016, 10:46 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote We've got to give them a good chance folks. Look at the batch of the B9s for the TEN which had teething issues and ended up being delayed by nearly a week and even the B10BLEs and Citaros having to be swapped back.

There does often teething problems with new buses at first, remember Arriva's Stockton depot having a few issues with the Sapphire StreetLite's at first and I remember there being a few appearances of standard liveried Pulsars when the 7 first went Sapphire.

The problem is some people just aren't willing to listen or accept reason, seriously some of the stuff I read is just totally unreasonable, I don't understand what some people go on about relating to Go North East, some will just rip everything they do to shreds for nowt at times. That's just my opinion and I'm sure it will attract an outcry from people who disagree with my comments here but that's just how I feel on the matter!

Only negative feedback we had at our sustainable travel hokey at work was the routing through Low Fell was irritating for the longer standing users.

The tables were dismissed as a gimmick but the seats were a plus and the general comments we had were around improving reliability. A lot of people at the group use the 6 and 97....they were not kind at all on those two services!

(08 Mar 2016, 11:02 pm)Ambassador wrote Only negative feedback we had at our sustainable travel hokey at work was the routing through Low Fell was irritating for the longer standing users.

The tables were dismissed as a gimmick but the seats were a plus and the general comments we had were around improving reliability. A lot of people at the group use the 6 and 97....they were not kind at all on those two services!

When it comes to reliability, I think replacing the presidents has, in the past year, gone from ideal to urgent, so hopefully, there will be some real improvements, there.

I think taking on the Cannon stop has been unfortunately timed. We could have walked from Kells Lane to Beaocnsfield Road in half the time it took us on Saturday.