(31 Mar 2016, 2:12 pm)citaro5284 wrote Cracking day then!

Aye. I could quite happily curl up and go to sleep.

But nope. I have shitty shoes to clean.

You know those Geox adverts showing how the tiny holes in the sole of the shoe let moisture out?

They really don't show you what they look like after stepping in giant doggy do.

20 minutes, it took me, then I came in and my foot stuck to the floor where someone had spilt apple juice and not cleaned it up.

At least littl'un is hiding upstairs with his iPad instead of winding up his big bother.

Woke up at half three, got around two and a half hours sleep, and I couldn't get back to sleep. Dead already, and I've got a pretty busy day ahead...

The weather!

Setting something away to download at the crack of dawn with the intention of watching it when you come home from work only to find that your PC/program is in a state of 'Not Responding'.

The new Arriva timetables from May 15th.

All the services through Newton Aycliffe are getting pushed back by 5 minutes, the biggest issue with me here is getting to/from Middlesbrough is now becoming even more of a pain in the arse, first back in October when the X66/X67 changed I could no longer connect through to Middlesbrough on the 5/5A so I ended up having to get the 7 however as the 7 will now run 5 minutes later meaning that there is now only 5 minutes to connect between the 7 and X66 at Harrowgate Hill and that's if I get off at Ashleigh House and walk round the corner to the Elmcroft stop which is about 3 minutes walk, if I stay on until the next stop it's 3 minutes and chances are the X66 will be early and it takes forever to cross to the opposite side of the road so chances are knowing my luck I would miss it every time. The alternative is to sit on the 5/5A for 40 minutes into Darlington Town Centre and then a 5 minute wait before catching the X66 where I end up heading along North Road again for a 47 minute journey to Middlesbrough, so this makes for a painfully long journey just to reach Middlesbrough which could be done faster on the train which despite it's current two hour frequency and use of Class 142 Pacer's is starting to look a more convenient attractive option!

Been using the first 5A to Darlington on a Saturday morning for my further afield outings recently but sadly it would appear that this is being withdrawn meaning I would only be able to catch the 0754 VTEC service I've been using a lot recently by getting a lift or taxi to Darlington Rail Station, so now I would not only have the expense of Rail fares but taxi fares as well, yay!!! I don't quite understand its withdrawal either as it's been pretty busy everytime I've used it and most of the passengers have been weekly ticket holders as well with the odd concession pass holder as well.

Nice of you to now provide Harrowgate Hill with an early morning Sunday service 7 into Darlington Town Centre but not the rest of us on the 7 route!

Sapphire 7 still feels like a second class service on a Sunday with it's hourly frequency whilst the 8 goes around carrying fresh air and runs stupidly late!

Other than the new Sunday evening service 5A which I'll probably rarely use these changes are not going down well with me I'm afraid, say all you want about my views but I'm not happy about these changes.

Yet another bloody power cut. Tripped our own electrics as soon as it came back on.

A slight relief that it appears to be external. There's currently 2 men with head torches examining the utility pole outside our house. Hopefully, by the time I've read my Kindle for a bit they'll have stopped flashing the window and yackering.

Just managed to miss 6034 on the 20 by 30 Seconds, It left 2 mins early.

My unpleasant journey on the X66 left my knee in a terrible state to the point it could no longer take the strain causing me pain and even resulted in me dropping to the floor which resulted in strange looks and I could see people ripping the p*** out of me, some people were actually concerned the state I was in. Because of the state I ended up in I had to abandon the shopping and head home

So, thanks for that Go North East! As ever you find some way to make me come to the conclusion that you are a terrible company. I've stuck up for you on numerous occasions but after this I don't think I can do so any longer as I'm it's now at the point where every time I do an outing that features GNE I am left feeling disappointed and in some cases angry and/or disgusted with the service I am given or no service in some cases.

I can't work out if you're joking, Jimmi?

Don't you go to various gigs and concerts which would result in you standing in places with very little room, and being bumped by other people?

(05 Apr 2016, 2:04 pm)Dan wrote I can't work out if you're joking, Jimmi?

Don't you go to various gigs and concerts which would result in you standing in places with very little room, and being bumped by other people?

I'm not. Difference is I'm usually standing at gigs which doesn't have much affect to my knees but if I am sat down in a tight space which unfortunately this was about the only seat option I could select and the person who sat next to me left me with even less space so I felt like I was crammed into that seat. For the record I had the exact same issue with the Arriva X---GGO Darts that were unfortunately used on the 7 and 64 although mercifully for capacity reasons my 7 to college on a morning used to be Pulsar operated. Also when possible at gigs I find a spot out of the way. Oh and I was also peed off when TWO, not one, two! Morons who got off the 43 in Durham Bus Station walked straight into me, despite the fact I was stood not moving waiting for the 7.

(05 Apr 2016, 2:14 pm)Jimmi wrote I'm not. Difference is I'm usually standing at gigs which doesn't have much affect to my knees but if I am sat down in a tight space which unfortunately this was about the only seat option I could select and the person who sat next to me left me with even less space so I felt like I was crammed into that seat. For the record I had the exact same issue with the Arriva X---GGO Darts that were unfortunately used on the 7 and 64 although mercifully for capacity reasons my 7 to college on a morning used to be Pulsar operated. Also when possible at gigs I find a spot out of the way. Oh and I was also peed off when TWO, not one, two! Morons who got off the 43 in Durham Bus Station walked straight into me, despite the fact I was stood not moving waiting for the 7.

Why didn't you stand on the bus, if you could foresee the problem based on past experience on Arriva's buses? It's a 10-minute journey, so usually tolerable.

Alternatively, you could have waited for the next one. Usually if an X66 is that full, it's because it is actually the bus that was due 7 minutes ago, so it's carrying two loads worth of passengers.

548 has been withdrawn

(05 Apr 2016, 2:45 pm)Dan wrote Why didn't you stand on the bus, if you could foresee the problem based on past experience on Arriva's buses? It's a 10-minute journey, so usually tolerable.

Alternatively, you could have waited for the next one. Usually if an X66 is that full, it's because it is actually the bus that was due 7 minutes ago, so it's carrying two loads worth of passengers.

The issue was when I boarded I didn't know that this would cause an issue especially as I have limited experience of StreetLite's, but I realised seconds after boarding and the next passenger who boarded sat next to me so I was stuck there really, also people had already started standing at the front by this point as well but there was still seats next to other people so I would have been in the way of people wanting to sit down if I stood up.

Problem is, you never truly know what numbers you are going to get on the X66, sometimes it can be heaving, others it can be dead, although I had already boarded and I thought I was going to be alright, but I wasn't.

It did seem like the bus was there for a while in Gateshead Interchange, possibly a late departure?

(05 Apr 2016, 3:28 pm)Jimmi wrote The issue was when I boarded I didn't know that this would cause an issue especially as I have limited experience of StreetLite's, but I realised seconds after boarding and the next passenger who boarded sat next to me so I was stuck there really, also people had already started standing at the front by this point as well but there was still seats next to other people so I would have been in the way of people wanting to sit down if I stood up.

Problem is, you never truly know what numbers you are going to get on the X66, sometimes it can be heaving, others it can be dead, although I had already boarded and I thought I was going to be alright, but I wasn't.

It did seem like the bus was there for a while in Gateshead Interchange, possibly a late departure?

I still don't know how you've managed to conclude that Go North East is a terrible company, based on this bad experience? You've admitted yourself that you sometimes see empty Streetlites - imagine the cost to the company, if that was an articulated vehicle? Not forgetting the unnecessary pollution to the environment. There's a bus every 6-7 minutes and quite frankly if I see the queue building up before me boarding, I will wait for the next bus, which is likely to be a lot quieter. More could be done by Go North East to manage passenger loadings, but just because this resource is not present (excluding Christmas time when it is), does not make the company terrible.

Also picking up on your points about no longer defending the company - this is the problem I have with this hobby, at the moment. When I first started to get involved in the hobby, enthusiasts voiced their opinions but never did it seem like a personal vendetta against a company, so other enthusiasts didn't see the need to 'defend' the company. Too many enthusiasts (and this isn't a dig at you but a general observation) are becoming bitter and twisted over little things that they don't like, and it makes the hobby much less enjoyable for me, as it's led to snide remarks being made and hence disagreements between enthusiasts.

(05 Apr 2016, 7:07 pm)Dan wrote I still don't know how you've managed to conclude that Go North East is a terrible company, based on this bad experience? You've admitted yourself that you sometimes see empty Streetlites - imagine the cost to the company, if that was an articulated vehicle? Not forgetting the unnecessary pollution to the environment. There's a bus every 6-7 minutes and quite frankly if I see the queue building up before me boarding, I will wait for the next bus, which is likely to be a lot quieter. More could be done by Go North East to manage passenger loadings, but just because this resource is not present (excluding Christmas time when it is), does not make the company terrible.

Also picking up on your points about no longer defending the company - this is the problem I have with this hobby, at the moment. When I first started to get involved in the hobby, enthusiasts voiced their opinions but never did it seem like a personal vendetta against a company, so other enthusiasts didn't see the need to 'defend' the company. Too many enthusiasts (and this isn't a dig at you but a general observation) are becoming bitter and twisted over little things that they don't like, and it makes the hobby much less enjoyable for me, as it's led to snide remarks being made and hence disagreements between enthusiasts.

The other thing with today was I was actually was looking at the number of people in front and behind me when I got to the doors I could see that there was still enough seats and there was only about four people behind me and judging by how long the bus had been there by this point so I was expecting once these people boarded, the bus to be on it's way after this but sadly a rather large number of people appeared around this point and this is when it reached almost full capacity. I don't know why this is the case but StreetLite's seem to be a terrible bus to be on with full/high loadings, I came to the same conclusion on the Arriva Sapphire 5 when I was heading through Middlesbrough at school chucking out time.

This is the burning issue, it's always going to be difficult to get the capacity to match the loadings on the route, was the same with the articulated Citaro's, sometimes even they got really busy but there was occasions where you'd be the only person in the rear section of the bus.

Unfortunately for personal reasons I can't stand having to sit next to someone on an outside seat, a particularly scaring experience was when I waited for a Darlington bound 21 at Peterlee Moorcock one day and a Solo appeared and I walked to the back of the bus and no-one would move their legs and/or bags on the other seat so I had to do a walk of shame back to the front of the bus where I had to stand at the front of the bus where people could laugh at me! Had a similar issue on the Weardale 101 the other day as well, the worst example of that was trying to find a seat on the Arriva X66 when the coaches were used as everyone would sit on the outside seat and you couldn't really stand on them either so a seat had to be found. If I get a X93 during peak summer times, I will often arrive at the stop for the X93 back to Middlesbrough sometimes in excess of 30 minutes so I can get myself an inside seat, especially if I fear a Pulsar, Temsa or Streetlite is going to turn up.

I may have overreacted slightly with the whole "terrible company" thing but in recent weeks and months I have had some issues with buses being late and some not turning up at all, other issues have occurred with the worst being with a driver on the 19 where I tried to board the bus in North Shields and there was someone with a pushchair in the way so I had to ask them to move and as they moved the driver closed the doors and I had to signal that I wished to board and he opened the door and talked to me like absolute shite about it, sorry! I couldn't get to the doors as quick as you wanted me to! At this time I'm not liking the company for some of the bad things that have happened recently but hopefully my views will change again soon.

Unfortunately for personal reasons, I have disagreed with the allocation of StreetLite's on the X66 and today's experience has only added to that, sorry but this is just how I feel about this.

(05 Apr 2016, 8:21 pm)Jimmi wrote The other thing with today was I was actually was looking at the number of people in front and behind me when I got to the doors I could see that there was still enough seats and there was only about four people behind me and judging by how long the bus had been there by this point so I was expecting once these people boarded, the bus to be on it's way after this but sadly a rather large number of people appeared around this point and this is when it reached almost full capacity. I don't know why this is the case but StreetLite's seem to be a terrible bus to be on with full/high loadings, I came to the same conclusion on the Arriva Sapphire 5 when I was heading through Middlesbrough at school chucking out time.

This is the burning issue, it's always going to be difficult to get the capacity to match the loadings on the route, was the same with the articulated Citaro's, sometimes even they got really busy but there was occasions where you'd be the only person in the rear section of the bus.

Unfortunately for personal reasons I can't stand having to sit next to someone on an outside seat, a particularly scaring experience was when I waited for a Darlington bound 21 at Peterlee Moorcock one day and a Solo appeared and I walked to the back of the bus and no-one would move their legs and/or bags on the other seat so I had to do a walk of shame back to the front of the bus where I had to stand at the front of the bus where people could laugh at me! Had a similar issue on the Weardale 101 the other day as well, the worst example of that was trying to find a seat on the Arriva X66 when the coaches were used as everyone would sit on the outside seat and you couldn't really stand on them either so a seat had to be found. If I get a X93 during peak summer times, I will often arrive at the stop for the X93 back to Middlesbrough sometimes in excess of 30 minutes so I can get myself an inside seat, especially if I fear a Pulsar, Temsa or Streetlite is going to turn up.

I may have overreacted slightly with the whole "terrible company" thing but in recent weeks and months I have had some issues with buses being late and some not turning up at all, other issues have occurred with the worst being with a driver on the 19 where I tried to board the bus in North Shields and there was someone with a pushchair in the way so I had to ask them to move and as they moved the driver closed the doors and I had to signal that I wished to board and he opened the door and talked to me like absolute shite about it, sorry! I couldn't get to the doors as quick as you wanted me to! At this time I'm not liking the company for some of the bad things that have happened recently but hopefully my views will change again soon.

Unfortunately for personal reasons, I have disagreed with the allocation of StreetLite's on the X66 and today's experience has only added to that, sorry but this is just how I feel about this.

I do agree that Streetlites ARE to small. Citaros would be better or dare I say ex London bendys. 4950-4953 were good on the X66 but I somehow ruined them on the X40.
EDIT: 4950-4953 were dare I say better than Versas

(05 Apr 2016, 8:21 pm)Jimmi wrote Unfortunately for personal reasons I can't stand having to sit next to someone on an outside seat, a particularly scaring experience was when I waited for a Darlington bound 21 at Peterlee Moorcock one day and a Solo appeared and I walked to the back of the bus and no-one would move their legs and/or bags on the other seat so I had to do a walk of shame back to the front of the bus where I had to stand at the front of the bus where people could laugh at me!

Rightaway I can see this is a classic sign of anxiety issues, I've been in a similar situation myself where you feel as if you exposed and people are watching you, and you think they are laughing at you, but they actually aren't and are just in general acting like normal passengers do which is making a bus journey.

Fortunatley the Anxiety issues I've had has subsided greatly thanks to the therapy I had over the latter half of 2015. I strongly recommend (and I believe a few others will agree with me) looking into this path to try and at least ease the issues you may have.

You're a good kid Jimmi who has taken some great photos. I've seen photos from that enthusiast trip from the weekend, and just be glad you aren't like the "veg" from Yorkshire lol.

(05 Apr 2016, 9:58 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Rightaway I can see this is a classic sign of anxiety issues, I've been in a similar situation myself where you feel as if you exposed and people are watching you, and you think they are laughing at you, but they actually aren't and are just in general acting like normal passengers do which is making a bus journey.

Fortunatley the Anxiety issues I've had has subsided greatly thanks to the therapy I had over the latter half of 2015. I strongly recommend (and I believe a few others will agree with me) looking into this path to try and at least ease the issues you may have.

You're a good kid Jimmi who has taken some great photos. I've seen photos from that enthusiast trip from the weekend, and just be glad you aren't like the "veg" from Yorkshire lol.

I feel the same with a Q3 on a morning, I tend to avoid the 7:51 bus for that reason and board an earlier one, I feel intimidated though being small in comparison to other bus users, I'm only 11 years old and I am just below 5 feet. I normally if possible block my other seat with a bag, saxophone or clarinet depending on which day it is

(05 Apr 2016, 9:58 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Rightaway I can see this is a classic sign of anxiety issues, I've been in a similar situation myself where you feel as if you exposed and people are watching you, and you think they are laughing at you, but they actually aren't and are just in general acting like normal passengers do which is making a bus journey.

Fortunatley the Anxiety issues I've had has subsided greatly thanks to the therapy I had over the latter half of 2015. I strongly recommend (and I believe a few others will agree with me) looking into this path to try and at least ease the issues you may have.

You're a good kid Jimmi who has taken some great photos. I've seen photos from that enthusiast trip from the weekend, and just be glad you aren't like the "veg" from Yorkshire lol.

Yeah, I do have various anxiety problems which causes me problems, especially when I am out and about. Not sure what to do about trying to resolve the problems I have, but perhaps therapy may work but I wouldn't know how to go about sorting that out.

Yeah there does seem to be some Yorkshire veg about. Expect some photos from Manchester next week as I'm there over the weekend.

---

Oh and as if today couldn't get any worse...

One of my teeth has just dropped to bits, I took a bite into a Starburst and the back half of one of my teeth came out with it, at first I thought it was something in the sweet and I'll be honest I wish it was.

So I think it's going to have to come out. Brilliant I'm only 22 and I'm now going to have a missing tooth.

(05 Apr 2016, 10:11 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah, I do have various anxiety problems which causes me problems, especially when I am out and about. Not sure what to do about trying to resolve the problems I have, but perhaps therapy may work but I wouldn't know how to go about sorting that out.

Yeah there does seem to be some Yorkshire veg about. Expect some photos from Manchester next week as I'm there over the weekend.

---

Oh and as if today couldn't get any worse...

One of my teeth has just dropped to bits, I took a bite into a Starburst and the back half of one of my teeth came out with it, at first I thought it was something in the sweet and I'll be honest I wish it was.

So I think it's going to have to come out. Brilliant I'm only 22 and I'm now going to have a missing tooth.

I do feel for you Jimmi    
Hope tomorrow is a better day for you

(05 Apr 2016, 10:13 pm)NK53 TKT wrote I do feel for you Jimmi    
Hope tomorrow is a better day for you

Today's been a complete write off, unfortunately with the tooth issue things are only going to get worse!

(05 Apr 2016, 10:11 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah, I do have various anxiety problems which causes me problems, especially when I am out and about. Not sure what to do about trying to resolve the problems I have, but perhaps therapy may work but I wouldn't know how to go about sorting that out.

---

I got my therapy sorted through my GP

Jimmy, if you're in the South Tyne hospitals area, you can self refer for CBT, the waiting list through GP's can be around 6 weeks, you'll get an assessment appointment who'll then decide which service or treatment is best for you then there's normal,y the afore mentioned wait

It may work differently in other clinical areas.

Www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp

There are some excellent resources on the site above for anyone having issues.
Leaflets can be printed off.

JimmiToday's been a complete write off, unfortunately with the tooth issue things are only going to get worse!

It can't get any worse, spend the day inside and relax

The racist gits sat behind us on the bus. At least get the continent right before you tell someone to go back there.

And the eejits had a go at the already stressed driver for not stopping the X21 on Blackett Street.

Bus routes which belong in the bygone era managing to break my phone.

Almost a literal blast of nostalgia.

Driver 10 minutes late for the 22. Finally arrived and got set up and our stand door wouldn't open. Started pulling out without us!

And now the A181 is closed!

Need gin.

Thank cap it all off, despite having someone giving him directions, the driver missed the turn he. Needed.

Home and stressed. Boys ready to explode at each other.