(27 Aug 2017, 1:20 pm)Michael wrote Not sure on that, although it would be great, i can't see it, it was already said that some journeys on the Red Kite, need the B9's so 4 Streetlites to replace those won't happen.
Rumours are going around that the B5's from the Angel will head to the Coaster.
If true....
15 B5's to the Coaster
3962/65 to a spare role
All 17 Omnicities remain at Percy Main for the 11 and 19, allowing the Volvo/Scania single deckers to move else where to withdraw older ones.
(05 Sep 2017, 4:27 pm)Malarkey wrote 17 - Volvo B5TL Wright Gemini 3 - Angel
- Volvo B5LH's would transfer to Stanley for the Red Kite, remaining spares would be allocated to the Kites/Toon Link
- Wright Streetlites 5409 to 5419 would transfer to Riverside for the 97/97A/X97
- Volvo B9's from the Red Kite would be allocated to the 15/15A
(05 Sep 2017, 4:37 pm)Dan wrote This vehicle allocation wouldn't happen in a million years.
Operators cannot claim an enhanced rate of BSOG payment (an extra 6p/km BSOG) for the Volvo B5TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3. On a stop/start service like the 21, you don't need the extra power of a Volvo B5TL.
It is much more likely that Go North East would order Wright StreetDecks for the Angel, most likely with stop/start technology, for fleet standardisation at Chester-le-Street.
(05 Sep 2017, 4:53 pm)Malarkey wrote In theory though it already happens through the allocation of Volvo B7 Presidents and Omnidekkas on a daily basis to the 21, if you look at other services such as the 56 and 309/310 which are stop/start services like the 21, do they need the "power" of a Volvo B9TL, as if we stuck to your theory Dan then that would mean both the Fab 56 and Cobalt Clipper would be in line for new vehicles next year wouldn't it?
(05 Sep 2017, 4:53 pm)Malarkey wrote In theory though it already happens through the allocation of Volvo B7 Presidents and Omnidekkas on a daily basis to the 21, if you look at other services such as the 56 and 309/310 which are stop/start services like the 21, do they need the "power" of a Volvo B9TL, as if we stuck to your theory Dan then that would mean both the Fab 56 and Cobalt Clipper would be in line for new vehicles next year wouldn't it?
(05 Sep 2017, 4:55 pm)S813 FVK wrote No.
(05 Sep 2017, 5:07 pm)Dan wrote I'm not too sure how or why the Fab56 and Cobalt Clipper are being brought into this? My "theory" relates to the Angel 21 - not those routes..?
The allocation of Volvo B7TLs and OmniDekkas on the 21 relates only to the fact that no spare vehicles to the same specification were ordered for the 21. If, or rather when, new vehicles are ordered for the 21, I would expect that two spares would be ordered to support the 17 branded examples.
The Fab56 and Cobalt Clipper routes probably didn't need a bus as powerful as the Volvo B9TL, but at the time, this was the standard double-deck vehicle for Go North East (with orders previously including the Red Arrows, Tyne Tees Xpress and TEN, which all benefited from a 'meatier' bus). Go North East could have opted for a full-diesel Volvo B9TL for the Angel too, but decided instead to go for the more environmentally-friendly option with better fuel efficiency and a less powerful engine, on the basis that they were being allocated to a route which quite frankly doesn't need a 9-litre engine.
Plus - at the time - there wasn't such a big focus on low-carbon emission buses. There is now, and a bus being LCEB-certified (and the benefits that come with this, such as extra BSOG) is one of the biggest things which makes the business case stack up for new vehicles.
(05 Sep 2017, 5:07 pm)Dan wrote Go North East could have opted for a full-diesel Volvo B9TL for the Angel too, but decided instead to go for the more environmentally-friendly option with better fuel efficiency and a less powerful engine, on the basis that they were being allocated to a route which quite frankly doesn't need a 9-litre engine.
Plus - at the time - there wasn't such a big focus on low-carbon emission buses. There is now, and a bus being LCEB-certified (and the benefits that come with this, such as extra BSOG) is one of the biggest things which makes the business case stack up for new vehicles.
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(14 Mar 2018, 4:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote New buses:
- 12x StreetDecks
Allocations / Cascades:
- 6301-07 + 12x new StreetDecks for Cobalt Clipper.
- 6101-07 to Crook for Castles Express
- 6108-13 to Stanley for Toon Link
- 6114-17 to Stanley for Red Kite
- 6118-21 to Percy Main for DFDS
(14 Mar 2018, 4:36 pm)Dan wrote I doubt we'd ever see the StreetDecks on Castles Express replaced with Volvo B9s. There's no massive need for them to be replaced, either. The allocation of anything besides a StreetDeck has become much more uncommon following the addition of 6332 to the fleet.
They have ups and downs with the StreetDecks at Crook, but they're still some of the most reliable buses in the fleet (despite what is suggested by enthusiasts). The only trouble is when one goes down, the others bizarrely have a habit of following suit at the same time!
The boards on the Toon Link which can be operated by double-decks are operated by double-decks (OmniDekkas at the moment, but gradually being replaced by Volvo B9s). 6108-13 couldn't replace the OmniCitys on Toon Link if this is what you were suggesting, as the single-deck boards operate at least one journey on the X30 (which operates under a low-bridge in Dunston).
However; if/when the Red Kite services are upgraded again, 6118-21 would be a logical cascade to Percy Main for the DFDS service.
(14 Mar 2018, 4:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote New buses:
- 12x StreetDecks
Allocations / Cascades:
- 6301-07 + 12x new StreetDecks for Cobalt Clipper.
- 6101-07 to Crook for Castles Express
- 6108-13 to Stanley for Toon Link
- 6114-17 to Stanley for Red Kite
- 6118-21 to Percy Main for DFDS
(14 Mar 2018, 4:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote New buses:
- 12x StreetDecks
Allocations / Cascades:
- 6301-07 + 12x new StreetDecks for Cobalt Clipper.
- 6101-07 to Crook for Castles Express
- 6108-13 to Stanley for Toon Link
- 6114-17 to Stanley for Red Kite
- 6118-21 to Percy Main for DFDS
(19 Apr 2018, 6:56 pm)Malarkey wrote 17 - Volvo B5TL Wright Gemini 3 - Red Arrows
6001 to 6007 and 6049 to 6055 to Stanley for the Red Kite Services 45/46 & 47
6118 to 6121 to Percy Main for DFDS 327 - Omnidekkas Withdrawn
5409 to 5418 to Deptford - Black Cats Solars - Withdrawn
(19 Apr 2018, 6:56 pm)Malarkey wrote 17 - Volvo B5TL Wright Gemini 3 - Red Arrows
6001 to 6007 and 6049 to 6055 to Stanley for the Red Kite Services 45/46 & 47
6118 to 6121 to Percy Main for DFDS 327 - Omnidekkas Withdrawn
5409 to 5418 to Deptford - Black Cats Solars - Withdrawn
(19 Apr 2018, 8:14 pm)Michael wrote Scania's are here till June 2019 because of the modifactions made to them.
(19 Apr 2018, 8:10 pm)Andreos1 wrote More a gut instinct, rather than being under pretence of insider knowledge.
I don't think the X1 makes as much money as we maybe think it does and therefore, may explain why the B9's have been operating as long as they have, with little sign of any replacement or internal upgrade/refresh.
Across its route, it picks up punters connecting from another service. Whether it be a proportion boarding in Houghton or a lengthy load getting on at the Galleries north-bound, or Gateshead, the Galleries or Houghton southbound.
There are naturally very few points on the route (Hetton maybe excepted), where passengers board and pay a fare expecting to change to a service going somewhere the X1 doesnt.
Grasswell, Hetton, Shiney, Springwell and possibly Wrekenton, are the few places to take cash fares from experience. I would argue numbers (both financial and bums on seats) at those points are dwarfed by numbers at Houghton, the Galleries or Gateshead.
Not sure how this can be fixed.
The route needs deckers and possibly replacements for the vehicles currently allocated, but (as far as I can see), the route doesn't take as much as it should in cash fares...
Passengers across the coalfields and Washington are encouraged by theoperators business model to buy day tickets etc and change buses at key interchange points.
If those tickets are bought on a service which connects to the X1, such as the 4, X5, 8, 35, 36, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86 - then it doesn't really support any financial business case put forward to purchase new vehicles for the X1. The others maybe (in fact look how many of those services have vehicles which are newer than the B9's or have had a refurb).
The X1 no.
(21 Apr 2018, 11:28 am)L469 YVK wrote I can see where you're coming from there like. The B9TLs are very well suited to the route too.
The only thing I could perhaps see happening if GNE start to replace the older Omnidekkas and Vykings is:
- New buses being ordered for 'either' the Tyne Valley Ten, Fab 56 or Cobalt Clipper (probably either of the latter 2x taking BSOG and funding into account).
- B9s from whatever route above cascaded onto the Red Arrows and bringing it inline with the specification for most mainstream decker routes (plugs, USBs etc).
- 6049-55 as well as 6005-07 replace the ex London B9s on the Toon Link and 15.
- 6001-04 for DFDS 327.
- Ex London B9s replace older Omnidekkas and Vykings (or older Omnidekkas replace Vykings).
(22 Apr 2018, 4:32 am)Andreos1 wrote I'm not saying the X1 definitely won't get new vehicles.
I just struggle to see the financials stack up.
It is the same with the last few runs on a night off Newcastle.
There's usually very few cash fares atall from experience and having been in the unfortunate position to have to pay a cash fare a few times, you can understand why.
It makes very little financial sense to run those services. However, it wouldn't do them many favours to cancel those runs, as inbound traffic earlier in the night would likely suffer.
(22 Apr 2018, 11:04 am)mb134 wrote With the QR codes being introduced, is there now not more scope to measure actual passenger numbers on a service?
Three people may buy day tickets on services X, Y and Z, but then if they immediately change onto the X1 is that not what should be looked at?
(22 Apr 2018, 1:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote I would hope so and think I have commented about it in the past.
I suppose it all depends on how they use the data and whether or not the 2006 changes have impacted on travel patterns to an extent that any data collected is skewed or biased.
I mentioned before about the changes in 2006 (both service and ticket structures) impacting on me attending midweek games.
There won't be any actual data collected by these new machines to report on that, therefore despite there possibly being some demand to reinstate a direct bus, any analysis from QR tickets wont pick this up.
I wont be the only one in that position and it won't just be limited to passengers coming back from the match either.
So many changes in 2006 based on data where its accuracy has to be questioned.
(22 Apr 2018, 1:20 pm)Michael wrote Ah ye the year where Go North East changed all its network, and tbh, its kinda worked on some routes, at first however, it was confusion as out, loads of services withdrawn and merged with other routes.
Which area was the first to receive branding on such a big scale?
(22 Apr 2018, 1:20 pm)Michael wrote
Ah ye the year where Go North East changed all its network, and tbh, its kinda worked on some routes, at first however, it was confusion as out, loads of services withdrawn and merged with other routes.
Which area was the first to receive branding on such a big scale?
