RE: Go North East: Latest News & Discussion - April 2018
Go North East's fleet news confirms all the ex London B9's have arrived.
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(11 Apr 2018, 9:02 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thanks.
Well I personally think a blue livery would be good for the Cobalt services. Alternatively rebrand the Cobalt Clipper to Silver Links and keep a silver base livery. What do you think for revised branding?
(12 Apr 2018, 4:42 pm)L469 YVK wrote I think the Cobalt Clipper brand serves its purpose fine BUT........
I do think the style of the revised branding will depend whether or not the 309 / 310(X39) continue to interwork or; barring the early mornings, some evenings and perhaps Sundays; they both get changed to run standalone.
And taking into account the following:
- New traffic lights / bridge at Norham Road (to be operational this summer)
- New developments in Whitley Bay = more passengers and more traffic around the area
- More passengers as a result of the above plus the slight 'downgrade' to service 308
- Extra time being added to competing service 308 (which runs a 'slightly' shorter route)
- Tight turnaround times with no extra time available to add to service 309 (if both the 309 and 310 continue to interwork, even with an extra bus added which would provide more layover and running time on service 310 but nothing for service 309).
I can see the PVR permanently remaining at 17 with both services going standalone during Mondays to Saturdays. In terms of branding and route info on the buses, maybe 2x slightly different liveries could be created for the 309 and 310 with a similar waypoint format (above and near the passenger door) akin to the Tyne Valley Ten and Red Arrows.
Service 309 waypoints (6101-6110)
Blyth
Whitley Bay
Cobalt Park
Newcastle
Service 309 taglines for engine flap (6101-6110)
"This bus has free Wi-Fi, surf from the heart of the Coast to Cobalt and Newcastle every 15 minutes"
"Catch this bus to Newcastle for our fast & frequent Tyne Valley Ten service to the Metrocentre"
"From the heart of Blyth and Whitley Bay to Cobalt and Newcastle every 15 minutes"
"Maximise your horizions with our many connections in Newcastle"
"Continue down the Coast on the Coaster for connections to Tynemouth & North Shields"
Service 310 waypoints (6111-6117)
North Shields
Cobalt South
High Farm
Newcastle
Service 310 taglines for engine flap (6111-6117)
"This bus has free Wi-Fi, surf from the heart of North Tyneside to Newcastle every 15 minutes"
"Catch this bus to Newcastle for our fast & frequent Tyne Valley Ten service to the Mertocentre"
"Maximise your horizons with our many connections in Newcastle"
Service 309 / Service 310 joint waypoints (located in the middle panel between lower and upper deck on both the sides and rear of the vehicle)
- "Battle Hill - Coast Road - Cradlewell - Newcastle"
- Then "Upto every 7-8 minutes" below it
- Similar style to Red Arrows and Tyne Valley Ten waypoints on the rear.
(12 Apr 2018, 7:20 pm)JM03 wrote I would imagine that 6116/7 will be painted into corporate as its also interworking with the 1.
(12 Apr 2018, 9:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote At the moment, 6116/17 are in the old corporate livery but, that was when the PVR was 15 and since the PVR was increased to 16, 1x of them forms part of the PVR (excluding any extras for the roadworks).
So even if the PVR was to remain at the same, 1x of them (presumably 6116) would need to be repainted.
(14 Apr 2018, 6:48 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Is there any way to know which vehicle type will be allocated to a service or not?
Thanks.
(14 Apr 2018, 7:09 pm)Dan wrote Not really any way of knowing "in advance", so to speak, but you can check the Go North East app in real time to check which fleet numbers are allocated to which services (though you'd have to try and find them on a map).
Around 28 buses out tomorrow on Metro Replacement (Heworth - Regent Centre), for anyone out and about. A mixture of Volvo B5LH, B7TL and B9TL primarily, although a couple of StreetDecks will also be out, as well as one X10 B5TL.
(14 Apr 2018, 7:09 pm)Dan wrote Not really any way of knowing "in advance", so to speak, but you can check the Go North East app in real time to check which fleet numbers are allocated to which services (though you'd have to try and find them on a map).
Around 28 buses out tomorrow on Metro Replacement (Heworth - Regent Centre), for anyone out and about. A mixture of Volvo B5LH, B7TL and B9TL primarily, although a couple of StreetDecks will also be out, as well as one X10 B5TL.