(21 Feb 2013, 6:51 pm)Michael wrote X7 back on VOSA

PB0002400/484 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Sunderland, Park Lane Interchange and Peterlee Bus Station given service number X7 effective from 24-Mar-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0002400/485 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Peterlee Bus Station and Middlesbrough Bus Station given service number X7 effective from 24-Mar-2013. To amend Timetable.

Dunno y its on twice

Split registration to avoid requiring Tachographs (same reason the OK1 is split-registered for the two Middlesbrough-Crook trips each way).

(21 Feb 2013, 7:10 pm)Kuyoyo wrote

(21 Feb 2013, 6:51 pm)Michael wrote X7 back on VOSA

PB0002400/484 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Sunderland, Park Lane Interchange and Peterlee Bus Station given service number X7 effective from 24-Mar-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0002400/485 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Peterlee Bus Station and Middlesbrough Bus Station given service number X7 effective from 24-Mar-2013. To amend Timetable.

Dunno y its on twice

Split registration to avoid requiring Tachographs (same reason the OK1 is split-registered for the two Middlesbrough-Crook trips each way).

Ah right cheers =D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
Photo was taken on Tuesday

Poppy Branded Wright Solar on the The Loop 93

All about the legal loop holes with companies these days...

(21 Feb 2013, 10:00 pm)Daniel wrote All about the legal loop holes with companies these days...

More a case of not limiting the amount of vehicles that can be used on the service. If the X7 was registered as one full route rather than as a split service, then only vehicles fitted with tachographs could operate the service, and considering Deptford only have 4 tahco-fitted buses (Laser Citaro 5301/2/5 and Northern SPD 8234), operating it would have been tricky without moving buses around.

(21 Feb 2013, 10:20 pm)Kuyoyo wrote

(21 Feb 2013, 10:00 pm)Daniel wrote All about the legal loop holes with companies these days...

More a case of not limiting the amount of vehicles that can be used on the service. If the X7 was registered as one full route rather than as a split service, then only vehicles fitted with tachographs could operate the service, and considering Deptford only have 4 tahco-fitted buses (Laser Citaro 5301/2/5 and Northern SPD 8234), operating it would have been tricky without moving buses around.

What has Deptford got to do with the X7?

(21 Feb 2013, 10:32 pm)citaro5284 wrote

(21 Feb 2013, 10:20 pm)Kuyoyo wrote

(21 Feb 2013, 10:00 pm)Daniel wrote All about the legal loop holes with companies these days...

More a case of not limiting the amount of vehicles that can be used on the service. If the X7 was registered as one full route rather than as a split service, then only vehicles fitted with tachographs could operate the service, and considering Deptford only have 4 tahco-fitted buses (Laser Citaro 5301/2/5 and Northern SPD 8234), operating it would have been tricky without moving buses around.

What has Deptford got to do with the X7?

X7 to be Peterlee-run yes? Considering Deptford do Peterlee's engineering work, have tacho-fitted buses on the X7 would limit the choice of loan bus to those listed unless major fleet changes took place to get Northern Tacho vehicles to Deptford/Peterlee.

To be completely fair, all of the 9/9As start and finish at Sunderland... They're Percy Main operated. It could have been changed, but it hasn't been.
Likewise, the 2A/C is the same if I'm correct... Those services have been with Deptford for quite some time now, not Washington.

I'm not trying to say that the X7 will be operated by any other depot, but we really can't judge from where services start/terminate alone - regardless of if the services are old and were previously operated by another depot or not.

(22 Feb 2013, 9:37 am)Rob wrote

(22 Feb 2013, 9:22 am)Daniel wrote To be completely fair, all of the 9/9As start and finish at Sunderland... They're Percy Main operated. It could have been changed, but it hasn't been.
Likewise, the 2A/C is the same if I'm correct... Those services have been with Deptford for quite some time now, not Washington.

I'm not trying to say that the X7 will be operated by any other depot, but we really can't judge from where services start/terminate alone - regardless of if the services are old and were previously operated by another depot or not.

Certain journeys on the 9/9A are secured by Nexus, including first and last duties of the day, this is why they start and end at Sunderland. 2A/C services start at from both Sunderland and Washington within minutes of each other; there is customer demand at both ends of the routes for this to be the case.

I'm sure there will be more examples - those were just two fresh off the top of my head ;-)

Anyway, I still stand by my point... I agree it will be operated by Peterlee, but it really does go on more than just where it starts and ends for the day.
You giving reasons for why the services I mentioned in my previous post do that proves it alone.

I've been told it will be operated by Peterlee but not with MPDs apparently...

Rob, that question was a rhetorical one - I know the X7 will be operated by Peterlee, it was all down to backing up my point. Peterlee isn't a full depot so all repairs are done at Deptford.

Tesco are going to open a new store in Gateshead (yes another) but at the Metrocentre (old Ilva store near Ikea)

As part of the application Tesco have committed with the developers to fund the Metrocentre shuttle bus with a larger vehicle to the tune of £10,000 a year for 5 years which will make the majority of the funding. Wonder if Tesco will take over tendering?

GNE East Durham Buses share the site at Peterlee with DCC East Durham Community Transport.

Latest on VOSA:

PB1109705 SN

(2123)
Licence surrendered WEF 19 February 2013

EAST DURHAM COMMUNITY TRANSPORT LIMITED

Director(s): BARBARA HIND, MARGARET TWIDALE, CHRISTINE HEPPLE, KEITH SPIRIT, CHRISTOPHER MILNER, JOHN ATKINSON.

UNIT 7A, 3 COOK WAY, NORTH WEST INDUSTRIAL ESTATE PETERLEE SR8 2HY, GB

Registered Bus Services running under this licence have also been surrendered with immediate effect.

(22 Feb 2013, 11:43 am)gtomlinson wrote Tesco are going to open a new store in Gateshead (yes another) but at the Metrocentre (old Ilva store near Ikea)

As part of the application Tesco have committed with the developers to fund the Metrocentre shuttle bus with a larger vehicle to the tune of £10,000 a year for 5 years which will make the majority of the funding. Wonder if Tesco will take over tendering?

Right across the road from ASDA, bet they won't be happy.

I'm not sure how much larger the vehicle on the Metrocentre Circular will be able to get, as I don't think a double decker, or even anything much longer than the Merit currently being used will be able to circle the car parks, etc.

The (slightly delayed) Daily Digest for 21/02/13:

First on the agenda - something which should have been included in 20/02/13's digest, but photos weren't provided on-time - work on Go North East's new depot continues. Some photos can be seen on the links below. Many thanks to North East And Regional Bus Photos for sharing them:
Photo 1 (North East And Regional Bus Photos)
Photo 2 (North East And Regional Bus Photos)
Photo 3 (North East And Regional Bus Photos)

Secondly, the new "TEN" branded B9s continue to be road tested before they're put out again, as can be seen in the photo below:
6076 (North East And Regional Bus Photos)

Next, the "Northern" branded Scania L94UB/Wright Solar continues work with Percy Main. Her move to Gateshead creeps up, and is forecast to happen very soon. The most recent photo of 4944 is below, and was seen working service 9:
4944 (S.Blair250)

"Poppy Bus" Scania L94UB/Wright Solar was seen working "Citylink" service 58 yesterday, but later moved onto "Saltwell Park" service 54. Both pictures will be provided by Scott Cooper, and will be added when he manages to upload them to Flickr! (Should happen within the next few hours - he finishes work in 2 hours)!

Also, work on the "Go North East: Buses By Brand" collection continues. The "Nexus" and "DFDS Seaways" brands have been addedm and their respective vehicles added too - due to them not being advertised as 'service brands' on the Go North East website, I'd completely forgotten about them before actually seeing them while spotting yesterday! As a note of which vehicles have been added (be it to replace other photos or to be the first photo added), please see below:
- "Northern" 3968
- "North Tyne Links" 505
- "North Tyne Links" 548
- "Pronto" 6034
- "Fab Fifty Seven" 5167
- "Fab Fifty Six" 5203
- "Northern" 4918
- "Tyne Tees eXpress" 3963

Despite its rumoured departure from the fleet on Wednesday, demonstrator 9133 is still (or rather, was yesterday) with Go North East. A few interior shots were also gathered, and I believe they're the first to hit Flickr. Photos can be seen below:
- [Demonstrator] Exterior shot of Go North East's 9133 (YJ62FFB), Optare Versa 11.7m
- [Demonstrator] Interior shot of Go North East's 9133 (YJ62FFB), Optare Versa 11.7m
- [Demonstrator] Interior shot of Go North East's 9133 (YJ62FFB), Optare Versa 11.7m

Likewise, despite 4863's rumoured withdrawal drawing ever-closer, she still remains in service, as can be seen in the photograph below:
- 4863

Following on from a topic which started here, evidence can now be shown of the posters advertising some of the fare increases. This particular poster was on "Soccerbus" 4863. Please see the attachment for the poster - I didn't upload it to Flickr for obvious reasons! (danielgrahamm)

Penultimately, 21/02/13 saw the final day of the major Metro line closure between Byker and North Shields that was in place. To allow for track and bridge replacement work, a line closure had to be put in place in the affected areas and a frequent bus replacement service operated by Go North East on behalf of Nexus also put in place. This work was the last in a series of major line closures to replace 30-year-old Metro tracks and track beds as part of the £385m Metro: all change modernisation programme. A lot of the same vehicles which were previously used were used once more, so not a lot of shots were gathered. A few photos can be seen below:
- "Northern" branded 3968 (danielgrahamm)
- "Northern" branded 6022 (danielgrahamm)
- "Northern" branded 3975 (danielgrahamm)
- "Northern" branded 3970 (danielgrahamm)
- "Northern" branded 6013 (danielgrahamm)
- "DFDS Seaways" branded 3866 (danielgrahamm)

Finally, the odd allocations!

-"Tyne Tees eXpress" 3963 on "Citylink" service 58 (danielgrahamm)
- "Laser" 5309 on "Fab Fifty Six" service 56 (S.Blair250)
- "East Durham" 538 on "Prince Bishops" service 20A (S.Blair250)


That was a long one! Apologies for the delay in getting it on - I was meant to be at a party last night so it would have been delayed anyway, but I went to bed quite early because I was so ill. I would have gotten it done first thing this morning, but I had to upload my own photos to Flickr to provide some more material for the digest! If anyone has anything they'd like to be submitted into the digest (just in case it goes by unnoticed by me), feel free to PM me with the links to the photos accordingly. Thanks.

Saw a couple of interesting allocations today:

A Highwayman Solar was on the 27. I saw it at about 12:35 at Gateshead heading to South Shields.

Also, Renown 4905 was on the 28/28A. I saw that one at Wrekenton bound for Newcastle at 12:45(ish).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/

Waggonway and East Durham X7 Paperbuses

(22 Feb 2013, 4:37 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/

Waggonway and East Durham X7 Paperbuses

Put 'em in here as attachments in future, Adam! ;-)

(22 Feb 2013, 3:59 pm)Adam wrote Saw a couple of interesting allocations today:

A Highwayman Solar was on the 27. I saw it at about 12:35 at Gateshead heading to South Shields.

Also, Renown 4905 was on the 28/28A. I saw that one at Wrekenton bound for Newcastle at 12:45(ish).

4905 pops up quite a lot Adam, presumably for when the DAFs die. It always used to be covered by an SPD when they were at Chester or a Caetano.

Speaking of said Caetano Dart...if you like 'em and have a spare £7,000

http://www.ensignbus.com/#!singlebus2/cech

(22 Feb 2013, 11:43 am)gtomlinson wrote Tesco are going to open a new store in Gateshead (yes another) but at the Metrocentre (old Ilva store near Ikea)

As part of the application Tesco have committed with the developers to fund the Metrocentre shuttle bus with a larger vehicle to the tune of £10,000 a year for 5 years which will make the majority of the funding. Wonder if Tesco will take over tendering?

The problem is that buses pass by on Riverside Way and the Shuttle will take you on a full on tour of the MetroCentre before getting back to the station

If I was Tescos, I would be looking at a way to build a lovely covered stop that really protects people from the element that can be used by the shuttle and buses leaving Metrocentre in that direction (6/7/8, etc), when you are loaded with bags.

I can't really see the point in the being a Tesco at the Metrocentre when they have a new superstore opening in Gateshead in a few months and when they have a massive store at Kingston Park. Surely if they do build that would bring less customers to both stores, Plus there's the competition from ASDA which has been there for years.

As for the Buses the S1 could have a stop implemented into it's route around the Metrocentre, can't see a bigger bus being needed than what's already being used by GNE.

On top of that Stagecoach could have the 6/7 operate via Asda/Ikea then to Tesco then back to Normal route past Gala Bingo into the Metrocentre or alternatively have the 10/10A go along that way, although the Blaydon Racers go along the back of IKEA coming into the MetroCente from Blaydon so they could easily be diverted to run via Tesco/IKEA/ASDA and then into the MetroCentre. and then scrap the S1 as nobody would use cause if you think about it people only get on/off at ASDA and the Bus Station really.

I'm reading into this too much so i'm gunna stop there

I've been on that Merit on the S1 when I've had 15 mins to kill before my bus was due before and it has been full. Lots of elderly passengers at some points of the service have to stand.
Not so sure that having a larger vehicle would be feasible though - wouldn't like to see how anything larger coped on some of the bends.

Laser citario on 56 again. Unable to get ID.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
4925 Northern Wright Renown on the X3 to Sunderland carrying its updated 1913-2013 Northern Branding, this was taken Tuesday but I forgot to upload it.

In other news 4952 was broken down seen Yesterday outside the Victory pub in Gosforth at 13:30 today; in new livery...! by Josh Oxley, read this on Bazza Houstons GNE Facebook Page.

Also

9133 apparently broke down in Sunniside today according Adam Ford'y

(23 Feb 2013, 3:48 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
4925 Northern Wright Renown on the X3 to Sunderland carrying its updated 1913-2013 Northern Branding, this was taken Tuesday but I forgot to upload it.

In other news 4952 was broken down seen Yesterday outside the Victory pub in Gosforth at 13:30 today; in new livery...! by Josh Oxley, read this on Bazza Houstons GNE Facebook Page.

Also

9133 apparently broke down in Sunniside today according Adam Ford'y

Do you have a link for Bazza's Facebook page? Can't find it

It is https://www.facebook.com/groups/386629251416598/
Go North East Bus Enthusiast Group it is called

it's a closed group so this link might work and you have to request to join, tbh the group is awful news wise, more odd allocation news more than anything else, unlike this group which as has news on fleet movements/service changes/repaints etc.

---

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
4913 X913 WGR GNE Northern Wright Renown on the M2 to Heworth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
4988 R983 FNW GNE Metrocentre Branded Plaxton Prestige on the 50 to Durham

(23 Feb 2013, 4:50 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote It is https://www.facebook.com/groups/386629251416598/
Go North East Bus Enthusiast Group it is called

it's a closed group so this link might work and you have to request to join, tbh the group is awful news wise, more odd allocation news more than anything else, unlike this group which as has news on fleet movements/service changes/repaints etc.

Yeah, I'll stick with this I think. I find groups like that tend to have a moderator on power trips who think they are the bee's knees which is why I like the relaxed pace of this forum

(23 Feb 2013, 5:24 pm)gtomlinson wrote

(23 Feb 2013, 4:50 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote It is https://www.facebook.com/groups/386629251416598/
Go North East Bus Enthusiast Group it is called

it's a closed group so this link might work and you have to request to join, tbh the group is awful news wise, more odd allocation news more than anything else, unlike this group which as has news on fleet movements/service changes/repaints etc.

Yeah, I'll stick with this I think. I find groups like that tend to have a moderator on power trips who think they are the bee's knees which is why I like the relaxed pace of this forum

And that one is no different!!

Same thing different day really and he's changed the security settings on the group so if you post something it must be approved by an admin, he is totally pathetic in my opinion.

This group is way better, I like it and agree that it's relaxed whereas on his group it just constant arguing if somebody disagrees with information posted.

(23 Feb 2013, 3:48 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote 9133 apparently broke down in Sunniside today according Adam Ford'y

Must have been a VERY early working then (before 11am)... I tried to catch the usual duty whenever it is near 11am in the Newcastle area and it wasn't there, tried again at the time when I've always gotten it just in case I cocked up the times for the 11am working and it wasn't there then either. I'd assumed she'd gone.