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(18 Jul 2020, 12:15 pm)S813 FVK wrote Perhaps, but it gets rid of any reference to the X21's short lived 15 minute frequency between Durham and Newcastle.So the 30 minute frequency on the X21 now is definitely permanent?
(24 Jul 2020, 4:22 pm)Storx wrote It's still every 15 minutes / 20 minutes at peak times, was dead the rest of the time tbh.Yes, it seemed like it. Was just wondering if the frequency reduction was due to covid and GNE were planning to go back to every 15 at some point, or whether they were going to cut the frequency anyway.
(24 Jul 2020, 3:51 pm)big mac wrote So the 30 minute frequency on the X21 now is definitely permanent?
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(24 Jul 2020, 5:00 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Hopefully not, I was sick of not being able to get a seat, even during non-peak times, because people were using it as an express 21!
It's alright for the people just travelling to Durham/CLS as they can take the 21 and get there a bit slower, but for people like me who travel further than Durham, it was a nightmare. That was the main reason I would go via Stanley instead
(24 Jul 2020, 2:05 pm)ne14ne1 wrote 6332 is looking shiny, clean and bright lime green in the sun on the Saltmeadows forecourt at the moment.
It's sat there with a Red Kite branded streetlite which must be waiting to go in.
(24 Jul 2020, 5:10 pm)Dan wrote I seriously don't think you'll have to worry about buses being overcrowded for a long time. The bus industry won't recover from this for at least 3-4 years, I'd say.
(24 Jul 2020, 5:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote The definition of 'overcrowded' has somewhat changed recently though, before you would say a bus is overcrowded when there's no standing room left, now it's 'overcrowded' when you've hit 50% seated capacity.
That's a pretty big change!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if they're at 50% pre-COVID passenger numbers, and they're at 50% capacity on the vehicles, wouldn't that mean they're essentially back to 'normal' and overcrowding could become an issue?
I suppose it depends on how soon we get back to being able to have near enough full capacity back.
(24 Jul 2020, 5:19 pm)Dan wrote Closer to 40% than 50% in terms of pre-COVID passenger numbers, but that's in total, spread across the whole day. The growth isn't necessarily during the peaks as a lot of office workers (despite the latest government advice) are still working from home.
(24 Jul 2020, 5:00 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Hopefully not, I was sick of not being able to get a seat, even during non-peak times, because people were using it as an express 21!I was thinking a possible compromise might be an every 20 minute service on the X21 between Durham and Newcastle. Although that would lead to an uneven 20/40 minute split on the Durham-West Auckland section.
It's alright for the people just travelling to Durham/CLS as they can take the 21 and get there a bit slower, but for people like me who travel further than Durham, it was a nightmare. That was the main reason I would go via Stanley instead
(24 Jul 2020, 6:19 pm)big mac wrote I was thinking a possible compromise might be an every 20 minute service on the X21 between Durham and Newcastle. Although that would lead to an uneven 20/40 minute split on the Durham-West Auckland section.
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(24 Jul 2020, 7:01 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I personally wouldn't mind a 40 minute frequency, although I doubt they'd do that because it doesn't look as good on a leaflet!
![[Image: 50148735232_893c6a4be6_c.jpg]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148735232_893c6a4be6_c.jpg)
Go North East 8315 / NK10 GOH by kieron mathews, on Flickr(24 Jul 2020, 7:42 pm)TEN 6083 wrote
Back out in service after receiving an advertisement for Newcastle Helix
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(24 Jul 2020, 7:49 pm)JP6004 wrote They seem to be bashing them out. Well done
(24 Jul 2020, 7:20 pm)Dan wrote Leaflet aside, it's a rubbish frequency for passengers to understand. This type of timetable has been done in the past and it leaves passengers confused as to when the bus is actually going to turn up.Indeed an awful frequency - OK once ran the Witton Park service on a 40 minute frequency, easiest way to remember it was "on the even hour and twenty to and twenty past the odd hour".
(24 Jul 2020, 9:21 pm)busmanT wrote Indeed an awful frequency - OK once ran the Witton Park service on a 40 minute frequency, easiest way to remember it was "on the even hour and twenty to and twenty past the odd hour".
Mind you, one operator elsewhere is currently running a service every 37 / 38 minutes - i.e. a 1 hr 15 min round trip run by 2 buses.
(24 Jul 2020, 9:49 pm)JP6004 wrote Walked into it.....I was the one bashing
(24 Jul 2020, 9:59 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Would a drop from 30 minutes to 40 minutes really make that much difference financially?
(24 Jul 2020, 10:23 pm)Jimmi wrote In terms of passenger numbers I imagine it would, realistically you want public transport to be simple and having buses leaving at different minutes past each hour is a pain in the neck, I stayed on holiday in Blackpool one year and the bus that ran from where I was staying ran on a 45 minute frequency and if you had no timetable to hand like I did most of the time, it was rather irritating to work out when the bus would leave by mid afternoon counting down from around 0930 I think it was. I arguably prefer an hourly frequency just as it's easier to work out especially when you're on holiday somewhere.
![[Image: 50151015301_ef87b1baf4_c.jpg]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50151015301_ef87b1baf4_c.jpg)
Go North East X-lines 6332 / NK67 GOA by kieron mathews, on Flickr(25 Jul 2020, 12:41 pm)JP6004 wrote More interior shots of 6332 on Dan's Flickr showing the vinyls applied to staircase and coves. Looks epicThose graphics on the stairs panel are brilliant. A superb job by whoever's designed them.
