So some changes to Go North east service are happening from the 15th these include

309/310/311/X39

CS

MS

Q3

8 (GCT)

79/79A (Now won by GCT)

Nothing seems changed by the 309/310/311/X39 and Q3 by GNE

Changes I can see is the CS now finish at 21.16
And
The MS now finishes at the Hospital at 21.10 instead of it's last journey being 20.45 at Heworth

These are Revised timetable. Only main big one is the 79/79A has now gone to GCT

(06 May 2021, 8:45 am)Micheal Aaron wrote So some changes to Go North east service are happening from the 15th these include

309/310/311/X39

CS

MS

Q3

8 (GCT)

79/79A (Now won by GCT)

Nothing seems changed by the 309/310/311/X39 and Q3 by GNE

Changes I can see is the CS now finish at 21.16
And
The MS now finishes at the Hospital at 21.10 instead of it's last journey being 20.45 at Heworth

These are Revised timetable. Only main big one is the 79/79A has now gone to GCT

The 79 is/was JH. 
Apart from one run. 

The 79A is the GNE operation.

A shame some passengers will be inconvenienced, but I'm sure GNE could put them first by operating it commercially.
If they really wanted to.

(06 May 2021, 11:38 am)Andreos1 wrote The 79 is/was JH. 
Apart from one run. 

The 79A is the GNE operation.

A shame some passengers will be inconvenienced, but I'm sure GNE could put them first by operating it commercially.
If they really wanted to.

Passenger numbers on the 79A just aren't there (even before Covid). Its one of those routes I'm surprised still exists. I have had many an evening with passenger numbers I could count on one hand and having no passengers wasn't unusual. I hated the route myself, different route/estates in each direction and not forgetting the first and last trip via East Rainton. 

I've never understood the 79A to be honest.
I don't see what it achieves with its tour of Penshaw, Houghton, Hetton and Easington Lane. 
The last version of it had a weird timetable if I remember correctly. The last 3 runs from Houghton towards Fencehouses left at something like 2130, 2240 and 2350. Knowing that it connected with the ex Newcastle X1 arriving at 2130, 2230 and 2330 and knowing there was the potential for people to make connections, didn't seem to be factored in to any timetables. 

The 79 is a legacy of the route OK worked back in the day (149?). 
GNE inherited it, renumbered it (493?) and ran it on a commercial basis.
Since then, it's been extended, tweaked, chopped, merged, diverted, tweaked again, tendered, operated commercially in whole or part, chopped again and then passed around on a tendered basis by Nexus. 
The same Nexus who would lose much more face than GNE if those links were lost. 

Almost forgot the impact that each of these changes has on passengers and their ticket purchases too.

An unholy mess of a route, which I think sums up the state of the entire network in one neat little package.

15th of what?,May?

The 309/310/311 service group appears to have a welcome addition on an evening of a 311 at xx:00 from Newcastle, plugging the current 40 minute gap between the 310 at xx:40 and the 309 at xx:20 - The 310 still serves Hadrian Park on an evening.

For Haymarket - Station Road, Arriva would still be a more favourable option - Same number of buses per hour as GNE, although at a lower fare.

(06 May 2021, 5:40 pm)Andreos1 wrote I've never understood the 79A to be honest.
I don't see what it achieves with its tour of Penshaw, Houghton, Hetton and Easington Lane. 
The last version of it had a weird timetable if I remember correctly. The last 3 runs from Houghton towards Fencehouses left at something like 2130, 2240 and 2350. Knowing that it connected with the ex Newcastle X1 arriving at 2130, 2230 and 2330 and knowing there was the potential for people to make connections, didn't seem to be factored in to any timetables. 

The 79 is a legacy of the route OK worked back in the day (149?). 
GNE inherited it, renumbered it (493?) and ran it on a commercial basis.
Since then, it's been extended, tweaked, chopped, merged, diverted, tweaked again, tendered, operated commercially in whole or part, chopped again and then passed around on a tendered basis by Nexus. 
The same Nexus who would lose much more face than GNE if those links were lost. 

Almost forgot the impact that each of these changes has on passengers and their ticket purchases too.

An unholy mess of a route, which I think sums up the state of the entire network in one neat little package.

It was the 156 under OK (Hall Lane - Barnwell)

79A is a Nexus invented route, replaces 79 and part of 168 during evenings (though oddly the Easington Lane end doesn't get a service during Sunday daytime).
From my recent observations of the 79 is nowhere near being a commercial service, indeed the cost per passenger must be quite high.
It's a pity that Nexus don't have their own Day and Week tickets for use on secured services (of which there are a large number in some areas).

(06 May 2021, 9:53 pm)busmanT wrote It was the 156 under OK (Hall Lane - Barnwell)

79A is a Nexus invented route, replaces 79 and part of 168 during evenings  (though oddly the Easington Lane end doesn't get a service during Sunday daytime).
From my recent observations of the 79 is nowhere near being a commercial service, indeed the cost per passenger must be quite high.
It's a pity that Nexus don't have their own Day and Week tickets for use on secured services (of which there are a large number in some areas).

Ditto the 71 (or 36 - can't remember which incarnation it was) between Fencehouses and Houghton via Dairy Lane.
The original extension from Houghton to Fencehouses and along Avenue Vivian ran for 3 trips, following on from the early finish for the 71 (or 36).5

(07 May 2021, 12:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote Ditto the 71 (or 36 - can't remember which incarnation it was) between Fencehouses and Houghton via Dairy Lane.
The original extension from Houghton to Fencehouses and along Avenue Vivian ran for 3 trips, following on from the early finish for the 71 (or 36).5

There were also the 141 and 159 down fence houses area, and also the 157 between Barnwell and houghton, since northern took over ok travel and also closure of Phili depot, services have been slashed bare and services that were left were streamlined, all for profit now than passengers first, wonder what services will be left on the road in 50 years time


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(06 May 2021, 9:43 pm)tynesider wrote The 309/310/311 service group appears to have a welcome addition on an evening of a 311 at xx:00 from Newcastle, plugging the current 40 minute gap between the 310 at xx:40 and the 309 at xx:20 - The 310 still serves Hadrian Park on an evening.

For Haymarket - Station Road, Arriva would still be a more favourable option - Same number of buses per hour as GNE, although at a lower fare.

IMO, the evening & Sunday 311 is a waste.

For evenings, I'd say make the 309 & 310 half hourly (every 15 mins) until 9pm then hourly (every 30 mins combined) until last bus. Obviously Sundays go hourly each earlier, circa 7pm.

Sunday daytimes, the 309 often gets stuck on the Coast so I'd say make both the Sunday 309 & 310 standalone with the 310 via Hadrian Park. That would only reduce Sunday PVR by 1x but massively improve reliability.

(07 May 2021, 6:51 pm)L469 YVK wrote IMO, the evening & Sunday 311 is a waste.

For evenings, I'd say make the 309 & 310 half hourly (every 15 mins) until 9pm then hourly (every 30 mins combined) until last bus. Obviously Sundays go hourly each earlier, circa 7pm.

Sunday daytimes, the 309 often gets stuck on the Coast so I'd say make both the Sunday 309 & 310 standalone with the 310 via Hadrian Park. That would only reduce Sunday PVR by 1x but massively improve reliability.

Bin off the 311 completely and just have the 310 do it

(07 May 2021, 7:42 pm)V514DFT wrote Bin off the 311 completely and just have the 310 do it

311 does the job it exactly intends to do whilst giving a higher combined frequency with a lower PVR.

But the evening & Sunday journeys are a waste. Something like this on the 309 & 310 would work Mon-Sat evenings

309 ex Newcastle: 18:55 - 19:25 - 19:55 - 20:25 - 21:07 - 22:07 - 23:08

310 ex Newcastle (Mon-Fri): 19:05 - 19:35 - 20:10* - 20:45* - 21:38* - 22:38* - 23:33*

310 ex Newcastle (Sat): 18:35 - 19:10* - 19:40* - 20:10* - 20:45* - 21:38* - 22:38* - 23:33*

* = Via Hadrian Park

311 ex Newcastle (Mon-Fri): 18:45 - 19:15 - 19:45

311 ex Newcastle (Sat): 18:45

Any idea if the 13 and X7 will return or have they been completely withdrawn?, would of thought they would of returned when everything opened.

Is there a demand for them anymore

VOSA have the 700/701 and 702 (Sunderland Connect) down for changes from the 29th May 2021

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(20 May 2021, 7:40 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Is there a demand for them anymore

Not sure tbh

(23 May 2021, 8:32 am)Michael wrote VOSA have the 700/701 and 702 (Sunderland Connect) down for changes from the 29th May 2021

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Not sure tbh

Summer extension to roker beach maybe, it is that sort of time

(23 May 2021, 8:52 am)N1cholas wrote Summer extension to roker beach maybe, it is that sort of time

Aye it could be, but don't they normally do that in July?

(23 May 2021, 9:14 am)Michael wrote Aye it could be, but don't they normally do that in July?

Maybe getting in early for the staycation market

(23 May 2021, 9:17 am)N1cholas wrote Maybe getting in early for the staycation market

That's true but this is Sunderland.... not much here for a "Staycation"

(23 May 2021, 9:14 am)Michael wrote Aye it could be, but don't they normally do that in July?

Makes more sense doing it now, they only do it because the university is on summer break so there's no-one to pick up so you might get a few extra passengers down. The unis finished now so might aswell send it down earlier than carrying fresh air for a month and a bit.

According to bustimes and GNE site, what appears to be 5392 using spare ticket machine is at brandon...

(24 May 2021, 12:03 pm)JP6004 wrote According to bustimes and GNE site, what appears to be 5392 using spare ticket machine is at brandon...

Judging by the tracking it looks like they've tried to do an Austin Powers style 3 point turn!

(24 May 2021, 12:23 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Judging by the tracking it looks like they've tried to do an Austin Powers style 3 point turn!

(24 May 2021, 12:23 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Judging by the tracking it looks like they've tried to do an Austin Powers style 3 point turn!

Aye... looks a bit tight around there for a bus!

Although something looks a bit odd there. Its been hovering on a spot for around hours now.

How many of the commercial team are still working from home? Could this just be them using a spare ticket machine for testing purposes rather than an actual bus?

(24 May 2021, 2:48 pm)Adrian wrote Aye... looks a bit tight around there for a bus!

Although something looks a bit odd there. Its been hovering on a spot for around hours now. 

If my calculations are right. It was at the top of the stairs, second door on the right for 20mins earlier on.

It was in the toilet on six occasions this afternoon.

Will there be any revisions to the 21 timetable now that lockdown is easing and traffic levels are getting busier? Particularly the 4 minute layover it currently has at Durham which was a change to the timetable during lockdown. Fine when there's hardly any traffic, but surely not enough when traffic is pretty much back to normal.

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(31 May 2021, 1:44 pm)big mac wrote Will there be any revisions to the 21 timetable now that lockdown is easing and traffic levels are getting busier?  Particularly the 4 minute layover it currently has at Durham which was a change to the timetable during lockdown.  Fine when there's hardly any traffic, but surely not enough when traffic is pretty much back to normal.

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4 minutes is nowhere near enough for the 21 especially when there's traffic as from what I've experienced 21s often run in numbers or with a small gap because of traffic and having to constantly stop off on Durham Road. It's probably worth GNE seeing if the Durham X21 shorts would be viable, they'd be great for people who want a direct bus from Durham & CLS to Newcastle.

(31 May 2021, 5:01 pm)GNE6312 wrote 4 minutes is nowhere near enough for the 21 especially when there's traffic as from what I've experienced 21s often run in numbers or with a small gap because of traffic and having to constantly stop off on Durham Road. It's probably worth GNE seeing if the Durham X21 shorts would be viable, they'd be great for people who want a direct bus from Durham & CLS to Newcastle.

It also doesn't help with reliability now that the 21 goes in to the Arnison Centre, given the problems with congestion there.

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