(10 Aug 2021, 11:52 am)Keeiajs wrote Sorry I was under the impression that all streetlites bar Drifter and Old Saltwell parks one were Euro 5 Sorry.

No need to say sorry.

The 71 has had a timetable uploaded from the 6th September..... looks like the exact same one as now.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2021-09-13&direction=inbound

(10 Aug 2021, 6:16 pm)Michael wrote The 71 has had a timetable uploaded from the 6th September..... looks like the exact same one as now.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2021-09-13&direction=inbound

There need to redo the pdf for service X6 as it’s wrong


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(10 Aug 2021, 6:16 pm)Michael wrote The 71 has had a timetable uploaded from the 6th September..... looks like the exact same one as now. 

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2021-09-13&direction=inbound

As pleasing as it is to see the 71 (and its connections) maintained, I genuinely hope DCC haven't stepped in to bail GNE out. 
I'd have also hoped to have seen more promotion of the route and connectivity to the rail network at Seaham - rather than just more of the same.
The 'same' that hasn't worked in the past, isn't likely to start working now.

(10 Aug 2021, 6:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote As pleasing as it is to see the 71 (and its connections) maintained, I genuinely hope DCC haven't stepped in to bail GNE out. 
I'd have also hoped to have seen more promotion of the route and connectivity to the rail network at Seaham - rather than just more of the same.
The 'same' that hasn't worked in the past, isn't likely to start working now.

Yeah something definitely hast to be done with the 71, you could market faster than the train to Chester-Le-Street, or just advertise it. And try and connect the trains with Seaham as you said. You could advertise it will NSA on the 21, or from Durham advertise the connect to Houghton.

(10 Aug 2021, 6:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote As pleasing as it is to see the 71 (and its connections) maintained, I genuinely hope DCC haven't stepped in to bail GNE out. 
I'd have also hoped to have seen more promotion of the route and connectivity to the rail network at Seaham - rather than just more of the same.
The 'same' that hasn't worked in the past, isn't likely to start working now.

If it’s more of pensioners using there free passes then it’s not going to cover the costs of running the bus service with drivers wages and other factors considered


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(10 Aug 2021, 6:50 pm)cbma06 wrote If it’s more of pensioners using there free passes then it’s not going to cover the costs of running the bus service with drivers wages and other factors considered


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Actually with DCC pensioners passes DDC actually pay full adult fare for the full route afaik.

(10 Aug 2021, 6:52 pm)Keeiajs wrote Actually with DCC pensioners passes DDC actually pay full adult fare for the full route afaik.

That be good , I’m surprised DCC haven’t been bankrupt yet


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Just been on the bus coming home,and i have to say,GNE are damned if they do,and damned if they dont,other people on the bus complaining about the 1 being cut from the Metrocentre, complaining about the 41 and Howdon being left out,couldnt be bothered to get involved so i put my headphones in and listened to my music

(10 Aug 2021, 7:24 pm)V514DFT wrote Just been on the bus coming home,and i have to say,GNE are damned if they do,and damned if they dont,other people on the bus complaining about the 1 being cut from the Metrocentre, complaining about the 41 and Howdon being left out,couldnt be bothered to get involved so i put my headphones in and listened to my music

1 connection to the Metro I would have kept if I am honest. Instead of the 97 new connection

(10 Aug 2021, 7:27 pm)Keeiajs wrote 1 connection to the Metro I would have kept if I am honest. Instead of the 97 new connection

 if im honest the demand had withered,i dont know if covid impacted it (more than likely did), and no disrespect to GNE, but whos gonna want to go around the houses to get to the Metrocentre from Whitley Bay when you can get off at Gateshead and get the X66 which is quicker

Maybe it would be worth GNE considering a few more new hourly services or hourly service extensions, like they are doing with the X1 to Dalton Park and Peterlee. If people are complaining about the 1 no longer serving The Metrocentre, maybe they could have one bus an hour going there so the link is retained. I understand how GNE's needs to cut costs but maybe they should cut some services frequency to less used places rather than severing the link altogether. Like I mentioned yesterday I can understand the 84 no longer serving Heworth half hourly to a degree, but maybe they should retain an hourly link during the day.

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(10 Aug 2021, 11:09 am)Adrian wrote 2A only currently serves Brady Square on Sunday daytime, in lieu of the 85/86 only running Concord-Galleries. The secured Sunday evening 85 continues to Brady Square, after the 2A has finished for the day.

Ah yes my mistake, thanks. I think the new set up at Brady Square with the 8 will work much better than the current set up 

(10 Aug 2021, 11:09 am)Adrian wrote 2A only currently serves Brady Square on Sunday daytime, in lieu of the 85/86 only running Concord-Galleries. The secured Sunday evening 85 continues to Brady Square, after the 2A has finished for the day.

(10 Aug 2021, 6:16 pm)Michael wrote The 71 has had a timetable uploaded from the 6th September..... looks like the exact same one as now. 

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2021-09-13&direction=inbound

With the 28 and 71 withdrawals reversed I wonder if we will see the same with the 30 in due course?

(10 Aug 2021, 9:56 pm)peter wrote With the 28 and 71 withdrawals reversed I wonder if we will see the same with the 30 in due course?

Suspect Stanley might get the Stanley - Lanchester service.

If not and Go North East keep it, the 32 might also survive as some quick maths on timings suggests a layover of approximately 20 minutes if the 32 doesn't run.

(10 Aug 2021, 9:56 pm)peter wrote With the 28 and 71 withdrawals reversed I wonder if we will see the same with the 30 in due course?

I have seen some backlash with the 30, however I do think the 32 may have been a vital for some, but the nearest stop is only 400 meters

(10 Aug 2021, 6:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote As pleasing as it is to see the 71 (and its connections) maintained, I genuinely hope DCC haven't stepped in to bail GNE out. 
I'd have also hoped to have seen more promotion of the route and connectivity to the rail network at Seaham - rather than just more of the same.
The 'same' that hasn't worked in the past, isn't likely to start working now.

I must agree, the connections needed maintaining, not just buses from Houghton to Chester and Seaham but also areas such as Seaton, Northlea and Dene House Road in Seaham who would be left without a service. 
And I think it was realistically unfeasible to not have a bus between Chester and Houghton, you’d be left either changing buses somewhere in Bournmoor between the 4 and a 78, hardly ideal. And again Houghton to Seaham would require a change in Hetton, which adds considerable time on the journey, however at least that would be a interchange point though! 
Go North East probably knew the council would want to ensure these connections continued. And it’s a shame that they haven’t promoted the route a bit first before deciding it’s unprofitable, new connections across Houghton and direct links between Seaham and Chester just haven’t been marketed at all. Maybe time to push some of the less high profile routes a bit rather than just “XLINES” or the Angel. Nothing against those services but nice new XLINES buses don’t help the people of Seaham, Seaton and Great Lumley who were facing loosing vital links.

(10 Aug 2021, 10:08 pm)Drifter60 wrote I must agree, the connections needed maintaining, not just buses from Houghton to Chester and Seaham but also areas such as Seaton, Northlea and Dene House Road in Seaham who would be left without a service. 
And I think it was realistically unfeasible to not have a bus between Chester and Houghton, you’d be left either changing buses somewhere in Bournmoor between the 4 and a 78, hardly ideal. And again Houghton to Seaham would require a change in Hetton, which adds considerable time on the journey, however at least that would be a interchange point though! 
Go North East probably knew the council would want to ensure these connections continued. And it’s a shame that they haven’t promoted the route a bit first before deciding it’s unprofitable, new connections across Houghton and direct links between Seaham and Chester just haven’t been marketed at all. Maybe time to push some of the less high profile routes a bit rather than just “XLINES” or the Angel. Nothing against those services but nice new XLINES buses don’t help the people of Seaham, Seaton and Great Lumley who were facing loosing vital links.

Tbh when the 238 was a thing I thought that was relatively busy, tbh I do think from Seaton - Chester-le-street is relatively busy, normally around 5-8 people on which isn't bad. However something needs you to want/have to get the 71, whether that is quick links to Newcastle from Seaham, or Bishop Auckland, Arnison Centre.

Has the public extortion of local councils ceased yet…ahem…I mean are the changes public yet?

(10 Aug 2021, 10:24 pm)Ambassador wrote Has the public extortion of local councils ceased yet…ahem…I mean are the changes public yet?

Well I mean if they can run a service for free......

(10 Aug 2021, 10:06 pm)Keeiajs wrote I have seen some backlash with the 30, however I do think the 32 may have been a vital for some, but the nearest stop is only 400 meters

It's old and disabled people that use the 32 to access Annfield Plain Tesco.

400 m is a long way for them.

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(10 Aug 2021, 10:24 pm)Ambassador wrote Has the public extortion of local councils ceased yet…ahem…I mean are the changes public yet?

(10 Aug 2021, 10:27 pm)DH9 wrote It's old and disabled people that use the 32 to access Annfield Plain Tesco.

400 m is a long way for them.

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Yeah, it is always the old people who get hit the worse. DO you know whether the 30/31/32 interwork ?

(10 Aug 2021, 10:29 pm)Keeiajs wrote Yeah, it is always the old people who get hit the worse. DO you know whether the 30/31/32 interwork ?

Yes they do - 2 buses do a 30 to Lanchester then a 31 then a 30 to Quaking Houses and then a 32.

30/31/32 do interwork.

Whilst on the subject, a shamless plug.

719 on the 32 in Fines Park - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...1370347473
720 on the 30 in Burnhope - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...1369330987

(10 Aug 2021, 10:08 pm)Drifter60 wrote I must agree, the connections needed maintaining, not just buses from Houghton to Chester and Seaham but also areas such as Seaton, Northlea and Dene House Road in Seaham who would be left without a service. 
And I think it was realistically unfeasible to not have a bus between Chester and Houghton, you’d be left either changing buses somewhere in Bournmoor between the 4 and a 78, hardly ideal. And again Houghton to Seaham would require a change in Hetton, which adds considerable time on the journey, however at least that would be a interchange point though! 
Go North East probably knew the council would want to ensure these connections continued. And it’s a shame that they haven’t promoted the route a bit first before deciding it’s unprofitable, new connections across Houghton and direct links between Seaham and Chester just haven’t been marketed at all. Maybe time to push some of the less high profile routes a bit rather than just “XLINES” or the Angel. Nothing against those services but nice new XLINES buses don’t help the people of Seaham, Seaton and Great Lumley who were facing loosing vital links.

Tbf, having seen the changes around Sunniside and the removal of links between Stanley and the Metrocentre, I'm surprised they haven't pushed changing between the 4 and 78 at some random bus stop.
As you say, at least Hetton is designed as an interchange. Unlike Sunniside, Woodstone Village or Bournmoor.

The thing that really annoys me about the 71, is the instistance of doing the same thing over and over (tweaked a little bit here and there) and somehow expecting that same thing to work.
I assume they expect it to work. I mean, they might expect it to fail completely. But that would just be a bit strange.

I genuinely don't understand why they haven't tried something different.
Whether that be changes to the timetable (iron out headway in Lumley and connections with the train at Seaham, the allocation, the route, allocating it a budget from the Stenning school of copy & paste... Anything at all. Apart from what has have done for the 15 years, when they've shown this bizarre obsession to make it work using the barest minimum of their creative commercial acumen, whilst planning one of their begging bowl trips to County Hall.

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(10 Aug 2021, 10:24 pm)Ambassador wrote Has the public extortion of local councils ceased yet…ahem…I mean are the changes public yet?

The 21 is stuck in traffic at the Arnison Centre and they're unable to reach an agreement with DCC.

Once they've battled through the chain of buses following each other, reached County Hall and came away with a collection pot bigger than the Catholic Church has after mass - you can expect an announcement.

(09 Aug 2021, 3:06 pm)Andreos1 wrote I'd heard that the brands were named after the colour of the actual paint.
So someone, somewhere called a yellow paint 'blonde', hence the name of that brand.
Ditto with the berry etc. 

I've just had a look online and I've had a look at some paint colours in B&Q. 
Dunno about you lot, but I think the following would be much better brand names. 


Appreciate this is so 2020 and colours move on, but that SDO Windmill Wings definitely has a ring to it.

Years ago, I remember decorating the room with Dulux Crispy Crumble.
Apart from making my belly rumble, it looked good on the walls.
However, I'm not sure a Versa on the  SDO Crispy Crumble 2A to Washington/The Galleries (depending where it is on the route) has much of a ring to it.
Probably less of a ring than the brand they've chosen. Not by much though.

Had a look on the rest of the Dulux range and I think they've missed a trick

https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/colour-detail...7f008e70fa

Now, if buses were painted with farrow and ball... Dead mouse express, anyone?

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(10 Aug 2021, 10:06 pm)Keeiajs wrote I have seen some backlash with the 30, however I do think the 32 may have been a vital for some, but the nearest stop is only 400 meters

That is a very long walk for people with reduced mobility.

Few updates on the changes page:

28 | 28A (Newcastle – Gateshead – Chester-le-Street)
UPDATE: Services 28/28A will be revised to terminate at Market Street in Newcastle, instead of Eldon Square. In Gateshead, the 28A will run via Whitehall Road instead of Bensham Bank.

Due to low demand, service 28A will be revised to terminate at Perkinsville. Service 28 will still run beyond Perkinsville to Chester-le-Street, serving Pelton, High Handenhold, Beamish, Grange Villa and Pelton Fell, maintaining local links around these areas, once per hour.

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34 (Waldridge Park – Chester-le-Street – Ouston – Upreth Grange)
This service will omit Pelaw Estate, instead running via A693 and Pelton Aged Miners. An extra journey will be added in the morning peak to provide extra capacity.

A new service 734 will operate every 60 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes providing a connection between Chester le Street and Pelaw Estate.

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71 (Chester-le-Street – Houghton-le-Spring – Seaham)
UPDATE: Service 71 will continue to operate its current timetable.

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Under the M6/M7/M8 changes:

Passengers travelling to Metrocentre from parts of Fellside Road and Broadway, along with Lambton Avenue and Duckpool Lane, will be replaced by new service 643

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30 (Stanley – Lanchester)
UPDATE: New service 730 will operate between Stanley and Lanchester, replacing service 30.

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A bit back to the future with some of these route numbers.

Guessing the 734 will interwork with something as it doesn't take an hour to do CLS to Pelaw Estate and back. Prob with the 28 or 71.

(11 Aug 2021, 2:29 pm)Rapidsnap wrote A bit back to the future with some of these route numbers.

Guessing the 734 will interwork with something as it doesn't take an hour to do CLS to Pelaw Estate and back. Prob with the 28 or 71.

I wondered why they hadn't integrated it with the Chester Town services or at least bolted it on to an existing route, such as the 28 or 71.

(11 Aug 2021, 2:18 pm)Michael wrote Few updates on the changes page:

28 | 28A (Newcastle – Gateshead – Chester-le-Street)
UPDATE: Services 28/28A will be revised to terminate at Market Street in Newcastle, instead of Eldon Square. In Gateshead, the 28A will run via Whitehall Road instead of Bensham Bank.

Due to low demand, service 28A will be revised to terminate at Perkinsville. Service 28 will still run beyond Perkinsville to Chester-le-Street, serving Pelton, High Handenhold, Beamish, Grange Villa and Pelton Fell, maintaining local links around these areas, once per hour.

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34 (Waldridge Park – Chester-le-Street – Ouston – Upreth Grange)
This service will omit Pelaw Estate, instead running via A693 and Pelton Aged Miners. An extra journey will be added in the morning peak to provide extra capacity.

A new service 734 will operate every 60 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes providing a connection between Chester le Street and Pelaw Estate.

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71 (Chester-le-Street – Houghton-le-Spring – Seaham)
UPDATE: Service 71 will continue to operate its current timetable.

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Under the M6/M7/M8 changes:

Passengers travelling to Metrocentre from parts of Fellside Road and Broadway, along with Lambton Avenue and Duckpool Lane, will be replaced by new service 643

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30 (Stanley – Lanchester)
UPDATE: New service 730 will operate between Stanley and Lanchester, replacing service 30.

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When are the timetables coming out?

730, 734, 643.

Go North East rarely use three digit numbers now except in Peterlee.   Have other operators got these? 

730 to Stanley Buses?    Don't know about the other two. 

Just a guess.