X9 | X10 - Acquisition of interdeck coaches from Oxford Bus Company
X9 | X10 - Acquisition of interdeck coaches from Oxford Bus Company
(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?Aren't drivers advised to turn off the tracking when they're at work?
(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?Aren't drivers advised to turn off the tracking when they're at work?
(08 Jul 2021, 4:22 pm)Adrian Surprised to see a whole service knocked on the head, taking it down to hourly Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Especially when Nexus contracts and Arriva work is still being covered. You'd think their own commercial routes would take precedence.
Everywhere seems to be getting hit by track and trace pings at the moment, but we should remember that bus operators started dropping the right to maintain social distancing on board about 6 weeks ago now, convincing us it was a safe move. Despite rising case numbers, and evidently requests for staff to enter isolation.
(08 Jul 2021, 4:22 pm)Adrian Surprised to see a whole service knocked on the head, taking it down to hourly Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Especially when Nexus contracts and Arriva work is still being covered. You'd think their own commercial routes would take precedence.
Everywhere seems to be getting hit by track and trace pings at the moment, but we should remember that bus operators started dropping the right to maintain social distancing on board about 6 weeks ago now, convincing us it was a safe move. Despite rising case numbers, and evidently requests for staff to enter isolation.
(07 Jul 2021, 11:25 pm)jasondarby123 Not wanting to cause a stir, but I've noticed a lot of tweets for breakdowns on X9/X10, and most days I see either 6377 or a B9 running down the A19.It's keeping on keeping on, then! That route is a bus killer.
Although obviously more reliable than 6308-13, are they that reliable?
(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?But when people testing positive get the call they can say they took x bus at Y time so it gets narrowed down to a specific driver who has to isolate under current rules.
(07 Jul 2021, 11:25 pm)jasondarby123 Not wanting to cause a stir, but I've noticed a lot of tweets for breakdowns on X9/X10, and most days I see either 6377 or a B9 running down the A19.It's keeping on keeping on, then! That route is a bus killer.
Although obviously more reliable than 6308-13, are they that reliable?
(08 Jul 2021, 6:30 pm)Adrian Not suggesting that it is, but regarding the bit in bold: How do you know? Contact tracing cannot and give you that level of information, and a venue alert cannot be triggered as bus stations and buses don't have venue check-in posters. Only (presumably/hopefully!) depots and canteens would?But when people testing positive get the call they can say they took x bus at Y time so it gets narrowed down to a specific driver who has to isolate under current rules.
(08 Jul 2021, 6:44 am)GNE6312 Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coachesFor years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches. Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?
(08 Jul 2021, 6:44 am)GNE6312 Those elites are abysmally unreliable and personally I think getting them has turned from a good thing to an awful idea. Would have been better using more heavy duty service buses (Snania E400MMCs or 6 Cylinder Streetdecks) allocated. Wouldn't be surprised if an older service bus outlives those coachesFor years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches. Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?
(09 Jul 2021, 8:12 am)big mac For years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches. Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?
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(09 Jul 2021, 8:12 am)big mac For years people had been saying regular buses are unsuitable for the x9/x10 and they should have coaches. Now that they've got coaches they're still breaking down by the sound of it. It begs the question is there any vehicle that actually IS suitable for the route?
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(08 Jul 2021, 6:07 pm)RobinHood We should also remember that there reasoning for this reduction clearly states 'non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts'. Nothing to do with increased capacity?
(08 Jul 2021, 6:07 pm)RobinHood We should also remember that there reasoning for this reduction clearly states 'non-work related track and trace app self-isolation alerts'. Nothing to do with increased capacity?
Doesn't the X9/X10 have a select few drivers who are trained for the route. If they've got limited drivers and no-one is trained to drive the route then that could be a problem whereas any other route anyone can just drive it.
Also those saying that the coaches are unsuitable the X9/X10 it's a very easy route for a coach. There's megabuses running from London to Newcastle/Edinburgh everyday mostly express up the A1/M1 which go Edinburgh -> NON STOP -> Newcastle -> NON STOP -> Leeds -> NON STOP -> Meadowhall -> NON STOP -> London. The X9/X10 is a breeze compared to that.
(09 Jul 2021, 9:45 am)Storx Doesn't the X9/X10 have a select few drivers who are trained for the route. If they've got limited drivers and no-one is trained to drive the route then that could be a problem whereas any other route anyone can just drive it.
Also those saying that the coaches are unsuitable the X9/X10 it's a very easy route for a coach. There's megabuses running from London to Newcastle/Edinburgh everyday mostly express up the A1/M1 which go Edinburgh -> NON STOP -> Newcastle -> NON STOP -> Leeds -> NON STOP -> Meadowhall -> NON STOP -> London. The X9/X10 is a breeze compared to that.
(09 Jul 2021, 9:45 am)Storx Doesn't the X9/X10 have a select few drivers who are trained for the route. If they've got limited drivers and no-one is trained to drive the route then that could be a problem whereas any other route anyone can just drive it.
Also those saying that the coaches are unsuitable the X9/X10 it's a very easy route for a coach. There's megabuses running from London to Newcastle/Edinburgh everyday mostly express up the A1/M1 which go Edinburgh -> NON STOP -> Newcastle -> NON STOP -> Leeds -> NON STOP -> Meadowhall -> NON STOP -> London. The X9/X10 is a breeze compared to that.
(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.
Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.
(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.
Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.
I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.
The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.
(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.
The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.
(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.
The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.
(12 Jul 2021, 1:10 pm)Adrian It could have been that it was too large or would cause an obstruction to the stairs. I've seen mobility scooters (not powerchairs) refused on normal service buses for being too large.
The rules around mobility scooters aren't as black and white as they are for Wheelchair users. See: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/image...rriage.pdf
(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.
The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.
(12 Jul 2021, 1:10 pm)Adrian It could have been that it was too large or would cause an obstruction to the stairs. I've seen mobility scooters (not powerchairs) refused on normal service buses for being too large.
The rules around mobility scooters aren't as black and white as they are for Wheelchair users. See: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/image...rriage.pdf
(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.
The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi. I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.
It’s one of those things, but people have become so used to low floor buses they now expect to be able to board with any size of buggy, pushchair, wheelchair or scooter.
This one would’ve not easily got on a Pulsar, and had no chance of getting on the coach.
Fair play to the driver who spent the time trying to help, but it’s one of those many occasions where the unreliability of a bus service isn’t the fault of the operator.
(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.
Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.
(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.
Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.
I've just travelled on Transdev's CityZap between Leeds and York, and the type of route must be similar to the X9/X10. They have a few stops at the beginning and end of the route, but its mainly up and down the A64/A1M.
So if the CityZap manage just fine with decent double deckers, I'm not sure why GNE cant with their routes?
CityZap is just over half the distance of X9/X10 end-to-end, and I believe Transdev limit the speed on their vehicles - or did for the previous CityZap allocation.
The coaches on X9/X10 are an excellent idea they have been needed for years. However its lack of maintenance on a GNE wide problem. Engineering don't have the staff or the budget to fix everything properly. Buses regularly go out with minor faults which get put off getting fixed and then eventually its becomes a major problem and bus breaks down completely. Other operators have exactly the same issues don't get me wrong. The company will not spend an awful lot of money on things until the future is more certain and the threat of a complete takeover is gone completely.
(13 Aug 2021, 10:22 am)GNE6312 With the X9 returning soon meaning so will regular use of 7130/32 and looking verry unlikely 7128/30/32 will be back on NX could GNE not repaint 7130/7132 to X-lines Charcoal seeing as they are the X9/X10 spares.
(13 Aug 2021, 10:22 am)GNE6312 With the X9 returning soon meaning so will regular use of 7130/32 and looking verry unlikely 7128/30/32 will be back on NX could GNE not repaint 7130/7132 to X-lines Charcoal seeing as they are the X9/X10 spares.
