(21 Sep 2022, 7:29 am)Storx wrote Must admit I use an Arriva service and get Corporate, X7/X8/X9, X10/X11, Daft Brush and 308 buses all allocated and if I had to be honest I really couldn't give a toss.

I'd much rather have a service that runs the full route and on time than the 'right' bus which I have to get off 10 stops early as it got curtailed early if it bother's to turn up at all.

Glad people don't have an interest in Arriva on here, it's all you'd ever hear at Blyth, Jesmond, Durham and Darlington.

Difference is though - Arriva have 3 main liveries - corp, max and sapphire, with each sub-branded for each individual branded route, and they're all very similar liveries anyway. GNE's buses are all the colours of the rainbow and beyond, and most routes have their own colour, so it sticks out like a sore thumb when a wrong bus is on that route.

(21 Sep 2022, 11:52 am)Drifter60 wrote There’s wrong allocations and there’s just things that shouldn’t happen/should be swapped whenever possible.
Country Ranger StreetLite on X1 whilst a XLINES decker is on 34s. (34 doesn’t need a decker)
X1 missing two deckers overall as a Connections 4 is also on the X1 whilst another Country Ranger moonlights on the 4.
Whilst two other XLINES deckers are seemingly off route operating the 58 and 50 respectively.

Information all taken from GNE site or Bus Times, so apologies if anything isn’t accurate. I suppose my point is when you’ve got a route like the X1 which justifies a double decker allocation plus the fact it is already reduced to every 15 minutes, from previous higher frequencies - the fact there’s two single deckers further reducing capacity is not good.

There was also a Country Ranger on the X1.

Meanwhile 3 X1's were on school routes. There were 56's all over the place with Citaros on the 56 this morning.

6376 & X1 on 58.

58 G2 on 25.

Out of curiosity what is the best and most enjoyable bus company to drive for go north east, stagecoach or arriva I start go north east this Monday but just wondered what people think.

(21 Sep 2022, 5:54 pm)lloyd647 wrote Out of curiosity what is the best and most enjoyable bus company to drive for go north east, stagecoach or arriva I start go north east this Monday but just wondered what people think.

To be honest it's probably more depot and rota dependent than company, if we're talking about enjoyment of the job. With GNE and ANE there'll be a good mix of all sorts of routes depending on depot, some will appeal to drivers who want to be constantly busy (urban work), some will appeal to drivers who want more long distance/scenic/express driving (rural/interurban work).

(21 Sep 2022, 11:01 am)Andreos1 wrote I think it's to do with the money, promo and standards we keep seeing linked to GNE.
They do things before everyone else. They predict things before everyone else. They're better than everyone else. 
They're part of the back patting club. The 'people talk about the branding, so it must work' type of logic.


Except deep down, we see (or some of us do anyway) delusions of grandeur and behind that fur coat of theirs - no knickers.

I'm like you. I want a bus that gets me from A-B.
To be honest, the gricer in me quite enjoys getting on a vehicle incorrectly allocated.

Interesting to see Transdev announcing today that the CityZap service is ending in November. The CityZap service using their "Sky Class" vehicles, no doubt with a significant input from Mr. Stenning. 

Another example of members of the Ten Percent Club failing to make bus travel desirable?

(21 Sep 2022, 6:55 pm)mb134 wrote Interesting to see Transdev announcing today that the CityZap service is ending in November. The CityZap service using their "Sky Class" vehicles, no doubt with a significant input from Mr. Stenning. 

Another example of members of the Ten Percent Club failing to make bus travel desirable?

Wonder where their E400MMC could go.

(21 Sep 2022, 6:55 pm)mb134 wrote Interesting to see Transdev announcing today that the CityZap service is ending in November. The CityZap service using their "Sky Class" vehicles, no doubt with a significant input from Mr. Stenning. 

Another example of members of the Ten Percent Club failing to make bus travel desirable?

Not surprised.

A return on the Cityzap is £12, an Off Peak Return on the train (Northern York to Blackpool train) is only £13 and is twice as quick and if you get advance tickets you can a return for £6.60 (even tomorrow using peak time trains is only £12).

It also uses the new Class 195 trains which blow any bus out the water imo.

(21 Sep 2022, 7:15 pm)Storx wrote Not surprised.

A return on the Cityzap is £12, an Off Peak Return on the train (Northern York to Blackpool train) is only £13 and is twice as quick and if you get advance tickets you can a return for £6.60 (even tomorrow using peak time trains is only £12).

It also uses the new Class 195 trains which blow any bus out the water imo.

I thought it was £2 maximum fare

(21 Sep 2022, 7:19 pm)Unber43 wrote I thought it was £2 maximum fare

Think that's within West Yorkshire only, not sure on that tbh.

(21 Sep 2022, 7:27 pm)Storx wrote Think that's within West Yorkshire only, not sure on that tbh.

It is West Yorkshire only.

(21 Sep 2022, 7:02 pm)Unber43 wrote Wonder where their E400MMC could go.

X98/X99 between Wetherby & Leeds which they're taking over operation of from First Leeds soon (supposedly the E400MMCs are coming off ZAP this weekend in preparation for being redeployed onto X98/X99), unsure what they're using on CITYZAP for the last few weeks of operation.

(21 Sep 2022, 6:37 pm)mb134 wrote To be honest it's probably more depot and rota dependent than company, if we're talking about enjoyment of the job. With GNE and ANE there'll be a good mix of all sorts of routes depending on depot, some will appeal to drivers who want to be constantly busy (urban work), some will appeal to drivers who want more long distance/scenic/express driving (rural/interurban work).

Am I right in thinking With Stagecoach you drive predominantly 1 route, whereas GNE and ANE it’s anything & everything?

(21 Sep 2022, 9:12 pm)Chris 1 wrote Am I right in thinking With Stagecoach you drive predominantly 1 route, whereas GNE and ANE it’s anything & everything?

Really? I thought the rota was mixed.

I must say it must be boring driving the same route all the time, you might make friends with regulars tho.

Probably not unusual now after the latest transfers of buses, but Peterlee Purples solo 659 has been working into Newcastle all day on services 28 and 29. Saw it arriving at Eldon Square on its last run just after 7pm.

(21 Sep 2022, 6:55 pm)mb134 wrote Interesting to see Transdev announcing today that the CityZap service is ending in November. The CityZap service using their "Sky Class" vehicles, no doubt with a significant input from Mr. Stenning. 

Another example of members of the Ten Percent Club failing to make bus travel desirable?

I'd not seen that.

But of course it will be covid's fault.

X Lines Merc on 28/29 today, tracking as 5257 on bustimes

685 (Little Pinks) 58
6161 (East Gateshead Loop) 21

(21 Sep 2022, 9:12 pm)Chris 1 wrote Am I right in thinking With Stagecoach you drive predominantly 1 route, whereas GNE and ANE it’s anything & everything?

Can't speak for other depots but generally at Sunderland, you'll only drive 2 or 3 routes in a day (excluding interworking, eg 10 & 11 or X1 & 3), so a duty could be (just pulling this out my arse btw, this isn't an actual duty):
- Sign on at 0700
- Leave depot onto 3, 0710
- Relieved from 3, 0955
- Take over 18, 1015
- Relieved from 18, 1200
- Break
- Take over 10/11, 1250
- Relieved from 10/11, 1515
- Cash in and bugger off.

With GNE it seems drivers do many routes in one day.

(22 Sep 2022, 2:33 pm)F114TML wrote Can't speak for other depots but generally at Sunderland, you'll only drive 2 or 3 routes in a day (excluding interworking, eg 10 & 11 or X1 & 3), so a duty could be (just pulling this out my arse btw, this isn't an actual duty):
- Sign on at 0700
- Leave depot onto 3, 0710
- Relieved from 3, 0955
- Take over 18, 1015
- Relieved from 18, 1200
- Break
- Take over 10/11, 1250
- Relieved from 10/11, 1515
- Cash in and bugger off.

With GNE it seems drivers do many routes in one day.

GNE similar.... Example only
Sign on 0650
Leave Depot @ 0700 light running to Concord to commence 56 to Sunderland
  56 to Newcastle then back to Sunderland
Break 1115
Relieve Service 60 @ 1155
Relieved @ 1440
Passenger on Staff shuttle to depot pay in and clock off....

(22 Sep 2022, 5:05 pm)Retro Nero wrote GNE similar.... Example only
Sign on 0650
Leave Depot @ 0700 light running to Concord to commence 56 to Sunderland
  56 to Newcastle then back to Sunderland
Break 1115
Relieve Service 60 @ 1155
Relieved @ 1440
Passenger on Staff shuttle to depot pay in and clock off....

The 56 normally is Drive to Newcastle and Back, however when the evening trips just terminate at Concord its the same driver.
I'd imagine most drivers on the 60 do 3 as that comes in just below the 5 hours.

(22 Sep 2022, 5:16 pm)Unber43 wrote The 56 normally is Drive to Newcastle and Back, however when the evening trips just terminate at Concord its the same driver.
I'd imagine most drivers on the 60 do 3 as that comes in just below the 5 hours.

Some Early morning 56 journey's commence at Concord.
Some trips on service 60 consists of 3 trips some 2 trips there is even some duties only have 1 trip ....it varies

Ex GNW on the 21 ?

(22 Sep 2022, 6:26 pm)Retro Nero wrote Some Early morning 56 journey's commence at Concord.
Some trips on service 60 consists of 3 trips some 2 trips there is even some duties only have 1 trip ....it varies

I suppose one trips (similar to old 20 duties from Sunderland to Shields to Sunderland) were to make up driving hours.

How often do you get a 4 day weekend off with GNE.

(22 Sep 2022, 7:02 pm)itsadam wrote Ex GNW on the 21 ?

I think I saw one the other day (not keeping up too much but it was a G1 with a registration beginning MX07) - it was going towards Doxford with "X20 Sunderland via Arnison Centre" on the front. Has that destination just been left there or does it not have the new ones?

(22 Sep 2022, 7:02 pm)itsadam wrote Ex GNW on the 21 ?

There was indeed. Believe it was 6186.

Whilst 3 Angel branded streetdecks sat parked up at Gateshead Interchange which is now challenging heaven in the most amount of angels sitting around stakes.

I have noticed a lot of new drivers on the Angel lately and none of them seem to know the stop names (or passengers names for them) though it’s not helping when halfway through a run my CLS bound chariot is told he’s now going to Durham…

(22 Sep 2022, 8:24 pm)Ambassador wrote There was indeed. Believe it was 6186.

Whilst 3 Angel branded streetdecks sat parked up at Gateshead Interchange which is now challenging heaven in the most amount of angels sitting around stakes.

I have noticed a lot of new drivers on the Angel lately and none of them seem to know the stop names (or passengers names for them) though it’s not helping when halfway through a run my CLS bound chariot is told he’s now going to Durham…

To be fair, there are about 1,000 stops on the Angel, most of which are just random street names in places they've probably never been before!
Then, like you say there are passengers names for stops, of which 99% of them will be names for pubs that closed 40 years ago

"Ambassador wroteI have noticed a lot of new drivers on the Angel lately and none of them seem to know the stop names (or passengers names for them) though it’s not helping when halfway through a run my CLS bound chariot is told he’s now going to Durham…

Don't know the half of it with Riverside Drivers doing the 21/X21 absolute farcical

(23 Sep 2022, 7:40 am)NL62WVW wrote Don't know the half of it with Riverside Drivers doing the 21/X21 absolute farcical

How many CLS drivers ended up moving to Riverside?
I've barely seen any of the usual faces on the X21 since it moved