(04 Nov 2022, 10:27 pm)L469 YVK wrote Barring the 306, could Arriva eventually decide to sell off the former Jesmond depot operation (including all routes temporarily moved to Blyth) to Stagecoach?

Why would they?

(04 Nov 2022, 10:27 pm)L469 YVK wrote Barring the 306, could Arriva eventually decide to sell off the former Jesmond depot operation (including all routes temporarily moved to Blyth) to Stagecoach?

They'd be a good fit to the Stagecoach network in my opinion. Wouldn't be surprised if the Arriva Walkergate drivers jump ship to Stagecoach to take advantage of an actual building to work in and higher rates.

(04 Nov 2022, 10:39 pm)mb134 wrote Why would they?

Have to echo this, I'm not sure why they'd want to buy them especially with the 306 which is half alright. They're a bunch of weak routes which don't really have anything going for them.

Arriva Blyth and Ashington are the two depots which have the decent routes in Northumbria.

Jesmond has always been the weak point of Northumbria similar to Durham in North East and it's why usually they have the worst fleets. The reason why the depot isn't economical anymore pretty much.

(05 Nov 2022, 7:15 am)Storx wrote Have to echo this, I'm not sure why they'd want to buy them especially with the 306 which is half alright. They're a bunch of weak routes which don't really have anything going for them.

Arriva Blyth and Ashington are the two depots which have the decent routes in Northumbria.

Jesmond has always been the weak point of Northumbria similar to Durham in North East and it's why usually they have the worst fleets. The reason why the depot isn't economical anymore pretty much.

43/44/45 are an alright set of routes to be fair minus the frequency reductions to combat driver shortages.

51 & 54 could be interworked with the 317 if kept hourly......or the 54 could be merged into a new X62 & X63 with the 54 running as an X62.

Don't know about the 55.

685 would become full Stagecoach. 

52 & 53 aren't too bad although not exactly money makers......but Stagecoach have made a good go of the 10/11 and 317 which are 'local' routes too.

53 is rubbish when its 32 minutes late like yesterday

(05 Nov 2022, 9:13 am)L469 YVK wrote 43/44/45 are an alright set of routes to be fair minus the frequency reductions to combat driver shortages.

51 & 54 could be interworked with the 317 if kept hourly......or the 54 could be merged into a new X62 & X63 with the 54 running as an X62.

Don't know about the 55.

685 would become full Stagecoach. 

52 & 53 aren't too bad although not exactly money makers......but Stagecoach have made a good go of the 10/11 and 317 which are 'local' routes too.

The 10/11 and 317 are Nexus contracts...I'd hardly give them credit for making a good go of them, that's what they've been contracted to do. It could be Go North East or more likely Gateshead Central Taxis running them by March. 

If you exclude them, Stagecoach don't currently operate commercially within the area, they operate within the city of Newcastle. Arriva operate to Cramlington, Whitley Bay etc so it makes sense for the 43/44/45 and 51/52/53/54 to stay with them. 

The 55 I could actually see in Stagecoach's network - most likely I see Arriva withdrawing it and it ending up a Nexus contract that Stagecoach could win. 

I agree the 685 would make much more sense with Stagecoach.

(05 Nov 2022, 10:06 am)peter wrote The 10/11 and 317 are Nexus contracts...I'd hardly give them credit for making a good go of them, that's what they've been contracted to do. It could be Go North East or more likely Gateshead Central Taxis running them by March. 

If you exclude them, Stagecoach don't currently operate commercially within the area, they operate within the city of Newcastle. Arriva operate to Cramlington, Whitley Bay etc so it makes sense for the 43/44/45 and 51/52/53/54 to stay with them. 

The 55 I could actually see in Stagecoach's network - most likely I see Arriva withdrawing it and it ending up a Nexus contract that Stagecoach could win. 

I agree the 685 would make much more sense with Stagecoach.

Aren't the 10/11 and 317 run with some 'commercial risk' though?

43/44/45 go into Gosforth which Stagecoach has a fair bit of presence. Plus Stagecoach running the 43/44/45 would keep the CMA happy with there being 'some' competition with Arriva.

51 fair enough, 52/53 both serve Forest Hall and Killingworth plus surrounding areas which have Stagecoach presence as does the 54. CMA again should be alright as Arriva also have the X7/X8 operating in parts.

55 you might be right.

685 would make sense with Stagecoach.

(05 Nov 2022, 10:06 am)peter wrote The 10/11 and 317 are Nexus contracts...I'd hardly give them credit for making a good go of them, that's what they've been contracted to do. It could be Go North East or more likely Gateshead Central Taxis running them by March. 

If you exclude them, Stagecoach don't currently operate commercially within the area, they operate within the city of Newcastle. Arriva operate to Cramlington, Whitley Bay etc so it makes sense for the 43/44/45 and 51/52/53/54 to stay with them. 

The 55 I could actually see in Stagecoach's network - most likely I see Arriva withdrawing it and it ending up a Nexus contract that Stagecoach could win. 

I agree the 685 would make much more sense with Stagecoach.

The 55 won't be replaced, there's no need for it. It's covered by other services (52 / 62). All that would happen is the X7/X8 would stop between Newcastle and South Gosforth as they do in an evening and that's it.

(05 Nov 2022, 11:17 am)Storx wrote The 55 won't be replaced, there's no need for it. It's covered by other services (52 / 62). All that would happen is the X7/X8 would stop between Newcastle and South Gosforth as they do in an evening and that's it.

Or re-routing the 52 like you've suggested a few times,which tbh, could actually work

(05 Nov 2022, 9:13 am)L469 YVK wrote 43/44/45 are an alright set of routes to be fair minus the frequency reductions to combat driver shortages.

51 & 54 could be interworked with the 317 if kept hourly......or the 54 could be merged into a new X62 & X63 with the 54 running as an X62.

Don't know about the 55.

685 would become full Stagecoach. 

52 & 53 aren't too bad although not exactly money makers......but Stagecoach have made a good go of the 10/11 and 317 which are 'local' routes too.

Why would Arriva willingly sell off routes like the 43/44/45 which make a good amount of money for them?

The minibus work, some of which they've already binned, fair enough, but routes along busy corridors which can easily be operated from another depot? Would be absolutely mental from a business POV.

Does anyone think Arriva will now run they operations out of Walkergate for the forseable future more than 6 months as I'm thinking if they do move fully to Blyth and ashington they will be short of more drivers. I was thinking is cheaper for them just running out of Walkergate.

Can someone confirm which routes for arriva operate out of Walkergate depot?

(24 Nov 2022, 3:04 pm)logidoodah wrote Can someone confirm which routes for arriva operate out of Walkergate depot?

51,52,53,54,55,553,555,685,306(some ran by Blyth due to interwork of the 308)

(25 Nov 2022, 8:14 pm)Aaron21 wrote 51,52,53,54,55,553,555,685,306(some ran by Blyth due to interwork of the 308)

There are certain 43/44/45 boards ran from Walkergate now, some work transferred from Blyth back to Walkergate a couple of weeks ago. They also run the 47 and a decent chunk of school work. 

Blyth also run some 51/52/53/54 trips.

(05 Nov 2022, 10:06 am)peter wrote The 10/11 and 317 are Nexus contracts...I'd hardly give them credit for making a good go of them, that's what they've been contracted to do. It could be Go North East or more likely Gateshead Central Taxis running them by March. 

If you exclude them, Stagecoach don't currently operate commercially within the area, they operate within the city of Newcastle. Arriva operate to Cramlington, Whitley Bay etc so it makes sense for the 43/44/45 and 51/52/53/54 to stay with them. 

The 55 I could actually see in Stagecoach's network - most likely I see Arriva withdrawing it and it ending up a Nexus contract that Stagecoach could win. 

I agree the 685 would make much more sense with Stagecoach.

Even Go North East would be suitable for route 685, from Hexham and possibly Gateshead depots.

I agree though that Stagecoach from Carlisle & Newcastle is sensible for depots at both ends.

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(05 Nov 2022, 10:06 am)peter wrote The 10/11 and 317 are Nexus contracts...I'd hardly give them credit for making a good go of them, that's what they've been contracted to do. It could be Go North East or more likely Gateshead Central Taxis running them by March. 

If you exclude them, Stagecoach don't currently operate commercially within the area, they operate within the city of Newcastle. Arriva operate to Cramlington, Whitley Bay etc so it makes sense for the 43/44/45 and 51/52/53/54 to stay with them. 

The 55 I could actually see in Stagecoach's network - most likely I see Arriva withdrawing it and it ending up a Nexus contract that Stagecoach could win. 

I agree the 685 would make much more sense with Stagecoach.

Yet another shambles with ARRIVA on a Northern strike day. It isn't beyond the wit of man to do a couple of bus swaps on Friday at Eldon Square or Haymarket with services from Ashington or Blyth in order to allocate deckers on the 685 for Saturday. Ridiculous, and pretty basic stuff to get right.

(26 Nov 2022, 2:20 pm)DeltaMan wrote Yet another shambles with ARRIVA on a Northern strike day. It isn't beyond the wit of man to do a couple of bus swaps on Friday at Eldon Square or Haymarket with services from Ashington or Blyth in order to allocate deckers on the 685 for Saturday. Ridiculous, and pretty basic stuff to get right.

Could blame Northern instead rather than the bus company instead... Good on them for sticking it into Northern who they lost because of poor performance - rather ironic. It'd be the last company I'd be helping out if I was them. 

GoNorthEast has minibuses on the 684 aswell for the record.

(26 Nov 2022, 5:10 pm)Storx wrote Could blame Northern instead rather than the bus company instead... Good on them for sticking it into Northern who they lost because of poor performance - rather ironic. It'd be the last company I'd be helping out if I was them. 

GoNorthEast has minibuses on the 684 aswell for the record.

Some operations or commercial manager at bus company hq wouldn't give two figs about rail franchise loses. ARRIVA know how busy saturday strike days are on the 685 are and do sweet FA. It's lazy and poor practice

(26 Nov 2022, 5:57 pm)DeltaMan wrote Some operations or commercial manager at bus company hq wouldn't give two figs about rail franchise loses. ARRIVA know how busy saturday strike days are on the 685 are and do sweet FA. It's lazy and poor practice

Why should passengers of other routes suffer?

(26 Nov 2022, 7:34 pm)mb134 wrote Why should passengers of other routes suffer?

Why would anybody suffer? They'd just need to use the displaced singles as spare for the day at Blyth or Ashington.

(26 Nov 2022, 5:57 pm)DeltaMan wrote Some operations or commercial manager at bus company hq wouldn't give two figs about rail franchise loses. ARRIVA know how busy saturday strike days are on the 685 are and do sweet FA. It's lazy and poor practice

See I think they would, if they have no money interests in the company, then they'd have an interest in supporting their colleagues on the rail incase they're in the same boat in the future.

The only people who care, are those who care about money, but then if they start meddling with operations, you're going into micromanagement territory.

Arriva and GNE have consistently not put bigger buses on any strike routes so it's a decision within the company including strike days in Sunderland with singles still running the likes of the 24 on a match day.

(26 Nov 2022, 9:17 pm)Storx wrote See I think they would, if they have no money interests in the company, then they'd have an interest in supporting their colleagues on the rail incase they're in the same boat in the future.

The only people who care, are those who care about money, but then if they start meddling with operations, you're going into micromanagement territory.

Arriva and GNE have consistently not put bigger buses on any strike routes so it's a decision within the company including strike days in Sunderland with singles still running the likes of the 24 on a match day.

And the 9 which gets even more hammered & 56, which is even worse if there are two matches on.

(26 Nov 2022, 9:08 pm)DeltaMan wrote Why would anybody suffer? They'd just need to use the displaced singles as spare for the day at Blyth or Ashington.

On what routes exactly? Oh, routes that they're taking deckers away from, causing regular passengers to suffer.

Arriva says bye bye to 685.

Cumbria CC website has 685 going all Stagecoach from 22 Jan 2023.

https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/buses/news/?f...uTzEW8sa-c

(15 Dec 2022, 8:57 pm)Brampton Trev wrote Arriva says bye bye to 685.

Cumbria CC website has 685 going all Stagecoach from 22 Jan 2023.

https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/buses/news/?f...uTzEW8sa-c

At least Cumbria CC website has the option to download the timetables as PDF’s


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(15 Dec 2022, 9:22 pm)cbma06 wrote At least Cumbria CC website has the option to download the timetables as PDF’s


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What, like Nexus do? Who have the timetables on this side of the Pennines?

(16 Dec 2022, 1:05 am)deanmachine wrote What, like Nexus do? Who have the timetables on this side of the Pennines?

GNE don’t, DCC don’t, Arriva 50/50 when there site works and the bus service shows up to download the timetable, Nexus does but only on services which enter TW


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(16 Dec 2022, 10:09 am)cbma06 wrote GNE don’t, DCC don’t, Arriva 50/50 when there site works and the bus service shows up to download the timetable, Nexus does but only on services which enter TW


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You can get PDF of any nexus timetable including those that don’t enter TW for example 235 Berwick-St Abb’s

(16 Dec 2022, 1:28 pm)Coastliner700 wrote You can get PDF of any nexus timetable including those that don’t enter TW for example 235 Berwick-St Abb’s

Nexus provides timetable information on behalf of Northumberland County Council, so services like that will appear.

(16 Dec 2022, 10:09 am)cbma06 wrote GNE don’t, DCC don’t, Arriva 50/50 when there site works and the bus service shows up to download the timetable, Nexus does but only on services which enter TW


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I note that a styled PDF timetable is available on the GNE website for the new 682 service being provided in Hexham in the new year.

Perhaps indicates something is on its way.


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