(03 Dec 2022, 11:54 pm)Unber43 wrote Reliability is a massive issue and its need to be fixed asap, however with all the different bus types/branding there isn't a lot which you can do.30 minute layover in Stanley would be commercial suicide given that the X30/X31 can be easily done with a PVR of 3x in most instances with peak extras thrown in. Yes by all means make the X45 standalone and with changeovers with outside of Hownsgill, that should help with driving hours.
X45/X30/X31 - 30 mins layover in Stanley
X21 - 25 mins in Newcastle
Looking at the 56 a lot of them were very late turning at Gateshead, and they've got 12 mins at Sunderland, 8 mins at Newcastle, its constant delays to the same services day after day.
Just looking on GNE Twitter, 10 21:24 from Hexham is cancelled which means you've got an hour wait, 2A to Biddick cancelled, these aren't getting people onboard.
I think the PVR X21 is 8 with the massive layover, they should use the 20/70 Plate StreetDecks with 6377/6376/6332, spare, 6377 can be used on the X10 to give some E400 a rest as they're getting hammered on the X10 and unless GNE puts in a order for new buses in about 2-3 years I can see them being dieing on the route, as they're out from 4am to midnight.
X21 PVR is currently 8x and with a long layover at Eldon Square would be 9x. Surely as mentioned on the other thread moving 6341-51 to Riverside and having a fleet of 15x vehicles (with 2x spare) to choose from covering both the X10 & X21 would be more sensible. Minus the old X21/X22 'Sapphire' branding, Arriva Ashington are effectively doing that now with the 17 plate and 72 plate E400MMCs doing both the X14/X15/X18/X20 and X21/X22.