(27 Dec 2023, 6:17 pm)Adrian wrote Is that a new policy? Scheduled go-slow or something?

If a decker is only capable of going 16mph up hill, then it needs looking at. Most deckers (or buses for that matter) can handle hills without crawling up them.

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Aye, I used to take a Scania Metropolitan up Sheriff Hill nee bother

Followed 6001 tonight for a little bit, a cable was hanging down from the rear scraping against the floor and sparking.

Green Arrows livery with route 96 info decals still going.

All the buses today have been absolutely freezen, like not one little bit of heat anywhere.

I was out on the Network on Friday, and the network is just an absolute disgrace tbh.

(07 Jan 2024, 7:50 pm)Unber43 wrote I was out on the Network on Friday, and the network is just an absolute disgrace tbh.

And over the weekend too and just some of the thigns I found - Mainley been around Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham 

- Ridiculous amount of StreetLite displays, whcih either don't work, only show part of the route number/dest, totally black, white dots, half dimmed displays, dimmed displays
- State of the Consett E400 are awful, table laptop trays been pulled out, sticky (first service on the day) so clearly no cleaning has been done, the floor was loose, the sides of the floor coming up, no USB or Wireless Chargers working (4 buses) theyre only 3 year old come on 
- E400/Ex London Gemini should not be in normal services theyre awful, awful blue lights, awful rock solid seats 
- Allocations - theyre absolutely all over, I am one for Branding but evyerhing is just an absolute disgrace atm with GNE (might aswel have SC take over them)
- Over the past 8 years the absolute faliure for for some sort of uniformed approach - mis match of interior seating (theres about 8 different ones floating about if not more!)
- Uniform - never saw one driver in their polos whcih cost godknows about of money, branding changes in their logo too
- Keeping Branding such as for the X5/X15/16/16A/16B as Xlines and Durham Diamond even though theyve all gone and have been replaced by awful buses wihc lack the spec whcih is needed or what they used to have. As well as the 2/2A where theyre being withdrawn but still under Berries, should be Silver Arrows again 
- failure of communcation out of 9-5 M-F if your lucky with no updates on twitter of Facebook even when there are massive delays to services due to traffic or their failure to make a compentant timetable Should be 6am-9pm Monday-Saturday atleast
- Failure to put proper action in when services are running to a delay and failure to do anything to resolve the issue, maybe horrendous traffic into newcaslte, GNE puts on a shuttle between Newcastle and Gateshead every 5 mins so buses can make up time during busy parts of the week, mainley when schools are off or just on certain buses (again not a long term solution) 
- no cleaning ever done on buses, or issues reported nothing fixed
- no heating on any bus I wenton over the 3 days, absolutely freezing cold even 8 hours into the buses operation still absolutely freezing

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(07 Jan 2024, 7:50 pm)Unber43 wrote I was out on the Network on Friday, and the network is just an absolute disgrace tbh.

And over the weekend too and just some of the thigns I found - Mainley been around Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham 

- Ridiculous amount of StreetLite displays, whcih either don't work, only show part of the route number/dest, totally black, white dots, half dimmed displays, dimmed displays
- State of the Consett E400 are awful, table laptop trays been pulled out, sticky (first service on the day) so clearly no cleaning has been done, the floor was loose, the sides of the floor coming up, no USB or Wireless Chargers working (4 buses) theyre only 3 year old come on 
- E400/Ex London Gemini should not be in normal services theyre awful, awful blue lights, awful rock solid seats 
- Allocations - theyre absolutely all over, I am one for Branding but evyerhing is just an absolute disgrace atm with GNE (might aswel have SC take over them)
- Over the past 8 years the absolute faliure for for some sort of uniformed approach - mis match of interior seating (theres about 8 different ones floating about if not more!)
- Uniform - never saw one driver in their polos whcih cost godknows about of money, branding changes in their logo too
- Keeping Branding such as for the X5/X15/16/16A/16B as Xlines and Durham Diamond even though theyve all gone and have been replaced by awful buses wihc lack the spec whcih is needed or what they used to have. As well as the 2/2A where theyre being withdrawn but still under Berries, should be Silver Arrows again 
- failure of communcation out of 9-5 M-F if your lucky with no updates on twitter of Facebook even when there are massive delays to services due to traffic or their failure to make a compentant timetable Should be 6am-9pm Monday-Saturday atleast
- Failure to put proper action in when services are running to a delay and failure to do anything to resolve the issue, maybe horrendous traffic into newcaslte, GNE puts on a shuttle between Newcastle and Gateshead every 5 mins so buses can make up time during busy parts of the week, mainley when schools are off or just on certain buses (again not a long term solution) 
- no cleaning ever done on buses, or issues reported nothing fixed
- no heating on any bus I wenton over the 3 days, absolutely freezing cold even 8 hours into the buses operation still absolutely freezing

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(07 Jan 2024, 9:44 pm)Unber43 wrote And over the weekend too and just some of the thigns I found - Mainley been around Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham 

- Ridiculous amount of StreetLite displays, whcih either don't work, only show part of the route number/dest, totally black, white dots, half dimmed displays, dimmed displays
- State of the Consett E400 are awful, table laptop trays been pulled out, sticky (first service on the day) so clearly no cleaning has been done, the floor was loose, the sides of the floor coming up, no USB or Wireless Chargers working (4 buses) theyre only 3 year old come on 

Just on these two, purely because from memory they're things that GNE used to be pretty hot on. 

- On your destination point, I saw a Red Kite Ranger B9 on Friday that had a front destination display only showing half the destination screen, with the rear and side both blank. Good for anyone wanting "Nsett". I'd saw one on the 28th December with the same issue, so I'm going to assume it's the same bus and it hasn't been fixed. 

- I've noticed on my past couple of trips to town that those E400s are looking in need of some TLC, particularly on the skirt panels. Not out of place for some of the Arriva and Stagecoach buses in the region, but GNE up to somewhat recently were taking pride in their fleet appearance. It seems to be pretty low down on the priority now under Featham - similar to the end of his time at ANE. 

There are lots of things, across the business in general, that seem to have massively nosedived under Featham's tenure. I get that his brief will be to stop the company bleeding money, but if this is the way he wants to do it then I feel sorry for those at the company who want to take pride in their work.

I was out over the weekend, and last week and all the buses I went on were freezing, whether they were streetlites, B9s, Enviro 400s, Versas, the white yutongs. Like there was no heat coming out of anywhere.

(07 Jan 2024, 11:32 pm)mb134 wrote Just on these two, purely because from memory they're things that GNE used to be pretty hot on. 

- On your destination point, I saw a Red Kite Ranger B9 on Friday that had a front destination display only showing half the destination screen, with the rear and side both blank. Good for anyone wanting "Nsett". I'd saw one on the 28th December with the same issue, so I'm going to assume it's the same bus and it hasn't been fixed. 

- I've noticed on my past couple of trips to town that those E400s are looking in need of some TLC, particularly on the skirt panels. Not out of place for some of the Arriva and Stagecoach buses in the region, but GNE up to somewhat recently were taking pride in their fleet appearance. It seems to be pretty low down on the priority now under Featham - similar to the end of his time at ANE. 

There are lots of things, across the business in general, that seem to have massively nosedived under Featham's tenure. I get that his brief will be to stop the company bleeding money, but if this is the way he wants to do it then I feel sorry for those at the company who want to take pride in their work.

To be fair the strike won't have helped. There always seemed to be pride between the workers and the company. I can't imagine anyone has any respect so people will do the bare minimum. 

I know Arriva Durham's vinyls was always done by a few workers who had pride to make things to try and look better when under Feetham and went out their way to do it.

I know I wouldn't be doing anything beyond the minimum.

Allocations are a little bit all over the shop. You've got 19 year old Gemini's running to Brandon whilst Angel Streetdecks plod around Gateshead on the 51/52 and X66. One assumes they're being kept close to home incase a 'wing mirror' falls off

Interiors have been really poor on most buses I've been on, missing USBs (I don't use these but the gaps are a little unsightly, torn or badly stained e-leather, peeling tables, broken bins and handwritten notices) - not really a fantastic passenger experience

All the hallmarks of something being run at extremely low cost - perhaps to make it attractive for a future sell off

Sorry folks but gne never in my experience ever took a bus off the road to fix passenger heating, unless it made the cab so cold that the driver couldn’t keep from freezing (note I didn’t say keep warm) , or unless it was leaking water in which case they would just isolate the pipework to the heating system - top up the water and ‘keep it running’ until next 4 week check or PSV. Even if drivers did refuse to drive a vehicle it was often back on the road unfixed on another service less than 30 mins later - I doubt this has changed.

(08 Jan 2024, 10:26 am)Ambassador wrote Allocations are a little bit all over the shop. You've got 19 year old Gemini's running to Brandon whilst Angel Streetdecks plod around Gateshead on the 51/52 and X66. One assumes they're being kept close to home incase a 'wing mirror' falls off

Interiors have been really poor on most buses I've been on, missing USBs (I don't use these but the gaps are a little unsightly, torn or badly stained e-leather, peeling tables, broken bins and handwritten notices) - not really a fantastic passenger experience

All the hallmarks of something being run at extremely low cost - perhaps to make it attractive for a future sell off

I suspect that the impact of the strike (staff not working) has meant that buses have been maintained in roadworthy condition but there hasn't been time to sort out all the issues that don't stop the bus being on the road.

Currently suffering my way to Consett on 6944, and I'm not quite sure we'll make it.

It stalled twice reversing out of Durham Bus Station, and crawled up the bank at 15mph, and it was getting slower!

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(09 Jan 2024, 4:55 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Currently suffering my way to Consett on 6944, and I'm not quite sure we'll make it.

It stalled twice reversing out of Durham Bus Station, and crawled up the bank at 15mph, and it was getting slower!

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There’s a enviro 400 currently abandoned at Lanchester green, wonder if this was your bus and it’s died on the return leg.

I was in Forest Hall yesterday and while waiting at the bus I heard a large group of pensioners complaining about the state of the buses on the 355 and how they're no good for the old backs. Judging by my journey into town on the Streetlite, i could understand straight away what they were meaning, it was an awful journey.

Interestingly they didn't get on so I'm guessing they waited for the 38. I wonder if that was simply due to where they were going, or if they really dislike the rocket streetlites that much they'd wait in the rain.

(10 Jan 2024, 6:03 pm)Shrek wrote I was in Forest Hall yesterday and while waiting at the bus I heard a large group of pensioners complaining about the state of the buses on the 355 and how they're no good for the old backs. Judging by my journey into town on the Streetlite, i could understand straight away what they were meaning, it was an awful journey.

Interestingly they didn't get on so I'm guessing they waited for the 38. I wonder if that was simply due to where they were going, or if they really dislike the rocket streetlites that much they'd wait in the rain.

I've seen many people who use the Rockets service and they say the buses put on or horrible. 

My mam shops in Cramlington often and uses the bus and said to me once she got the 352 up to Cramlington and the bus was ratle. The nsa wasn't working nor were the USB. 

She got on a 37 back and it had working nsa & USB and said its way better. She doesn't have to walk far but said the 37 was a cleaner bus. 

But I'm sure I'll get slated for this but I'll wait.

I'm getting popcorn soon

(10 Jan 2024, 6:03 pm)Shrek wrote I was in Forest Hall yesterday and while waiting at the bus I heard a large group of pensioners complaining about the state of the buses on the 355 and how they're no good for the old backs. Judging by my journey into town on the Streetlite, i could understand straight away what they were meaning, it was an awful journey.

Interestingly they didn't get on so I'm guessing they waited for the 38. I wonder if that was simply due to where they were going, or if they really dislike the rocket streetlites that much they'd wait in the rain.

Not disputing what they're saying, but really surprised they've just started moaning about it now, considering the Arriva 52/53/54/55 were allocated erm Streetlite's. 

Stagecoach's seats are way worse though mind imo.

(10 Jan 2024, 6:44 pm)Storx wrote Not disputing what they're saying, but really surprised they've just started moaning about it now, considering the Arriva 52/53/54/55 were allocated erm Streetlite's. 

Stagecoach's seats are way worse though mind imo.

I can't stand Streetlites in general, but the 355 I was on the other day was horrendous compared to the Arriva ones. I'm assuming if their complaints are anything similar to my journey, it won't be the seats which are the issue, but more the fact you feel like you're traveling in a tumble dryer. 

It looked like the interior hadn't been cleaned in a year or two as well, but I don't think that's any different to any Arriva or Stagecoach bus if I'm honest.

2 GNE buses parked at Arnison receiving tlc from the men in hi vis, this morning - one of the E400s and a green xlines that was the x21 but is now heading up the A167 in front of me with engineers on board.

There was an ANE pulsar in between them, also with it's hazards but he was just as likely to be having a fag break.

(10 Jan 2024, 10:41 pm)Shrek wrote I can't stand Streetlites in general, but the 355 I was on the other day was horrendous compared to the Arriva ones. I'm assuming if their complaints are anything similar to my journey, it won't be the seats which are the issue, but more the fact you feel like you're traveling in a tumble dryer. 

It looked like the interior hadn't been cleaned in a year or two as well, but I don't think that's any different to any Arriva or Stagecoach bus if I'm honest.

Aye that's fair, used to be the opposite with Percy Main and Arriva til recently aswell NGL.

Does anyone know why there's an X21 branded bus at Consett and Sunderland?

(20 Jan 2024, 12:44 am)itsadam wrote Does anyone know why there's an X21 branded bus at Consett and Sunderland?

6308 at Consett was one of the buses temporarily allocated there to replace a Volvo B5 Hybrid (it was surplus to requirements at Riverside, being replaced by a StreetDeck on the X21).

6309 and 6310 have transferred to Sunderland in readiness for the reinstatement of the X20 service from the end of this month - they transferred early as L&G Coaches are no longer running two of the Nexus school bus boards they have been covering for the last year.


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(10 Jan 2024, 6:44 pm)Storx wrote Not disputing what they're saying, but really surprised they've just started moaning about it now, considering the Arriva 52/53/54/55 were allocated erm Streetlite's. 

Stagecoach's seats are way worse though mind imo.

I can vouch that Cummins engined StreetLites are a smoother ride then Daimler versions.

(20 Jan 2024, 6:35 am)Dan wrote 6308 at Consett was one of the buses temporarily allocated there to replace a Volvo B5 Hybrid (it was surplus to requirements at Riverside, being replaced by a StreetDeck on the X21).

6309 and 6310 have transferred to Sunderland in readiness for the reinstatement of the X20 service from the end of this month - they transferred early as L&G Coaches are no longer running two of the Nexus school bus boards they have been covering for the last year.


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What's replacing them?

(20 Jan 2024, 7:53 pm)itsadam wrote What's replacing them?

Replacing what?


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(20 Jan 2024, 7:57 pm)Dan wrote Replacing what?


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Think he means the B5's on the X21.


I take it, it'll be Streetdecks

(20 Jan 2024, 8:15 pm)Michael wrote Think he means the B5's on the X21.


I take it, it'll be Streetdecks

I think it was stated on here a few days ago, the green StreetDecks.

(20 Jan 2024, 7:57 pm)Dan wrote Replacing what?


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Never mind that Dan lad. 

Who is replacing you at GNE? Saw something that said you were moving on. GCT? Who else have you slagged off over the years on here? Hope you've not burned any bridges or said something you shouldn't have put of some sort of loyalty fella.

Wonder if its due to the downward spiral of the company?

(20 Jan 2024, 9:16 pm)Andreos1 wrote Never mind that Dan lad. 

Who is replacing you at GNE? Saw something that said you were moving on. GCT? Who else have you slagged off over the years on here? Hope you've not burned any bridges or said something you shouldn't have put of some sort of loyalty fella.

My oh my, Andreos - you have your fingers in many pies.

All I can say is that I am sure Ambassador will be pleased.


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