(29 Sep 2024, 4:38 pm)DeltaMan wrote Irrespective of the fact the sockets never work, this is unacceptable in any setting.

Ummm, that looks at first glance like a distinct safety hazard, and that the vehicle should not be on the road.  Did you report it to the driver?

Just thought about this to sort the shambles out at Riverside.........

- Changes in Derwentside as previously mentioned including increase of X32 to 2bph and X31 dropped. X45 interworks with X32 & X73. X70 re-routed via Lobley Hill Est in place of X32 and interworks with the other hourly X32.

- All E400MMC moved to Riverside, including services X30/X71, interworking with 4 out of the 8 X21 boards. Would allow all driver reliefs to happen at Gateshead Interchange too. Interworking pattern would be X21 > X21 > X71 > X71 > X30 > X30 then back to X21. Driver A would do Gateshead > West Auckland > Gateshead with driver B completing both Tyne crossings as well as doing the X30 & X71. Timings questionable, but X71 would get 23 mins layover in Consett.

Riverside:
- X10 - 3x E400MMC & 1x StreetDeck OM936
- X21 - 4x E400MMC
- X21/X30/X71 - 8x E400MMC
- 3x E400MMC spare.....not counting 6336/37 with them being ex-demo / part availability issues with these. 
** Also option to re-introduce X9, but misc spares or 6336/37 would have to be used on standalone X21 boards to cover VOR's.

- All E200MMC moved to Consett, including service 12 (interworking with 6). Consett would also likely operate evening & Sunday X30's using E200MMC's. Could do interworking pattern at these times with 6/12/X30/X72. X66 would be opetated with stop gap vehicles until EV's arrive.

- All B5TL's, and StreetDecks 6356-63 moved to Consett for X32/X45/X70/X73. X20 instead operated by misc deckers or could eventually use some of the Cobalt B9TL's if PM end up with the current Angel StreetDecks.

(27 Sep 2024, 11:10 pm)Ambassador wrote I know what we need

Waiting for a Liam Hall tweet to tell me how amazing GNE are…

I don't recall saying GNE are amazing but don't worry there will be plenty of other tweets from me this week ?

Noticed a Gemini causing chaos on the Newcastle Bank stop in Birtley last night. 
Appeared to be broken down. Driver had abandoned it and was hanging around in the bus stop.

(28 Sep 2024, 11:26 pm)Storx wrote Yeah I believe so, it always done well the Red Kite imo but it's been a shambles pretty much since it turned into X Lines. Something personally I'd scrap.

I haven't checked what the PVR would be but the 69 Plate Enviro 200 MMC's which are sitting around doing nothing much lately should be enough? Sure they'd be able to do it fine. Need something for the X66, spare Q3's electrics maybe?

Upgrades for everyone really, could easily get some of these second hand Streetlite's that are supposedly coming up to cover the 6, then the B9's and E400MMC's can fill the quota up on the X5/X15/X70/X71/X72.

Be quite an upgrade to what's going around currently imo.

I suspect that the StreetLites from Swindon are only Euro 5, so likely to go to Deptford replacing older Versa.

(09 Oct 2024, 3:18 pm)busmanT wrote I suspect that the StreetLites from Swindon are only Euro 5, so likely to go to Deptford replacing older Versa.

Least they'll get rid of the last 2 berry versa, which just seem to be hanging around.

(09 Oct 2024, 4:01 pm)Michael wrote Least they'll get rid of the last 2 berry versa, which just seem to be hanging around.

Looks like go north have finally debranded berries on the app

I still think the 42 should come back 42 (2 3tph), 43 (2a 2tph). And 2A/2C (every 15 mnis)

(11 Oct 2024, 10:49 pm)Acky81 wrote Looks like go north have finally debranded berries on the app

and on NSA too

Why has 5362 been off road for so long?

(12 Oct 2024, 11:10 am)Liam Hall wrote and on NSA too

I was on the 2 today, and it still had the Berries announcements.

(12 Oct 2024, 7:49 pm)alexanderdennis0312933 wrote I was on the 2 today, and it still had the Berries announcements.

That vehicle must have a WiFi issue so it hasn't taken the latest update then

Notice last night that one of the Durham Diamonds had grafitti over the branding on the offside.
Not sure if thats happened while in depot or out on the road?

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

6108 expired outside of Cobalt on middle engine lane at 4.15 whilst doing an X39. Percy Main sent an engineer on 6210 to rescue it.

Two double decker buses blocking a lane of traffic on Middle Engine Lane at rush hour…with an empty bus stop that 6210 could have pulled into just yards away.

What's happened to 5376? It's all blue no vynils on nearside.

What fleet numbers are the six Halloween decorated buses?

5376 is odd, there are certain panels which had been replaced down the door side, and there are one or two which haven't been replaced but the vinyl has been stripped off. The seagull vinyls near the rear up the black glass part have been stripped as well. The paintwork due to some of the panels being replaced, some being the old ones the colour mismatch is more noticeable the closer you get.

(24 Oct 2024, 7:34 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote What fleet numbers are the six Halloween decorated buses?

The buses that failed to turn up today.

Only 5449 from Percy Main is shown, I'm sure the others should appear tomorrow if they been done, but given how many there is, it be one per depot.

(24 Oct 2024, 9:29 pm)nova347 wrote 5376 is odd, there are certain panels which had been replaced down the door side, and there are one or two which haven't been replaced but the vinyl has been stripped off. The seagull vinyls near the rear up the black glass part have been stripped as well. The paintwork due to some of the panels being replaced, some being the old ones the colour mismatch is more noticeable the closer you get.

The Drifters are going in for an updated livery, and I think 2 are going corporate, so I don't think they will have there current vinyls reapplied

I think I'll prefer the current drifter livery over anything new. It's unique it looks better than the two stripes and a few letters. The Drifters as with the old Prince Bishops, old Coaster branding etc were so good.

(25 Oct 2024, 5:04 am)Retro Nero wrote The Drifters are going in for an updated livery, and I think 2 are going corporate, so I don't think they will have there current vinyls reapplied

Surely GoNE should be moving away from branding now and just have everything corporate with exception to the likes of the Electrics etc!

(25 Oct 2024, 10:24 am)L469 YVK wrote Surely GoNE should be moving away from branding now and just have everything corporate with exception to the likes of the Electrics etc!

The only brandings staying are (Sunderland Depot) --- City Rider , Prince Bishops, Drifter ( which will be similar to coaster);, and XLines (X20) all others going corporate.

(25 Oct 2024, 2:59 pm)Retro Nero wrote The only brandings staying are (Sunderland Depot) --- City Rider , Prince Bishops, Drifter ( which will be similar to coaster);, and XLines (X20) all others going corporate.

Is the X20 staying blue or going maroon?

East Durham Explorer buses are going corporate?

(25 Oct 2024, 4:07 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Is the X20 staying blue or going maroon?

East Durham Explorer buses are going corporate?

X20 staying blue ,( I think ), East Durham Explorer and remaining Sunderland Districts all going corporate, oh forgot City Connect staying.

(25 Oct 2024, 4:14 pm)Retro Nero wrote X20 staying blue ,( I think ), East Durham Explorer and remaining Sunderland Districts all going corporate, oh forgot City Connect staying.

Ah, I originally heard they would be repainted into X20 maroon. Not heard anything more since the X20 came back though.

I like East Durham Explorer. Makes sense for Berries, Graphite and Silver to go, with all of the others gone. 

When are the East Durham Explorers getting repainted? Have I got chance to capture them?

(25 Oct 2024, 2:59 pm)Retro Nero wrote The only brandings staying are (Sunderland Depot) --- City Rider , Prince Bishops, Drifter ( which will be similar to coaster);, and XLines (X20) all others going corporate.

But surely branding costs money? Quite a **** take they've got money for branding.....yet are using BSIP to prop up their "goldmines"!

Should only be:

- Electrics / Voltra
- Angel (will eventually fall into above)
- Coast Road (joint brand with Arriva Northumbria)
- XLines - Charcoal generic, maybe some sub branding for areas, routes
- X66 - GoNE corporate with vinyls

Literally EVERYTHING else should be corporate!

(25 Oct 2024, 8:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote But surely branding costs money? Quite a **** take they've got money for branding.....yet are using BSIP to prop up their "goldmines"!

Should only be:

- Electrics / Voltra
- Angel (will eventually fall into above)
- Coast Road (joint brand with Arriva Northumbria)
- XLines - Charcoal generic, maybe some sub branding for areas, routes
- X66 - GoNE corporate with vinyls

Literally EVERYTHING else should be corporate!

X Lines should be the first to go, it's been an absolute disaster by any measure.

It's outdated and was when it was first introduced. Thankfully Arriva and Stagecoach have scrapped their respective brands which GoNE copied. It might have made slightly more sense if the buses were actually premium, see Transdev Blazefield, but they're literally the same as the rest of the fleet - for the X20, worse.

(25 Oct 2024, 8:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote But surely branding costs money? Quite a **** take they've got money for branding.....yet are using BSIP to prop up their "goldmines"!

Should only be:

- Electrics / Voltra
- Angel (will eventually fall into above)
- Coast Road (joint brand with Arriva Northumbria)
- XLines - Charcoal generic, maybe some sub branding for areas, routes
- X66 - GoNE corporate with vinyls

Literally EVERYTHING else should be corporate!

Why should the Coast road routes be branded but not the 56?


Shouldn't the 307/309 be corporate, if the 56 is?

---

(25 Oct 2024, 8:09 pm)Storx wrote X Lines should be the first to go, it's been an absolute disaster by any measure.

It's outdated and was when it was first introduced. Thankfully Arriva and Stagecoach have scrapped their respective brands which GoNE copied. It might have made slightly more sense if the buses were actually premium, see Transdev Blazefield, but they're literally the same as the rest of the fleet - for the X20, worse.

100% agree that X-Lines has been a massive flop.

---

(25 Oct 2024, 2:59 pm)Retro Nero wrote The only brandings staying are (Sunderland Depot) --- City Rider , Prince Bishops, Drifter ( which will be similar to coaster);, and XLines (X20) all others going corporate.

Hopefully they'll add USB ports to the Drifter buses.

Noted both 6318 and 6325 broken down on the 21/X21 on my travels today. As well as these, 6326 looked to be taken off the X21, and the overwhelming majority of 21s I saw were ex-London B9s. My 21 was 6970, the less said about that the better. 

At this point these Streetdecks have to be up there as one of the worst batches of vehicles ever purchased by GNE. Constantly unavailable or simply unable to perform the route which they are branded for, resulting in GNE's flagship route being ran by ex-London vehicles which are incredibly spartan.

(25 Oct 2024, 8:23 pm)Michael wrote Why should the Coast road routes be branded but not the 56?


Shouldn't the 307/309 be corporate, if the 56 is?

---

100% agree that X-Lines has been a massive flop.

Agreed with both. If and I mean big if we're going to keep some routes branded. They should be imo:

X1: Red Arrows
2/2A: ???
4: Metrolink
X5/X15: ???
16/16A: Diamond
10: Ten
X10: Tyne Tees Express
20: Prince Bishops
X20: Prince Bishops Express
21: Angel
X21: Angel Express
24: ??? (Obviously issues with current interworking)
X30/X31/X32/X70/X71/X72: ???
45/47: Red Kite
50: ???
56: ???
60: Drifter
78 (Not 8): Country Ranger

It means you'd have all the long distance, interurban routes where people might actually want to connect to from outside that area branded up so you can easily guide people to the right route.

Stuff like the 1, Coast Road, 12, Q3, 352/3/4/5, 58 and other pure urban routes are totally pointless though imo. The only people really using them are going to be people from outside their door so doesn't make much sense.

Arriva generally got the MAX/Sapphire Routes right imo for similar reasons as they were the routes like the ones above, they just got confusing as in some places everything was MAX - Blyth for example so it was a bit lost. Ironic because there's the same problem with X Lines in Consett.

Personally though I'd just scrap the lot though.