(23 Mar 2014, 1:19 pm)Bazza Houston wrote i ment to say fortnightly update but as usual i look forward to seeing it lets hope one of my 3 south tyne photos gets put on as it is my local bus

I guess you'll have to wait and see...

(23 Mar 2014, 1:54 pm)Michael wrote When will all the plain red buses start getting branded with the corporate name?

The branded vehicles are obviously the priority, but I'd imagine that the GNE red buses will receive the full corporate livery branding soon after the final branded vehicle is complete.

(23 Mar 2014, 2:12 pm)Dan wrote I guess you'll have to wait and see...


The branded vehicles are obviously the priority, but I'd imagine that the GNE red buses will receive the full corporate livery branding soon after the final branded vehicle is complete.

Looks like were waiting a while then

I've always wondered what the actual load of the 58 is like between Newcastle and Hadrian Park.

(23 Mar 2014, 3:56 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote I've always wondered what the actual load of the 58 is like between Newcastle and Hadrian Park.

Always busier heading to Newcastle for some reason...

(23 Mar 2014, 3:57 pm)Tom wrote Always busier heading to Newcastle for some reason...

I've been thinking that with the 309 / 310 being upgraded to double decks, GNE could well possibly go down their hub and spoke policy for between Hadrian Park and Newcastle:

- The 58 would operate as it is now with the same frequency between Heworth and Newcastle. All journeys would continue upto John Dobson Street then continue as far up as the TA Centre on Sandyford Road before turning around at the roundabout and heading back towards Newcastle, Gateshead and Heworth.

- The 40 would be retimed to connect with services 309 and 310 in Battle Hill and vice versa towards Hadrian Park. Services 309 and 310 would both be increased to operate every 15 minutes during the evenings. Also, during the evenings, one of the two services will be timed to connect with the 58 at the TA and the Civic Centre.

A new three stage through ticket would need to be introduced though to make up for the lost links. It would be available on both a single and return fare basis. An example would be Hadrian Park to Gateshead via Battle Hill (40 to 309 or 310), and TA or Civic Centre (309 or 310 to 58).

The X66 tab on the Go North East website has been fully updated.

(23 Mar 2014, 12:57 pm)Dan wrote Not for a while yet if it's a bi-monthly news report!

Our fortnightly update will be done at some point today, I just need to upload some more photos to Flickr first - but I'm going out for an hour or two for now. Will post links on the apt thread when it's up.

Something has cropped up so unfortunately it'll have to wait until tomorrow evening (or very late on tonight at some point if I get back in time).

All the prep for the news is done - it's just a case of typing it up properly.

(23 Mar 2014, 5:47 pm)Dan wrote Something has cropped up so unfortunately it'll have to wait until tomorrow evening (or very late on tonight at some point if I get back in time).

All the prep for the news is done - it's just a case of typing it up properly.

I hope it's nothing serious

(23 Mar 2014, 6:01 pm)Michael wrote I hope it's nothing serious

No, no... Just my awful memory coming into play again!

(23 Mar 2014, 6:08 pm)Dan wrote No, no... Just my awful memory coming into play again!

Is it homework? that always seems to go out of peoples memory's... haha

(23 Mar 2014, 6:16 pm)Michael wrote Is it homework? that always seems to go out of peoples memory's... haha

Christ, there's that too... hahah

(23 Mar 2014, 6:46 pm)Dan wrote Christ, there's that too... hahah

Hahaha i just thought..i have uni homework due in.. but not till Tuesday... so that can wait...

X21 only had 8 breakdowns in the last week....

new buses required desperatly

(23 Mar 2014, 7:38 pm)pdiddy wrote X21 only had 8 breakdowns in the last week....

new buses required desperatly

192 more breakdowns and maybe something might happen!

(23 Mar 2014, 7:38 pm)pdiddy wrote X21 only had 8 breakdowns in the last week....

new buses required desperatly

From Saturday 15th until Friday 21st, according to Chester Control, only 4 occasions of lost mileage were recorded for the X21, and one of those was waiting for Emergency Services?

Is former go north east 8288 at the back of Thortons ....

Anyone got any detailed history on this bus and why it was withdrawn etc.

(23 Mar 2014, 8:13 pm)citaro5284 wrote From Saturday 15th until Friday 21st, according to Chester Control, only 4 occasions of lost mileage were recorded for the X21, and one of those was waiting for Emergency Services?

I saw one of those around Thursday
2pm at Eighton Lodge stop. A red B7 had swooped to the rescue with engineers on board

(23 Mar 2014, 8:13 pm)citaro5284 wrote From Saturday 15th until Friday 21st, according to Chester Control, only 4 occasions of lost mileage were recorded for the X21, and one of those was waiting for Emergency Services?

Is the mileage still recorded as 'lost' if a replacement vehicle is sent? For example, an X21 is broken down in Chester Le Street, but the Chester depot provide a replacement 20 minutes later?

(23 Mar 2014, 8:31 pm)Arcticrossy92 wrote Is former go north east 8288 at the back of Thortons ....

Anyone got any detailed history on this bus and why it was withdrawn etc.

Nope, but surprised it's still there? Was withdrawn back in 2011. You'd think it'd have been sold or scrapped by now.

Some buses are so bland inside of them do they stop doing internal branding now

(23 Mar 2014, 10:00 pm)aureolin wrote Nope, but surprised it's still there? Was withdrawn back in 2011. You'd think it'd have been sold or scrapped by now.

Yeah, there must be a reason its still there, something mechanical maybe.

(23 Mar 2014, 11:00 pm)speedwheels22 wrote Some buses are so bland inside of them do they stop doing internal branding now

it saves money not to do internal branding instead they put random adverts advertising randoms eg Gateshead College mind ya it would be nice though

(23 Mar 2014, 9:59 pm)aureolin wrote Is the mileage still recorded as 'lost' if a replacement vehicle is sent? For example, an X21 is broken down in Chester Le Street, but the Chester depot provide a replacement 20 minutes later?

It won't be, but any bus running 20 minutes late on a half hourly frequency is going to run light somewhere to make up time.

(23 Mar 2014, 11:00 pm)speedwheels22 wrote Some buses are so bland inside of them do they stop doing internal branding now

Given that the Blaydon Racers has just had its internal branding updated to reflect the recent service changes, it suggests that the standardised interior branding won't be implemented but all brands will reveive updated interior branding instead.

(24 Mar 2014, 6:40 am)Dan wrote It won't be, but any bus running 20 minutes late on a half hourly frequency is going to run light somewhere to make up time.

Do they not use the spare bus that is parked at Bishop Auckland to correct late running on the X21 rather than run light / regulate the service.

(24 Mar 2014, 7:29 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote Do they not use the spare bus that is parked at Bishop Auckland to correct late running on the X21 rather than run light / regulate the service.

If the breakdown is at that end of the route, then yes.

I noticed that 3885 had broken down on the bit of dual carriageway between the two main roundabouts in Stanley. This was at around 8:05 this morning.

Also, whilst driving through Whickham at approx 12:00 today I noticed that the 97 (didn't catch the fleet number or registration) had what was presumably steam bellowing out of the back emerging from the water cap. Is this normal?

(24 Mar 2014, 12:42 pm)AdamY wrote Also, whilst driving through Whickham at approx 12:00 today I noticed that the 97 (didn't catch the fleet number or registration) had what was presumably steam bellowing out of the back emerging from the water cap. Is this normal?

I've noticed this a lot on the Solars. On solars that aren't freshly repainted, the paintwork around the offside light cluster is often discoloured. Towards the end, the Fab 56 Orange looked terrible around this area on some vehicles.

(24 Mar 2014, 12:42 pm)AdamY wrote I noticed that 3885 had broken down on the bit of dual carriageway between the two main roundabouts in Stanley. This was at around 8:05 this morning.

Also, whilst driving through Whickham at approx 12:00 today I noticed that the 97 (didn't catch the fleet number or registration) had what was presumably steam bellowing out of the back emerging from the water cap. Is this normal?

probably was 5218, as this happens almost daily.

4846 hitched up to Alpha recovery truck in Riverside depot at 15:00 today.
It has been vor in Riverside for 2 weeks or more.