(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.

6041 broke down in Durham again this morning on the X21

(23 Mar 2014, 7:43 pm)Dan wrote 192 more breakdowns and maybe something might happen!

191 now after another this morning haha

(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?

Really... 6024, 6034, 6041 all broke down on friday evening alone, 2 of them had lost mileage

has the fortnight update been done

(24 Mar 2014, 8:23 pm)Cat Man Citaro wrote has the fortnight update been done

Look and you'll find out.

Anyone know what's doing the 17 tonight?

(24 Mar 2014, 8:30 pm)Wellsey18 wrote Anyone know what's doing the 17 tonight?

3 X ''North Tyne Links'' MPD's on the 40/41.
I saw a B10BLE and a Lolyne doing the 17A.

(24 Mar 2014, 8:29 pm)Tom wrote Look and you'll find out.

I blame the bidding wars on eBay...

(24 Mar 2014, 9:17 pm)Dan wrote I blame the bidding wars on eBay...

How did you get on?

(24 Mar 2014, 9:19 pm)Tom wrote How did you get on?

I won!

£19.50 plus £4.50 postage - more than I'd expected to pay, but hey! Would have been £60 in the shop.

(24 Mar 2014, 9:19 pm)Dan wrote I won!

£19.50 plus £4.50 postage - more than I'd expected to pay, but hey! Would have been £60 in the shop.

Ah brilliant

(24 Mar 2014, 8:33 pm)Tom wrote 3 X ''North Tyne Links'' MPD's.
I saw a B10BLE and a Lolyne doing the 17A.

Phoenix should have started today shouldn't they?

On the 17A? Thought it was only the night time 17's?
I haven't saw the 17, but the 40/41/17A cycle had 3 X MPD's, a B10BLE and a Lolyne from what I saw, certainly doesn't justify it. 548, 567 and 569 were on the 40, while 5153 and a Un-ID Lolyne was on the 17's.

EDIT: Just checked, Phoenix are only operating the short 17's (Churchill Street-Cramlington), not the 17A too. Apologies, I thought you mean the Wallsend-Whitley Bay 17.

(24 Mar 2014, 9:59 pm)Tom wrote On the 17A? Thought it was only the night time 17's?
I haven't saw the 17, but the 40/41/17A cycle had 3 X MPD's, a B10BLE and a Lolyne from what I saw, certainly doesn't justify it. 548, 567 and 569 were on the 40, while 5153 and a Un-ID Lolyne was on the 17's.

EDIT: Just checked, Phoenix are only operating the short 17's (Churchill Street-Cramlington), not the 17A too. Apologies, I thought you mean the Wallsend-Whitley Bay 17.

No no I meant the rose hill cramlington one, I saw high back seated solo at wallsend at abut 17:45 then as I was passing through forest hall i saw one of them little tiny solo sr's didn't know if it had just came off the k1/2

(24 Mar 2014, 10:02 pm)Wellsey18 wrote No no I meant the rose hill cramlington one, I saw high back seated solo at wallsend at abut 17:45 then as I was passing through forest hall i saw one of them little tiny solo sr's didn't know if it had just came off the k1/2

I think Michael was right about it being confusing
I'm guessing the Solo from the K1/K2 would be used, the ASDA rider from the A1/A2/A3, and the plain white solo from the Blyth locals. A lot of dead mileage
The 19 would be operated by whatever worked the 333.

(24 Mar 2014, 10:07 pm)Tom wrote I think Michael was right about it being confusing
I'm guessing the Solo from the K1/K2 would be used, the ASDA rider from the A1/A2/A3, and the plain white solo from the Blyth locals. A lot of dead mileage
The 19 would be operated by whatever worked the 333.

Probably not a bad guess haha, just hoping I can still scan my get around weekly ticket on them, been assured by gne I can, whether or not this is true remains to be seen!

(24 Mar 2014, 10:21 pm)Wellsey18 wrote Probably not a bad guess haha, just hoping I can still scan my get around weekly ticket on them, been assured by gne I can, whether or not this is true remains to be seen!

Phoenix drivers are usually very nice, unlike the Arriva ones.

(24 Mar 2014, 10:22 pm)Tom wrote Phoenix drivers are usually very nice, unlike the Arriva ones.

Whenever I used to get the 19 they were always lovely blokes, can tell they must be taxi drivers as well haha

56 currently going from stand T because of an ambulance parked in stand S, this is at park lane.

5333 x7 timed coming into Sunderland interchange in a few minutes is full, no standees though.

http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/prud...-1.1108708#

I was looking for something completely different, but stumbled across this.

Having never needed to use the services mentioned, I have no opinion or experience of them.
What was quite humorous, was that despite the bad experiences of passengers, quotes from councillors and a wish to return to previous services, the guy from GNE insists that what they are offering, is better than the previous operator.

Prior to Christmas, I came across a similar story, outlining passengers concern and quotes from them, explaining bad experiences on the three services mentioned

Apart from the GNE rep apparently being blind to some of the issues put to him, what else do passengers need to see or do, so that their opinions (even if it is just some) are listened too, acknowledged and/or accepted, so that changes are made?

No matter how much money is spent on buses, that can accommodate wheelchairs and pushchairs (I am sure the previous operator would have sorted out a full fleet of accessible buses by now), unless passenger needs, wants or desires are accepted (even in part), then I am not sure there is any point in a rep attending these meetings.

Are there any regular passengers from those services on the forum, who could share their views?

(25 Mar 2014, 12:38 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/prud...-1.1108708#

I was looking for something completely different, but stumbled across this.

Having never needed to use the services mentioned, I have no opinion or experience of them.
What was quite humorous, was that despite the bad experiences of passengers, quotes from councillors and a wish to return to previous services, the guy from GNE insists that what they are offering, is better than the previous operator.

Prior to Christmas, I came across a similar story, outlining passengers concern and quotes from them, explaining bad experiences on the three services mentioned

Apart from the GNE rep apparently being blind to some of the issues put to him, what else do passengers need to see or do, so that their opinions (even if it is just some) are listened too, acknowledged and/or accepted, so that changes are made?

No matter how much money is spent on buses, that can accommodate wheelchairs and pushchairs (I am sure the previous operator would have sorted out a full fleet of accessible buses by now), unless passenger needs, wants or desires are accepted (even in part), then I am not sure there is any point in a rep attending these meetings.

Are there any regular passengers from those services on the forum, who could share their views?

Yes, I'm a regular user of these services, and my experience is quite the reverse of this report - my buses are usually on time, every time, regardless of the time of day I travel - I can recall just one occasion since Christmas when a bus has been late, and even then it made no difference to my arrangements. My daughter also uses the same services to and from school and I'm not aware of her ever being late for school or late home.

In my limited experience, councillors don't ask bus companies to attend meetings to heap praise on them, but rather to relate some horrendous stories of people being let down, notwithstanding how rare such things are. And newspapers like to publish such stories.

And again, in my limited experience, GNE is pretty good at listening to its customers.

If you want to compare the TEN with the old 602 and 604 from Arriva, then it's quite clear that the service is better, not just in terms of vehicles.

(25 Mar 2014, 12:55 pm)eezypeazy wrote If you want to compare the TEN with the old 602 and 604 from Arriva, then it's quite clear that the service is better, not just in terms of vehicles.

In your opinion, why (and how) is it clear that the service is better than before?

When the TEN was running to Hexham every 20 minutes (with the 11 running to Prudhoe every half-hour) then I can see how the service could be perceived as better as more buses ran than previously.

Now that the TEN operates every half-hour (the same frequency as the 602) between Hexham and Newcastle, with the 10B supplementing the service between Prudhoe and Newcastle (albeit with the same half-hour frequency as the 11 and 604), it seems that the level of service, in terms of frequency at the very least, is more or less the same as before GNE took over the route in 2010.

So what makes this service better than before?

Is it the timing of the service? Better (or cheaper) ticketing options? Newer buses which are more reliable? Better connections with services at either end? Friendlier drivers?

Conversely, what problems did you previously experience when Arriva operated services in the area?

I accept that GNE has improved the level of service between Newcastle, Corbridge and Hexham with the introduction of the X84/X85, so this is not a pop at GNE. However, the rest of the network in the Tynedale area (which is mostly ran with financial assistance from Northumberland County Council) seems pretty much the same as before.

This isn't my opinion - this is fact:

Fact: The evening service to Hexham is now hourly - when Arriva ran it there were large gaps, making a night out in Hexham impossible from places east of Corbridge.

Fact: GNE now offers four buses per hour to Metrocentre, all deckers, therefore more seats Prudhoe - Metrocentre than ever before. Arriva provided two bph.

Fact: In the morning peak, there's a bus every ten minutes between Prudhoe and Newcastle, including the two 11A journeys on bendys.

My observation: Arriva's reliability on the old 604 was notoriously poor.

(25 Mar 2014, 12:40 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote Is it really necessary to post stuff like this?

I don't see a problem with it...

(25 Mar 2014, 2:48 pm)Tom wrote I don't see a problem with it...

I know, it is a forum for latest news. I suppose its a bit like people posting the fleet updates from the Go North East website although we will or most of us will check the website ourselves. Its just to get a discussion going so rather than having a nag at people for posting stuff that may not be relevant to you doesn't mean they cant post at it at all.

(25 Mar 2014, 5:02 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote Im not getting at anyone just purely pointing out. Whats to discuss about a bus temporarily having to use a different stand in a bus station? Ive noticed no-one has decided to have a discussion about it?

So while were on the subject: in Shields the other day the X20 couldnt pull into its normal stand because the 27 was parked up there- it caused so much confusion to the passengers having to walk 10 feet to the bus! I probably should have posted it on here really so we could all have a big discussion over it!

I'm not being funny or anything, but I'm pretty sure we did have a recent discussion on the layout of bus stations the other day? Must have been at least two or three pages long...

(25 Mar 2014, 5:02 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote Im not getting at anyone just purely pointing out. Whats to discuss about a bus temporarily having to use a different stand in a bus station? Ive noticed no-one has decided to have a discussion about it?

So while were on the subject: in Shields the other day the X20 couldnt pull into its normal stand because the 27 was parked up there- it caused so much confusion to the passengers having to walk 10 feet to the bus! I probably should have posted it on here really so we could all have a big discussion over it!

Its latest news and may affect people travelling on the service that are registered to this forum. Simple as, I just couldn't see why you were practically saying that the post was needed. Now, since I have stated my point and you have stated yours, lets just leave it at that before anything bigger happens.

EDIT: Aiming at the section in bold, sarcasm isn't the way to get round this.

(25 Mar 2014, 5:02 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote Im not getting at anyone just purely pointing out. Whats to discuss about a bus temporarily having to use a different stand in a bus station? Ive noticed no-one has decided to have a discussion about it?

So while were on the subject: in Shields the other day the X20 couldnt pull into its normal stand because the 27 was parked up there- it caused so much confusion to the passengers having to walk 10 feet to the bus! I probably should have posted it on here really so we could all have a big discussion over it!

The beauty of a forum is that anyone can post what they want (within reason) and others can join in if they want to. No one is forced to participate in any one topic.

Has 4931 moved? Chester depot looked a bit empty as I drove past.