(03 Apr 2014, 12:18 pm)eezypeazy wrote The service in its earliest form seems to have started in 1974:

The first focus was on a route from Haltwhistle to Hexham using the military road to access principal sites and connecting to the railway stations in the two towns. The service started in 1974 and for a good number of years was a stable operation using two operators. The local National Bus Company subsidiary called United ran the main route no 690 whilst a local coach operator called Rochester and Marshall worked a shuttle service between Vindolanda and Housesteads. The shuttle vehicles had a tape recorded commentary even then.

You can read the full article here.

A thoroughly interesting article - well worth a read!

Not sure if anyone has ever mentioned it, but saw an interesting Nexus poster in Park Lane at the weekend that reminded me of gtomlinson.

The Nexus poster, advising passengers of winter weather and snow, featured a DAF on the 28.
I cant remember if it was skidding down Long Bank or not.

(03 Apr 2014, 12:42 pm)AdamY wrote A thoroughly interesting article - well worth a read!

Agree. Very interesting.

T809 CBW has been repainted in to "Northern" livery. Not sure if this has (probably) been reported?

(03 Apr 2014, 1:38 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Agree. Very interesting.

If you liked that, then you'll probably also enjoy this. Apologies for drifting off topic...

5258 is now branded.

both 8296 and 8299 have been branded photos will be on later and i just recieved a text from a good mate of mine he said there is an accident in Newcastle involving a Coaster bus somebody has been run over gosh does people in that city have a deathwish or something

A year or so ago I needed a quick trip to Newcastle (from Corbridge) to exchange an electronic toy that was dead on arrival.

The Arriva/Stagecoach 685 had a 27 minute layover in Newcastle and I reckoned that I could make it into the Eldon Centre and back well within that time.

The journey started badly as the bus was 15 minutes late departing Corbridge and we got even later en-route, but I assumed that the driver would need to take a break and that I could make it if I ran, especially as the next 685 from Newcastle would be an hour later.

Of course I missed the return bus, but as I scanned the departure boards I spotted 'Alston' and I reasoned that any bus to Alston would be passing through Corbridge. It was, of course, the daily Wright's bus.

We left Newcastle just before 5pm, and, as there were only two passengers (and the other one got off at Throckley) I got chatting to the (mature) driver.

I asked him how long his layover was and he told me that he arrived in Newcastle before 9am and left before 5pm.

I queried the timing and why there were almost no passengers (I had been told that the 685 that I had missed had left 'full' - leaving passengers behind) and he explained that the service was arranged to get people from Alston to Newcastle in time for 9 o'clock, but, because it left before 5pm the numbers had dwindled and the last regular passenger had bought a scooter with a grant from the County Council so that he could get back from whatever he was doing as the bus left too soon.

Ani fule kno that!

Whoever decided that the bus should leave before 5pm surely determined that the service was doomed . . .

With a half-hour later return departure that service would probably be alive and flourishing with regular passengers.

And an 8 hour layover?

(03 Apr 2014, 3:06 pm)G-CPTN wrote Whoever decided that the bus should leave before 5pm surely determined that the service was doomed . . .

With a half-hour later return departure that service would probably be alive and flourishing with regular passengers.

And an 8 hour layover?

I don't know what time the 888 departed from Newcastle a year or so ago (TBH - I thought it had ceased long before then), but a timetable I have from 1997 shows that it left Eldon Square at 16:15 for its return journey to Alston.

I agree, whoever decided to schedule the service at that time probably contributed towards its decline. However I'm absolutely amazed that it lasted around another 15 years before it was eventually axed given its dwindling patronage.

WRT AD122, tomorrow's Hexham Courant has a front-page article:--

"An announcement over the future of the Hadrian's Wall tourist bus is expected later today."
"Talks have been taking place in a bid to save the AD122 bus after Cumbria County Council withdrew its subsidy."
"Northumberland National Park Authority is expected to make an announcement, following discussions with Northumberland County Council."











:-

(03 Apr 2014, 2:23 pm)BJ10VUS wrote T809 CBW has been repainted in to "Northern" livery. Not sure if this has (probably) been reported?

Think I saw it yesterday (was one of the two door batch) but assumed the same. The strip on the front stands out

(03 Apr 2014, 2:32 pm)eezypeazy wrote If you liked that, then you'll probably also enjoy this. Apologies for drifting off topic...

Aye, it was interesting. Cheers

8296 and 8299 have now entered flickr which now leaves me to photo 8300 and 8301 to photo

A while back, there was a small discussion about what was the m1, doing short 35a's from Rainton Bridge.

5367 should be arriving into Houghton about now on one of those runs.

i think 524 will break down first day on the service

(03 Apr 2014, 6:33 pm)danpick wrote i think 524 will break down first day on the service

Emperor Hadrian would be less than impressed

3864 is currently parked up in a bus stop at Chester Moor hazards flashing.
The passengers (there's a few) are all huddled by the side of the road

A president is on the 17s today.

(04 Apr 2014, 11:04 am)Tom wrote A president is on the 17s today.

6025.

6021 was at Washington Service (northbound) around 11.00 this morning with hazard warning lights flashing.

Is this another Pronto breakdown to add to pdiddy's list?

Go North East have updated their fleet information on the website. Nothing much and nothing we don't know either. Just mentions the transfer of 4906-4909 and the withdrawl of 4837-4839 and 4844 and 3874 from Chester to Percy Main.

(04 Apr 2014, 2:23 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote 6021 was at Washington Service (northbound) around 11.00 this morning with hazard warning lights flashing.

Is this another Pronto breakdown to add to pdiddy's list?

Not surprised at all. Chester probably thought they'd mended it then sent it out on a scholars only for it to fail again, it's the worst of the seven of them if you ask me, closely followed by 6041. I'd reckon 6037 and 6040 are the best ones with 6024 coming in third and 6034 and 6035 being the ones that kind of mix mechanically. 6038 isn't that bad, but it does appear on quite a few of Chester's scholars and occasionally stuff like the 50, 21, 34 of X22 (well, in the past anyway)

New timetable for the AD122 on Northumberland Council Website, now all operated by GNE and runs between Hexham and Walltown only.


http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4194

(04 Apr 2014, 4:48 pm)citaro5284 wrote New timetable for the AD122 on Northumberland Council Website, now all operated by GNE and runs between Hexham and Walltown only.


http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4194

Ah, marvellous. Yet another bus service that is abandoned that runs west of Walltown.

Last Summer, eastbound, in my village we had 6 buses every Monday thru Saturday - including AD122.
Now (along with the 685 cuts) we have a staggering 3.

Ah well, at least now it is operated by GNE, I can go up with my camera the odd day and use my Key to get around!

(04 Apr 2014, 5:33 pm)northern156 wrote Ah, marvellous. Yet another bus service that is abandoned that runs west of Walltown.

Last Summer, eastbound, in my village we had 6 buses every Monday thru Saturday - including AD122.
Now (along with the 685 cuts) we have a staggering 3.

Ah well, at least now it is operated by GNE, I can go up with my camera the odd day and use my Key to get around!

It's a real shame. Would have loved to see GNE operating it to Carlisle in the future, but doubt it'll ever happen.

(04 Apr 2014, 5:35 pm)Tom wrote It's a real shame. Would have loved to see GNE operating it to Carlisle in the future, but doubt it'll ever happen.

Hexham to Carlisle on an MPD though...

(04 Apr 2014, 6:03 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Hexham to Carlisle on an MPD though...

Maybe when the Nexus Bus gets upgraded the two remaining Solos could go on there if the NTL does get the other 10.

(04 Apr 2014, 6:06 pm)Tom wrote Maybe when the Nexus Bus gets upgraded the two remaining Solos could go on there if the NTL does get the other 10.

I think that's a good idea. I wonder if the AD122 will just fall under the 'Tynedale Links' brand?

(04 Apr 2014, 2:23 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote 6021 was at Washington Service (northbound) around 11.00 this morning with hazard warning lights flashing.

Is this another Pronto breakdown to add to pdiddy's list?

Yes to go with 6041 which also broke down again today

(04 Apr 2014, 4:05 pm)Marcus wrote Not surprised at all. Chester probably thought they'd mended it then sent it out on a scholars only for it to fail again, it's the worst of the seven of them if you ask me, closely followed by 6041. I'd reckon 6037 and 6040 are the best ones with 6024 coming in third and 6034 and 6035 being the ones that kind of mix mechanically. 6038 isn't that bad, but it does appear on quite a few of Chester's scholars and occasionally stuff like the 50, 21, 34 of X22 (well, in the past anyway)

It wasnt on scholars when it broke down 6021... it was on the X21

6035 is currently the most reliable

(04 Apr 2014, 6:56 pm)BJ10VUS wrote I think that's a good idea. I wonder if the AD122 will just fall under the 'Tynedale Links' brand?

Doubt it with it been a contracted service.

(04 Apr 2014, 6:03 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Hexham to Carlisle on an MPD though...

Better than an Omnicity by a country mile. (No I'm not joking)

Stagecoach occasionally (not as often now though) ran their Darts on the Sundays-only 685 from Carlisle to Hexham and back. A couple have even made it to Newcastle!
I think a Solo actually made it across to Newcastle once too :o