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(25 Jul 2014, 12:46 pm)Marcus wrote Probably when the livery got changed (slightly) back in about 2009/2010?
(25 Jul 2014, 12:47 pm)Tom wrote Didn't the 8 used to go to Castleside?
(25 Jul 2014, 12:45 pm)Michael wrote i have a feeling it will be dropped because its being the same name since it was launched in 2007.
When was the last "big" changes to the Lime?
(25 Jul 2014, 12:55 pm)Marcus wrote I think the X8 used to be an express to Stanley, but the 8 used to keep going to Castleside. There was an 8A at some point as well.
(25 Jul 2014, 1:01 pm)Michael wrote Earliest timetable iv'e got is 26th October 2008, There was no X8 and the 8/8A were going to Castleside from Chester-Lee street.
Routes in 2008 were:
8: Chester-le-street to Castleside.
8A: Chester-le-street to Consett.
78: Sunderland to Consett via Craghead.
78A: Sunderland to Consett via Beamish.
October 2009 - Same routes as in 2008.
June 2010 -
8: Extended to Sunderland from Chester via Galleries etc... Runs between Chester-Le-street and Washington Galleries only on a Sunday and Evening.
78: Runs only between Sunderland and Consett, on a Sunday.. half hourly to Stanley, hourly to Consett and runs as 78A.
September 2013 -
8 - I have no timetable for some reason
78 - Same
78A - Same
January 2014 - Timings only.
I have way to many timetables!
-------------
Gonna sort all my timetables out in to services..
So all the lime together, the angel etc
(25 Jul 2014, 1:29 pm)aureolin wrote The X8 was previous to those changes, as it was one of the express services around the Galleries in the late 90s/early 00s. It was taken off for a while, and then the Lime returned to Washington in the form of the 8. X8 was definitely around at the time the Langley-Sunderland X6 was about.
(25 Jul 2014, 12:36 pm)aureolin wrote Maybe it'd work just listing the key stops? I personally think the ones on the 4 are too much and start to get irritating.
(27 Jul 2014, 5:53 pm)Michael wrote Heard a few whispers that GNE have finally ordered this years buses, although its quite early, anyone else heard anything?
(27 Jul 2014, 5:56 pm)Dan wrote Although I did expect them to have ordered the buses by now, I don't think they have... Watch this space...
(28 Jul 2014, 6:33 pm)Marcus wrote Just my predictions;
(There are 80 vehicles being ordered, aren't there?)
Lime --- PVR of 15 (2 Red Spares)
Pronto --- PVR of 8 (1 Red Spare)
X66 --- PVR of 5 (1 Red Spare)
Prince Bishops --- PVR of 14 (2 Red Spares)
Then the rest are just random spares etc
(28 Jul 2014, 6:53 pm)Tom wrote Prince Bishops won't be getting new buses considering they are Euro 5.
(28 Jul 2014, 6:53 pm)Tom wrote Prince Bishops won't be getting new buses considering they are Euro 5.
(28 Jul 2014, 7:06 pm)Robert wrote I think, judging by the recent actions of Go North East we can fully confirm, without question some services which will be getting upgrades in this investment. We however can only speculate on what buses will be purchased:
Lime - following repaints of 4896-4902
Pronto - following trial of Gemini 3
Toonlink - Also following trial of Gemini 3
(28 Jul 2014, 7:06 pm)Robert wrote I think, judging by the recent actions of Go North East we can fully confirm, without question which services will be getting upgrades in this investment. We however can only speculate on what buses will be purchased:
Lime - following repaints of 4896-4902
Pronto - following trial of Gemini 3
Toonlink - Also following trial of Gemini 3
(28 Jul 2014, 7:09 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote They need something doing to them - two broken down in Houghton on consecutive days last week and at least one missing every day for months now.One is missing every day for Eminox modifications though, as we already know... The recent breakdowns are down to the heat. Even the best buses don't cope too well when it's in the 20s...
To think that the taxpayer has helped fund an upgrade for vehicles which can't last the day...
The lack of reliability is having an impact on the service.
Not saying the service is or will get new vehicles, but something needs to be done.
(28 Jul 2014, 7:26 pm)Dan wrote One is missing every day for Eminox modifications though, as we already know... The recent breakdowns are down to the heat. Even the best buses don't cope too well when it's in the 20s...
(28 Jul 2014, 7:26 pm)Dan wrote One is missing every day for Eminox modifications though, as we already know... The recent breakdowns are down to the heat. Even the best buses don't cope too well when it's in the 20s...
(28 Jul 2014, 7:38 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote One a day missing for Eminox, but sightings of odd workings reported/seen an almost daily basis - weeks and months before the fitting of the kit started...Certainly aren't doing one a day, as they've been doing them for a while now... Before we've recently started to discuss the modifications being performed, that's for sure.
Not sure a combination of Eminox, PSV testing (and prep) or regular servicing, accounts for all of those odd workings.
Indeed, the heat will account for breakdowns.
Temperatures certainly weren't smashing the mercury the other morning before 8am when I reported a breakdown on here.
(28 Jul 2014, 7:47 pm)Dan wrote Certainly aren't doing one a day, as they've been doing them for a while now... Before we've recently started to discuss the modifications being performed, that's for sure.
Only 14 in every 28 days should we see a full branded vehicle allocation, and that's down to GNE servicing the vehicles frequently (although Stagecoach does it even more frequently).
This is of course before we take into account other factors. Take the bus in Houghton the other day... It had to remain off the road the following day, due to the accident. Not anything to do with the lack of reliability. A window is smashed by local youths in Houghton - the bus has to be VOR for a day or two... The possibilities are endless (and most of these possibilities would be the same if newer stock was on the 20 too).
Mid-day changeovers (both removing and adding branded vehicles) are frequent. Vehicles can be removed if they are showing early signs of facing issues, and vehicles can be put back into service if engineering has fixed the issue. Your sightings, much like mine, are probably based at random times around the clock. You may find 4934 allocated at 8am on your journey, but who is to say that wasn't replaced by 5213 come 11o'clock?
Long story short: mechanically, the Solars on the 20 aren't in a bad condition. Although corporate liveried vehicles regularly creep up on the service, the same can be said about almost every branded service too.
(28 Jul 2014, 7:52 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Make your mind up manI'm tired, and I think I meant it in a different way to how you've interpreted it - my fault for writing it in a way which could be easily misinterpreted.
It was you who said they were fitting one a day.
(28 Jul 2014, 7:56 pm)Dan wrote I'm tired, and I think I meant it in a different way to how you've interpreted it - my fault for writing it in a way which could be easily misinterpreted.
If the vehicle is off one day just for prep, and it is transferred the same day to Riverside, receives the Eminox mods the next day, and then transferred back to Deptford the following day - it is missing 'every day' for three days, entering service on the fourth, assuming it doesn't replace a corporate liveried vehicle mid-day (as it should).
