Had a ride on Sapphire today but they should get Gary and Lisa or Justin and Kelly for the next stop announcements:

"Can you hear the wind howling? That's right, we're now approaching Ashington"

(06 Aug 2014, 4:17 pm)mb134 wrote Sorry miscounted my list also didn't see any Spectras in Ashington yard earlier have these already been taken away?

They were there yesterday?!

(06 Aug 2014, 7:17 pm)tyresmoke wrote They were there yesterday?!

I saw two Lowlanders parked against the back wall then 4513 a coach and a few other ex-London deckers in the middle, unless 7483 was in service and 7482 was hidden by this crowd or indoors?

(06 Aug 2014, 6:43 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Had a ride on Sapphire today but they should get Gary and Lisa or Justin and Kelly for the next stop announcements:

"Can you hear the wind howling? That's right, we're now approaching Ashington"

The next-stop announcements weren't working on 7506 today, the screens were instead displaying "No signal"

(06 Aug 2014, 8:39 pm)mb134 wrote The next-stop announcements weren't working on 7506 today, the screens were instead displaying "No signal"

Arriva has come to their senses and they're going with DB's suggestions!

(06 Aug 2014, 8:49 pm)Dan wrote Arriva has come to their senses and they're going with DB's suggestions!

Hahah, I don't think so

Have anymore B10BLE'S arrived at Stockton yet?

(06 Aug 2014, 8:49 pm)Dan wrote Arriva has come to their senses and they're going with DB's suggestions!

I quite liked Arriva's Next Stop Annoucements when I used X21/X22 Last Week, Better than bloody Gary and Lisa.

(06 Aug 2014, 9:24 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote I quite liked Arriva's Next Stop Annoucements when I used X21/X22 Last Week, Better than bloody Gary and Lisa.

Can't stand the pronunciation of Gosforth though!
Quite like the way they say ''This is your Sapphire service X22 to Ashington, your next stop is Gosforth High Street''.

(06 Aug 2014, 9:21 pm)mb134 wrote Have anymore B10BLE'S arrived at Stockton yet?

Not yet, though 4508 was being used for familiarisation today. Ashington were still running most of them yesterday in lieu of fixing their own fleet...

Has anyone heard the "thank you for travelling" announcement at the end of the route on X21/X22 yet? Bit odd as it's a different voice to the next stop announcements. Much prefer the professional voice over bloody radio presenters though!

(06 Aug 2014, 9:43 pm)tyresmoke wrote Not yet, though 4508 was being used for familiarisation today. Ashington were still running most of them yesterday in lieu of fixing their own fleet...

Has anyone heard the "thank you for travelling" announcement at the end of the route on X21/X22 yet? Bit odd as it's a different voice to the next stop announcements. Much prefer the professional voice over bloody radio presenters though!

Yeah I have as it came into Haymarket, I only went as far as Regent Centre and Back though.

(06 Aug 2014, 9:43 pm)tyresmoke wrote Not yet, though 4508 was being used for familiarisation today. Ashington were still running most of them yesterday in lieu of fixing their own fleet...

Has anyone heard the "thank you for travelling" announcement at the end of the route on X21/X22 yet? Bit odd as it's a different voice to the next stop announcements. Much prefer the professional voice over bloody radio presenters though!

Yeah, I was in two minds about that bit at the end when I arrived into Ashington (or Newcastle, whichever it was). In my opinion, as with all of the Next Stop Announcements, it was too 'official'.

I know I've heard nothing but complaints on the few journeys I've had on the X21/X22 since Sapphire was launched on it - whether it has been non-working Wi-Fi, rattley buses, or irritating Next Stop Announcements - so customers are less impressed than enthusiasts on this forum it seems, which is quite disappointing given the amount of investment put into it by ANE.

I've made my views clear when we previously discussed this, and I doubt my views will change. I'm yet to hear the new Metro Next Stop Announcements, but if they've gone down the Received Pronunciation route, I will be extremely disappointed. RP does nothing for me - and a regional accent will win every time. Like I said before, the Next Stop Announcements on GNE's new buses last year are perfect in my eyes and undoubtedly a lot better than ANE's.

It must be said that I can actually sit on a GNE bus without having to put my earphones in but I really felt that I had to on the 7 and X21/X22. The 7 isn't as bad, and that's because they're quieter, but they need to be turned down on the X21/X22 a bit to make the journey a bit more tolerable for those who have nothing wrong with their hearing.

(06 Aug 2014, 10:01 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote Yeah I have as it came into Haymarket, I only went as far as Regent Centre and Back though.

Aha. Wait until you use it for a full journey, terminus to terminus.

Repetitive drone. You'll wish you had something to block it out.

The TEN usually has the announcements sound turned down or silent - with just the visual showing.

(07 Aug 2014, 6:01 am)G-CPTN wrote The TEN usually has the announcements sound turned down or silent - with just the visual showing.

They're always on, but are sometimes turned down a bit too far, so it's practically like they're muted.

Go North East has had Next Stop Announcements for three years now, but are still working on the sound level which is best. Customers will get in touch saying that they think the Next Stop Announcements are too loud on board, say, the vehicles which are branded "TEN", and Go North East will turn them down for customers to a level which they think is more appropriate. Another customer who is perhaps hard of hearing will then get in touch and say that they're too quiet.

Difficult situation to be in really. They need to be loud enough for customers with hearing difficulties to listen to them with ease, but quiet enough to be able to be blocked out by those who don't want to hear them and have a headache by the end of their journey.

(07 Aug 2014, 6:16 am)Dan wrote Difficult situation to be in really. They need to be loud enough for customers with hearing difficulties to listen to them with ease, but quiet enough to be able to be blocked out by those who don't want to hear them and have a headache by the end of their journey.

Agreed . . .

(07 Aug 2014, 8:07 am)G-CPTN wrote Agreed . . .

I didn't find them that bad on my first journey however on my trip to Ashington the other day kids insisted on repeating every stop then seemed extremely unhappy if they couldn't see it out of the window...

1550 just arrived at Stockton 20 mins ago

(07 Aug 2014, 5:48 am)Dan wrote Yeah, I was in two minds about that bit at the end when I arrived into Ashington (or Newcastle, whichever it was). In my opinion, as with all of the Next Stop Announcements, it was too 'official'.

I know I've heard nothing but complaints on the few journeys I've had on the X21/X22 since Sapphire was launched on it - whether it has been non-working Wi-Fi, rattley buses, or irritating Next Stop Announcements - so customers are less impressed than enthusiasts on this forum it seems, which is quite disappointing given the amount of investment put into it by ANE.

I've made my views clear when we previously discussed this, and I doubt my views will change. I'm yet to hear the new Metro Next Stop Announcements, but if they've gone down the Received Pronunciation route, I will be extremely disappointed. RP does nothing for me - and a regional accent will win every time. Like I said before, the Next Stop Announcements on GNE's new buses last year are perfect in my eyes and undoubtedly a lot better than ANE's.

It must be said that I can actually sit on a GNE bus without having to put my earphones in but I really felt that I had to on the 7 and X21/X22. The 7 isn't as bad, and that's because they're quieter, but they need to be turned down on the X21/X22 a bit to make the journey a bit more tolerable for those who have nothing wrong with their hearing.

Prefer professional sounding announcements myself mot regional.

(06 Aug 2014, 7:19 pm)mb134 wrote I saw two Lowlanders parked against the back wall then 4513 a coach and a few other ex-London deckers in the middle, unless 7483 was in service and 7482 was hidden by this crowd or indoors?

Didn't someone say 7483 was on X20?

Praying for the customers of the X15 that part of 7511's MAX refurbishment is to do something with the upstairs front panel. Can't be nice to have that rattling all the way to Berwick...

(07 Aug 2014, 3:32 pm)mb134 wrote Praying for the customers of the X15 that part of 7511's MAX refurbishment is to do something with the upstairs front panel. Can't be nice to have that rattling all the way to Berwick...

Is that the one I complained about the other week? I applied pressure with my foot to that panel to quieten it down a bit, whichever E400 in the 75xx series it was.

(07 Aug 2014, 3:41 pm)Dan wrote Is that the one I complained about the other week? I applied pressure with my foot to that panel to quieten it down a bit, whichever E400 in the 75xx series it was.

Tried to, then the other side started, may have been yeah jeez it's annoying

(07 Aug 2014, 3:41 pm)Dan wrote Is that the one I complained about the other week? I applied pressure with my foot to that panel to quieten it down a bit, whichever E400 in the 75xx series it was.

It was 7513, are most of them like this.

(07 Aug 2014, 3:47 pm)Jimmi wrote It was 7513, are most of them like this.

Ah right.
It was irritating on what was a relatively short journey on the 35 - nevermind what it would have been like on the X15..!

Do hope the Sapphire ones don't end up like that, as it really won't reflect an upmarket high-quality bus service, if so.

Time for DB to come in with a comment about E400s and how Volvo B9TLs are better!

(07 Aug 2014, 3:49 pm)Dan wrote Ah right.
It was irritating on what was a relatively short journey on the 35 - nevermind what it would have been like on the X15..!

Do hope the Sapphire ones don't end up like that, as it really won't reflect an upmarket high-quality bus service, if so.

Time for DB to come in with a comment about E400s and how Volvo B9TLs are better!

Must say, so far, the refurbished ones I've been on certainly haven't, or at least not so it's noticeable.

Has 7504 been on the road yet after the Sapphire launch?

(07 Aug 2014, 3:55 pm)mb134 wrote Must say, so far, the refurbished ones I've been on certainly haven't, or at least not so it's noticeable.

I'm not completely slating the E400. They're good buses but the rattling on the older ones can be a bit annoying. The newer ones are better though. I know that this doesn't relate to ANE but how did that demo covering for 6049 do on the X1 particularly on Washy Highway and Old Durham Road towards Wrekenton?

(07 Aug 2014, 12:57 pm)Roland Pratt wrote Didn't someone say 7483 was on X20?

Aye me it was out late wednesday afternoon along with 4509 / 7455.

(07 Aug 2014, 9:12 am)tyresmoke wrote 1550 just arrived at Stockton 20 mins ago

Have all of Stocktons Streetlites been delivered?