Not sure what the GNE fares are but here's some fares from Arriva...

Middlesbrough-Newcastle £5.70 (rtn £6.70)
Middlesbrough-Durham £5.20 (rtn £6.70)
Durham-Newcastle £3.50 (rtn £5.80)
Durham-Chester £2.70 (rtn £4.80)
Chester-Newcastle £2.70 (rtn £4.80)

I think probably think a slight factor putting people off the X2 is that it stops running around 6-7pm, whereas the 21 continues until midnight and even the next day at the weekend.

(14 Jul 2013, 10:35 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure what the GNE fares are but here's some fares from Arriva...

Middlesbrough-Newcastle £5.70 (rtn £6.70)
Middlesbrough-Durham £5.20 (rtn £6.70)
Durham-Newcastle £3.50 (rtn £5.80)
Durham-Chester £2.70 (rtn £4.80)
Chester-Newcastle £2.70 (rtn £4.80)

At last, some direct comparisons. The GNE fares are:

Middlesbrough - Newcastle £6.80 (rtn £7.30)
Durham - Newcastle £3.95 (rtn £5.50)
Durham - Chester £3.15 (rtn £4.40)
Chester - Newcastle £3.15 (rtn £4.40)

[A comparative fare between Durham and Middlesbrough won't exist as GNE do not operate a direct service between those destinations. (As if I really needed to point that out to you all ) ]

From this we can see that single fares are cheaper on Arriva, but return fares are cheaper on GNE with one exception: the Newcastle to Middlesbrough fare.

(14 Jul 2013, 9:30 am)AdamY wrote Just a little price comparison table I've knocked up.



I understand the point that is being made about the inconvenience of changing onto a less frequent bus at Durham. However, if connections were good and the bus was reliable (in the sense it wasn't held up), then I might be convinced to switch if I was travelling this route everyday and currently buying a 28-Day Buzzfare from GNE. There are some good savings to be made by doing so.

EDIT: Re-sized table.

Just to clarify your comparable gne fares are way out

Bishop to Durham £12.50 weekly
Bishop to Newcastle £21.80 weekly
Durham to Newcastle £16.60 weekly.

(14 Jul 2013, 6:12 am)nk55 wrote If i had the option of getting to my destination quicker on a V reg bus & paying a little more or a 61 reg bus paying less, i'm on the gne bus every time. Also would i get the 6 from bishop & then changing buses in durham to the X2 when i can catch a bus straight through.....No brainer.

If we're talking straight traffic from Durham to Newcastle then I'd use the X2.

Wi-Fi, on board announcements and headrests are nothing but gimmicks. From experience the X2 is a lot lot quicker.

The average consumer isn't going to care about V reg or 61 reg.

If my memory serves me right the X21 takes 48 mins from durham to newcastle, where as the X2 takes longer, the 21 being the slowest of the 3.

(14 Jul 2013, 8:11 pm)nk55 wrote If my memory serves me right the X21 takes 48 mins from durham to newcastle, where as the X2 takes longer, the 21 being the slowest of the 3.

X21 takes 49 mins, X2 isn't that much longer at 54 minutes, so there's only 5 minutes different despite the X21 not stopping between Chester-Le-Street and Gateshead while the X2 stops in Birtley and Low Fell.

(14 Jul 2013, 7:24 pm)nk55 wrote

(14 Jul 2013, 9:30 am)AdamY wrote Just a little price comparison table I've knocked up.



I understand the point that is being made about the inconvenience of changing onto a less frequent bus at Durham. However, if connections were good and the bus was reliable (in the sense it wasn't held up), then I might be convinced to switch if I was travelling this route everyday and currently buying a 28-Day Buzzfare from GNE. There are some good savings to be made by doing so.

EDIT: Re-sized table.

Just to clarify your comparable gne fares are way out

Bishop to Durham £12.50 weekly
Bishop to Newcastle £21.80 weekly
Durham to Newcastle £16.60 weekly.

D'oh. I forgot about the service specific fares. (As I said, it was a quick effort)

The prices I used were based upon two and three-zone buzzfare tickets. What are the monthly and annual equivalent prices for 21/X21 tickets?

I give you SightSeeker

(14 Jul 2013, 9:07 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I give you SightSeeker

Sight Seeker?

That's utterly terrible!

(14 Jul 2013, 9:10 pm)gtomlinson wrote

(14 Jul 2013, 9:07 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I give you SightSeeker

Sight Seeker?

That's utterly terrible!

Good God that is horrific, Bet GNE are laughing at this Route Branding attempt by Arriva.

Divert it through Sleights and called it 'SleightSeeker'.

Once again, I'll get my coat....

(14 Jul 2013, 9:25 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Good God that is horrific, Bet GNE are laughing at this Route Branding attempt by Arriva.

Personally, I don't mind it. It's still better than some of GNEs latest attempts!

Looks better from the back.

(14 Jul 2013, 4:16 pm)AdamY wrote

(14 Jul 2013, 10:35 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure what the GNE fares are but here's some fares from Arriva...

Middlesbrough-Newcastle £5.70 (rtn £6.70)
Middlesbrough-Durham £5.20 (rtn £6.70)
Durham-Newcastle £3.50 (rtn £5.80)
Durham-Chester £2.70 (rtn £4.80)
Chester-Newcastle £2.70 (rtn £4.80)

At last, some direct comparisons. The GNE fares are:

Middlesbrough - Newcastle £6.80 (rtn £7.30)
Durham - Newcastle £3.95 (rtn £5.50)
Durham - Chester £3.15 (rtn £4.40)
Chester - Newcastle £3.15 (rtn £4.40)

[A comparative fare between Durham and Middlesbrough won't exist as GNE do not operate a direct service between those destinations. (As if I really needed to point that out to you all ) ]

From this we can see that single fares are cheaper on Arriva, but return fares are cheaper on GNE with one exception: the Newcastle to Middlesbrough fare.

Further to this, new from July 20th are
X2 day ticket £5
X2 week ticket £15
X2/X24 family ticket £10

This therefore reduces the return fare between Durham and Newcastle to £5, below GNEs offering!

This branding is better than GNE. Take for example Diamond!

(15 Jul 2013, 6:19 am)tyresmoke wrote

(14 Jul 2013, 4:16 pm)AdamY wrote

(14 Jul 2013, 10:35 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure what the GNE fares are but here's some fares from Arriva...

Middlesbrough-Newcastle £5.70 (rtn £6.70)
Middlesbrough-Durham £5.20 (rtn £6.70)
Durham-Newcastle £3.50 (rtn £5.80)
Durham-Chester £2.70 (rtn £4.80)
Chester-Newcastle £2.70 (rtn £4.80)

At last, some direct comparisons. The GNE fares are:

Middlesbrough - Newcastle £6.80 (rtn £7.30)
Durham - Newcastle £3.95 (rtn £5.50)
Durham - Chester £3.15 (rtn £4.40)
Chester - Newcastle £3.15 (rtn £4.40)

[A comparative fare between Durham and Middlesbrough won't exist as GNE do not operate a direct service between those destinations. (As if I really needed to point that out to you all ) ]

From this we can see that single fares are cheaper on Arriva, but return fares are cheaper on GNE with one exception: the Newcastle to Middlesbrough fare.

Further to this, new from July 20th are
X2 day ticket £5
X2 week ticket £15
X2/X24 family ticket £10

This therefore reduces the return fare between Durham and Newcastle to £5, below GNEs offering!

I will be taking up the £15 week ticket which offers a saving on the £16.60 that I have been paying GNE for the Angel Saver. Arriva might also get me to my destination on one bus. GNE have been know to ask passengers to leave their bus part way along the route to regulate the service meaning two buses to get from Durham to Newcastle. I hope that Arriva take the opportunity to advertise this offer using a medium that will reach other GNE customers.

Some details on the new North Tyneside routes in September.

51 – hourly on Monday to Saturday daytimes from Newcastle to Whitley Bay via Coast Road, Benton Asda, Holystone, West Allotment, Shiremoor, Earsdon and Beaumont Park. Buses will run between Benton Asda and Whitley Bay in the evening and on Sundays.

53 – half-hourly on Monday to Saturday daytimes from Cramlington to North Shields via Southfield Green, Dudley, Killingworth, Forest Hall, Benton Asda, Holystone, West Allotment, Shiremoor, New York and Billy Mill. Buses will run hourly in the evening and on Sundays.

54 – half-hourly on Monday to Saturday daytimes from Newcastle to Whitley Bay via Gosforth, Longbenton, Quorum, West Moor, Killingworth, Backworth, Shiremoor, New York and North Tyneside Hospital. Buses will run hourly in the evening and on Sundays.

The 53A and X6/X6A are withdrawn. There are no changes to Nexus bus 59.

As posted by Arriva on the official Facebook page.

PB0002717/54 - ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LTD, 1 ADMIRAL WAY, DOXFORD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK, SUNDERLAND, SR3 3XP
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Darlington and Barnard Castle given service number 75/76 effective from 28-Jul-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Forgot to make a note of it but there was a Solo working the X19 service yesterday - I believe that's fairly rare but I could be wrong. Didn't manage to get a photo with the blind working either.

Full Omnicity allocation on the 685 today (providing the PVR for the Arriva ones is 3!) after Pulsar 1480 was taken off at 12:30pm (4661 was the replacement).
60 and 64 were the other two Omnicities out. Not sure if they replaced Pulsars or if they had been on there all day.

(19 Jul 2013, 3:54 pm)Daniel wrote Forgot to make a note of it but there was a Solo working the X19 service yesterday - I believe that's fairly rare but I could be wrong. Didn't manage to get a photo with the blind working either.

Full Omnicity allocation on the 685 today (providing the PVR for the Arriva ones is 3!) after Pulsar 1480 was taken off at 12:30pm (4661 was the replacement).
60 and 64 were the other two Omnicities out. Not sure if they replaced Pulsars or if they had been on there all day.

685 PVR in total is 6 - split 4/2 in Arriva's favour.

Ah, the other was a Pulsar then. Explains why I saw 1482 (?) on the 685 about an hour ago. I assumed it had replaced an Omni but clearly not!

'SightSeeker' E400s today are as followed (post updated through the morning):

7503 is 0825 X93 from Middlesbrough, next trip from Middlesbrough is 1525 finishing in Middlesbrough at 1953 tonight
7502 on 1025 X93 from Middlesbrough, next trip 1725
7504 on 1225 X93 from Middlesbrough, next trip 1930 (last trip to Scarborough)

7501 is sadly currently VOR with engine problems.

While Whitby have put an MPD on service 5, 1739 worked the 1115 from Middlesbrough.

Redcar had orange (still unbranded) MPD 1759 on service 63 yesterday.

It seems 4719 has replaced 7503.

(20 Jul 2013, 2:26 pm)Daniel wrote It seems 4719 has replaced 7503.

That may suggest some swapping has taken place - so all 3 (working) E400s are up at Whitby for the start of the holiday.

7502 still on. The back looks quite smart actually!

(RUMOUR ONLY?)

On the Newcastle Metro Area of the SkyscraperCity forum someone has said they've heard a rumour that the new 308 hybrids could be replaced with ex London bendy buses!
Weird I know, and unlikely as Arriva North East have had plenty of time to bring up ex London bendies when they first became available but they weren't bothered. Plus having to reroute 308s away from the popular end stands of Haymarket bus station could be risky for their passenger numbers, (as Coast Road residents within Newcastle can currently hang around at the last too stands and jump on what ever comes first, i.e; 306, 307, 308, 309, or 310).

I'm not one for spreading rumours etc, as I know myself this sounds unlikely, but I just thought I'd mention it here, just in case someone here had heard something too.

I'll not hold my breath for further bendies on the coast road

(22 Jul 2013, 6:30 pm)ne14ne1 wrote On the Newcastle Metro Area of the SkyscraperCity forum someone has said they've heard a rumour that the new 308 hybrids could be replaced with ex London bendy buses!

I really doubt it after they've just spent over a million on brand new buses. Then again, you never know - although I don't see why?

(22 Jul 2013, 6:40 pm)BJ10VUS wrote I really doubt it after they've just spent over a million on brand new buses. Then again, you never know - although I don't see why?

Yeah, I can't see it happening either.
Arriva Liverpool brought some ex-Arriva London bendies up mind, but they're on an airport-to-city centre express route.