(19 Oct 2014, 4:24 pm)Dan wrote Some of the 306 departures I noted into Haymarket this afternoon were running 5-10 minutes late, and none appeared on Arriva's Live Map on the phone app. Not sure if this is common for Sundays (ie tight timing to reduce the PVR) or whether it's down to the Streetlites?
One was sitting in Haymarket (on the stand next to the Cobalt Clipper) for at least an hour too.

The 308 was running about 10-15 minutes late whenever I spotted it this afternoon too. Not great.

The 306 is relatively good with regards to reliability. My 308 was 25 minutes late, and the 306 coming back was on time. The Streetlites are quite decent, and should cope on the 306.

(19 Oct 2014, 10:39 am)citaro5284 wrote 2806 is out again today, just past me on a 51, still looking the same....

Saw it this afternoon as well, looks even worse than the photo! From a distance it looks like its had a small accident and some of the paint has been scraped off

I don't think it was a very good move by Arriva only getting three Streetlites for the 35/35a, passengers may come to expect the Wi-Fi they offer and consequently be disappointed when a bus without Wi-Fi and nicer seats turns up. Personally I think they should have left it, or bought six. If I were a normal passenger with no knowledge, after being on the newer buses on the route I would assume them to be broken and unreliable when half of the allocation appeared to be older vehicles.

But why are the 308's running 25 minutes late? Are they not getting enough time or too many passengers? They need to do something otherwise GNE's B9TL's will be jam packed to the raftas. The only reason the 309 takes longer is because GNE use the correct timings and give the 309 recovery points along the route to make up lost time if any. Perhaps Arriva should start using GNE's policy to give the services more time. GNE did it for the Toon Link and the complaints on FB about the 4 services have went down alot. The only reason they don't do it for the Angel and the Fab 56 is becuase naturally, they are routes when whatever resources are pumped into them, the difference in reliability would hardly be marginal due to traffic in Sunderland, Durham, Birtley / A1, Wrekenton, Low Fell, Gateshead and of course Newcastle.

This is what the timings for the 308 between Rake Lane and Newcastle should be (Not including evenings):

To Newcastle (Peak 1 - Low to Mid Traffic)
Rake Lane Hospital: 00
Billy Mill: 06
Formica: 08
Silverlink: 11
Willington Square: 14
Station Road: 20
Benfield Road: 22
Chillingham Road: 25
Haymarket: 37
Time difference between 308 / 309 using 0632 309 dep from Blyth as example = 2 minutes

To Newcastle (Peak 2 - Mid Traffic)
Rake Lane Hospital: 00

Billy Mill: 07
Formica: 09
Silverlink: 12
Willington Square: 15
Station Road: 21
Benfield Road: 24
Chillingham Road: 27
Haymarket: 40
Time difference between 308 / 309 using 0647 309 dep from Blyth as example = 1 minute

To Newcastle (Peak 3 - Mid to High Traffic)

Rake Lane Hospital: 00
Billy Mill: 07
Formica: 09
Silverlink: 12
Willington Square: 15
Station Road: 21
Benfield Road: 24
Chillingham Road: 28
Haymarket: 42
Time difference between 308 / 309 using 0659 309 dep from Blyth as example = 1 minute

To Newcastle (Peak 4 - High Traffic)

Rake Lane Hospital: 00
Billy Mill: 07
Formica: 09
Silverlink: 12
Willington Square: 15
Station Road: 21
Benfield Road: 24
Chillingham Road: 28
Haymarket: 44
Time difference between 308 / 309 using 0717 309 dep from Blyth as example = 3 minutes

To Newcastle (Off peak Monday to Saturday daytime)
Rake Lane Hospital: 00

Billy Mill: 06
Formica: 08
Silverlink: 11
Willington Square: 14
Station Road: 20
Benfield Road: 22
Chillingham Road: 24
Haymarket: 35
Time difference between 308 / 309 using a typical Monday to Saturday journey off peak= 2 minutes or 1 minute towards Rake Lane

To Blyth to Newcastle (Sunday daytime)
Blyth Bus Station: 00
Seaton Sluice Roundabout: 08
Whitley Bay Cemetery: 14
Whitley Bay Town Centre: 20
Rake Lane: 26
Billy Mill: 32
Formica: 34
Silverlink: 37
Willington Square: 39
Station Road: 44
Benfield Road: 46
Chillingham Road: 48
Haymarket: 59
1 Minute difference between the 308 / 309.

(17 Oct 2014, 7:28 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Fuel Guard (basically protects the main bodywork from damage from any fuel spills). All the other Streetlites have the same but 1550-73/82-9 have had theirs painted to match in with the main body.

Ah right, thank you. Thought it was too soon to have been accident damaged!

Here's a first....

ANE 4803 in Park Lane Interchange, Sunderland.
http://flic.kr/p/oMouc5

(19 Oct 2014, 7:20 pm)MrPottski wrote Here's a first....

ANE 4803 in Park Lane Interchange, Sunderland.
http://flic.kr/p/oMouc5

Won't be for long when the new X21 starts =) 

(19 Oct 2014, 7:22 pm)Michael wrote Won't be for long when the new X21 starts =) 

Aye they were using it for route learning today... X21 starts next Monday (27th) morning!

2503 arrived at Darlington today and 2834 moved to Jesmond in return, while 1103/4 and 1914/22 were supposed to be swapped back this afternoon too. One I forgot to mention was 7436 has turned up at Durham also.

Or if they really want to improve reliability on the 308, how about they bring back the little gem that would creep around from Barras Bridge at every quater past and quater to the hour, you'd get your ticket, sit down and enjoy the bus thundering down the Coast Road to Formica only calling at Willington in a timely 15 minutes.

7436 has turned up at Durham also.

Has been at Durham a few weeks now.

Poster on 2838:

"Customers should be advised that starting 26 October:
Our East Durham two zone day ticket for travel between Peterlee and either Sunderland or Hartlepool will be reduced to £4.90 (preciously £5.70)."

(20 Oct 2014, 7:41 am)Dan wrote Poster on 2838:

"Customers should be advised that starting 26 October:
Our East Durham two zone day ticket for travel between Peterlee and either Sunderland or Hartlepool will be reduced to £4.90 (preciously £5.70)."

Not bad, good to see them dropping the price

Also, the Darlington borough boundary will be extended to include Newton Aycliffe, as mentioned the other day

(17 Oct 2014, 5:37 pm)Jimmi wrote Click below to see photos:
1578
1578 - side view
1578 - rear view
1575

When are these due to be Launched on the 23?

Would imagine they'll be out from Monday with the service changes...

Make sure yous divvint gan to Park Lane to photo them... Park Lane is patrolled by the wicked witch on Mondays!

(20 Oct 2014, 1:36 pm)Dan wrote Make sure yous divvint gan to Park Lane to photo them... Park Lane is patrolled by the wicked witch on Mondays!

I was getting daggers yesterday from a Nexus Jobsworth, and I was driving the bloody thing!

(20 Oct 2014, 2:43 pm)MrPottski wrote I was getting daggers yesterday from a Nexus Jobsworth, and I was driving the bloody thing!

I get daggers regardless of whether I have my camera, who I'm with, or the clothing I wear...
You'd think a Sixth Form uniform would be good enough to suggest that the purpose of my visit to the bus station is not for photography!

She bumped into me today...quite literally!

(20 Oct 2014, 2:46 pm)Dan wrote I get daggers regardless of whether I have my camera, who I'm with, or the clothing I wear...
You'd think a Sixth Form uniform would be good enough to suggest that the purpose of my visit to the bus station is not for photography!

She bumped into me today...quite literally!

You're a marked man Dan! Bet your photo is up in their canteen, Nexus Ememy Number 1!

(20 Oct 2014, 1:36 pm)Dan wrote Make sure yous divvint gan to Park Lane to photo them... Park Lane is patrolled by the wicked witch on Mondays!

But I love a good old confrontation with her in Park Lane though over Photography in the Bus Station.

WX61HSL is now branded for Darlington- Sunderland 21/X21. No branding on WX61FXO yet.

(20 Oct 2014, 7:41 am)Dan wrote Poster on 2838:

"Customers should be advised that starting 26 October:
Our East Durham two zone day ticket for travel between Peterlee and either Sunderland or Hartlepool will be reduced to £4.90 (preciously £5.70)."

It'll be interesting to see if GNE come up with a WTX saver in response. Seeing as the 23 is now both quicker, and £1.30 cheaper for someone needing a day ticket.

#BringBackBargainBus

(20 Oct 2014, 5:24 pm)aureolin wrote It'll be interesting to see if GNE come up with a WTX saver in response. Seeing as the 23 is now both quicker, and £1.30 cheaper for someone needing a day ticket.

#BringBackBargainBus

Remember that the "Wear Tees Xpress" service X7 is in fact included in the "East Durham" route saver day ticket which permits unlimited travel on all "East Durham" services, "Fast Cats" X35 and "Wear Tees Xpress" service X7 between Sunderland and Station Town - costing £4.60.

Arriva reducing their fares actually brings their prices further in line with Go North East's fares. Let's face it - they'd stand no chance of stealing any customers from the competition if they kept their two zone day ticket prices at £5.70 (ie £1.10 more expensive, allowing for shorter distance journeys).

(20 Oct 2014, 5:35 pm)Dan wrote Remember that the "Wear Tees Xpress" service X7 is in fact included in the "East Durham" route saver day ticket which permits unlimited travel on all "East Durham" services, "Fast Cats" X35 and "Wear Tees Xpress" service X7 between Sunderland and Station Town - costing £4.60.

Arriva reducing their fares actually brings their prices further in line with Go North East's fares. Let's face it - they'd stand no chance of stealing any customers from the competition if they kept their two zone day ticket prices at £5.70 (ie £1.10 more expensive, allowing for shorter distance journeys).

I wasn't aware of that, but it's good to know. It would beggar the question of why, if reducing the fare, is it still more expensive than the competition? If people have the option between £4.60 or £4.90, then they're going to stick with the former anyway? 

Looking at GNE's Money Saver guide though, they could perhaps do a bit more to promote that as a saving on the X7. At present, the X35 and X7 are just tagged on to the end of a list of East Durham services, accompanied by the East Durham brand's logo. Probably why I glanced over it in the first place. 

It'd be interesting to see how many people use this ticket on the X35 and X7, and probably worth a test to see if I get offered a two zone buzzfare or the cheaper alternative.

Does anyone know what happened to w753 sbr bus 

(20 Oct 2014, 5:43 pm)aureolin wrote It'd be interesting to see how many people use this ticket on the X35 and X7, and probably worth a test to see if I get offered a two zone buzzfare or the cheaper alternative.

From experience it tends to vary from driver to driver - and that ultimately boils down to the depot they're at, or whether they're on-time.

For a depot the size of Peterlee where there isn't a great deal of ticketing options (singles/returns, BuzzFares or the East Durham saver is about it really), the drivers will know all of the ticketing options available and I'd put money on the majority offering the cheaper alternative. 
When you get to bigger depots such as Riverside where there are a lot more alternatives, I think it's more common practice just to give the customer what they ask for rather than questioning it...

(20 Oct 2014, 5:54 pm)Dan wrote From experience it tends to vary from driver to driver - and that ultimately boils down to the depot they're at, or whether they're on-time.

For a depot the size of Peterlee where there isn't a great deal of ticketing options (singles/returns, BuzzFares or the East Durham saver is about it really), the drivers will know all of the ticketing options available and I'd put money on the majority offering the cheaper alternative. 
When you get to bigger depots such as Riverside where there are a lot more alternatives, I think it's more common practice just to give the customer what they ask for rather than questioning it...

What I can't understand is how the return is £5.70
On the Coaster the route saver is always the return for fares over £2.

(20 Oct 2014, 5:56 pm)Tom wrote What I can't understand is how the return is £5.70
On the Coaster the route saver is always the return for fares over £2.

Without wishing to turn this into the "Pricing" thread, or get the topic too far away from Arriva NE in general...

Someone has explained why operators set high prices for singles/returns in the past (something to do with the reimbursed revenue for concessionary travel). A large number of passengers on the "Wear Tees Xpress" X7 service will actually use concessionary passes, and those who use the service regularly benefit from the great value route savers or day/weekly BuzzFare tickets.
The only ones who lose out are those who buy one-off single/returns, and that's very few people on a service like the X7...

The Coaster is hugely different to the X7, so obviously the fare structure differs too to offer better suited ticketing options.

Any pictures of the branded X21 Eco City?