It appears the 82 goes to AND from Birtley, or it does according to the blinds of the ex London President and Cadet operating along Portobello Road at roughly 8.30 this morning.

(27 Jan 2015, 9:04 am)Andreos1 wrote It appears the 82 goes to AND from Birtley, or it does according to the blinds of the ex London President and Cadet operating along Portobello Road at roughly 8.30 this morning.

The destinations at Washington have not been updated yet for the changes.  Are these not the current blinds?

(05 Jan 2015, 9:12 pm)Tom wrote Cheers.

(27 Jan 2015, 11:52 am)citaro5284 wrote The destinations at Washington have not been updated yet for the changes.  Are these not the current blinds?

Yeah they are citaro5284, think Andreos1 is a week ahead of himself as the changes for the 82/83 isnt until this Sunday.

(27 Jan 2015, 11:52 am)citaro5284 wrote The destinations at Washington have not been updated yet for the changes.  Are these not the current blinds?

Yes, week ahead of myself!

Whoops!

The comments yesterday, were all based on the changes being at the weekend.

Will get back into bed and emerge next Monday I think...

The 82 annoys me, they tend to use ex London Presidents at the least busiest times and use MPD's at the busiest times (e.g. 9:30). The cadet is perfect for the route though. And I also think it is pointless using Presidents on the 82 as most passengers are elderly and can't get up the stairs.

(27 Jan 2015, 3:01 pm)leestransportphotos wrote The 82 annoys me, they tend to use ex London Presidents at the least busiest times and use MPD's at the busiest times (e.g. 9:30). The cadet is perfect for the route though. And I also think it is pointless using Presidents on the 82 as most passengers are elderly and can't get up the stairs.

They use the ex London Presidents because the Cadets are unreliable and crap. 

I have used the 20/20A services for two days now opposed to the old 35/35A and it does seem to be working well. I for one have not encountered a late daytime service, but there was a minor delay yesterday morning. Miss the Mercs, but aside from the interiors being a bit tatty, the Scanias are pretty good. Miles better than 4945/46 which tended to crop up regularly on the Scania boards of the 35 I used.

(27 Jan 2015, 3:04 pm)Tom wrote They use the ex London Presidents because the Cadets are unreliable and crap. 

You have a good point their like

(27 Jan 2015, 3:04 pm)Tom wrote They use the ex London Presidents because the Cadets are unreliable and crap. 

It's also somewhere local to put them between schools where it's easy to get them back off.

B0002400/537 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Birtley, Lord Lawson School and St Robert of Newmister R C High School given service number 444 effective from 02-Feb-2015. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0003954/606 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Stanley Bus Station and Quorum Business Park given service number 794 effective from 02-Feb-2015. To amend Route and Timetable.

I think all gne buses ate getting tatty the brands are getting dull and no posters inside the whey aye 5 0 has still got silverlink posters in well sum and the buses used on the 9 still see the old blaydon racers posters

(28 Jan 2015, 12:35 am)gneasy91 wrote I think all gne buses ate getting tatty the brands are getting dull and no posters inside the whey aye 5 0 has still got silverlink posters in well sum and the buses used on the 9 still see the old blaydon racers posters

You've said this on a number of occasions now, I am sure..?

Why don't you e-mail Customer Services with your thoughts so that they can be passed on to the Commercial Department?

As far as I know, the Whey Aye Five 0 OmniCitys had their posters removed months ago after someone complained about the Silverlink interior branding still remaining?

Cutting the morning Enterprise Park runs has worked well for the 8 too. 4898 full with standees on the 0812 departure out of Sunderland.

(28 Jan 2015, 12:35 am)gneasy91 wrote I think all gne buses ate getting tatty the brands are getting dull and no posters inside  the whey aye 5 0 has still got silverlink posters in well sum and the buses used on the 9 still see the old blaydon racers posters

I agree to be honest. And I have spoke to GNE about it, everytime they say they'll get back to me but they never do

(25 Jan 2015, 12:41 am)Acky81 wrote End of era it's goodbye 42 and hello 2. From 142 to 42 now we have  the 2!! Hopefully with all these changes I do hope each bus has the right colours on the correct roue

Before long it'll be the __!!!

(27 Jan 2015, 3:08 pm)Dan wrote I have used the 20/20A services for two days now opposed to the old 35/35A and it does seem to be working well. I for one have not encountered a late daytime service, but there was a minor delay yesterday morning. Miss the Mercs, but aside from the interiors being a bit tatty, the Scanias are pretty good. Miles better than 4945/46 which tended to crop up regularly on the Scania boards of the 35 I used.

yesterday (Tuesday), between 11am and 2pm I saw the 20 and 20A coming in pairs three times. their was quite a few passengers on the old 35 stand on Fawcett street waiting for the shields bus and when the 35/36 bus arrived and pulled into the stand beforehand and then pull away you still got passengers trying to put their hand out and talking to eachover why it hadnt stopped, the first bus stop on Fawcett needs sorting out, when you got a stagecoach 12 and a 20 on the stand, then the GNE 33A and 2 couldn't get on the stand and went passed the bus stop and continued.

(28 Jan 2015, 12:35 am)gneasy91 wrote I think all gne buses ate getting tatty the brands are getting dull and no posters inside  the whey aye 5 0 has still got silverlink posters in well sum and the buses used on the 9 still see the old blaydon racers posters

Not sure what it has to do with service changes, but I agree that some buses are looking tatty internally and externally.
There was the big push a few years back, when a lot of the vehicles were given the internal makeovers, but the blue scheme can look rough around the edges on some vehicles. The rattles from internal bodywork, fixtures and fittings can be annoying too.

If they still do mystery shopping, it would surely be reported.
If senior management used a range of services (they may well do) across the entire patch, into the estates, on busy shopping days etc., then surely improvements would be spotted and actioned.

However, if depots are operating under very tight financial and staffing constraints, then it may be that their main priority is keeping vehicles on the road - regardless of branding and regardless of how clean or tidy they are internally or externally.

(28 Jan 2015, 2:27 pm)Andreos1 wrote Not sure what it has to do with service changes, but I agree that some buses are looking tatty internally and externally.
There was the big push a few years back, when a lot of the vehicles were given the internal makeovers, but the blue scheme can look rough around the edges on some vehicles. The rattles from internal bodywork, fixtures and fittings can be annoying too.

If they still do mystery shopping, it would surely be reported.
If senior management used a range of services (they may well do) across the entire patch, into the estates, on busy shopping days etc., then surely improvements would be spotted and actioned.

However, if depots are operating under very tight financial and staffing constraints, then it may be that their main priority is keeping vehicles on the road - regardless of branding and regardless of how clean or tidy they are internally or externally.

Yeah some of the Prince Bishops Solar's I've been on recently have looked a tad scruffy with some of the yellow paint for the handles on top of the seats is showing through and some of the paint is flaking off on the handrails and I've been on Renown's before and there has been runs of paint on the back of the seats.

(28 Jan 2015, 2:47 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah some of the Prince Bishops Solar's I've been on recently have looked a tad scruffy with some of the yellow paint for the handles on top of the seats is showing through and some of the paint is flaking off on the handrails and I've been on Renown's before and there has been runs of paint on the back of the seats.

Don't get me started with those
Deliberately avoided specific examples - to avoid ranting, but aye, some of them are rough.

Some vehicles on some routes, need their seats looking at too. Worn away where people have been resting their feet.

(28 Jan 2015, 3:02 pm)Andreos1 wrote Don't get me started with those
Deliberately avoided specific examples - to avoid ranting, but aye, some of them are rough.

Some vehicles on some routes, need their seats looking at too. Worn away where people have been resting their feet.

Yeah some of the PB Solar's are fine but some aren't so fine.

One of the worst for seats is the S1 branded Merit where the seats have a different moquette from what GNE have as standard and some of the seats have had to be replaced so you have a bit of a mix match of diiferent moquette's.

So the information ive got so far is that GNE are going to extend service 238 from Houghton to Barnwell Go North East has declared an intention to partly replace service 79 from 31 May by extending service 238 to Barnwell during the day, and the 79/79A will be changed to 238/239 evenings/sundays.

(28 Jan 2015, 3:14 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah some of the PB Solar's are fine but some aren't so fine.

One of the worst for seats is the S1 branded Merit where the seats have a different moquette from what GNE have as standard and some of the seats have had to be replaced so you have a bit of a mix match of diiferent moquette's.

Never been on it, or can't remember being on it.
Never had the fancy to go on a trip around the Metro since it was allocated to the S1 either

That sort of issue was pretty common on vehicles across T&W post 1986. The old TWPTE seats were often replaced by all sorts of weird and wonderful combinations.

Ditto when the Nationals were re-engined, they ended up with plasticy covered seats, in the Wear Buses livery/colours. Again, replaced with different types of covers.

(28 Jan 2015, 3:36 pm)cbma06 wrote So the information ive got so far is that GNE are going to extend service 238 from Houghton to Barnwell Go North East has declared an intention to partly replace service 79 from 31 May by extending service 238 to Barnwell during the day, and the 79/79A will be changed to 238/239 evenings/sundays.

Good move for GNE, i take it NEXUS are planning to withdraw the 79/79A then... 

What area's will loose the service if the 79/79A ia withdrawn?

(28 Jan 2015, 3:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote Never been on it, or can't remember being on it.

Never had the fancy to go on a trip around the Metro since it was allocated to the S1 either



That sort of issue was pretty common on vehicles across T&W post 1986. The old TWPTE seats were often replaced by all sorts of weird and wonderful combinations.



Ditto when the Nationals were re-engined, they ended up with plasticy covered seats, in the Wear Buses livery/colours. Again, replaced with different types of covers.

I wouldn't recommend riding it as it is awful bus!

I remember towards the end of their lives the Blackpool Transport Atlantians had a mix match of seats too.

(28 Jan 2015, 4:04 pm)Michael wrote Good move for GNE, i take it NEXUS are planning to withdraw the 79/79A then... 

What area's will loose the service if the 79/79A ia withdrawn?

Just Hall Lane Estate. 

(28 Jan 2015, 4:04 pm)Michael wrote Good move for GNE, i take it NEXUS are planning to withdraw the 79/79A then... 

What area's will loose the service if the 79/79A ia withdrawn?

Nexus are waiting for proposed timetable and route info from GNE to see what variation that the service is going to take between GNE commercial proposed route and the Nexus secured service route, the service number can change but at present it will be the 238 and 239, the evening and sunday route will still be secured probably , proposed 79 turn into 238 and 79A will be 239, in line with the daytime service, long way to go yet for end of May.

(28 Jan 2015, 4:10 pm)Tom wrote Just Hall Lane Estate. 

I just checked on the site, they still have the 20 in the Hall Lane Estate, although people will say that links will be lost.  

(28 Jan 2015, 4:15 pm)cbma06 wrote Nexus are waiting for proposed timetable and route info from GNE to see what variation that the service is going to take between GNE commercial proposed route and the Nexus secured service route, the service number can change but at present it will be the 238 and 239, the evening and sunday route will still be secured probably , proposed 79 turn into 238 and 79A will be 239, in line with the daytime service, long way to go yet for end of May.

Thanks, it looks like both the 79/238 could be merged so no links are lost. 

(28 Jan 2015, 12:35 am)gneasy91 wrote I think all gne buses ate getting tatty the brands are getting dull and no posters inside  the whey aye 5 0 has still got silverlink posters in well sum and the buses used on the 9 still see the old blaydon racers posters

One of the worst brands for looking tatty is the Pronto the blistering paint around the lower deck window frames on the majority of them is awful. I once heard a young lad waiting to board a Pronto ask his mam if the window would fall out.

This is the email from Nexus:

"There are changes in the pipeline for services 79/79A due to a commercial registration by Go North East to which Nexus is reacting to ensure local links are maintained, but we don’t have a final situation yet. As this stage Go North East has declared an intention to partly replace service 79 from 31 May by extending service 238 to Barnwell during the day. We have as a result, and to hopefully make things clearer for passengers going forward, tendered evening and Sunday journeys now covered by services 79/79A numbered as services 238 and 239 at this stage. We are at this stage awaiting further detail from Go North East and timetables – and indeed the route numbers - can only be finalised when we have this."