(30 Jul 2014, 9:18 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Just a thought? I know Steve and Karen calmed down on the next stop for GNE but could you imagine what it would be like if ANE got Gary and Lisa to do the ones for the X21 / X22?

Gary: "Next sto'pp' ?, Bedlin'tin' Hart'linds' ?"
Lisa: "Pleezz ring the bell ? and remain 'seeted' ?until the bus has stopped"

(30 Jul 2014, 9:18 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Just a thought? I know Steve and Karen calmed down on the next stop for GNE but could you imagine what it would be like if ANE got Gary and Lisa to do the ones for the X21 / X22?

Gary: "Next sto'pp' ?, Bedlin'tin' Hart'linds' ?"
Lisa: "Pleezz ring the bell ? and remain 'seeted' ?until the bus has stopped"

(30 Jul 2014, 9:22 pm)Jimmi wrote God no, don't Gary and Lisa do some of Go North East's announcements?

(30 Jul 2014, 9:22 pm)Jimmi wrote God no, don't Gary and Lisa do some of Go North East's announcements?

(30 Jul 2014, 9:20 pm)Kuyoyo wrote No, Arriva's are done by a professional

(30 Jul 2014, 9:28 pm)Dan wrote A 'professional' with a monotonous, dire voice.

Whilst I agree GNE's early Next Stop Announcements are over the top ('What's the next stop? You guessed it.. Herrington Burn!' - or something along those lines), they allow passengers to hear what is likely to be a familiar voice - something which the elderly more so will approve of.

The Next Stop Announcements on vehicles new last year are the happy medium. Let's not forget the free advertising on the radio GNE gets too, thanks to the logos for the radio companies on the NSA screens on-board buses. Win/win situation!

(30 Jul 2014, 9:38 pm)aureolin wrote Reckon it's more of a partnership than free advertising. Their logos are plastered all over several buses driving round the NE all day, but yeah... Win win situation definitely.

Reminds me of the Metro. Some corporate boffin coming up with a cracking idea to take away regional accents in favour of "professionalism". Whilst I'm not a fan of my journey being interrupted by two pratts from the radio, at least it's a regional accent.

I reckon my idea of Charlotte off Geordie Shore doing the next ones was a go-er... If not, I'm sure Jimmy Nail would be game?

(30 Jul 2014, 9:28 pm)Dan wrote A 'professional' with a monotonous, dire voice.

Whilst I agree GNE's early Next Stop Announcements are over the top ('What's the next stop? You guessed it.. Herrington Burn!' - or something along those lines), they allow passengers to hear what is likely to be a familiar voice - something which the elderly more so will approve of.

The Next Stop Announcements on vehicles new last year are the happy medium. Let's not forget the free advertising on the radio GNE gets too, thanks to the logos for the radio companies on the NSA screens on-board buses. Win/win situation!

(30 Jul 2014, 9:53 pm)Jimmi wrote The worst on the 7 is the announcement for Coatham Mundaville which sounds more like Coat Ham Mundaville.

Also the GNE announcements with Real Radio should be updated as its now Heart Radio.

(30 Jul 2014, 9:53 pm)Jimmi wrote The worst on the 7 is the announcement for Coatham Mundaville which sounds more like Coat Ham Mundaville.

Also the GNE announcements with Real Radio should be updated as its now Heart Radio.

(31 Jul 2014, 2:36 pm)Marcus wrote On GNE's 21 - instead of saying 'Barley Mow' they say 'Mo', which really annoys me! I can barely hear the announcements on the 56s!

(31 Jul 2014, 3:23 pm)Stuart Phin wrote Does anyone know which scanias Darlington are getting as part of the MAX Rota?

(31 Jul 2014, 3:36 pm)tyresmoke wrote It should be all of the 05 plates (4643-4659) apart from 4652/4/8 (staying at Stockton) and 4653/9 (off to Ashington for X15)

(31 Jul 2014, 4:50 pm)Roland Pratt wrote What are three staying at Stockton for, 21A?

(30 Jul 2014, 8:21 pm)Dan wrote Just had a look through their Facebook page, and the Arriva bod doesn't seem to be particularly knowledgeable...

I've quoted one of the comments which stood out to me:


'I am guessing'? This screams wrong on so many levels to me. Good job they were just guessing though, as it certainly wouldn't have been to match them up - more likely to save a bit of $$$. Obviously this wouldn't have been admitted on the public domain, but y'know..!

(31 Jul 2014, 4:55 pm)Roland Pratt wrote To be fair to Arriva, what colour LEDs new buses are going to have is not the sort of question they are going to expect to be asked. Its when they get service information wrong that its pitiful.

(31 Jul 2014, 4:58 pm)Dan wrote But are you suggesting the phrase 'I am guessing' is acceptable to be used on a public Facebook page, when customers expect that the person(s) answering questions will know the answer - whatever is thrown at them?

(31 Jul 2014, 5:00 pm)Roland Pratt wrote Yes I think it is acceptable in the circumstances. What are you going to expect him to answer next, how many bolts there are holding a Dennis Dart together or something?

(31 Jul 2014, 5:02 pm)Dan wrote We'll have to agree to disagree.

I've seen instances whereby, if a Go North East Customer Services Assistant hasn't known the answer, they've asked a colleague and have then been able to answer. If Arriva's Facebook page was managed in-house rather than by people down in Luton who haven't got a clue, perhaps they could have done the same...

And of course not, that would be silly.

(30 Jul 2014, 11:59 am)Dan wrote 4523 likewise.

7508 is reportedly one Sapphire going around minus branding, and I've just seen 7509 minus branding too...

(31 Jul 2014, 5:23 pm)Roland Pratt wrote 7508 WAS branded yesterday. Only 7509 not.

(31 Jul 2014, 5:02 pm)Dan wrote We'll have to agree to disagree.

I've seen instances whereby, if a Go North East Customer Services Assistant hasn't known the answer, they've asked a colleague and have then been able to answer. If Arriva's Facebook page was managed in-house rather than by people down in Luton who haven't got a clue, perhaps they could have done the same...

And of course not, that would be silly.

(31 Jul 2014, 5:39 pm)aureolin wrote I tweeted them a while ago asking if all card readers were going to be removed removed, and the answer I got was "I'm sorry I do not have an answer to your question."

I don't agree that they'd ask a colleague if they don't have an answer. Whilst there are times they have done for me, there are more times they haven't (there's a great example in the pricing thread by the way). How many people ask why such and such a bus hasn't turned up, and all they get is a "Sorry about that. Have you managed to travel yet?".

Think I've made my thoughts on Arriva customer services clear in the past. Still waiting for a response by the way folks.

(31 Jul 2014, 4:51 pm)tyresmoke wrote I think that's the plan yes, to me it would make sense for them to be Maxed for the 75/76 which would ultimately mean Darlington have 90% of the Scanias and Stockton get to standardise their fleet too.

(31 Jul 2014, 3:36 pm)tyresmoke wrote It should be all of the 05 plates (4643-4659) apart from 4652/4/8 (staying at Stockton) and 4653/9 (off to Ashington for X15)

(31 Jul 2014, 5:54 pm)Stuart Phin wrote So Darlington are getting 4643-51,4655-57