(23 Mar 2016, 5:04 pm)Dan wrote 92, 83A, 927, 937, 68, 93A - Gateshead Central Taxis

(23 Mar 2016, 11:22 am)palatine3833 wrote The contract which Arriva had was due to expire next year apparently, but due to costs and the fact the buses can be utilised elsewhere, the contract was surrendered; hence, the short period for this upcoming tender.

(23 Mar 2016, 5:04 pm)Dan wrote 39 and 516 also retained by Go North East.

(23 Mar 2016, 11:22 am)palatine3833 wrote The contract which Arriva had was due to expire next year apparently, but due to costs and the fact the buses can be utilised elsewhere, the contract was surrendered; hence, the short period for this upcoming tender.

(23 Mar 2016, 5:11 pm)Adrian wrote But Arriva wouldn't exactly be short of buses on an evening? Plenty of Solos and E200s will be sat in the depot.

It's unusual for mutual agreement to be reached to end a contract early, or at least without penalty. Is it perhaps a case that Arriva's bid for the work wasn't breaking even, and they've not been able to make any financial progress from it?

(23 Mar 2016, 5:07 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Out of curiosity, will this allow for a spare Solo SR with all of the above being moved to Gateshead Central Taxis? Possible candidate for Hexham, or Deptford to replace an MPD on the 38/238, with one having recently moved to Hexham for the AD122?

(23 Mar 2016, 5:11 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Will the 516 still utilise a Solo SR?

(23 Mar 2016, 5:20 pm)Dan wrote Yes, an Optare Solo SR will be freed up as a result of the loss of this contract. I would expect it to be repainted red.

(23 Mar 2016, 5:20 pm)Dan wrote palatine3833 has been misinformed.

The original tender was a four-year contract which commenced 27/05/2012 and was due to expire 21/05/2016, so the contract will expire as per the original end date specified in the contract.


Yes, an Optare Solo SR will be freed up as a result of the loss of this contract. I would expect it to be repainted red.


The contractual requirement is for a Euro 4 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 36. The current contract is for a Euro 5 vehicle of the same capacity.

As such, there'd technically be scope in service 516 being allocated a different vehicle, though I'm unsure if it will be at this stage. It's worth noting that the new contracts do not stipulate the use of a "Nexus" branded vehicle, which would give operators the option to repaint the buses into their own corporate livery, to operate these services.

(23 Mar 2016, 5:04 pm)Dan wrote 39 and 516 also retained by Go North East.


Oh, grow up.

The running time will be exactly the same as the current evening 82/83 services - if Arriva can stick to this timetable, then Go North East will be able to stick to it as well. Worth noting that the current hourly service is being increased to half-hourly (ish) - departures from Concord at xx41 and xx09, from 19:41 to 23:41.

(23 Mar 2016, 7:36 pm)DanPicken wrote Well GNE clearly struggle during the day and will for a bit during the evening.

(23 Mar 2016, 7:36 pm)DanPicken wrote Well GNE clearly struggle during the day and will for a bit during the evening.

(23 Mar 2016, 8:10 pm)Adrian wrote How can you compare traffic levels on a day and night? There's no shops open at the Galleries, and you haven't got a constant flow of traffic through Birtley, for a start.

(23 Mar 2016, 12:18 pm)Dan wrote The Nexus tenders for May 2016 have been awarded as follows:

5/5A (evening and Sunday) - Stagecoach North East
82/83 - Go North East
85/86 - Go North East
592 - Gateshead Central Taxis
593 - Gateshead Central Taxis
92, 83A, 927, 937, 68, 93A - Gateshead Central Taxis

(23 Mar 2016, 1:51 pm)Michael wrote Thanks Dan, glad Stagecoach have kept the evening and Sunday runs, new number for my area to

(23 Mar 2016, 5:04 pm)Dan wrote 39 and 516 also retained by Go North East.


Oh, grow up.

The running time will be exactly the same as the current evening 82/83 services - if Arriva can stick to this timetable, then Go North East will be able to stick to it as well. Worth noting that the current hourly service is being increased to half-hourly (ish) - departures from Concord at xx41 and xx09, from 19:41 to 23:41.

(29 Mar 2016, 7:10 am)LeeCalder wrote It already leaves Concord half-hourly at these hours....

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(29 Mar 2016, 7:20 am)Dan wrote I thought it was noteworthy at the time as I misread the tender document. When briefly looking through, it looked as though the 83s had been replaced by 82s, on a half-hourly frequency (but sticking to the same timetable otherwise). Just a case of me mis-reading the timetable...

(29 Mar 2016, 7:23 am)LeeCalder wrote You could have just said you made a mistake  

(29 Mar 2016, 7:24 am)Dan wrote Didn't realise until you pointed it out!

(29 Mar 2016, 7:26 am)LeeCalder wrote That's better haha.

I'm guessing it is Riverside that will be running it?

(29 Mar 2016, 7:29 am)Dan wrote Unsure if that's been decided yet?

The bus contract register issued by Nexus suggests the contract has been awarded to "Go Northern", but I can't remember if they usually differentiate between the two divisions or not. If they do, it would suggest that a depot in the south division (Washington, I'd assume!) will operate the service.

(29 Mar 2016, 7:40 am)LeeCalder wrote Ah right, it surely would make sense for Washington to continue the service on from normal commercial hours.

(29 Mar 2016, 8:44 am)Michael wrote It would especially since there isn't the need for a certain euro engine now, as none of the new contracts have one in them.

Dan have u got the proposed timetable for the 77/77A?, only asking because you've post the 82/83 timetable.

(29 Mar 2016, 9:03 am)Dan wrote I think you're getting a few things what I've said mixed up. There's no contractual requirement for vehicles to be in Nexus livery anymore. There are still Euro rating engine requirements, though a number have been reduced from 5 to 4.

I do, but you'll have to wait until I'm back on my laptop. Haven't been on it much for the past week, given that I've been ill. As I said earlier, services 5/5A have been awarded to Stagecoach, so it's likely to stay pretty similar to the present evening and Sunday operation despite the tender *originally* going out under a new number.

(29 Mar 2016, 9:08 am)Michael wrote No rush Dan, was just query, like you said the 5/5A should stay the same, was just wondering how the 77/77A timetable would work... if NEXUS have gave a timetable out, as its now going to be ran on a commercial bases.

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(29 Mar 2016, 9:55 am)Dan wrote The timetable from the original tender:


The timetable from the revised tender:


Nexus will not set a timetable for the daytime service between City Centre and The Docks that is being taken on commercially by another operator, as it is ultimately down to the operator in question to design a timetable which suits their commercial needs (whether that's designing a timetable in order to allow the service to interwork with another or whether that's by an operator expanding a service so that their network grows).

You will notice that the timetable actually commences 22nd May 2016, so the VOSA registrations will be in by now and should appear online any day now...