(02 Jan 2015, 5:19 pm)tyresmoke wrote Oh dear more #purplesolars !

(02 Jan 2015, 5:25 pm)citaro5284 wrote why oh dear?

(02 Jan 2015, 5:25 pm)citaro5284 wrote why oh dear?

(02 Jan 2015, 5:29 pm)Jimmi wrote On the upside of 4945 being repainted may mean less #missingpurplesolars on the 20/20A over the next few weeks.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:33 pm)Dan wrote 4945 wouldn't have had to step in today - a full "Prince Bishops" branded allocation on 20/20A and I am not aware of any replacements having taken place.

You're going to look at it being incredibly rare to ever have a full branded allocation on the road from January 25th though - covering a PVR of 20 with no branded spares...

(02 Jan 2015, 2:18 pm)Malarkey wrote Took a left at Gateshead Police Station and now heading along Askew Road to The MetroCentre, quite an Interesting Bus Journey this.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:30 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote More to go missing!

(02 Jan 2015, 5:40 pm)citaro5284 wrote Careful Marcus.......I have not forgot what you called me!!

(02 Jan 2015, 5:37 pm)Jimmi wrote Good to hear that there was a full PB allocation today.

Yeah it will probably see more red spares appearing but the long journey may make it less noticeable than it is now.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:37 pm)Malarkey wrote Unfortunately my Phone died after the above post en-route to the MetroCentre, after going along Askew Road the Driver made the rather idiotic decision of going onto Motorway past the Dunston turn off and joining the A1 to The MetroCentre, I think had he took the X66 Route it would of saved him 10 Minutes as we got stuck in Traffic on A1 and again coming into The MetroCentre, so rather than Departing 6 Minutes Late as I had predicted he left almost 20 Minutes Late.

3943 had originally been on the X88 circa 1pm at Washington Galleries, come 2pm it was an Ex London President which is the one I got on to the MetroCentre, the President was then replaced by 3943 for the 15:18pm from The MetroCentre which was again Late due to Roadworks on the A1, The Driver took the Normal Route back to Washington until the Roundabout at the bottom of Eighton Banks, where he decided to go off to Left and along past the Mill House and onto the X1 Route into The Galleries, which I thought was rather odd as he should of continued around to the Right and down the Motorway between Oxlcose/Blackfell, again this would of saved him a few Minutes, by this point I dont think he really cared as either way he going to be Late.

Upon arrival into The Galleries Connections 4 Citaro "5359" did the 15:55pm X88 from Washington Galleries to Time Correct the Late Running 3943, Personally I dont think what I have experienced today on the X88 will change anytime soon and I would advise that GNE use the Alternative Route taken to MetroCentre as Detailed in Previous Posts both there and back rather than using the A1, Perhaps putting in a Vosa Registration to amend Route and Timetable would be a good idea as Reliability of the Service is Awful at the Moment. 

(02 Jan 2015, 5:55 pm)Andreos1 wrote @Tyresmoke

Nah, I don't love those Solars at all .
The wing mirror issues was just one of the reasons given on here for a purple Solar being missing.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:47 pm)Jimmi wrote Unfortunately the X88 doesn't have large layover times on the timetable and I have witnessed late running even when there has been no problems on the A1.

Unfortunately there isn't alot that can not be done as going down the A1 can make it late but running different routes can also cause delays to the service all they could do is add extra running time to the service which would require extra buses to cover the service. It's not just the X88 that has this problem the X22 and X24 also have this problem and the worst thing about the X22 is it interworks with the 14 so it can be delayed too, the X24 doesn't have many problems if it arrives back in Durham late as it has a 34 minute layover before its next trip.

Sadly the roadworks are expected to last until March 2016 which sounds so depressing.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:57 pm)Malarkey wrote I think if the X88 was to operate between Washington Galleries and The Metrocentre only, then that would allow for 17 Minutes to be Built into the Timetable to assist with the Reliability of the Service, therefore allowing it to use the Route it took today without any issues with Lateness, To be fair nobody uses the X88 between Concord and Washington Galleries anyway, Passengers always use the more frequent Service 4 and swap over at The Galleries and I think it will only be a matter of time before it gets cut again anyway.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:56 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote And another. And another. And another.

(02 Jan 2015, 6:00 pm)Dan wrote Now, now, Marcus... You're better than this!

Wing mirror issues has always just been an example of a reason for buses in general being replaced during the day, accounting for other buses being allocated. There are many other reasons, some of which have been discussed previously.

(02 Jan 2015, 5:59 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I agree. Washington - MetroCentre would work a lot better and offer either a layover or a chance to catch up on timing.

I've never seen anyone on the Concord stretch, if so they were blind drunk and had hit the back seats for a nap.

(02 Jan 2015, 6:04 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I know, I know.

Makes me wonder if the PB Scanias are cursed or something? - they seem to be wheely bad (that is the worst pun I have ever made!) for #VORs and #PVRshortages.

(02 Jan 2015, 6:15 pm)Dan wrote Yes, that pun was 'wheely bad' too!   

Honestly, it's just a misconception. It happens across the region but other examples aren't as heavily discussed. As another Go North East example, the PVR of the "Diamond" services is 14. The "Diamond" services have a PVR of 14 (two more than the present "Prince Bishops" 20/20A services), with no branded spare vehicles. Robert will gladly inform you of how many times 5337 and 5338 appear on the "Diamond" services...

On this forum, we tend to do subjects to death until we've all repeated the same points and explained the reasoning for our thoughts about 100 times. There are some strong personalities on this forum, and it's easy for others to make judgements in a debate based on that factor alone. I honestly don't think that some of the debates on this forum would escalate so much if this wasn't the case.

Members of this forum have different levels of experience of what life is like "behind the scenes" for bus companies, and I like to think that my work experience with Go North East in August really opened my eyes and makes me see the whole picture. The truth of the matter is that corporate liveried vehicles filling in on a branded service which does not have any branded spares does not suggest anything about the reliability (or lack thereof) of the vehicles allocated. Deep down, I think we all know this.

(02 Jan 2015, 6:22 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Hmm...yes, I take your point.

Maybe if Andreos didn't mention the Prince Bishops Scanias being absent so much....we wouldn't have that 'stereotype'!

(02 Jan 2015, 6:47 pm)gtom wrote Saying that we discuss Sunderland a lot for such a not that important provincial secondary city

(runs away)

(02 Jan 2015, 6:44 pm)gtom wrote Same old points indeed.... Pfft

Bring back DAFs I say, sitting on this late non hybrid smelly B7 Angel

Nuuuuurse

(02 Jan 2015, 5:37 pm)Malarkey wrote Unfortunately my Phone died after the above post en-route to the MetroCentre, after going along Askew Road the Driver made the rather idiotic decision of going onto Motorway past the Dunston turn off and joining the A1 to The MetroCentre, I think had he took the X66 Route it would of saved him 10 Minutes as we got stuck in Traffic on A1 and again coming into The MetroCentre, so rather than Departing 6 Minutes Late as I had predicted he left almost 20 Minutes Late.

3943 had originally been on the X88 circa 1pm at Washington Galleries, come 2pm it was an Ex London President which is the one I got on to the MetroCentre, the President was then replaced by 3943 for the 15:18pm from The MetroCentre which was again Late due to Roadworks on the A1, The Driver took the Normal Route back to Washington until the Roundabout at the bottom of Eighton Banks, where he decided to go off to Left and along past the Mill House and onto the X1 Route into The Galleries, which I thought was rather odd as he should of continued around to the Right and down the Motorway between Oxlcose/Blackfell, again this would of saved him a few Minutes, by this point I dont think he really cared as either way he going to be Late.

Upon arrival into The Galleries Connections 4 Citaro "5359" did the 15:55pm X88 from Washington Galleries to Time Correct the Late Running 3943, Personally I dont think what I have experienced today on the X88 will change anytime soon and I would advise that GNE use the Alternative Route taken to MetroCentre as Detailed in Previous Posts both there and back rather than using the A1, Perhaps putting in a Vosa Registration to amend Route and Timetable would be a good idea as Reliability of the Service is Awful at the Moment. 

(02 Jan 2015, 6:44 pm)gtom wrote Same old points indeed.... Pfft

Bring back DAFs  I say,  sitting on this late non hybrid smelly B7 Angel

Nuuuuurse

(02 Jan 2015, 10:18 pm)aureolin wrote Arriva's R and S reg DAFs were still going strong in Middlesbrough today. I was almost tempted to have a ride for old times sake.  :s

(02 Jan 2015, 10:19 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Aww! Wish I'd known....would have even ditched Tom for one! (sorry mate!)

(02 Jan 2015, 10:17 pm)aureolin wrote Doesn't the X88 have a 'free route' between the Metrocentre and Galleries, with the A1 -> A1231 -> Washington Highway to the Galleries, being the preferred route? Similar to the X21? For as many years as I can remember, the X88 has went on a scenic route, if they've been aware of issues on the A1.