(23 Dec 2014, 8:09 pm)Dan wrote There's not a huge difference in Monday - Friday and Saturday operations really... This is not unique to Stagecoach, it's the same for each of the big three (at least in T&W).

A few earlier/later journeys which probably won't even be used much on Christmas Eve anyway...

(23 Dec 2014, 8:13 pm)mrnut85 wrote We run 1/2 instead of 3/4/7/8 and economic services start later

(23 Dec 2014, 8:19 pm)Dan wrote Yeah, I've been meaning to try and get a photo of the 1 and 2 for a few months now since I spotted them in the timetable, but never been able to drag myself out of bed to get to Shields early enough haha.

The 1/2 aren't massively different to the daytime services though, are they? Thought it was just a case of an additional stop somewhere along the line, but I'm not really familiar with the services to begin with...

(23 Dec 2014, 8:13 pm)mrnut85 wrote We run 1/2 instead of 3/4/7/8 and economic services start later

(24 Dec 2014, 11:55 am)AIG20 wrote Several more MAN ALX300s have been noted in a scrap yard in the Barnsley area - presumably Trevor Wigleys or A.H. Hardwick.

22465 (T465 BNL)
22470 (T470 BNL)
22482 (T482 BNL)
22483 (T483 BNL)
22660 (T660 OEF)
22660 (T660 OEF) 2
Untitled 1
Untitled 2

Images owned by Flickr user "Stan-Butler".

(24 Dec 2014, 12:48 pm)Dan wrote Following comments of comparison between Go North East's 21 and Stagecoach North East's 40/41, and how the latter seems to successfully operate on-time instead of frequently bunching up in twos like the Angel, might I point out that at 1200, there was four 40s at Wallsend Interchange, and just five minutes ago there was another three all together?

Granted Christmas won't be helping in the slightest, but it's not just the 21 which suffers delays!

(24 Dec 2014, 1:12 pm)Dan wrote Exactly. The problem is not unique to one service.

Add the 39 (not the 41 as I said earlier - can tell I've been taking photos of GNE's 40/41 at Wallsend) into the mix and you've got yourself a group of five buse (one behind me too)...

(25 Dec 2014, 1:56 pm)idiot wrote Just had to pay £15 in taxis! It's the 21st century should be some sort of skeleton service today!

(25 Dec 2014, 1:56 pm)idiot wrote Just had to pay £15 in taxis! It's the 21st century should be some sort of skeleton service today!

(25 Dec 2014, 2:45 pm)Jimmi wrote Be lucky you managed to find a taxi willing to pick you up today.

Could you imagine how much you'd have to pay bus drivers to work Christmas day, it's probably tricky enough to get them to work boxing day and I imagine the demand for a bus service on Christmas day is almost non existent so they would be running at major loss.

Would like to see some more buses on boxing day, especially from Arriva who provide no services at present.

(25 Dec 2014, 3:04 pm)Dan wrote Hit the nail on the head, here.

I went out last night to Park Lane for a photo of an odd working, and must have seen at least 15 buses between 18:00 and 18:30, and not a single bus had more than three passengers on-board. I shared the 9 (double deck allocation) from Stadium of Light to Park Lane with just one inebriated man, and it left with nobody... Almost every 'E' service I saw carried nothing but fresh air, too.

Whether it's because people have gotten used to having a relatively poor service over the festive period or simply because the demand is not there, buses are running around empty as it is and it's not feasible for bus operators to run a normal weekday service over this period.

(25 Dec 2014, 6:44 pm)idiot wrote U couldn't move in the buses during the day. I think everyone likes to get home before 530pm in case they get  stuck. Regardless bus drivers have a job to serve the public. U may get one extra day on a 7 day ticket but that onky compensates Xmas day and not lack of service Xmas eve and boxing day

(25 Dec 2014, 6:44 pm)idiot wrote U couldn't move in the buses during the day. I think everyone likes to get home before 530pm in case they get  stuck. Regardless bus drivers have a job to serve the public. U may get one extra day on a 7 day ticket but that onky compensates Xmas day and not lack of service Xmas eve and boxing day

(25 Dec 2014, 7:32 pm)bertibassett wrote If you really need to be in the thick of it during the Christmas Eve rush hour shopping then you need to get your finger out sooner. During Christmas eve, the biggest issue wasn't the passenger numbers but other traffic either waiting in a queue for some type of bargain or parking in the most rediculous parking place thus blocking us from getting past or dropping off passengers. e.g. Maxwells corner opposite Argos in Stockton on the bend going out of town....REALLY And that doesn't include the near misses of stupid pedestrians walking out in front of you. ( mostly pensioners ) As drivers WE TAKE NOTE.

(25 Dec 2014, 4:19 pm)John_R wrote I think the demand just isn't there, as I'm sure many including myself didn't venture out yesterday because they don't want the hassle of going to the shops. The 1/X1 passes my home and the loadings throughout yesterday were much lower than earlier in the week or a normal Saturday and at least one Pulsar on the 1 was replaced by a Solo before 5pm, as there was no need for the capacity.
However I have seen quite a few taxis working today including a Stanley travel minibus in Darlington.

(27 Dec 2014, 9:09 pm)Dan wrote Any ideas?

Stagecoach North East 36464 NK61 ECD -  South Anston by J P T Photos, on Flickr

(27 Dec 2014, 9:09 pm)Dan wrote Any ideas?

Stagecoach North East 36464 NK61 ECD - South Anston by J P T Photos, on Flickr

(27 Dec 2014, 9:36 pm)John_R wrote Presumably at Plaxton for repairs

(28 Dec 2014, 9:43 am)mrnut85 wrote It's at Plaxton for repairs, all our 36XXX are having work done with most already done

(28 Dec 2014, 12:07 pm)AIG20 wrote 36478 sounds terrible whilst accelerating as it makes a horrible screaming noise that can be heard from quite a distance - which I assume is a turbo issue. Hopefully this issue, which it has had for quite a while, will be sorted when it visits Plaxton.