(06 Jun 2023, 9:21 am)gc802002 wrote I know it maybe not 100% accurate,

But the below has 352 and 353 As Monday to FRIDAY only , 354 and 355 as Monday to Saturday.

https://bustimes.org/licences/PB0003954

(06 Jun 2023, 2:17 pm)XQ Zero wrote As I noted in an earlier post in this thread, #40, the CSV sheet on the Traffic Commissioners website shows 352 and 353 as Monday to Friday. Both the CSV sheet and bustimes are incorrect. I was sent a copy of the proposed timetables for 352-355, all of which are shown as operating Monday-Saturday. 352-354 will operate every 60 mins with 355 every 30 mins. Before anyone asks, no, I will not be putting the proposed timetables on here.

(06 Jun 2023, 2:38 pm)Busu284 wrote So a grand total of 8 buses are needed for the route

Not like there gonna need buses from elsewhere. Probs cur a service down or get rid of one to free 8 buses up?

(06 Jun 2023, 4:23 pm)Storx wrote Should be 9 not 8 unless they're reducing the running time they all take roughly 65 minutes end to end. 

The Graphite Solo's are still spare though.

(06 Jun 2023, 2:27 pm)Rob44 wrote https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/arriva-bus-cuts-changes-proposals-27065252

If arriva haven't made a decision yet arn't GNE jumping the gun?

(06 Jun 2023, 6:05 pm)L469 YVK wrote Worked out the PVR's and comes in at 9x. So based on current routings bar the 354 going to N/Shields using the below as an example

354 - North Shields ex 10:15 / Newcastle arr 10:23
355 - Newcastle ex 10:30 / Forest Hall arr 10:54
355 - Forest Hall ex 10:54 / Newcastle arr 11:23
352 - Newcastle ex 11:30 / Cramlington arr 12:21
353 - Cramlington ex 12:30 / North Shields arr 13:35

then...

353 - North Shields ex 13:45 / Cramlington arr 14:53
352 - Cramlington ex 15:02 / Newcastle arr 15:53
355 - Newcastle ex 16:00 / Forest Hall arr 16:24
355 - Forest Hall ex 16:24 / Newcastle arr 16:53
354 - Newcastle ex 17:00 / North Shields arr 18:05

So......
- 353 / 354 - Every 30 mins North Shields to Shiremoor
- 352 / 353 - Up to every 30 minutes Forest Hall to Cramlington

---

Don't know what's happened to them since, but GNE did have 9x QuayCity versas which matches the exact PVR

(06 Jun 2023, 6:13 pm)citaro5284 wrote To try and keep depot standardisation and the like, would they not try and get some Streetlites from somewhere?

(06 Jun 2023, 6:45 pm)Michael wrote Streetlites from the 39A/39B, then the Graphite Solo's can go back on the 39A/39B, and hopefully the 39 returns.

(06 Jun 2023, 6:50 pm)Unber43 wrote They are not CAZ compliant (8339-8346), but the Optare Versas off the Old Q3 could go back to Percy Main, they are used to Solos

(06 Jun 2023, 6:57 pm)Michael wrote Ah I forgot about the CAZ zone, ye could be, unless they'll use some of the Ex London deckers?

(06 Jun 2023, 7:15 pm)L469 YVK wrote Then they'd be in the same position as now......."commercially unviable"

Only time I can imagine deckers routinely allocated would be if short on singles or if GNE win the evening & Sunday tenders, maybe some B9TLs on any boards hitting the 352, 354, 355 if there's a Saturday 5.30 or Sunday afternoon NUFC match

(06 Jun 2023, 8:13 pm)Storx wrote If they're only hourly they won't be commercially viable anyway imo. 

Hourly bus services are a complete waste of space.

(06 Jun 2023, 9:49 pm)L469 YVK wrote Not particularly, the common frequency between the 352/353 and 353/354 makes total sense.

Hopefully if Nexus can clean up the tenders come March, there is scope for consolidation / expansion beyond these initial changes.

They're a pretty simple set of routes effectively largely unchanged.

And not forgetting, the 352/353 will give GNE a little step in the door and taster should Arriva deem the 43/44/45 to be commercially unviable too given the remote changeovers in Cramlington & Dinnington. The 43/44/45 can't be reliably 'interworked' on a 15 minute frequency hence the 2019 changes, unless given a 15 minute layover at Haymarket. Only way they'll work is if other Blyth - Newcastle services go down the EV route to allow interworking.

(07 Jun 2023, 6:57 am)Storx wrote There's no common corridor between the 52/53 they're two different bus routes bar a very short section in Cramlington and Burradon. 

The reason isn't because of remote changeovers either, it's literally there's nowhere for the buses to go and it's not economically viable to build an extension at Ashington just for them.

The 43-45 are some of the strongest bus routes in the North East. It's the Q3 which is the problem bus around there, most times I see it it's single numbers including at peak times. No doubt because of the diversion around Jesmond no-one wants to do and lower frequency

(07 Jun 2023, 7:56 am)Thomas12 wrote Have to disagree on the Q3 - I pass through Haymarket most days at peak times and the service is pretty well loaded most of the time. I do agree the diversion around Jesmond isn’t really needed though.

(07 Jun 2023, 7:56 am)Thomas12 wrote Have to disagree on the Q3 - I pass through Haymarket most days at peak times and the service is pretty well loaded most of the time. I do agree the diversion around Jesmond isn’t really needed though.

(07 Jun 2023, 6:57 am)Storx wrote There's no common corridor between the 52/53 they're two different bus routes bar a very short section in Cramlington and Burradon. 

The reason isn't because of remote changeovers either, it's literally there's nowhere for the buses to go and it's not economically viable to build an extension at Ashington just for them.

The 43-45 are some of the strongest bus routes in the North East. It's the Q3 which is the problem bus around there, most times I see it it's single numbers including at peak times. No doubt because of the diversion around Jesmond no-one wants to do and lower frequency

(07 Jun 2023, 8:40 am)mb134 wrote In fairness at peak times you'd hope it would be, especially for a service running every 20 mins. Most of the Q3s I see outside of the peaks on the Great Park to Newcastle section have a handful on, but it's rare I see one I'd call busy. 

For most people from Brunton Lane to Gosforth High Street going to town, they'll jump on any Arriva service given they're more frequent and quicker. The last I knew, a return between Gosforth and Jesmond was more expensive than an Arriva return from Gosforth to Newcastle (so you'd assume the GNE return to town would also therefore be more expensive).

(07 Jun 2023, 6:57 am)Storx wrote There's no common corridor between the 52/53 they're two different bus routes bar a very short section in Cramlington and Burradon. 

The reason isn't because of remote changeovers either, it's literally there's nowhere for the buses to go and it's not economically viable to build an extension at Ashington just for them.

The 43-45 are some of the strongest bus routes in the North East. It's the Q3 which is the problem bus around there, most times I see it it's single numbers including at peak times. No doubt because of the diversion around Jesmond no-one wants to do and lower frequency

(07 Jun 2023, 3:43 pm)L469 YVK wrote But with only 12x EV's on order, Arriva will have to either....

- Curtail the 43 at Cramlington and introduce a 15 minute layover at Haymarket so that interworking can happen with the 44/45 - straight issue with stand availability waiting for 7-8 minutes before being allowed to pull in.

- Drop the 43 & 44/45 to every 20 minutes each as per current Saturday timetable to allow interworking - why would they do that if frequency has already been re-increased to every 15 minutes.

Remote reliefs to Dinnington or Regent Centre will prove costly overtime.

Other option with a Qualifying Agreement set up covering all of the 43/44/45 (except the Cramlington to Morpeth stretch).....
- Arriva keep the 43
- GNE take on the 44/45 from Riverside

(07 Jun 2023, 4:02 pm)Storx wrote It's not even that far for remote changeovers and is no further than Ashington to Morpeth which they do for numerous services. 

Riverside to Haymarket will be as far (if not even further when accounting for traffic).

If they weren't profitable then they would've just kept the frequency at every 20 minutes which suggests they've recovered well. 

It's not like they're dead runs like some of the County Durham services which see buses running empty from Stanhope to Darlington for example.

(07 Jun 2023, 3:43 pm)L469 YVK wrote But with only 12x EV's on order, Arriva will have to either....

(07 Jun 2023, 4:23 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Would be interested to know what the longest dead runs are.

Riverside to West Auckland is certainly a hike!

Sent from my SM-F721B using Tapatalk

(07 Jun 2023, 5:08 pm)Storx wrote Aye same actually. Darlington to Stanhope or Stockton to Easington I'm going to go for one of those as it's miles for both. Hexham to Alston is a canny trek aswell especially if it was bad weather. 

Think there used to be a Ashington to Alnwick aswell but it's gone since recent'ish changes. 

Riverside to W. Auckland would suck to do though mind boring from end to end, least the others have nice scenary on bits of them.