(27 Nov 2024, 11:09 am)OrangeArrow49 wrote I'm sure I read somewhere the X50 would be running this year because of the match. Although, wasn't there a match last Boxing Day, and the services managed fine?

Surprised the X18 isn't running this year, and I don't know if the X66 is or not. 

Presumably Stagecoach will be running their 7, 11, 30, 39/40 (40 curtailed at Walker), X47 and X88 as usual and the 308 contract? This means Great Park will have a service presumably, unlike when the Q3 went there?

I believe the X18 is running this year, operated by Northstar, but it hasn't been registered yet. Liberty Coaches on the X21, so pretty much the same network as last year in southeast Northumberland.

(27 Nov 2024, 1:56 pm)Ambassador wrote It did look like demand was well maanged vs last year when Newcastle were at home and appears to be the case again.

Shopping isn't what it was on Boxing Day and doesn't really have the pull and realistically, you're not going to get a huge amount of services running when you look at cost vs demand vs availability of drivers

I think on the most part, the Boxing Day network copes, but you're never going to change the behaviour of when people set off into Newcastle for the match. I don't know how Durham Road copes with the 21 at a 15 minute frequency, but the X1 struggles at half-hourly for this period. It's why I think a bespoke solution for match traffic would be better.

Shopping isn't what it once was, but I think the hospitality industry is more popular on Boxing Day now than ever. In part that is because of the direction that Newcastle City Centre is going, and there's still the further redevelopment of Eldon Square (Debenhams and Eldon Leisure Centre) to come.

(26 Nov 2024, 10:25 am)Michael wrote GNE have announced their boxing day services for 2024.

Looks like they're running the Arriva 43/X10/X11 and X22

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/boxingday

PB0003954/1450
New GO NORTH EAST LIMITED B43 Newcastle Cramlington

PB0003954/1451
New GO NORTH EAST LIMITED X10 (X11) Blyth Newcastle

PB0003954/1452
New GO NORTH EAST LIMITED BX22 Newcastle Ashington

---------


PB0002404/441
New BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 308 Newcastle Haymarket Blyth Bus Station

Stagecoach have put their services for boxing day service information online... alongside last services on Christmas eve/New Years Eve.

Not gonna put the links for each area.

(26 Nov 2024, 10:25 am)Michael wrote GNE have announced their boxing day services for 2024.

Looks like they're running the Arriva 43/X10/X11 and X22

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/boxingday

Full info:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/christmas

(29 Nov 2024, 4:08 pm)Michael wrote Full info:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/christmas

Monday 30th December both the S2 and NHS shuttle listed as operating their 'normal Friday timetable', which is the same as the normal Monday timetable, and has evidently just been copied from Friday 27th December.

Evidently proof-reading isn't a speciality at GNE these days, given that took me all of 10 seconds to notice.

(29 Nov 2024, 4:08 pm)Michael wrote Full info:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/christmas

It's annoying that you have to search your services then click Christmas eve to see when it finishes. That's absolutely stupid. Why can't it be printed out so people can see instead of having to do 4-5 clicks instead of 1 click

(29 Nov 2024, 4:17 pm)Aaron21 wrote It's annoying that you have to search your services then click Christmas eve to see when it finishes. That's absolutely stupid. Why can't it be printed out so people can see instead of having to do 4-5 clicks instead of 1 click

Ye its very annoying, I think its just they cba to do actual last time lists........

(29 Nov 2024, 4:48 pm)Michael wrote Ye its very annoying, I think its just they cba to do actual last time lists........

Goes to show May to now for Go North East has just them getting worse & worse

It hurts to say this, but this wouldn’t have happened under wor Dan

I wonder if with all the cuts the website is now run centrally and there’s a lack of local knowledge to carry out such a basic task

Similar with NSA, I can’t remember the last bus I got that had it. Not that I miss Emma Hignett incessantly full route announcing herself

(29 Nov 2024, 11:09 pm)Ambassador wrote It hurts to say this, but this wouldn’t have happened under wor Dan

I wonder if with all the cuts the website is now run centrally and there’s a lack of local knowledge to carry out such a basic task

Similar with NSA, I can’t remember the last bus I got that had it. Not that I miss Emma Hignett incessantly full route announcing herself

But feel sorry for Emma... she had to sit in a room and say Wiltshire Drive... Hadrian Park... Chicken Road  Nobles Shop 


Has anyone noticed any wrong pronounciations... like Cambois or Tel-e-kabir St?

(30 Nov 2024, 12:00 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote But feel sorry for Emma... she had to sit in a room and say Wiltshire Drive... Hadrian Park... Chicken Road  Nobles Shop 


Has anyone noticed any wrong pronounciations... like Cambois or Tel-e-kabir St?

When the Prince Bishops Streetlites were new, Imeary Street in South Shields was incorrectly pronounced as 'eye-murray street'.
In the pre-Emma era, the 58 had NSA's voiced by Steve & Karen from Metro Radio, and the stop at Lecondale Court on Leam Lane Estate was mispronounced 'leak-n-dale' instead of 'leck-n-dale', that one had passengers shouting the correct pronunciation out!

(29 Nov 2024, 11:09 pm)Ambassador wrote It hurts to say this, but this wouldn’t have happened under wor Dan

I wonder if with all the cuts the website is now run centrally and there’s a lack of local knowledge to carry out such a basic task

Similar with NSA, I can’t remember the last bus I got that had it. Not that I miss Emma Hignett incessantly full route announcing herself

Gone but not forgotten!

Couldn’t get those pesky wing mirrors to stay attached to the bus, but some things were meticulously micromanaged… haha.

(29 Nov 2024, 11:09 pm)Ambassador wrote I wonder if with all the cuts the website is now run centrally and there’s a lack of local knowledge to carry out such a basic task

I would say that you’re correct, however not cuts.

I do think attention to detail has somewhat gone missing across quite a bit of GNE and they need to get back to the basics. Like I mentioned earlier, no mention of X66 on Boxing Day timetables, yet go to X66 and put 26/12/24 in and it looks like it is operating - that is just poor.

You look on the home page of GNE website, first thing you see is a massive Santa Bus is coming, then in a little square about what services are operating over festive period, priorities all seem to be just so wrong.

(30 Nov 2024, 12:00 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote But feel sorry for Emma... she had to sit in a room and say Wiltshire Drive... Hadrian Park... Chicken Road  Nobles Shop 


Has anyone noticed any wrong pronounciations... like Cambois or Tel-e-kabir St?

Finch-Chale road.

Just about blanked out the horrendous announcements on the 4. 
Still haven't been able to banish Gary from Lisa and Gary and his patter when approaching Herrington Burn on the X1.

Boxing day services

Go North East
1 Metrocentre to Newcastle
2 Washington to Silksworth
4 Heworth to Houghton
5 Boldon Asda to Jarrow
6 Newcastle to Burnopfield
10 Newcastle to Hexham
10A Newcastle to Rockwood Hill
20 Sunderland to Hall Lane
20A Sunderland to Rainton Bridge
21 Newcastle to Chester-le-Street
26 Lukes Lane to Jarrow
35 Sunderland to Boldon
35A Sunderland to Low Moorsley
39A Sunderland to Moorside
43 Newcastle to Cramlington
47 Newcastle to Blackhall Mill
49/49A Gateshead to Winlaton
51/52 Gateshead to Gateshead
53 Gateshead to Saltwell Park
56 Newcastle to Sunderland
84/85 Concord to Washington Galleries & Concord
307 Newcastle to North Shields
X1 Newcastle to Easington Lane
X10/X11 Newcastle to Blyth
X22 Newcastle to Ashington
X66 Gateshead to Metrocentre

Northstar
35 Ashington to Morpeth
X18 Newcastle to Morpeth

Liberty Coaches
X21 Newcastle to Ashington

Stagecoach
1 Coach Lane to Slatyford
3/4 Hylton Castle/Doxford Park to Farringdon/Downhill
7 Freeman Hospital to Metrocentre
10/11 West Denton/Chapel House to North Kenton
10/11 Pennywell to Grangetown
10/11 South Shields to Jarrow
12 Fenham to Wallsend
13 Town End Farm to Doxford Park
16 Hylton Red House to Hastings Hill
20 Sunderland to Pennywell
22 Throckley to Silverlink
23 Dene Estate to Thornley Close
30/31 Silver Lonnen to Montague Estate/Fawdon Park Road
36 Newcastle to Slatyford
38 Whickham View to Freeman Hospital/Four Lane Ends
39/40 Dumpling Hall/Chapel House to Walker
62/63 Middle Callerton/North Walbottle to Killingworth
308 Newcastle to Whitley Bay/Blyth
E2/E6 Sunderland to South Shields
X47 Newcastle to Great Park
X88 Newcastle to Newbiggin Hall

(29 Nov 2024, 4:08 pm)Michael wrote Full info:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/christmas

East Durham getting left out again lol

(07 Dec 2024, 5:25 am)ALavery wrote East Durham getting left out again lol

Maybe if DCC funded the boxing day services like Nexus do there would be a service in Durham, drivers volunteer to work Boxing day (not even double time at GNE) and it spoils your xmas day as most shifts start 7-730 ish, IMO there should be no buses on boxing day

(08 Dec 2024, 9:56 pm)N1cholas wrote Maybe if DCC funded the boxing day services like Nexus do there would be a service in Durham, drivers volunteer to work Boxing day (not even double time at GNE) and it spoils your xmas day as most shifts start 7-730 ish, IMO there should be no buses on boxing day

Stagecoach offer double time + a holiday, which can be cashed in to make it triple time.

The money is the only reason I volunteer to work boxing day.

(08 Dec 2024, 10:34 pm)F114TML wrote Stagecoach offer double time + a holiday, which can be cashed in to make it triple time.

The money is the only reason I volunteer to work boxing day.

So like topping in at nearly £40 an hour. I would take as much of that as possible

(08 Dec 2024, 9:56 pm)N1cholas wrote Maybe if DCC funded the boxing day services like Nexus do there would be a service in Durham, drivers volunteer to work Boxing day (not even double time at GNE) and it spoils your xmas day as most shifts start 7-730 ish, IMO there should be no buses on boxing day

The world doesn’t stop on Boxing Day, it’s just another bank holiday. Leisure and sporting events take place, the NHS does appointments. Infant most roles who will be working will ironically be hugely underpaid vs bus drivers. 

Drive a public service, work public holidays

(08 Dec 2024, 11:17 pm)Unber43 wrote So like topping in at nearly £40 an hour. I would take as much of that as possible

For Sunderland it's £29.70/hr, £44.55 if the lieu day gets cashed in.

(For context, last year was £27.14. Normal BH rate is time and a half)

(08 Dec 2024, 11:28 pm)Ambassador wrote The world doesn’t stop on Boxing Day, it’s just another bank holiday. Leisure and sporting events take place, the NHS does appointments. Infant most roles who will be working will ironically be hugely underpaid vs bus drivers. 

Drive a public service, work public holidays

The NHS does appointments? When i was working at the NHS, there'd be nothing non urgent in the diary anywhere on Boxing Day and very limited in the other days between Christmas and New Year.

Sports events and shopping are definitely what gets people out on Boxing Day. I agree with those who say the shops should be closed on Boxing Day, but because they're open, really services need to be running.