Only had a quick look at the video, but genuinely recognise people in it - on a non professional basis...

(30 Dec 2014, 9:41 pm)aureolin wrote Any idea how old the Bensham building is out of interest? Looks like a bit of an eyesore now (although had to use Google Streetview to refresh my memory!), and I was a bit surprised they didn't just shift everything there to the Riverside.

I believe the head office which is still in use was built in late 70's or early 80's, and the old central workshops was demolished to make way for the housing estate in the 90's, I think. But I've no idea when it was built.

(30 Dec 2014, 9:41 pm)aureolin wrote Any idea how old the Bensham building is out of interest? Looks like a bit of an eyesore now (although had to use Google Streetview to refresh my memory!), and I was a bit surprised they didn't just shift everything there to the Riverside.

I imagine it's got to be at least 40!

Then again, sorry for going off-topic here but I can make a link to a building looking old on the interior and brand new on the exterior....most of you will know which school I attend in CLS, it was built in 1911, a fine old red-brick masterpiece. Long before my dad started there in 1978, they extended it a bit to include a science department with 8 labs in total, and 3 humanities rooms. Blah blah blah, it's basically got 3 floors and was built some time in the 50s/60s. Here is an image of it in 1991 https://www.flickr.com/photos/83154955@N...kjP-dMCK2a - the red brick building is in the middle left and as you can work your way across you'll see the building with blue under the windows is the part I'm on about. Looking pretty run down...must be at least 30, possibly 40 on that image. Nowadays, unfortunatley I don't have an image, it looks almost new. It's got fully insulated windows, been repainted with the distinctive Park View motto on the side, etc, all the science labs are in top notch condition, being done completely again within the last five years.

If GNE could refurbish their Head Office, it would look a lot more modern. Then again, no point as very few people will notice it.

Sorry for the off-topicness! lol

(30 Dec 2014, 9:59 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I imagine it's got to be at least 40!

Then again, sorry for going off-topic here but I can make a link to a building looking old on the interior and brand new on the exterior....most of you will know which school I attend in CLS, it was built in 1911, a fine old red-brick masterpiece. Long before my dad started there in 1978, they extended it a bit to include a science department with 8 labs in total, and 3 humanities rooms. Blah blah blah, it's basically got 3 floors and was built some time in the 50s/60s. Here is an image of it in 1991 https://www.flickr.com/photos/83154955@N...kjP-dMCK2a - the red brick building is in the middle left and as you can work your way across you'll see the building with blue under the windows is the part I'm on about. Looking pretty run down...must be at least 30, possibly 40 on that image. Nowadays, unfortunatley I don't have an image, it looks almost new. It's got fully insulated windows, been repainted with the distinctive Park View motto on the side, etc, all the science labs are in top notch condition, being done completely again within the last five years.

If GNE could refurbish their Head Office, it would look a lot more modern. Then again, no point as very few people will notice it.

Sorry for the off-topicness! lol

Probably full of asbestos too then? Pretty much restricts what you can do if that's the case. Refurbs can often only be good things, as it's all about first impressions. Worlds apart from the impression a prospective customer would get if they went to the new Riverside depot. 

(30 Dec 2014, 9:56 pm)a718abb wrote I believe the head office which is still in use was built in late 70's or early 80's, and the old central workshops was demolished to make way for the housing estate in the 90's, I think. But I've no idea when it was built.

At least we all know where to raid in order to get the plans for the 2014/2015 vehicle order

(30 Dec 2014, 10:05 pm)aureolin wrote Probably full of asbestos too then? Pretty much restricts what you can do if that's the case. Refurbs can often only be good things, as it's all about first impressions. Worlds apart from the impression a prospective customer would get if they went to the new Riverside depot. 

Don't think it's that old, actually. In comparison to other sites which are older, there is minimal asbestos.

There's not usually a great need for customers to go to Queen Street - most things are dealt with at Riverside.

(30 Dec 2014, 10:07 pm)Simmy wrote At least we all now know where to raid in order to get the plans for the 2014/2015 new vehicle order

Simmy you legend.

I was thinking we were gonna have to do a full-on attack at Riverside. Drivers using the front windows of the Bendies as machine gun turrets trying to defend the managers as they escape. An air raid sees a line of 10 Vykings blow up while the depot manager watches like Silva in Skyfall when the house goes up in flames. Managers trying to escape in the little anciallary vans, getting overtaken by a hijacked 4852 (I know it's not dead, they're just dicking around with it) and being driven into the ground, or preferably into another Bendy. Head-on, not a little graze. As soon as we get to the depot managers office it's like a cutscene out of CoD where the door gets flung open, everything goes slow and you're just aimlessly firing a machine gun into anyone you see. Then we realise we've attacked the wrong place. The surviving drivers are thrown into a Cadet and left as we each pick a bus to drive aimlessly into the head offices. We fail. We all die in the process, and all for some bus orders.

I don't know why I've written this, I'm just too excited for an Olympian tomorrow.

(30 Dec 2014, 10:16 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Simmy you legend.

I was thinking we were gonna have to do a full-on attack at Riverside. Drivers using the front windows of the Bendies as machine gun turrets trying to defend the managers as they escape. An air raid sees a line of 10 Vykings blow up while the depot manager watches like Silva in Skyfall when the house goes up in flames. Managers trying to escape in the little anciallary vans, getting overtaken by a hijacked 4852 (I know it's not dead, they're just dicking around with it) and being driven into the ground, or preferably into another Bendy. Head-on, not a little graze. As soon as we get to the depot managers office it's like a cutscene out of CoD where the door gets flung open, everything goes slow and you're just aimlessly firing a machine gun into anyone you see. Then we realise we've attacked the wrong place. The surviving drivers are thrown into a Cadet and left as we each pick a bus to drive aimlessly into the head offices. We fail. We all die in the process, and all for some bus orders.

I don't know why I've written this, I'm just too excited for an Olympian tomorrow.

Have you been taking something? 

(30 Dec 2014, 10:18 pm)Tom wrote Have you been taking something? 

Zebras are the grand masters.

Completely forgot about GNE still issuing tickets with the Greggs Coffee/Sausage roll offer.

Thinking it would do the job, I planned to pop into Greggs in Gateshead (the store where the offer is valid) earlier this week, only to notice the offer expired on 17th December.

I wonder how many people haven't noted the date and faced the embarrassment of having their voucher turned down?

(31 Dec 2014, 11:58 am)Andreos1 wrote Completely forgot about GNE still issuing tickets with the Greggs Coffee/Sausage roll offer.

Thinking it would do the job, I planned to pop into Greggs in Gateshead (the store where the offer is valid) earlier this week, only to notice the offer expired on 17th December.

I wonder how many people haven't noted the date and faced the embarrassment of having their voucher turned down?

Thankfully, McDonalds don't check the dates (at least at the Wheatsheaf)!
Majority of the time they don't even take them off you...

(31 Dec 2014, 12:04 pm)Dan wrote Thankfully, McDonalds don't check the dates (at least at the Wheatsheaf)!
Majority of the time they don't even take them off you...

Sadly Burger King Middlesbrough did check the dates on the back of the vouchers I tried to use the other day.

(22 Dec 2014, 11:43 am)Dan wrote Two Volvo B7TL/Plaxton Presidents have joined Riverside's Mercedes Citaro 0530N/Mercedes Citaro 5281 (NK07 KPR) at Saltmeadows for repaint. These are:

• 6009 (V209 LGC)
  
• 6016 (V816 KGF)
  

Volvo B7TL 6009 has now returned to service at Stanley following repaint.

As stated previously, this should be the final 'freshen up' repaint until February, with Deptford's buses due to be repainted prior to the changes being the priority next month.

(31 Dec 2014, 12:54 pm)Dan wrote Volvo B7TL 6009 has now returned to service at Stanley following repaint.

As stated previously, this should be the final 'freshen up' repaint until February, with Deptford's buses due to be repainted prior to the changes being the priority next month.

Has SM only got room for 3 repaints?

Do they have different teams working on each bus or does just 1 get repainted at a time? 

(31 Dec 2014, 1:14 pm)Michael wrote Has SM only got room for 3 repaints?

Do they have different teams working on each bus or does just 1 get repainted at a time? 

There is only one paintshop, and this is visible on photo below:
Go North East: 7087 / NA52RMZ by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

I believe Go North East has a team of approximately six employees who deal with repaints - three for paint prep (stripping buses of vinyls, sanding down, etc) and three for the actual painting.

The paint prep tends to take a day, and then the painting itself tends to take a day too (by the time the paint has dried etc). Tends to be the case that painting is only done on weekdays, and because of this, Go North East can only repaint three buses per week (especially with them being from the same depot).

Hoping this will make sense...
Buses A and B will arrive on Monday at some point during the morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus A. Bus A will go into the paintshop on Tuesday morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus B while this vehicle is in the paintshop. Bus A will be left to dry for the rest of the day and if it's a corporate liveried vehicle it will receive all vinyls and advertisement boards etc. Bus A will be transferred back to home depot on Wednesday in exchange for Bus C, while Bus B enters the paintshop. Bus B will be left to dry for the rest of the day, and again, receive appropriate vinyls. Bus B will go back to its home depot on Thursday morning, and the paint prep will be done on Bus C. Bus C then goes into the paintshop on Friday, and is sent back to home depot on Saturday if things are running smoothly.

(31 Dec 2014, 1:25 pm)Dan wrote There is only one paintshop, and this is visible on photo below:
Go North East: 7087 / NA52RMZ by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

I believe Go North East has a team of approximately six employees who deal with repaints - three for paint prep (stripping buses of vinyls, sanding down, etc) and three for the actual painting.

The paint prep tends to take a day, and then the painting itself tends to take a day too (by the time the paint has dried etc). Tends to be the case that painting is only done on weekdays, and because of this, Go North East can only repaint three buses per week (especially with them being from the same depot).

Hoping this will make sense...
Buses A and B will arrive on Monday at some point during the morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus A. Bus A will go into the paintshop on Tuesday morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus B while this vehicle is in the paintshop. Bus A will be left to dry for the rest of the day and if it's a corporate liveried vehicle it will receive all vinyls and advertisement boards etc. Bus A will be transferred back to home depot on Wednesday in exchange for Bus C, while Bus B enters the paintshop. Bus B will be left to dry for the rest of the day, and again, receive appropriate vinyls. Bus B will go back to its home depot on Thursday morning, and the paint prep will be done on Bus C. Bus C then goes into the paintshop on Friday, and is sent back to home depot on Saturday if things are running smoothly.

Thanks Dan, =D

(31 Dec 2014, 1:25 pm)Dan wrote There is only one paintshop, and this is visible on photo below:
Go North East: 7087 / NA52RMZ by danielgrahamm, on Flickr

I believe Go North East has a team of approximately six employees who deal with repaints - three for paint prep (stripping buses of vinyls, sanding down, etc) and three for the actual painting.

The paint prep tends to take a day, and then the painting itself tends to take a day too (by the time the paint has dried etc). Tends to be the case that painting is only done on weekdays, and because of this, Go North East can only repaint three buses per week (especially with them being from the same depot).

Hoping this will make sense...
Buses A and B will arrive on Monday at some point during the morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus A. Bus A will go into the paintshop on Tuesday morning and the paint prep will be done on Bus B while this vehicle is in the paintshop. Bus A will be left to dry for the rest of the day and if it's a corporate liveried vehicle it will receive all vinyls and advertisement boards etc. Bus A will be transferred back to home depot on Wednesday in exchange for Bus C, while Bus B enters the paintshop. Bus B will be left to dry for the rest of the day, and again, receive appropriate vinyls. Bus B will go back to its home depot on Thursday morning, and the paint prep will be done on Bus C. Bus C then goes into the paintshop on Friday, and is sent back to home depot on Saturday if things are running smoothly.

Can the citarios still go away and get another free paint job?

(31 Dec 2014, 1:37 pm)cbma06 wrote Can the citarios still go away and get another free paint job?

Go North East claimed the free warranty repaints for 5320 - 5324 in August 2012 and 5325 - 5327 in April 2012. These repaints were undertaken at Thorntons, Ashington.

As the recent Mercedes repaints have all been undertaken at Saltmeadows, I am guessing that Go North East is paying for it off their own backs. I'm no legal eagle, but if there are still issues with paint bubbling and it's going to be a continuous issue regardless of how many times the buses are repainted, I guess that Go North East will be able to claim compensation of some sort for it.

The Broadway (Sunniside/Whickham) is going to be closed from January for 5 weeks. Didnt see the exact date but look out for news regarding the diversion of services 43, 98 and 98A

One thing I've noticed since the announcement of the axing of 42 coming in jan. 39 and 42 seem to have switched allocations with 8306-8309 on route 42 and simplicity on 39.