(25 Jul 2016, 7:20 pm)LeeCalder wrote When I first moved back up here from Staffordshire, Go North East were probably the best company in the UK. Everything was smart, if a bus had a missing vinyl, it would be replaced at the earliest opportunity, all of the branded buses had internal branding, there was a really smart corporate livery, and the management communicated properly with passengers, usual through the medium of Open Line, which I though was a fantastic idea. A lot of things aren't like that now though, which is my main gripe. Because, there is so much potential in the company, and I don't for one moment lay the blame on the directors and management of Go North East, I blame it on the Go Ahead Group. Look at Brighton & Hove, Headlingham and Chambers. They aren't getting the funding they used to, which is a shame.

Again, when I first moved back up here, Arriva were f*cking terrible. But, especially last year, they flourished with Sapphire and MAX. However, I do believe that they have started to stagnate.

Arriva have overused the MAX and Sapphire brand now, they need something new although, don't get me wrong i really like the Sapphire brand.

I really liked Open line, shame they don't do it now, i have to say i would like to see internal branding again.

(25 Jul 2016, 7:29 pm)Michael wrote Arriva have overused the MAX and Sapphire brand now, they need something new although, don't get me wrong i really like the Sapphire brand.

I really liked Open line, shame they don't do it now, i have to say i would like to see internal branding again.

I agree, MAX and Sapphire are being overused and have effectively lost their meaning if I'm honest. I don't agree with the continued rolling out of MAX.

(25 Jul 2016, 7:20 pm)LeeCalder wrote When I first moved back up here from Staffordshire, Go North East were probably the best company in the UK. Everything was smart, if a bus had a missing vinyl, it would be replaced at the earliest opportunity, all of the branded buses had internal branding, there was a really smart corporate livery, and the management communicated properly with passengers, usual through the medium of Open Line, which I though was a fantastic idea. A lot of things aren't like that now though, which is my main gripe. Because, there is so much potential in the company, and I don't for one moment lay the blame on the directors and management of Go North East, I blame it on the Go Ahead Group. Look at Brighton & Hove, Headlingham and Chambers. They aren't getting the funding they used to, which is a shame.

Again, when I first moved back up here, Arriva were f*cking terrible. But, especially last year, they flourished with Sapphire and MAX. However, I do believe that they have started to stagnate.

Perceptions are everything. 

Mind I disagree that missing vinyl was replaced quickly by Go North East in the past. It's been a problem since branding was ramped up, and I don't think it'll ever go away. It's not unique to Go North East mind, as Belmont have had plenty Sapphires running round with missing vinyl this year. The more branded buses the bigger the task, which is a major downside of branding.

I think that communication is poor right across the North East. I don't think that any of the operators engage with their customers as much as they should, and the Executives & Local Authorities are just as bad. It's conveniently forgotten that customer engagement is a two-way process, and it should form part of continuous service improvement. 

I used to really like the idea of Open Line and also the Nexus forums, as that allowed for that level of engagement, to a degree. People being able to ask questions directly to senior managers and directors, bypassing the mundane rigid processes of customer services, makes them feel valued. Both GNE and Nexus were ahead of the game here, and with the twitter boom, many more are taking this stance nowadays. VTEC have David Horne regularly contributing with customers, Andrew Wickham from Go South Coast makes good use of twitter, and Alex Hornby of Transdev does the same. I'd hope that everyone up here will get into 2016 as far as customer engagement goes, rather than hiding behind their customer service teams.

I liked what Transdev did one day last week. They were dishing out ice lollies to customers on the hottest day of the year so far, and it was all over twitter. It'll have cost them next to nothing to do, yet it's engagement, as everybody is talking about it. It's the simple things sometimes. https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/...3532223488

(25 Jul 2016, 7:29 pm)Michael wrote Arriva have overused the MAX and Sapphire brand now, they need something new although, don't get me wrong i really like the Sapphire brand.

I really liked Open line, shame they don't do it now, i have to say i would like to see internal branding again.

I quite like Max and Sapphire. I'm all for uniform branding, but only when it's consistent. With the more recent additions, the consistency is becoming less and less. Sapphire should have stuck with the 2+1 seating upstairs on the deckers, with leather Civic V3 all round being reserved for Max.

Having used the 36 and Cityzap again on Saturday, I can see why customers are attracted to this style of seating. Total comfort for the whole journey, and I didn't have a single complaint about legroom!

(25 Jul 2016, 7:45 pm)Adrian wrote Perceptions are everything. 

Mind I disagree that missing vinyl was replaced quickly by Go North East in the past. It's been a problem since branding was ramped up, and I don't think it'll ever go away. It's not unique to Go North East mind, as Belmont have had plenty Sapphires running round with missing vinyl this year. The more branded buses the bigger the task, which is a major downside of branding.

I think that communication is poor right across the North East. I don't think that any of the operators engage with their customers as much as they should, and the Executives & Local Authorities are just as bad. It's conveniently forgotten that customer engagement is a two-way process, and it should form part of continuous service improvement. 

I used to really like the idea of Open Line and also the Nexus forums, as that allowed for that level of engagement, to a degree. People being able to ask questions directly to senior managers and directors, bypassing the mundane rigid processes of customer services, makes them feel valued. Both GNE and Nexus were ahead of the game here, and with the twitter boom, many more are taking this stance nowadays. VTEC have David Horne regularly contributing with customers, Andrew Wickham from Go South Coast makes good use of twitter, and Alex Hornby of Transdev does the same. I'd hope that everyone up here will get into 2016 as far as customer engagement goes, rather than hiding behind their customer service teams.

I liked what Transdev did one day last week. They were dishing out ice lollies to customers on the hottest day of the year so far, and it was all over twitter. It'll have cost them next to nothing to do, yet it's engagement, as everybody is talking about it. It's the simple things sometimes. https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/...3532223488

Some of the Sapphire's are in a right state, and some have needed new vinyls for a while now.

I remember a when I got on the (Villager) V1 a few years ago, probably 2014, and I was given the choice of a Frosties or Weetabix breakfast, in a 'take away' style pot which I thought was excellent.I think Alex Hornby is undoubtedly one of the best in the business on all aspects, but he is very clever in his communication. He is always talking to enthusiasts, because after all, word of mouth is the best form of communication, surely. And, if he get's enthusiasts on his side, then we all know that news travels fast!

(25 Jul 2016, 5:58 pm)Adrian wrote What I'm saying is that I wish enthusiasts would actually engage and debate issues, rather than making cheap off the cuff remarks for a few likes, spitting their dummy out when someone disagrees, and not being able to back their opinion up.

I agree wholeheartedly. The trouble is that many enthusiasts are keyboard warriors, Adrian, and wouldn't say boo to a goose in person. 

Earlier today, I was branded as "useless" in my job role by a bus enthusiast on a Facebook group I'm not a member of. This bus enthusiast in question has absolutely no idea of the processes involved within the company, and doesn't acknowledge the fact that there's always good reason for something being done. It was more than likely done for a few likes as you say - this person has never said a bad word to me in person at bus rallies, and the same can be said for the people who liked his post.

One of the people who liked the post even had ample opportunity to talk to me about some of his issues on Saturday when he was sat alongside me on a bus, but didn't bother.

(25 Jul 2016, 6:41 pm)LeeCalder wrote The Brighton comments yesterday, which involved a few people were jokey, and were blown out of proportion by someone who didn't quite understand the joke between the group of friends, (One of which works for Go North East....) which is why the comments were being liked.

It's an on-running joke, which to the public eye isn't funny, which is what the problem was yesterday.

The discussion only became serious when someone who wasn't involved, got involved.

I've no idea who or what you are referring to, but what I will say based on other posts I've seen in the past is that these 'jokes' are all made in the public domain on Social Media, though, Lee.

The disadvantage of this is that comments can quite easily be misconstrued as there's no sense of tone, especially when the persons involved are renowned for making critical comments about certain people or companies.

(25 Jul 2016, 7:56 pm)LeeCalder wrote Some of the Sapphire's are in a right state, and some have needed new vinyls for a while now.

I remember a when I got on the (Villager) V1 a few years ago, probably 2014, and I was given the choice of a Frosties or Weetabix breakfast, in a 'take away' style pot which I thought was excellent.I think Alex Hornby is undoubtedly one of the best in the business on all aspects, but he is very clever in his communication. He is always talking to enthusiasts, because after all, word of mouth is the best form of communication, surely. And, if he get's enthusiasts on his side, then we all know that news travels fast!

Aye, he is. I don't think he's the best businessman around, but he's very clever about the way he draws in his customers. Giving you a pot of cereal on a bus wouldn't have cost them a penny in the grand scheme of things, as I'd be surprised if Kellogs or whoever didn't give them to distribute for free. It's a win win for both businesses, but comes across as going the extra mile for the customer.

(25 Jul 2016, 8:01 pm)Dan wrote I've no idea who or what you are referring to, but what I will say based on other posts I've seen in the past is that these 'jokes' are all made in the public domain on Social Media, though, Lee.

The disadvantage of this is that comments can quite easily be misconstrued as there's no sense of tone, especially when the persons involved are renowned for making critical comments about certain people or companies.

Yes, I understand you point, I probably shouldn't have started the conversation due to the number of members in the group now, it was likely that someone was not going to 'get the gist' of what was going on. And that happened.

Likewise, someone had a go at me for being sarcastic in a group chat earlier, because they thought I was being serious.

I've kind of had my a*se kicked now.

(25 Jul 2016, 8:14 pm)Adrian wrote Aye, he is. I don't think he's the best businessman around, but he's very clever about the way he draws in his customers. Giving you a pot of cereal on a bus wouldn't have cost them a penny in the grand scheme of things, as I'd be surprised if Kellogs or whoever didn't give them to distribute for free. It's a win win for both businesses, but comes across as going the extra mile for the customer.

Certainly, it's something he always seems to have done, as I can remember getting bars of chocolate in Burton-on-Trent as a youngster off the 'Star at the Stop'.

I think some of Hornby's ideas are risky, CityZap for example, which does appear to be working. Where as others are pure genius, such as the 36 and TadFaster, for example.

(25 Jul 2016, 7:29 pm)Michael wrote Arriva have overused the MAX and Sapphire brand now, they need something new although, don't get me wrong i really like the Sapphire brand.

I really liked Open line, shame they don't do it now, i have to say i would like to see internal branding again.

Arriva's 2016 specification has seen every new and refurbished vehicle gain USB charging sockets, free WiFi, and e-leather seating as standard.

In my eyes, Sapphire and MAX have depreciated from a specification to a series of route branding. 

However, the only way I can see Sapphire and MAX working now, is if all Sapphire and MAX vehicles get marketed and maintained as a luxury bus service. Sapphire should really be for those longer routes (like the 22/24 in Durham) and MAX for express/semi-express services like X21, X18 etc. Both MAX and Sapphire should have better seats than Civics, but should retain 2x2 seating configuration due to passenger loadings. These vehicles should also be deep cleaned at least once a year, as some MAX and Sapphire vehicles, especially south of the Tyne have been absolutely disgusting. Dedicated customer services and websites to make sure that the service isn't too Arriva-y as it has become in the past year. Attention to detail should also be looked at as I'm sick of seeing depots plastering older Arriva stickers on the vehicles, and yellow stickers on windows etc. 

Arriva's normal specification should be Civic V3 seating with WiFi and USB charging sockets, other areas have already seen vehicles repainted and refurbished into either 2014 or 2016 spec, but why not North East, where recent fare rises have been blamed on high-spec new buses and refurbishments for certain routes?

Love this tweet from Jarrow Roofing, following on from their friendly against Hartlepool.
https://twitter.com/TheRoofing/status/75...6980612096

Seen this on Facebook

Fans from pretty much every other Championship club complaining about how much we're spending. Sorry to break it to you, but we've made a profit this window as it stands... Don't think they know how FFP works.

Put a pic on facebook last night and The future Mrs F said she could see the outline of a head on my brow...

I cant see it myself though



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'Meal Deal Talk' on fb. I imagine it will get tedious after a while.

May submit my own just for the craic.

There's me thinking that some people who have children, or are old enough to have children, had grown out of petty playground arguments with people half their age and bitchiness from a few years ago...

Guess I was wrong!

(02 Aug 2016, 8:57 pm)MrFozz wrote Put a pic on facebook last night and The future Mrs F said she could see the outline of a head on my brow...

I cant see it myself though



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Can't see it, but there might be a wigglytuff there

Woman at a bus stop having a conversation with a fellow passenger about how she caught a bus and there was someone running for it, so she told the driver and he said he can't hold up the bus because he's on a schedule. She doesn't know what the world's coming to these days with everyone in such a hurry.

The bus she's waiting for is a whole minute late - she's walked over to the timetable and is checking her watch with a frown on her face.

Just such a shame the bus wasn't properly delayed. I have a feeling that would have been one of her long list of moans

A driver pulling down his sun visor to hide his face on a 20 today. It's really a bit pointless of them doing that when they see me, considering my camera can take photos of buses up to half a mile away.

(09 Aug 2016, 6:29 pm)GMitchelhill wrote A driver pulling down his sun visor to hide his face on a 20 today. It's really a bit pointless of them doing that when they see me, considering my camera can take photos of buses up to half a mile away.

Better than the driver that was on 6140 this evening when I photographed it who gave me a one fingered salute.

Bet he was thrilled when he got to Chester-le-Street as there was two enthusiasts waiting for said bus there with cameras.

---

Seems like I am getting hand gestures more and more often these days.

(09 Aug 2016, 7:39 pm)Jimmi wrote Better than the driver that was on 6140 this evening when I photographed it who gave me a one fingered salute.

Bet he was thrilled when he got to Chester-le-Street as there was two enthusiasts waiting for said bus there with cameras.

---

Seems like I am getting hand gestures more and more often these days.

I was speaking to 'Durham Bus Man' in Durham a few weeks ago, and he said he had sent an email to Kevin Carr regarding the matter, and KC said notices would be going up in canteens and depots warning drivers not to do this.

Evidently, this hasn't happened yet, or, the drivers are just ignoring it.

Just to give an idea of some of the distances I can get. Here is GNE Versa 5390 photographed from around 300 metres away.

Hearing stories/rumours about things I have supposedly done.

It nearly went in the little mysteries thread - as the reasons are a mystery, but it made me laugh out loud. So it's in here instead.

(11 Aug 2016, 7:28 am)Andreos1 wrote Hearing stories/rumours about things I have supposedly done.

It nearly went in the little mysteries thread - as the reasons are a mystery, but it made me laugh out loud. So it's in here instead.

Care to elaborate Mr C [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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(09 Aug 2016, 11:40 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Just to give an idea of some of the distances I can get. Here is GNE Versa 5290 photographed from around 300 metres away.

Must admit Gary...

I have enjoyed looking at your pictures over the years...

Thata a cracking shot mate

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(11 Aug 2016, 11:38 am)MrFozz wrote Care to elaborate Mr C [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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Not sure I can elaborate or explain someone's behaviour mind Fozz.
Other than that it must be based on jealousy, insecurity, bitterness or some sort of mental impairment. I have no clue as to why someone would waste their time spreading rumour and lie in the first place, never mind bothering with me.

Might need to dig out the 'uncle' page on here and seek out some advice!

It cheered me up after a long day at work either way.

People who do not have a clue what they are talking about, yet seem to claim to know everything about you and yet they know nothing at all.

Does it ring any bells with anyone. 

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2016/08/16/epic...nning-end/

It has been doing the rounds for a while now, but still makes me chuckle.
Quality trolling.

(21 Aug 2016, 2:26 pm)Andreos1 wrote http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2016/08/16/epic...nning-end/

It has been doing the rounds for a while now, but still makes me chuckle.
Quality trolling.

lmao "emotional range of a watercress sandwich"

(21 Aug 2016, 2:31 pm)Michael wrote lmao "emotional range of a watercress sandwich"

Might have to borrow that line in the future!