Last time I changed buses inside the depot was this summer when I was a passenger on a 900 and Classic changed buses at Jesmond, getting off one outside and getting on the fresh decker "inside" the depot, the front just sat in the doorway... It does happen from time to time, at Stagecoach we weren't allowed to do it and usually changed over buses outside the depot. They would even lose mileage to enable a bus change... I did that at least once!

Go North East have cleared up the £1 'Saltwell Park' deal on their Facebook page. It's £1 on 53/54 on the stretch between Gateshead and Saltwell Park (via Coatsworth Road only).

From Saltwell Park to Gateshead via Bensham Bank and Newcastle and it's still the usual £1.45.

MPD 568 is also at Percy main now in its green base colour, on the 17 tonight, am i the only one that thinks its stupid that some north Tyne links and centurion buses swap over. Like after 6/7 you usually find centurion B10's on north Tyne circuit, and north Tyne MPDS on the 17 longs (Churchill street-cramlington/benton Asda)

(18 Nov 2013, 8:43 pm)gtomlinson wrote Anyone who thinks what Bazza does (allegedly) compared to a supervised passenger change in a secure part of the depot where drivers and staff are aware of what's happening (including managers and control) is an idiot and is arguing purely for the sake of it.

It's certainly an interesting one isn't it. I guess we're either for following rules, or against following rules? That would be the simplistic way of looking at it. In no way am I condoning what he allegedly does, but I find people are far too quick to go at him, yet at the same time will try and justify others breaking different rules as being common practice.

Back to the topic in hand though. I'd be surprised if a depot was paying for public liability insurance when it's not actually open to the public? Surely they'd stick with the bare legal minimum and just have employee liability cover? I mean come on. Insuring for public to have access to a working bus depot is not going to be cheap. As Dan has said, anything could happen to someone inside a bus depot. Even someone slipping.

Storing fireworks in the smokers room comes to mind.

(18 Nov 2013, 9:07 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Go North East have cleared up the £1 'Saltwell Park' deal on their Facebook page. It's £1 on 53/54 on the stretch between Gateshead and Saltwell Park (via Coatsworth Road only).

From Saltwell Park to Gateshead via Bensham Bank and Newcastle and it's still the usual £1.45.

I thought that might be the case. Still a cracking deal for £1.45 though.

(18 Nov 2013, 9:08 pm)Wellsey18 wrote MPD 568 is also at Percy main now in its green base colour, on the 17 tonight, am i the only one that thinks its stupid that some north Tyne links and centurion buses swap over. Like after 6/7 you usually find centurion B10's on north Tyne circuit, and north Tyne MPDS on the 17 longs (Churchill street-cramlington/benton Asda)

Tbh I think that's better. I'm not familiar with the area, however, but I'm assuming the buses that work daytime 17/40/41/80's then interwork using their usual allocation of North Tyne Links MPD's & Centurion B10BLE's? I personally think this is slightly better in my opinion as it means although half the vehicles will be incorrect branding half should be the correct branding. Example: 2A/2C/61 interworking on Sundays currently using th SimpliCity versas, however I'd much prefer them to using say 3 Silver Arrows Citaro's & 2 SimpliCity Versas. Rather than 28/34 interworking & 60/42 interworking who use the Waggonway vehicles (DAF's/Solars) & the Drifter vehicles (Versas/Streetlites). However I assume the two examples must be based on the service in question with the 60 and 28 been held in higher regard than the 42 and 34.

(18 Nov 2013, 9:17 pm)aureolin wrote Back to the topic in hand though. I'd be surprised if a depot was paying for public liability insurance when it's not actually open to the public? Surely they'd stick with the bare legal minimum and just have employee liability cover? I mean come on. Insuring for public to have access to a working bus depot is not going to be cheap. As Dan has said, anything could happen to someone inside a bus depot. Even someone slipping.

Storing fireworks in the smokers room comes to mind.

I would imagine GNE have a pretty airtight and highly expensive and extensive PL insurance policy that covers the company and its workplaces.

For example, an airplane hanger is off limits to the public. Yet BA still pay a fortune in insurance policies for it. After all GNE aren't some backwater little provincial company, they are part of one massive global entity.

If there was no insurance etc, there'd be no chance control or a senior manager would authorise a depot changeover. At the end of the day here we're talking about 10 seconds as person steps off a bus onto another. They aren't been taken on a guided tour of Saltmeadows or running through the pits at Chester

The thing with Bazza, safety aside is that he illegally enters private property. That is bad enough. But whilst a driver or staff are aware of the big red bus with the passengers they aren't aware of someone with a camera ogling for a view of a new livery. So I don't accept it being as black and white as that

(18 Nov 2013, 9:31 pm)gtomlinson wrote I would imagine GNE have a pretty airtight and highly expensive and extensive PL insurance policy that covers the company and its workplaces.

For example, an airplane hanger is off limits to the public. Yet BA still pay a fortune in insurance policies for it. After all GNE aren't some backwater little provincial company, they are part of one massive global entity.

If there was no insurance etc, there'd be no chance control or a senior manager would authorise a depot changeover. At the end of the day here we're talking about 10 seconds as person steps off a bus onto another. They aren't been taken on a guided tour of Saltmeadows or running through the pits at Chester

The thing with Bazza, safety aside is that he illegally enters private property. That is bad enough. But whilst a driver or staff are aware of the big red bus with the passengers they aren't aware of someone with a camera ogling for a view of a new livery. So I don't accept it being as black and white as that

Surely the public liability is needed for contractors, visitors, reps etc visiting a depot.

Withing that, there must be (or there was) some sort of clause/scope for passenger handovers - it has happened too many times for it to be a one off or the case of a driver making a mistake/ignoring policy.

The line Daniel quoted from the handbook was interesting.
If passengers are thrown off at the stop outside the depot due to a vehicle fault and something happens to a passenger when waiting for the new vehicle - are GNE washing their hands of liability, are they potentially liable because the passenger was made to wait there or are they covering their backsides by making sure the switchover happens off premises?

(18 Nov 2013, 9:45 pm)andreos1 wrote The line Daniel quoted from the handbook was interesting.
If passengers are thrown off at the stop outside the depot due to a vehicle fault and something happens to a passenger when waiting for the new vehicle - are GNE washing their hands of liability, are they potentially liable because the passenger was made to wait there or are they covering their backsides by making sure the switchover happens off premises?

If Mary is off out to buy some bread and she trips over and hurts herself as she's crossing a public road situated near ASDA, wouldn't ASDA wash their hands of liability too?

(18 Nov 2013, 9:49 pm)Dan wrote If Mary is off out to buy some bread and she trips over and hurts herself as she's crossing a public road situated near ASDA, wouldn't ASDA wash their hands of liability too?

Probably, cos ASDA haven't made Mary stand outside when they swap the loaves of bread around.

(18 Nov 2013, 10:00 pm)andreos1 wrote Probably, cos ASDA haven't made Mary stand outside when they swap the loaves of bread around.

How many times do passengers have to wait for a replacement bus thou, normally passengers wait until the replacement is there before disembarking.

(18 Nov 2013, 10:02 pm)citaro5284 wrote How many times do passengers have to wait for a replacement bus thou, normally passengers wait until the replacement is there before disembarking.

Regardless of whether it happens once, twice or 50 times a day - it was a genuine question, without malice or intent, relating to the procedure Daniel referred to.

A 56 develops a fault and the driver leaves the passengers standing on the main road as advised in that book - who is liable if anything happens - bearing in mind GNE put the passengers in that situation by virtue of a faulty vehicle.

GNE would be liable if anything happened in a depot, so are they liable, washing their hands of liability or covering their backsides in that situation?

(18 Nov 2013, 10:08 pm)andreos1 wrote A 56 develops a fault and the driver leaves the passengers standing on the main road as advised in that book - who is liable if anything happens - bearing in mind GNE put the passengers in that situation by virtue of a faulty vehicle.

I think citaro5284 may have been correcting me slightly, by saying that the passengers should remain on the vehicle which is parked outside of the depot while they wait for the replacement vehicle to pull up next to, behind, or in front of the vehicle they are on.

Isn't it Police advice that passengers should not stay on a broken down vehicle

(18 Nov 2013, 10:17 pm)gtomlinson wrote Isn't it Police advice that passengers should not stay on a broken down vehicle

We're not talking about buses that have broken down completely though, just vehicles that have developed a fault (perhaps a light on the dashboard has lit up) and they are replacing the bus to ensure it does manage to get to its terminus without failing - if they had broken down completely, they wouldn't have been able to get to a bus depot!

(18 Nov 2013, 10:11 pm)Dan wrote I think citaro5284 may have been correcting me slightly, by saying that the passengers should remain on the vehicle which is parked outside of the depot while they wait for the replacement vehicle to pull up next to, behind, or in front of the vehicle they are on.

Whey it was the book you quoted apparently

Ah I can't be arsed. It's late and there are more important things to be bothered about - we will just cross that bridge when we come to it or let the insurance companies sort it out, should the situation ever arise.

(18 Nov 2013, 10:22 pm)andreos1 wrote Whey it was the book you quoted apparently

Ah I can't be arsed. It's late and there are more important things to be bothered about - we will just cross that bridge when we come to it or let the insurance companies sort it out, should the situation ever arise.

Shh

Whether it's in a book or not, I do believe drivers are advised to do what I said (minus the part about getting off the bus, which citaro5284 corrected me on).

(18 Nov 2013, 10:17 pm)gtomlinson wrote Isn't it Police advice that passengers should not stay on a broken down vehicle

Where would you put 70 people? Surely a bus parked up on a local road is safe, whilst I agree on a fast moving road, but a housing estate?

When GNE allowed people to go into the depots to take photos (Obviously asking permission at the office first), they usually ask you to sign in, and with the disclaimer that I was in the depot at my own risk and I would not be allowed to sue the company should I be stupid enough to fall down a pit or get hurt. And strangely enough I didn't get run over or fall down the pit.

Mind go to other countries it's a lot different. In 2006 I wrote to Bus Atha Cliath (Dublin Bus) asking for permission to visit their depots. They wrote back to me giving me not only permission. But info on what buses to get there. But the biggest suprise of all was that they also sent me a free 7 day ticket for use on Dublin Bus. I managed to get around all of the Dublin Bus depots, and what suprised me, they even told me that I could walk around the pits as long as I was careful, which led to some interesting photos of the vehicles.

Found my log book of the vehicle change over. It was from Solar 4943 to PVL 6013, and it appears the photo I took is from the 3rd window on the upper deck. I think it was because we were trying to photograph every bus that we were getting on too.

(18 Nov 2013, 10:29 pm)citaro5284 wrote Where would you put 70 people? Surely a bus parked up on a local road is safe, whilst I agree on a fast moving road, but a housing estate?

Last time I was on a bus that broken down, we were told to stay on the vehicle. Just to add it broke down on the slip road before it reached the motorway.

Test - Is anyone else having issues posting to other parts of the site?

5385 is out today.

Fleet news can be seen by opening the fleet allocation on the GNE site,on phone so cant copy or paste

Tragic story.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/bus-driver-killed-gran-zebra-6317640

Unsure where to place this. Reference made to a 58, which should be made clear, had no direct involvement in the incident.
There is no mention of the operator involved in the incident.

(19 Nov 2013, 12:36 pm)Michael wrote Fleet news can be seen by opening the fleet allocation on the GNE site,on phone so cant copy or paste

Movements during the week:
5377 - 5383, 5385, 5386, 8339 - 8346 new vehicles in service at Gateshead
8294 - 8301 Gateshead to Washington
5344, 5351, 5354, 5356 withdrawn from Gateshead
566 567 568 569 Washington to Percy Main
504 505 514 517 withdrawn from Percy Main
605 Deptford to Washington
525 withdrawn from Washington
4862 4864 4865 withdrawn from Chester le Street
3812 withdrawn from Winlaton

(19 Nov 2013, 12:46 pm)andreos1 wrote Tragic story.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/bus-driver-killed-gran-zebra-6317640

Unsure where to place this. Reference made to a 58, which should be made clear, had no direct involvement in the incident.
There is no mention of the operator involved in the incident.

A story involving GNE from last week that I didn't notice on here.

Coroners report into the death of a man hit by a 51 in Wrekenton

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...ly-6311197

(19 Nov 2013, 12:58 pm)gtomlinson wrote A story involving GNE from last week that I didn't notice on here.

Coroners report into the death of a man hit by a 51 in Wrekenton

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...ly-6311197

Hadn't even heard about that one.

Both terrible incidents and should have been easily avoided.

4901 broke down opposite The Lambton Arms in Chester le Street this morning, GNE staff were directing traffic due to 4901 blocking one side of the bollarded area. Engineers were unable to repair 4901 at the roadside so a recovery truck was called out. Once the recovery truck arrived buses were unable to pass in either direction so buses had to be diverted via Ropery Lane, Park Road and Picktree Lane. 4901 was uplifted and taken away at 13.15 and traffic has is now back to normal on Front Street.
I will upload a photo when I get access to a PC this afternoon.

(19 Nov 2013, 1:49 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote 4901 broke down opposite The Lambton Arms in Chester le Street this morning, GNE staff were directing traffic due to 4901 blocking one side of the bollarded area. Engineers were unable to repair 4901 at the roadside so a recovery truck was called out. Once the recovery truck arrived buses were unable to pass in either direction so buses had to be diverted via Ropery Lane, Park Road and Picktree Lane. 4901 was uplifted and taken away at 13.15 and traffic has is now back to normal on Front Street.
I will upload a photo when I get access to a PC this afternoon.

GNE Facebook page said 'due to an incident' then changed to 'broken down vehicle'

Several people commented that it was one of the GNE fleet and comments were swiftly deleted

13 year old buses breaking down and causing chaos obviously doesn't fit in with the '100 new buses for our centenary year' social media buzz!

(19 Nov 2013, 2:40 pm)gtomlinson wrote GNE Facebook page said 'due to an incident' then changed to 'broken down vehicle'

Several people commented that it was one of the GNE fleet and comments were swiftly deleted

13 year old buses breaking down and causing chaos obviously doesn't fit in with the '100 new buses for our centenary year' social media buzz!

Not like them to delete negative comments actually. Give them their due they usually respond to it.