(14 Apr 2020, 11:13 am)Dan wrote Correct. 466 buses now parked up (67% of fleet!)

Enthusiast Area on GNE's website now updated: https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/about/enthusiast-area/

Its crazy to see how many buses have been delicenced.

also:


Martijn and Dan will do a live update at 5pm on Tuesday 14th April on Northern Group Enthusiasts Club facebook page.

Martjin and Dan kindly done a Facebook live Q&A last night.


All new buses will still arrive - although they don't know when due to everywhere been closed!


Dan shared a few pictures from the Wrightbus factory... where some are almost complete with the Blue for the X21, Green for a Consett service.

Credit to Go North East/Wrightbus for the photos


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Looks like there could be plans for the X22 and X88 to become X-Lines in the future.

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Link to video: https://www.facebook.com/NGECEditor/vide...386715500/

(15 Apr 2020, 12:29 pm)Michael wrote Martjin and Dan kindly done a Facebook live Q&A last night.


All new buses will still arrive - although they don't know when due to everywhere been closed!


Dan shared a few pictures from the Wrightbus factory... where some are almost complete with the Blue for the X21, Green for a Consett service.

Credit to Go North East/Wrightbus for the photos


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Looks like there could be plans for the X22 and X88 to become X-Lines in the future.

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Link to video: https://www.facebook.com/NGECEditor/vide...386715500/

Notice the display says Bamford Bus. Is there some rebranding of wrightbus in the offing?

(16 Apr 2020, 4:04 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Notice the display says Bamford Bus. Is there some rebranding of wrightbus in the offing?

I'd have thought so. It wouldn't surprise at all. 
Bamford were pushing that brand and their deal with Tfl prior to the takeover.
Then add the potentially damaged 'Wright' brand...

Saying that, I'm sure Wrightbus is a subsidiary of Bamford these days.

(15 Apr 2020, 12:29 pm)Michael wrote Martjin and Dan kindly done a Facebook live Q&A last night.


All new buses will still arrive - although they don't know when due to everywhere been closed!


Dan shared a few pictures from the Wrightbus factory... where some are almost complete with the Blue for the X21, Green for a Consett service.

Credit to Go North East/Wrightbus for the photos


----------

Looks like there could be plans for the X22 and X88 to become X-Lines in the future.

---


Link to video: https://www.facebook.com/NGECEditor/vide...386715500/

What has been said about the X22 and X88 going X-lines? I thought GNE had decided against introducing any more X-lines services. I'd like to ride the X22 and X88 once lockdown is over.

(16 Apr 2020, 10:05 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote What has been said about the X22 and X88 going X-lines? I thought GNE had decided against introducing any more X-lines services. I'd like to ride the X22 and X88 once lockdown is over.

Said they may end up coming X-Lines, they only run on weekends but its a proper express.

Link to live chat here:, from 53 minutes and 41 seconds:
https://www.facebook.com/NGECEditor/vide...386715500/

(16 Apr 2020, 10:05 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote What has been said about the X22 and X88 going X-lines? I thought GNE had decided against introducing any more X-lines services. I'd like to ride the X22 and X88 once lockdown is over.

They said the X22 would definitely qualify as an X-lines route, so will at some point either become X-Lines branded, or get it's own special branding

(16 Apr 2020, 10:21 pm)streetdeckfan wrote They said the X22 would definitely qualify as an X-lines route, so will at some point either become X-Lines branded, or get it's own special branding

Would MetroXpress not be a good brand for the X22?

(16 Apr 2020, 10:05 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote What has been said about the X22 and X88 going X-lines? I thought GNE had decided against introducing any more X-lines services. I'd like to ride the X22 and X88 once lockdown is over.

I’m sure that the X88 will be using one of the X1 xline adl’s when there arrive, as there was a post somewhere that the X1 is one less on the weekends and the bus will be allocated to the X88


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They would need to look at detaching the 14 from the X22 if they wanted it to be part of the Xlines brand.

The next best thing if that isn’t done would be to have refurbished buses to the Xlines standard (which is just the company standard spec anyway), just in fleet livery.

(17 Apr 2020, 7:16 am)S813 FVK wrote They would need to look at detaching the 14 from the X22 if they wanted it to be part of the Xlines brand.

The next best thing if that isn’t done would be to have refurbished buses to the Xlines standard (which is just the company standard spec anyway), just in fleet livery.

I wonder if they could integrate the southern portion of the X22 route, within to the 14? 
Not sure it would be massively popular for passengers using that section, but I reckon it could be do-able.

(17 Apr 2020, 6:42 am)L469 YVK wrote Would MetroXpress not be a good brand for the X22?

I quite like CentreLink Express.
Hopefully when they rebrand the X22 they can get rid of the X66 at the same time!

the 14 was supposed to be getting split from the X22, dont know if that will happen once the covid-19 lock-down is relaxed and things get back to normal

(17 Apr 2020, 10:04 am)N1cholas wrote the 14 was supposed to be getting split from the X22, dont know if that will happen once the covid-19 lock-down is relaxed and things get back to normal

Is it not done so driver changeovers can happen in Chester le Street rather than having to do it in Durham?

Also the 14 is slightly too long a round trip

Didn't they say they would 'do something' with the X22 & X88 rather than it being normal full X Lines. Actually marketing it is probably what they are thinking about as they have both been fairly invisible for many years.

(17 Apr 2020, 11:26 am)Wybus wrote Is it not done so driver changeovers can happen in Chester le Street rather than having to do it in Durham?

Also the 14 is slightly too long a round trip

Didn't they say they would 'do something' with the X22 & X88 rather than it being normal full X Lines. Actually marketing it is probably what they are thinking about as they have both been fairly invisible for many years.

I can't remember the exact words but the impression I got was it'll either become Xlines or it'll have its own special branding.

To be honest, whenever I use the X22 there's barely anybody else on it!

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(17 Apr 2020, 11:26 am)Wybus wrote Is it not done so driver changeovers can happen in Chester le Street rather than having to do it in Durham?

Also the 14 is slightly too long a round trip

Didn't they say they would 'do something' with the X22 & X88 rather than it being normal full X Lines. Actually marketing it is probably what they are thinking about as they have both been fairly invisible for many years.

They have, they dropped the Sunderland - Washington section of the route because no one used it, that's probables due to the horrendous non marketing of the route, with old clapped out bangers used.... they could reinstate use the route and promote the service with WIFI etc and i would think people might jump on it.



They'll probables end up using the spare X-Line buses on the routes.

(17 Apr 2020, 11:31 am)Michael wrote They have, they dropped the Sunderland - Washington section of the route because no one used it, that's probables due to the horrendous non marketing of the route, with old clapped out bangers used.... they could reinstate use the route and promote the service with WIFI etc and i would think people might jump on it.



They'll probables end up using the spare X-Line buses on the routes.

I'd expect to see the X22 and X88 interworking shortly unless they extend the latter to offer new connection - or reinstate the old full route which with X-Lines would make sense.

(17 Apr 2020, 11:31 am)Michael wrote They have, they dropped the Sunderland - Washington section of the route because no one used it, that's probables due to the horrendous non marketing of the route, with old clapped out bangers used.... they could reinstate use the route and promote the service with WIFI etc and i would think people might jump on it.



They'll probables end up using the spare X-Line buses on the routes.

Well, until the Facebook Live, I never knew the X88 existed!

(17 Apr 2020, 12:30 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Well, until the Facebook Live, I never knew the X88 existed!

The x88 was the express version of the old 188 (new 56) between concord and Sunderland, but after concord it went to the galleries then metro centre, is there still demand for the X88? , metro centre is not the same as it was years ago and it might be going bust soon anyway. Doesn’t really take much for passengers to board the X66 then change at Gateshead for service x1 or 56, should stop the X from the X66 and just run it as a 66 or GNE totally renumber the service.


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The X22 can't be too bad a performer, it's been around in various guises for some time now. It's probably suffering on the basis that the Metrocentre itself isn't a destination experience anymore. It's a run of the mill shopping centre not helped that it was designed for and predominantly used by car users.

It's certainly busy on weekends and quieter off peak during the week but then so are most buses.

(17 Apr 2020, 12:37 pm)cbma06 wrote The x88 was the express version of the old 188 (new 56) between concord and Sunderland, but after concord it went to the galleries then metro centre, is there still demand for the X88? , metro centre is not the same as it was years ago and it might be going bust soon anyway. Doesn’t really take much for passengers to board the X66 then change at Gateshead for service x1 or 56, should stop the X from the X66 and just run it as a 66 or GNE totally renumber the service.


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Well, the X66 is more express than a lot of the other X routes! At least it's limited stop for most of it's route!

(17 Apr 2020, 12:48 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Well, the X66 is more express than a lot of the other X routes! At least it's limited stop for most of it's route!

[emoji849]


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(17 Apr 2020, 12:48 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Well, the X66 is more express than a lot of the other X routes! At least it's limited stop for most of it's route!

As far as I can see, the X Lines/Routes are advertised as rapid bus links as opposed to limited stop.

You can drive from A to B down a straight road and stop at every stop or drive from A-B via C and not stop at every stop.

The first route would be the express route as it's the quickest point to point.

Do you have any examples of Go North East XLines where a non express bus is quicker than its X Lines equivalent?

(17 Apr 2020, 1:38 pm)Ambassador wrote As far as I can see, the X Lines/Routes are advertised as rapid bus links as opposed to limited stop.

You can drive from A to B down a straight road and stop at every stop or drive from A-B via C and not stop at every stop.

The first route would be the express route as it's the quickest point to point.

Do you have any examples of Go North East XLines where a non express bus is quicker than its X Lines equivalent?

Doing a quick bit of maths in my head, other than the X9/X10, the X66 has the highest proportion of its route run 'express'

My issue is primarily with X45/X46/X47
In order to make them 'express', all they made it run non-stop between MetroCentre and Newcastle, and got rid of the 'standard' routes. Therefore the 'express' routes are not express, they are just the normal route!
It's clear they did it purely for the branding, which I honestly have no problem with...

I get that in order to 'qualify' as Xlines, the route has to EITHER be faster than the 'standard' route, or run primarily the same way as you would drive in your car, and for the most part they do.

I just don't personally think you should be allowed to call a route 'express' unless there's also a service that runs to the same places but slower

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I personally don't think the 45/46/47 should become Xlines but even before they were made non-stop between Newcastle and Metrocentre, they took broadly the same time end-to-end than the X70/X71 give or take a few minutes.

Once they're out of the estates, they follow the same road all the way to Swalwell Roundabout. It's quicker than people think.

It's a pity they couldn't connect the X31 and X70/X71 together in Newcastle without either a ~15 minute layover in Newcastle or two buses following eachother from Newcastle to Sunniside if they were to swap the X30 and X31 departure times around.