(08 Jan 2014, 8:12 pm)andreos1 wrote Already put my tenner on the next North Sunderland changes being by the summer!
I initially said the next lot of changes would be announced today, but that one has been and gone

Were still waiting for the new 29 timetable to be updated

(08 Jan 2014, 8:18 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote Lol, done a random search 'NL63 YAY' which I believe is red versa 5390 and it came up as been Orange.

Bit naughty if that's the case! It only takes an officer of the law with an ANPR scanner and a bit too much time on their hands to want to make some further enquiries.

(08 Jan 2014, 8:01 pm)andreos1 wrote Just having a tipple or two now.

Where has Fozz's bookies gone? Will stick a tenner on the 71 not staying in its current guise beyond the summer!

It is dying a slow death out there.

Will take that tenner off you ! Mind you, the evening journeys are still stone dead - not sure why the Fencehouses Massive moan about the lack of evening buses as the one's that are there don't seem to trouble the scorer.

(08 Jan 2014, 8:35 pm)aureolin wrote Bit naughty if that's the case! It only takes an officer of the law with an ANPR scanner and a bit too much time on their hands to want to make some further enquiries.

Other mistakes I have found so far:
NK51 OLB (4940) still is recorded as been red
NL63 YAX (5389) is also recorded as been orange
and that's all I have found. So far anyway

(08 Jan 2014, 8:37 pm)busman101 wrote Will take that tenner off you ! Mind you, the evening journeys are still stone dead - not sure why the Fencehouses Massive moan about the lack of evening buses as the one's that are there don't seem to trouble the scorer.

Honestly?
It can't be paying its way between Houghton and Fencehouses during the day, cos of the other services that dominate and looking at it, its numbers seemed to drop on the route once it was curtailed (and buzzfare boundaries were changed) at Chester, in the other direction.

On an evening/night, I know people who have just given up on buses beyond 18.00 in the area and use taxi's/drive - when in the past, they used a bus.

On a personal level, if I ever end up through Fencehouses and I am not driving, it's always a taxi there and back once the runs start being reduced for the night - even from Durham and Newcastle railway stations, because of the chew on in getting to the bus stations, paying a fortune, changing and hanging about for upto an hour for a bus (which you need to pay extra for cos its a Compass run on a night).

Stopped using the tpx to Chester for that reason too - would hang around in York/Newcastle (depending on where I had been, just to get off at Chester and get the bus through to Fencehouses).

I aint the only one either.

Feeding the hubs in Chester and Houghton is all well and good - but not everyone lives in a town centre and not everyone likes waiting ages for a bus home.
So they look for an alternative.

(08 Jan 2014, 8:44 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote Other mistakes I have found so far:
NK51 OLB (4940) still is recorded as been red
NL63 YAX (5389) is also recorded as been orange
and that's all I have found. So far anyway

8319 NK11 FXB is shown as purple(now red)

5218 NK54 NVO is shown as Black(now green)

5165 T815 CBW is shown as yellow(now red)

5166 W816 FBW is shown as Blue(now yellow)

What would you do with 71?. Maybe divert it via new lambton or extend up to hall lane via the old 141 route.
My plan would be to extend a half hourly 21a from chester to langley park, renumber the X25 as the 25 and extend it via the 71 route to houghton.

Yes i agree at most points during the day its quiet but it does have its busy runs and it does attract a good base of fare paying passengers between houghton and fence houses and lumley to chester.

This is what GNE should advertise when the Cobalt Clipper gets the B9's.

Ten reasons to use Service 309:
- Free Wi-Fi
- High Back Seating
- Power Sockets
- Powerful high quality diesel engined buses
- No congestion at Billy Mill
- No congestion at Norham Road
- No congestion at Silverlink
- Smarter Ticketing Options
- Operated by local North Tyneside Depot
- Only one operator ticket needed if travelling to the Metro Centre from North Tyneside and Newcastle

I can confirm 6095 has now entered service - just left Park Lane.

(09 Jan 2014, 6:49 am)nk55 wrote What would you do with 71?. Maybe divert it via new lambton or extend up to hall lane via the old 141 route.
My plan would be to extend a half hourly 21a from chester to langley park, renumber the X25 as the 25 and extend it via the 71 route to houghton.

Yes i agree at most points during the day its quiet but it does have its busy runs and it does attract a good base of fare paying passengers between houghton and fence houses and lumley to chester.

I would renumber it the 21a and send it to Newcastle, maybe extend it beyond Houghton to somewhere in County Durham (Dalton Park via Murton?).
It worked and carried a greater number of passengers prior to its cancellation and the introduction of the 71.

Simplifying the route between Chester and Newcastle has had its negatives. The 71 being one of them...

As for your idea, that re Langley Park and 25, that could work.
The short link between the hubs of Houghton and Chester, isn't working.
A through route or two could.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:00 am)andreos1 wrote I would renumber it the 21a and send it to Newcastle, maybe extend it beyond Houghton to somewhere in County Durham (Dalton Park via Murton?).
It worked and carried a greater number of passengers prior to its cancellation and the introduction of the 71.

Simplifying the route between Chester and Newcastle has had its negatives. The 71 being one of them...

As for your idea, that re Langley Park and 25, that could work.
The short link between the hubs of Houghton and Chester, isn't working.
A through route or two could.

I'm not too familiar with the Washington villages etc. but is the 8 a vital link Chester-Hastings Hill? Like round Washington areas?
I was wondering about sending the 8 via Great Lumley, Fence Houses, Houghton, Stoneygate, A19, Hasting Hills then as 78. Buzzfare boundaries mean that people need a 3 zone to go Chester/Stanley on the 8, but only a 2 zone on the 78.
Other ideas I've had about putting the 71 to Seaham. Maybe to Dalton park too.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:00 am)andreos1 wrote I would renumber it the 21a and send it to Newcastle, maybe extend it beyond Houghton to somewhere in County Durham (Dalton Park via Murton?).
It worked and carried a greater number of passengers prior to its cancellation and the introduction of the 71.

Simplifying the route between Chester and Newcastle has had its negatives. The 71 being one of them...

As for your idea, that re Langley Park and 25, that could work.
The short link between the hubs of Houghton and Chester, isn't working.
A through route or two could.

hmmmmm...Interesting, but any service that came to Murton from Newcastle would be something that came through Washington...

However it would provide a link from East Durham to Chester-le-Street...

More importantly GNE may not entertain an idea that could see FPP militants being directly connected by bus to other militants in the East Durham area(sorry...my daft mind is going astray again, lol)

(09 Jan 2014, 10:41 am)fozzovmurton wrote hmmmmm...Interesting, but any service that came to Murton from Newcastle would be something that came through Washington...

However it would provide a link from East Durham to Chester-le-Street...

More importantly GNE may not entertain an idea that could see FPP militants being directly connected by bus to other militants in the East Durham area(sorry...my daft mind is going astray again, lol)

Does it have to go via Washington or does tradition always dictate that?
After all, if it went via Hetton and Houghton, there is always the option of jumping on an x1 and 4...

As for the other point, a link to Chester and the world is your oyster!

(09 Jan 2014, 7:27 am)Davey Bowyer wrote This is what GNE should advertise when the Cobalt Clipper gets the B9's.

Ten reasons to use Service 309:
- Free Wi-Fi
- High Back Seating
- Power Sockets
- Powerful high quality diesel engined buses
- No congestion at Billy Mill
- No congestion at Norham Road
- No congestion at Silverlink
- Smarter Ticketing Options
- Operated by local North Tyneside Depot
- Only one operator ticket needed if travelling to the Metro Centre from North Tyneside and Newcastle

Only they can't go around making false claims about no congestion, as it's completely outside their control.

They could mention Wi-Fi, seating and power sockets, but the rest doesn't appeal to your average punter.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:40 am)CatsFast101 wrote I'm not too familiar with the Washington villages etc. but is the 8 a vital link Chester-Hastings Hill? Like round Washington areas?
I was wondering about sending the 8 via Great Lumley, Fence Houses, Houghton, Stoneygate, A19, Hasting Hills then as 78. Buzzfare boundaries mean that people need a 3 zone to go Chester/Stanley on the 8, but only a 2 zone on the 78.
Other ideas I've had about putting the 71 to Seaham. Maybe to Dalton park too.

I think the 8 in Washington does two jobs - it gives Waterview Park a fast link to Washington and Sunderland and it maintains the link to the Galleries and Chester with the villages in southern Washington that were lost when the 179 and 180 (and 50 was diverted via mway) went.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:52 am)andreos1 wrote Does it have to go via Washington or does tradition always dictate that?
After all, if it went via Hetton and Houghton, there is always the option of jumping on an x1 and 4...

As for the other point, a link to Chester and the world is your oyster!

I guess your right, it is tradition I am thinking about, but also the time it would take, well over an hour...but if it was a limited stop Express between Chester and Newcastle, that may be a whole different thing

About 10 mins ago seen 2 Not In Service B9's heading towards hylton college way.. must be off to Deptford

Didnt get fleet numbers was on the 56 that was 5204, which is still branded.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:58 am)fozzovmurton wrote I guess your right, it is tradition I am thinking about, but also the time it would take, well over an hour...but if it was a limited stop Express between Chester and Newcastle, that may be a whole different thing

Newcastle - Houghton is an hour (give or take a few mins) anyway on the x1 and was before then on the 21a and x94.

(09 Jan 2014, 7:27 am)Davey Bowyer wrote This is what GNE should advertise when the Cobalt Clipper gets the B9's.

Ten reasons to use Service 309:
- Free Wi-Fi
- High Back Seating
- Power Sockets
- Powerful high quality diesel engined buses
- No congestion at Billy Mill
- No congestion at Norham Road
- No congestion at Silverlink
- Smarter Ticketing Options
- Operated by local North Tyneside Depot
- Only one operator ticket needed if travelling to the Metro Centre from North Tyneside and Newcastle

Needs to emphasize "low emission engines" as people seem obsessed with exhaust fumes of buses - as they rush off to smoke their tab.

About time GNE put the new 29 timetable online isn't it? Plus the 39/49/56/10 timetables need to be put up!

(09 Jan 2014, 11:44 am)andreos1 wrote Newcastle - Houghton is an hour (give or take a few mins) anyway on the x1 and was before then on the 21a and x94.

But you did get to experience the journey on luxury vehicles. DAF's, Optare Excels and those Wright Dennis Lance beauties.

To travel on those was pure luxury.

(09 Jan 2014, 1:23 pm)gtomlinson wrote But you did get to experience the journey on luxury vehicles. DAF's, Optare Excels and those Wright Dennis Lance beauties.

To travel on those was pure luxury.

The Sxxx ONL and Pxxx AFT DAF's were still about when I used the 21a, but the Excels and Lances were long gone.
Had the treat of a Trident or President if I had been a good lad!
Never much legroom on the front upstairs seat of the Tridents though.

GNE have updated their Sunderland changes with a picture of the X36 fast cats + their weekly pass offer, it can also be used on the X3

(06 Jan 2014, 10:47 pm)CatsFast101 wrote What is the usual allocation for that? I don't the PVR of the X1 to know if there's an Red Arrows bus spare during daytime or what not?

PVR of 14 if I've worked it out right.

Am I right in thinking the peak board runs the 0703 from Easington Lane (arr 0818) then some works/schools then 1110 921, before the afternoon includes the 90 that they run before running to Newcastle to do the 1708 X1 (or 1715?)

6087 has ventured out onto the 56 today. Also seen 6093,6095,6096 and 6098 in service too.

(09 Jan 2014, 2:32 pm)Michael wrote GNE have updated their Sunderland changes with a picture of the X36 fast cats + their weekly pass offer, it can also be used on the X3

http://www.simplygo.com/news/sunderland-...-2014/#x36

Should of included the X35 in within that price of 15.60 weekly saver lol, cheaper than Arriva between Hartlepool and Sunderland

(09 Jan 2014, 4:00 pm)cbma06 wrote http://www.simplygo.com/news/sunderland-...-2014/#x36

Should of included the X35 in within that price of 15.60 weekly saver lol, cheaper than Arriva between Hartlepool and Sunderland

Probley's mean it would be higher in price but then again its a cheap ticket, it includes the most pointless service ever!

Would of being good, being able to from Hartlepool to Newcastle at once (expect you would of had to get off for the layover) for £15.60, would of being well worth it and could of got some of the Arriva passengers to!

(09 Jan 2014, 1:17 pm)CatsFast101 wrote About time GNE put the new 29 timetable online isn't it? Plus the 39/49/56/10 timetables need to be put up!

And we still wait... -.-

(09 Jan 2014, 4:24 pm)Michael wrote Probley's mean it would be higher in price but then again its a cheap ticket, it includes the most pointless service ever!

Would of being good, being able to from Hartlepool to Newcastle at once (expect you would of had to get off for the layover) for £15.60, would of being well worth it and could of got some of the Arriva passengers to!

That's why GNE should introduce a new X8 between Sland and Hartlepool

Sorry if it's been mentioned, haven't read posts today...

8222 was taken away by Alpha today, as shown in the photograph shared by Steve Foster below: