(02 Apr 2021, 10:19 am)Adrian wrote I have to say, I think its disgraceful that GNE haven't planned a bus service around you having a coffee in Durham.
Poor show.
It really is, I'll be taking my business elsewhere in the future!
(02 Apr 2021, 11:20 am)Storx wrote Mind in fairness to him. A 3 hour and 5 minute journey is a very long journey for some people without any form of toilet, especially travelling with kids. It doesn't seem like there's a break of 15 minutes or so in Middlesbrough either for passengers to quickly jump off if they need to and you can't exactly just get off and get the bus behind (as there isn't one). If i had a child I'd intentionally avoid it for that reason alone as you'd be screwed if they needed to go 20 minutes or so into the journey - it's not like you can say it's fine there's a toilet in 2 hours 40 minutes.
If they'd have allocated a coach instead of 6377, that would basically be non-issue.
I think allocating a double bus is a big mistake from a marketing perspective, if you were an average person who doesn't understand buses, would you pick a regular coach service (presumably with a bog) for £20 or a rattly old GNE bus for £15. I know which I'd go with!
Yes, I'd go with the even cheaper option of getting the Explorer and going Arriva because I get the best of both worlds!
(02 Apr 2021, 12:22 pm)mb134 wrote For the target market, which definitely isn't the enthusiast community, it's pretty well priced. I also don't think I've ever seen a non-enthusiast with an Explorer, obviously they will get sold but are many people aware of them?
From a personal point of view, the only reason I'd be doing the X11 is for a jolly on 6377 and to give a bit of support for the ambition. Again though, that's mainly because I have no reason to stay in Scarborough by myself all day (and if I suggested the idea to friends it would be shot down with a "this is why we have cars"), I enjoy the flexibility, and if we're honest enthusiasts will generally be wanting to get on a few vehicles a day - not spend it all waiting for one trip.
I have a friend who uses the Explorer ticket, in fact she suggested to me we should go to either Carlisle, Berwick, or Scarborough one day. She's very much like me when it comes to getting your moneys worth out of a ticket!