(14 Jun 2022, 8:33 pm)Storx wrote Tbh I think it's more everyone is more interested in GNE on here because of where people live. Stagecoach and Arriva are rarely discussed really.It certainly seems as if most of the forum posters are primarily in T&W, there is some of us in County Durham, Teesside etc but naturally things are different here, down here Arriva hasn't really made any fleet changes since the delivery of the Sapphire Lites at Darlington in 2018 (many times I've had to correct people who say the last new buses at Arriva were the E400MMCs on the X21/X22 in 2017), Stagecoach on Teesside's fleet hasn't changed much either minus the E200MMCs and a few ex Yorkshire Darts at Hartlepool, neither has made much in terms of major service changes in years either minus a few frequency decreases so there's little to say on an enthusiasts forum when on the surface it seems as if little is happening, then you look at GNE that has painted most of the fleet or at least adapted the previous corporate livery into the new one and made multiple service changes over the last 3-4 years.
Theres not that many people North of the Tyne or South of Durham on here.
It doesn't help that GNE hang a carrot over a fair chunk of enthusiasts heads and they take the bait and they've suddenly realised their favourite company isn't as good as they thought.
My stance on the North East Bus scene is that all of the big 3 are terrible in their own ways and since covid especially they've all suffered a downturn in quality IMO in particular from failing to operate journeys, from me at least Arriva have attracted the biggest response from me (although not on here) just from facing issues with the service offered (or rather not offered) due to me living in an Arriva dominated area but have also faced issues from Stagecoach & GNE.
The fact GNE seems to have more of an enthusiast following only seems to make things more vivid, it seems like Marmite you love them, or you hate them, I've taken a somewhat neutral stance with some views and predictions expressed here and there for which I've come under fire from the community for some of the views and things I've expressed with being labelled as a suck arse for thinking everything they do is amazing (even for just corrections in arguments) but then I say something negative and I get accused of being biased, having negative opinions or in more extreme cases some derogatory terms, yet its fine to express similar views against say, Arriva, you're in a lose/lose situation when discussing GNE lately.