1440 adding a sparkle to the 81 this afternoon

1517 on X1

1577 on X12 replacing a MAX Gemini I believe.

7444 about to leave Middlesbrough on an X12, looks very tired!

1426 on the 8 today

(27 Apr 2015, 4:59 pm)MrPottski wrote 7444 about to leave Middlesbrough on an X12, looks very tired!

That heap made it out of Durham Bus Station, seen it broken down there a few times.

Awful things can't wait to get rid.

Theirs pulsar on durham 64 service i think it was 1468 but not sure

(27 Apr 2015, 3:58 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 1577 on X12 replacing a MAX Gemini I believe.

It was running 34 minutes late at this point.

(27 Apr 2015, 6:02 pm)Kuyoyo wrote It was running 34 minutes late at this point.

So probably just about on-time for the X12 then...? 

(27 Apr 2015, 6:14 pm)Dan wrote So probably just about on-time for the X12 then...? 

No, X12s are normally on time or no more than 5-10 minutes late (but before anyone says the timetable needs changing - you willing to pay for an extra vehicle's running costs?) - delays due to the same reason that GNE was all at sixes and sevens  

(27 Apr 2015, 6:26 pm)+Kuyoyo wrote No, X12s are normally on time or no more than 5-10 minutes late (but before anyone says the timetable needs changing - you willing to pay for an extra vehicle's running costs?) - delays due to the same reason that GNE was all at sixes and sevens  

Aureolin would beg to differ! It's a good job he isn't employed by the traffic commissioners, as I don't think 95% of the services he sees and/or uses depart from timing points within the bracket of one minute early to five minutes late. If the timetable is not realistic nor achievable, it is not meeting the guidelines set by the traffic commissioner and hence should be changed. Although your rhetorical question was likely to be tongue-in-cheek: it is not the responsibility of bus enthusiasts to pay for extra resources to be pumped into services to allow a timetable to be achievable.

What is Arriva's excuse for delays to service X12 on the days where there isn't disruption in the Gateshead area?  

(27 Apr 2015, 6:41 pm)Dan wrote Aureolin would beg to differ! It's a good job he isn't employed by the traffic commissioners, as I don't think 95% of the services he sees and/or uses depart from timing points within the bracket of one minute early to five minutes late. If the timetable is not realistic nor achievable, it is not meeting the guidelines set by the traffic commissioner and hence should be changed. Although your rhetorical question was likely to be tongue-in-cheek: it is not the responsibility of bus enthusiasts to pay for extra resources to be pumped into services to allow a timetable to be achievable.

What is Arriva's excuse for delays to service X12 on the days where there isn't disruption in the Gateshead area?  

It wasn't tongue in cheek!

7627 was in Stockton's yard tonight - minus a window.

4501 on 27s, 1920 on 28s
1437/40 and 4715 (though it broke in Guisborough!) on 81s
7485 on 64s

(27 Apr 2015, 6:26 pm)Kuyoyo wrote No, X12s are normally on time or no more than 5-10 minutes late (but before anyone says the timetable needs changing - you willing to pay for an extra vehicle's running costs?) - delays due to the same reason that GNE was all at sixes and sevens  

No more than 5-10 mins late? I wish. You're more than welcome to come and wait at the bus stop in the cold with me though.

(27 Apr 2015, 6:41 pm)Dan wrote Aureolin would beg to differ! It's a good job he isn't employed by the traffic commissioners, as I don't think 95% of the services he sees and/or uses depart from timing points within the bracket of one minute early to five minutes late. If the timetable is not realistic nor achievable, it is not meeting the guidelines set by the traffic commissioner and hence should be changed. Although your rhetorical question was likely to be tongue-in-cheek: it is not the responsibility of bus enthusiasts to pay for extra resources to be pumped into services to allow a timetable to be achievable.

What is Arriva's excuse for delays to service X12 on the days where there isn't disruption in the Gateshead area?  

I've got about 6 or 7 weeks worth of data which clearly shows there's a huge problem. It'd certainly make interesting reading at the traffic commissioner's office.

(27 Apr 2015, 8:16 pm)aureolin wrote I've got about 6 or 7 weeks worth of data which clearly shows there's a huge problem. It'd certainly make interesting reading at the traffic commissioner's office.

Don't suppose you want to mention the X26/7 while you're there do you?

(27 Apr 2015, 8:13 pm)aureolin wrote No more than 5-10 mins late? I wish. You're more than welcome to come and wait at the bus stop in the cold with me though.

I found the problem with X12s for me is Low Fell - Newcastle it took me over 40 minutes to do that stretch the other day.  Simple answer is throw another bus on from Durham and give the long ones more time to complete the journey 

(28 Apr 2015, 7:37 am)Multi21 wrote I found the problem with X12s for me is Low Fell - Newcastle it took me over 40 minutes to do that stretch the other day.  Simple answer is throw another bus on from Durham and give the long ones more time to complete the journey 

The other solution (which the other operator can afford to do), is to turn it around short at Gateshead.
The downside to that, is that numbers on the ANE offering, will probably drop as a result.

(28 Apr 2015, 7:37 am)Multi21 wrote I found the problem with X12s for me is Low Fell - Newcastle it took me over 40 minutes to do that stretch the other day.  Simple answer is throw another bus on from Durham and give the long ones more time to complete the journey 

...and the X12 only gets 5 minutes more running time than GNE's X21 between Durham and Newcastle, yet the X21 doesn't stop at all between Chester and Gateshead. The X21 also gets 7 minutes layover at Newcastle, yet the X12 only gets 5 minutes? The quick solution would be make it non-stop between Chester and Gateshead, with the same timing points as the current time table for Chester, Gateshead and Newcastle. It's not like they get more than a few passengers along Durham Road, and the ones that travel from Durham are only ever going to Gateshead Interchange or Newcastle.

 

(28 Apr 2015, 5:20 pm)aureolin wrote ...and the X12 only gets 5 minutes more running time than GNE's X21 between Durham and Newcastle, yet the X21 doesn't stop at all between Chester and Gateshead. The X21 also gets 7 minutes layover at Newcastle, yet the X12 only gets 5 minutes? The quick solution would be make it non-stop between Chester and Gateshead, with the same timing points as the current time table for Chester, Gateshead and Newcastle. It's not like they get more than a few passengers along Durham Road, and the ones that travel from Durham are only ever going to Gateshead Interchange or Newcastle.

Have noticed in the past that the 21 can quite easily keep up with the X12 all the way from Newcastle to Durham if the latter doesn't make any attempt to get past the 21 when it's in front. The 21 gets more time than the X12, too!

(28 Apr 2015, 5:20 pm)aureolin wrote ...and the X12 only gets 5 minutes more running time than GNE's X21 between Durham and Newcastle, yet the X21 doesn't stop at all between Chester and Gateshead. The X21 also gets 7 minutes layover at Newcastle, yet the X12 only gets 5 minutes? The quick solution would be make it non-stop between Chester and Gateshead, with the same timing points as the current time table for Chester, Gateshead and Newcastle. It's not like they get more than a few passengers along Durham Road, and the ones that travel from Durham are only ever going to Gateshead Interchange or Newcastle.

 

I think just dropping Birtley would be good as in my experience the X12 never picks up much custom here. doing this would chop around 5 minutes off the journey time, could probably still pick up on Durham Road though.

Isn't most of the X12's problems with stopping at every stop between Croxdale and Durham, did the X12 from Durham at peak time once and it only passed one stop until Croxdale and by the time it made it to Croxdale it had fallen behind the timetable. Newcastle can sometimes be difficult to get out of and Low Fell at peak times is a pig as well at times.

1420 was on the 64 in Durham this afternoon.

(28 Apr 2015, 5:40 pm)Jimmi wrote I think just dropping Birtley would be good as in my experience the X12 never picks up much custom here. doing this would chop around 5 minutes off the journey time, could probably still pick up on Durham Road though.

Isn't most of the X12's problems with stopping at every stop between Croxdale and Durham, did the X12 from Durham at peak time once and it only passed one stop until Croxdale and by the time it made it to Croxdale it had fallen behind the timetable. Newcastle can sometimes be difficult to get out of and Low Fell at peak times is a pig as well at times.

Coxhoe and Pity Me, but I think that's the stretch that the Uni fund free passes for, so I can't see it changing?

If I can just voice my views on the X12. I've not used the service between Durham and Middlesbrough before (as far as I can remember anyway!), and one of my aims for the next couple of weeks is to ride the Durham to Newcastle section, now under the X12 as well. Despite being no Arriva expert, I have actually used the service between Chester-le-Street and Durham (and vice-versa) quite a lot, enough to be able to say that heading back from Newcastle, the service seems to have relatively good timing. The 26 and 56 minutes past departures from Chester-le-Street that I've used on Saturday mornings have always been prompt, although often having just a minute or two to spare.

However, I can't say the same for heading the other way. Sometimes when I've been sitting around in Durham Bus Station for a Newcastle-bound X2, I've been waiting as many as 10-15 minutes. While this has not always been the case, the service has never really been bang-on with the timings advertised. In my opinion, the service seems to almost pick up some time when heading to Newcastle, and back, so when I've seen the service heading to Durham; it's been relatively on-time. It seems to me that there is something on the Middlesbrough section that is corrupting the schedules, and this maybe needs to be looked at.

I have to say I also agree with Jimmi's point about omitting Birtley. Whenever I've passed through on the Arriva services, in both directions at a variety of times during the daytime, there have never really been great numbers of passengers boarding or alighting. If the service was to directly follow the ''Pronto'' X21 route from Chester-le-Street, using the motorway to get as far as Low Fell (as there does seem to be something of a demand from there onwards), it could possibly help timings even further, and if it were to be a direction competitor with Go North East's X21, using, let's face it; better buses - I would most certainly start using regularly. Although, if you use the A1, there's never a guarantee you'll not face huge amounts of traffic, would be a bit of a gamble but I think in the end that could be worthwhile.

(28 Apr 2015, 7:24 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote If I can just voice my views on the X12. I've not used the service between Durham and Middlesbrough before (as far as I can remember anyway!), and one of my aims for the next couple of weeks is to ride the Durham to Newcastle section, now under the X12 as well. Despite being no Arriva expert, I have actually used the service between Chester-le-Street and Durham (and vice-versa) quite a lot, enough to be able to say that heading back from Newcastle, the service seems to have relatively good timing. The 26 and 56 minutes past departures from Chester-le-Street that I've used on Saturday mornings have always been prompt, although often having just a minute or two to spare.

However, I can't say the same for heading the other way. Sometimes when I've been sitting around in Durham Bus Station for a Newcastle-bound X2, I've been waiting as many as 10-15 minutes. While this has not always been the case, the service has never really been bang-on with the timings advertised. In my opinion, the service seems to almost pick up some time when heading to Newcastle, and back, so when I've seen the service heading to Durham; it's been relatively on-time. It seems to me that there is something on the Middlesbrough section that is corrupting the schedules, and this maybe needs to be looked at.

I have to say I also agree with Jimmi's point about omitting Birtley. Whenever I've passed through on the Arriva services, in both directions at a variety of times during the daytime, there have never really been great numbers of passengers boarding or alighting. If the service was to directly follow the ''Pronto'' X21 route from Chester-le-Street, using the motorway to get as far as Low Fell (as there does seem to be something of a demand from there onwards), it could possibly help timings even further, and if it were to be a direction competitor with Go North East's X21, using, let's face it; better buses - I would most certainly start using regularly. Although, if you use the A1, there's never a guarantee you'll not face huge amounts of traffic, would be a bit of a gamble but I think in the end that could be worthwhile.

Saturdays and Sundays are fine. It can't cope Mon-Fri daytime, and it drags on until about 7pm in the evening. I can say the same for the 0710 from Coxhoe to Durham - it's very rarely late, but I wouldn't expect it to be at that time?

I'd recommend doing the Durham to Sedgefield stretch actually Marcus. It's quite a nice trip through the outskirts of Durham.

(28 Apr 2015, 7:04 pm)aureolin wrote Coxhoe and Pity Me, but I think that's the stretch that the Uni fund free passes for, so I can't see it changing?

Free Durham University Passes are valid from Pity Me all the way to Teesdale University Campus I believe.

(28 Apr 2015, 10:51 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Free Durham University Passes are valid from Pity Me all the way to Teesdale University Campus I believe.

They're valid to Aykley Heads/Salutation

Certainly not 'rare' but one of the newer Lowlanders is on MAX X12 today. Same board that received a normal spec Pulsar yesterday.

(29 Apr 2015, 6:48 am)Dan wrote Certainly not 'rare' but one of the newer Lowlanders is on MAX X12 today. Same board that received a normal spec Pulsar yesterday.

There was one on yesterday too
Others from yesterday included
4502 on 27 (replaced 1491)
4506 on 17 (swapped 1916)
1916 on 28 (swapped 4506)
1447 on X12 (replaced 1442)

(28 Apr 2015, 8:03 pm)aureolin wrote Saturdays and Sundays are fine. It can't cope Mon-Fri daytime, and it drags on until about 7pm in the evening. I can say the same for the 0710 from Coxhoe to Durham - it's very rarely late, but I wouldn't expect it to be at that time?

I'd recommend doing the Durham to Sedgefield stretch actually Marcus. It's quite a nice trip through the outskirts of Durham.

I was a regular on the 8.15 (or as close to that as it is), south out of Durham for a good few months last summer.
It was a short run to Durham from Teesside, that usually got in early, waited and then headed back south.

Traffic into Stockton on a morning, is unpredictable. I have done it whilst driving for many years on and off. Last summer, was the first time as a regular passenger.
We could arrive into Stockton early, late, on time - there were no guarantees, regardless of getting to any point prior to Tesco on time. The arrival window into Stockton, had a range of 20mins.
Passengers were generally the same people, so loads didn't vary greatly and there were no issues with queries to the driver either.

On an afternoon/evening when heading north - I often positioned myself between the northbound stops on the top of the High Street, as anything coming out of Middlesbrough, seemed to arrive late.
If I went for an X1, the X7 would turn up. 21a, and an X10 would pull up...
It was never just limited to the X1.

The times I have used it south out of Chester on a morning, when needing to get a connecting train from Durham, have always seen a decent amount of layover on Front St, suggesting the morning peak has enough time built into it from Newcastle.

Sending it via Washington services may help, but we all know how many times the X21 is diverted off the motorway. Local knowledge may assist with Chester/Crook drivers. Dread to think where Stockton drivers will end up, apart from the obvious option of choosing Birtley.
Whilst that may solve issues at the northern end of the route, I have no idea what could be done at the southern end, in and around Stockton and Middlesbrough.