The X9/X10 were on diversion this morning, seen 6084 around 11:15 going to Newcastle at Shiney Row.

Traffic on the A19 Northbound looked horrendous, traffic through Shiney Row wasn't much better either due to ongoing gas works, would've personally came off at Doxford Park and gone along Durham Road into Sunderland and over the Queen Alexandra Bridge and onto Washington Highway and rejoining the A19 from there.

(17 Aug 2016, 8:36 pm)Malarkey wrote The X9/X10 were on diversion this morning, seen 6084 around 11:15 going to Newcastle at Shiney Row.

Traffic on the A19 Northbound looked horrendous, traffic through Shiney Row wasn't much better either due to ongoing gas works, would've personally came off at Doxford Park and gone along Durham Road into Sunderland and over the Queen Alexandra Bridge and onto Washington Highway and rejoining the A19 from there.

RTC on the A19 this morning:
https://www.facebook.com/simplyGNE/posts...4385590710

The delays in Shiney Row caused the X1s to be terminated at Gateshead too

Solo 631 is now branded indigo looks rather smart,wish they would get rid of the orange blinds though,it doesnt look right,think this answers the 'are they being refurbished?' question

Service 82 unable to service Northside in Birtley due to badly parked cars.....

(19 Aug 2016, 7:06 am)LeeCalder wrote Service 82 unable to service Northside in Birtley due to badly parked cars.....

Seriously..? This is one of the most trivial disruptions I've heard of in a long time.

(19 Aug 2016, 7:21 am)Jamie M wrote Seriously..? This is one of the most trivial disruptions I've heard of in a long time.

You'd be surprised. It's a challenge for the MPD's to get round, the B7 President's have a bit more of a struggle.

(19 Aug 2016, 7:31 am)LeeCalder wrote You'd be surprised. It's a challenge for the MPD's to get round, the B7 President's have a bit more of a struggle.

I feel nexus should have more control over sending warrants to remove vehicles away from bus bays, but then again nexus needs a lot of things to be changed..

(19 Aug 2016, 7:21 am)Jamie M wrote Seriously..? This is one of the most trivial disruptions I've heard of in a long time.

It's usually Ellen Wilkinson Estate in Wardley, or somewhere in Fence Houses that gets mentioned for badly parked cars. As a company, they don't want to go round smacking in to cars, as it delays the service and leaves vehicles off the road. Also, the delays incurred in negotiating around badly parked cars can sometimes mean it just isn't worth it, as another bus can quickly catch up behind.

(19 Aug 2016, 7:43 am)Jamie M wrote I feel nexus should have more control over sending warrants to remove vehicles away from bus bays, but then again nexus needs a lot of things to be changed..

It's not parking in bus bays. It's on street parking. It would be Highways or the Police that deal with it, depending on the level of obstruction.

Is 5170 still at stanley?

(19 Aug 2016, 10:38 am)Adrian wrote It's not parking in bus bays. It's on street parking. It would be Highways or the Police that deal with it, depending on the level of obstruction.

Alright, thanks

(19 Aug 2016, 10:40 am)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Is 5170 still at stanley?

Yes, Was on the X32 this morning.

(19 Aug 2016, 9:52 am)BJ10VUS wrote It's usually Ellen Wilkinson Estate in Wardley, or somewhere in Fence Houses that gets mentioned for badly parked cars. As a company, they don't want to go round smacking in to cars, as it delays the service and leaves vehicles off the road. Also, the delays incurred in negotiating around badly parked cars can sometimes mean it just isn't worth it, as another bus can quickly catch up behind.

Avenue Viviene was the culprit apparently. Caused delays to the 71.
So when the 36 was introduced between Houghton and Chester, the omitted the estate (Missing out Murray Avenue which was where the problems actually were).
Still serve Avenue Viviene between Chester and Houghton.

It was the same around St Andrews Avenue in Donwell with the W4/5/6 back in the day too.
Dorset Avenue has had its issues too - 721/777 often got stuck. The 23 seems to get through though - just as it does in Donwell.

(19 Aug 2016, 10:55 am)South Tyne Lad wrote Yes, Was on the X32 this morning.

2 possibilities then providing it hasn't been swapped for another vehicle.

A:
07:15 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:04)
08:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 08:56)
09:09 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 09:53)
10:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 10:38)
10:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 11:25)
11:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:08)
12:15 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:55)
13:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 13:38)
13:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 14:25)
14:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:10)
15:25 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:05)
16:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:02)

B:
07:58 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:57)
09:04 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 09:42)
09:58 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 10:38)
10:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 11:24)
11:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:10)
12:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:54)
13:00 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 13:40)
13:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 14:24)
14:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 15:10)
15:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:57)
16:04 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:51)
17:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:46)

It passed me on Bensham Bank at 0925 heading to Newcastle on the X31...

(19 Aug 2016, 11:43 am)LeeCalder wrote It passed me on Bensham Bank at 0925 heading to Newcastle on the X31...

Hmm. In that case, it can't have operated the X32 this morning then as it would not have got back to Stanley in time for the 08:54 X31 (the journey you saw it operating) in service. It could have been swapped in Newcastle and ran NIS to Stanley but that is the only way that it was possible.

(19 Aug 2016, 12:08 pm)S813 FVK wrote Hmm. In that case, it can't have operated the X32 this morning then as it would not have got back to Stanley in time for the 08:54 X31 (the journey you saw it operating) in service. It could have been swapped in Newcastle and ran NIS to Stanley but that is the only way that it was possible.

Well somebody said they saw it, so it probably did happen and is entirely plausible.

I don't think GNE really are renowned for sticking to paper for allocations, all sorts of external factors which I don't know enough about to comment on. Wouldn't put it past running light up to Stanley after, but only someone who was there at either side of the trip at the time could tell us what happened!

The 88s are all over 2x south tyne versas were together and packed surely reliablity needs to be changed perhaps the 89 brought back and 88A withdrawn

For the 5170 case, It arrived into Eldon Square around 8:07 on a X32.

(19 Aug 2016, 1:07 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote The 88s are all over 2x south tyne versas were together and packed surely reliablity needs to be changed perhaps the 89 brought back and 88A withdrawn

Its suffered from reliability problems for many months now. My bus home from school was regularly up to 15 Mins late and also often got curtailed meaning I'd have to catch the next one.
Bringing the 89 back won't solve any reliability problems, for one the main delay spots are also on the former 89 route ( West Harton to Green Lane , Jarrow Town Centre and the Lindisfarne and A1300 junctions, Aswell as the section of A194 Inbetween.
And secondly the 89 terminated at Horsley Hill square, Passengers want to be in South Shields for shopping etc.
Thirdly it would mean GNE only have2 buses an hour from Brockely Whins into town against the 6 from Stagecoach on Service 18, It would make the service pointless.

(19 Aug 2016, 12:40 pm)Jamie M wrote Well somebody said they saw it, so it probably did happen and is entirely plausible.

I don't think GNE really are renowned for sticking to paper for allocations, all sorts of external factors which I don't know enough about to comment on. Wouldn't put it past running light up to Stanley after, but only someone who was there at either side of the trip at the time could tell us what happened!

I wasn't trying to suggest that they were wrong but if the same bus has been spotted on journeys which can't possibly be linked without the bus running NIS to the start of the route, something must have happened.

To be allocated to the 08:54 X31 from Stanley (the journey Lee saw it operating) after doing service X32, the bus had to have been allocated to the board which, for the purposes of this, I have called 'A'.

No other bus coming in on an X3- service from Stanley apart from the 07:15 X32 appears to be able to run onto the 08:15 X31 to Stanley. While entirely possible, I personally can't see them sending a bus through to Newcastle to operate a journey and then send a bus coming into Newcastle, completely capable of operating the same journey, NIS back to Stanley to operate another journey which, again, the bus that has been sent to Newcastle could have easily operated.

Whatever has happened is certainly strange. It could have been a typo (the X30 to arrive into Newcastle just before the first X32 is the bus that goes onto the 08:54 X31) but that is unlikely given that 0 and 2 are so far apart on a keyboard.

It will be interesting to see what happened but i certainly won't be losing any sleep over it.

(19 Aug 2016, 2:20 pm)S813 FVK wrote I wasn't trying to suggest that they were wrong but if the same bus has been spotted on journeys which can't possibly be linked without the bus running NIS to the start of the route, something must have happened.

To be allocated to the 08:54 X31 from Stanley (the journey Lee saw it operating) after doing service X32, the bus had to have been allocated to the board which, for the purposes of this, I have called 'A'.

No other bus coming in on an X3- service from Stanley apart from the 07:15 X32 appears to be able to run onto the 08:15 X31 to Stanley. While entirely possible, I personally can't see them sending a bus through to Newcastle to operate a journey and then send a bus coming into Newcastle, completely capable of operating the same journey, NIS back to Stanley to operate another journey which, again, the bus that has been sent to Newcastle could have easily operated.

Whatever has happened is certainly strange. It could have been a typo (the X30 to arrive into Newcastle just before the first X32 is the bus that goes onto the 08:54 X31) but that is unlikely given that 0 and 2 are so far apart on a keyboard.

It will be interesting to see what happened but i certainly won't be losing any sleep over it.

Sometimes X31s simply don't turn up, so who knows.

(19 Aug 2016, 2:20 pm)S813 FVK wrote It will be interesting to see what happened but i certainly won't be losing any sleep over it.

5170 was allocated to the following board today:

07:36 #V7 - Pack Horse to Stanley Bus Station
07:58 #X32 - Stanley to Newcastle
09:04 #X30 - Newcastle to Stanley
09:58 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
10:45 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
11:30 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
12:15 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
13:00 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
13:45 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
14:30 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
15:15 #X31 - Newcastle to Stanley
16:04 #X31 - Stanley to Newcastle
17:00 #X30 - Newcastle to Stanley

Indeed; I saw it at around 10:25am at Team Valley Maingate heading to Newcastle, running around five minutes late.

Lee - if you're relying on your camera's EXIF data for the time you were on Bensham Bank, is it possible it's an hour behind..? I'm guessing you saw it at the same time I did, at 10:25, rather than 09:25...

(19 Aug 2016, 5:51 pm)Dan wrote Lee - if you're relying on your camera's EXIF data for the time you were on Bensham Bank, is it possible it's an hour behind..? I'm guessing you saw it at the same time I did, at 10:25, rather than 09:25...

Possibly Dan, yes. I didn't really blink an eye as to what time it was actually, I just took the time from my camera.

When will 6134 and 6135 enter service?


Also its still down on the fleet list that 6138 and 6139 are still Unallocated.

(19 Aug 2016, 11:36 am)S813 FVK wrote 2 possibilities then providing it hasn't been swapped for another vehicle.

A:
07:15 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:04)
08:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 08:56)
09:09 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 09:53)
10:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 10:38)
10:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 11:25)
11:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:08)
12:15 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:55)
13:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 13:38)
13:45 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 14:25)
14:30 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:10)
15:25 X30 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:05)
16:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:02)

B:
07:58 X32 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 08:57)
09:04 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 09:42)
09:58 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 10:38)
10:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 11:24)
11:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 12:10)
12:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 12:54)
13:00 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 13:40)
13:45 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 14:24)
14:30 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 15:10)
15:15 X31 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 15:57)
16:04 X31 Stanley to Newcastle (arr 16:51)
17:00 X30 Newcastle to Stanley (arr 17:46)

Can confirm that it was B - we caught the 13:45 from Eldon Square (because that, followed by the 16A was more likely to get us to Durham in time for the 15:07 22 than the 13:47 Angel that hadn't actually shown up, yet.

I was quite surprised by how nippy this vehicle is.

Seen a few red kites operating the X32

(19 Aug 2016, 1:48 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote For the 5170 case, It arrived into Eldon Square around 8:07 on a X32.



Its suffered from reliability problems for many months now. My bus home from school was regularly up to 15 Mins late and also often got curtailed meaning I'd have to catch the next one.
Bringing the 89 back won't solve any reliability problems, for one the main delay spots are also on the former 89 route ( West Harton to Green Lane , Jarrow Town Centre and the Lindisfarne and A1300 junctions, Aswell as the section of A194 Inbetween.
And secondly the 89 terminated at Horsley Hill square, Passengers want to be in South Shields for shopping etc.
Thirdly it would mean GNE only have2 buses an hour from Brockely Whins into town against the 6 from Stagecoach on Service 18, It would make the service pointless.

I guess an issue at the moment too is the roadworks at Lindisfarne causing more delays than normal, but they'll be on until July next year!

(19 Aug 2016, 7:52 pm)Michael wrote When will 6134 and 6135 enter service?


Also its still down on the fleet list that 6138 and 6139 are still Unallocated.

6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.

6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.

6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.

(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote 6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.

6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.

6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.

Will percy main be getting any? Be nice to see some this side of the water. Plus they have lost the replacement they had for 3859.

(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote 6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.

6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.

6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.

Good ... Chester can have 6034 back. Although it's been running well the last few days on the 18s and 1 trip on the X21

---

(20 Aug 2016, 5:16 am)Dan wrote 6135 has been cleaned at Riverside, and is now undergoing final preparation for service at Chester-le-Street prior to entry into service at Crook. 6134 and 6135 should both enter service next week, ahead of the Blyth Tall Ships event taking place.

6137/38 are now at Saltmeadows Road undergoing repaint - 6136 remains at Stanley albeit in a 'taxi' capacity.

6139 is still the only one which has really been 'officially' allocated to Stanley, and likewise 6140 to Chester-le-Street.

Good ... Chester can have 6034 back. Although it's been running well the last few days on the 18s and 1 trip on the X21