(25 Jun 2021, 5:00 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Possible just sit there or all go to NT routes or whatever they have left

Looks like the MS and SNS are going to be ran together bit like the MS & CS now by GNE

Surprised it is until futher notice. Like is this just until they get new drivers or something or nexus hand these contract to other companies as this all seems rushed as they all change from this Sunday

It says from the 25th June but then you scroll down and it gives you different dates... so not which one is right.

Due to the last minute changes - nothing is on the GNE site or app yet.

Wonder if this is until nexus hand the contract out properly

Or gct get new drivers

(25 Jun 2021, 5:06 pm)Michael wrote Due to the last minute changes - nothing is on the GNE site or app yet.

The timetables section has been updated to show the evening/sunday journeys and 99/939 in the main timetable list.

(25 Jun 2021, 5:11 pm)S813 FVK wrote The timetables section has been updated to show the evening/sunday journeys and 99/939 in the main timetable list.

Literally only checked about 10 minutes ago.... haha

GnE have done well in the end lol.

(25 Jun 2021, 4:43 pm)Big O wrote Wonder what happens to the bulk of E200 MMCs they’ve leased?

Nothing - it’s only really evening and Sunday work being lost, so the buses will still be running during the day.


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(25 Jun 2021, 5:07 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Wonder if this is until nexus hand the contract out properly

Or gct get new drivers

(25 Jun 2021, 8:50 pm)Dan wrote Nothing - it’s only really evening and Sunday work being lost, so the buses will still be running during the day.


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Fair enough pal, you should tell Martijn he needs to bid for the 335 lol! That service has a lot of potential and one well used. I’ve always thought it should be merged with the K1 to provide a direct through service to brownhills.

Wonder what GNE would use if they took over the 335

(26 Jun 2021, 1:33 am)Micheal Aaron wrote Wonder what GNE would use if they took over the 335

The little Coasters optares prehaps

GNE have had the 335 in part,it would be nice to see them gain it,but unlikely

335 is a good little route and one that actually seems to make money. The M71 and 13 I think should just merge and create one route from Throckley to Kingston Park.

The 335 thrives now,i remember when it 1st started,it was always pretty much empty,if GNE did take on,it would beg the question of what they'd do with the 42A,wether they'd keep it going via Four Lane Ends,or reverting it back to going via Forest Hall

Wasn't the 42A put back to Four Lane Ends due to demand or something

No idea,but the short 42's that terminated at Benton ASDA were extended and merged with the 353,but in doing so it was chopped from Four Lane Ends,which was my gripe at the time,because Forest Hall,and Benton lost a service that had replaced another service,which was quite popular,as i dont think they had (or atleast in my time) a direct service to the Airport

They should make a new service that serves Forest Hall going to the airport

That'll never happen

(26 Jun 2021, 2:37 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote They should make a new service that serves Forest Hall going to the airport

This has nothing to do with GCT. Please use the service suggestions threads.

GNE don't deserve the 335 and should be blocked from running it imo. Half the bus route is literally an ex GNE route, if GNE can't run it commercially then they shouldn't be getting it through a subsidy as it just promotes bus companies to suddenly decide that they can't run any marginal services anymore because why not let Nexus pay to run it instead.

Personally I think the 335 is a waste of tax payers money anyway as most the route is covered by other services (42A / 309 / 310 / 11 / 19 / 53 / 1 (SNE) / 63 / Metro) and if there's no direct link then it's only 1 change where the services are all every 7 minutes or so mostly at Four Lane Ends or Killingworth for Quorum from places. The limited subsidy money should be about serving communities with little / no service at all.

(26 Jun 2021, 11:23 pm)Storx wrote GNE don't deserve the 335 and should be blocked from running it imo. Half the bus route is literally an ex GNE route, if GNE can't run it commercially then they shouldn't be getting it through a subsidy as it just promotes bus companies to suddenly decide that they can't run any marginal services anymore because why not let Nexus pay to run it instead.

Personally I think the 335 is a waste of tax payers money anyway as most the route is covered by other services (42A / 309 / 310 / 11 / 19 / 53 / 1 (SNE) / 63 / Metro) and if there's no direct link then it's only 1 change where the services are all every 7 minutes or so mostly at Four Lane Ends or Killingworth for Quorum from places. The limited subsidy money should be about serving communities with little / no service at all.

Go North East will never be ‘blocked’ from bidding (or winning) any contracts, unless they receive a number of formal warnings which would result in the termination of their running of that contract.

The best value tenderer for the contract, usually weighted on price, will win. If that’s Go North East, then they will be awarded the contract.

Local authorities and bus operators will be working much more closely on this type of thing going forward under enhanced partnerships.


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(26 Jun 2021, 11:23 pm)Storx wrote GNE don't deserve the 335 and should be blocked from running it imo. Half the bus route is literally an ex GNE route, if GNE can't run it commercially then they shouldn't be getting it through a subsidy as it just promotes bus companies to suddenly decide that they can't run any marginal services anymore because why not let Nexus pay to run it instead. 

Personally I think the 335 is a waste of tax payers money anyway as most the route is covered by other services (42A / 309 / 310 / 11 / 19 / 53 / 1 (SNE) / 63 / Metro) and if there's no direct link then it's only 1 change where the services are all every 7 minutes or so mostly at Four Lane Ends or Killingworth for Quorum from places. The limited subsidy money should be about serving communities with little / no service at all.

Pretty certain that's what some operators may base their business model on.
It's a pretty low risk way of dog p!ssing up a tree and marking their territory.

Unless of course they lose the tender. Then it seems to be a case of waiting with baited breath until an independent mucks it up or they decide it is suddenly economicly viable afterall (see the case of Nexus, GCT, GNE and the 97).

Not sure why so many people are against the big boys running subsidised contracts? Not interested in the politics to be honest but I’d rather GNE then GCT or any of the big boys for that matter. The 335 is a decently used route and I think maybe extending it to Kilingworth via the K2 could be a good shout.

(27 Jun 2021, 11:16 am)Big O wrote Not sure why so many people are against the big boys running subsidised contracts? Not interested in the politics to be honest but I’d rather GNE then GCT or any of the big boys for that matter. The 335 is a decently used route and I think maybe extending it to Kilingworth via the K2 could be a good shout.

Thats what i'd do,number it 43 and make it part of little coasters,but i'll leave that there or risk getting wrong off Adrian 

(26 Jun 2021, 10:54 am)Big O wrote 335 is a good little route and one that actually seems to make money. The M71 and 13 I think should just merge and create one route from Throckley to Kingston Park.

I wonder if the 13 and M71 could be merged to create a new route between Throckley and Kingston Park. Maybe even some trips could be extended from Kingston Park to Wideopen replacing the free Tesco bus (T3).

(27 Jun 2021, 7:28 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote I wonder if the 13 and M71 could be merged to create a new route between Throckley and Kingston Park. Maybe even some trips could be extended from Kingston Park to Wideopen replacing the free Tesco bus (T3).

I wouldn't replace a free bus with a service you have to pay for, the 13 & M71 merging would be good as it would save nexus money

Does anyone actually ride the T3

(27 Jun 2021, 8:09 pm)GNE6312 wrote I wouldn't replace a free bus with a service you have to pay for, the 13 & M71 merging would be good as it would save nexus money

T3 is getting axed is what i meant. Of course it wouldn't be good to see a free service replaced with a normal commercial service. Hopefully Nexus will look at merging the 13 & M71 somehow, with improved fares between Throckley and Kingston Park.

(27 Jun 2021, 8:22 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote T3 is getting axed is what i meant. Of course it wouldn't be good to see a free service replaced with a normal commercial service. Hopefully Nexus will look at merging the 13 & M71 somehow, with improved fares between Throckley and Kingston Park.

If its getting axed then it's worth extending a commercial service via its old route.

 Also if contracted routes can be merged together then it's worth doing it, merging the 335 & K2 was mentioned on here which would be a good idea as well as merging the M71 & 13 which you mentioned.

When I was a driver at GCT I always thought it was a waste having the K1/K2 when you could have the 335 covering it all and the M71 and 13. The M71 could continue down the B6324 and down West Denton Way. I would number the new service 13.

Green ADL Enviro 200 on the MS. L&B covering for GCT still on the Nightingale

Edit: Two L&B ADL Enviro 200 running the MS & SNS

Looks like the bus allocated to the 99, is doing the


939N - 06:32 - Team Valley

49S - 07:36 - Gateshead

49S 07:50 - Blaydon


Before it returns to do the 99..... wonder if it'll work the same route on the PM