Date has been confirmed by staff at Whitly Bay for Metrocentre to be held on the 25th July 

Other events are

Bishop Auckland Market Place is the 15th August and Seaburn being the 30th August

These rallies seem to be coming thick and fast to what is considered, by some, to be an already oversaturated calendar of events.

The Metrocentre one will be the third this month alone!

(04 Jul 2021, 1:03 pm)MurdnunoC wrote These rallies seem to be coming thick and fast to what is considered, by some, to be an already oversaturated calendar of events.

The Metrocentre one will be the third this month alone!

Agree. There's too many rallies happening in a short space of time, rather than having say two really good rallies.

This also falls on the same date as the Seaburn Classic & Heritage weekend, which looks to be a rename of the failed Festival of Transport event.

According to staff. They have been trying to get the events out early enough but they only got Metrocentre confirmed yesterday

Whitley Bay was confirmed the day after Durham

And they finally got Bishop and Seaburn done alongside Metrocentre

(04 Jul 2021, 7:56 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote According to staff. They have been trying to get the events out early enough but they only got Metrocentre confirmed yesterday

Whitley Bay was confirmed the day after Durham

And they finally got Bishop and Seaburn done alongside Metrocentre

They don't need Metrocentre this year though. Especially when NEBPT have already had two sparsely attended rallies in as many weeks. It seems like NEBPT are having rallies just for the sake of rallies at the moment; too many is overkill. Less is more. Focus on one: Seaburn. The others really don't matter.

A lot of people like Metrocentre. It's possible the most popular one.

It's glad to see it go Ahead insted of wating till next year

It's probably the easiest rally to get to from most of the North east

Just because something is easy and popular doesn't necessarily mean it's any good.

Like Katie Price for example...

Metrocentre is the best one. Seaburn decent but that's if your a car fan as well

(04 Jul 2021, 9:12 pm)MurdnunoC wrote They don't need Metrocentre this year though. Especially when NEBPT have already had two sparsely attended rallies in as many weeks. It seems like NEBPT are having rallies just for the sake of rallies at the moment; too many is overkill. Less is more. Focus on one: Seaburn. The others really don't matter.

I somewhat agree especially with all the current circumstances with buses awaiting MOTs or owners choosing to keep their buses off the road for the time being plus with short notice of it all many can't get the time off to attend/enter a bus, even getting operators to turn up is a struggle atm with staff shortages and independents picking up the pieces, so a vastly reduced line-up and very little in the way of buses to actually be able to ride on doesn't do much for me, only did Durham as was local to me.

End of the day, they can hold all the events they want but don't expect me (or others) to turn up to most of them.

Confirmed by NEBPT on their Facebook page with limited information:

"Metrocentre Bus and Coach show is an annual event organised by the NEBPT. Attending vehicles range from vintage buses to modern Buses and coaches.
Anyone with a Bus or coach that would like to attend please go to the Events section on our website and register your vehicle.
events@nebpt.co.uk
Stalls selling Bus memorabilia, spares and Models are most welcome to attend too."

The said page on their website doesn't exist, but they do have a facebook event up: https://www.facebook.com/events/522530779172991/

It's counter productive to have so many rallies in such a short timeframe. They should focus on a couple of events and use the time to get fully organised and prepared.

Your just going to be in the situation where rallies are poorly attended which gives bad publicity.

Charles

Must admit I don't go to them as it's not really my thing but surely it's more for the general public with their kids etc who want a day out rather than enthusiasts.

Whitley (North Tyneside), Durham (North Durham), Bishop (South Durham), Metro Centre (Gateshead / Newcastle), Seaburn (Sunderland) are all quite a distance from each other and serve different areas of the North East. The GP from Durham aren't going to travel to Whitley Bay or the Metro Centre to look at some buses and vice versa.

Metrocentre has always been popular. God know what caused intu to stop them having it for two years then brought it back

There was only 4 rallys they ever held

Metrocentre (may)
Durham (June)
Whitly Bay (July apart from between 2012 & 2015)
Seaburn (August)


Bishop was only brought up in 2019 and turned out a success even though I thought it would be bad

Tbh the only rally out of place is Metrocentre this year

I'll probably go to Shildon, that's usually a canny little rally. I'm also thinking of trying the Yorkshire Dales Running Day at Skipton later in the year.

Seaburn after the Festival of Transport is just a straight no. Metrocentre perhaps.

Charles

My thoughts on rallys (based on the 2019 versions)

Metrocentre was okay. Prefer it when it was at Spillers Warth

Durham is a decent rally but it's really packed and crowded

Whitley Bay need to be back in the car park across the road where it was held before

Bishop Auckland. Great for its first year. Bus trips was quite fun as well and turn out was better than I expected

Seaburn was a bit of a let down. It was possible the smallest turn out for buses (for that event)

Festival of Transport I wasn't keen on as its just Seaburn MRK2 with the only difference being its held over two days

I still go to them as I enjoy them and it's nice seeing old buses out in public and its nice to see what people have done to there buses

Again another one I won't be attending due to it being too short notice and as a result unable to get time off work.

(04 Jul 2021, 9:59 pm)Ds1197 wrote It's probably the easiest rally to get to from most of the North east

Much easier than seaburn from Durham and teesside.

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(05 Jul 2021, 6:47 pm)Storx wrote Must admit I don't go to them as it's not really my thing but surely it's more for the general public with their kids etc who want a day out rather than enthusiasts.

Whitley (North Tyneside), Durham (North Durham), Bishop (South Durham), Metro Centre (Gateshead / Newcastle), Seaburn (Sunderland) are all quite a distance from each other and serve different areas of the North East. The GP from Durham aren't going to travel to Whitley Bay or the Metro Centre to look at some buses and vice versa.

Less than 20 minutes from our side of Durham to the metro centre in car. Not much longer than to howlands, tbh.

Om the website about Metrocentre

At the Metrocentre Coach Park

This event which will feature a selection of classic buses and coaches on display and trade stands

To travel to the event by public transport catch any bus or rail service serving the Metrocentre and walk over the footbridge to the Metrocentre Coach Park.

For additional information on the location of the Metrocentre Coach Park, click here

Visit our sponsors Go North East

No information about a free shuttle service or anything like that

Well Metrocentre is a week today Sunday 25th July

Still no updates about a free shuttle or timetable

If its like previous events. The shuttle will run to Bewick Street and back

(18 Jul 2021, 1:08 pm)Train8261 wrote Well Metrocentre is a week today Sunday 25th July

Still no updates about a free shuttle or timetable

If its like previous events. The shuttle will run to Bewick Street and back

Yep, I noticed that too... it's not a great sell to attend an event, if the information about it is this vague.

When I was speaking to one of the staff members at the event. He mentioned that they already had a good few over 10 already entered for the event

(19 Jul 2021, 3:00 pm)Train8261 wrote When I was speaking to one of the staff members at the event. He mentioned that they already had a good few over 10 already entered for the event

Well that would be disappointing compared to usual.

(20 Jul 2021, 11:13 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Well that would be disappointing compared to usual.

Indeed.

Perhaps that's why GNE have had to bail them out by holding an open day on the same date.

One thing I've been wondering is how safely Park and get to the coach park, with the boys, without having to go inside and ye the covered bridge. Not so much because they won't be wearing masks but because yiu gest has loud tics that get worse in a busy enclosed space. Been trying to locate crossings and footpaths on Google maps but not had much luck.

(24 Jul 2021, 8:46 pm)BusLoverMum wrote One thing I've been wondering is how safely Park and get to the coach park, with the boys, without having to go inside and ye the covered bridge. Not so much because they won't be wearing masks but because yiu gest has loud tics that get worse in a busy enclosed space. Been trying to locate crossings and footpaths on Google maps but not had much luck.

Without waking down the path opposite the bus station heading towards the depot (then back again once you've went under the railway line at Cross Lane), or walking towards Asda and walking across the road-bridge which crosses the railway line, there is no other option which doesn't involve walking for about a mile unfortunately.

(24 Jul 2021, 8:46 pm)BusLoverMum wrote One thing I've been wondering is how safely Park and get to the coach park, with the boys, without having to go inside and ye the covered bridge. Not so much because they won't be wearing masks but because yiu gest has loud tics that get worse in a busy enclosed space. Been trying to locate crossings and footpaths on Google maps but not had much luck.

I'd probably park in Costco, or if there's room on the road leading to it from the roundabout and walk along.

You should be able to park in the Coach Park itself without issue.

(24 Jul 2021, 9:32 pm)Rapidsnap wrote You should be able to park in the Coach Park itself without issue.

That's good to know, thanks.

Looks like we're not going unless bigun hauls his backside out of bed in the next few minutes, anyhow.