(26 Apr 2022, 10:08 am)ne14ne1 wrote You wouldn’t be so sure if blind or partially sighted though.

As I’ve said before the destination/service number announcement would be far less intrusive if it was simply ‘21, to, Newcastle’, London-style, but I was shot down and told “well this isn’t London” / “that’s too abrupt” / “customers haven’t raised an issue with the announcements, only you”, and so we have to listen to ‘This is the Angel 21 service to Newcastle’ every 5 mins.

I travel a lot…and I very rarely see those types of passengers (perhaps that’s the issue) tho if partially sighted you’re better off on the train versus the X10 as station assist will help you on the train…less help at Eldon square.

I agree the announcements need to be succinct and they really struggle on the 21, by the time its left one stop and done it’s endless announcement its reached another, it’s like the system gps cannot keep up  (a particular issue through low fell, allerdene and Birtley)  The stops haven’t been updated to reflect changes at John Dobson st either.

We aren’t London. Passengers will board via a front door, they’ll encounter a driver from Chester, they will immediately become the drivers enemy but the driver will confirm the route/destination  and help… (shout out to all of the X39 drivers who are an absolute delight….infact can we send the Percy main team to Chester to show them how to smile?  We had that cheery Irish bloke but assumed he was fired for not being angry enough for CLS)

(28 Apr 2022, 11:55 pm)Ambassador wrote I travel a lot…and I very rarely see those types of passengers (perhaps that’s the issue) tho if partially sighted you’re better off on the train versus the X10 as station assist will help you on the train…less help at Eldon square.

I agree the announcements need to be succinct and they really struggle on the 21, by the time its left one stop and done it’s endless announcement its reached another, it’s like the system gps cannot keep up  (a particular issue through low fell, allerdene and Birtley)  The stops haven’t been updated to reflect changes at John Dobson st either.

We aren’t London. Passengers will board via a front door, they’ll encounter a driver from Chester, they will immediately become the drivers enemy but the driver will confirm the route/destination  and help… (shout out to all of the X39 drivers who are an absolute delight….infact can we send the Percy main team to Chester to show them how to smile?  We had that cheery Irish bloke but assumed he was fired for not being angry enough for CLS)

Sorry, going to have post a positive for at least one driver at Chester!  Was looking for a particular vehicle to have a ride on, popped my nose in at the door of Chester just as said vehicle was about to come out for duty.  Unfortunately it was apparently heading for a schools dedicated run, but was then due to run onto another service somewhere else; the driver provided all the details and wished me luck in my search, and when I duly appeared at a stop for a ride later on he greeted me warmly and congratulated me on my success!

I remember when the X21 changed to CLS from Crook, we went from having mostly cheery drivers to a bunch of misery guts.

May have just been down to the fact they were all having to learn the X21 route

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Noticed 'live updates' for NR trains to and from Heworth today on board GNE buses.
Hartlepool and Newcastle both showing on the displays. 
Except there were no trains today at all on the Durham Coast line.
Not sure where this information is being pulled from, but clearly it's not accurate nor live.

(30 Apr 2022, 6:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote Noticed 'live updates' for NR trains to and from Heworth today on board GNE buses.
Hartlepool and Newcastle both showing on the displays. 
Except there were no trains today at all on the Durham Coast line.
Not sure where this information is being pulled from, but clearly it's not accurate nor live.

If they were showing 05/45 departures then it'll be pulling the replacement bus data. Comes from the same source and should be denoted as a bus, perhaps one for GNE to fix?

(30 Apr 2022, 7:55 pm)omnicity4659 wrote If they were showing 05/45 departures then it'll be pulling the replacement bus data. Comes from the same source and should be denoted as a bus, perhaps one for GNE to fix?

Nothing GNE can do. The feed comes from NRE and GNE doesn’t manipulate this data in any way shape or form. As you say, it would have been pulling in the rail replacement services (although it wouldn’t have been in real time!)


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(30 Apr 2022, 7:55 pm)omnicity4659 wrote If they were showing 05/45 departures then it'll be pulling the replacement bus data. Comes from the same source and should be denoted as a bus, perhaps one for GNE to fix?

Can't remember the times being displayed unfortunately.

However I agree that someone, somewhere needs to take responsibility and ensure that going forward, there is some sort of indication to show a rail replacement is operating.

(30 Apr 2022, 6:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote Noticed 'live updates' for NR trains to and from Heworth today on board GNE buses.
Hartlepool and Newcastle both showing on the displays. 
Except there were no trains today at all on the Durham Coast line.
Not sure where this information is being pulled from, but clearly it's not accurate nor live.

Network Rail put the bus info where the platform data is. So as long as GNE display platform data (they do on the buses to Metrocentre) then it would say Platform BUS

(01 May 2022, 10:08 am)DeltaMan wrote Network Rail put the bus info where the platform data is. So as long as GNE display platform data (they do on the buses to Metrocentre) then it would say Platform BUS

Except it didn't say bus anywhere at all.
There was no mention of it anywhere.

I'm sure that NRE's data feed sends out the information about it being a bus, as it displays pretty much everywhere else that pulls their data.

Applying it onboard buses does appear to be a new innovation compared to other uses of their data feed so it may just be a case of bus companies figuring out where the data is and how it can be transmitted?

The NEXUS website, which uses the National Rail data feed, doesn't show any information with regards any departures from Heworth today on the live map, Bus or otherwise, but does for Newcastle. So there must be a data issue at the Rail end. NRE live depature boards showing platform numbers.

I hope to god GNE don't go down the SNE route of blasting out driver job adverts via the NSA system.

(02 May 2022, 11:45 am)DeltaMan wrote I hope to god GNE don't go down the SNE route of blasting out driver job adverts via the NSA system.

Whilst it certainly grabs attention (I heard it on a bus at Manors recently), it’s very intrusive!


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Finally after 9 months since Howard Street was closed. The Coaster 1 service now says Stephenson Street in North Shields

Awful awful awful:

https://twitter.com/microbusg/status/1551263692137893888?s=21&t=IXxf3BZ6-SKdcUb2GhjMmQ

Is this a sponsorship deal open to random businesses or just for a laugh for a bus fanboy or is Go North East running booze cruises now, promoting drinking?

And what do they mean ‘change’? Change on to what? Don’t they mean ‘alight’?

And is ‘Railway Quarter’ something the Microbus owner has come up with themselves. That area was always known as the ‘Bridges Quarter’.

It’s been the same on the AD122 for ages. “Next stop is The Sill, change here to walk up to Steel Rigg”.

(24 Jul 2022, 7:28 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Awful awful awful:

https://twitter.com/microbusg/status/1551263692137893888?s=21&t=IXxf3BZ6-SKdcUb2GhjMmQ

Is this a sponsorship deal open to random businesses or just for a laugh for a bus fanboy or is Go North East running booze cruises now, promoting drinking?

And what do they mean ‘change’? Change on to what? Don’t they mean ‘alight’?

And is ‘Railway Quarter’ something the Microbus owner has come up with themselves. That area was always known as the ‘Bridges Quarter’.

Why is it awful? I mean how dare a big bad multi-national operator promote local business.

I can't see the problem with it personally, aside from 'Railway Quarter' instead of 'Bridges Quarter', and if anything, I'd actually like to see more announcements like it. Alighting for Morrisons at Birtley would be useful on the 21, as would Trinity Square on the Jackson Street services. Unless we're assuming that everyone travelling on buses, knows exactly where everything is?

(24 Jul 2022, 7:28 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Awful awful awful:

https://twitter.com/microbusg/status/1551263692137893888?s=21&t=IXxf3BZ6-SKdcUb2GhjMmQ

Is this a sponsorship deal open to random businesses or just for a laugh for a bus fanboy or is Go North East running booze cruises now, promoting drinking?

Clearly an effort from MG to get the profits up at Microbus so that they can expand their presence into whichever city he'll be moving to for Lumo.

(24 Jul 2022, 8:01 pm)Adrian wrote Why is it awful? I mean how dare a big bad multi-national operator promote local business.

I can't see the problem with it personally, aside from 'Railway Quarter' instead of 'Bridges Quarter', and if anything, I'd actually like to see more announcements like it. Alighting for Morrisons at Birtley would be useful on the 21, as would Trinity Square on the Jackson Street services. Unless we're assuming that everyone travelling on buses, knows exactly where everything is?

Tbh, the stop should probably be called "Birtley Morrisons" in that case? We already have "Murton Co-Op" and "Leechmere (Road) ASDA", and probably many others I can't think of.

This implementation just feels a little tacky though and feels like it's being sponsored by Microbus and Axis. With MG's constant plugging of it on his Twitter, it's quite easy to call bs on this, at least a little bit. Would be a bit weird hearing "Next stop: Gateshead - Ocean Road; for Machine Mart and The Alexandra Steakhouse" wouldn't it? Especially considering there are other businesses in the immediate area.

In any case - what if I was going to Hungry Shack, heard the announcement plug Microbus and Axis, think "it's not here" before watching it sail past the window because I was relying on the NSAs to tell me where it is?

(24 Jul 2022, 8:01 pm)Adrian wrote Why is it awful? I mean how dare a big bad multi-national operator promote local business.

I can't see the problem with it personally, aside from 'Railway Quarter' instead of 'Bridges Quarter', and if anything, I'd actually like to see more announcements like it. Alighting for Morrisons at Birtley would be useful on the 21, as would Trinity Square on the Jackson Street services. Unless we're assuming that everyone travelling on buses, knows exactly where everything is?

I’m all for Next Stop Announcements including important information, like ‘Clayton Street West, for Central Station’.
I’ve previously asked why ‘High Level Bridge North’ doesn’t say ‘for Central Station’ too.

However the pub info just doesn’t quite sit in the same category does it. It’s not important information or a key destination that a justifiable number of customers may need to know about (or care about). 

Do next stop announcements tell you where to alight for shopping centres, cathedrals, museums, nearby Metro stations or hospitals. 
They do not. 
Are they going to start naming random local businesses elsewhere? Let’s hope not.
‘Next stop, Durham Road. Alight for Chelsea O’Connor Hair and Heavenly Feet Chiropody & Podiatry’.

Is this random pub announcement more likely because the owner is seemingly a GNE fanboy (see: https://twitter.com/microbusg/status/1543289393586311169?s=21&t=0KxCJ6L8PbzOLWNZ53TosA) and MG likes the place? Surely that can be the only answer?

(24 Jul 2022, 8:10 pm)F114TML wrote Tbh, the stop should probably be called "Birtley Morrisons" in that case? We already have "Murton Co-Op" and "Leechmere (Road) ASDA", and probably many others I can't think of.

This implementation just feels a little tacky though and feels like it's being sponsored by Microbus and Axis. With MG's constant plugging of it on his Twitter, it's quite easy to call bs on this, at least a little bit. Would be a bit weird hearing "Next stop: Gateshead - Ocean Road; for Machine Mart and The Alexandra Steakhouse" wouldn't it? Especially considering there are other businesses in the immediate area.

In any case - what if I was going to Hungry Shack, heard the announcement plug Microbus and Axis, think "it's not here" before watching it sail past the window  because I was relying on the NSAs to tell me where it is?

Birtley High Street would be better. If you started naming stops after shops, then how do you decide which one to name it after? Birtley Snooker Club might have something to say, if it was renamed Birtley Morrisons...

The leisure and hospitality industry is likely to be a huge draw for a bus operator, so there's got to be benefits to working like this in order to try and convert some of those taxi journeys into bus journeys. I'm not saying it's the magical solution to all their problems, but it seems like they're damned if they do and damned if they don't! 

Gilbert might be plugging it a lot on his twitter, but I'd say he plugs Beamish just as much, which again GNE have a working partnership with and have done for many years. Plus, it's his personal twitter feed, so it's really up to him what he wants to babble on about.

(24 Jul 2022, 8:10 pm)F114TML wrote This implementation just feels a little tacky though and feels like it's being sponsored by Microbus and Axis. With MG's constant plugging of it on his Twitter, it's quite easy to call bs on this, at least a little bit. Would be a bit weird hearing "Next stop: Gateshead - Ocean Road; for Machine Mart and The Alexandra Steakhouse" wouldn't it? Especially considering there are other businesses in the immediate area.

In any case - what if I was going to Hungry Shack, heard the announcement plug Microbus and Axis, think "it's not here" before watching it sail past the window  because I was relying on the NSAs to tell me where it is?

Exactly this! Thank you!

(24 Jul 2022, 8:31 pm)Adrian wrote Birtley High Street would be better. If you started naming stops after shops, then how do you decide which one to name it after? Birtley Snooker Club might have something to say, if it was renamed Birtley Morrisons...

The leisure and hospitality industry is likely to be a huge draw for a bus operator, so there's got to be benefits to working like this in order to try and convert some of those taxi journeys into bus journeys. I'm not saying it's the magical solution to all their problems, but it seems like they're damned if they do and damned if they don't! 

Gilbert might be plugging it a lot on his twitter, but I'd say he plugs Beamish just as much, which again GNE have a working partnership with and have done for many years. Plus, it's his personal twitter feed, so it's really up to him what he wants to babble on about.

I'm going to take a punt and say Birtley Snooker Club and Birtley Morrisons are after different markets (unless the Morrisons has a snooker club inside but I somehow doubt it).

Whatever the relationship….
Not sure a small start up pub is worth it’s own NSA when far more prominent sites don’t have the honour. Looks like an utter waste of resource (which is allegedly limited) and yet another pisstake of customers.

Be amazed if someone in GNE doesn’t have some financial or personal links to this…or it’s yet more MG enthusiast pleasing porn


https://twitter.com/microbusg/status/155...93888?s=21&t=zUaHMLxx_9LV0E4_aYpJOg

(24 Jul 2022, 10:15 pm)omnicity4659 wrote When he moves to Lumo, Martijn will be installing a station directly above Microbus with a lift to the bar.

I’m assuming he’s the link, it’s cringeworthy. It’s sheer arrogance tbh.

They can’t run a service but can get a hard on over a pub  

Sure Dan will be along to defend it soon!

(24 Jul 2022, 10:20 pm)Ambassador wrote I’m assuming he’s the link, it’s cringeworthy 

Sure Dan will be along to defend it soon!

https://www.meet-and-drink.co.uk/microbus-gateshead

Here's the official tale about asking for some leaflets.

(24 Jul 2022, 10:26 pm)Andreos1 wrote https://www.meet-and-drink.co.uk/microbus-gateshead

Here's the official tale about asking for some leaflets.

The sort of fun marketing that works if you’re not abject at the day job

Defend what? People getting butt hurt over something as simple as listing a point of interest on a next stop system? GNE aren't the first to do this, nor will they be the last.

Bus operator advertises an independent local business, and in return, the local business promotes the use of buses. In a reciprocal fashion, the business displays when the next bus is due: https://twitter.com/MicrobusG/status/154...GB2a9Tuljg&s=19

Isn't this the kind of thing we want to see more of?



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What happens when morrisons get taken over by Familey shopper at birtly. People will be jumping of the 21 to get the Morrisons deals years after its changed hands just to find its a happy shopper.. Bit like high fell social club which has been flats for x number of years but is still mentioned on the Old durham road service.

I note the audio/visual on services 4, 58 and X58 display and announce "Amazon".

Cringeworthy head-in-the-clouds management from those in the Ivory Tower!

Undoubablty, some back-handed deal with Jeff Bezos.