(08 Nov 2014, 2:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote Put a complaint in.

The ticket he did produce was all messed up and all the text wasn't readable. Hence I don't have his driver number, the time above was only a rough estimate - all I've got is 3971 & X66!

(08 Nov 2014, 2:32 pm)Marcus wrote The ticket he did produce was all messed up and all the text wasn't readable. Hence I don't have his driver number, the time above was only a rough estimate - all I've got is 3971 & X66!

They do not need a driver number, just tell them you were on 3971 on service X66 at approx 1240 from Metrocentre and let the Depot trace the driver.  If required the Depot can ask for the CCTV to be downloaded, which will show you standing longer than normal while he faffed on with the ETM.

Clearly faffed is a technical term!!

(08 Nov 2014, 2:45 pm)citaro5284 wrote They do not need a driver number, just tell them you were on 3971 on service X66 at approx 1240 from Metrocentre and let the Depot trace the driver.  If required the Depot can ask for the CCTV to be downloaded, which will show you standing longer than normal while he faffed on with the ETM.

Clearly faffed is a technical term!!

Cheers citaro! - I'll do it later this afternoon.

3971 wasnt on the X66 - it was on the 53.

(08 Nov 2014, 6:31 pm)Tom wrote 3971 wasnt on the X66 - it was on the 53.

Was it not? I thought it was 3971. Was definitely a Vyking, no doubt about it. It was 397x in that case, then! Obviously I didn't get a proper ticket as a result of the driver's dickheadness.

EDIT: Just come back to me - it was 3967!

Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

(08 Nov 2014, 8:06 pm)aureolin wrote Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

I wouldn't want to think what that driver would say should I have dared to ask for a written ticket!

Just sent off my complaint, btw!

(08 Nov 2014, 8:06 pm)aureolin wrote Aye, if the machine wasn't printing proper tickets, then a handwritten ticket should have been written out. Don't know if that's still policy? I haven't had one for a number of years, but I know that I did have to ask, rather than it being offered to me. 

It'll just be the machine not cutting tickets properly as someone (last passenger probably) pulled the ticket before it was cut properly, the ERGs don't like that and chew the next so many tickets up. No excuse for the drivers attitude though, should have just annulled it and then printed another

(09 Nov 2014, 10:37 am)tyresmoke wrote It'll just be the machine not cutting tickets properly as someone (last passenger probably) pulled the ticket before it was cut properly, the ERGs don't like that and chew the next so many tickets up. No excuse for the drivers attitude though, should have just annulled it and then printed another

In no way defending the driver but given the allocation of a double decker, I'd put money on the driver being late.

Especially with the traffic near Riverside Depot lately, it's so hard to keep to time on the X66. It's not often you see X66s regulated (unless it's the driver's very last run), so they just have to grin and bear it. Clearly some drivers have more difficulty than others with the former point - especially if it's down to a ticket machine issue! You can make up a bit of time by going on the Centrelink towards Gateshead but obviously if a Vyking decided to go down that route, it'd be converted to an open top.

Still think bus drivers aren't paid enough for the stress they have to go through...

(09 Nov 2014, 11:01 am)Dan wrote In no way defending the driver but given the allocation of a double decker, I'd put money on the driver being late.

Especially with the traffic near Riverside Depot lately, it's so hard to keep to time on the X66. It's not often you see X66s regulated (unless it's the driver's very last run), so they just have to grin and bear it. Clearly some drivers have more difficulty than others with the former point - especially if it's down to a ticket machine issue! You can make up a bit of time by going on the Centrelink towards Gateshead but obviously if a Vyking decided to go down that route, it'd be converted to an open top.

Still think bus drivers aren't paid enough for the stress they have to go through...

It's probably not worth regulating them on the X66 with the short rotation time (32 minutes is it?) - you soon rack up enough to just drop a trip and carry on. Same happens on most short services, like our 7s with the traffic into Yarm where you can end up 40-50 mins late after 3 trips, on an hourly rotation you may as well just drop back 10 mins and start from there.

Was out all day Yesterday and I took some photos in Gateshead/MetroCentre and Newcastle, before heading over to my Dad's Friends 50th and 60th Birthday Party, which was quite good laugh, and it meant I got to spend some time with my Dad's mates Daughter who is really fit for a Dental Nurse/Dancer, basically spent the night chatting to her as I didn't know anyone else, There was this Blond Lass who was off her face and tried chatting me up, she got quickly turfed and then tried it on with a few other Lads at the Party, but had zero luck, turned out her Boyfriend was in the Kitchen pretending he didn't know her as he was embarrassed by her Behavior, Overall she was Very Drunk, Very Loud and Highly Patronising to everyone she spoke to, using such words a Seriously and OMG Really at the end of every Sentence, felt like dropping with an RKO outta nowhere, I left at 23:10 so I could get the 23:16 27 from Sunderland Road to Heworth, and then the last 82 back Home from there, I found when got to stop I needed at Heworth, that I wasn't allowed in the Shelter unless I played "Simon Says", in which I Politely told the Lass to Piss Off as I was quite Drunk at the time, Overall not a bad day/night out.

Planning another work trip via rail and bus before the year is out - need to get to deepest, darkest Oxfordshire.
After the 7 hr drive home last time out, I am even prepared to forgo smells of pleasantness and sit on a CrossStinky (possibly even experiencing the hell that is New Street for a change of trains), just to avoid sitting behind the wheel for 7hrs.
The other option, is to go via Kings Cross, Paddington and Reading into Oxford. After speaking to my brother (who commutes daily between Reading and Paddington) and hearing the never ending moans, I may give that one a miss.

The final leg, will involve a Stagecoach Gold.

Well, I've managed to acquire some train tickets for York tomorrow! It's going to be cold, dark and foggy all day - isn't going to be great but I couldn't turn down free tickets which would have otherwise gone to waste.

I'm there for about 6 hours, which is quite a fair bit of time given that I don't want to make my photos too repetitive (or to have so many to upload I get bored and end up avoiding uploading them!)

Anyone got any good spots to walk to in York? Or know of anything in general which would be good to get photos of?

(14 Nov 2014, 5:07 pm)Dan wrote Well, I've managed to acquire some train tickets for York tomorrow! It's going to be cold, dark and foggy all day - isn't going to be great but I couldn't turn down free tickets which would have otherwise gone to waste.

I'm there for about 6 hours, which is quite a fair bit of time given that I don't want to make my photos too repetitive (or to have so many to upload I get bored and end up avoiding uploading them!)

Anyone got any good spots to walk to in York? Or know of anything in general which would be good to get photos of?

National Railway Museum. I have a particular interest in the history of railways, rather than modern image railways, so I wouldn't mind telling you the best things to photograph there either.

The walls are good spots as is Lendal Bridge - but there may be crowds in the way.
You have the P&R sites too, which won't be as crowded.

There could be scope heading down Micklegate towards Cliffords Tower.

Everything is pretty centralised for buses in York.

Dan, I'd go to the Park & Ride Outlets at some point - Askham Bar is a pretty nice one, one of my favourite shots was taken there!
Blossom Street is also very nice, but more so the Racecourse - just all the green with the trees and a busy road make it really worthwhile.

I'm around South Shields/Boro/Sunderland/Peterlee for most of the day tomorrow with a mate so you may glimpse me!

Tyne and Wear forecast for tomorrow is a rain free day. Anyone planning a look out at some point? I think it'll be one of my final days out before boxing day.

(14 Nov 2014, 11:21 pm)aureolin wrote Tyne and Wear forecast for tomorrow is a rain free day. Anyone planning a look out at some point? I think it'll be one of my final days out before boxing day.

I'll be going out, but no idea where! Won't be for that long though. Possibly head over to Washington to get some photos of the 82/83/85/86.

Tyne and Wear forecast for tomorrow is a rain free day. Anyone planning a look out at some point? I think it'll be one of my final days out before boxing day.

I'm possibly heading to Gateshead and Newcastle and maybe some other places for some photos tomorrow, depending on what time I get up tomorrow morning.

Hoping to get on the E's in Sunderland sometime next week too

I'm living in hope that an Olympian is out on the X34 again, so that's the main thing on my list.

I'm living in hope that an Olympian is out on the X34 again, so that's the main thing on my list.

Same, do you know where the X34 stops in Newcastle?

(14 Nov 2014, 11:49 pm)Jimmi wrote Same, do you know where the X34 stops in Newcastle?

Pilgrim Street. Uses the same stop as the Stagecoach 100 .

I'll be having a few hours out and about in Newcastle/Gateshead tomorrow. Probably leave home at around 9 and make a day of it before I have to meet a bird.

Pilgrim Street. Uses the same stop as the Stagecoach 100

Okay thanks. Just hope the Olympian is out on the X34 at some point tomorrow.

(15 Nov 2014, 12:08 am)Jimmi wrote Okay thanks. Just hope the Olympian is out on the X34 at some point tomorrow.

With the way that the past week has gone, there is a high possibility that it will be out.

I've started my outing today in the dead of night; the mist was quite spooky this morning on Newcastle Road under the street lamps, and the Metro line is pitch black with nothing to see other than blobs of light in the distance.

0638 Metro - Stadium of Light to Newcastle Central Station (T&WM 4015)
0722 East Coast - Newcastle Central Station to York (EC HST 43312)
1435 East Coast - York to Newcastle Central Station (EC HST 43328)
1554 Metro - Newcastle Central Station to Stadium of Light (T&WM 4037)

Completely forgot about outside the museum along from Lendal Bridge (where the tour buses go from) and also Clifton Green.
It's like on olde worlde village green.

(15 Nov 2014, 12:08 am)Jimmi wrote Okay thanks. Just hope the Olympian is out on the X34 at some point tomorrow.

Same never been on a Alexander bodied one.

(15 Nov 2014, 7:28 am)danpick wrote Same never been on a Alexander bodied one.

Likewise.
Might have a ride on it then get the 50 to Concord from Boldon.