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+--- Thread: X9 | X10 - Acquisition of interdeck coaches from Oxford Bus Company (/showthread.php?tid=2593)
RE: X9/X10 - Storx - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 7:47 pm)scanialover I don't know how I missed this thread ? As a devotee and regular traveller on the X9/10 all I'll say is "at last, at last', we can say goodbye to the ratbag collection of vehicles that have plied up and down the A19 over there years; we past an unidentified "Crusader" in Gillingham today and won't that have been an experience!
But who cares what colour they are, where they will stop and start and all that? It's going to be interesting for sure but the compensation of travelling on something comfortable and reliable more that compensate.
It's brings us on briefly to Arriva's X12 ? Why it carries that operating number beats me? 2 and half hours of misery riding on a Pulsar or worse. Perhaps time for an upgrade there as well?
The point of the X12 is for places throughout the route ie. Coxhoe to Newcastle, Sedgefield to Newcastle etc. Durham to Middlesbrough. It's not really there for customers travelling from Newcastle to Middlesbrough. Also it's express out of Durham towards to Middlesbrough and express through Low Fell and most of Birtley.
Coaches on it wouldn't work as there's too many stops and it would seriously get delayed. It doesn't deserve an upgrade though, there's many routes that will be higher priority X66/X67 for one.
RE: X9/X10 - Michael - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 7:47 pm)scanialover I don't know how I missed this thread ? As a devotee and regular traveller on the X9/10 all I'll say is "at last, at last', we can say goodbye to the ratbag collection of vehicles that have plied up and down the A19 over there years; we past an unidentified "Crusader" in Gillingham today and won't that have been an experience!
Might be 5312 - NK08 MYA, it was last in service yesterday.
If it is, wonder why its down that way?
RE: X9/X10 - scanialover - 09 Jul 2020
Probably deputising for one of the clapped out 63xx BTL5's ? Let's hope it was a changeover at somewhere convenient as opposed to half way down the A19
6044 was running on the X9 as well. 1230 from Eldon Square. We went and got a coffee and waited until 1300 !!
RE: X9/X10 - S813 FVK - 09 Jul 2020
Possibly getting too hung up on the typo. Likely meant Billingham.
RE: X9/X10 - streetdeckfan - 09 Jul 2020
Have they run any of the StreetDecks on the X9/X10 before? I'd love to see how torturous the experience would be!
X9/X10 - Dan - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 8:25 pm)streetdeckfan Have they run any of the StreetDecks on the X9/X10 before? I'd love to see how torturous the experience would be!
Yes, the Chester-le-Street StreetDecks did make an appearance during “lockdown”.
Clearly the 6-cylinder one is expected to be a different kettle of fish. It’s just a float bus so Volvo B9s will still be the main spare vehicles.
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RE: X9/X10 - scanialover - 09 Jul 2020
Couldn't be anymore torturous than what's been happening for years ! The route has never been properly promoted or managed. Half hearted attempts with inevitably inappropriate vehicles being flogged relentlessly. Little wonder people go by train.
RE: X9/X10 - streetdeckfan - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 8:28 pm)Dan Yes, the Chester-le-Street StreetDecks did make an appearance during “lockdown”.
Clearly the 6-cylinder one is expected to be a different kettle of fish. It’s just a float bus so Volvo B9s will still be the main spare vehicles.
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Were they any good, I'm guessing not! Tbh, the 67 plates would probably be fine, but the older ones would probably cry
Is the 6 cylinder paired with the same gearbox? The one on the 4 cylinders doesn't seem geared very well for motorway speeds
RE: X9/X10 - Ambassador - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 8:36 pm)scanialover Couldn't be anymore torturous than what's been happening for years ! The route has never been properly promoted or managed. Half hearted attempts with inevitably inappropriate vehicles being flogged relentlessly. Little wonder people go by train.
pre the current leadership team at GNE, I’d say that’s a fair assessment of most of their major routes.
It took them a good decade before the 21 finally got things right but even now the Streetdecks seem as reliable as kettle bought from Del Boy
RE: X9/X10 - streetdeckfan - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 10:20 pm)Ambassador pre the current leadership team at GNE, I’d say that’s a fair assessment of most of their major routes.
It took them a good decade before the 21 finally got things right but even now the Streetdecks seem as reliable as kettle bought from Del Boy
Aren't the StreetDecks on the 21 the most reliable in the fleet? The ones for the X21 are a bit iffy, but not horrendous
RE: X9/X10 - mb134 - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 7:46 pm)streetdeckfan LOL, as if I'd use the X12, I'd rather bloody walk!
You wouldn't though would you.
(09 Jul 2020, 7:47 pm)scanialover It's brings us on briefly to Arriva's X12 ? Why it carries that operating number beats me? 2 and half hours of misery riding on a Pulsar or worse. Perhaps time for an upgrade there as well?
As has been said, it's express for a couple of sections of the route. Don't see how some people find it impossible to grasp that an express route doesn't need to be 60mph "THRASHHH" running from start to finish.
(09 Jul 2020, 8:36 pm)scanialover Couldn't be anymore torturous than what's been happening for years ! The route has never been properly promoted or managed. Half hearted attempts with inevitably inappropriate vehicles being flogged relentlessly. Little wonder people go by train.
I'm sorry but, while I think the B5TLs were a horrendously shortsighted decision, you cannot accuse GNE of not properly promoting the X9/X10. The liveries alone, over the years, have been some of the best we've ever seen from the company.
Equally, I don't believe that the B9TLs when new were inappropriate for the route. Were it viable to (or at this point possible to!), then a new batch of B9TLs for the TTX every 3-4 years would likely be all it needed. Unfortunately 6043-8 were probably kept on for a year or so too long, and by that time were struggling.
RE: X9/X10 - Ambassador - 09 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 10:26 pm)streetdeckfan Aren't the StreetDecks on the 21 the most reliable in the fleet? The ones for the X21 are a bit iffy, but not horrendous
Hardly a ringing endorsement. Like least rattliest Streetlite
RE: X9/X10 - streetdeckfan - 10 Jul 2020
(09 Jul 2020, 11:50 pm)Ambassador Hardly a ringing endorsement. Like least rattliest Streetlite
Or the most comfortable Citaro, or the least creaky E200/E400.
Seriously though, the StreetDecks rarely seem to be off the road.
I wonder if GNE would ever release the reliability stats of each vehicle type
X9/X10 - Dan - 10 Jul 2020
(10 Jul 2020, 12:10 am)streetdeckfan Or the most comfortable Citaro, or the least creaky E200/E400.
Seriously though, the StreetDecks rarely seem to be off the road.
I wonder if GNE would ever release the reliability stats of each vehicle type
Probably not. GNE are more “enthusiast-friendly” than other operators but I don’t think they’d ever release this data.
That said, enthusiasts would be taken aback - their perception of how “unreliable” some buses are would be proven wrong.
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RE: X9/X10 - Charles41 - 10 Jul 2020
Given the excitement caused by the introduction of these coaches on the X9/10, is it likely to be the case that in the first few weeks of use the service will be swamped by enthusiasts getting rather carried away with excitement and making endless YouTube videos?
I hope they'll be wearing face masks and social distancing. Please try not shout words such as thrash and machine too loud as this may scare the other passengers ?.
Charles
RE: X9/X10 - scanialover - 10 Jul 2020
I was a little harsh in criticising GNE in regard to the X9/10. As an operator they have done just about everything they can within the bounds of sustainability and operation within the commercial constraints of such a route.
The one thing that could be missing is a "direct" service between the two points, Middlesbrough and Stockton, aka back in the day when, if I remember correctly Arriva ran it and it took just an hour between the two points. Wouldn't work these days though, would it ??
RE: X9/X10 - Michael - 10 Jul 2020
(10 Jul 2020, 6:10 am)Charles41 Given the excitement caused by the introduction of these coaches on the X9/10, is it likely to be the case that in the first few weeks of use the service will be swamped by enthusiasts getting rather carried away with excitement and making endless YouTube videos?
I hope they'll be wearing face masks and social distancing. Please try not shout words such as thrash and machine too loud as this may scare the other passengers ?.
Charles
Hope not Charles, hopefully we're out of the pandemic by September though.
I want to go back to work, 15 weeks I've been off now =(
RE: X9/X10 - streetdeckfan - 10 Jul 2020
(10 Jul 2020, 11:27 am)Michael Hope not Charles, hopefully we're out of the pandemic by September though.
I want to go back to work, 15 weeks I've been off now =(
You have too much faith in the enthusiasts! It's the same group of people that went out for a play when they found out vehicle allocations were all over the place even after multiple warnings, of course they're going to go out on the X9/X10!
My guess is that by September things will be mostly back to normal, I mean, we're still waiting for those second peaks that were definitely going to happen when everyone went to the beach!
As someone who has been working throughout, I want my 15 weeks off, preferably post-COVID!
X9/X10 - cbma06 - 10 Jul 2020
(10 Jul 2020, 11:27 am)Michael Hope not Charles, hopefully we're out of the pandemic by September though.
I want to go back to work, 15 weeks I've been off now =(
A bit optimistic there, I can see this pandemic lasting a few years yet, if ya bored go for a ride out on the bus
but only for essential though 
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RE: X9/X10 - col87 - 10 Jul 2020
Got a few questions. Firstly how disabled friendly are these coaches ? Secondly would it possible to still stop near Eldon Square because yes some people coming though for a day out do actually connect at Eldon Square and if you do not know Newcastle that well it would be a pain trying to find the bus stops.
Be interesting to see how well the coaches work