Go North East State Of The Fleet
Go North East State Of The Fleet
I know this has been brought up recently and I think it needs its own thread, so I went to Newcastle today and got 6334 or 6335 (can't remember), and an E400, and tbh the state of the buses were awful, tables sticky (it was like the second route the bus had been on for that day), penis drawn on "cream" leather, and 6334 or 6335 that a disgrace, the headrests they were black, i've dropped some screenshots about how they looked.
Aswell heating seems to be a massive issue on the entire fleet, I understand it takes time to warm up however on 7 of the buses I went on today I couldn't feel the heat on 6 of them.
Thats why you never put nice buses on school routes.
(09 Dec 2022, 9:29 pm)Unber43 I know this has been brought up recently and I think it needs its own thread, so I went to Newcastle today and got 6334 or 6335 (can't remember), and an E400, and tbh the state of the buses were awful, tables sticky (it was like the second route the bus had been on for that day), penis drawn on "cream" leather, and 6334 or 6335 that a disgrace, the headrests they were black, i've dropped some screenshots about how they looked.I think that's 6334, I got it late today and on the back like 5/6 rows on each side there's sharpie on the headrests, seats are snapped etc. Seeming you brought it up I will say I got an X21 today and I'm honestly considering buying a heater to put in my bag so I can plug it in on the bus they've been that cold.
Aswell heating seems to be a massive issue on the entire fleet, I understand it takes time to warm up however on 7 of the buses I went on today I couldn't feel the heat on 6 of them.
Thats why you never put nice buses on school routes.
(09 Dec 2022, 9:29 pm)Unber43 I know this has been brought up recently and I think it needs its own thread, so I went to Newcastle today and got 6334 or 6335 (can't remember), and an E400, and tbh the state of the buses were awful, tables sticky (it was like the second route the bus had been on for that day), penis drawn on "cream" leather, and 6334 or 6335 that a disgrace, the headrests they were black, i've dropped some screenshots about how they looked.I think that's 6334, I got it late today and on the back like 5/6 rows on each side there's sharpie on the headrests, seats are snapped etc. Seeming you brought it up I will say I got an X21 today and I'm honestly considering buying a heater to put in my bag so I can plug it in on the bus they've been that cold.
Aswell heating seems to be a massive issue on the entire fleet, I understand it takes time to warm up however on 7 of the buses I went on today I couldn't feel the heat on 6 of them.
Thats why you never put nice buses on school routes.
And thats GNE's fault how exactly?, surely its them fulfilling the stated capacity with whatever bus is available at the time, whilst also making that said bus available by running off another service?, GNE cant be held accountable for the yobs that decide its okay to vandalise a bus, as for the heating, again, due to staffing issues maybe thats why it hasnt been fixed, but as for 6 of the 7 not having working heating,i personally dont think thats even true, its just you sniping at GNE because you can
5503, the "Arriva" branded X66 Volvo saloon is a disgrace inside.
Very odd stains on the seats towards the back, graffiti on the back of seats and an old blue seat bottom with the red seat back.
It looks like something a dodgy low cost operator would use, rather than an award winning company.
(09 Dec 2022, 9:40 pm)V514DFT And thats GNE's fault how exactly?, surely its them fulfilling the stated capacity with whatever bus is available at the time, whilst also making that said bus available by running off another service?, GNE cant be held accountable for the yobs that decide its okay to vandalise a bus, as for the heating, again, due to staffing issues maybe thats why it hasnt been fixed, but as for 6 of the 7 not having working heating,i personally dont think thats even true, its just you sniping at GNE because you can
(09 Dec 2022, 9:40 pm)V514DFT And thats GNE's fault how exactly?, surely its them fulfilling the stated capacity with whatever bus is available at the time, whilst also making that said bus available by running off another service?, GNE cant be held accountable for the yobs that decide its okay to vandalise a bus, as for the heating, again, due to staffing issues maybe thats why it hasnt been fixed, but as for 6 of the 7 not having working heating,i personally dont think thats even true, its just you sniping at GNE because you can
(09 Dec 2022, 9:40 pm)V514DFT And thats GNE's fault how exactly?, surely its them fulfilling the stated capacity with whatever bus is available at the time, whilst also making that said bus available by running off another service?, GNE cant be held accountable for the yobs that decide its okay to vandalise a bus, as for the heating, again, due to staffing issues maybe thats why it hasnt been fixed, but as for 6 of the 7 not having working heating,i personally dont think thats even true, its just you sniping at GNE because you can
(09 Dec 2022, 9:40 pm)V514DFT And thats GNE's fault how exactly?, surely its them fulfilling the stated capacity with whatever bus is available at the time, whilst also making that said bus available by running off another service?, GNE cant be held accountable for the yobs that decide its okay to vandalise a bus, as for the heating, again, due to staffing issues maybe thats why it hasnt been fixed, but as for 6 of the 7 not having working heating,i personally dont think thats even true, its just you sniping at GNE because you can
(09 Dec 2022, 9:29 pm)Unber43 I know this has been brought up recently and I think it needs its own thread, so I went to Newcastle today and got 6334 or 6335 (can't remember), and an E400, and tbh the state of the buses were awful, tables sticky (it was like the second route the bus had been on for that day), penis drawn on "cream" leather, and 6334 or 6335 that a disgrace, the headrests they were black, i've dropped some screenshots about how they looked.
Aswell heating seems to be a massive issue on the entire fleet, I understand it takes time to warm up however on 7 of the buses I went on today I couldn't feel the heat on 6 of them.
Thats why you never put nice buses on school routes.
(09 Dec 2022, 9:29 pm)Unber43 I know this has been brought up recently and I think it needs its own thread, so I went to Newcastle today and got 6334 or 6335 (can't remember), and an E400, and tbh the state of the buses were awful, tables sticky (it was like the second route the bus had been on for that day), penis drawn on "cream" leather, and 6334 or 6335 that a disgrace, the headrests they were black, i've dropped some screenshots about how they looked.
Aswell heating seems to be a massive issue on the entire fleet, I understand it takes time to warm up however on 7 of the buses I went on today I couldn't feel the heat on 6 of them.
Thats why you never put nice buses on school routes.
For what was formerly considered GNE's "flagship" services, in a way, the reliability of the 21/X21 has certainly gone down the drain. I'm seeing Omnidekkas, Eclipses, Versas, etc. on the 21 on pretty much a daily basis at this point.
Someone waiting for the 21 would expect the bus to have leather seats, tables, WiFi, NSA's and plug socket. Not a 15 year old ex-GNW castoff with literally none of those features and a cold, musty atmosphere inside.
Ironically, if I randomly saw the "as posh as your car" slogan on an Angel, and my car was a 20 year old Ford Fiesta, then I still wouldn't be convinced to start catching that instead.
Arriva's "Sapphire" routes are no better, which is probably why they're gradually phasing that brand out. What's the point on marketing routes as "high spec" if they're just gonna be allocated 21 year old Geminis and 14 year old Solos that haven't even been repainted in their life?
(10 Dec 2022, 12:22 am)wibblejunior For what was formerly considered GNE's "flagship" services, in a way, the reliability of the 21/X21 has certainly gone down the drain. I'm seeing Omnidekkas, Eclipses, Versas, etc. on the 21 on pretty much a daily basis at this point.
Someone waiting for the 21 would expect the bus to have leather seats, tables, WiFi, NSA's and plug socket. Not a 15 year old ex-GNW castoff with literally none of those features and a cold, musty atmosphere inside.
Ironically, if I randomly saw the "as posh as your car" slogan on an Angel, and my car was a 20 year old Ford Fiesta, then I still wouldn't be convinced to start catching that instead.
Arriva's "Sapphire" routes are no better, which is probably why they're gradually phasing that brand out. What's the point on marketing routes as "high spec" if they're just gonna be allocated 21 year old Geminis and 14 year old Solos that haven't even been repainted in their life?
(10 Dec 2022, 12:22 am)wibblejunior For what was formerly considered GNE's "flagship" services, in a way, the reliability of the 21/X21 has certainly gone down the drain. I'm seeing Omnidekkas, Eclipses, Versas, etc. on the 21 on pretty much a daily basis at this point.
Someone waiting for the 21 would expect the bus to have leather seats, tables, WiFi, NSA's and plug socket. Not a 15 year old ex-GNW castoff with literally none of those features and a cold, musty atmosphere inside.
Ironically, if I randomly saw the "as posh as your car" slogan on an Angel, and my car was a 20 year old Ford Fiesta, then I still wouldn't be convinced to start catching that instead.
Arriva's "Sapphire" routes are no better, which is probably why they're gradually phasing that brand out. What's the point on marketing routes as "high spec" if they're just gonna be allocated 21 year old Geminis and 14 year old Solos that haven't even been repainted in their life?
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?Personally, I think having Tables, USB's, Wireless Chargers is a nice and it does attract me to the bus, especially if I lived on a route where they're regular e.g X1 and I wanted to go to Newcastle, every 15 mins, 30 mins on a night I would if I had a car. And for tables if I am with 2 or more people I tend to sit on them its nice.
(09 Dec 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan 5503, the "Arriva" branded X66 Volvo saloon is a disgrace inside.Tbf, its the entire fleet.
Very odd stains on the seats towards the back, graffiti on the back of seats and an old blue seat bottom with the red seat back.
It looks like something a dodgy low cost operator would use, rather than an award winning company.
(10 Dec 2022, 9:58 am)DeltaMan Should operators use dealer stock buses with no extras?Personally, I think having Tables, USB's, Wireless Chargers is a nice and it does attract me to the bus, especially if I lived on a route where they're regular e.g X1 and I wanted to go to Newcastle, every 15 mins, 30 mins on a night I would if I had a car. And for tables if I am with 2 or more people I tend to sit on them its nice.
(09 Dec 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan 5503, the "Arriva" branded X66 Volvo saloon is a disgrace inside.Tbf, its the entire fleet.
Very odd stains on the seats towards the back, graffiti on the back of seats and an old blue seat bottom with the red seat back.
It looks like something a dodgy low cost operator would use, rather than an award winning company.
(10 Dec 2022, 11:21 am)Rob44 In my view, and that of those in the office with me know they would rather a bus turned up the have loads and bells and whistle. As one lad told me i"ts nice to have a table, a nice seat and heat but it makes F**K all diffence to me when it doesnt turn up and im soaked to the skin and freezing!"As someone who gets the bus on a daily basis and as someone who is learning to drive, for me to keep getting the bus once I pass my test, It would have to have USBs, comfy seats etc for me to get it but also someone who lives on the outskirts of GNE's network in a sense. I feel with the tables etc is more to keep the current passengers. For me someone who lives in Seaham to get to Newcastle I would have to either get the 60 then the 65/61 (both reduced and then the 62 was axed) and the X6 but they're always rammed, then the X10 or stay on the 60 for 35m and then get the 56. Other than the X10 and occasionally the 61 depending on allocations don't have chargers. With timings, the 65 from Seaham arrives at DP 10 mins after the X10 leaves, the X6 20 mins after, and the 61 gets you there 5 mins before or 30 mins after but not to mention every time I've got the X10 from Dalton Park excluding on a Sunday, I've had to stand to Newcastle and tbh it's not that bad but I haven't been able to take advantage of tables, comfy seats, USB etc.
(10 Dec 2022, 11:21 am)Rob44 In my view, and that of those in the office with me know they would rather a bus turned up the have loads and bells and whistle. As one lad told me i"ts nice to have a table, a nice seat and heat but it makes F**K all diffence to me when it doesnt turn up and im soaked to the skin and freezing!"As someone who gets the bus on a daily basis and as someone who is learning to drive, for me to keep getting the bus once I pass my test, It would have to have USBs, comfy seats etc for me to get it but also someone who lives on the outskirts of GNE's network in a sense. I feel with the tables etc is more to keep the current passengers. For me someone who lives in Seaham to get to Newcastle I would have to either get the 60 then the 65/61 (both reduced and then the 62 was axed) and the X6 but they're always rammed, then the X10 or stay on the 60 for 35m and then get the 56. Other than the X10 and occasionally the 61 depending on allocations don't have chargers. With timings, the 65 from Seaham arrives at DP 10 mins after the X10 leaves, the X6 20 mins after, and the 61 gets you there 5 mins before or 30 mins after but not to mention every time I've got the X10 from Dalton Park excluding on a Sunday, I've had to stand to Newcastle and tbh it's not that bad but I haven't been able to take advantage of tables, comfy seats, USB etc.
(09 Dec 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan 5503, the "Arriva" branded X66 Volvo saloon is a disgrace inside.Tbf that is something I've never seen in ages, a wrong moquette seat and I think ive only seen it once in years and that is on a Prince Bishops which had a blue seat headrest.
Very odd stains on the seats towards the back, graffiti on the back of seats and an old blue seat bottom with the red seat back.
It looks like something a dodgy low cost operator would use, rather than an award winning company.
(09 Dec 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan 5503, the "Arriva" branded X66 Volvo saloon is a disgrace inside.Tbf that is something I've never seen in ages, a wrong moquette seat and I think ive only seen it once in years and that is on a Prince Bishops which had a blue seat headrest.
Very odd stains on the seats towards the back, graffiti on the back of seats and an old blue seat bottom with the red seat back.
It looks like something a dodgy low cost operator would use, rather than an award winning company.
(10 Dec 2022, 12:10 am)mb134 This sort of vandalism is why Arriva opted against headrests for their new orders. It costs a ridiculous amount of money for a new headrest, and given how many are slashed/drawn on it just isn't worth it. I would say that the cream headrests were always a ridiculous design choice though, they looked good for about 5 minutes but unless you're going to clean them properly every night then they generally look very scruffy - absolutely zero desire created!In a pre-covid market......yes good intentions by GNE but now is the time to re-adapt.
To be honest, while that damage could have been from school routes, it's just as likely to have been from any regular service. I know ANE, Ashington anyway, used Sapphire vehicles in the past on school work with very little issue compared to what they were getting on evening X21 & 35 runs.
(10 Dec 2022, 12:10 am)mb134 This sort of vandalism is why Arriva opted against headrests for their new orders. It costs a ridiculous amount of money for a new headrest, and given how many are slashed/drawn on it just isn't worth it. I would say that the cream headrests were always a ridiculous design choice though, they looked good for about 5 minutes but unless you're going to clean them properly every night then they generally look very scruffy - absolutely zero desire created!In a pre-covid market......yes good intentions by GNE but now is the time to re-adapt.
To be honest, while that damage could have been from school routes, it's just as likely to have been from any regular service. I know ANE, Ashington anyway, used Sapphire vehicles in the past on school work with very little issue compared to what they were getting on evening X21 & 35 runs.
It's entirely possible to provide a reasonable level of service and give customers creature comforts inside the vehicle to give passengers a reasonable level of comfort. But it's up to the operator to maintain them.
The extras have virtually no bearing on service delivery. So they are a red herring in my book.
As somebody that spent an afternoon on a bench seated Leyland Olympian at a rally during the summer, I hope we never go back to those days. Although some of the GNE Versas and ANE Decker's I've seen are pretty close....
(10 Dec 2022, 12:37 pm)L469 YVK In a pre-covid market......yes good intentions by GNE but now is the time to re-adapt.The only thing on the buses I care about are decent seats and USBs, I think tables are a more luxury option and I don't really care for them at all.
Northumbria's new E400MMCs tick all the boxes even without some of the bells & whistles....
- Clean and comfy - seats fine although not high backed
- Exterior and bodywork clean
- USBs and WiFi
(10 Dec 2022, 12:37 pm)L469 YVK In a pre-covid market......yes good intentions by GNE but now is the time to re-adapt.The only thing on the buses I care about are decent seats and USBs, I think tables are a more luxury option and I don't really care for them at all.
Northumbria's new E400MMCs tick all the boxes even without some of the bells & whistles....
- Clean and comfy - seats fine although not high backed
- Exterior and bodywork clean
- USBs and WiFi
(10 Dec 2022, 12:02 pm)nova347 As someone who gets the bus on a daily basis and as someone who is learning to drive, for me to keep getting the bus once I pass my test, It would have to have USBs, comfy seats etc for me to get it but also someone who lives on the outskirts of GNE's network in a sense. I feel with the tables etc is more to keep the current passengers. For me someone who lives in Seaham to get to Newcastle I would have to either get the 60 then the 65/61 (both reduced and then the 62 was axed) and the X6 but they're always rammed, then the X10 or stay on the 60 for 35m and then get the 56. Other than the X10 and occasionally the 61 depending on allocations don't have chargers. With timings, the 65 from Seaham arrives at DP 10 mins after the X10 leaves, the X6 20 mins after, and the 61 gets you there 5 mins before or 30 mins after but not to mention every time I've got the X10 from Dalton Park excluding on a Sunday, I've had to stand to Newcastle and tbh it's not that bad but I haven't been able to take advantage of tables, comfy seats, USB etc.
But if I lived in Chopwell, Rowlands Gill, Winlaton, Stanley, Consett, the 10's corridor. For any of them, I would be much more likely to get the bus to Newcastle even after all the cuts once I can drive because it would be so much easier, but with me living so far I would get the car as the connections are better. The last X10 I could get is 20:20, so I would miss a 65 and a 61A at DP so I either have to get picked up or wait an hour for a 61A then change onto a 60.
I know GNE can't run services all over the place to everywhere, so an X1 extension to Seaham might not be bad for a trial run.
So the latest bus I could get from Newcastle is the 21:45 56, which is late I'll admit but it gets into Sunderland with a 7-minute connection as the 23:30 only goes to Seaham so I would have to walk, but again not to mention the 60/56 doesn't have chargers that work.
Over the whole 56 fleets including the corporate (6087 and the Pride bus), I've found 3 sockets that actually worked out of all of them, obviously, it'll be very hard to check them all, every socket, every bus.
(10 Dec 2022, 12:02 pm)nova347 As someone who gets the bus on a daily basis and as someone who is learning to drive, for me to keep getting the bus once I pass my test, It would have to have USBs, comfy seats etc for me to get it but also someone who lives on the outskirts of GNE's network in a sense. I feel with the tables etc is more to keep the current passengers. For me someone who lives in Seaham to get to Newcastle I would have to either get the 60 then the 65/61 (both reduced and then the 62 was axed) and the X6 but they're always rammed, then the X10 or stay on the 60 for 35m and then get the 56. Other than the X10 and occasionally the 61 depending on allocations don't have chargers. With timings, the 65 from Seaham arrives at DP 10 mins after the X10 leaves, the X6 20 mins after, and the 61 gets you there 5 mins before or 30 mins after but not to mention every time I've got the X10 from Dalton Park excluding on a Sunday, I've had to stand to Newcastle and tbh it's not that bad but I haven't been able to take advantage of tables, comfy seats, USB etc.
But if I lived in Chopwell, Rowlands Gill, Winlaton, Stanley, Consett, the 10's corridor. For any of them, I would be much more likely to get the bus to Newcastle even after all the cuts once I can drive because it would be so much easier, but with me living so far I would get the car as the connections are better. The last X10 I could get is 20:20, so I would miss a 65 and a 61A at DP so I either have to get picked up or wait an hour for a 61A then change onto a 60.
I know GNE can't run services all over the place to everywhere, so an X1 extension to Seaham might not be bad for a trial run.
So the latest bus I could get from Newcastle is the 21:45 56, which is late I'll admit but it gets into Sunderland with a 7-minute connection as the 23:30 only goes to Seaham so I would have to walk, but again not to mention the 60/56 doesn't have chargers that work.
Over the whole 56 fleets including the corporate (6087 and the Pride bus), I've found 3 sockets that actually worked out of all of them, obviously, it'll be very hard to check them all, every socket, every bus.
(10 Dec 2022, 1:12 pm)Rob44 as someone who HAD to use the bus to get to work, then learned to frive and drover to work i think you underestimate how conveient and bus, gne, arriva or SCNE are compared to the carI understand that with a car you can go wherever whenever, but for some people its easier, like my mam, she works in Sunderland and she drives, she use to work on the outskirts and drove but then the office moved into Sunderland city centre and while she still does drive, she had gotten the bus a few times there and back however one of her complaints is that first its freezen and the 60s are always late and busy especially when there are 2 optare solos back to back and she has to stand for the whole journey.
(10 Dec 2022, 1:12 pm)Rob44 as someone who HAD to use the bus to get to work, then learned to frive and drover to work i think you underestimate how conveient and bus, gne, arriva or SCNE are compared to the carI understand that with a car you can go wherever whenever, but for some people its easier, like my mam, she works in Sunderland and she drives, she use to work on the outskirts and drove but then the office moved into Sunderland city centre and while she still does drive, she had gotten the bus a few times there and back however one of her complaints is that first its freezen and the 60s are always late and busy especially when there are 2 optare solos back to back and she has to stand for the whole journey.
