Go North East

[Marcus Green]

RE: Go North East

(02/07/2015 19:26)Gillmoss 0324 Wrote:  Did a few GNE routes on Monday. Used a couple of Streetlites on the X66 and Red Kite services with e-Leather and a mock laminate floor effect. Not bad but kind of prefer the older blue interior/moquette style GNE had. Did the Pronto X22 and interestingly it got to Chester-le-Street only a minute or so earlier than the normal 22 I let go from Gateshead. It's interesting the Red Kite deckers still have the Volvo demonstrator interiors which I quite like, will GNE refurb these some time soon or keep them as is and do a refurb say 5 or so years from now. Also notice the 10-plate Optare Versa's for QuayLink are being debranded. Are some new vehicles coming in for this route/wonder where these Versa's will be re-allocated to if so.

Hi, the Optare Versas previously used on the ''Quaylink'' services in Gateshead and Newcastle are being debranded in preparation for a big route amalgamation. I don't understand it myself, in terms of the route changes, but the outline is that the ''Quaylink'' services Q1 and Q2, along with ''a Orbit'' services 51 and 52, as well as ''Great Park & Ride'' service X40; are to become service Q1 (Q1 and 51 combined), service Q2 (Q1 and 52 combined) and Q3 (bringing the X40 into the ''Q'' group of services). There will be no new buses for the Quaylink services, although Go North East are taking it over on a commercial basis (previously received funding I believe!).

I'm not sure on the ''Red Kite'' branded Volvo B9s, used on the 47 service, being internally redone to the standard Go North East seating moquette. Some of the former Oxford Volvo B10BLEs (dual-door, ugh!) still retain their red seating from their Oxford days, and they've been with us for years. I agree with your comments about the e-leather seating used in the Wright Streetlites recently deployed onto ''Coast & Countey'' services 8/78, ''X66 MetroCentre'' service X66 and ''Red Kite'' services 45/46; I much prefer the fabric that I have become accustomed to. On a hot day, the buses can get awfully stuffy. The smell of leather to add to this isn't really nice, either. Just one more point, the ''Pronto'' service and ''Angel'' service are the 21 and X21, not the 22 and X22 (although there is an X22 between Durham and the MetroCentre!).

I hope this answers a few of your questions.

Marcus