North East thread 7: the bus chat continues...

[Someaddedsugar]

Just setting this up so it's here

This chap has recently done a couple of walkaround videos of Darlo and Boro if anyone wonders how they look to a fresh pair of eyes.

https://www.youtube.com/@bythecurb/videos

That Windows announcement

It’s so sad isn’t it. I saw Neil Tennant( pet shop boys) put a sad post up.
What is left in that arcade now? Such a beautiful arcade. Will admit now I’ve seen Fenwicks window and been to John Lewis for my refill of quality street. I won’t be back until new year ( I hate the Christmas stalls)

Oh that is sad about windows

The YouTube vlog made me laugh - poor man experiencing that particular pub!

So sad about Windows - there can't be much left in there as you've said!

@lifelongfrugaleer I'll be collecting from the lovely @Stanislas on Monday so will PM you after and arrange drop off 😊.

Bliddy hell...that notice for Windows is sad :(

@Someaddedsugar is everything ok . I’m sitting at the window looking out for you?

@Someaddedsugar i managed to get to the lovely @Stanislas for the fabric. Thank you x

Did anyone get to see the Santa bus, this year? DH took DS2 out while I was making dinner as it passed us for a change. He was a little baffled as it was out of his routine but DH said there was a girl almost hyperventilating with excitement 😁

I’ve seen photos but far too lazy to go see.Seems really popular again. I liked it in the daytime, but bet it looks great lit up.
Glad your DS enjoyed it.
Have you seen the photos on the old M&S building, they are lovely but would prefer M&S back. Lol
Hopefully ‘The Stack’ paid the total cost!

I was in town on Monday, @AlviarinAesSedai a d the building looks a lot better than before they removed all the ratty posters.

DS1 didn't appreciate my homage to the open top bus used by Santa 🙄

That is very funny and clever.
When did they change the thanks to more

Well Chester le Street was on BBC news , main (web)not just local about the out of control teenagers. Dispersal order, god the town is getting worse.
I’m not saying how I feel very I’m not feeling very caring and just want the little * to behave.

It seems to be a problem with so many small towns at the moment. The little sods get bored and bold. I've seen some pretty disgraceful behaviour by kids there, during the day so goodness knows what they're like after dark with fewer adults around.

We have horrible snow ❄️. Hope people who like it are enjoying.
Beamish closed, buses cancelled. I hate 🥶 winter.
The nights being cold have made the night sky so clear, I bored everyone in house telling them about Venus.

There's an article in the Chronic about the potential for another bus strike. Over safety and the treatment of drivers who raise concerns, this time.

According to a go north east spokesperson they're perfectly safe because they've been taught not to drive double decker under low bridges. This is probably the same spokesperson who has blamed bus shortages due to lack of engineers on winter weather.

Go North East buses facing strike vote in safety row with unions

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/go-north-east-buses-facing-31022860#ICID=Android_ChronicleNewsApp_AppShare

It’s shocking isn’t it. Not sure what is going on at Go North East. The amount of cancelled buses is staggering.
Barely a peep from the North East Mayor.
Durham county council 4.99 increase in council tax! God only knows what the increase for the police commissioner will be!
And tmDCC are buying the white elephant of Milburngate. Why isn’t the company’s indemnity insurance not paying for the repairs. Bloody bus station still not repaired.
I’m going for a lie down.

What is really concerning is that they're sending buses out with major faults - red warning light faults - and disciplining drivers for refusing to take them out. On the other hand, they've made the drivers sign safety contracts, despite doing this. It's already the case that a driver is at fault for taking out a vehicle in dangerous condition but they don't appear to be getting a say in the matter without having to face concequences.

GNE is the weakest performing of the Go ahead group, hence the lack of investment in new buses. Nigel Featham (the same guy who trashed employee morale at Arriva County Durham, several years back) has done nothing to improve this and is doing nothing to smooth things over with customers. Other divisions have had similar engineering problems - there is a shortage of engineers and lack of spare parts - but East Yorkshire, rather than make excuses about grit and cold temperatures, issued a proper apology, stated what they were doing to try to fix things and made temporary timetable changes like Arriva did here, a few years back, when there as a shortage of drivers.

I was in Durham bus station, today. No sign of anything even being done to it. I'm wondering how long it will be before we're back to tripping over buckets. It already smells like a giant urinal.

I agree they need to hold their hands up and apologise. Why can’t they employ more engineers? Disgraceful way to treat staff.
They seem to be buying old stock buses, the ones that are on our main route must cast offs from London as the exit is a waste of space.
But the new metro trains are finally going to airport. No where to hold on if you don’t get a seat, I hate the facing aisle seating, as I’m short and it’s quite hard to hold myself on the seat.
Was in Newcastle on Monday and the lovely flower beds down Grey Street to Quayside look lovely but will be full of cigarette butts and rubbish before long.
But on a happier note there is a lovely new coffee shop opened on North Road opposite bus station.

Is that next to the vape shop in Robinsons thst still has the Robinsons signs up?

The dual door buses are ex-London stock. They're meant to be for contract work but instead they've ended up being the mainstay of the 21, which is supposed to be their flagship route with the effect that, if you're in a wheelchair, you can't get on that bus at Eldon Square or Durham because the wheelchair ramp is in the middle doors.

As far as the engineers are concerned, there aren't enough fully trained engineers in general and, in this region, both Arriva and Stagecoach pay them a bit better.

I haven't been on a metro for years. They tend not to be a part of our trips out as DS1 can't use his bus pass on them. We've been keeping our journeys short while the weather is so harsh and the buses so crap. We did get down to Darlo, today but that was all arriva and ran like clockwork, uncharacteristically!

the coffee shop is in the old betting shop, next to the cut little road up. Called 3 cups of coffee ( think)

I see the NE mayor has finally spoken about the buses. She has written a letter!

Of course. GNE are denying everything. The buses to Manchester reports are exaggerated, though. They got a couple of newish vehicles on loan, which have been returned and some of our older single decker in return for some. Of their older double deckers.

Anyone been or going to the Fire and Ice this year. If you have children it’s great or big kids like me. The drum kit and piano are amazing. Didn’t see them all as just went for a wander around the shops.
Day is sunny and bright, Durham looks gorgeous in the sunshine.

The drum kit is great. Loved the grammophone, too.

I had to bribe DS1 with actual chocolate to get him to give a spoon to one of the little kids trying to chip the celebrations out of the ice block on the river walk 😂