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

[Someaddedsugar]

Just setting this up so it's here

Sorry to change the subject but I really need some help and advice. Landlord is selling and I need a place to rent (yeah, Merry Christmas). I'm going to look at a place in Eldon, but I know absolutely nothing about the place, anyone out there in MN land who lives that way? Is it nice?

I knew it rather a long time ago, in the last few years of the 1980s - I had a client I did a home visit for (CAB). It was a little forgotten place, with old miner's houses and unadopted, unmade side roads. Nice location, reasonably near Bishop, and the A167 not far off..

I don't know what it's like now, I imagine somewhat improved from then I'd love to hear how it is now, when you've had a look.

Sorry but it's utterly depressing. Really forgotten and run down.

Oh dear! Thanks for both your replies, I'll go anyway and let you know my impressions. I've a couple more to go to next week, one I have my fingers toes and eyes crossed for.

@Beeinalily roughly what area do you want to live in? Where do you need to get to for work, etc?

I agree with pickachew is a dump

im from over bish where are you looking?

Sorry it is a dump
not pickachew is a dump

@lifelongfrugaleer 😂

Of all the places DS1 and I have passed through on our bus tours of the NE it one of the few places that has really made me think "oh dear." so many boarded up houses 🙁

At the moment I'm in one of the villages near Bishop, retired, no car. I'm glad to hear that Pickachew is not a dump 😂

Hope you find somewhere

Oops somehow posted too soon! Hope you find somewhere you like @Beeinalily. I don't know the area that well so don't have any suggestions I'm afraid.

Thank you, and thanks to everyone who has taken an interest. I wish now that I'd explored more with my bus pass, to get to know more places!

I don’t know it, but can you not go on a couple of bus trips.

Gosh just googled it. It really is remote. I’m sure the countryside is lovely.

At least you’re in arrivaland, @Beeinalily so if you have the time you can look around a bit. You’re in a crap predicament, especially at this time of year so I hope you find somewhere suitable soon.

@AlviarinAesSedai I've become addicted to Google Street View, and the surrounding countryside looks lovely. There also appear to be more animals than people, which I prefer! @PickAChew well, Arriva. Where I live now they're one an hour, allegedly. That's a long wait if one doesn't turn up, and if they're running late they change the route so that they don't come this far home, iyswim. So a remote as Eldon is it seems better served, they have buses twice an hour, to Bishop one way and Darlington the other. I'd like to give an honourable mention to the Weardales though, they're not very frequent but they're reliable, much more so than the Arrivas.

I'd like to add, I'm not actually being evicted - yet. But this isn't my first rodeo rental wise, and I can see what's coming.

Winwit · 20/11/2023 22:44

I remember back in the 80s when the American air traffic controllers went on strike for more money. President Nixon ordered them back to work and if they refused they got sacked, plus a lifetime ban on anyone rehiring them in that role. I don’t see why the government can’t step in and do that with the north east buses because the situation is ridiculous.

They can't do it because they don't work for the Government, it would be illegal and then you'd have to train thousands of new bus drivers. I sympathise with everyone who's affected, but also with the drivers, who are on poor wages, with this time of price increases.

@Beeinalily we have Weardale bus. It’s been a god send. It’s the company that took the contract for 725 Langley Park/Chester le Street when GNE just cancelled it.
It’s only once an hour but it always turns up and you can track it on ‘myTrip’ app.
It’s been heaving since the strike because people from Chester are using it. It’s been a lifeline for the older people to get their shopping.
Also you can get a 2 hourly train to Durham/Newcastle and X12(if you can get on) and skeleton 21.

Our Weardales took over from the Scarlet Band, and as you say a godsend. They update on their FB page if there are any problems.
Any thoughts on Shildon?

Shildon has good bits and bad bits, much like other small towns. You'd at least have some amenities there without having to travel for absolutely everything.

Websites like up my street can be useful for localised stats and info.

Only thing I know about Shildon, is it’s a long drive to Durham and it has the Train museum.
Might only be a long drive because of road works and my Google maps when we visited train museum years ago.Because was definitely quicker coming home!
I agree local knowledge is key, because where I live is lovely (quiet) but 5 minutes walk away and it’s a bit rough.Then 5 minutes in other direction and even quieter.
Eldon reminds me of No Place near Beamish/Pelton Fell.

I forgot Scarlet Band just went. They use to run the Durham Park and Ride. Now Gateshead Taxis.
I bet the people around Gateshead who GNE gave up the routes and now Gateshead taxis are running are really pleased at moment.
They are also running the Chester le Street to Seaham (going through Lumley) bet they are relieved.

And the visitors are still at Park and Ride. Everyone was complaining yesterday, we were all huddled around the corner trying to stay warm. Looking into building longingly. 😂
They are putting their rubbish into wooded area. I can’t wait for them to be moved on.

I would suggest to anyone planning in coming into Durham, this weekend, not to bother. Dryburn road us closed for re-surfacing and I've never seen traffic queues like it. I'm glad we don't need to be anywhere that needs the car because we'd have no choice to be stuck in it, too.

Who the hell decides it's a good idea to close a main road into the city a month before Christmas? 😖