(04 Aug 2015, 5:10 pm)Dan That's not the issue, Tommy.

I could count on one hand the amount of times Go North East's "Angel" branded Volvo B5LHs have been used on other commercial services besides service 21 (excluding scholars and those that they are scheduled to be allocated to - evening X21s and Night Bus N20/N21), whereas it's a daily occurrence at Blyth. Admittedly, it has drastically reduced in recent months and you no longer see a Hybrid on the X4/X5 at the same time a Quroum Express branded VDL Gemini is on the 308 at Blyth, so we're heading in the right direction.

I am in favour of effective regulation and spare vehicles being used to time-correct services, but the vehicle that is replaced shouldn't immediately become the 'spare bus' used for time-correcting. That's when branding goes helter-skelter, and makes a mockery of the whole concept. I appreciate it's better to send an incorrectly branded vehicle than none at all, but I would anticipate that Blyth would have more than one spare vehicle at any given time?

These vehicles were ordered with assistance from Government funding for use on service 308. Only in extreme circumstances should a Government-funded vehicle be allocated to another service.

(04 Aug 2015, 7:13 pm)mb134 I'm sure they would have buses spare, but what about the following situation:

Hybrid running 15 minutes late on a 308, Blyth send out a Gemini, 

The Hybrid arrives in Blyth and an inbound X11 is running late, now this is going to be a journey that will arrive in Newcastle around 5, peak time. Now the only other buses spare are a Pulsar, and a few MPD's, what do they do? 

You'd send out the Hybrid, now obviously that is a very select set of circumstances, and there obviously are occasions when that doesn't happen.

One question, the funding Arriva got for the Hybrids, why is it specifically for the 308? Sorry if the reasoning is obvious, but surely they would be encouraged to use them as often as possible (Sunday for example), in favour of a generic bus that will be worse for the environment?

(04 Aug 2015, 7:26 pm)Dan That would fall under "extreme circumstances", but you see these buses off route regardless of day or time...

The bidding guidance for the Green Bus Fund states:
"Bidders must say how and where they intend to use the buses in order to achieve the greatest environmental benefits, including air quality objectives. This might include, for example, whether the buses will run on rural, urban or combined routes, how many kilometres the buses will run on average each month etc. Bidders should give details of how these buses will fit into wider environmental plans and strategies, such as air quality action plans. They should also include any longer term plans (i.e. after the first three years of operation) for the use of the low carbon emission buses purchased under this fund, and whether they have plans to buy more low carbon emission buses in the future."

So; when Arriva Northumbria was awarded with a grant of £517,350, it was based on the ten vehicles being allocated to service 308, between Blyth and Newcastle. Service 308 is a completely different style of route to services X10/X11, for example, and one could argue that perhaps the funding would not have been awarded on this basis if it were for the X10/X11 services opposed to the 308...

(04 Aug 2015, 8:05 pm)DaveyBowyer Quick question Dan, what will the efficiency of 6085 - 6116 be when the GKN mods have been done compared to a B5LH?

(04 Aug 2015, 8:19 pm)DaveyBowyer So for .6 less MPG and a much lower cost with more power, that's a pretty dam good deal.

(04 Aug 2015, 8:23 pm)Dan There are also other modifications available too.

I believe Go North East has something in place on their Blaydon Racers Mercedes Citaros now - think it's the same thing Arriva have on their Temsa Avenues? Don't profess to know a great deal about that sort of stuff!

Is it any wonder they're both going for the likes of Streetlites, when the buses that do have an abundance of power are being modified because they don't need it!

(04 Aug 2015, 8:16 pm)Dan Volvo B9TL achieves around 7mpg, and a Volvo B5LH achieves around 9mpg.

The GKN modifications are expected to reduce fuel consumption on a Volvo B9TL by 20%.

Even 1mpg difference makes a huge difference to bus operators. When you start multiplying it by the amount of miles on average a bus does each day, then you multiply that by circa 300 for the amount of Monday - Saturday 'normal frequency' journeys, then you multiply the amount of vehicles receiving the modifications...

The modifications soon pay for themselves and deliver huge benefits to the operator, that's for sure. Que the tongue in cheek comments about the fares going down as a result of these savings..!

(04 Aug 2015, 8:16 pm)Dan Volvo B9TL achieves around 7mpg, and a Volvo B5LH achieves around 9mpg.

(05 Aug 2015, 2:50 pm)GX03 SVC The A.M. 44 scholars route has been transferred to Ashington depot. Service 33 has been transferred to Jesmond. More service 35a runs will extend to Woodhorn, while the 57/57A will interwork at Whitley Bay operated by Ashington. The 43 will be extended to Morpeth from Cramlington via Red Lion, Netherton Lane, Nedderton, Hepscott Park & Road End, Stobhill (A192) once per hour.

(05 Aug 2015, 2:56 pm)mb134 I imagine the vehicle previously allocated to the 821 will do the 44, elsewhere, is Ashington's PVR increasing by more than just the one for the X20?

(05 Aug 2015, 2:58 pm)GX03 SVC And then interwork onto the X21/22?
I believe that we've lost 3 and gained 1.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:02 pm)mb134 It never worked onto the X21/22, I was under the impression it went to do the 34?

(05 Aug 2015, 3:22 pm)GX03 SVC I meant 7518(or a branded example) operating the 44 scholars then doing the X21/22.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:22 pm)GX03 SVC I meant 7518(or a branded example) operating the 44 scholars then doing the X21/22.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:27 pm)Tom Why will Ashington operate it?

It could just go onto the 44 from Stannington Village at 0900 which would make a lot more sense.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:29 pm)mb134 I assume Tommy must have been told that Ashington will operate it, I seem to recall they used to operate the entire 44 actually.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:32 pm)Tom Yeah they did with Olympians I think.

(05 Aug 2015, 3:34 pm)mb134 Aye, can't remember when they stopped operating it actually, does the 44 interwork with the 43 and 45 now?