North East Buses

Been up to Doxford International to complain about a driver on the 24 who rudely refused me on Sunday with a Pop card when I was only going from Sunderland to Grangetown, he also refused my friend with a Day Rover

(16 Sep 2014, 5:10 pm)Andy wrote [ -> ]Been up to Doxford International to complain about a driver on the 24 who rudely refused me on Sunday with a Pop card when I was only going from Sunderland to Grangetown, he also refused my friend with a Day Rover

From Experience I don't think any of the Arriva Drivers in County Durham and Teeside have a clue when it comes to Bus Tickets in Tyne and Wear with the exception of Tyresmoke, I've used a Day Rover on the X2 from Newcastle to Gateshead and vice versa on Several Occasions and the Driver refused to let me on, until I explained to him what the Boundaries of the Ticket were.

With thanks to Richard Smiles, here are the additional fleet movements as a result of the entry into service of 7529-33

4515 to Redcar replacing 1305 to Reserve (until Durham PVR increase)
7436-9 to Durham, replacing Tridents 7432-4 and DB250 7463

Well yesterday was a challenging day with the Streetlites, as mentioned in the rare workings thread...
By the end of the day we'd had 9 breakdowns including one which had to be towed in from Carlin How (1554). It was elected to take them off last night so that we could get Wrights in to check them all overnight, so we ended up using Pulsars 1446 and 1458 for the evening trips. During the day we also had the use of 1443, 1449 and 1459 at various points.
As far as I know there's not been any major issues this morning, so hopefully we'll have a better day today! Still not convinced they're the right tool for the job though, despite their hill climbing abilities!

Between October and January in Darlington, Arriva will be running a park and ride service on Saturdays from Darlington College to Town Centre. This and changes to car parking charges are to get more people shopping in the town.

More info:
http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1147...arlington/

(17 Sep 2014, 10:04 am)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Well yesterday was a challenging day with the Streetlites, as mentioned in the rare workings thread...
By the end of the day we'd had 9 breakdowns including one which had to be towed in from Carlin How (1554). It was elected to take them off last night so that we could get Wrights in to check them all overnight, so we ended up using Pulsars 1446 and 1458 for the evening trips. During the day we also had the use of 1443, 1449 and 1459 at various points.
As far as I know there's not been any major issues this morning, so hopefully we'll have a better day today! Still not convinced they're the right tool for the job though, despite their hill climbing abilities!

Should have been Citaros!

(17 Sep 2014, 4:24 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Should have been Citaros!

Why should it have been the expensive Citaros? The Streetlites have proving fine today with only one VOR at the start of the day (1554, which was towed in) while a second was taken off midway through the day to have its faulty rear LED display replaced (1553). One driver has said to me, the more these Streetlites get used, the better they are getting.

(17 Sep 2014, 4:38 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Why should it have been the expensive Citaros? The Streetlites have proving fine today with only one VOR at the start of the day (1554, which was towed in) while a second was taken off midway through the day to have its faulty rear LED display replaced (1553). One driver has said to me, the more these Streetlites get used, the better they are getting.

Because Citaros are far better in terms of quality than Streetlites. 

(17 Sep 2014, 4:40 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Because Citaros are far better in terms of quality than Streetlites. 

And about 20k more in price =( 

(17 Sep 2014, 4:43 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]And about 20k more in price =( 

But would the 20k be worth it?
They last much longer, and are overall a more reliable bus.

(17 Sep 2014, 4:51 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]But would the 20k be worth it?
They last much longer, and are overall a more reliable bus.

Would of being but that means they would of got less buses for other routes 

A Citaro will be well more than £20K more than a Streetlite. Probably taking upwards of £200K before any extras are added on. Normal specification StreetLites are probably about £150-160K, 1550-73 were £4.5million combined (works out about £185K each). What would 24 Citaros cost - be upwards of £250-300K each I bet.

(17 Sep 2014, 4:55 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]A Citaro will be well more than £20K more than a Streetlite. Probably taking upwards of £200K before any extras are added on. Normal specification StreetLites are probably about £150-160K, 1550-73 were £4.5million combined (works out about £185K each). What would 24 Citaros cost - be upwards of £250-300K each I bet.

For Go North East, I am led to believe that the cost of one Euro 5 Mercedes Citaro vehicle is £185,000. This cost includes the high-backed seating as seen on the Mercedes Citaros in Go North East's fleet (complete with the dark blue fabric on the back of each seat, opposed to just the standard seat moquette).

The cost of a Euro 6 Mercedes Citaro will be higher, though I can't imagine the cost to exceed more than £200,000 per vehicle. Adding e-leather seating and fitting power sockets in the manufacturing process should not add too much to the cost. £300,000 per vehicle is a little bit of an irrational figure, especially when Euro 5 Volvo B9TLs which are fitted with high-backed seating and power sockets only cost £200,000 a piece.

A bulk order of 24 vehicles would allow for discounts too.

Time will tell with the Streetlites.

(17 Sep 2014, 11:21 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Between October and January in Darlington, Arriva will be running a park and ride service on Saturdays from Darlington College to Town Centre. This and changes to car parking charges are to get more people shopping in the town.

More info:
http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1147...arlington/

They'll probably use the Ex P&R Durham Solo's when they move to Darlo, kinda makes sense. Wonder what the service number will be...

(17 Sep 2014, 5:04 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Time will tell with the Streetlites.

I would certainly say so - yes both those out on the evening 5s are late (1550 is the Easington finishing turn, presently 5 minutes late - and 1557 is the North Skelton finisher, presently 20 minutes late) but there's a number of external factors (in 1557's case, the roadworks in Easington means late up there, you're late all the way). Hopefully with the roadworks finished next week, things will be different.

(17 Sep 2014, 5:33 pm)JoshP wrote [ -> ]They'll probably use the Ex P&R Durham Solo's when they move to Darlo, kinda makes sense. Wonder what the service number will be...

Probably wont have one, chance has it, because it will only operate 1 day per week, they will just display Park & Ride. 

Just to clarify a few points, we started the day with 8 Streetlites and 2 Pulsars this morning

Allocation was 1460, 1494, 1550, 1552, 1553, 1555, 1556, 1557, 1558, 1559

1460 was replaced fairly early on with 1551, it then replaced 1559 due to late running. 1559 then replaced 1494, while 1553 had to come off due to recurring fault and was replaced with 1492.
1554 was towed in yesterday and stayed off all day today too.

All in all a better day than yesterday, no lost mileage (as far as I'm aware) and once we have 1512 there should be minimal non-Sapphire involvement. I'm told the Streetlites will get better as they run in a bit, indeed the one I had today seemed better than the one I had yesterday.

(17 Sep 2014, 4:55 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]A Citaro will be well more than £20K more than a Streetlite. Probably taking upwards of £200K before any extras are added on. Normal specification StreetLites are probably about £150-160K, 1550-73 were £4.5million combined (works out about £185K each). What would 24 Citaros cost - be upwards of £250-300K each I bet.

Anything with a Cummins engine is crap for challenging routes! Give me a Volvo B9TL, Scania N series or a Merc Citaro anyday. "Turbocharging is nice but getting there is even better".

(17 Sep 2014, 9:40 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Just to clarify a few points, we started the day with 8 Streetlites and 2 Pulsars this morning

Allocation was 1460, 1494, 1550, 1552, 1553, 1555, 1556, 1557, 1558, 1559

1460 was replaced fairly early on with 1551, it then replaced 1559 due to late running. 1559 then replaced 1494, while 1553 had to come off due to recurring fault and was replaced with 1492.
1554 was towed in yesterday and stayed off all day today too.

All in all a better day than yesterday, no lost mileage (as far as I'm aware) and once we have 1512 there should be minimal non-Sapphire involvement. I'm told the Streetlites will get better as they run in a bit, indeed the one I had today seemed better than the one I had yesterday.

It's a bit disappointing that a brand new bus needs 'running in', to ensure it won't break down. I realise that cars used to be this way, but modern cars no longer depend on a extremely careful owner for the initial mileage. A bus manufacturer knows fine well that there's no opportunity to 'run a bus in' within a live operation. I do hope they improve, but it's a bit embarrassing to see so many VORs for brand new buses!

(18 Sep 2014, 4:26 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]Anything with a Cummins engine is crap for challenging routes! Give me a Volvo B9TL, Scania N series or a Merc Citaro anyday. "Turbocharging is nice but getting there is even better".

I was waiting for it.

DaveyBowyer:
Anything with a Cummins engine is crap for challenging routes! Give me a Volvo B9TL, Scania N series or a Merc Citaro anyday. "Turbocharging is nice but getting there is even better".

On their website or marketing material?

#daveybowyertaglines
#asgoodasengineimpressions
#hashtagsonNEB

I'm only being honest though. If Arriva actually cared about quality, Blyth and Ashington would be full of reliable B9TL's / N230's rather than cheap turbocharged Cummins engined deckers. ANE could've easily ordered the Scania euro 5 option for the X21 / X22 and X18 but did they? No, they just thought about so called "economy" rather than reliability and durability.

It seems like all of Arriva's problems can be fixed with the sticky for weekly tickets, this was on a Darlington depot Solo this afternoon.
[attachment=5920]

(18 Sep 2014, 8:57 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]I'm only being honest though. If Arriva actually cared about quality, Blyth and Ashington would be full of reliable B9TL's / N230's rather than cheap turbocharged Cummins engined deckers. ANE could've easily ordered the Scania euro 5 option for the X21 / X22 and X18 but did they? No, they just thought about so called "economy" rather than reliability and durability.

The new E400's I've been on, have seemed pacey enough. Overall, I know a couple of the older ones weren't too reliable on the X93 but that route is quite a bit more challenging than the X21/22 or any of Blyths routes. I agree that for the X15/18 B9TL's may be a bit better but another reason could be, as stated many times previously, Arriva may buy E400's as they are suitable for pretty much all other routes in the country.

@DaveyBowyer - Not sure anyone has any issue with what you say and I like your honesty. Your patter is great - but there is one complaint. A serious one at that.
Why no bus engine impressions or cryptic clues like the Sutton Bank one recently?

(18 Sep 2014, 9:05 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]It seems like all of Arriva's problems can be fixed with the sticky for weekly tickets, this was on a Darlington depot Solo this afternoon.

This is quite normal for Darlington - I think it's a standard piece of maintenance kit! Does make you wonder what safety critical defects have been bodged under the bonnet (and also it just looks plain awful, as do all the vents/radiator grills that have been knocked up with sheet metal and a drill in the garden shed!)

This is quite normal for Darlington - I think it's a standard piece of maintenance kit! Does make you wonder what safety critical defects have been bodged under the bonnet (and also it just looks plain awful, as do all the vents/radiator grills that have been knocked up with sheet metal and a drill in the garden shed!)

I remember when 1304 was at Darlington the front panel inside the bus next to the cab also had this tape on and it kept getting more and more tape and when it went to Durham depot it was fixed and the tape disappeared. This is probably why Durham rejected 1302.

7515 and 7516 have been spotted on the M6 today - it seems we now know 2 of the 3 E400s are to be 'MAX'd for the X14/14.

Photos @ Malcolm Jones

(19 Sep 2014, 6:54 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]7515 and 7516 have been spotted on the M6 today - it seems we now know 2 of the 3 E400s are to be 'MAX'd for the X14/14.

Photos @ Malcolm Jones

Any idea on what the third one will be?

(19 Sep 2014, 6:59 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Any idea on what the third one will be?

I would guess 7514.

(19 Sep 2014, 7:03 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]I would guess 7514.

Cheers ,also has anything come back from MAX refurbishment for the X15 yet?