North East Buses

I even remember a Jesmond driver telling me that some of the 59 Pulsars are in a worse state than the Wright / ALX300 B10BLEs.

The Pulsar I rode to Tynemouth for the Coastliner 306 launch was deafening.

(16 Nov 2014, 9:35 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]The Pulsar I rode to Tynemouth for the Coastliner 306 launch was deafening.

Some of them are all right, mainly the 61 reg ones.

(16 Nov 2014, 9:38 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Some of them are all right, mainly the 61 reg ones.

1410 which has transferred to Darlington is alright, the one I got back to Newcastle from Tynemouth was alright.

I don't mind Pulsars, the Sapphire service 7 examples are probably the best although they are the newest although some of Darlington's 09 reg ones aren't great as some rattle like hell and 1427 was making dodgy noises when I rode it the other week.

(16 Nov 2014, 9:44 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]1410 which has transferred to Darlington is alright, the one I got back to Newcastle from Tynemouth was alright.

I don't mind Pulsars, the Sapphire service 7 examples are probably the best although they are the newest although some of Darlington's 09 reg ones aren't great as some rattle like hell and 1427 was making dodgy noises when I rode it the other week.

At least they are better than Streetshites. 

(16 Nov 2014, 9:44 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]1410 which has transferred to Darlington is alright, the one I got back to Newcastle from Tynemouth was alright.

I don't mind Pulsars, the Sapphire service 7 examples are probably the best although they are the newest although some of Darlington's 09 reg ones aren't great as some rattle like hell and 1427 was making dodgy noises when I rode it the other week.

The 09 plate Pulsars seem to be the best ones and are the quickest of the lot, and some of our 10 plates at Stockton are seriously quick, far better than the 61 plates. We have 1512 on Sapphires and it's like winning the lottery when you get allocated it over a Streetlite! Half of the problem is the way the gearboxes are set up on the Streetlites though!

They do get quicker as they get run in a bit, for example compared to the first day in service ours are a lot quicker now - however still 'slow' pulling away when compared to other vehicles. Having said that they are superb on the hills, and will leave a Pulsar for dead as I followed one of Redcar's back from Easington when we were both running dead back to the depot and I couldn't keep up (in a Pulsar) on the hilly parts. The acceleration between 30-50mph will leave anything for dead too but that's not where you need the power really, it's lower down pulling away from bus stops that you need it, and it's just not there.

Hopefully Voith can get them sorted and they'd be a half decent bus! Still take a Pulsar all day though...

(16 Nov 2014, 10:02 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]The 09 plate Pulsars seem to be the best ones and are the quickest of the lot

I had 1426 on service 7 from Durham one night last year and it absolutely flew round the route especially on the duel-carriageway between Cock o' the North and Croxdale.

Sapphire service 7 examples seem pretty quick too.

Even fleet numbers on the sapphires are slightly slower than the odd fleet number buses, was on 1514 the other day and that reached 55 but when I was on 1515 on backturn one night last week that one reached 58/59

(16 Nov 2014, 12:02 pm)9920up wrote [ -> ]Looks like the ex Park and Ride Solos from Durham are starting to arrive at Darlington. An unidentified example was seen "Not in Service" heading towards Faverdale depot yesterday afternoon . Now in standard Arriva colours.

Will have a look to see what I can see when I'm at the depot in the morning ready for shift 

Mercs are canny decent for pulling off and they can get upto speed quite quickly too. Some of the B10BLE's at Jesmond go like rockets though.

Streetlite leaving Park Lane 15 minutes late again this morning on the 23.

A Solo came into Park Lane out of service from Durham Road then left again. "Welcome Aboard" on the destination.
Had assumed it was going to replace the Pulsar on service 22 which was showing Not in Service upon arrival with passengers at Park Lane, but this was not the case...

Only two or three on Stockton's X21 this morning. More used it on the first day of service!

Past Darlingtons Solo 2805 heading into Belmont depot this morning around 10.15

The depot building at Ashington bus station is coming down within the next few weeks...
The supervisors are about to be moved into the yellow portacabin and the drivers rest room has moved to the back of Lintonville Terrace ready for the new bus station in a few years.

4803  was parked up in Peterlee bus station at 1120 this morning  showing not in service, driver looked to be on the phone to report the problem!!

Does anybody know how many P-CCU Olympians went to Roselyn, I can find mentions of 7410/2/3/4/7 but not photos of all of them?

1577's problematic ETM is the reason for today's 0817 23 departure still waiting to load its one awaiting customer (who has now decided to get on the 60 because its ETM is working fine)...

Does anyone know if 1521 has transferred from Darlington to Belmont depot? I'm currently on it with a Durham driver driving it, just looked at the fleet lists on here and it says 1521 is a Darlington vehicle

Does anyone know if 1521 has transferred from Darlington to Belmont depot? I'm currently on it with a Durham driver driving it, just looked at the fleet lists on here and it says 1521 is a Darlington vehicle

I'm guessing one of Belmont's Sapphire buses is off today and Darlington must have enough Sapphire Pulsars' for their workings so I imagine 1521 will be on loan to Belmont to cover one of their workings.

I once had Belmont based 1523 on a Darlington working once so it seems they do sometimes swap the Sapphire Pulsars around.

So chances are there will have been a non-Sapphire bus on the 7 dupe again this morning.

One of Belmont's Sapphires is off for MOT this week, hence why we have 1521.

7453 and 7456 are now in service at Belmont depot.

7453 was on the X1/X2 but was later replaced with a Pulsar.

7456 is on the 46/48.

heared new e200 for durham has now gong in service on 64

(19 Nov 2014, 4:48 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]heared new e200 for durham has now gong in service on 64

The ones that came up from Southern Counties? - https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/danielgrah...D_w_IS_all

I can't work out if your post says 'gone' or 'going' - they are expected to do so.

7453 on service X1/X2
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...827758505/

7456 on service 46/48
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127079988@...642402368/

Anyone want to ride r620mnu whitestar travel olympian just go to life of riley on match days and ask for a wrist band you get free travel on 620 to and from the stadium and a free drink lovely trip on her just did not get the drink

(19 Nov 2014, 4:56 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]The ones that came up from Southern Counties? - https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/danielgrah...D_w_IS_all

I can't work out if your post says 'gone' or 'going' - they are expected to do so.

There was 1 on 64 this morning

(19 Nov 2014, 5:40 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]There was 1 on 64 this morning

Don't think any of them have entered service yet?

(19 Nov 2014, 5:40 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]There was 1 on 64 this morning

Pretty sure they aren't in service yet and probably won't be for a while yet.

Apolagies then must of been a scarlet band e200 i only got 5 hrs sleep

(19 Nov 2014, 5:50 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote [ -> ]Apolagies then must of been a scarlet band e200 i only got 5 hrs sleep

Do they even operate the 64?

(19 Nov 2014, 5:55 pm)Marcus wrote [ -> ]Do they even operate the 64?

No, he probably saw one of the Scarlet Band Enviro 200's on the Park and Ride.

2804 is now at Darlington depot.