(03 Jul 2025, 6:02 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Understand that is the reason for the Cobalt B9s transferring to Riverside from Percy Main (don’t get excited DaveyBowyer!)
Don't think it's something to get excited about as no doubt Percy Main will end up with luuuvvvely "fuel efficient" StreetDecks when the EV's eventually arrive
I wonder if any Arriva drivers lucky enough to get allocated an E400 classic on the 306/308 would be audacious enough to try and overtake one between Station Road & Benfield Road......IIRC, a Versa on the 58 overtook a slow DB300/B5LH (can't remember which) on the 308 a good while back.
(03 Jul 2025, 4:21 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]What's annoying too, this is the first I've heard of it. If they are running shuttles, drivers up here haven't been offered the chance to run any of the shuttles at the track.
By some of the replies on Busesnortheast facebook page, you are not the only one.
I just dont get how they thought they could keep it a secret.
I have seen comments about buses leaving Riverside with Silverstone 2025 on the destinations, running in convey on the A1 and thats all before they even get to Silverstone and every year there are plenty of photos of what buses have attended - really goes to show how out of touch they really are!
(03 Jul 2025, 4:01 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]I'd imagine they have no choice but to use them today and tomorrow.
With 8 Volvo B9s from Percy Main's fleet on loan to Riverside, the four open-tops will need to be used on regular work alongside two of the three DFDS branded Volvo B9s (it must be a quiet week with just one bus of the three required, resulting in a temporary 'inflation' of Percy Main's spare buses).
The remaining two are presumably just coming from Percy Main's own fleet allocation.
Come Saturday, there'll be plenty of spare school buses to fall back on.
Weather forecast has it raining in the evening peak tomorrow, so that should be interesting.
Of course with the Streetdecks limping their way down to Silverstone, the usual X10 replacements aren't around, so I wonder if we're in for a Saturday of those school buses attempting a trip down the A19...
(03 Jul 2025, 6:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]By some of the replies on Busesnortheast facebook page, you are not the only one.
I just dont get how they thought they could keep it a secret.
I have seen comments about buses leaving Riverside with Silverstone 2025 on the destinations, running in convey on the A1 and thats all before they even get to Silverstone and every year there are plenty of photos of what buses have attended - really goes to show how out of touch they really are!
Duties not being covered across multiple depots, several vehicles still on hire because of engineering issues, near daily vehicle issues on a flagship route - and they think a wise move is sending some crippled Streetdecks down to an F1 race.
I do hope those in charge of awarding GNE rather lucrative BSIP funding/contract work are taking note of where their priorities lie.
(03 Jul 2025, 6:02 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]I was surprised to hear from an engineer at Go North East that they were sending all the X-lines StreetDecks at Riverside down to Silverstone this weekend to operate shuttle buses (if they make it, that is - recent performance on X10 would suggest it could be a struggle…)
Understand that is the reason for the Cobalt B9s transferring to Riverside from Percy Main (don’t get excited DaveyBowyer!)
I’m told Riverside and Percy Main are both losing mileage due to no driver at the moment, and now they will be losing mileage due to no bus too.
Problem is, StreetDecks are about the closest to suitable they can send down there and that's a worry considering how problematic they can be on just the X10 & X21, native B9TLs supposedly are a no go on X10 now as they have a tendency to overheat and the ex London ones are slower than a StreetDeck. E400MMCs are likely more suitable although that creates more issues with other deckers being too tall to work some Consett routes.
(03 Jul 2025, 4:21 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]What's annoying too, this is the first I've heard of it. If they are running shuttles, drivers up here haven't been offered the chance to run any of the shuttles at the track.
Usual case of all the company favourites (usually office staff) get asked first so no-one else gets a chance to even know about it, never mind ask!
(03 Jul 2025, 6:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]By some of the replies on Busesnortheast facebook page, you are not the only one.
I just dont get how they thought they could keep it a secret.
I have seen comments about buses leaving Riverside with Silverstone 2025 on the destinations, running in convey on the A1 and thats all before they even get to Silverstone and every year there are plenty of photos of what buses have attended - really goes to show how out of touch they really are!
Likely didn't even give that a second thought and just went ahead and did it all with whoever they want that'd do it and not waste time asking the vast majority of driving staff. Whilst likely easier for them doubt it will do anything to improve thoughts among their driving staff to know they're being shunned for things like this.
If they really thought no-one would notice, they're sadly mistaken, even some of the less enthusiast types will likely notice at very least they've had another depots buses parachuted into service at Riverside, some enthusiasts on the other hand are usually quick to notice, if a load of buses disappear or go on loan to another depot, it usually either means Metro Replacement or an event is going on elsewhere, easier still to pick out Silverstone as Stagecoach have a load of buses and drivers down there too.
(02 Jul 2025, 10:28 pm)Rapidsnap wrote [ -> ]Just worth noting, Go-Ahead Group company Thames Travel is currently in the process of receiving 10 Volvo B8L Tri-Axle double deckers with MCV EvoSeti bodies for the River Rapids X40 service between Oxford and Reading. Perhaps something that GNE should look at unless the pursestrings have snapped when they were tighting them.
As a semi-regular user of that in the past, I'm surprised at the need for something so big.
Patronage must have grown quite a bit!
Tended to be E400's and Citaro's back then.
Can remember being on a strange variant of a Citaro once.
(04 Jul 2025, 6:06 am)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]It'll be interesting to see whether there is a reliability increase on the 21/X21 owing to the Cobalt & Coast B9TLs. Even though they are 4 years older than the Angels and now 12 years old
And not forgetting they've had charmed lives pottering around the doors compared to other native examples!
I can see these as a stop-gap for the X21 if the current Angel StreetDecks end up at Percy Main when the EV's arrive.
two open tops out on 307 309 and single deck however 341 has a double deck running???
3964 is on the Q3 meanwhile..
The timekeeping of the Cobalt B9TL allocated runs on the X21 actually looks quite good so far!
(04 Jul 2025, 9:11 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote [ -> ]two open tops out on 307 309 and single deck however 341 has a double deck running???
So they've been in the depot during the hot weather, then they've decided to stick them out when we've got maximum wind gusts of 43mph?
Bet that is pleasant for those sat upstairs!
Riverside have had 6111 for a few days and knackered it, it spent a few hours at Eldon Square blocking a stand after a run on the X21
(03 Jul 2025, 11:50 am)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]I'm on a Flixbus right now and just passed 5 or 6 Angel double deckers near Wetherby turn off. My driver is from Stanley Coaches and last year left working for National Express after 3 decades and started talking about how greedy GNE are for grasping at any work they can get eventhough they are a failure of a company and their buses don't work.
He said there'll be some old biddy somewhere waiting for her only hourly (or less) bus to the shops and it doesn't turn up because they have prioritised Silverstone over their own customers.
Interesting take, and I must add they had lots of traffic stuck behind them as all of them were incredibly slow, with destinations not working and bits hanging off with paint scraped etc .. you'd think they were off to the scrapyard not representing a company at a national event and having to do the whole journey there and back!
All of them had working destinations!
(07 Jul 2025, 8:25 pm)Liam Hall wrote [ -> ]All of them had working destinations!
Every cloud.
(07 Jul 2025, 8:25 pm)Liam Hall wrote [ -> ]All of them had working destinations!
No comment on their lack of speed, or paint and bodywork condition I notice. Telling.
I suppose if ‘buses in a good condition’ was the criteria, GNE would still be on the hunt now for vehicles to take with them.
I have just been kicked off the 1 at Tyne Tunnel Trad Est and told to swap to the waiting bus. This bus was 8321 and is screaming "warning hand brake not applied when driving". The said bus was 5477...
The driver had triggered something so the NSA said that "we are currently experiencing delays to this service and need to ensure we can operate efficiently, so please can you transfer to the bus in front which is waiting for you to board" or words similar to that it was hard to hear over the screeching of the engine. I'd never heard that before so thought I'd mention it
(07 Jul 2025, 8:25 pm)Liam Hall wrote [ -> ]All of them had working destinations!
Whatever you say but I could see at least one with a dodgy destination at the back. As the bus was driving it was flickering on and off. Probably quite off putting, distracting and potential danger to other road users, hence why I mentioned it.
(07 Jul 2025, 8:13 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Riverside have had 6111 for a few days and knackered it, it spent a few hours at Eldon Square blocking a stand after a run on the X21
I was on this yesterday morning and was fine!
Unless it was being parked waiting for a PM driver / fitter to be ferried up.
(09 Jul 2025, 4:23 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]I was on this yesterday morning and was fine!
Unless it was being parked waiting for a PM driver / fitter to be ferried up.
Apologies it was 6110, seemed to be back on 307/9 the next day
If Consett could reduce the low height PVR from 12x to 8x (as suggested in the July 2025 changes thread), something like this could be a start to sort out and standardise the deckers.
Basically means:
- Consett - ADL E400MMC / Volvo B9TL
- Percy Main - StreetDeck
- Washington - StreetDeck
- Deptford - ADL E400MMC / B5TL
- Riverside - ADL E400 / ADL E400MMC / Volvo B9TL
Main points:
- All the 20/70 plate StreetDecks kept together at Washington.
- 6043-48 put into a spare / low key role and out of main service.
- 6301-07 put into a spare / low key role and out of main service.
- More spare vehicles / better rotation for the X10.
- X5/X15 get better vehicles.
- X21 gets better vehicles.
- 6232-40 could go to Riverside for Gateshead local work on the likes of the 51/52/93/94 and 57
Then if the X10 eventually gets new deckers, 6350-55 could go on the X20 and that would standardise Deptford too.
Next 'big' order after the 56 should be the 10/10A/10B/12 IMO.
Wright StreetDeck Electroliner
- 21 (think PVR 16-18)
Volvo B9TL
- 6043-48 - Consett
Spare (6x)
- 6086-6109 - Consett
16/16A (PVR 8x)
47 (PVR 7x)
X32/X45/X73 (PVR 9x)
- 6110-17 - Riverside
X21 (PVR 8x)
Wright StreetDeck
- 6301-07 - Percy Main
Spare/DFDS
- 6315-29* - Percy Main - 307/309
307 (PVR 6x)
309 (PVR 8x)
Spare* (1x) - available if future PVR increase
- 6330-33 - Washington
Spare (3x)
34 (1x)
- 6356-76 - Washington
50 (PVR 7x)
X1 (PVR 12x)
34 (PVR 3x)
- 6377 - Riverside
Spare (1x)
ADL E400MMC
- 6336-37 - Consett
Spare (2x)
- 6338-49 - Consett
X5/X15 (PVR 4x)*
X30/X31/X70/X71 (PVR 8x)
* X5/X15 allocated spare B9TL if 6336-37 not available
- 6350-55 - Riverside
X10 (PVR 4x)
Spare (2x)
- 6378-91 (???) - Deptford
56 (PVR 14x)
Roomer has it the X20 is going the journey shortly replaced between langley park and durham by a service operated from consett and the sunderland to durham operated by the 20/20A all day so newer buses for it wont be needed, unless deckers are put on the 20/20A
(13 Jul 2025, 2:34 pm)N1cholas wrote [ -> ]Roomer has it the X20 is going the journey shortly replaced between langley park and durham by a service operated from consett and the sunderland to durham operated by the 20/20A all day so newer buses for it wont be needed, unless deckers are put on the 20/20A
Why would GNE scrap the X20 when they've only within the last 18 months re-introduced it using BSIP funding?
Could be seriously dangerous territory if GNE mess around with the X5/X15 and increase the journey times.
(03 Jul 2025, 11:50 am)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]I'm on a Flixbus right now and just passed 5 or 6 Angel double deckers near Wetherby turn off. My driver is from Stanley Coaches and last year left working for National Express after 3 decades and started talking about how greedy GNE are for grasping at any work they can get eventhough they are a failure of a company and their buses don't work.
He said there'll be some old biddy somewhere waiting for her only hourly (or less) bus to the shops and it doesn't turn up because they have prioritised Silverstone over their own customers.
Interesting take, and I must add they had lots of traffic stuck behind them as all of them were incredibly slow, with destinations not working and bits hanging off with paint scraped etc .. you'd think they were off to the scrapyard not representing a company at a national event and having to do the whole journey there and back!
(13 Jul 2025, 2:34 pm)N1cholas wrote [ -> ]Roomer has it the X20 is going the journey shortly replaced between langley park and durham by a service operated from consett and the sunderland to durham operated by the 20/20A all day so newer buses for it wont be needed, unless deckers are put on the 20/20A
Also circulating amongst the rumours are X20 Sunderland to Durham ( Limited Stop) Park Lane, Board Inn, Houghton Church, Rainton Bridge, Belmont Industrial Park, and Durham.
And 20A staying as it is Eves and Sunday
No reason why an X5/X15 couldn't be re-routed from Lanchester via Bargate Bank/Hamsteel Lane & Low Moor Road into Langley Park and then continue on existing route.
I also have a Circular Route Suggestion which would replace the Durham-Brandon 21 Extension/X20 Durham-Langley Park whilst connecting other surrounding areas to better connect the County Durham Villages in these areas.
14/15 - Durham - Nevilles Cross - Langley Moor - Brandon - Brandon Village - New Brancepeth - Ushaw Moor - Esh Winning - Langley Park - Witton Gilbert - Sacriston - Plawsworth - Arnison Centre - Framwellgate Moor - University Hospital - Durham
(13 Jul 2025, 4:39 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]No reason why an X5/X15 couldn't be re-routed from Lanchester via Bargate Bank/Hamsteel Lane & Low Moor Road into Langley Park and then continue on existing route.
I also have a Circular Route Suggestion which would replace the Durham-Brandon 21 Extension/X20 Durham-Langley Park whilst connecting other surrounding areas to better connect the County Durham Villages in these areas.
14/15 - Durham - Nevilles Cross - Langley Moor - Brandon - Brandon Village - New Brancepeth - Ushaw Moor - Esh Winning - Langley Park - Witton Gilbert - Sacriston - Plawsworth - Arnison Centre - Framwellgate Moor - University Hospital - Durham
I believe it is either the X5 or X15 that they are re routing to serve Langley Park
(13 Jul 2025, 4:18 pm)Retro Nero wrote [ -> ]Also circulating amongst the rumours are X20 Sunderland to Durham ( Limited Stop) Park Lane, Board Inn, Houghton Church, Rainton Bridge, Belmont Industrial Park, and Durham.
And 20A staying as it is Eves and Sunday
(13 Jul 2025, 4:57 pm)Retro Nero wrote [ -> ]I believe it is either the X5 or X15 that they are re routing to serve Langley Park
will they be doing Nettlesworth, Sacriston, Arnison Centre aswell or just Langley Park
They should just restore the X25 fully and 13/14 or whatever the number was fully like it was for years.
Make more sense than pissing about with the pointless 82 extension to the QE, the short 725 and the 22 doing a magical tour around Wrekenton and half the North East from CLS to Newcastle.
I believe GNE operate the rest of the 22 (Newcastle to Wrekenton) commercially anyway so they can continue doing that.
Sending either the X5/X15 in is a terrible idea as it's cutting the frequency in half which isn't great as it is and removing the Sacriston and Langley Park to Arnison links which are vital imo so all of this is going to have to be subsidised anyway.
(13 Jul 2025, 4:57 pm)Retro Nero wrote [ -> ]I believe it is either the X5 or X15 that they are re routing to serve Langley Park
Unless one serves Langley Park with the other going via Sacriston and the Arnison Centre?
GNE want to be seriously careful. A certain operator is already launching competing services against the 6/X73 & 21/X21/X66.
And they could easily launch a competing Durham - Consett service with only a PVR of 3x! And I think people would use it if they did!
Extending the X5/X15 to Langley Park via Arnison or however they would do it surely the journey times would just increase massively and drop LP to hourly.
Could the X20 not extend to Bishop or Amazon Warehouse
(13 Jul 2025, 5:53 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]Unless one serves Langley Park with the other going via Sacriston and the Arnison Centre?
GNE want to be seriously careful. A certain operator is already launching competing services against the 6/X73 & 21/X21/X66.
And they could easily launch a competing Durham - Consett service with only a PVR of 3x! And I think people would use it if they did!
You are deluded.
I doubt a pathetic attempt at competition like the X22/X43 will make any difference to Go North East.