(02 Feb 2026, 6:48 pm)Shrek wrote [ -> ]Is that going by bus times. Someone i work with was in on time and normally gets the 7.11 X21, and they weren't complaining so I'm guessing it turned up. Could some be tracking issues?
Can't confirm how many, but I had a little look at the app earlier today, around 11am, and there was definitely, at least
2x 306/308
3x X21/X22/35
1x 1
1x 2
1x 57/57A
1x 43/44/45
Cancelled boards today.
Might have improved, might have got worse and that was the ones actually reported in the Arriva app but it was bleak either way in Northumbria - again.
(The 7.11 started short at Ashington according to BusTimes btw, seems to be a lot of shorts today).
---
Btw does anyone know if the Ashington issues are all vehicle problems or whether there's driver related issues now aswell? Seen there's cancelled X22's tonight and there's absolutely zero rationale why there's cancellations at night due to vehicles.
(02 Feb 2026, 6:48 pm)Shrek wrote [ -> ]Is that going by bus times. Someone i work with was in on time and normally gets the 7.11 X21, and they weren't complaining so I'm guessing it turned up. Could some be tracking issues?
It started from Ashington Bus Station - with a Streetlite, so that'll have been pleasant. That was confirmed, and isn't going off bustimes.
So they missed 2 consecutive X21s from Newbiggin, and 2 consecutive X22s from Ashington (picked the 07:29 up from the A1) on runout.
There were periods today where there were only 3/7 X22s out (7566 was pulled for schools).
(02 Feb 2026, 7:33 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Can't confirm how many, but I had a little look at the app earlier today, around 11am, and there was definitely, at least
2x 306/308
3x X21/X22/35
1x 1
1x 2
1x 57/57A
1x 43/44/45
Cancelled boards today.
Might have improved, might have got worse and that was the ones actually reported in the Arriva app but it was bleak either way in Northumbria - again.
(The 7.11 started short at Ashington according to BusTimes btw, seems to be a lot of shorts today).
---
Btw does anyone know if the Ashington issues are all vehicle problems or whether there's driver related issues now aswell? Seen there's cancelled X22's tonight and there's absolutely zero rationale why there's cancellations at night due to vehicles.
It's actually a disgrace. Even when GNE reached a similar state last year they drafted in loan vehicles, ANE management are doing nothing. It's wild to me that Arriva have just watched Liverpool gift some of their most lucrative work to GAG and aren't making any effort to improve operations in the NE where franchising is imminent.
In addition to the ones you listed, they also missed an X18 (08:13 ex Amble started at Pegswood).
If there are driver issues at Ashington I'd assume they're on the day sickness, as far as I know all issues there are vehicle related currently. Certainly the drivers I spoke to last week on a couple of X21/22s (after asking where the previous one was) indicated that the issues were 100% bus related.
They even missed the 57 this morning 7:41, and then the next 57A 8:16 was 20 minutes late by Whitley Bay. 1404 came on this working in time for the 57A back (so they won't receive any fine for missing the contracted part), but was still in Morpeth on the 777 earlier.
Arriva should hire in some buses as GNE did last year, ADL dealer stock. Or bring in older Arriva stuff from elsewhere (but ADL dealer stock would be easier as when those are hired in isn't all maintenance the responsibility of ADL so then it would not take engineers away from fixing up the normal fleet, even if that is not the case, newer stuff would be more reliable).
Not acceptable how Arriva are totally ok with this until new buses arrive.
They even missed the 57 this morning 7:41, and then the next 57A 8:16 was 20 minutes late by Whitley Bay. 1404 came on this working in time for the 57A back (so they won't receive any fine for missing the contracted part), but was still in Morpeth on the 777 earlier.
Arriva should hire in some buses as GNE did last year, ADL dealer stock. Or bring in older Arriva stuff from elsewhere (but ADL dealer stock would be easier as when those are hired in isn't all maintenance the responsibility of ADL so then it would not take engineers away from fixing up the normal fleet, even if that is not the case, newer stuff would be more reliable).
Not acceptable how Arriva are totally ok with this until new buses arrive.
They even missed the 57 this morning 7:41, and then the next 57A 8:16 was 20 minutes late by Whitley Bay. 1404 came on this working in time for the 57A back (so they won't receive any fine for missing the contracted part), but was still in Morpeth on the 777 earlier.
Arriva should hire in some buses as GNE did last year, ADL dealer stock. Or bring in older Arriva stuff from elsewhere (but ADL dealer stock would be easier as when those are hired in isn't all maintenance the responsibility of ADL so then it would not take engineers away from fixing up the normal fleet, even if that is not the case, newer stuff would be more reliable).
Not acceptable how Arriva are totally ok with this until new buses arrive.
They even missed the 57 this morning 7:41, and then the next 57A 8:16 was 20 minutes late by Whitley Bay. 1404 came on this working in time for the 57A back (so they won't receive any fine for missing the contracted part), but was still in Morpeth on the 777 earlier.
Arriva should hire in some buses as GNE did last year, ADL dealer stock. Or bring in older Arriva stuff from elsewhere (but ADL dealer stock would be easier as when those are hired in isn't all maintenance the responsibility of ADL so then it would not take engineers away from fixing up the normal fleet, even if that is not the case, newer stuff would be more reliable).
Not acceptable how Arriva are totally ok with this until new buses arrive.
I don't know why a lot of my posts seem to post multiple times sorry.
Also, is there any hope with some buses like 3051 or 7530 ever being up to standard? Very unreliable.
7590 & 7522 & 7617 are all on loan to Ashington 7590 & 7522 are tracking under spare an while 7617 is noe tracking under its own machine
Looks like 7542 is on the 415. I thought this would be inevitable given how poor the current Solo SR's are reliability wise. 3051 is so bad it may as well not exist and 3052 is ok, but you can't rely on just 1. Looks like neither is available today though.
(07 Feb 2026, 9:39 am)Arriva7446 wrote [ -> ]Looks like 7542 is on the 415. I thought this would be inevitable given how poor the current Solo SR's are reliability wise. 3051 is so bad it may as well not exist and 3052 is ok, but you can't rely on just 1. Looks like neither is available today though.
Given E400MMCs can’t go on the 415, maybe it’s just a Darlington minibus incorrectly tracking?
(07 Feb 2026, 9:35 am)Nerd4321 wrote [ -> ]7590 & 7522 & 7617 are all on loan to Ashington 7590 & 7522 are tracking under spare an while 7617 is noe tracking under its own machine
7590 is on an X20.
More movements planned from what I’ve been told.
(07 Feb 2026, 9:42 am)PH - BQA wrote [ -> ]Given E400MMCs can’t go on the 415, maybe it’s just a Darlington minibus incorrectly tracking?
7590 is on an X20.
More movements planned from what I’ve been told.
Yeah I am sure I read the 415 had to be minibus, so I am confused. Sadly I don't think I will see it myself today. Hopefully someone else does.
Personally think it's mad that Blyth are loaning buses to Ashington.
It's just resulting up in this:
[
attachment=11168]
I respect there's serious issues at Ashington, but surely anyone with brains would see it's better to really piss off one group of passengers rather than pissing everyone off.
Damage limitation etc.
Hopefully the electric vehicles will be in use very soon, but Arriva won't withdraw anything at all until the new diesel vehicles arrive, which will hopefully prevent these issues.
It looks like it is actually 3053 on the 415 today.
(07 Feb 2026, 4:24 pm)Arriva7446 wrote [ -> ]It looks like it is actually 3053 on the 415 today.
Yeah 3053 is on loan from Darlington, apparently coming back to Darlington in replacement for a Streetlite
(07 Feb 2026, 10:05 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Personally think it's mad that Blyth are loaning buses to Ashington.
It's just resulting up in this:
I respect there's serious issues at Ashington, but surely anyone with brains would see it's better to really piss off one group of passengers rather than pissing everyone off.
Damage limitation etc.
There are literally BBC News articles about the state of the services at Ashington, and days where upwards of 10 services aren't running. Blyth missing a couple of boards is tiny in comparison - there looks to have been a big gap in the 7/8/10/11 cycle mid-afternoon but I'm more inclined to believe that was vehicles not tracking than actual missed services.
My understanding is that from tomorrow only one vehicle will be on loan from Blyth - who also still have the electric demo - so realistically they're level on paper.
(07 Feb 2026, 11:21 pm)PH - BQA wrote [ -> ]There are literally BBC News articles about the state of the services at Ashington, and days where upwards of 10 services aren't running. Blyth missing a couple of boards is tiny in comparison - there looks to have been a big gap in the 7/8/10/11 cycle mid-afternoon but I'm more inclined to believe that was vehicles not tracking than actual missed services.
My understanding is that from tomorrow only one vehicle will be on loan from Blyth - who also still have the electric demo - so realistically they're level on paper.
One board is unacceptable though, if my bus doesn't turn up, I couldn't give two hoots what's happening next door.
The X21/X22/35 has had problems for weeks, yes it's bad but to bring the same problems to the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11/306/308 to save face is just crazy management (and all those routes were impacted today (again)).
People are rightfully pissed off at Ashington, but that's better than
literally everyone pissed off on the Arriva Northumbria network.
(07 Feb 2026, 11:29 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]One board is unacceptable though, if my bus doesn't turn up, I couldn't give two hoots what's happening next door.
The X21/X22/35 has had problems for weeks, yes it's bad but to bring the same problems to the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11/306/308 to save face is just crazy management (and all those routes were impacted today (again)).
People are rightfully pissed off at Ashington, but that's better than literally everyone pissed off on the Arriva Northumbria network.
Right, and if you went for one bus and the next was coming you'd be annoyed but likely get over it. If, for weeks, you have been going for buses and multiple in a row were cancelled you're absolutely not going to use the bus again.
It's likely that this is an attempt to answer the inevitable questions from the traffic commissioner. If resource has been drafted in it looks like actions have been taken. If you've got a depot 5 miles down the road with spare buses every day (which Blyth generally do...) while your other one is missing a significant percentage of mileage due to no available bus, it wouldn't be a comfortable conversation.
Ashington have a significant amount of rural and contracted work, which cannot be dropped. This leads to an absolute massacre across the 1/2/35/X21/X22. Blyth exclusively operate frequent, urban services - far more choice in services to drop if need be, and also a corridor (Coast Road) which has multiple operators.
(07 Feb 2026, 8:35 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote [ -> ]Yeah 3053 is on loan from Darlington, apparently coming back to Darlington in replacement for a Streetlite
3053 has arrived back at Darlington this evening currently lined up ready to be refulled
(07 Feb 2026, 11:50 pm)PH - BQA wrote [ -> ]Right, and if you went for one bus and the next was coming you'd be annoyed but likely get over it. If, for weeks, you have been going for buses and multiple in a row were cancelled you're absolutely not going to use the bus again.
It's likely that this is an attempt to answer the inevitable questions from the traffic commissioner. If resource has been drafted in it looks like actions have been taken. If you've got a depot 5 miles down the road with spare buses every day (which Blyth generally do...) while your other one is missing a significant percentage of mileage due to no available bus, it wouldn't be a comfortable conversation.
Ashington have a significant amount of rural and contracted work, which cannot be dropped. This leads to an absolute massacre across the 1/2/35/X21/X22. Blyth exclusively operate frequent, urban services - far more choice in services to drop if need be, and also a corridor (Coast Road) which has multiple operators.
No arguments on your view but I'd look at it the opposite way personally and yeah probably right with the commissioner.
If you've been suffering for cancellations for weeks, then one extra day probably isn't going to be the end of the world - those who aren't going to use the bus will be long gone already. Blyth operations might aswell be perfect and only have one section of customers impacted instead.
Btw, wouldn't say Blyth is ideal; the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 are every 30 minutes for large chunks of their routes, and an hourly gap is an issue which then leads to serious delays, similar with the 43/44/45 really and the Morpeth boards are off the equation anyway as there's funding there. Only really the 306/308 which is fair game.
(22 Dec 2025, 10:53 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote [ -> ]Yes allegedly been sold as well
(08 Feb 2026, 5:58 pm)ross13 wrote [ -> ]3053 has arrived back at Darlington this evening currently lined up ready to be refulled
Has anything gone up in its place
Heard a rumour that 7580 has gone back up north too
(08 Feb 2026, 9:47 pm)Ryland wrote [ -> ]Has anything gone up in its place
Heard a rumour that 7580 has gone back up north too
Have seen mention it was swapped for 1588
They'll have to bring in 3053 again though if they can't get their 2 solo's on the road for the 415, but maybe they will be back in use this week 3051 or 52.
(08 Feb 2026, 9:47 pm)Ryland wrote [ -> ]Has anything gone up in its place
Heard a rumour that 7580 has gone back up north too
7580 has definitely returned, on an X18 board today.
1387 has also joined.
1387, 1588, 7580, 7590, and 7636 are the 5 on loan.
(09 Feb 2026, 6:38 am)7PH - BQA wrote [ -> ]7580 has definitely returned, on an X18 board today.
1387 has also joined.
1387, 1588, 7580, 7590, and 7636 are the 5 on loan.
1368 from Stockton could be easy sent up to Ashington as its Euro 6 so it be able to go in to Newcastle
7578 1588 7580 7590 are the loans
1387 is permanent move been there since last year in northrumbra
(09 Feb 2026, 8:37 am)Mick 7570 wrote [ -> ] 1368 from Stockton could be easy sent up to Ashington as its Euro 6 so it be able to go in to Newcastle
7578 1588 7580 7590 are the loans
1387 is permanent move been there since last year in northrumbra
No it hasn’t. 1389 was a transfer to allow 7526 to move to Ashington.
1387 is a loan, as stated in my previous post.
Looking at Bustimes, 3051 has broke down AGAIN! This must be one of the worst vehicles Arriva Ashington have had. I do get it on the 57 quite a bit and sure it's quite comfortable but I dread it as you just can't be sure you'll complete the journey. I regret complaining about 2601 - 3 now, they were actually reliable and although they were too small, I think there has been an increase in missing trips since they left.
I don't know exactly what Darlington use 3053 on, but if that was off road could it be covered by an Enviro 200MMC? If so maybe worth swapping 3053 and 51 as when Ashington don't have this available it means either a double decker on the 434, when the deckers could be much more useful elsewhere, or they have to draft something in like they did this weekend for the 415. 3052 seems ok to be fair, but you can't expect a 12+ year old bus to be always available. Ashington have enough really poor vehicles to maintain without 3051 so getting rid would be useful if they could.
I wonder what they would do if 3051 was the only one available at the start of the 415 and so they used it and then it broke down, they would have no cover. This weekend they seemed to know in advance it would not be available so 3053 was brought in.
(09 Feb 2026, 11:21 am)Arriva7446 wrote [ -> ]Looking at Bustimes, 3051 has broke down AGAIN! This must be one of the worst vehicles Arriva Ashington have had. I do get it on the 57 quite a bit and sure it's quite comfortable but I dread it as you just can't be sure you'll complete the journey. I regret complaining about 2601 - 3 now, they were actually reliable and although they were too small, I think there has been an increase in missing trips since they left.
I don't know exactly what Darlington use 3053 on, but if that was off road could it be covered by an Enviro 200MMC? If so maybe worth swapping 3053 and 51 as when Ashington don't have this available it means either a double decker on the 434, when the deckers could be much more useful elsewhere, or they have to draft something in like they did this weekend for the 415. 3052 seems ok to be fair, but you can't expect a 12+ year old bus to be always available. Ashington have enough really poor vehicles to maintain without 3051 so getting rid would be useful if they could.
I wonder what they would do if 3051 was the only one available at the start of the 415 and so they used it and then it broke down, they would have no cover. This weekend they seemed to know in advance it would not be available so 3053 was brought in.
3053 was drafted into Darlington for 2841 replacement and is supposed to be used on council contract service 16
By the looks of bustimes and other sources arriva northrumbra vechale off road are
1389
1392
1479
1513
3052
7501
7507
7527
7529
7530
7532
7533
7541
7545
7551
7552
7557
7569
7602
7607
7616
AR74 ZEB
I don't know if 7501 will be back ever, I think it has actually been off since October, and all the tracking since then has been something else.
Otherwise 7530 is the poorest one there. 7557 also a bit poor. Then 3051 as well, which does come out most days, but breaks down.
7501 has turned up at Durham missing various panels and looking pretty much finished. From what I’ve seen 7551 & 7569 are both there along with a 15 plate E400 all for the engine shop.
Seen a councillor is kicking off about the state of the Blyth routes now (Cramlington).
Was just a matter of time tbh. Probably the last thing Arriva want aswell.
I've had a few emails recently form recruitment agencies advertising for Ashington & Durham.
I also notice Arriva Northumbria are now offering £16.00ph M-F basic, the first of the big 3 to hit £16 basic in the region I believe.
(11 Feb 2026, 12:39 pm)Chris 1 wrote [ -> ]I've had a few emails recently form recruitment agencies advertising for Ashington & Durham.
I also notice Arriva Northumbria are now offering £16.00ph M-F basic, the first of the big 3 to hit £16 basic in the region I believe.
The agency in Durham is not for Arriva. There’s union won’t allow agency drivers in the Durham County part of the operations