North East Buses

(25 Feb 2019, 10:28 am)Cobalt271 wrote [ -> ]GVT have sourced 2 Solos for the 470 & 473. YJ60KHK is one and the other is an UID 06/56 plate. Interesting that they've been allowed to run such old vehicles when PCL and Borders Buses were forced into buying 13 plate Versas when they first took the contracts on.

(25 Feb 2019, 4:56 pm)S830OFT wrote [ -> ]Pictures of the new Solos are on Glen Valley Tours Facebook. They also have Route Branding with one for the 470, and one for the 473. By the sounds of it Glen Valley are delighted to have regained this contract.

YJ60 KHK is branded for the 473 whilst the other is 470 branded.
Glen Valley Tours: YJ60KHK by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

A correction to a comment I previously made is YJ54 UXH hasn't left the fleet as it was working service 470 today.
Glen Valley Tours: YJ54UXH by Matthew Jimmison, on Flickr

Few things to note are Glen Valley are accepting the annual tickets bought under PCL operation and the timetable is pretty much unchanged apart from the fact the services now start/terminate at the bus stop in the Sainsburys store car park in Alnwick.

The 2006 Solo is YJ56 WFH

Is the 710 allocated a levante on Saturday?

Does the 710 accept explorers?

south of Wooler aye.

Will the levante be operating the 710 on Saturday

(02 May 2019, 5:57 am)GNE6312 wrote [ -> ]Will the levante be operating the 710 on Saturday

It usually does...

H14GVT is now registered to a 2009 Volvo/Vanhool Triaxle painted in the recent livery.

The Levante may also be off the road/sold as it hasn't done the 710 the last few Saturdays.

Does anyone know if their Ex NH panther H9 GVT is still about and also whats happened with H11 GVT

The 710 Is now running on Saturdays again, was using Ex GNE 7105 today

Their Jonkheere H19 GVT which has been recently PSVAR converted was oddly on the 710 yesterday

Service changes from Monday, copied from their Facebook:

Important changes to our timetables and service routes coming into effect from Monday 25th July

Route 470 - Will no longer be operational

Route 473 - Will run to the new timetable Wooler - Chatton - Powburn - Whittingham - Alnwick

Route 472 - We start to operate our new route Alnwick Town Service - Barresdale - Alnwick - Weavers Way - Shilbottle - Shilbottle Grange (essentially a direct replacement to Travelsure's T01 service)

https://glenvalley.co.uk/timetables/

i have noticed since the new arrangement on the 472/473 changes that none of Glen Valley Tours buses have been tracking. i take it that there hasnt been an update since the service changes

Glenvalley have Purchased DP12 BUS Optare solo SR, dont know if this has replaced anything like the 54 plate solo slimline or the 51 plate vario or its just an addition to the fleet

(20 Nov 2022, 6:06 pm)Phillippatt wrote [ -> ]Glenvalley have Purchased DP12 BUS Optare solo SR, dont know if this has replaced anything like the 54 plate solo slimline or the 51 plate vario or its just an addition to the fleet

They've had DP12BUS for a few months now: (photo - https://flic.kr/p/2o1napV)

(20 Nov 2022, 6:48 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]They've had DP12BUS for a few months now: (photo -  https://flic.kr/p/2o1napV)

Its been a while since i have been up at wooler and alnwick so just spotted it the last few days

Seen this morning on Team Valley Maingate was a Neoplan Tourliner in Cream registered UK25 GVT and legalled up for Glen Valley Tours, unsure if this a Demonstrator for them as it's not in there usual fleet colours - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ateposted/

Glen Valley are to take delivery of 3x MCV Evoras ahead of contract changes in September, which will see them take over the 477 to Holy Island from Borders Buses & gain an additional afternoon journey on the 472.

Glen Valley have received two Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora's GV75 BUS & JW75 BUS for Alnwick Service 472/473 which entered service today, I took a trip up to a freezing cold Alnwick this afternoon for a few photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...229515164/

JW75 BUS is a special registration in tribute to a member of the company who has worked for them for over 20 years.

Route Suggestion for the 471/472/473 in Alnwick and surrounding areas.

I take it these are contracted but think the routes below are a better use of public funds...

472 - Rothbury to Shilbottle (via Alnwick) [every 2 hours] (Red)
473 - Wooler to Shilbottle (via Alnwick) [every 2 hours] (Yellow)

*combined freq from Shilbottle to Alwick keeping with the 472s current hourly frequency here. but incorporating the 471/473 as an extension each way.

Light blue is combined hourly route...

could be done with 2 vehicles (if i've worked it out correctly) and can start/finish in Wooler round the corner from the Glen Valley depot, so reduced lost mileage too

[attachment=11137]

(17 Dec 2025, 9:13 pm)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]Route Suggestion for the 471/472/473 in Alnwick and surrounding areas.

I take it these are contracted but think the routes below are a better use of public funds...

472 - Rothbury to Shilbottle (via Alnwick) [every 2 hours] (Red)
473 - Wooler to Shilbottle (via Alnwick) [every 2 hours] (Yellow)

*combined freq from Shilbottle to Alwick keeping with the 472s current hourly frequency here. but incorporating the 471/473 as an extension each way.

Light blue is combined hourly route...

could be done with 2 vehicles (if i've worked it out correctly) and can start/finish in Wooler round the corner from the Glen Valley depot, so reduced lost mileage too

One thought I had with the 472 was from Shilbottle do an anticlockwise loop via High Buston, A1068, South View/Curly Lane for (Alnmouth Rail Station), A1068 back into Alnwick to give a better connection to Alnmouth Rail Station via the local estates.

I think the 473 would be better for the Rothbury extension with a clockwise loop from Alnwick via Shilbottle, Hampeth, Newton-Le-Moor, Swarland, Old Swarland, Longframlington, Rothbury, Thropton, Lorbottle, Whittingham then B6341 back into Alnwick. You could also introduce a 474 to an anticlockwise loop interworking off the 472 at Alnwick.

Unrelated but I would also extend Border Buses 418 to Alnwick via Alnwick Rail Station and I'd look to retime Arriva's X15/X18/X20 so you have clean set frequency of every 20 minutes from Alnwick to Newcastle.

imo you'd be better doing something like

X15: Newcastle - NON STOP (Mafeking R'bout (for trains), Regent Centre and Gosforth Only) - Morpeth - Direct via A1 - Alnwick - X15 Route - Berwick (Every 2 Hours)
X16: Newcastle - NON STOP (Mafeking R'bout (for trains), Regent Centre and Gosforth Only) - Morpeth - Direct via A1 - Alnwick - X18 Route - Berwick (Every 2 Hours, Newcastle to Alnwick, Extended Every 4 Hours (Winter) / 2 Hours (Summer) to Berwick/Belford)
----
X15/X16: Super Express Newcastle - Morpeth - Alnwick (Every Hour)

X17: Newcastle - X15 Route to Shilbottle via Stannington - 472 Route to Alnwick omit. St James Estate Blakelaw Road loop - 473 Route to Wooler (Every 2 Hours)
X17A: Newcastle - X15 Route to Shilbottle via Stannington - 472 Shilbottle Loop - 472 Route to Lower Barrasdale omit. St James Estate Blakelaw Road loop (Every 2 Hours)
X18: Current X18, Curtailed at Alnwick (Every Hour)
X19: Current X14 (Every Hour)
X20: No Changes (Every Hour)
----
X17/X17A/X18/X19: Limited Stop Express, Newcastle - Morpeth (Every 20 Minutes)
X18/X20: Coast (Every 30 Minutes)

471: Rothbury to St James Estate Blakelaw Road, do loop (Current Frequency)

X16: Withdrawn completely, daily extension covered by X17
472: Withdrawn completely, covered by X17A
473: Withdrawn completely, convered by X17

At the end of the day, people will prefer the links to Newcastle rather than Shilbottle and the X18 doubling back is completely stupid regardless. Alnwick to Morpeth deserves 2 buses an hour, including one which is super express and it's pretty much there anyway with the X16/472 doing most of it. 

Glen Valley appear to have used coaches on the 472/473 before aswell so no reason why a full size bus can't do the X17 routes.