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+--- Thread: Arriva North East: Latest News & Discussion - June 2014 (/showthread.php?tid=1312)
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - upt50k - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:45 am)forster I travelled on the MAX spec 7611 on the X10 14.50 out of Blyth yesterday. Looks very smart with the new leather? seating. Presumably some exterior branding will be applied when more have been refurbished.Pictures of Max spec decker show it as looking very smart but I think this is a lot of money spent on a fairly new bus that looked smart in interurban livery anyway.Arriva now have in effect a three tier layer of service giving the impression that some customers are more important to them than others when I think they should have put their resources into preventative work to ensure the buses do not breakdown in between services This is a current project.Would Service 7 have been a success with just new pulsars in standard livery (without Ray Stennings swoops)? Darlington's X1 does well because they try to be reliable which is a key factor in what customers want.They will tolerate it being a bit late as long as it turns up.Again something that the may independants of the past were noted for.
The white shirts and driver blazers were once the arriva norm until blazers were dropped.The buses should be presented to the highest standard with all damage repaired asap and to a good finish(not roughly filled and poorly painted) whether they are new or old.
Arriva have changed Day Tickets to Routesavers something which does not roll off the tongue.Customers still call them Day TIckets or Day riders (inherited from Stagecoach) and seldom refer to them as Savers.Seemed a waste of more money to me. What do others think.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Kuyoyo - 13 Jun 2014
(10 Jun 2014, 5:38 pm)DaveyBowyer Hahaha, It's on it heading uptowards Newcastle from Chilli Road @18:37!
Well, got some news for you thanks to confirmation posted on a group on Facebook - at present, the 1738 308 from Blyth and the 1848 return from Newcastle run off the X10/X11 so for now until any related changes when the 'MAX' branding is launched, that working may throw up a 'MAX' livered vehicle.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Kuyoyo - 13 Jun 2014
A photo on Facebook has confirmed the return of 7608 (NK59 DMF).
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Dan - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 2:21 pm)Kuyoyo A photo on Facebook has confirmed the return of 7608 (NK59 DMF).
Photo of it when freshly repainted:
https://flic.kr/p/nXvCL4
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Roland Pratt - 13 Jun 2014
(10 Jun 2014, 6:23 pm)Tom The B5LH's were supposed to only be allocated to the 308 - did that happen?
Well said Tom. Some people live in cloud cuckoo land!
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Roland Pratt - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 8:33 am)upt50k Pictures of Max spec decker show it as looking very smart but I think this is a lot of money spent on a fairly new bus that looked smart in interurban livery anyway.Arriva now have in effect a three tier layer of service giving the impression that some customers are more important to them than others when I think they should have put their resources into preventative work to ensure the buses do not breakdown in between services This is a current project.Would Service 7 have been a success with just new pulsars in standard livery (without Ray Stennings swoops)? Darlington's X1 does well because they try to be reliable which is a key factor in what customers want.They will tolerate it being a bit late as long as it turns up.Again something that the may independants of the past were noted for.
The white shirts and driver blazers were once the arriva norm until blazers were dropped.The buses should be presented to the highest standard with all damage repaired asap and to a good finish(not roughly filled and poorly painted) whether they are new or old.
Arriva have changed Day Tickets to Routesavers something which does not roll off the tongue.Customers still call them Day TIckets or Day riders (inherited from Stagecoach) and seldom refer to them as Savers.Seemed a waste of more money to me. What do others think.
Totally agree UPT!
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - R852 PRG - 13 Jun 2014
Just seen a pop-up add for the Sapphire Deckers while browsing Wikipedia!
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - S813 FVK - 13 Jun 2014
(10 Jun 2014, 6:21 pm)Kuyoyo Yawn!
I think you'll find 'MAX' will be the same as 'Sapphire' - the vehicles will only be allocated to the X10/X11 and that's it.
So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Dan - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:50 pm)Robert So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.
Arriva has less money to pay out with "MAX", as they don't have to retro fit power sockets - a fairly difficult (and expensive) job, as I understand it? That's the main difference between "MAX" and "Sapphire" anyway.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - peter - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:50 pm)Robert So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.
The only notable difference (beside the branding of course) is that MAX branded buses do not have plug sockets while Sapphire does, but both have leather seats and free-wifi. Addtionally only Express Services will be upgraded to MAX specification (i.e any which have a route number beginning with X) while any type of service can be upgraded to Sapphire specification.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Tom - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:50 pm)Robert So why the hell dont they just brand them as 'Sapphire'. Surely something must be different.
I think your missing the point - he means it will be the same idea as Sapphire that the vehicles will ONLY be allocated to the X10/X11.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Dan - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:57 pm)Tom I think your missing the point - he means it will be the same idea as Sapphire that the vehicles will ONLY be allocated to the X10/X11.
But as we all know, fat chance of that happening (unless Blyth decide to change their ways - and if they manage to do that now, it begs the question why it couldn't have been done sooner!)
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Adrian - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:55 pm)Dan Arriva has less money to pay out with "MAX", as they don't have to retro fit power sockets - a fairly difficult (and expensive) job, as I understand it? That's the main difference between "MAX" and "Sapphire" anyway.
Must be the way the power is actually generated, stored or distributed I guess. I don't know a lot about it, but would be quite interested if anyone has info to share. I'd guess the fitting of the actual sockets is the easiest part of it.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Adrian - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:57 pm)Tom I think your missing the point - he means it will be the same idea as Sapphire that the vehicles will ONLY be allocated to the X10/X11.
Aye, it's never going to happen though. If they can't manage it with the Hybrids (that they have to report back on when they're not allocated right!), they're never going to manage when it's entirely optional. It's a complete free for all.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - John_R - 13 Jun 2014
(13 Jun 2014, 7:55 pm)Dan Arriva has less money to pay out with "MAX", as they don't have to retro fit power sockets - a fairly difficult (and expensive) job, as I understand it? That's the main difference between "MAX" and "Sapphire" anyway.
Also, with MAX the floors are not replaced like there are on Sapphire refurbishments. MAX is a local management initiative (NE & Yorks) and is a lot cheaper than Sapphire, whereas Sapphire is a UK wide initiative, which as has previously been said on here, with one team doing all the Sapphire launches.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - northern156 - 14 Jun 2014
Bit off topic, but how is this OK?
For Arriva, an Adult single from Greenhead to Carlisle is £5.40.
For Stagecoach in Cumbria, the very same ticket costs just £4.25. Bearing in mind that is a jointly operated service. Ugh.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - G-CPTN - 14 Jun 2014
(14 Jun 2014, 9:26 am)northern156 Bit off topic, but how is this OK?I believe that there are discrepancies between the fares from Hexham to Corbridge.
For Arriva, an Adult single from Greenhead to Carlisle is £5.40.
For Stagecoach in Cumbria, the very same ticket costs just £4.25. Bearing in mind that is a jointly operated service. Ugh.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - buznut - 14 Jun 2014
Alx 400 decker caught my eye yesterday in orginal livery with what looks like an interurban dark blue colour front bumper.
I missed the fleet no but was on the 56s leaving Ferryhill.Must be one of Belmonts the older trident 2s i guess!
Anyone else spotted that one....
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Jimmi - 14 Jun 2014
(14 Jun 2014, 1:05 pm)buznut Alx 400 decker caught my eye yesterday in orginal livery with what looks like an interurban dark blue colour front bumper.
I missed the fleet no but was on the 56s leaving Ferryhill.Must be one of Belmonts the older trident 2s i guess!
Anyone else spotted that one....
It is 7433.
RE: Arriva North East - Latest - Jimmi - 14 Jun 2014
From Sunday 29th June, Service X1 will run hourly on Sundays all year round.