(09 Aug 2014, 1:38 pm)Dan It's undergoing 'engine repairs' by DiagTest...
https://flic.kr/p/ogJm4q

(09 Aug 2014, 4:18 pm)DaveyBowyer Lesson two: Buy buses with big engines! GNE didn't buy double decks between 2006 and 2011 until a manufacturer released a proven, reliable, big and powerful engine capable of handling most routes after the problems with the B7TL's from both X10 and 724 batches.

(09 Aug 2014, 5:54 pm)aureolin Are you sure that's the real reason? May have not bought deckers, but they certainly invested in other areas during this time - Citaros, Omnis and Versas for example.

(09 Aug 2014, 5:57 pm)Dan After all, the Volvo B9TL was available before Go North East purchased it in 2011 (albeit maybe not with the Gemini 2 bodywork)...

(09 Aug 2014, 7:06 pm)Jimmi ARRIVA SERVICES 4 and X4 will operate later into the evening from Saturday 9 until Monday 11 August 2014 whilst the Whitby Regatta takes place. Extra service 4 journeys will leave Whitby at 2040, 2140 and 2240, and continue as service X4 from Loftus at 2115, 2215 and 2315 to terminate at Redcar Clock at 2150, 2250 and 2350 respectively.

(09 Aug 2014, 8:46 pm)tyresmoke Also extra X93s to Scarborough and town services 95/96 will run all night too. P&R gets extended by around an hour I think it is. Was asked to help out but my early shift on Monday put paid to that

(09 Aug 2014, 6:02 pm)aureolin Yup, way before! As much as DB would like it to be true, it was probably just down different circumstances at the time. The B7TL in original Gemini bodywork would have also been more than suitable for most services, but if they forked out for a load of them, we would have more than likely not seen the investment in Citaros during the same period.

Shame we can't have a bottomless pit of money.

(10 Aug 2014, 10:14 am)Philly rf Does anyone know if anymore volvo b10bles have moved to stockton yet or is it still v508 dft

(10 Aug 2014, 10:59 am)tyresmoke None as yet, just 4508. Sure it will get reported on here as and when any more move down.

(10 Aug 2014, 4:37 pm)tyresmoke Couple of updates that may have been missed recently...

7612, 7613 and 7614 are all back from Max refurbishment and are back in service at Blyth.
7513 and 7616 transferred to Blackburn this week for refurbishment.
7615 is still down there at present.
7466 has transferred from Ashington to Blyth as planned.

(10 Aug 2014, 5:00 pm)Coppercap40 Has 7466 moved on from Blyth to Jesmond or been on loan as saw it on the 1650 X11 to Blyth earlier this week plus another sighting of it on what I think was the 43 ?

(10 Aug 2014, 5:33 pm)Dan The Fleet Allocation showed 7622 away for MAX refurbishment at the same time as 7614, so I'm guessing that one has also returned?


There's an additional X11 working provided by Jesmond - that would have been it, I think... Though I don't know why it would have been on the 43.

(10 Aug 2014, 7:49 pm)tyresmoke No 7622 hasn't been to Blackburn yet as far as I know. 7615/16 (and 7513, 4653/9) are the ones down there at present I believe.

(10 Aug 2014, 7:56 pm)mb134 They look like they are quite a way behind on refurbishments, according to the Arriva website X10/11 and X15 should have gone MAX in June... http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/mobile/about-us/max--new-inter-urban-express-services-from-arriva/

(10 Aug 2014, 8:04 pm)Dan Typos are plentiful on that page!

(10 Aug 2014, 7:56 pm)mb134 They look like they are quite a way behind on refurbishments, according to the Arriva website X10/11 and X15 should have gone MAX in June... http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/mobile/about-us/max--new-inter-urban-express-services-from-arriva/