(02 Nov 2016, 11:32 am)GX03 SVC I thought that it would be the Primo on the 15/16 and a Dart on the M1?

(03 Nov 2016, 1:17 pm)Jimmi Looking more closely at the timetables, I think it's possible that some of the M1 journeys could interwork with other services, the first weekday morning journey to Thropton looks to work onto the 15 and the last journey from Thropton looks to come off the 15, it also seems coincidental that the weekday (excluding Wednesday's) M1 that leaves Morpeth at 10:00 and return journey run during a gap in service on the S1 timetable, unsure what would work the 15:00 from Morpeth and return journey as both the 15/16 and S1 are in operation during these times.

(03 Nov 2016, 3:52 pm)Tom I don't know if the bus could get from Stannington to Morpeth in 7 minutes though?

Wonder if the 15:00 will work off the Hexham services depending on times?

(03 Nov 2016, 4:13 pm)Jimmi Was looking at a old print out timetable to get these times for the S1. Bit confused how there is a journey from both Morpeth and Stannington at 09:30 and this is currently the case now, unsure where the second bus comes from.

I was thinking the 15:00 would be whatever does the 808 from Newcastle at 17:20 plus off whatever other services run during the day such as the 613 on a Tuesday, most likely be a van of some description I would imagine.

(03 Nov 2016, 4:23 pm)Tom Yeah they could have made things a lot easier by just having one bus on the M1/S1 and another on the 15/16. Quite strange how they've done it.

(03 Nov 2016, 5:18 pm)Buses98 would it be better to retime the S1 to fit in with the M1 because I know for certain that the a bus cannot get from stannington to morpeth in 7 minutes.

(03 Nov 2016, 5:18 pm)Buses98 would it be better to retime the S1 to fit in with the M1 because I know for certain that the a bus cannot get from stannington to morpeth in 7 minutes.

(04 Nov 2016, 12:01 pm)Jimmi PCL Travel have acquired former The Eden Solo V470GBF. It has been repainted into a all green livery with "Rural Link" vinyls.

(07 Nov 2016, 5:01 pm)Tom Anyone been on the services today then? What was allocated?

(07 Nov 2016, 6:39 pm)Cobalt271 One of the Dart's was allocated to service 15/16 I know that much, I caught a glimpse of it coming into Alnwick this morning.

(08 Nov 2016, 5:55 pm)Jimmi My suggestions about the M1 workings were correct, the 10:00 from Morpeth and return interworks with the S1 and the afternoon run this afternoon was Dart LG02FFP.

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I decided to sample PCL Travel's efforts on the 15/16 and M1 this afternoon, here's what happened.

I got the 14:15 service 15 from Alnwick with Dart LG02FFR being allocated for this journey, I decided to sit at the back for this journey, avoiding the Urban90's seats of course! first thing I noticed was one of the panels behind the seat was just layed along the ledge over the engine with a canister or something plus wiring being exposed as a result (see photo below). Dart as expected wasn't the greatest bus in the world especially being ex London, it was alright on the straights but the performance on hills wasn't great.

I stayed on-board to ride the circular service 16 with the nice views, just a shame that there is no guided tours anymore.

Upon return to Thropton I had intended to catch their commercial service M1 to Morpeth with Dart LG02FFP being allocated for this run, unfortunately after a driver changeover with the drivers between both services, LG02FFP wouldn't start, both drivers attempting to start the failed Dart but no joy, I was hoping that they would give up after about 10-15 minutes and just send the 16/15 which was working on it's way, but no, both drivers kept on attempting to start the stricken Dart, they left both buses and went to a nearby petrol station to get something to possibly help start the bus, but it was hopeless, so sometime after 16:30 they finally gave up and finally me and the Dart on the 16/15 were on the way to Alnwick, 45 minutes late with me spending that whole time loitering in Thropton wondering how I was going to get home and I had no mobile signal in Thropton so I couldn't alert anyone to the situation I was in (annoyingly just before leaving I discovered that I could have used the Three Wheat Heads' WiFi).

I am now currently on the X15 to Newcastle when I should be somewhere near Chester-le-Street and won't be getting home until around 9pm now. Needless to say, am not amused by this and I have zero desires to ever use one of their services again.

(08 Nov 2016, 5:55 pm)Jimmi My suggestions about the M1 workings were correct, the 10:00 from Morpeth and return interworks with the S1 and the afternoon run this afternoon was Dart LG02FFP.

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I decided to sample PCL Travel's efforts on the 15/16 and M1 this afternoon, here's what happened.

I got the 14:15 service 15 from Alnwick with Dart LG02FFR being allocated for this journey, I decided to sit at the back for this journey, avoiding the Urban90's seats of course! first thing I noticed was one of the panels behind the seat was just layed along the ledge over the engine with a canister or something plus wiring being exposed as a result (see photo below). Dart as expected wasn't the greatest bus in the world especially being ex London, it was alright on the straights but the performance on hills wasn't great.

I stayed on-board to ride the circular service 16 with the nice views, just a shame that there is no guided tours anymore.

Upon return to Thropton I had intended to catch their commercial service M1 to Morpeth with Dart LG02FFP being allocated for this run, unfortunately after a driver changeover with the drivers between both services, LG02FFP wouldn't start, both drivers attempting to start the failed Dart but no joy, I was hoping that they would give up after about 10-15 minutes and just send the 16/15 which was working on it's way, but no, both drivers kept on attempting to start the stricken Dart, they left both buses and went to a nearby petrol station to get something to possibly help start the bus, but it was hopeless, so sometime after 16:30 they finally gave up and finally me and the Dart on the 16/15 were on the way to Alnwick, 45 minutes late with me spending that whole time loitering in Thropton wondering how I was going to get home and I had no mobile signal in Thropton so I couldn't alert anyone to the situation I was in (annoyingly just before leaving I discovered that I could have used the Three Wheat Heads' WiFi).

I am now currently on the X15 to Newcastle when I should be somewhere near Chester-le-Street and won't be getting home until around 9pm now. Needless to say, am not amused by this and I have zero desires to ever use one of their services again.

(08 Nov 2016, 6:13 pm)Cobalt271 Jesus that sounds like such a rough day, and you live a long way from these services too! I certainly won't be hopping aboard anytime soon after reading this.

(08 Nov 2016, 6:20 pm)Tom Not great at all then! Wonder how long it will be until they start allocating vans to the M1/S1 and 15/16...

Will still give their services a go sometime though.