Withdrawn buses
Withdrawn buses
(31 Jul 2023, 9:29 am)Storx They're all as bad as each other, they just need to order another batch of Enviro 200 MMC's (or something else) - not sure how many is actually needed and get shot of them. The 08 plate is the most reliable at Ashington ironically, 2854 and 2856 and being much worse. 2856 seems to be banned from the 57/57A for some reason which considering it's the reason it's there for is a problem.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:29 am)Storx They're all as bad as each other, they just need to order another batch of Enviro 200 MMC's (or something else) - not sure how many is actually needed and get shot of them. The 08 plate is the most reliable at Ashington ironically, 2854 and 2856 and being much worse. 2856 seems to be banned from the 57/57A for some reason which considering it's the reason it's there for is a problem.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 10:09 am)Storx In fairness, it's not just Ashington which is having problems Redcar / Whitby is just as bad. They've got a Streetlite on the 95/96 today, even known they've got 5 Solo's. Not sure what 2 are doing at Redcar atm though mind, assuming they've had issues and are being kept local.
It appears 2859 at Walkergate broke down the other day aswell.
(31 Jul 2023, 10:09 am)Storx In fairness, it's not just Ashington which is having problems Redcar / Whitby is just as bad. They've got a Streetlite on the 95/96 today, even known they've got 5 Solo's. Not sure what 2 are doing at Redcar atm though mind, assuming they've had issues and are being kept local.
It appears 2859 at Walkergate broke down the other day aswell.
(31 Jul 2023, 1:50 pm)Ryland Streetlite swapped for a decker. 7404 is now on the 95
The solos might be 2862 which hasn't tracked since the 10th of July
And 2863 which was out supposedly first thing this morning but broke down on the X3
2860 is on the 62
2866 has tracked since Saturday afternoon.
Feel as though Arriva has been forgotten about within the north east.
Only 2 sets of new buses and cascades of older examples from other depots.
Could it get any worse
(31 Jul 2023, 1:50 pm)Ryland Streetlite swapped for a decker. 7404 is now on the 95
The solos might be 2862 which hasn't tracked since the 10th of July
And 2863 which was out supposedly first thing this morning but broke down on the X3
2860 is on the 62
2866 has tracked since Saturday afternoon.
Feel as though Arriva has been forgotten about within the north east.
Only 2 sets of new buses and cascades of older examples from other depots.
Could it get any worse
(31 Jul 2023, 9:29 am)Storx They're all as bad as each other, they just need to order another batch of Enviro 200 MMC's (or something else) - not sure how many is actually needed and get shot of them. The 08 plate is the most reliable at Ashington ironically, 2854 and 2856 and being much worse. 2856 seems to be banned from the 57/57A for some reason which considering it's the reason it's there for is a problem.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:29 am)Storx They're all as bad as each other, they just need to order another batch of Enviro 200 MMC's (or something else) - not sure how many is actually needed and get shot of them. The 08 plate is the most reliable at Ashington ironically, 2854 and 2856 and being much worse. 2856 seems to be banned from the 57/57A for some reason which considering it's the reason it's there for is a problem.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:33 am)Kuyoyo Or maybe Ashington just need to get their engineering staff in order - ironic that the issues with the 59 plates only became major when Ashington got their hands on them. Especially considering those that ended up at Durham didn't appear to have any of the issues Ashington have apparently had.
(31 Jul 2023, 7:20 pm)mb134 2856 runs a tad warm.
I mean, aren't issues more likely to become major when you're asking a 13 year old minibus to complete a relatively demanding interurban route compared to it trundling around Darlington?
They're also being used on said route 7 days a week, from start until end of service, and being driven by the newest drivers (who I imagine are more likely to report potential issues, being fresh out of the training school, requiring the bus to be checked by engineering and taken out of service).
(31 Jul 2023, 9:01 pm)peter While I don't want to comment on Ashington's engineering, I do find it noteworthy that of the solo's remaining with Arriva Durham County, the 11-plates are seemingly being withdrawn before the 59-plates which, as you say, seem to handle some pretty intensive services around Durham not just Darlington town.
(31 Jul 2023, 7:20 pm)mb134 2856 runs a tad warm.
I mean, aren't issues more likely to become major when you're asking a 13 year old minibus to complete a relatively demanding interurban route compared to it trundling around Darlington?
They're also being used on said route 7 days a week, from start until end of service, and being driven by the newest drivers (who I imagine are more likely to report potential issues, being fresh out of the training school, requiring the bus to be checked by engineering and taken out of service).
(31 Jul 2023, 9:01 pm)peter While I don't want to comment on Ashington's engineering, I do find it noteworthy that of the solo's remaining with Arriva Durham County, the 11-plates are seemingly being withdrawn before the 59-plates which, as you say, seem to handle some pretty intensive services around Durham not just Darlington town.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:39 pm)Storx Guess that's why it's not allowed on it.
To be fair, apart from the 57/57A/58. Durham's work isn't particular that hard, the 49/49A is pretty much just trundling along at 30 mph for most of it's route and that was mostly their allocation. It's no worse than any of the Darlington work compared to the 57/57A which has quite a few 60 mph sections and it's usually where they break. Earsdon Road, in particular, seems to be a hot spot for killing them off.
I was going to say they had a good day, the 3 working but I'd be lying and something has clearly gone wrong with 2852 with it leaving Whitley Bay 30 minutes late, then being pulled at Cramlington.
(31 Jul 2023, 9:39 pm)Storx Guess that's why it's not allowed on it.
To be fair, apart from the 57/57A/58. Durham's work isn't particular that hard, the 49/49A is pretty much just trundling along at 30 mph for most of it's route and that was mostly their allocation. It's no worse than any of the Darlington work compared to the 57/57A which has quite a few 60 mph sections and it's usually where they break. Earsdon Road, in particular, seems to be a hot spot for killing them off.
I was going to say they had a good day, the 3 working but I'd be lying and something has clearly gone wrong with 2852 with it leaving Whitley Bay 30 minutes late, then being pulled at Cramlington.
(01 Aug 2023, 8:40 pm)Storx In fairness they're rarely on there. Hasn't been all 3 since last Wednesday.
(01 Aug 2023, 8:40 pm)Storx In fairness they're rarely on there. Hasn't been all 3 since last Wednesday.
(02 Aug 2023, 6:02 pm)peter 2861 has been on the 58 everyday since July 15th, 2834 and 2857 seem to have been escaping onto the 56 recently which is still a fair trek, regardless they're seemingly much more reliable than Ashington's examples.
(02 Aug 2023, 6:02 pm)peter 2861 has been on the 58 everyday since July 15th, 2834 and 2857 seem to have been escaping onto the 56 recently which is still a fair trek, regardless they're seemingly much more reliable than Ashington's examples.
(02 Aug 2023, 6:31 pm)Storx In fairness Durham is the outlier here, they were only shipped out of Darlington as the local MP was sick of the reliability problems there, they're awful at Ashington and they're even worse at Whitby where there's 1/5 for a PVR of 2 on the road today and that stopped tracking at 9.20am so could very likely be joining the other 4.
Not to mention the Enviro 200's have been filling in for them for ages now, when they used to be used more. They're shot and need removing asap imo.
Mind it'll be interesting if they go to the scrapyard or end up going to Arriva's dumping ground of Kent / Essex to see off 19 year old MPD's down there.
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(02 Aug 2023, 6:31 pm)Storx In fairness Durham is the outlier here, they were only shipped out of Darlington as the local MP was sick of the reliability problems there, they're awful at Ashington and they're even worse at Whitby where there's 1/5 for a PVR of 2 on the road today and that stopped tracking at 9.20am so could very likely be joining the other 4.
Not to mention the Enviro 200's have been filling in for them for ages now, when they used to be used more. They're shot and need removing asap imo.
Mind it'll be interesting if they go to the scrapyard or end up going to Arriva's dumping ground of Kent / Essex to see off 19 year old MPD's down there.
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(02 Aug 2023, 7:52 pm)tyresmoke 2860 lasted all of 10 mins on the 96 this morning and it hasn’t ran for the rest of the day… after yesterday’s half day that’s pretty bad. It would seem Redcar are down to 0/4 working Solos now…
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(02 Aug 2023, 7:52 pm)tyresmoke 2860 lasted all of 10 mins on the 96 this morning and it hasn’t ran for the rest of the day… after yesterday’s half day that’s pretty bad. It would seem Redcar are down to 0/4 working Solos now…
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(02 Aug 2023, 9:27 pm)Storx Wasn't sure whether that actually broke down or was a tracking error. Must say GCT get slated for not running services but the 95/96 are barely useable lately with cancellations almost daily. Appears the 96 just hasn't ran at all today.
Haven't they got 5 Solo's though? 2860 / 2862 / 2863 / 2866 / 2870? Unsure on the state of 2862 as it's been VOR for weeks now.
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(02 Aug 2023, 9:27 pm)Storx Wasn't sure whether that actually broke down or was a tracking error. Must say GCT get slated for not running services but the 95/96 are barely useable lately with cancellations almost daily. Appears the 96 just hasn't ran at all today.
Haven't they got 5 Solo's though? 2860 / 2862 / 2863 / 2866 / 2870? Unsure on the state of 2862 as it's been VOR for weeks now.
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(02 Aug 2023, 10:29 pm)tyresmoke The 96 being a contract makes it worse… the 95 is at least commercial but you can get a big bus round 95% of that.
2862 is withdrawn along with 2871. That leaves them with 60, 63, 66 and 70 for two boards… and they can’t even manage that
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(02 Aug 2023, 10:29 pm)tyresmoke The 96 being a contract makes it worse… the 95 is at least commercial but you can get a big bus round 95% of that.
2862 is withdrawn along with 2871. That leaves them with 60, 63, 66 and 70 for two boards… and they can’t even manage that
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(02 Aug 2023, 10:45 pm)Storx It's poor mind I must say, I know I go on about the Solo's, a lot, but they really need to bite the bullet and invest in something that can actually do the services. What, I don't know, but they're not fit for purpose it's not as if they need that many to get the remaining lot out excluding 2601 - 2603.
Ashington (5) - 57/57A + Spare
Durham (4) - 58 + Spare (Could even upgrade to full size bus?)
Whitby (3) - 95/96 + Spare
Darlington (2?) - Replace remaining Solo's
I'm sure the lads down in Tunbridge Wells will be over the moon to have another journey down in some of them, they must've been gutted when they got up here and found out what they were in for
Even GCT can manage to get a nice fleet of Enviro 200 MMC's and excluding the 57/57A and 95 it's all contract work so arguably no different.
(02 Aug 2023, 10:45 pm)Storx It's poor mind I must say, I know I go on about the Solo's, a lot, but they really need to bite the bullet and invest in something that can actually do the services. What, I don't know, but they're not fit for purpose it's not as if they need that many to get the remaining lot out excluding 2601 - 2603.
Ashington (5) - 57/57A + Spare
Durham (4) - 58 + Spare (Could even upgrade to full size bus?)
Whitby (3) - 95/96 + Spare
Darlington (2?) - Replace remaining Solo's
I'm sure the lads down in Tunbridge Wells will be over the moon to have another journey down in some of them, they must've been gutted when they got up here and found out what they were in for
Even GCT can manage to get a nice fleet of Enviro 200 MMC's and excluding the 57/57A and 95 it's all contract work so arguably no different.
(03 Aug 2023, 8:06 am)Ryland 2863 has made it to Whitby for the 95. Still nothing active for the 96. They're must be some minibuses around that Redcar/whitby could use for the interim. Couldn't they even hire one from coast and country since they share a depot
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(03 Aug 2023, 8:06 am)Ryland 2863 has made it to Whitby for the 95. Still nothing active for the 96. They're must be some minibuses around that Redcar/whitby could use for the interim. Couldn't they even hire one from coast and country since they share a depot
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