North East Buses

(23 Jan 2016, 4:16 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]7609 on X24

Seems to be the go to allocation on Saturday's for the X24, if it isn't required on the X12, much like MAX 1415 regularly working the Teesside Park S1 on Saturday's.

7468 on X21, at Bedlington Red Lion around 10 minutes ago heading to Newbiggin.

(23 Jan 2016, 3:56 pm)Cock Robin wrote [ -> ]You're the one who's trying to be clever. And not just with me either. You're talking out your a*se. Why test a bus if its only been tested a month before just cos that's the date the bus that's withdrawn was due for test? So if you then transfer it to another depot do you change the date and do it early again. Waste of money when there's other things they could be spending it on.

Each bus has to be tested every year, so these have to be spread across the year at each depot. You usually lose a bus for a week for preparation - test day at Stockton is on a Wednesday which usually sees one of our own, plus a vehicle from Redcar and two from Darlington all having MOT tests.

There are only around 50 weeks available to MOT test vehicles - with a fleet size of around 70 at Stockton, this means one or two are done each week. This means it has to be spread across the fleet so that we don't end up with 10 vehicles off in one week. I'd presume (I'm not 100%) that this means vehicles coming in will take the dates of vehicles leaving the fleet, to keep the yearly spread as close as possible to what it always has been.

1509 adding some normality to sapphire service 7 today

(24 Jan 2016, 5:05 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote [ -> ]1509 adding some normality to sapphire service 7 today

I heard that MAX 1416 was out on the Sapphire 7 today! What on earth is going on here today, can only assume two or more Sapphire Pulsars are not available today and they don't want to put the Enviro 400's out on the 19. Making a complete mockery of route branding.

2817 on 24

(23 Jan 2016, 7:23 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Each bus has to be tested every year, so these have to be spread across the year at each depot. You usually lose a bus for a week for preparation - test day at Stockton is on a Wednesday which usually sees one of our own, plus a vehicle from Redcar and two from Darlington all having MOT tests.

There are only around 50 weeks available to MOT test vehicles - with a fleet size of around 70 at Stockton, this means one or two are done each week. This means it has to be spread across the fleet so that we don't end up with 10 vehicles off in one week. I'd presume (I'm not 100%) that this means vehicles coming in will take the dates of vehicles leaving the fleet, to keep the yearly spread as close as possible to what it always has been.

But what about used vehicles that enter the fleet or transfer between depots? A used bus coming into the fleet may be due its annual test in the days or weeks after it arrives, but the bus it's replacing may be on the schedule to be tested several months into the future. Presumably each bus's MOT only lasts for 12 months and you couldn't run a bus without a valid MOT just to fit the depot's engineering schedule. 

I would imagine a second hand bus arriving would just have to continue on its old schedule so that its MOT doesn't lapse, or pass its MOT before it enters service, depending on circumstances at the depot with engineering / service requirements?

Clearly in the reverse situation where the bus being replaced is shortly due its test and the bus coming in still has several months to run on its MOT this isn't an issue, other than the potential cost of preparing and testing a bus soon after its already been tested.

(25 Jan 2016, 7:08 pm)passenger_10 wrote [ -> ]But what about used vehicles that enter the fleet or transfer between depots? A used bus coming into the fleet may be due its annual test in the days or weeks after it arrives, but the bus it's replacing may be on the schedule to be tested several months into the future. Presumably each bus's MOT only lasts for 12 months and you couldn't run a bus without a valid MOT just to fit the depot's engineering schedule. 

I would imagine a second hand bus arriving would just have to continue on its old schedule so that its MOT doesn't lapse, or pass its MOT before it enters service, depending on circumstances at the depot with engineering / service requirements?

Clearly in the reverse situation where the bus being replaced is shortly due its test and the bus coming in still has several months to run on its MOT this isn't an issue, other than the potential cost of preparing and testing a bus soon after its already been tested.

Vehicle movements have their MOT date taken into account when they are planned for transfer or withdrawal. In the case of Stockton, the outgoing SB120 buses were in most cases withdrawn in the order their MOT was due, although a couple of them might have been due to major work being required which weren't cost effective to repair when there were other vehicles that could temporarily remain in place.
It is known that new vehicles can have their first MOT months ahead of their expiry, but when you get large batches launched (e.g. the fourteen Streetlites at Redcar), these need to be planned this way to ensure all are completed within their first year.
When a transferred vehicle is brought into a depot, it will be seen which is the nearest space to it's test expiry to be allocated. If the available space was many months early, they would simply  move other vehicles forward a week or two on the plan to create a gap for it to be sensibly placed in the MOT order. Depots like Stockton have an advantage with this as the plan covers two vehicles a week, with gaps where only one is up for test. This means it is easier to fit vehicles in on quieter weeks and swap around when only one vehicle is up for test.
The only issue is when incoming vehicles (especially new ones) are delayed. This can lead to a vehicle being tested and only lasting a few weeks before withdrawal. The only way round this might see a temporary loan from another depot to cover rather than spending best part of a week preparing a bus for test.
I think this covers the points raised. Hope this makes sense!

(25 Jan 2016, 7:41 pm)Mark wrote [ -> ]Vehicle movements have their MOT date taken into account when they are planned for transfer or withdrawal. In the case of Stockton, the outgoing SB120 buses were in most cases withdrawn in the order their MOT was due, although a couple of them might have been due to major work being required which weren't cost effective to repair when there were other vehicles that could temporarily remain in place.
It is known that new vehicles can have their first MOT months ahead of their expiry, but when you get large batches launched (e.g. the fourteen Streetlites at Redcar), these need to be planned this way to ensure all are completed within their first year.
When a transferred vehicle is brought into a depot, it will be seen which is the nearest space to it's test expiry to be allocated. If the available space was many months early, they would simply  move other vehicles forward a week or two on the plan to create a gap for it to be sensibly placed in the MOT order. Depots like Stockton have an advantage with this as the plan covers two vehicles a week, with gaps where only one is up for test. This means it is easier to fit vehicles in on quieter weeks and swap around when only one vehicle is up for test.
The only issue is when incoming vehicles (especially new ones) are delayed. This can lead to a vehicle being tested and only lasting a few weeks before withdrawal. The only way round this might see a temporary loan from another depot to cover rather than spending best part of a week preparing a bus for test.
I think this covers the points raised. Hope this makes sense!

Yes it does make sense. It's obviously far easier to have tests scheduled so they're spread out rather than having an entire batch of buses (which probably operate on the same route) all needing to be prepared and MOTed at the same time.

1923 spent the day on 15s today.

7609 on the 57

4804 on the 21/X21 (replaced 4812)
4812 on the 2 (replaced 4804)
4652 on X75/X76
1416 on 1/5/5A/19
1516 on 12/12A (replacing 1424)

spare sapphire pulsar on service 23 today.
x12 max double decker on service 57A, at least 2 deckers on 57A today, before arriva changed the route it seemed that it was always solo operated before.

does new drivers get put on service 23, as those eco streetlites are taking a battering along the humps in Hartlepool, it seems that the driver aims the wheels to go over the bumps instead of having the hump go between the wheels, thought the suspension was going to collapse with all the bangs that the streetlites were taken, I also thought that NSA were working on the streetlites for service 23.

Also if anybody works for Arriva doing the NSA for there buses, that when service 24 leaves peterlee bus station to go to durham that the next stop is not Passfield Way, its is Southway, also service 24 to Durham doesn't stop at any bus stops on Passfield Way. only stops at 2 bus stops on Passfield Way coming from Durham.

(26 Jan 2016, 5:57 pm)cbma06 wrote [ -> ]spare sapphire pulsar on service 23 today.
x12 max double decker on service 57A, at least 2 deckers on 57A today, before arriva changed the route it seemed that it was always solo operated before.

23 was probably mostly Solo operated as Belmont have a fair few of them, non of which are branded. Now we have branded StreetLite's on the 23 but no spare, so pretty much any single decker seems to end up on the 23 now, 7609 even made an appearance recently.

57A has been mixed Solo and double deck operation for a while now, it used to be because the 57A used to run to Durham Johnston School at school times so double deckers were needed on those runs. Although the 57A doesn't run to Durham Johnston School anymore it still seems to be allocated double deckers plus Pulsars and Enviro 200s seem to regularly appear to.

1463 on X66/7.

Max Gemini on 57a

1420 is on Stockton's last X12 working at present but will be replaced by 1441 upon arrival in Middlesbrough.

1456 on the 1020 5 from Middlesbrough

(27 Jan 2016, 10:33 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]1456 on the 1020 5 from Middlesbrough

Now joined by 1407 on the 1050 5 replacing 1512
Redcar meanwhile have 1566 on 22/64

7458 - X9
Corporate B7 - X7
Corporate Pulsar - X8
52/53 branded alx - 55

2804 just gone onto 17s replacing 1920

(27 Jan 2016, 11:02 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]2804 just gone onto 17s replacing 1920

Cheery wave from the driver!

(25 Jan 2016, 7:41 pm)Mark wrote [ -> ]Vehicle movements have their MOT date taken into account when they are planned for transfer or withdrawal. In the case of Stockton, the outgoing SB120 buses were in most cases withdrawn in the order their MOT was due, although a couple of them might have been due to major work being required which weren't cost effective to repair when there were other vehicles that could temporarily remain in place.
It is known that new vehicles can have their first MOT months ahead of their expiry, but when you get large batches launched (e.g. the fourteen Streetlites at Redcar), these need to be planned this way to ensure all are completed within their first year.
When a transferred vehicle is brought into a depot, it will be seen which is the nearest space to it's test expiry to be allocated. If the available space was many months early, they would simply  move other vehicles forward a week or two on the plan to create a gap for it to be sensibly placed in the MOT order. Depots like Stockton have an advantage with this as the plan covers two vehicles a week, with gaps where only one is up for test. This means it is easier to fit vehicles in on quieter weeks and swap around when only one vehicle is up for test.
The only issue is when incoming vehicles (especially new ones) are delayed. This can lead to a vehicle being tested and only lasting a few weeks before withdrawal. The only way round this might see a temporary loan from another depot to cover rather than spending best part of a week preparing a bus for test.
I think this covers the points raised. Hope this makes sense!

Interesting!

In the days of Certificate of Fitnesses they were just just kept at the original date, unless they were off the road for a period. Eg 5015/7-9 all came off at Redcar for overhaul at the same time, hence 4356/8/9 were drafted in.

(27 Jan 2016, 8:57 am)jaimzm wrote [ -> ]Max Gemini on 57a

It was 7609 again!

7491 on 306: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...otostream/

(27 Jan 2016, 6:21 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]7491 on 306: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_ph...otostream/

There is one 306 board booked for B7TL operation as it is linked to a school contract.

(27 Jan 2016, 6:24 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]There is one 306 board booked for B7TL operation as it is linked to a school contract.

Ah. I thought it was still the pulsar. My apologies!

(27 Jan 2016, 6:31 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]Ah. I thought it was still the pulsar. My apologies!

Changed in September. I'll done a quick list update of what is booked for what once I'm on my laptop (iPad and long posts on forums = lag)

Ashington 
35/35A North Seaton/Newbiggin - Morpeth / PVR 6 / DAF DB250 Alexander ALX400 (3) / Wright Streetlite (3)
57/57A Ashington/Cramlington - Whitley Bay / PVR 4 / Dennis Dart MPD
X14 - Thropton - Newcastle / PVR 3 / Scania Omnicity(2), ADL Enviro 400 (1) (MAX)
X15 Newcastle - Berwick / PVR 4 / ADL Enviro 400 (MAX)
X18 Newcastle - Berwick / PVR 5 (Winter) or 6 (Summer) / ADL Enviro 400 (MAX)
X20 Newcastle - Alnwick / PVR 4 / Volvo B7TL Gemini (MAX)
X21/X22 Newcastle - Ashington / PVR 15 / ADL Enviro 400 (Sapphire)

Blyth
1 Blyth - Widdrington / PVR 5 / Dennis MPD
2 Blyth - Morpeth / PVR 5 / Dennis  MPD
58 Cramlington Local / PVR 1 / Dennis  MPD
308 Blyth - Newcastle / PVR 9 / Volvo B5LH Wright Gemini
X7/X8 Blyth - Newcastle / PVR 9 / VDL DB300 Wright Gemini (6), VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (3) (MAX)
X9 Blyth - Newcastle / PVR 4 /  VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (3), Volvo B7TL Gemini (1) (MAX)
X10/X11 Blyth - Newcastle / PVR 12 / VDL DB300 Wright Gemini (MAX)

Jesmond
6 Newcastle - Jesmond Vale / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
13 West Denton - Throckley / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
43 Newcastle - Cramlington/Morpeth / PVR 12 / DAF DB250 ALX400 /Volvo B7TL Gemini (8), VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (4)
|- 44 Newcastle - Morpeth
|- 45 Newcastle - Dinnington
46 RVI - Newcastle - Great Park / PVR 4 / Optare Solo (branded)
51 Newcastle - Whitley Bay / PVR 2 / Optare Solo
52 Cramlington - Newcastle / PVR 8 / Volvo B10BLE
|- 53 Cramlington - North Shields
54 Newcastle - Whitley Bay / PVR 8 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
|- 55 Newcastle - Forest Hall
55 Newcastle - Forest Hall / PVR 2 / Optare Solo
59/359 Whitley Bay/Marden Estate - Backworth / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
W2 Whitley Bay - Brierdene / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
84/84A Newcastle - West Denton/Metrocentre / PVR 2 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
85/685 Newcastle - Carlisle / PVR 4 / Scania Omnicity
306 Newcastle - Whitley Bay/Tynemouth / PVR 8 / Wright Streetlite (7), Volvo B7TL Gemini (1)
335 Cobalt - Four Lane Ends / PVR 2 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
553 Regent Centre - Battle Hill / PVR 2 / Optare Solo (branded)
555 Quorum - Four Lane Ends / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (branded)
M71 Kingston Park - Newbiggin Hall / PVR 1 / Optare Solo (Nexus)
Schools / PVR 4 / DAF DB250 ALX400 (2), VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (2)

Darlington
1 Darlington - Bishop Auckland / PVR 10 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
|- 5/5A Darlington - Bishop Auckland
|- 19 Darlington - West Park
2 Red Hall - Branksome / PVR 8 / MAN Ecocity
3/3A/3B Mowden/Harrowgate Hill/Fitzwilliam Drive - Skerne Park / PVR 6 / Optare Solo
4 Darlington - Minors Crescent / PVR 4 / Optare Solo
7 Darlington - Durham / PVR 8 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (3), ADL Enviro400 (5) (Sapphire)
8 Darlington - Spennymoor / PVR 3 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
9/10 Darlington - Springfield/Whinfield / PVR 7 / Optare Solo
12/12A Hurworth - Trees Park Village / PVR 3 / MAN Ecocity (2), Optare Solo (1)
13A/13B Darlington - Firth Moor / PVR 7 / Optare Solo
21 Darlington - Peterlee / PVR 4 / MAN Ecocity
|- X21 Peterlee - Sunderland
X75/X76 Darlington - Barnard Castle / PVR 3 / Scania Omnicity (MAX)
X1 Darlington - Tow Law / PVR 5 / Wright Streetlite (MAX)
X26 Darlington - Colburn Estate / PVR 4 / Scania Omnicity (MAX)
X27 Darlington - Catterick Garrison / PVR 2 / Scania Omnicity (MAX)
X66/X67 Darlington - Middlesbrough / PVR 5 / Scania Omnicity (MAX)

Durham
6 Durham - Cockfield / PVR 13 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (10), ADL E400 (3) (Sapphire)
7 Darlington - Durham / PVR 2 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (Sapphire)
22 Durham - Sunderland PVR 6 / Wright Streetlite (Sapphire)
23 Sunderland - Hartlepool / PVR 5 / Wright Streetlite
24/24X Durham - Hartlepool / PVR 6 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (5), ADL E400 (1)
43 Durham - Esh Winning / PVR 4 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (2), DAF DB250(2)
46 Durham - Crook/Tow Law / PVR 7 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (3), DAF DB250 (4)
|- 48 Durham - New Brancepeth
49/49A Durham - Brandon / PVR 4 / Optare Solo
56 Durham - Bishop Auckland / PVR 9 / Optare Solo (7), DAF DB250 (2)
|- 57/57A Durham - Kelloe/Hartlepool
|- 86 Bishop Auckland - Toft Hill
62 Durham - Brasside / PVR 1 / Dennis MPD (Euro3)
|- 61 Durham - Whitesmokes
64 Arnison Centre - Sherburn Village/Musgrave Gardens / PVR 8 / ADL Enviro200
168 Easington Lane - East Rainton / PVR 1 / Dennis Dart MPD (Euro3)
X12 Middlesbrough - Durham - Newcastle / PVR 6 / VDL DB300 Wright Gemini (MAX)

Redcar
63 Middlesbrough - Redcar / PVR 13 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (12), Temsa Avenue (1)
64/64A Middlesbrough - New Marske / PVR 15 / Temsa Avenue
|- 22 Middlesbrough - Ings Farm
81/81a Marske - Stokesley / PVR 4 / Temsa Avenue
X3/X3A Middlesbrough - Lingdale/Skelton Asda / PVR 5 / Wright Streetlite (Sapphire)
X4/4 Middlesbrough - Loftus - Whitby / PVR 5 / Wright Streetlite (Sapphire)
X93 Middlesbrough - Scarborough / PVR 2 / Volvo B7TL Gemini (Summer only)
 
Whitby
X4/4 Middlesbrough - Loftus - Whitby / PVR 3 / Wright Streetlite (Sapphire)
93/X93 Middlesbrough - Scarborough / PVR 6 / Volvo B9TL Gemini (MAX)
95 Whitby - Ruswarp / PVR 2 / Optare Solo (1), 
|- 94 Whitby - Eskdale
S1/S2 Whitby Sainsburys services / PVR 1 / Dennis Dart MPD (Branded)

Stockton
5/5A Middlesbrough - Easington/Brotton / PVR 10 / Wright Streetlite (Sapphire)
7 Stockton - Yarm / PVR 6 / Optare Solo
9 Middlesbrough - Overfields / PVR 13 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
|- 27 Middlesbrough - Netherfields
|- 27A Middlesbrough - Netherfields
15 Roseworth - Thornaby/Ingleby Barwick / PVR 12 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
17 Middlesbrough - Eaglescliffe Kingsmead / PVR 4 / DAF SB120 Wright Cadet
17A Middlesbrough - Stockton / PVR 3 / DAF SB120 Wright Cadet
21A Middlesbrough - Peterlee / PVR 3 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
28 Middlesbrough - Lingdale / PVR 5 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
29/29A Middlesbrough - Marton/Stokesley / PVR 5 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar
X12 Middlesbrough - Durham - Newcastle / PVR 3 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (MAX)
X66/X67 Darlington - Middlesbrough / PVR 2 / VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar (MAX)

(27 Jan 2016, 10:53 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Now joined by 1407 on the 1050 5 replacing 1512
Redcar meanwhile have 1566 on 22/64

Arriva North East 1407 (NK09 BPV) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

Arriva North East 1566 (NK64 EFC) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

1512 on 17s - makes a change from Solos

Arriva North East 1512 (NL63 VRF) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr