North East Buses

(18 Jan 2016, 12:13 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Actually it wasn't!
It was planned to go on board 9D as the inspector told the driver to wait for it coming in and then go out light to get back on time. The X12s are late because of traffic through Birtley & Low Fell in towards Gateshead

Looks like 1443 ended up on that board off the 1135 one.

Isn't it because of tight running times and harrassed drivers ? Don't you just love that phrase "try and get back on time"

(18 Jan 2016, 8:36 am)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]Wrong. Ashington's don't anyway.

My apologies, I got told they all interworked....

(18 Jan 2016, 9:01 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]EcoCity 4814 on 1/5/5A/19.

Frequenta 9/10 Solo (2863 I think) is now on this working.

7412 and DAF ALX400 on Sapphires.

7411 & 7603 on 308

(18 Jan 2016, 10:47 am)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]1442 going on 9/27/27a when it comes in from Newcastle. Not sure what's replacing it on X12

2804 replacing 1423 on 29s

Edit: 1444 on 1105 X12

Passed 2804 at Marton 'NIS' heading to the town.

4655 is now on 1/5/5A/19

(18 Jan 2016, 4:08 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]7411 & 7603 on 308

There is more diesel buses on there than hybrids.....

(18 Jan 2016, 4:44 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]There is more diesel buses on there than hybrids.....

Well that's what Arriva get for doing the bare minimum in terms of investment (questionable but not enough) and tight schedules. Can see another operator jumping to compete soon from either Ashington or if audacious enough, Blyth. Got nothing against Arriva, got potential to do better but they're chosing not to and just getting away with the bare minimum even on their 'key' routes.

(18 Jan 2016, 2:10 pm)scania driver wrote [ -> ]Don't you just love that phrase "try and get back on time".

A good while ago I bought a (secondhand) car from a garage in Ashington.
I caught a bus to Newcastle and went to the Haymarket bus station and looked for a bus to Ashington.

The next scheduled one didn't arrive so I moved towards another stand for a later bus when the original one arrived - 20 minutes late!

Having embarked those still waiting, the driver 'set off'.
He obviously knew the route (and his vehicle) and drove 'flat out' (except where there were speed cameras) - quickly, but safely.
By the time we reached Ashington he told me he was 'back on schedule'.  

1906 was on the 2 today

Odd workings I could be bothered to upload to Flickr and the ones I didn't mess up!

1443 on 27.
Arriva North East: 1443 / NK10CFF by Jimmi's Transport Photos, on Flickr

2804 on 29/29A.
Arriva North East: 2804 / YK08ERX by Jimmi's Transport Photos, on Flickr

1560 on 22/64/64A.
Arriva North East: 1560 / NK14GEU by Jimmi's Transport Photos, on Flickr

1434 on X3.
Arriva North East: 1434 / NK10CEN by Jimmi's Transport Photos, on Flickr

(18 Jan 2016, 12:26 pm)Cock Robin wrote [ -> ]Often branded Stockton Pulsars off route on a Sunday,

X12 ones yes. Extremely rare to find a 15-branded one off route any day of the week, let alone two. (To note, evening 7As don't really count as they are on the end of a 15 board and while yes you'd hope an unbranded example was allocated, it's bound to happen every now and then).

Meanwhile, while 2804 was on 29/29a(/28) and 1407 was on 17a, 1920 ended up on 7s
Arriva North East 1920 (W81 PRG) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

(18 Jan 2016, 9:17 am)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]1415 helping out on 5/5A again today. 1551/5 both missing this time

1415
Arriva North East 1415 (NK09 EJD) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

And 1512 on its last outbound trip to Brotton.
Arriva North East 1512 (NL63 VRF) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr

7503 replaces 7415 on Sapphires.

1924 on 15s

1415 managed a couple of trips on 17A before being swapped back with 1914.

Spotted a Sapphire 6 vehicle pulling away from the Gore Hall Estate stop, Sunderland-bound at 3:15-ish - about 15 minutes after any bus was due to leave that stop. No idea how long it had been there, as it hadn't passed me. No idea if it was actually working the 22, either - couldn't see a number on the back, but there were 2 lines of text, too small and far away to read.

Just as that left, 1597 came up the high street, Durham bound and off route - no display or lights and only one guy in a high vis in addition to the driver. I have no idea whether the two sightings were related. It wasn't the bus that was meant to be working in that direction, at that time, as that came through Gore Hall at the same time.

UnID Sapphire replace 7412 on Sapphires in preparation for manager's passenger experience.

(19 Jan 2016, 4:03 pm)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]UnID Sapphire replace 7412 on Sapphires in preparation for manager's passenger experience.

Intriguing. :s

(19 Jan 2016, 4:05 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]Intriguing. :s

Basically just management going around on buses, as passengers, making sure everything is ok. Routes X21/35/X15 are the routes to have correct allocations and friendly drivers today...

(19 Jan 2016, 4:06 pm)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]Basically just management going around on buses, as passengers, making sure everything is ok. Routes X21/35/X15 are the routes to have correct allocations and friendly drivers today...

So they can make an effort to allocate correctly when management are visiting?

(19 Jan 2016, 4:10 pm)Cock Robin wrote [ -> ]So they can make an effort to allocate correctly when management are visiting?

Not really, engineering have been swept off their feet getting 4x Sapphire vehicles back on the road... 

They put loads of effort into allocations when management aren't visiting!!!

(19 Jan 2016, 4:06 pm)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]Basically just management going around on buses, as passengers, making sure everything is ok. Routes X21/35/X15 are the routes to have correct allocations and friendly drivers today...

Surely that will mean the X22 as well?

7470 on the 115 shuttle service.

Frequenta 2 on the 21
1479 on the 22, this evening - replaced whatever I saw, above.

Edit - it's magically become 1519 on the way back to Durham <casts stern looks at Big'un>

(19 Jan 2016, 7:14 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]Frequenta 2 on the 21

There was a Frequenta Solo on the 18:20 21 Darlington - Sedgefield run.

(19 Jan 2016, 4:10 pm)Cock Robin wrote [ -> ]So they can make an effort to allocate correctly when management are visiting?

Amazing what happens when people are watching hey!

1438 has been on X4/4, meanwhile a Streetlite was on the 63