(22 Mar 2016, 2:42 pm)jaimzm wrote [ -> ]Good photo
I'm surprised how well it turned out, considering I just used a pretty mediocre camera phone. (2nd gen MotoG - the phone is one of the features that makes it cheap!)
Can anyone remember what typically ran on the 63/64 about 5 years ago. I had weekly hospital appointments, back then and remember whatever they were being pretty vile, cold damp and breaking down a lot. Were definitely pre-2001 single deck vehicles, but that's all I can remember.
(22 Mar 2016, 2:47 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]Can anyone remember what typically ran on the 63/64 about 5 years ago. I had weekly hospital appointments, back then and remember whatever they were being pretty vile, cold damp and breaking down a lot. Were definitely pre-2001 single deck vehicles, but that's all I can remember.
Problem was 5 years ago the 63/64 were ran by pretty much everything and anything that was at Durham depot at the time.
(22 Mar 2016, 2:49 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Problem was 5 years ago the 63/64 were ran by pretty much everything and anything that was at Durham depot at the time.
Aye - and looking at an old fleet list, there was an awful lot of very old stock.
(22 Mar 2016, 2:49 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Problem was 5 years ago the 63/64 were ran by pretty much everything and anything that was at Durham depot at the time.
Its surprising how much Arriva have changed the past few years. It feels only like yesterday for example when them X Reg Darts used to be allocated to the 7 and every other service having clapped out very old vehicles.
(22 Mar 2016, 2:57 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]Its surprising how much Arriva have changed the past few years. It feels only like yesterday for example when them X Reg Darts used to be allocated to the 7 and every other service having clapped out very old vehicles.
*shudders* Don't remind me of them!
This time 5 years ago the 7 used all sorts, so you never knew exactly what sort of bus was going to turn, it was great from an enthusiast's point of view but pretty poor from a normal passengers point of view, especially when I was waiting for buses to/from college which never turned up!
It's amazing how far the 7 has come since then, from clapped out old bangers to Sapphire. Hopefully more improvements are to come...
(22 Mar 2016, 2:57 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]Its surprising how much Arriva have changed the past few years. It feels only like yesterday for example when them X Reg Darts used to be allocated to the 7 and every other service having clapped out very old vehicles.
Just shows pirates are the fountain of all knowledge South Tyneside Lad (AKA Jack Richard Sparrow) Pirate of South Tyneside
(22 Mar 2016, 3:02 pm)Peppermint Pete wrote [ -> ]Just shows pirates are the fountain of all knowledge South Tyneside Lad (AKA Jack Richard Sparrow) Pirate of South Tyneside
I'm sorry to spoil it, But I don't get what you mean? By the way my names not Jack Richard Sparrow. Sorry for my bad sense of humor.
(22 Mar 2016, 3:02 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]*shudders* Don't remind me of them!
This time 5 years ago the 7 used all sorts, so you never knew exactly what sort of bus was going to turn, it was great from an enthusiast's point of view but pretty poor from a normal passengers point of view, especially when I was waiting for buses to/from college which never turned up!
It's amazing how far the 7 has come since then, from clapped out old bangers to Sapphire. Hopefully more improvements are to come...
Yep, I have to admit ( Even though I hate DB so much ) That since the takeover of Arriva by DB in 2010, everything has been improving since then.
The amount of investment in new vehicles and Sapphire and MAX are just what passengers want.
Shame there's no Arriva routes in South Tyneside, Though Shields town services would've been allocated Solos probably!
Only downside ( Enthusiast point of view ) is the implementation of Econospeed, It does improve the fuel consumption of the vehicle but its just not the same!
(22 Mar 2016, 3:12 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]Yep, I have to admit ( Even though I hate DB so much ) That since the takeover of Arriva by DB in 2010, everything has been improving since then.
The amount of investment in new vehicles and Sapphire and MAX are just what passengers want.
Shame there's no Arriva routes in South Tyneside, Though Shields town services would've been allocated Solos probably!
Only downside ( Enthusiast point of view ) is the implementation of Econospeed, It does improve the fuel consumption of the vehicle but its just not the same!
Have to agree on EconoSpeed, had 1426 on the X66 the other Sunday and it felt pretty steady whereas that would have absolutely flown down the A66 in the past.
(22 Mar 2016, 3:16 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Have to agree on EconoSpeed, had 1426 on the X66 the other Sunday and it felt pretty steady whereas that would have absolutely flown down the A66 in the past.
There is a sneaky way to get Pulsars with Econospeed to kickdown as shown in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61MB1IiwI2Q
It goes steady at first and then the driver fiddles with the pedal to make it downshift and lock into 3rd, Though I believe only a few drivers know this.
(22 Mar 2016, 3:02 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]*shudders* Don't remind me of them!
This time 5 years ago the 7 used all sorts, so you never knew exactly what sort of bus was going to turn, it was great from an enthusiast's point of view but pretty poor from a normal passengers point of view, especially when I was waiting for buses to/from college which never turned up!
It's amazing how far the 7 has come since then, from clapped out old bangers to Sapphire. Hopefully more improvements are to come...
Same for the 22. We didn't even have all low floor vehicles until the 61 reg Pulsars arrived. It was still hourly back then, too, so if one didn't turn up in the afternoon, that meant I had to catch a rather expensive unplanned taxi. IOW, if I had an afternoon appointment, I had to make sure I had at least £20 in my purse. I couldn't even cut my losses and catch the 57A because that left when the SB 58 does, now, ie before the 22!
(19 Mar 2016, 8:51 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]I thought grotty old buses were your thing 
Is it any worse than the W reg.s?
(19 Mar 2016, 9:10 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Please explain how it is 'the worst thing ever'?
I'm sure passengers that boarded it today would have been far happier seeing that, than no bus at all.
Agree. Like the 45xxs.
I don't care if he is anyones colleague or indeed a member of this forum.
Maybe his version of events will differ from reality. Who knows?
But the absolute muppet driving the EDC bus through Murton and blinded for Houghton at approx 1730 tonight, needs to invest in some overtaking and planning skills. Particularly when driving a vehicle full of students and deciding to overtake the cyclist with a stream of traffic (headed by myself) heading in the opposite direction.
I don't appreciate having to slam my brakes on at the best of times. I don't like slamming them on when the kids are in the car and there is a double deck bus hurtling towards me.
This is out there in the public domain and maybe the driver will get word of his public shaming.
Either way, his bosses will be getting word of the incident.
On Friday, I was on the A1231 loop, to join the A1.
I was in the left hand lane, trying to merge into the middle lane, to carry on the A1. I was running alongside 7618, an Arriva MAX Gemini. It appeared to be running light from Belmont to pick up its usual duties on the X12 to Durham for Middlesbrough, with the destination set as such. I wasn't in a position to speed up, to get in front of the bus, as there was a car in front. Likewise it wouldn't have been particularly safe to slow down to allow the bus to go into the left hand lane, as I had a queue of traffic behind me.
As we were making no progress, given that the driver of the bus wouldn't slow down to give me a gap to get in front of him, the driver decided to merge left with me running parallel to him.
I was forced to slam my brakes on - as did the drivers behind me - and I felt quite lucky to come out of that situation without a single bump. The driver seemed to be of the mindset that he could do whatever he liked, because he was in a big bad bus.
I forgot to send an e-mail to Arriva, but find their Customer Services team is appalling anyway, so don't usually bother. Andreos1's complaint reminded me of the experience.
Aye, don't bother sending a complaint in. I can probably dig out the template that they'll send you anyway, if you're both that bothered for a "response".
(22 Mar 2016, 7:51 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]On Friday, I was on the A1231 loop, to join the A1.
I was in the left hand lane, trying to merge into the middle lane, to carry on the A1. I was running alongside 7618, an Arriva MAX Gemini. It appeared to be running light from Belmont to pick up its usual duties on the X12 to Durham for Middlesbrough, with the destination set as such. I wasn't in a position to speed up, to get in front of the bus, as there was a car in front. Likewise it wouldn't have been particularly safe to slow down to allow the bus to go into the left hand lane, as I had a queue of traffic behind me.
As we were making no progress, given that the driver of the bus wouldn't slow down to give me a gap to get in front of him, the driver decided to merge left with me running parallel to him.
I was forced to slam my brakes on - as did the drivers behind me - and I felt quite lucky to come out of that situation without a single bump. The driver seemed to be of the mindset that he could do whatever he liked, because he was in a big bad bus.
I forgot to send an e-mail to Arriva, but find their Customer Services team is appalling anyway, so don't usually bother. Andreos1's complaint reminded me of the experience.
I've given up trying to get a response to my complaint about a driver swearing at a passenger, snatching his ticket off him, screwing it up and throwing it back at him. Seems to keep getting completely lost. I was going to get a snail mail address to try again, but then I needed to concentrate on things closer to home.
(22 Mar 2016, 12:16 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]Ex London VLA LJ55BTO has entered service in MAX livery but still contains its Urburn 90s from London. Must've been rushed half way though refurb at Thorntons into service.
Photo of it on Emjdt42s Flickr
I had that yesterday, it's 7416 and has been refurbished internally but retains urban90 seating. More on these to follow when I get a confirmation on what's happening
(22 Mar 2016, 3:02 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]*shudders* Don't remind me of them!
This time 5 years ago the 7 used all sorts, so you never knew exactly what sort of bus was going to turn, it was great from an enthusiast's point of view but pretty poor from a normal passengers point of view, especially when I was waiting for buses to/from college which never turned up!
It's amazing how far the 7 has come since then, from clapped out old bangers to Sapphire. Hopefully more improvements are to come...
If only Go North East would do something about the Q3.
I used to live on the 46 route. The day I moved house they extended the route to the CAV and made it more frequent AND added WiFi