It seems a shame that Blyth depot has had no investment in new buses for just shy of 10 years. These were the 13 plate Volvo hybrid deckers for the 308, which after 5 years disappeared.
It's literally a case of make do with what you've got, which is a mix of high mileage Geminis and Pulsars ranging in age of between 10 - 13 year old.
Is there anything particularly wrong with the Gemini's and Pulsar's. I know they're getting on a bit age wise but they rarely seem to be off the road and from a passenger point of view they're fine inside really especially in comparison to the crap they replaced in particular the Cityzens which leaked like a sieve.
The MAX 'refurb' seriously downgraded them though mind, much preferred them pre refurb without the nasty plastic leather.
From a passenger side of view, don't know the mechanics, they've got a few years in them imo, before they're grotty - let's say.
I think I was just observing how Ashington have had 2 injections of new buses in 5 years. It was obviously justified, but you're right about the Geminis at Blyth. Yes they're going to be 14 year old next year, but they just power through 19 hour days of service (5am - midnight)
I think Blyth will get a turn next year.
I'd imagine investment for all Blyth - Newcastle services (currently operated by Blyth depot)........but 12x diverted to Ashington in turn for 7541-52 for use on the 308 (and 306 if interworking) in conjunction with newer vehicles.
Ashington will always get the investment due to the high mileage that their fleet undertakes.
Durham is in need of investment more than Blyth!!
(03 Sep 2022, 12:48 pm)P814VTY wrote [ -> ]I think I was just observing how Ashington have had 2 injections of new buses in 5 years. It was obviously justified, but you're right about the Geminis at Blyth. Yes they're going to be 14 year old next year, but they just power through 19 hour days of service (5am - midnight)
Yeah that's fair, thought there was something wrong with them that I didn't know about.
tbh I don't think the Gemini's will be that high on the list other than the ones on the 308 possible. Could maybe see something like a new order for the 306/308, the Gemini's cascaded off there to fill the remaining X7/X8/X9 boards and act as spares at Blyth (there's limited single decker space at Blyth) with the Pulsar's / newer Enviro's at Jesmond been moved on elsewhere possibly cascading the 57 plate Enviro's out.
As someone said after thought the Southern depots need investment more imo, they badly need to get shot of the B7's, get the 57 Plate / 09 Plate Enviro's off frontline work and withdraw all the remaining 08/58 plate Solo's as they're all pretty much heaps nowadays.
(03 Sep 2022, 5:49 pm)RobinHood wrote [ -> ]Ashington will always get the investment due to the high mileage that their fleet undertakes.
Durham is in need of investment more than Blyth!!
Doesn't it just? ALX400s and Geminis 16-20 years old plus seemingly more than its fair share of turns in babysitting various 08 reg solos.
The fact they’re still pushing 17 year old B7s across the Moors on the X93/X94 says a lot about the state of the fleet. They do a sterling job to be fair but have had expensive engine work once again to keep them going.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(03 Sep 2022, 8:35 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]The fact they’re still pushing 17 year old B7s across the Moors on the X93/X94 says a lot about the state of the fleet. They do a sterling job to be fair but have had expensive engine work once again to keep them going.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Arguably though, what else do they do for it?
Obviously those B7s will need replacing, but they're not going to replace them with new vehicles. It's a very seasonal route, and I'd imagine through the winter it might barely justify new vehicle investment at all, never mind for 3 seasonal extras.
Cascade wise, E400s from Ash aren't going to cut it. DB300s from Blyth? At that point you may as well keep the B7s going for a bit longer, at least engineering know them (and realistically only need them to work half the year anyway!). I'd think the best solution would probably be to retire a couple of the B9s into that seasonal role, with maybe a new batch of MMCs as the main allocation either next year or the one after?
Transdev Blazefield have older examples running all year around branded up for the Pendle Wizz - does that say a lot about the state of their fleet? Last I checked they seem to get a hefty share of the industry back patting.
(03 Sep 2022, 9:04 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Arguably though, what else do they do for it?
Obviously those B7s will need replacing, but they're not going to replace them with new vehicles. It's a very seasonal route, and I'd imagine through the winter it might barely justify new vehicle investment at all, never mind for 3 seasonal extras.
Cascade wise, E400s from Ash aren't going to cut it. DB300s from Blyth? At that point you may as well keep the B7s going for a bit longer, at least engineering know them (and realistically only need them to work half the year anyway!). I'd think the best solution would probably be to retire a couple of the B9s into that seasonal role, with maybe a new batch of MMCs as the main allocation either next year or the one after?
Transdev Blazefield have older examples running all year around branded up for the Pendle Wizz - does that say a lot about the state of their fleet? Last I checked they seem to get a hefty share of the industry back patting.
ex London stock would be probably the best bet. There's going to be loads of DW's coming up soonish and no-one is really going to want them so can't see the value being too great since they're a unique bus which only Arriva bought as far as I'm aware or the T's alternatively.
Could get some to get rid of the 57/09 plate Enviro's and whatever is doing the X46 at Durham (still B7's?) which really need to go the highway aswell as they're all shot to pieces.
(03 Sep 2022, 9:12 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]ex London stock would be probably the best bet. There's going to be loads of DW's coming up soonish and no-one is really going to want them so can't see the value being too great since they're a unique bus which only Arriva bought as far as I'm aware or the T's alternatively.
Could get some to get rid of the 57/09 plate Enviro's and whatever is doing the X46 at Durham (still B7's?) which really need to go the highway aswell as they're all shot to pieces.
Possibly, but are they going to be *that* much better than B7s which have had lots of mechanical attention in anything but age profile? Whack some private plates on the B7s à la Transdev and away you go.
The 09 plate E400s are fine on easier work (local Durham work such as the 43s, 64s, 48s, even X46s I'd think), it's only the express stuff they're well past by this point. They still have 2-3 years left before they'd likely be considered end of life for most companies, let alone ANE. I'd tend to agree with the B7s in general though, the youngest ones are approaching 18 years old (and they've been 'looked after' by Durham for the last few years of their life...). Obviously my thoughts on the X94 ones differ a bit at present to the rest of them.
(03 Sep 2022, 9:21 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Possibly, but are they going to be *that* much better than B7s which have had lots of mechanical attention in anything but age profile? Whack some private plates on the B7s à la Transdev and away you go.
The 09 plate E400s are fine on easier work (local Durham work such as the 43s, 64s, 48s, even X46s I'd think), it's only the express stuff they're well past by this point. They still have 2-3 years left before they'd likely be considered end of life for most companies, let alone ANE. I'd tend to agree with the B7s in general though, the youngest ones are approaching 18 years old (and they've been 'looked after' by Durham for the last few years of their life...). Obviously my thoughts on the X94 ones differ a bit at present to the rest of them.
Aye that's true but guess there's the cost savings of removing a niche few buses which are pretty much obsolete nowadays in terms of parts etc might outweight and it's Arriva and they're known to do weird things at times ie repainting all the Darts at Blyth then withdrawing them pretty much straight away.
If they do get ex London stock for it, I hope to god they replace the seats, the Ciclo seats which they're fitted with give the Urban 90's a run for their money. It's the same seats which are fitted at the back of the Gemini's at Blyth on the lower deck. Grim little things especially for longer journeys like the X93/X94 and even the X46 tbh.
Yeah no argument about the 09 buses tbh.
(03 Sep 2022, 9:33 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Aye that's true but guess there's the cost savings of removing a niche few buses which are pretty much obsolete nowadays in terms of parts etc might outweight and it's Arriva and they're known to do weird things at times ie repainting all the Darts at Blyth then withdrawing them pretty much straight away.
Only 1760 and 1766 got painted. 1766 after a nice insurance job, not sure what 1760 was done for.
I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?
(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote [ -> ]I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?
Off the top of my head, the only vehicles younger than that are the streetlites and some/most of the pulsars - the 61 reg ones will be 11 years old, this winter.
(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote [ -> ]I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?
Considering most companies run their vehicles until at least 15 years old, suggests Blyth are not quite in the need for new fleet just yet. Within the next 5 years, yes.
Durham have Solos that actually turn 15 next year, along with double deckers that are anywhere between 17-20 years of age, so they are over their period of expected life - hence the view Durham are more in need at this time.
(04 Sep 2022, 7:38 pm)RobinHood wrote [ -> ]Considering most companies run their vehicles until at least 15 years old, suggests Blyth are not quite in the need for new fleet just yet. Within the next 5 years, yes.
Durham have Solos that actually turn 15 next year, along with double deckers that are anywhere between 17-20 years of age, so they are over their period of expected life - hence the view Durham are more in need at this time.
Aren't minibuses usually 12 years which would make them already life expired and it's showing. Most the Vxxx DNL darts were withdrawn before 15 years and there's a large chunk of the 08/58 Solo's which have already gone or are going very soon which suggests Arriva do that aswell. Obviously Arriva like to stretch things though.
(03 Sep 2022, 11:14 pm)P814VTY wrote [ -> ]I worked out the average fleet age at Blyth is at 11.6, so just to give me an idea of how bad it is at Durham, is anybody able to work out their average fleet age?
Rough maths for Durham puts it around the same when taking into account the recent transfers. Replacing the remaining B7s and Solo's would likely take average age down to around 8?