(22 Feb 2016, 2:02 pm)pdiddy wrote Like I said.. the PVR operated out of Crook (Full route) for the X21 is 7.

Chester do a few dupes am and pm (between durham and toon)

Crook has 15 drivers and 1 Supervisor / Driver

So total of 16

(22 Feb 2016, 10:20 am)Andreos1 wrote 6017 has given up the ghost in Chester.
Was running an X25.
Passengers have been moved, although it looks like 6037 is replacing it.

(22 Feb 2016, 3:54 pm)S813 FVK wrote 4929, 4930 and 3878 all appear to be on loan to Stanley.

4929 was on service 816 this morning, 4930 was on (what i think to be a Stanley operated) 78 and 3878 was on scholars service 822.

(22 Feb 2016, 3:54 pm)S813 FVK wrote 4929, 4930 and 3878 all appear to be on loan to Stanley.

4929 was on service 816 this morning, 4930 was on (what i think to be a Stanley operated) 78 and 3878 was on scholars service 822.

(22 Feb 2016, 7:55 pm)DanPicken wrote It wasn't.

(22 Feb 2016, 7:57 pm)S813 FVK wrote I'm not blind. I'm sure Dan or somebody would be able to confirm?

(22 Feb 2016, 8:06 pm)DanPicken wrote Ben Stoves said all it's done is X21 and scholar.

(22 Feb 2016, 8:08 pm)S813 FVK wrote It reportedly did a peak time evening X21 (running off a scholars i believe?)

I saw it on the 816 in the morning - more than enough time for it to get back to Chester to do that.

(22 Feb 2016, 8:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote I have been meaning to mention it for a while - but who signed off Stuart Elmore's 'Veeego Lane' NSA?
Steve & Karen have been pronouncing Barley Mow wrong for years, but this one is a stinker.

Also, I mentioned a while back about the Nexus SR's having a pod on the roof that had the international wifi symbol on it.
I forgot to mention that Chester's Versa's do too.

(22 Feb 2016, 8:08 pm)S813 FVK wrote It reportedly did a peak time evening X21 (running off a scholars i believe?)

I saw it on the 816 in the morning - more than enough time for it to get back to Chester to do that.

It may have been 4928 but i'm pretty sure it wasn't.

(22 Feb 2016, 8:40 pm)Ambassador wrote I know Dan mentioned there was a review upcoming, hopefully Steve and Karen will be ditched and the NSAs will be updated to be a bit more reflective of what people call them, some of the 21s are odd!

(22 Feb 2016, 8:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote I have been meaning to mention it for a while - but who signed off Stuart Elmore's 'Veeego Lane' NSA?
Steve & Karen have been pronouncing Barley Mow wrong for years, but this one is a stinker.

Also, I mentioned a while back about the Nexus SR's having a pod on the roof that had the international wifi symbol on it.
I forgot to mention that Chester's Versa's do too.

(22 Feb 2016, 9:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote What else is said on the 21?
Never really noticed the announcements apart from the Barley Mow.

To be honest, even if they reflected English language/definitions, regardless to what locals refer to it as.

Mow - Mau.
A stack of barley.

As opposed the cutting the grass type mow.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/barleymow

(22 Feb 2016, 8:50 pm)wise owl wrote 4929 was leaving consett bus station at 11.20ish " not in service " with a fitter at the wheel.

(22 Feb 2016, 3:45 pm)randomdude wrote Earlier today I noticed that one of the connections4 citaros was displaying the red GNE logo screen on the NSA monitor. This is the first time I've seen this on those particular buses. Has it just recently been reprogrammed?

(22 Feb 2016, 3:54 pm)S813 FVK wrote 4929, 4930 and 3878 all appear to be on loan to Stanley.

4929 was on service 816 this morning, 4930 was on (what i think to be a Stanley operated) 78 and 3878 was on scholars service 822.

(23 Feb 2016, 6:07 am)Dan wrote Not sure about 4930, but you're definitely right about 3878 and 4929. As suggested already, the latter returned to Chester-le-Street after morning scholars and was used itself on the 889 / 91 / X21 cycle on the evening.

(23 Feb 2016, 4:29 pm)DanPicken wrote 8299 has the Dyson Makeover.

(23 Feb 2016, 6:07 am)Dan wrote Busted! You lot don't miss a trick.

I was out testing the new Next Stop Announcement media on a Connections4 branded Mercedes Citaro last week (5364 possibly) and didn't have the media currently used on these buses with me, so I've turned it off temporarily (until this Sunday), which is why you've seen the Go North East screen on this bus. The Red Arrows branded Volvo B9 I used (6054 possibly) was loaded with the stop-gap line-plan media with the current voice, after I'd finished with it.

From Sunday, in line with the minor service revisions at Washington and the re-brand of the Red Arrows, a new style of Next Stop Announcements will be launched on the 4, X1, X1A and 921, including all evening variants (ie terminating at Fallowfield Way, going via Follingsby Park, etc).

I think I've covered everything that has been queried on this forum regarding Next Stop Announcements on these routes in the past. Various colleges having been re-named/closed, Newbottle Jolly Potter being sold on, etc, etc. Do let me know from Sunday if you spot anything that's not quite right and it can be reviewed in line with the next update.

A couple of you have PM'd me noting that the volume of the Next Stop Announcements on the Red Arrows Volvo B9s is too quiet, so I'll take a look at this too.


Not sure about 4930, but you're definitely right about 3878 and 4929. As suggested already, the latter returned to Chester-le-Street after morning scholars and was used itself on the 889 / 91 / X21 cycle on the evening.

(23 Feb 2016, 5:54 pm)randomdude wrote I guess only Dan or Citaro could answer this but do the new NSAs on the Connections 4 and Red Arrows have re-recorded audio files? It's just Gary and Lisa don't even work for Real Radio anymore, nor does Real Radio exist.

(23 Feb 2016, 5:57 pm)citaro5284 wrote Yes, all the audio has been re-recorded by

http://www.emmahignett.com/