(06 Dec 2015, 9:20 pm)tyresmoke wrote X20 and X75/X76 are definitely in the list to be done... X20 buses are being refurbished at present, and X75/X76 are due to be done - with 4652/4/8 being the allocated vehicles (probably looking at February 2016 for that though).

Hopefully be able to tell you all about further MAX conversions soon! 
I don't know whether we'll be having any more Sapphire routes though - maybe we could have another in Northumberland without over-doing it?

We have buses allocated to other routes that haven't been branded yet though with the uncertainty over the future of Frequenta, and further vehicles are expected to be fitted with wi-fi and next stop announcements.

(06 Dec 2015, 10:04 pm)mb134 wrote A thought on this;

To me, the X18 is more suited to Sapphire than it is to MAX. It isn't exactly an express service, taking an hour longer than the X15 from Berwick to Alnwick, and 2 hours longer from Berwick to Newcastle. I also think NSA's and power sockets would be pretty useful on the route, especially for the long ones.

If the X20 continues to do well, throw 7529-32 on that, 5 new Sapphire E400 MMCs for the X18, and have 7533 as an additional MAX spare? 7412-15 could then be dispersed across the region as MAX spares.

I would suggest converting the X10/11 to MAX, however I can't begin to imagine how bad that would be with the way Blyth allocate. (Thinking about the no-quibble guarantee).

(06 Dec 2015, 10:15 pm)Malarkey wrote The X10/X11 are already MAX, have been for a while now.

(06 Dec 2015, 10:15 pm)Malarkey wrote The X10/X11 are already MAX, have been for a while now.

(06 Dec 2015, 10:19 pm)Dan wrote Probably meant Sapphire..!

(06 Dec 2015, 10:04 pm)mb134 wrote A thought on this;

To me, the X18 is more suited to Sapphire than it is to MAX. It isn't exactly an express service, taking an hour longer than the X15 from Berwick to Alnwick, and 2 hours longer from Berwick to Newcastle. I also think NSA's and power sockets would be pretty useful on the route, especially for the long ones.

If the X20 continues to do well, throw 7529-32 on that, 5 new Sapphire E400 MMCs for the X18, and have 7533 as an additional MAX spare? 7412-15 could then be dispersed across the region as MAX spares.

I would suggest converting the X10/11 to MAX, however I can't begin to imagine how bad that would be with the way Blyth allocate. (Thinking about the no-quibble guarantee).

(04 Dec 2015, 10:05 am)Cock Robin wrote Jeffs Bus Lane?!

(06 Dec 2015, 10:48 pm)buss14 wrote just wanted to know if anyone knew when the x20 buses with ready in max suit

(06 Dec 2015, 10:43 pm)Mark P wrote I like the idea of a "premium" brand with all the bells and whistles but I'm less impressed with having Sapphire AND Max.

I don't know what (if any) benefits there are to having two brands. From an operational point of view it must cause more problems than it solves.... I'm thinking more along the lines of things like having to carry extra branded spare vehicles for each brand etc.

Just my two pennyworth anyway [WHITE SMILING FACE]

(06 Dec 2015, 10:55 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Funnily enough, there's only stats released for Sapphire X21/X22 service, 90% reliability and 7% passenger growth. Nothing for the MAX services it seems.

(05 Dec 2015, 2:33 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Alexander ALX400 / DAF DB250RS 7466 (W396 VGJ) operated the service, 7466 is currently on loan to Ashington depot today, and will return to Blyth later today or tomorrow morning.

Here is 7466 and YN12 BBO at Woodhorn Museum;

Arriva Northumbria & Howard Snaith: Woodhorn WoW Shuttles by Thomas Simms, on Flickr

(06 Dec 2015, 11:02 pm)mb134 wrote That's better than I thought they were doing, have noticed busier services recently however! 

Any idea what pre-Sapphire growth rate was like?

(06 Dec 2015, 11:05 pm)mb134 wrote Ah 7466, was a brilliant machine the last time I used it, should try to get on it while it's at Ashington again, as I don't imagine it'll have too long left after the WoW service?

(06 Dec 2015, 11:07 pm)GX03 SVC wrote It returned to Blyth last night.

(06 Dec 2015, 11:07 pm)GX03 SVC wrote No, haven't got a clue on that.

I can remember travelling to Newcastle on a X21, an ALX400, with only 5 passengers on board. On a Saturday, mid-morning. I returned on a X20, a Prima, only a few seats left. I made the same Saturday journey (thereabouts) a few weeks ago, and there was certainly more passengers.

Sapphire has taken passengers off the X20 in my opinion

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(06 Dec 2015, 9:05 pm)JoshP wrote I can definitely see the 1/1B going Sapphire at some point. Not sure about the 5/5A though. Personal opinion haha

(06 Dec 2015, 2:59 pm)Dan wrote The Solos are the usual offenders that I spot, but the number of Pulsars seems to have increased too.

Are the full size destinations set up correctly yet on the Sapphire ADL Enviro400s at Durham, or are these still showing route numbers only?

(06 Dec 2015, 11:49 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I think that the MPDs at Blyth and Ashington need to be replaced with full-size single deckers. Services 1 and 2 can't cope with minibuses, and I've regularly been left standing on a 2.

(07 Dec 2015, 1:48 pm)tyresmoke wrote Some interesting thoughts in this thread!
Not too sure how much I can give away but the launch for the X7/X8/X9 and X20 should both be very soon as the majority  of the vehicles are ready now.

In fact I've just seen a picture of VLW117 (our 7413 - LF52UPN) at Enfield fully ready to head north, and I believe 7412/4/5 are all ready at Thorntons. Just need the branding adding and then I'm sure Titan will be along to provide a performance!

More Max routes to be added as we go into 2016, including the X75 as previously mentioned.
I'm not sure whether we could take the X15/X18 out of Max now if we were to brand them separately. The growth on that corridor and certainly the X93 suggests that Max is very popular with our passengers so why fix something that isn't broke?

(07 Dec 2015, 1:48 pm)tyresmoke wrote Some interesting thoughts in this thread!
Not too sure how much I can give away but the launch for the X7/X8/X9 and X20 should both be very soon as the majority  of the vehicles are ready now.

In fact I've just seen a picture of VLW117 (our 7413 - LF52UPN) at Enfield fully ready to head north, and I believe 7412/4/5 are all ready at Thorntons. Just need the branding adding and then I'm sure Titan will be along to provide a performance!

More Max routes to be added as we go into 2016, including the X75 as previously mentioned.
I'm not sure whether we could take the X15/X18 out of Max now if we were to brand them separately. The growth on that corridor and certainly the X93 suggests that Max is very popular with our passengers so why fix something that isn't broke?

(06 Dec 2015, 10:47 pm)2bagstew wrote No it' came directly the Arrivia North East site.

(07 Dec 2015, 5:07 pm)buss14 wrote does anyone know how long T313 FGN has left in service because i want to get a ride before it goes