(25 Feb 2018, 5:22 pm)Michael wrote Be interesting to see who replaces him, and what direction they'll go in, such as branding, new buses etc.


Will 6116/17 be repainted in to the new livery anytime soon?

(25 Feb 2018, 5:22 pm)Michael wrote Be interesting to see who replaces him, and what direction they'll go in, such as branding, new buses etc.


Will 6116/17 be repainted in to the new livery anytime soon?

(25 Feb 2018, 6:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote No idea about any changes to the purchasing strategy - except they're gonna need to sort something for8 the remaining Solar's and maybe 2/3 years beyond that, I think we will start to see the Omni's start to slowly disappear.

By that point, the Streetlites will have been tested and analysed fully. Who knows what Wrights or Optare are offering, never mind ADL.

I do think we will see further changes and transition to routes once the new MD has settled in
The new machines will play their part in those changes, regardless of any ideas or strategies he/she may have.

(25 Feb 2018, 8:10 pm)JP6004 wrote They cant do anything about black cats loop or green arrow until 2019 because of restrictions placed by the council after tgose buses received modifications to upgrade them to euro 5. I would imagine that all the above services will receive new buses after the specified date to allow the solars to be withdrawn

(25 Feb 2018, 9:42 pm)Andreos1 wrote They can certainly get the ball rolling with the business case, financing or planning of replacements though (if it isn't rolling already).
Depending when in 2019 the restrictions are lifted, the 54 plate Solar's will be hitting 15 years old.
Appreciate some older examples are still kicking around, such as Chester's 52 plates, so I expect the better 54 plates to hang around at least towards the end of 2019 or in to 2020.
By that point, the Omni's will be getting closer to 15 years old and I can't see them lasting too much longer after that. Certainly a max of 3 years.
Compared to the Solar's, there are fewer Omni's in the fleet. The cost implications of sourcing parts for the Omni's, versus cannibalising older Solar's may impact on their lifespan. I can't see them kicking around as long as the Renowns or Solar's. Partly because of the smaller pool to salvage from.

A lot of vehicles to replace under the current PVR.

If we see further changes or route consolidation, then maybe we won't see a like for like pvr replacement.

(25 Feb 2018, 10:00 pm)JP6004 wrote 52 plate solars due to be withdrawn once ex south tyne versas undergo repaint. But there are quite a few 51 plates being pushed beyond their limit. To be fair if it wasnt for the council i think replacements would of been sourced; for some of them anyway

(25 Feb 2018, 10:28 pm)Andreos1 wrote I just tried to tally up how many Solar's are left, but I got bored checking on each status.
If you or anyone else fancies it...

I suppose it was easier and cheaper to take the upgrades at the time, than have to worry about replacing a chunk of them.
Win/win for GNE in a number of aspects. Certainly in the short-term.
However, I do think it has hindered them long-term.

Whether they can finance new vehicles or not, passengers on the 35 have certainly lost out and I wonder what perception those passengers hold now.
What may have been good PR initially, has resulted in vehicles well past their best (not sure anyone could argue with that), plying their trade on a major corridor and prone to competition from it's own services, never mind SNE.

Going back to what I said earlier about the pool of withdrawn vehicles and spares, it could mean that these Solar's are quite cheap to repair.

(23 Feb 2018, 7:02 am)cbma06 wrote I think timetables were published for the southtyneside changes as it was mentioned somewhere , I think new timetables are produced on major changes but not for minor changes like retiming by a few minutes etc...

Recently when Arriva changed the timings of the 22,23,24. I did messaged them for new timetables to be sent through post, and got an email back stating that there don’t post them out no more and then 5 days later I got the timetables through the post with a note attached saying sorry for the delay sending out the timetables.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(26 Feb 2018, 8:01 am)Tom wrote Strange, 3968 and 5294 on Percy Main scholars.
Is 3968 a transfer?

(26 Feb 2018, 8:01 am)Tom wrote Strange, 3968 and 5294 on Percy Main scholars.
Is 3968 a transfer?

(26 Feb 2018, 10:44 am)RBZ 5459 wrote Would guess a loan as it's SE fleet, looked to be working out of PM at the weekend heading along Coast Rd. SE fleet seem to be a floating reserve pot in reality, 3968 being recently at Chester and Deptford.

(26 Feb 2018, 11:07 am)Dan wrote 3968, 3975 and 3977 all currently based at Percy Main - not really a loan to Percy Main as such, as seven extra buses are required to operate the DFDS Seaways 327 service at the moment (which would have been how you saw it heading along the Coast Road at the weekend). This was always the intention for the Special Events buses - not to be reinstated as and when required on commercial services, like the recent examples at Deptford and Chester-le-Street.

Suspect 5294 is a wrong fleet number in ticket machine, if you spotted this on the app rather than in the flesh. Likely to be one of the SPEV Volvo B7s, possibly 3975, and the machine came off 5294 at some point in time without having fleet number changed when it was put back on another bus.

All should be back at Riverside this weekend I think, for the Metro Replacement contract between St James and Monkseaton via The Coast.

(27 Feb 2018, 6:37 pm)Michael wrote SERVICE UPDATE AT 18:30

Services 16 / 16A are currently NOT operating due to impassable roads at South Stanley, Edmondsley and Sacriston.

Sherriff Hill impassable due to ice. No diversion available at present. Several vehicles stuck. Services 28, 56, X1, X25 diverted via Easedale Gardens, Harlow Green Lane, Durham Road to Gateshead. No service on Old Durham Road.

Tynemouth Road blocked and impassable due to ice. Services 1 diverted via Linskill Terrace. Service 1 is also unable to serve Wrekenton, it is terminating at Harlow Green Bridge.

Service 333 is currently not operating.

Service 34 / 34A unable to serve Urpeth Grange. Terminating at Ouston.

Service 30 unable to serve Lanchester, Burnhope or Quaking Houses.

Service 78 unable to serve Southfields & Hustledown / Hollyhill Gardens. Service diverted via South Moor & Hustledown Road between South Moor & Craghead

Service 680 is currently not operating due to road conditions. Road impassable at Acomb.

Other services are running to substantial delays.

We are experiencing incredibly high enquiry volumes. Unfortunately we may not be able to respond to all enquiries so please keep an eye on our page for updates.


-----------------

When will 4937 be withdrawn from Deptford?

----------


Edmondsley Bank in County Durham is completely blocked due to a bus going sideways.

Picture: Andrew Whitton, then post by Incidents on Teesside & County Durham

(28 Feb 2018, 9:08 am)TyneWearTeesGNE wrote All buses from Houghton trying to get up Newbottle Bank.