(21 Mar 2019, 11:14 pm)Malarkey wrote 709 is to be used on 3 week promotional trophy tour of the region going from Middlesbrough to Berwick serving a total of 50 destinations.

http://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/go-north-east-named-official-transport-partner-for-newcastle-falcons-as-rugby-fever-hits-region-362910

Full tour schedule can seen on the following link - https://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/european-trophies-tour-schedule?fbclid=IwAR3msU76FoQ_1Ivi5OFhWl-liMbWH-OWktb8F09SW5RwUbXNbWtGLA6-3gI

(22 Mar 2019, 7:06 am)GNE6312 wrote Take it 635 will be at PM for the next 3 weeks if 709 is on tour

(22 Mar 2019, 11:37 am)Dans_bus_photos wrote Think it will just be there till required back at Hexham, 709 will no longer be needed at Percy Main after Sunday with the withdrawal of the K3. Id have a guess  648 will probably transfer over to Stanley at the weekend with the loss of the 333 ready for the new V11 service.

(22 Mar 2019, 11:37 am)Dans_bus_photos wrote Think it will just be there till required back at Hexham, 709 will no longer be needed at Percy Main after Sunday with the withdrawal of the K3. Id have a guess  648 will probably transfer over to Stanley at the weekend with the loss of the 333 ready for the new V11 service.

(22 Mar 2019, 3:03 pm)Coppercap40 wrote Decidedly  unimpressed  at where they parked 709 at civic  ctre, under the canopy could not have found anywhere darker withought sending it down a pit !!!

(22 Mar 2019, 3:44 pm)Jordan2104 wrote 709 is allocated to the W2 so will return to the depot

(22 Mar 2019, 3:44 pm)Jordan2104 wrote 709 is allocated to the W2 so will return to the depot

(20 Mar 2019, 12:46 pm)JACK6081 wrote Passed saltmeadows earlier 709 is in  plain black livery 6104 is back and 6000 is in corporate livery

(22 Mar 2019, 11:05 pm)Michael wrote 681 is now pink

Photo by Bazza - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90/46719940074/in/photostream

(23 Mar 2019, 12:31 am)Malarkey wrote Little prediction here, 681/689 and 690 go to Washington for the Indigo's seeing use on the 85/86 allowing the 701/702/703 to go to Deptford for the 33's.

Washington then get a further to corporate livery Solo SR's from Percy Main to displace 704/705 to Percy Main for the Whitley Bay locals.

709 once it completes it tour of the region for the Rugby then transfers to Chester-Le-Street or Stanley, can't remember which operates the 701/2/3 around Chester again making a corporate Solo SR available to go elsewhere.

(23 Mar 2019, 12:31 am)Malarkey wrote Little prediction here, 681/689 and 690 go to Washington for the Indigo's seeing use on the 85/86 allowing the 701/702/703 to go to Deptford for the 33's.

Washington then get a further to corporate livery Solo SR's from Percy Main to displace 704/705 to Percy Main for the Whitley Bay locals.

709 once it completes it tour of the region for the Rugby then transfers to Chester-Le-Street or Stanley, can't remember which operates the 701/2/3 around Chester again making a corporate Solo SR available to go elsewhere.

(23 Mar 2019, 8:41 am)Dan wrote It would be a fair old downgrade for the 33, to put lower spec Solos (poorer seats, no Next Stop Announcements) on it from Washington.

It's quite important that this service retains the Next Stop Announcement feature as there's a number of blind bus users in The Docks area that rely on this service.

717 is required at Stanley to be a spare Euro 6 small Solo for the Durham Cathedral contract. It is only allocated to the Chester-le-Street Town Service contract when neither of the two white Solos are VOR. 709 is not Euro 6 therefore would not be suitable.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

(23 Mar 2019, 8:41 am)Dan wrote It would be a fair old downgrade for the 33, to put lower spec Solos (poorer seats, no Next Stop Announcements) on it from Washington.

It's quite important that this service retains the Next Stop Announcement feature as there's a number of blind bus users in The Docks area that rely on this service.

717 is required at Stanley to be a spare Euro 6 small Solo for the Durham Cathedral contract. It is only allocated to the Chester-le-Street Town Service contract when neither of the two white Solos are VOR. 709 is not Euro 6 therefore would not be suitable.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

(23 Mar 2019, 12:15 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote So does that mean GNE are retaining the daytime Nexus contract for the Docks area then from May?

(23 Mar 2019, 12:15 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote So does that mean GNE are retaining the daytime Nexus contract for the Docks area then from May?

(23 Mar 2019, 12:27 pm)Dan wrote The daytime service is commercially-operated by Go North East (and has been since the introduction of the 33 via The Docks). This is why Stagecoach withdrew their Nexus-secured 5/5A services at the time. It's only the evening journeys, that run as service 8, which are secured by Nexus.

(23 Mar 2019, 12:27 pm)Dan wrote The daytime service is commercially-operated by Go North East (and has been since the introduction of the 33 via The Docks). This is why Stagecoach withdrew their Nexus-secured 5/5A services at the time. It's only the evening journeys, that run as service 8, which are secured by Nexus.

(23 Mar 2019, 12:34 pm)Michael wrote Any news on the contract tenders for May?

(23 Mar 2019, 1:16 pm)Coppercap40 wrote Anyone know what time 709 is due at St James Park this afternoon ?

(23 Mar 2019, 1:16 pm)Coppercap40 wrote Anyone know what time 709 is due at St James Park this afternoon ?

(23 Mar 2019, 1:29 pm)Dan wrote They've not yet been awarded to my knowledge.

(23 Mar 2019, 1:33 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Just been up and nowhere to be seen

(23 Mar 2019, 1:33 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Just been up and nowhere to be seen

(23 Mar 2019, 1:39 pm)Coppercap40 wrote Thanks, the match does not start until 1730 so might be there zround  1600

(23 Mar 2019, 1:29 pm)Dan wrote Today is one of the days where it isn't required. Of the three weeks, it's only required for 16 days of the tour.

(23 Mar 2019, 1:55 pm)Coppercap40 wrote I thought it would be at all venues shown,  so which days will it be used ?