(01 Oct 2018, 10:12 am)Coppercap40 wrote Anyone else having problems with the bus tracker app ?

(01 Oct 2018, 4:46 pm)Michael wrote According the fleet news 9089 has gone to Deptford.

(01 Oct 2018, 4:53 pm)Dan wrote It transferred to Deptford last week, although in reality it was never used and has now been withdrawn (to be returned to Optare today).

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(30 Sep 2018, 7:20 pm)JM03 wrote What is the 17:42 97 from Newcastle allocated to? Seen a lot of deckers on it recently

(01 Oct 2018, 2:49 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Go North East Tynedale Links 619 / NK55 RUW by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Withdrawn ?

(01 Oct 2018, 7:17 pm)missedbus wrote Maybe, but still taxed and MOT'd, so no tearing hurry to withdraw it, although it should be gone in theory, with 2 Solos having come in.

(01 Oct 2018, 7:15 pm)westy3738 wrote Does 131 St Cuthberts to Hazelrigg, then 1708 Q3 Great Park to Eldon Square, then 1742 97 Newcastle to MetroCentre. 

Was 6916 this evening.

(01 Oct 2018, 2:49 pm)TEN 6083 wrote Go North East Tynedale Links 619 / NK55 RUW by kieron mathews, on Flickr

Withdrawn ?

(01 Oct 2018, 9:06 pm)G-CPTN wrote I will be slightly sad when we no longer have 619 trundling around our country lanes, as the MPDs have served us well over the years - it's the end of an era . . .

(01 Oct 2018, 9:33 pm)Jamie M wrote Absolute backbreakers like, never really liked them.

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(01 Oct 2018, 9:06 pm)G-CPTN wrote I will be slightly sad when we no longer have 619 trundling around our country lanes, as the MPDs have served us well over the years - it's the end of an era . . .

(04 Oct 2018, 6:17 am)Michael wrote 5401 has a peppa pig small advert on the back, and its cut some of the Beamish branding on it... looks daft.

(04 Oct 2018, 6:19 am)Jamie M wrote Wonder why it wasnt corp branded like the other beamish buses?

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(04 Oct 2018, 9:05 am)Dan wrote It has been planned to go into corporate livery for a number of months now, along with the Lambton Worm Versa, but Chester-le-Street have had a high number of vehicles VOR now for quite some time, so can't afford to release a bus to be repainted.

(05 Oct 2018, 7:47 pm)Malarkey wrote Should be able to in the upcoming fortnight though with the schools being off, saying that the 5482/83/84 still need painting also.

On another note 4932 is currently at Saltmeadows covering for the Bluestar Mercs while they are painted.

(05 Oct 2018, 8:11 pm)Dan wrote Yes, that's certainly the plan... although the schools are only off for a week, not two.

5485 is this week's Citaro being painted, with 4932 on loan to Saltmeadows to cover as you say. 5481 likely to be the last Citaro to be repainted now it is at Riverside.

Saltmeadows single-deck boards likely to be converted to double-deck during the school holidays - some of these buses are still required as they operate works services too.

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(05 Oct 2018, 8:21 pm)Malarkey wrote Someone at work yesterday said they were off for two, I lost track of school holidays after I left school in 2009.

(05 Oct 2018, 8:25 pm)Jamie M wrote 8 weeks on, 1 week off, 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off, 5 weeks on, 1 week off, 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off, 7 weeks on, 6.5 weeks off. Roughly speaking, although I finished up college in May, I've already forgotten enough to be doubting myself!

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(05 Oct 2018, 9:57 pm)JM03 wrote I didn't know where to put this but i think this would be a good idea to change the bus fleets at Percy Main and Riverside depots
Riverside to Percy Main-
Q3 ops to be moved to percy main operating all day Monday to Saturdays and Sunday Daytimes (Sunday nights ops to remain at riverside). 33A to be extended to St peters basin at night and to interwork with the Q3. 67-69 versas also to transfer to percy main to be used on the 19. Versas can be used for backups on indigo services keeping corp solos on the needed routes (K3,W1/A,W2,333) so 1 backup solo. Vehicles to transfer-
5385,5387-5390,8306-8315,8328,9084
Percy Main to Riverside-
11 ops all day, everyday resulting in riverside getting a big fleet of omnicities. Solar eclipses to transfer to riverside to re-join other solars in the fleet and replace 67/69 versas. Vehicles to transfer-
4978-4982,5263-5274.

This will end up keeping all the percy main single-deck vehicles the same saving money by all parts being the same now but also adding extra capacity to the indigo services when needed like during Cobalt rush hour. This would also benefit Riverside as the 11 can stick with the blue arrows brand all day every day while and bring upgraded travel to the Green arrows on Sundays (probs be better getting up Lobley Hill bank too) but also saving money on parts with the solars staying at the main depots (Chester,Riverside and Deptford). This will also bring the oppotuinity to bring newer vehicles to the 67-69 earlier than expected as the solars are to be replaced sooner than expected as the solars to be replaced soon.

(05 Oct 2018, 10:12 pm)Jamie M wrote Interesting, I don't see much use in any of this though.

The eclipses at percy main are Volvo engines, not the same as the Solars which are Scanias.

Omnicities also are pretty worn out right now, they probably want some internal TLC given their age, not really much of an upgrade.

33 doesn't need extending, it wouldn't be used and would need nexus to support it to make it worth while.

Valid argument about peak time journeys needing more seat space, but it's not easy to do this when perhaps more space is only needed for 2 journeys a day.

I would say that next year will be interesting with the ability to bin most buses that are older than 55 plate with the solar council agreement ending in 2019. Maybe streetlites for 97, 93/94 and 35 with the best of the 54 plate solars being kept for spares and chester.

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