(05 Feb 2023, 3:19 pm)L469 YVK wrote Unless it's just 7541-52 (will be 6 year old in August) with a newer batch replacing them?

Then 7541-52 could perhaps go to Blyth........or even maybe Belmont / Darlington for the 7.

(05 Feb 2023, 5:14 pm)V514DFT wrote I can see em going to Blyth, do they run anything with a 12 pvr

(05 Feb 2023, 5:14 pm)V514DFT wrote I can see em going to Blyth, do they run anything with a 12 pvr

(05 Feb 2023, 6:25 pm)Storx wrote Personally I'd send them to Darlington for the 7, move the Enviro's to Durham then send Streetlite's up to Ashington from both Darlington.
I'd send the 5 wrecked Solo's down to Durham at the same time for more Pulsar's and upgrade the 57/57A as the reliability is a shambles and there's constantly full size buses on the Durham 56/57/57A/49/49A aswell.

Something like:
7541 - 7551, Ashington to Darlington
7534 - 7540, Darlington to Durham
1595 - 1601, Durham to Darlington
1602 - 1614, Darlington to Ashington

at the same time:
1512 / 1513, Walkergate to Durham
1479, Walkergate to Darlington
1579 / 1580, Durham to Stockton

2853 - 2857, Ashington to Durham
1465 / 1466, Durham to Ashington

Would tidy depots up with Durham being Streetlite free, Walkergate bar the one bus for the 47 being Pulsar free and Ashington being Solo free. There's no need for Decker's on all the X14/X20/35 boards, it's overkill imo. No-one really loses out either.

(05 Feb 2023, 6:25 pm)Storx wrote Would tidy depots up with Durham being Streetlite free, Walkergate bar the one bus for the 47 being Pulsar free and Ashington being Solo free. There's no need for Decker's on all the X14/X20/35 boards, it's overkill imo. No-one really loses out either.

(05 Feb 2023, 6:43 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Durham won’t be needing more Solos - indeed, they may have some going spare in April

(05 Feb 2023, 6:25 pm)Storx wrote Personally I'd send them to Darlington for the 7, move the Enviro's to Durham then send Streetlite's up to Ashington from both Darlington.
I'd send the 5 wrecked Solo's down to Durham at the same time for more Pulsar's and upgrade the 57/57A as the reliability is a shambles and there's constantly full size buses on the Durham 56/57/57A/49/49A aswell.

Something like:
7541 - 7551, Ashington to Darlington
7534 - 7540, Darlington to Durham
1595 - 1601, Durham to Darlington
1602 - 1614, Darlington to Ashington

(05 Feb 2023, 8:07 pm)L469 YVK wrote @storx - so would this mean StreetLites on the 1/2/57/57A?

(05 Feb 2023, 9:19 pm)Storx wrote Potentially guess it depends on what is best, some of them would be Streetlite, other's would be the Pulsar's which are still about 15xx and that. Guess it depends on what would be better on what (1461 and the two from Durham would be Euro 5 though so would be restricted). Seems there's problems though as mentioned after, didn't realise the X14 boards had been changed as there used to be a board that could be ran by anything and was quite often ran with a minibus.

The 7 is a route which needs Decker's though really, I know Jimmi is always moaning about it and it is busy whenever I see it.

(06 Feb 2023, 7:47 am)Jimmi wrote I wouldn't say it needs a full decker output, although a few extra deckers at Darlington would help as some runs at peak times are getting allocated singles when a decker is really needed, plus you lose two of the E400s on weekdays as there's a 5/5A board that requires one with another needing to be deployed on the X26.

(05 Feb 2023, 6:25 pm)Storx wrote Personally I'd send them to Darlington for the 7, move the Enviro's to Durham then send Streetlite's up to Ashington from both Darlington.
I'd send the 5 wrecked Solo's down to Durham at the same time for more Pulsar's and upgrade the 57/57A as the reliability is a shambles and there's constantly full size buses on the Durham 56/57/57A/49/49A aswell.

Something like:
7541 - 7551, Ashington to Darlington
7534 - 7540, Darlington to Durham
1595 - 1601, Durham to Darlington
1602 - 1614, Darlington to Ashington

at the same time:
1512 / 1513, Walkergate to Durham
1479, Walkergate to Darlington
1579 / 1580, Durham to Stockton

2852 - 2856, Ashington to Durham
1465 / 1466, Durham to Ashington

Would tidy depots up with Durham being Streetlite free, Walkergate bar the one bus for the 47 being Pulsar free and Ashington being Solo free. There's no need for Decker's on all the X14/X20/35 boards, it's overkill imo. No-one really loses out either.


7534..75.40 could come over to redcar Whitby for the and ride or if there are more capable the x93.94 as we have qrite a few Decker's off

(05 Feb 2023, 6:25 pm)Storx wrote There's no need for Decker's on all the X14/X20/35 boards, it's overkill imo. No-one really loses out either.

(08 Feb 2023, 5:42 pm)NEbushopper wrote The 35 is always quiet when i've seen/been on it. Of coruse there is a need for the morning and afternoon school/peak trips but other than that the 35 could do with a pulsar

(08 Feb 2023, 6:24 pm)Storx wrote Aye I believe it used to be mixed until quite recently with the 2 Streetlite's forming the allocation and the Centro's before that, believe it was ALX400's doing the other boards. Not sure how they came to that mind as it's like polar opposite in standards but then again it's Arriva.

Ashington seem to be struggling today, quite a few dropped boards; noticed the Commander is back on the road aswell which is unusual, it's never really been affected by the driver shortages.

(08 Feb 2023, 6:59 pm)mb134 wrote A couple of boards can deal with single decker allocation, but there are quite a few trips per day which need deckers. There's usually a couple in the morning which are hammered with schools, then the first couple after 9am heading to Morpeth are quite busy. Most trips alight and board quite a few at Ashington Bus Station too, throughout the day. Outside of the peaks it doesn't really need deckers, but then again do many routes? 

They've been hampered quite a bit recently with drivers on the sick I believe, but I've heard that they have quite a few drivers currently in training as well as some full licence holders starting/coming back imminently. The Commander was never withdrawn or anything, was just waiting for parts. It's covering 7530/1 for refurb at the moment.

(08 Feb 2023, 7:24 pm)Storx wrote Thanks for that, had a feeling that was what it was like with the 35's and how it was pretty much allocated. Mind noticed there's been more singles on since they've lost a lot of Decker's.

Yeah that's fair wasn't sure whether it was sickness or a complete lack of vehicles, they do they seem rather short in spares - noticed a Solo has been on the 2 from the start of day again.

(15 Feb 2023, 7:02 am)L469 YVK wrote Could the rumored release of 7541-52 (plus a few classic ex 'Sapphire' Enviro 400s) not be for the 'Qualifying Agreement' along the Coast Road? Spec wise, they'd match up with GNE's B9TLs and also provide Next Stop Announcements.