(16 May 2023, 8:26 am)col87 wrote Unfortunately not.  My guess would be though that if and when the Saltburn services start 4 buses will likely be swapped with 4 darts/Enviro 200 going to Stockton and 4 Man/ Enviro 300 coming to Hartlepool in return. I think at least as a short term solution although it might get to the point where the Saltburn 1/2 goes the same way as the 18 did with it registered but the start date been put back a few times before it eventually quietly gets dropped.

The plan for the 1/2 was changed late into the original planned start date from E200s from Hartlepool to E200MMCs from the home fleet - simply because Hartlepool cannot maintain any E300s, hence why 27805/12 have entered service at Stockton as replacements for the ALX300s rather than Hartlepool and the two MANs that were due off last month have undergone MOT.

(16 May 2023, 8:41 am)Kuyoyo wrote The plan for the 1/2 was changed late into the original planned start date from E200s from Hartlepool to E200MMCs from the home fleet - simply because Hartlepool cannot maintain any E300s, hence why 27805/12 have entered service at Stockton as replacements for the ALX300s rather than Hartlepool and the two MANs that were due off last month have undergone MOT.

Which I don’t get considering until 2010 the current depot managed Volvo B10 Bristol RE, Volvo Olympians, Leyland Lynx Leyland national, Dennis Falcons so I don’t really see what has changed since then.

(16 May 2023, 10:48 am)col87 wrote Which I don’t get considering until 2010 the current depot managed Volvo B10 Bristol RE, Volvo Olympians, Leyland Lynx Leyland national, Dennis Falcons so I don’t really see what has changed since then.

yes because they haven't updated any of the equipment in the engineering department since the 1960s...

Seems to me it's less an issue of the bus physically fitting in the building, and more the size of the pits themselves?

(16 May 2023, 11:56 am)F114TML wrote yes because they haven't updated any of the equipment in the engineering department since the 1960s...

Seems to me it's less an issue of the bus physically fitting in the building, and more the size of the pits themselves?

They had full size buses in 2010 still nothing has changed.  A quick google shows that the current enviro 300 enviro 400 and mans are actually about the same as the Volvos where back in 2010 so the excuse of them not fitting over the pits seems slightly weak.

Actually it could well be down to the size of the pits. It's possible the pits are about 11 metres long, so could cope with the likes of the Leyland Lynx, and various high floor single deckers, as back then they didn't have to build to the full 12 metre length to make up for the lost of seats which modern low floor vehicles suffer from due to front wheel arch intrusion and provision of wheelchair and buggy bays. Plus the last of the high floor single deckers Hartlepool had were the Volvo B10M which are mid engined vehicles with the engine in the middle of the bus.

(16 May 2023, 11:37 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Actually it could well be down to the size of the pits. It's possible the pits are about 11 metres long, so could cope with the likes of the Leyland Lynx, and various high floor single deckers, as back then they didn't have to build to the full 12 metre length to make up for the lost of seats which modern low floor vehicles suffer from due to front wheel arch intrusion and provision of wheelchair and buggy bays. Plus the last of the high floor single deckers Hartlepool had were the Volvo B10M which are mid engined vehicles with the engine in the middle of the bus.

if that is the case then questions really need to be asked why Stagecoach have not invested on the depot. Saying that the depot used to have a fleet of coaches as well which I think might have been more than 11M and think the RE where about and was plenty of them still about when they moved in that depot am sure they was even a delay in moving there because they had to do work to make sure the pits where big enough. Simple fact is though if the service reductions happen the darts and Manviro won’t cope so they going to have put bigger buses on. I think what eventually happen though is that the depot will close and they will use a small outstation somewhere with most of the fleet then been based at Stockton.  They had plenty of chances over the years to extend the depot but now aldi and a pub have been built next to it instead.

Again even though the coaches were 12 metres, they were mid-engined. Plus Hartlepool isn't exactly a money spinner for Stagecoach no matter how hard they have tried.

Some people need to be careful what they wish for as there's more chance of Hartlepool becoming a full outstation over anything else. Surprised it hasn't already tbh.

Same with South Shields.

27632 is now at Sunderland with 27739 going to Shields

27159- Walkergate
?- stockton
anyone know whats swapped with 27159?

36470 certainly won't be back at Shields anytime soon, if at all. Looks like a Christmas Tree at Slaty. Still no movement to replace Slatyford's E5 E200s bar 37313.

(22 May 2023, 7:44 pm)Dyllan7817 wrote 27159- Walkergate
?- stockton
anyone know whats swapped with 27159?

It was swapped with 22341

So has the swapped with Stockton E300 buses done then? With Newcastle depot

(29 May 2023, 2:32 am)topsweep1506 wrote It was swapped with 22341

That was already here tho?

Hopefully not as I want all those adl e300s gone

Thanks for info mate

(31 May 2023, 9:12 am)Lollist wrote Hopefully not as I want all those adl e300s gone

What's the old saying.....I want never gets......
Given the latest fleet news indicates that the next MAN mentioned to be moving across from Cumbria has now been listed as for disposal within the Cumbria and North Lancashire fleet, plus the upcoming changes in July which as far as the rumours go indicates a reduction in PVR, probably means Stockton's fleet is stable for now and likely will see vehicles presently in the fleet withdrawn.

(31 May 2023, 6:10 am)Dyllan7817 wrote That was already here tho?

Got sent to Walkergate from Sunderland for about a week until they realised they couldn’t use it on anything due to the CAZ then got sent back down to Stockton

(31 May 2023, 3:00 pm)topsweep1506 wrote Got sent to Walkergate from Sunderland for about a week until they realised they couldn’t use it on anything due to the CAZ then got sent back down to Stockton

I doubt they’d send it up just for that I mean it was Stocktons fault at the time anyway coz they didn’t change the legals before repaint

Having observed Stockton's workings today, I photographed only 22411 & 22413 in action. With 22887 and 22890 not working, and obviously 24121 & 27809 still inactive you have to question why bother with the ALXs at all. 22581 appears to have been repaired as planned using 24116 as donor so that will be at Stockton soon

According to Buses, Mercedes Sprinter/EVM 44043 has been transferred from Cumbria to North East - is this for Tees Flex?

NB: currently tracking on bustimes in Whitehaven, so has it actually transferred?

The Sprinter was on loan for a few weeks to cover a shortage but I believe it has gone back now.

(15 Jun 2023, 8:21 pm)Rapidsnap wrote The Sprinter was on loan for a few weeks to cover a shortage but I believe it has gone back now.

That was 44039 though, not 44043