Did I see a de-branded one of these heading into Jesmond Depot a few days back?  https://www.flickr.com/photos/61188429@N06/49259161568/

For Arriva's Boxing Day services in the future, would it not be cheaper to open Blyth depot in terms of mileage?

- X10/X11 (renumbered 10 / 11) would run serving all stops via Wideopen and interwork with the 52/X16. This would reduce the PVR from 8x to 6x due to the 43 not needing to run.

- 308 would remain unchanged.

- 52 and X16 would interwork with 10 / 11

- X21 / X22 driver changeovers would take place on Bedlington Front Street with some early morning and early-mid evening journeys either starting or terminating in Bedlington.

(27 Dec 2019, 1:23 pm)L469 YVK wrote For Arriva's Boxing Day services in the future, would it not be cheaper to open Blyth depot in terms of mileage?

- X10/X11 (renumbered 10 / 11) would run serving all stops via Wideopen and interwork with the 52/X16. This would reduce the PVR from 8x to 6x due to the 43 not needing to run.

- 308 would remain unchanged.

- 52 and X16 would interwork with 10 / 11

- X21 / X22 driver changeovers would take place on Bedlington Front Street with some early morning and early-mid evening journeys either starting or terminating in Bedlington.

Why? Easier to operate everything from Jesmond depot. Then driver changeovers are taking place at an official break location rather than requiring paid travelling time from Bedlington to Blyth to have their break.

(27 Dec 2019, 1:31 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Why? Easier to operate everything from Jesmond depot. Then driver changeovers are taking place at an official break location rather than requiring paid travelling time from Bedlington to Blyth to have their break.

Not to mention the cost of having two depots worth of supervisor and engineering staff on hand, even if only for a few hours each end of the day.

I also suspect the X10/X11 couldn't hold all of the passengers either. Keep it simple, don't complicate things by having unique service numbers on Boxing Day.

Opening one depot seems sensible.

Are anymore Pulsar 2s being refurbished or repainted?

(24 Dec 2019, 12:52 pm)Ianthegoon wrote A challenging restoration project for a really keen enthusiast?

Where is this bus currently stored at

Not sure if it has been mentioned previously but 7424, 7609 and 7610 are all back at Redcar/Whitby. 2828 last I knew was at Redcar

7446 VOR again due to an RTC involving it

(30 Dec 2019, 10:14 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure if it has been mentioned previously but 7424, 7609 and 7610 are all back at Redcar/Whitby. 2828 last I knew was at Redcar

Only a skeleton remains of the rear of 2828 following it's engine fire. Parked up waiting for scrap I believe...

(30 Dec 2019, 10:14 am)tyresmoke wrote Not sure if it has been mentioned previously but 7424, 7609 and 7610 are all back at Redcar/Whitby. 2828 last I knew was at Redcar

7609 is currently on loan to Blyth depot

With GNE due to change the Cobalt & Coast services in January, what changes could Arriva make to the 306 & 308? For starters, a 10 minute frequency on both services would be a no go unless Arriva were audacious.

My thoughts would be that Arriva could go down the following:

- 308 becomes X38 operating the same route between Blyth and Billy Mill before running non stop between Billy Mill and Newcastle running every 20 minutes.

- 306 increased to every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Billy Mill (continuing every 20 to Tynemouth and Whitley Bay). Also no longer serves Battle Hill Drive.

(30 Dec 2019, 10:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote With GNE due to change the Cobalt & Coast services in January, what changes could Arriva make to the 306 & 308? For starters, a 10 minute frequency on both services would be a no go unless Arriva were audacious.

My thoughts would be that Arriva could go down the following:

- 308 becomes X38 operating the same route between Blyth and Billy Mill before running non stop between Billy Mill and Newcastle running every 20 minutes.

- 306 increased to every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Billy Mill (continuing every 20 to Tynemouth and Whitley Bay). Also no longer serves Battle Hill Drive.

You’re bloody obsessed with the X38, Arriva won’t try it nor would GNE.

(30 Dec 2019, 11:25 pm)NewcastleOne wrote You’re bloody obsessed with the X38, Arriva won’t try it nor would GNE.

Hes obsessed with the 306/308/309/310 and now the 311!

All he goes on about!

(30 Dec 2019, 10:29 pm)L469 YVK wrote With GNE due to change the Cobalt & Coast services in January, what changes could Arriva make to the 306 & 308? For starters, a 10 minute frequency on both services would be a no go unless Arriva were audacious.

My thoughts would be that Arriva could go down the following:

- 308 becomes X38 operating the same route between Blyth and Billy Mill before running non stop between Billy Mill and Newcastle running every 20 minutes.

- 306 increased to every 10 minutes between Newcastle and Billy Mill (continuing every 20 to Tynemouth and Whitley Bay). Also no longer serves Battle Hill Drive.

They'd be better splitting them up more at the end and going different places. Parts of Tynemouth, Whitley and Monkseaton must have some of the worst bus coverage in the North East. Whitley Lodge / Red House farm hourly 51. The whole of Monkseaton half hourly 57/57A. Preston Grange / Prenton half hourly 11 for a few examples. (Excluding the W buses). Marden no realistic bus to Newcastle at all.

There's no demand for express buses along there nor a 20 minute service only going to Billy Mill.

Davey man, the bus is still going to go along more or less the same road. It's just that everyone who would have used it is now stood at bus stops pissed off when it drives straight past them.

Whitby park & ride 7609 has returned to Blyth for the first time since 2014/2015. It's been on the X10/X11 using the spare machine for Blyth.

1759 has transferred permanently to Darlington in place of 2863 which is now a Redcar (for Whitby) vehicle