Arriva North East: Latest News & Discussion - May 2015

Seem as you are all so interested in the Sunderland X21's passenger numbers - the 1041 X21 left Peterlee Bus Station with 11 passengers (5? Through passengers from the 21).

Another 4 jumped on at Essington Way.

Dart 1306 turned up at Redcar yesterday as an extra bus to free up an extra vehicle to go to Whitby today for the Tour de Yorkshire bike race

One month later than planned due to printing mistakes, please be aware that Newcastle-bound X21 services now depart from Stand B and X22 from Stand A in Ashington bus station.

All other stands remained unchanged, stands A, B, C, D and E have received the new signs but F and G remain in the old design.

7619 has returned from refurbishment and is back in service on X12. It has yet to be branded.

(01 May 2015, 4:19 pm)Kuyoyo wrote 7619 has returned from refurbishment and is back in service on X12. It has yet to be branded.

1411 broke down on 685 heading west at Corbridge earlier this evening due to loss of coolant.

Recovery vehicle arrived a couple of hours later - now on its way back to Newcastle on rear-end suspended tow.

Drivers weren't happy to see me.

1924 in a smash yesterday. Front end damage.

Are Arriva planning on attending the MetroCentre Rally on Monday?

(02 May 2015, 4:26 pm)Malarkey wrote Are Arriva planning on attending the MetroCentre Rally on Monday?

yeah speaking to Mr N.Wise earlier on he was planning on taking 4814 to it, but it has received a rather nasty scratch/dent so maybe taking another one

(02 May 2015, 5:41 pm)Stewy wrote yeah speaking to Mr N.Wise earlier on he was planning on taking 4814 to it, but it has received a rather nasty scratch/dent so maybe taking another one

Should bring Titan along with one of the MAX Streetlites.

(02 May 2015, 5:59 pm)Malarkey wrote Should bring Titan along with one of the MAX Streetlites.

Yeah I was hoping for something more exciting than an EcoCity as they have brought an EcoCity along the last two years - perhaps they are hoping to use more gas on the long journey to the MetroCentre

I was sort of hoping for a MAX X1 StreetLite or even a Sapphire 7 Enviro 400. At least Arriva should be in attendance though.

(02 May 2015, 6:05 pm)Jimmi wrote Yeah I was hoping for something more exciting than an EcoCity as they have brought an EcoCity along the last two years - perhaps they are hoping to use more gas

I was sort of hoping for a MAX X1 StreetLite or even a Sapphire 7 Enviro 400. At least Arriva should be in attendance though.

I would have thought you see them enough considering you live in that area  

(02 May 2015, 6:06 pm)Robert wrote I would have thought you see them enough considering you live in that area  

Yeah, although I haven't seen them that much.

Would have been nicer for people travelling from further afield who attend the rally every year though especially as they have just entered service. Hopefully it will be a ex demonstrator EcoCity as it will be slightly different.

Just a thought after reading some posts in the GNE thread, would it be possible for Ashington to operate the 1 on Sundays and Bank Holidays (and possibly evenings), as the three Streetlites aren't needed on the 35, if they provide better fuel economy than Blyth's MPD's would?

(03 May 2015, 12:08 pm)mb134 wrote Just a thought after reading some posts in the GNE thread, would it be possible for Ashington to operate the 1 on Sundays and Bank Holidays (and possibly evenings), as the three Streetlites aren't needed on the 35, if they provide better fuel economy than Blyth's MPD's would?

I'd want 35-branded StreetLites... on the 35...! I'd want the StreetLites to operate the 35 on Sunday even if it does create a long layover time... bank holidays though? I'd have normal service.

(03 May 2015, 12:20 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I'd want 35-branded StreetLites... on the 35...! I'd want the StreetLites to operate the 35 on Sunday even if it does create a long layover time... bank holidays though? I'd have normal service.

Why would you want Streetlites when you could have Sapphire spec Enviro's? (especially when they usually use 7522-8 on Sundays and Bank Holidays) 

(03 May 2015, 12:08 pm)mb134 wrote Just a thought after reading some posts in the GNE thread, would it be possible for Ashington to operate the 1 on Sundays and Bank Holidays (and possibly evenings), as the three Streetlites aren't needed on the 35, if they provide better fuel economy than Blyth's MPD's would?

(03 May 2015, 12:20 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I'd want 35-branded StreetLites... on the 35...! I'd want the StreetLites to operate the 35 on Sunday even if it does create a long layover time... bank holidays though? I'd have normal service.

I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.

The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.

(03 May 2015, 12:21 pm)mb134 wrote Why would you want Streetlites when you could have Sapphire spec Enviro's? (especially when they usually use 7522-8 on Sundays and Bank Holidays) 

I would hope that Arriva order 4 more StreetLites for the 35s, as it is a very stupid allocation.

Also, if ANE dont get their act together, we may have another Easter Monday with 35/X21 interworking and having both services' major delays combined.

(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan wrote I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.

The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.

So, as this would be applied to a Blyth service when anything goes anyway, you still wouldn't want to increase passenger experience?? 

Also, unlike GNE's full on branding, Arriva's is far more minimal, and I hardly notice it when I see a 35 Streetlite, so would it really make too much difference, in my opinion it would be a case of passengers coming to realise that on Sundays better vehicles are used?

(03 May 2015, 12:32 pm)mb134 wrote So, as this would be applied to a Blyth service when anything goes anyway, you still wouldn't want to increase passenger experience?? 

Also, unlike GNE's full on branding, Arriva's is far more minimal, and I hardly notice it when I see a 35 Streetlite, so would it really make too much difference, in my opinion it would be a case of passengers coming to realise that on Sundays better vehicles are used?

Then having normal 1 service on Sundays due to passenger demand... using MAX, 308, Quorum and stinky MPDs on one service...

(03 May 2015, 12:29 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I would hope that Arriva order 4 more StreetLites for the 35s, as it is a very stupid allocation.

Again, I'm inclined to agree.

I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.

(03 May 2015, 12:36 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Then having normal 1 service on Sundays due to passenger demand... using MAX, 308, Quorum and stinky MPDs on one service...

My thinking behind my original point though was to use a potentially more economic vehicle, while improving quality, a double decker would fail there.

(03 May 2015, 12:27 pm)Dan wrote I'm very much the same as Tommy. I think all branded vehicles should remain on the services for which they are branded - even if it is a lower specification vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes it just isn't practical and services do have to interwork to make running them (at the frequencies they operate to) viable. I'm guessing if the 35 / X21 didn't interwork, it would mean that an extra bus or two would have to be added to keep both services at their current frequencies. It goes without saying that doing that could not be justified, as it would reduce profits drastically.

The issue with allocating Ashington's Streetlites to other services when they aren't required on Sundays is that they are specifically branded for service 35. Ever since Go North East started having corporate liveried spare vehicles (to the same specification as the branded ones) opposed to branded spare vehicles, I have realised that it is so much better doing it that way. Other services can benefit from being allocated newer vehicles, that way, without having to allocate vehicles with branding for another service.

To have 1579-81 on 35s on Sunday, you'd end up saving 1 E400 off the present X21 and giving the X21 a 25 minutes layover in Newbiggin. However, you'd need 2 buses for the 35 with a layover in Newbiggin of 39 minutes. So, from logical reasons, the interworking remains in place.
There's also the fact that Ashington's entire Sunday output is either Sapphire on X21/35 and X22 or MAX on the X15/X18/418.

(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan wrote Again, I'm inclined to agree.

I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.

Aye it does need to be sorted, the only thing I can think of is that some journeys may require double deckers? 

(03 May 2015, 12:39 pm)Kuyoyo wrote To have 1579-81 on 35s on Sunday, you'd end up saving 1 E400 off the present X21 and giving the X21 a 25 minutes layover in Newbiggin. However, you'd need 2 buses for the 35 with a layover in Newbiggin of 39 minutes. So, from logical reasons, the interworking remains in place.
There's also the fact that Ashington's entire Sunday output is either Sapphire on X21/35 and X22 or MAX on the X15/X18/418.

Leading on from this point, do you think the X20/20 will start to operate on Sundays when it goes MAX?

(03 May 2015, 12:37 pm)Dan wrote Again, I'm inclined to agree.

I've brought this up myself on a number of occasions now, and nobody has yet been able to provide me with an answer as to why just three vehicles (which received specific branding for service 35) were ordered for the service. Half of the allocation is new stock, and half of the allocation is ancient stock, operating with different liveries and different internal specifications.

The demand is there, all the 35/a's that I have used have had decent to full loadings between Ashington and Morpeth, so I'd assume that an upgrade would be due, iirc the last upgrade was the 57-reg Centros. I would have got a 16 new vehicle order for the X21/22 and have 7501-7507 refurbished to the new specification for the 35/a.

(03 May 2015, 12:45 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The demand is there, all the 35/a's that I have used have had decent to full loadings between Ashington and Morpeth, so I'd assume that an upgrade would be due, iirc the last upgrade was the 57-reg Centros. I would have got a 16 new vehicle order for the X21/22 and have 7501-7507 refurbished to the new specification for the 35/a.

Think 1480-3 were originally bought for the 35?

(03 May 2015, 12:43 pm)mb134 wrote Leading on from this point, do you think the X20/20 will start to operate on Sundays when it goes MAX?

There is little demand for the Ashington-Newcastle services on Sunday other than when there is events in Newcastle, I'd trial the 20 on Sundays then see what its like to continue.